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Val Kilmer's Global Warming Thriller Worse Than "The Happening"?
When it comes to poorly received environmentally-themed movies, few rank higher than M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening. Weak acting (Mark Wahlberg), a weak plot (attacking plants), and hilarious death scenes (lawn mower) all add up to an abysmal Tomatometer of 18%.
That was SO 2008.
Want to know how bad Val Kilmer's latest flick, The Chaos Experiment, did? After being released in only two theaters, it went straight to DVD. The only reason people may not rank it higher than The Happening is because so few have seen it. The basic plot-line is this: Kilmer plays a scientist that's gone a bit nutty and wants the world to hear his theory on the destructive power of global warming. The only way he knows people will read it is if it's the main headline in a major newspaper. To do this, (and giving life to metaphors on global warrming), he rigs a steam room to trap six, conveniently sexy people, and slowly raise in temperature. The longer his crazy theory and headline stay out of the newspaper, the longer the people cook and ultimately die. And now for some review snippets:
"If movie had odor this thing would be a garbage truck on a hot summer day. Don't waste your lunch money, or any money for that matter. I'm giving the tripe a zero, only for lack of a negative number." — Reviewer over on Rotten Tomatoes
"What we have here is a movie that combines the politics of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth with the torture porn tendencies of the Saw series (specifically cribbing plot points from Saw 2). In short, The Chaos Experiment stinks. It boggles the mind that this idea ever made it past the screenplay stage." — Richard LaFashia Jr., Examiner.com
"Don't waste your time or your money. I LOVE Val Kilmer and I almost cried at how bad this movie was. The ending, especially, is so stupid." — Reviewer on Amazon.com
Have you seen The Chaos Experiment? Are you now intrigued to find out how bad it may actually be? Let us know!

subset: commoncrawl


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Kildare naval recruit sets new fitness record at Haulbowline training base
It is unusual for a Kildare man to pursue a life at sea as they usually tend to enter military service given our close ties with the Curragh and the Irish army.
However, a young Kildare man, Patrick Roche from Newbridge, is bucking the trend. He is making a name for himself as he comes close to completing his Able Seaman training at the Navy's Haulbowline academy in Co Cork.
The young Miltown man is from a well known local family and is one of Paddy and Theresa Roche's seven children. He is also well known in local athletics circles and has competed with Naas AC.
Indeed it was his athletes background that stood to him recently when he had the distinction of breaking the long standing record at Harbouline for the fastest time in its grueling two mile fitness test. The young Kildare man shaved six seconds of the current record.
Patrick, who went to school in Newbridge, is enjoying his navy training and when completed he will be working in communications. After school he attended College in Carlow IT and went briefly to Australia.
Back home, he looked at his options and told the Leader: "The nay was always something that was in the back of my mind. I did the research, liked what I saw and I am really enjoying my time here."
Recently members of his family visited Harbouline and were given the grand tour by the proud Lilywhite man.


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Adrenal fatigue is a term which is used to describe someone to say that fatigue and other symptoms are caused by a poorly working adrenal gland in people who are under physical, emotional or mental stress. This is not a proven medical condition. We know that adrenal glands make hormones. They make cortisol which is a hormone that helps your body to deal with the stress. In the medical world there is adrenal fatigue theory and according to it, if your life is too stressful, then your adrenal glands may not pump our enough hormones which is leading to many different symptoms. But there are no evidences which are supporting this theory.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue
There are some supporters of adrenal fatigue who say that the symptoms of this condition are:
- Trouble thinking clearly or finishing your tasks
- Chronic tiredness, even after you wake up in the morning
- Trouble getting out of bed
But also there are some doctors who say that these symptoms can be due to other health problems. Also these doctors are saying that these symptoms are very common in general. Often people blame their hormonal glands such as thyroid or adrenal gland for their tiredness, but in many cases the adrenal fatigue is due to common problems such as
- Depression
- Stress at work or home
- Poor diet
- Poor sleep habits
All of the mentioned problems can affect your energy levels without involving your adrenal glands. But fatigue, as we know, is a symptom of many other diseases such as heart failure, diabetes, arthritis and anemia. The adrenal glands sit atop the kidneys like caps. There are some conditions which can keep your adrenal glands from working well. One of these conditions is the Addison's disease. In some cases this condition is referred as a primary adrenal insufficiency. When someone suffers from this condition, then his adrenal glands are not making enough hormones. This is a disease which doctors can recognize and test it. In the most cases of the Addison's disease, our adrenal glands have been damaged by your immune system. You need to talk with your doctor about what is causing your adrenal fatigue. You need to tell him if you have tried some home remedies or medicines to improve you adrenal fatigue.
causes of adrenal fatigue
What causes the adrenal fatigue: This is a term which is applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms such as digestive problems, sleep disturbances, nervousness, fatigue and body aches. This term is often used in alternative medicine websites and popular health books but in the medical diagnosis it is not accepted. We know that our adrenal glands are producing different hormones which are very important for our life. This medical term (adrenal insufficiency) is referring to inadequate production of one or more of these hormones as a result of some underlying disease. Here are the signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency:
- Skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation)
- Loss of body hair
- Lightheadedness
- Low blood pressure
- Unexplained weight loss
- Body aches
- Fatigue
This condition can be diagnosed by blood tests and special stimulation tests which show inadequate levels of adrenal hormones. Proponents of the adrenal fatigue diagnose claim that this condition is a mild form of adrenal insufficiency which is caused by chronic stress. This theory of adrenal fatigue is not proven and it says that your adrenal glands are unable to keep pace with the demands of perpetual fight – or – flight arousal. As a result of it, they cannot produce enough hormones which will make us to feel good. According to this theory, the existing blood tests are not sensitive enough to detect such a small decline in your adrenal function but your body is. If it is very frustrating to have persistent symptoms that your doctor cannot readily explain. But when someone accepts a medically unrecognized diagnosis from an unqualified practitioner, then this could be worse. The unproven adrenal fatigue remedies for this condition can make you feel sicker while the real cause such as fibromyalgia or depression continues to take their part.


text: Smooth Harbour Waters Published 22 January, 2017 at 1170 × 659 in Smooth Harbour Waters ← Previous / Next → View from Mrs Macquarie\'s Chair in Sydney, overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House at Dusk. Sydney is an incredibly stunning city, particularly at dusk, and I personally feel that the harbour is a large part of its magnificence. The harbour is the home of the CBD, and provides several world famous landmarks, such as the bridge and the Opera House. Sydney Harbour is also a transport mechanism for many commuters, a home to defence infrastructure, a route for trade and commerce and a place of recreation (boating, fishing and even diving).


text: LNV's structural department is highly experienced and diversified in the analysis and design of various types of buildings and structures, especially those that are in high wind, hurricane-prone areas. These numerous types of structural projects include commercial and institutional type buildings, industrial plants, petrochemical refineries, marine facilities, naval facilities, and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is through this diversification that allows the department to stay up-to-date with all necessary code requirements and for understanding the everyday challenges of protecting the public and enhancing life safety through our innovative designs.


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Crescent ♈ Aries
Moon phase on 30 January 2028 Sunday is Waxing Crescent, 3 days young Moon is in Pisces.Share this page: twitter facebook linkedin
Waxing Crescent is the lunar phase on . Seen from Earth, illuminated fraction of the Moon surface is 13% and growing larger. The 3 days young Moon is in ♓ Pisces.
Monday Mon
Tuesday Tue
Wednesday Wed
Thursday Thu
Friday Fri
Saturday Sat
Sunday Sun
Previous main lunar phase is the New Moon before 3 days on 26 January 2028 at 15:12.
Moon rises in the morning and sets in the evening. It is visible toward the southwest in early evening.
Moon is passing about ∠22° of ♓ Pisces tropical zodiac sector.
Lunar disc appears visually 9.1% narrower than solar disc. Moon and Sun apparent angular diameters are ∠1777" and ∠1948".
Next Full Moon is the Snow Moon of February 2028 after 11 days on 10 February 2028 at 15:04.
There is low ocean tide on this date. Sun and Moon gravitational forces are not aligned, but meet at big angle, so their combined tidal force is weak.
The Moon is 3 days young. Earth's natural satellite is moving from the beginning to the first part of current synodic month. This is lunation 347 of Meeus index or 1300 from Brown series.
Length of current 347 lunation is 29 days, 19 hours and 25 minutes. This is the year's longest synodic month of 2028. It is 1 hour and 31 minutes longer than next lunation 348 length.
Length of current synodic month is 6 hours and 41 minutes longer than the mean length of synodic month, but it is still 22 minutes shorter, compared to 21st century longest.
This lunation true anomaly is ∠161.9°. At the beginning of next synodic month true anomaly will be ∠186.5°. The length of upcoming synodic months will keep decreasing since the true anomaly gets closer to the value of New Moon at point of perigee (∠0° or ∠360°).
1 day after point of apogee on 28 January 2028 at 15:31 in ♒ Aquarius. The lunar orbit is getting closer, while the Moon is moving inward the Earth. It will keep this direction for the next 11 days, until it get to the point of next perigee on 10 February 2028 at 19:53 in ♌ Leo.
Moon is 403 277 km (250 585 mi) away from Earth on this date. Moon moves closer next 11 days until perigee, when Earth-Moon distance will reach 356 678 km (221 629 mi).
4 days after its ascending node on 26 January 2028 at 07:31 in ♒ Aquarius, the Moon is following the northern part of its orbit for the next 9 days, until it will cross the ecliptic from North to South in descending node on 9 February 2028 at 08:56 in ♌ Leo.
4 days after beginning of current draconic month in ♒ Aquarius, the Moon is moving from the beginning to the first part of it.
7 days after previous South standstill on 22 January 2028 at 21:35 in ♐ Sagittarius, when Moon has reached southern declination of ∠-26.616°. Next 7 days the lunar orbit moves northward to face North declination of ∠26.601° in the next northern standstill on 6 February 2028 at 12:59 in ♊ Gemini.
After 11 days on 10 February 2028 at 15:04 in ♌ Leo, the Moon will be in Full Moon geocentric opposition with the Sun and this alignment forms next Sun-Earth-Moon syzygy.


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Saint Michael the Archangel is often depicted wielding a sword and a set of scales to vanquish Satan. His scales have an ancient and surprising meaning.
I worked for days on a post about Saint Michael the Archangel. I finally finished it this morning, exactly one week before the Feast of the Archangels, then rushed off to work in the prison library. When I returned four hours later to print the post and get it into the mail to Charlene, my friend Joseph stopped by. You might remember Joseph from a few of my posts, notably "Disperse the Gloomy Clouds of Night" in Advent and "Forty Days and Forty Nights" in Lent.
Well, you can predict where this is going. As soon as I returned to my cell, Joseph came in to talk with me. Just as I turned on my typewriter, Joseph reached over and touched it. He wasn't aware of the problem with static charges from walking across these concrete floors. Joseph's unintentional spark wiped out four days of work and eight pages of text.
It's not the first time this has happened. I wrote about it in "Descent into Lent" last year, only then I responded with an explosion of expletives. Not so this time. As much as I wanted to swear, thump my chest, and make Joseph feel just awful, I couldn't. Not after all my research on the meaning of the scales of Saint Michael the Archangel. They very much impact the way I look at Joseph in this moment. Of course, for the 30 seconds or so after it happened, it's just as well that he wasn't standing within reach!
This world of concrete and steel in which we prisoners live is very plain, but far from simple. It's a world almost entirely devoid of what Saint Michael the Archangel brings to the equation between God and us. It's also a world devoid of evidence of self-expression. Prisoners eat the same food, wear the same uniforms, and live in cells that all look alike.
In these cells, the concrete walls and ceilings are white – or were at one time – the concrete floors are gray, and the concrete counter running halfway along one wall is dark green. On a section of wall for each prisoner is a two-by-four foot green rectangle for posting family photos, a calendar and religious items. The wall contains the sole evidence of self-expression in prison, and you can learn a lot about a person from what's posted there.
My friend, Pornchai, whose section of wall is next to mine, had just a blank wall two years ago. Today, not a square inch of green shows through his artifacts of hope. There are photos of Joe and Karen Corvino, the foster parents whose patience impacted his life, and Charlene Duline and Pierre Matthews, his new Godparents. There's also an old photo of the home in Thailand from which he was taken at age 11, photos of some of the ships described in "Come, Sail Away!" now at anchor in new homes. There's also a rhinoceros – no clue why – and Garfield the Cat. In between are beautiful icons of the Blessed Mother, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Saint Pio, and one of Saint Michael the Archangel that somehow migrated from my wall over to Pornchai's.
My own wall evolved over time. The only family photos I had are long lost, and I haven't seen my family in many years. It happens to just about every prisoner after ten years or so. In my first twelve years in prison I was moved sixteen times, and each time I had to quickly take my family photos off the wall. Like many prisoners here for a long, long time, there came a day when I took my memories down to move, then just didn't put them back up again. A year ago, I had nothing on the wall, then a strange transformation of that small space began to take shape.
When These Stone Walls – the blog, not the concrete ones – began last year, some readers started sending me beautiful icons and holy cards. The prison allows them in mail as long as they're not laminated in plastic. Some made their way onto my wall, and slowly over the last year it filled with color and meaning again.
It's a mystery why, but the most frequent image sent to me by TSW readers is that of Saint Michael the Archangel. There are five distinct icons of him on the wall, plus the one that seems to prefer Pornchai's side. These stone walls – the concrete ones, not the blog – are filled with companions now.
There's another icon of Saint Michael on my coffee cup – the only other place prisoners always leave their mark – and yet another inside and above the cell door. That one was placed there by my friend, Alberto Ramos, who went to prison at age 14 and turned 30 last week. It appeared a few months ago. Alberto's religious roots are in Caribbean Santeria. He said Saint Michael above the door protects this cell from evil. He said this world and this prison greatly need Saint Michael.
The references to the Archangel Michael are few and cryptic in the canon of Hebrew and Christian Scripture. In the apocalyptic visions of the Book of Daniel, he is Michael, your Prince, "who stands beside the sons of your people." In Daniel 12:1 he is the guardian and protector angel of Israel and its people, and the "Great Prince" in Heaven who came to the aid of the Archangel Gabriel in his contest with the Angel of Persia (Daniel 10:13, 21).
His name in Hebrew – Mikha'el – means "Who is like God?" It's posed as a question that answers itself. No one, of course, is like God. A subsidiary meaning is, "Who bears the image of God," and in this Michael is the archetype in Heaven of what man himself was created to be: the image and likeness of God. Some other depictions of the Archangel Michael show him with a shield bearing the image of Christ. In this sense, Michael is a personification, as we'll see below, of the principle attribute of God throughout Scripture.
Outside of Daniel's apocalyptic vision, the Archangel Michael appears only two more times in the canon of Sacred Scripture. In Revelation 12:7-9 he leads the army of God in a great and final battle against the army of Satan. A very curious mention in the Epistle of Saint Jude (Jude 1:9) describes Saint Michael's dispute with Satan over the body of Moses.
This is a direct reference to an account in the Apocrypha, and demonstrates the importance and familiarity of some of the apocryphal writings in the Israelite and early Christian communities. Saint Jude writes of the account as though it is quite familiar to his readers. In the Assumption of Moses in the apocryphal Book of Enoch, Michael prevails over Satan, wins the body of Moses, and accompanies him into Heaven.
It is because of this account that Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus in the account of the Transfiguration in Matthew 11. Moses and Elijah are the two figures in the Hebrew Scriptures to hear the voice of God on Mount Sinai, and to be assumed bodily into Heaven – escorted by Saint Michael the Archangel according to the Aggadah, the collection of milennia of rabbinic lore and custom.
In each of the seven images of Saint Michael the Archangel sent to me by TSW readers, he is depicted brandishing a sword in triumph over Satan subdued at his feet. In five of the icons, he also holds a set of scales above the head of Satan. A lot of people confuse the scales with those of "Lady Justice" the famous American icon. Those scales symbolize the equal application of law and justice in America. It's a high ideal, but one that too often isn't met in the American justice system. I cited some examples in "The Eighth Commandment."
The scales of Saint Michael also depict justice, but of another sort. Presumably that's why so many readers sent me his image, and I much appreciate it. However, some research uncovered a far deeper symbolic meaning for the Archangel's scales. The primary purpose of the scales is not to measure justice, but to weigh souls. And there's a specific factor that registers on Saint Michael's scales. They depict his role as the measure of mercy, the highest attribute of God for which Saint Michael is the personification. The capacity for mercy is what it most means to be in the image and likeness of God. The primary role of Saint Michael the Archangel is to be the advocate of justice and mercy in perfect balance – for justice without mercy is little more than vengeance.
That's why God limits vengeance as summary justice. In Genesis chapter 4, Lamech, a descendant of Cain, vows that "if Cain is avenged seven-fold then Lamech is avenged seventy-seven fold." Jesus later corrects this misconception of justice by instructing Peter to forgive "seventy times seven times."
Our English word, "Mercy" doesn't actually capture the full meaning of what is intended in the Hebrew Scriptures as the other side of the justice equation. The word in Hebrew is "hesed," and it has multiple tiers of meaning. It was translated into New Testament Greek as "eleos," and then translated into Latin as "misericordia" from which we derive the English word, "mercy." Saint Michael's scales measure "hesed," which in its most basic sense means to act with altruism for the good of another without anything of obvious value in return. It's the exercise of mercy for its own sake, a mercy that is the highest value of Judeo-Christian faith.
Sacred Scripture is filled with examples of hesed as the chief attribute of God and what it means to be in His image. That "the mercy of God endures forever" is the central and repeated message of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. The references are too many to name, but as I was writing this post, I spontaneously thought of a few lines from Psalm 85:
"Mercy and faithfulness shall meet. Justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring up from the Earth, and justice shall look down from Heaven." (Psalm 85:10-11).
The domino effect of hesed-mercy is demonstrated in Psalm 85. Faithfulness and truth will arise out of it, and together all three will comprise justice. In researching this, I found a single, ancient rabbinic reference attributing authorship of Psalm 85 to the only non-human instrument of any Psalm or verse of Scripture: Saint Michael the Archangel, himself. According to that legend, Psalm 85 was given by the Archangel along with the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Saint Thomas Aquinas described Saint Michael as "the breath of the Redeemer's spirit who will, at the end of the world, combat and destroy the Anti-Christ as he did Lucifer in the beginning." This is why St. Michael is sometimes depicted bearing a shield with the image of Christ. It is the image of Christ in His passion, imprinted upon the veil of St. Veronica. Veronica is a name that appears no where in Scripture, but is simply a name assigned by tradition to the unnamed woman with the veil. The name Veronica comes from the Latin "vera icon" meaning "true image."
Saint Thomas Aquinas and many Doctors of the Church regarded Saint Michael as the angel of Exodus who, as a pillar of cloud and fire, led Israel out of slavery. Christian tradition gives to Saint Michael four offices: To fight against Satan, to measure and rescue the souls of the just at the hour of death, to attend the dying and accompany the just to judgment, and to be the Champion and Protector of the Church.
His feast day, assigned since 1970 to the three Archangels of Scripture, was originally assigned to Saint Michael alone since the sixth century dedication of a church in Rome in his honor. The feast was originally called Michaelmas meaning, "The Mass of St. Michael." The great prayer to Saint Michael, however, is relatively new. It was penned on October 13, 1884, by Pope Leo XIII after a terrifying vision of Saint Michael's battle with Satan:
"St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, 0 Prince of the heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."
It's an important prayer for the Church, especially now. I asked Suzanne to place a permanent image of Saint Michael on These Stone Walls as well. I know the enemies of the Church lurk here, too. There are some who come here not for understanding, or the truth, but for ammunition. For them the very concept of mercy, forgiveness, and inner healing is anathema to their true cause. I once scoffed at the notion that evil surrounds us, but I have seen it. I think every person falsely accused has seen it.
Donald Spinner, mentioned in "Loose Ends and Dangling Participles," gave Pornchai a prayer that was published by the prison ministry of the Paulist Catholic Evangelization Association (www.pncea.org). Pornchai asked me to mention it in this post. It's a prayer that perfectly captures the meaning of Saint Michael the Archangel's Scales of Hesed:
Prayer for Justice and Mercy
"Jesus, united with the Father and the Holy Spirit, give us your compassion for those in prison. Mend in mercy the broken in mind and memory. Soften the hard of heart, the captives of anger. Free the innocent; parole the trustworthy. Awaken the repentance that restores hope. May prisoners' families persevere in their love. Jesus, heal the victims of crime; they live with the scars. Lift to eternal peace those who die. Grant victims and their families the forgiveness that heals. Give wisdom to lawmakers and those who judge. Instill prudence and patience in those who guard. Make those in prison ministry bearers of your light, for ALL of us are in need of your mercy! Amen."


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In medical terms, there is such a thing as the broken-heart syndrome. This also known as the stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Instances, where some people die a few days or months after their loved one passed away, somehow proves this phenomenon. Women are more likely to experience this than men.
Symptoms Of Broken Heart Syndrome
The connection between the emotional stress and the health condition of our heart is unknown to many. Sometimes, the symptoms of the broken heart syndrome are left unnoticed or even worse, neglected. It is almost a cliche when people say, "It will take time." They refer to how long the healing process will take.
The signs and symptoms of the broken heart can be mistaken for the early signs of a heart attack. The difference is that the arteries of the heart of a person who experienced this syndrome look perfectly normal but the heart itself becomes enlarged or balloon-like. Even blood tests conducted would not be able to manifest damages of the heart. The real and precise cause of this heart condition is still the subject of some studies.
A person with a "broken heart" experiences sudden and intense chest pains and a shortness of breath after a heavily emotional and stressful event. This is because stress hormones make the heart's normal beating change its rhythm, (Arrhythmias) leaving the victim short of breath which could lead to the person's death. People who had experienced other cardiovascular disease or with a history of neurologic and mental problems are more likely to suffer from this.
It is true then that extreme and tragic events in our lives can make our heart grow weak. The good news is this syndrome can be treated and solved. Normally, a victim will take weeks or months to recover. Nevertheless, medical help should be given immediately. It is also suggested that people who suffer from a tragic loss consult a professional for counseling and to relieve themselves from the stress and anxiety.


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Blaine Pardoe has a fascination with unsolved crimes. An accountant by trade, he likes to spend his nights and weekends researching these cases and writing about them.
He is frequently contracted to write articles for magazines and online publications, and he has published three "true crime" books with his daughter, Victoria.
But nothing prepared him for the work they are doing on their next book, about a series of four unsolved double homicides known as the Colonial Parkway Murders.
To read the full multimedia version of the story the way we intended to tell it, please click here to visit the complete story.


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The FDA is allowing a period of public comment, until Dec 19, regarding BioStratum's petition to have pyridoxamine declared "an adulterated substance' and by extension, illegal to be sold by retailers.
Here is the FDA link.
At the present moment, the FDA has stated pyridoxamine as illegal to be sold as a supplement:
"Based on the facts set forth in the petition, the agency
tentatively concludes that pyridoxamine, the active moiety\1\ of
pyridoxamine dihydrochloride, is excluded from the dietary supplement
definition under the exclusion clause in 21 U.S.C. 321(ff)(3)(B)(ii)
and therefore may not be marketed as or in a dietary supplement. "
My interpretation is that if you can prove that you sold pyridoxamine, as a supplement previous to BioStratums patent application, the FDA might be inclined to reverse their position. But I am certainly not a lawyer.
The is a link to make your comment included at the link above.


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A letter to my family, and especially to my mother
I know that you are convinced that neither me nor any of my companions should be in prison
4 min. Former member of the Catalan Parliament Traduccions: Cat Eng
Dear family, dear Mom,
It's been a few days now since I passed the number of days from my previous prison stay. Today makes it 50 days —plus 32 from November— for a total of 82 days. It's the first thing I think when I wake up in the morning: "One more day".
I told you that we have to persevere, that this time would be longer, and now the bad predictions have come true. I'm standing firm, as you have done too, Mom, throughout all the difficulties and bad times that you've seen during your 86 years. I think about dad's passing, as young as he was, and Joan's, your beloved son. This time, as always, our family is very united, and I think that this must make you proud. I've always admired your resilience, admired how you've accepted events, and how you've been able to overcome them by drawing strength and energy from within yourself, but especially from your huge heart.
I know that me being in prison is a hard blow for you. But I also know that you are convinced that neither me nor any of my companions should be in prison. You raised us with a belief in ideological freedom and the right to freedom of opinion and speech. Our family has been a matriarchy revolving around you, and you taught us that respect, love for others, dialogue, and coexistence for the general good should be our guiding principles. That's why you have so many friends and why we are a respected and loved family in our town by the people who know us —and they tell me that the demonstrations of support never stop coming.
Both me and my sister —who has been taken it upon herself to explain the injustice of our imprisonment— have tried to follow your lead when educating our own children, Bep, Pau, and Isarn.
I'm telling you all this so that, in these moments when longing is the principle that governs us, you remain strong. So that you keep on caring for everyone, as you've always done, but especially for yourself. Mom, I need you to be strong, determined, and content —despite my physical absence— because you have to know that they have taken my freedom, but not my thoughts or feelings, and as such, my heart and my mind are with all of you.
In my latest appearances before Judge Llarena I was clear and firm: there was no violence on October 1st, except that by the police. We are a united and peaceful people. We persevere. And everything that we have done has been to carry out the popular mandate of the September 27 elections, the sovereignty of Parliament, and has been marked by the right to ideological liberty, freedom of speech and opinion, and right to political freedom, including dissidence. Indeed, what you have always taught us every day: to work for the general good and to improve what is around us, which is why, like you who were a teacher for so many years, both Montse, my sister, a teacher and pedagogue, and I, a teacher and psycho-pedagogue, have wanted to follow in your footsteps by working every day to contribute in our own small way to making the world a little bit better, like you taught us.
Mom, I'm sure that we will be able to show that nothing of which we stand accused, neither rebellion nor misappropriation, are true crimes in our case. And that this pre-trial imprisonment is simply for political reasons. That is why we will persevere and live with the utmost dignity and patience.
I'm looking forward to our monthly visit to hug you close and kiss all of you, and I hope that the whole family will soon be able to enjoy happy, joyful days together. Meanwhile, know that, even though I'm not there, I'm thinking of you, and that the best that you can do for me is to take care of yourselves and love each other as always.
Hugs and kisses to you all!


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Along with my commercial portrait photography I also cover a select amount of weddings each year to allow me some variety in the work that I do. My style of wedding photography is candid and nonintrusive; I prefer to capture the raw moments of your day rather then stage things. I do of course love a good couples' photoshoot, being a portrait photographer, and will take any family/group photos that you want. View my portfolio and prices below:
We cover your wedding from start to finish, right from you getting ready until after everyone has worn themselves out on the dance floor. There is no time limit or additional charges, no matter how long your day is. We will provide you with 200-300 fully edit high resolution photos, delivered either digitally or on USB. This includes myself and a second photographer, meaning all the action gets captured and both bride and groom getting ready photos are included.
I can provide a hard cover A4 photo album featuring highlights of your special day printed on photo quality paper. For the first album I charge £200 for the design and print, and then £100 per additional album. The album has 44 inner pages, allowing you to have 41 pages of images – images can be 1 per page up to a maximum of 4 per page, draft designs are always sent prior to print for approval.
If you like, I can bring my backdrop and lights and set up a party style photobooth for a fraction of the cost of what a physical photobooth would cost you. Comes complete with fun props. You receive all images from the photobooth delivered digitally in addition to the 200-300 that you would get in my full day coverage.
In addition to photography, I also offer wedding videography. This is also a fixed price. For £1,000 I will supply a team of 2 videographers (one of which will be me if you don't also book me for your photos). This package includes footage of the entire ceremony, the speeches, the first dance and a 3-4 minute highlight video of your day. An example highlight video is below.
This depends on how many guests you have attending, and also if you want getting ready photos. If you have around 100 guests and want getting ready photos you will get between 200-300. I always make it my mission to ensure that every guest who attends your wedding features in at least one photograph!
The photo album quoted above is A4 in size, has 44 inner sides meaning we can print photos on up to 42 pages. The way I usually design the albums means that 1, 2 or 4 images feature on each page.
Yes, price for this is on request.
At the moment I don't offer any discount should you book both photography and video with myself. This is because I will have 3 people to manage on the day, rather then 1!
Usually within 2-4 weeks of the wedding your photos will be ready. However, depending on my schedule, it can take up to 6 weeks.
I provide all images in their full resolution and you are free to share them anywhere you like and also make as many prints as you like.
I usually feature weddings on my blog and will add my favourite images into my portfolio unless you want to keep your images private, in which case I won't post them anywhere.


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On Wednesday, June 17th, we hosted our second #Talkdeath roundtable discussion on all things related to death, dying, funeral practices, and grief. Mandy and Georgia from the Qeepr team moderated the discussion between About.com's Chris Raymond and The Doyenne of Death and author of A Good Goodbye, Gail Rubin. Using the questions that you, the audience, were asking as a framework, the result was an hour-long discussion that covered a lot of ground and left us brimming with information and new ideas to consider.
"Humans have a 100% mortality rate, and people aren't talking about end-of-life issues because they're so nervous about the topic."
-Gail Rubin
Our #Talkdeath web series was established this year with the intention of acting as a safe and respectful space for open discussion about death and dying. In the West, speaking honestly and directly about death related topics is not only uncommon, but often considered to be rude and insensitive. We at Qeepr, however, see these kinds of discussions as integral to better preparing for death, as well as more fully living life.
This was the second of a now regularly scheduled #Talkdeath web series! We hope that these roundtable discussions are informative, entertaining, and act as a means to make the answers to your questions more accessible. Stay tuned for what this exciting web series has in store for the future!
"Every human being- myself included- to varying degrees, is resistant to our own mortality and the fact that we aren't going to live forever."
– Chris Raymond
Leading up to the event this past Wednesday, June 17th, we put out a call on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for questions for our panelists. We received a number of thoughtful and interesting questions, and posed as many of them as we could to Chris and Gail during the hour-long roundtable. The conversation covered topics ranging from how to pick a funeral home, to what kinds of thing people ask to have buried with them! Here are some of the highlights from the event:
1. What are the most prevalent EOL issues right now?
2. Is it common for people to be buried with objects?
3. How does one donate their body to science?
4. What alternatives are there to burial and cremation?
View the entire roundtable discussion with Chris Raymond and Gail Rubin here:
I always try to avoid end-of-life discussions because I'm afraid of the truth – that we can't really live forever. I tried to shake these things off my mind because I'm not yet ready to face reality.
I have been actually trying to comprehend these kinds of decisions and thoughts. Thank you for telling it as it is. This post is much appreciated.


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Joel Silver Free to Good Home
Well, not free free, but still: Hollywood superproducer Joel Silver is looking for a new studio home for his Silver Pictures operation, with which Warner Bros. will officially part ways at the end of 2012. The separation marks the close of a 25-year relationship that yielded blockbuster franchises from Lethal Weapon to The Matrix to Sherlock Holmes — and more than a few shouting matches, outstanding loans and other troubling legacies.
Nikki Finke has the juicy details at Deadline, largely focusing on the ongoing battles between Silver and Warner Bros. boss Jeff Robinov:
Robinov used his own surrogates to make Silver aware that the studio was about to "address the economics" of his Warner Bros. deal if — and that was a big "if" — it was renewed at the end of the year. Which Silver correctly interpreted as meaning a drastic reduction in his already greatly reduced contract terms even though the studio had not yet presented any details. Robinov counted on Silver imploding, which is exactly what happened. [...]
It's well known in Hollywood that the lavish-living Silver has relied on a longstanding series of loans from Warner Bros. by taking advances against the money due him on his movies. Once he leaves Warner Bros., Silver must repay those loans. Will another studio be willing to let him borrow in an arrangement which Silver's lawyer Bert Fields once described as "a running account between them"?
Yikes. Finke suggests Universal as a possible fit, which is as good a guess as any with Silver pal Ron Meyer (whose daughter also works for Silver) running the ship. Or maybe not! Anyone out there need a 59-year-old terror to watch your lot and spend your money? Suggestions welcome...


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De-identification is a technique to mask or remove protected health information (PHI) from sensitive patient data. If you need to use production HL7 data, you'll need to find a way to protect PHI. De-identification is a good choice when you need to:
Troubleshoot an interface
Populate a test system
Gather data for analytics
Why de-identify?
There are a number of reasons you should consider de-identification.
1. Leverage the richness of production data
When you test a system or an interface, you'll cover the most realistic test scenarios [...]Read More


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Fitbit has just announced the Fitbit Charge 4.
I was at my dentist the other day, repairing a broken crown. I was wearing an Apple Watch ($280 at Amazon) on one wrist, and the Fitbit Charge 3 ($124 at Amazon) on the other. The dental assistant smiled and showed me her arm. She was wearing a Fitbit and Apple Watch, too.
I was wearing mine for work, I explained to her. She said she wears both because the Fitbit is better at social fitness, while the Apple Watch is better for messages. This is the truth, and the reality of fitness wearables: Nothing does everything perfectly.
The Fitbit Charge 3 is probably Fitbit's best pure fitness tracker band, provided you're fine living in Fitbit's universe. Which, really, is a pretty good place to be for social fitness, checking daily habits, and adding activity challenges.
The Apple Watch Series 4 is a great watch, but still feels more like a piece of the iPhone ($420 at Back Market) that detached and started living as a satellite on my wrist. It's fine with fitness, but not as fine-tuned at times as what the Fitbit delivers. And it's far more expensive.
The Charge 3's price is reasonable ($150), and its feature set is nearly complete. It gives you heart rate, sleep tracking, 50 meter swim water resistance, a larger display with phone notifications, plus weather, timer and stopwatch apps and optional NFC payments in a special edition. It also lasts about seven days on a charge. I still think the Fitbit Versa, Fitbit's more watch-like fitness tracker, is a better bet for its fun watch faces and music capabilities plus its extra-customizable physical buttons, and it's being offered on sale this holiday at nearly the same price.
While the Charge 3 is super functional, its missing features include:
- No onboard GPS (it tracks using your phone's GPS)
- No music storage or remote music controls
- No app store
- No watch face store
It comes down to this: If you're looking for an everyday fitness tracker that has app notifications and just a bit of smartwatch-ness, the Fitbit Charge 3 is a pretty great pick. It's similar to what other manufacturers are making in fitness bands, and a close match would be the Garmin Vivosmart 4, which adds a new pulse oxygen-detecting heart rate sensor that promises similar advantages now to what Fitbit is claiming it will unlock in its improved Charge 3 heart-rate sensor down the road. But the Fitbit Versa still is worth the upgrade for its large collection of watch faces and apps, bigger color display, sideloadable music storage, and extra physical buttons. (For a comparison between Versa and Charge 3, read my impressions here.)
Design: A perfectly fine tracker
The Charge 3's grayscale touchscreen OLED is larger than the previous Charge 2. It fits time, steps, and heart rate into most of the selectable watch faces. It's easy to glance at, and swiping up the screen shows other daily fitness goals and stats (stand hours, sleep, distance, stairs climbed and active minutes), while a swipe-down shows notifications. Fitbit's app allows discrete control of individual app notifications, too.
It's also an easy tracker to wear, although not all the bands felt super comfortable. I preferred the black silicone band included in-box, while the woven nylon and perforated sport bands felt a little less cozy on my wrist. All the bands, however, are easy to snap on and off with a simple release mechanism on the back. Charge 3 straps use specific proprietary connections, but aren't as difficult to attach as the Versa's straps were.


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Having owned and run web sites of various types for almost 4 years, my love/hate relationship with Google is directly related to how much traffic they would send me, the more they send, the more I like them and visa versa. But who would have thought that Larry Page and Sergey Brin actually started Google to forward their left wing agenda?
According to one of the right-wing's versions of Media Matters, that's exactly what they have been doing by not commemorating Veterans Day (up until yesterday) and Memorial Day by decorating their logo.
Having ignored Veterans Day since 1999, Internet behemoth Google has finally chosen to commemorate this holiday by decorating its logo (h/t NB reader Brian Snyder).
As NewsBusters readers are aware, this has been a source of contention for conservatives that believe Google at times uses its emblem to make political statements.
Who would have thought that a company that follows the conservative business model to a tee by making money hand over fist, often to the detriment of the little guy, is actually a left wing front? Again I must say, it must be rough always believing that someone is out to get you…


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In Magic: The Gathering, the best blue players are manipulative and never show their hand. At PC Gamer, we're also manipulative, and if you won't show us your hand, we'll cut it off and post it on our website. Which is what we did with this exclusive Magic: The Gathering - Tactics video featuring some of the blue team's finest, such as Jace Beleren and a djinn with the kind of ponytail that makes real ponies reevaluate their existence as smaller and less useful horses. Poor ponies.
Tactics gives you what every trading card game player dreams of, your creatures springing to life from the cards and crunching bones in addition to numbers. It takes all the features of the classic game (including full deck customization) and combines them with turn-based strategy that puts unit placement on par with deck balance. The mana bonanza releases on January 18th.


text: We review this week's new releases, including THE FIFTH ESTATE and BAGGAGE CLAIM… THE FIFTH ESTATE (UK/15A/127mins)Directed by Bill Condon. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl, Carice van Houten, Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, Stanley Tucci, Peter Capaldi, David Thwelis.THE PLOT: Berlin, and happy hacker Daniel Berg is slightly in awe of Julian Assange (Cumberbatch) when he runs into him at an hacker convention in Berlin. Daniel has been following Julian's work online, exposing corporate corruption, and the two are soon rallying the troops in bringing down a dodgy bank. By the time they're teaming up with The Guardian newspaper in London and The New York Times, Daniel has realised they need to invest in more servers if they are going to continue spreading secrets. And they're going to need some helpers too. It's Nick Davies (Thwelis) at The Guardian who realises they've got highly flammable material on their hands wit a treasure trove of military and diplomatic documents, insisting that they redact names and other identifying information from the highly-sensitive cables, but Assange has other plans…THE VERDICT: There's so much not to like about this movie. The presence of David Thwelis. The limp directing of Bill Condon. The irritating, flabby script. The lame attempts to make people sweating over a hot laptop look exciting. The overriding fact that Julian Assange is a wet fish of a character. The Fifth Estate plays far more like Soderbergh's grater The Informant! than it does Fincher's The Social Network, failing to capture the seismic whistleblowing rupture WikiLeaks caused and instead presenting us with an anti-hero who appears somewhat headless, possibly hedonistic and certainly slippery and self-loving.Whatever about the significance of WikiLeaks, and its deep ramifications, Condon (who's never really lived up to 1998's Gods And Monsters) and writer Josh Singer (working on both Daniel Domscheit-Berg's book and that of David Leigh and Luke Harding) fail to capture any real sense of the media explosion that Assange caused when he began leaking top secret government documents. Perhaps that's because it all quickly turned into a ball of confusion, as this murky matrix was muddied further by ego, misinformation, betrayals and blame. Assange's apparent superiority complex doesn't help either, of course, and it's hard here to separate the sweaty-palmed man from the mission. Especially when America's US State Department is represented by the pleasantly pained Laura Linney. RATING: 2/5Review by Paul Byrne BAGGAGE CLAIM (USA/12A/97mins)Directed by David E. Talbert. Starring Paula Patton, Taye Diggs, Jill Scott, Derek Luke, Adam Brody, Jenifer Lewis, Lauren London, Djimon Hounsou.THE PLOT: Flight attendant Montana (Patton) has never had much luck when it comes to men, her relationships thus far having "never been cleared for takeoff". And so, naturally – this being a movie – she comes up with a wacky plan to find the hubby of her dreams. Mainly to keep her five-times-married mother (Lewis) off her case about being 30 and still single. The wacky plans involves going full High Fidelity on her exes, only this time, with a little electronic surveillance. The hope being that one of these dirtbags has somehow become a sweetheart in the intervening years. You go, girl. You mad stalker bitch.THE VERDICT: One of those films that seems to exist purely for tax reasons – or merely to fulfill contractual obligations – Baggage Claim isn't so much by-the-numbers as just numb. Even as you're watching a movie like this, you're forgetting it. When the end credits began rolling, I genuinely had trouble remembering how the film started. It's that disposable. It's like a commercial where the actors have forgotten what they're trying to sell and so they just keep winging it – for an hour and a half – hoping that one of them might actually remember the product they're hocking. I think it might be Prozac. RATING: 2/5Review by Paul Byrne NOBODY'S DAUGHTER (South Korea/IFI/90mins)Directed by Hong Sang Soo. Starring Jeong Eun-Chae, Lee Sunkyun, Seon-gyun Lee, Joon-sang Yoo, Ji-won Ye, Ja-ok Kim, Kim Eui-sung.THE PLOT: Haewon (Eun-Chae) is a popular, pretty student about to say goodbye to her mum, who's moving abroad. It's a strange time for Haewon, not helped by the fact that she's been having a secret affair last year with one of her professors (Sunkyun). Naturally, he hasn't quite left his wife just yet, and is more than a little sensitive when in the presence of Haewon's suspicious student buddies. Then again, Haewon's student buddies don't seem to be truly her buddies, bitching about her relationship skills behind her back. Maybe Jungwon (Eui-sung) will save her, home from the US – where he's buddies with the likes of Martin Scorsese – and looking for a wife…?THE VERDICT: Plainly, I'm missing something here, given that filmmaker Hong Sang Soo is something of an underground legend (this is his 14th offering, the second of two released in 2013), but in Nobody's Daughter I saw a film that felt like a Woody Allen film without Woody. It's as though the wry New Yorker just didn't show up on the first day of shooting, and so his Korean cast decided to wing the whole thing.The only notable trick here is director Hong shifting without warning between reality and daydream, to the point that you can never quite believe the mellow drama that's unfolding. Trouble is, it's hard to care very much about the mellow drama either. There's so much not quite right with this movie, not least the fact that the naturalistic acting never seems all that natural. Lead Jeong Eun-Chae can't even saunter without looking like she's been practicing her walk all night. Not that anyone looks good here; the whole thing plays like a non-actor's workshop.RATING: 2/5Review by Paul Byrne LE WEEK-END (UK/15A/93mins)Directed by Roger Michell. Starring Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum.THE PLOT: Nick (Jim Broadbent) and Meg (Lindsay Duncan) escape their life in Birmingham for a weekend in Paris. While there, they almost inadvertently examine their marriage and their lifetime together.THE VERDICT: Broadbent and Duncan compliment one another incredibly well. As Meg and Nick negotiate the frustrations of their marriage – from their relationship with their son, to the more obvious and pressing fiscal fears – the audience is immediately introduced to characters who think they know one another inside out, and the film never feels the need to overtly explain these people through expositional dialogue or voice over. When we meet them, they just are. It is up to the audience to get to know Nick and Meg better, as they discover more about one another. As their dissatisfactions with one another are revealed, Duncan and Broadbent effortlessly swing from genial and comfortable with one another, to bitter and frustrated. So fast does the pendulum swing, that at times it is hard to keep up. This only serves to underline the fact that these are people who have spent a lifetime together.Jeff Goldblum turns up in the final act of the film as an old friend whose life in Paris throws Nick and Meg's marriage into stark relief. Here is a man who has chopped and changed so many times as to be vapid and thin, but still be the ideal that both Nick and Meg strive for. Goldblum gives a magnificent performance, and it seems he has become aware of the image of himself as an actor, and has decided to play up this perception to brilliant effect.Screenwriter Hanif Kureishi is arguably best known for his Oscar nominated work on My Beautiful Laundrette and, as a writer with a fondness for dialogue, his work is certainly on display here. Kureishi has his characters talking so much throughout the film, that their strongest moment is when they simply say nothing. Sadly, the film is slightly let down by its ending; the implication of the scene is clear, but the framing of this realisation weakens the message.Director Roger Michell has had a varied career, with films including Notting Hill and Hyde Park on Hudson to his name. Le Week-End certainly takes it's cues from Linklater's aforementioned trilogy, but the director plays up the nostalgia angle of the film as the couple return to the city of their honeymoon, which throws the life they have had together into stark relief.Le Week-End is an examination of the choices made in life, most importantly, the choice to spend your life with one person and the implications of this. Broadbent and Duncan spark well together on screen, and Goldblum gives a fantastic performance as the mirror that Nick and Meg see themselves reflected in. Michell recovers his strength after the underwhelming Hyde Park on Hudson, and screenwriter Kureishi shows off his talent for dialogue. The ending, however, leaves a little to be desired.RATING: 4/5Review by Brogen Hayes


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Melanie Scrofano is a Canadian actress and model. She is known for playing the roles of Rebecca on the CBC dramedy series Being Erica, October on the Showcase comedy mockumentary series Pure Pwnage, and Tia on the CTV Television Network fantasy drama series The Listener.[3] In July 2015, she was cast in the eponymous lead role on Syfy's fantasy western drama Wynonna Earp, which also stars Tim Rozon and Shamier Anderson
-Taken from Wikapedia


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If you are babywearing with a baby carrier or a baby sling, our manduca Accessories can be really useful. The following will provide a concise overview of the little helpers that can make babywearing even more comfortable or more beautiful. Additionally, two of the accessories (FumBees and ZipIn Ellipse) are available in limited designs (… and might make a nice present, by the way).
Nordic Walking:
the right clothing for you and your baby
The sky is blue, the sun is shining: time to go outside – at best, to get some exercise! Why not try Nordic Walking? If you take your baby with you in a baby sling or carrier, you won't need a babysitter! Besides, Nordic Walking is the ideal exercise after a pregnancy, because it is known for its benefits for your health and its low impact on your joints and the pelvic floor, it improves the muscular tone – and it is fun, too! :- ) But how do you start and what kind of clothing is best for you and your child so that you both are neither too warm nor too cold?
manduca in action: sport with baby keeps you fit
To get straight to the point: there are a lot of things you can do with your baby in the manduca. Sometimes even we are surprised by the variety of exercise possible with the manduca. However, some of you may be wondering what kind of sport with baby you can carry out and which activities are better avoided.
As a rule of thumb, you should always remember to keep one foot on the floor. When doing exercise with the baby, it is crucial not to make any sudden, jerky movements and NOT to jump. Another important issue is the age of your child, because the smaller a baby is, and the less head control she/he has, the gentler and smoother the movements should be.
Workout with baby: exercises you can perform
With the following physical activities, you are on the safe side, as long as one foot is always in contact with the ground:
- • hiking
- • Nordic Walking
- • Kangatraining
- • dancing (any type of dancing without jumps or sudden movements – that means: no Zumba or Rock 'n' Roll! Recommended is e.g. "Burzzi Dance")
GOTS certified –
Why this label is so important to us.
When we started developing our own baby sling, we had three dearest wishes. "As ecologically as possible", was a major concern for us. After all, our company is ecological through and through, and the cotton we use for our ecological manduca baby carrier is always organic. Our second wish, which we have fulfilled with manduca Sling, was "Organic cotton at standard price". That means no extra costs for those who prefer organic cotton.
But our top goal was to produce a GOTS certified baby sling, because a GOTS certification is the highest accolade for an organic product. As you all know, we have made it! And we are really proud that our manduca Sling bears the GOTS seal. But what is GOTS and why were we so keen on this certification for our manduca Sling?
Babywearing in all weathers: Tips for dressing your baby
Who says babywearing is only for summer? Do you shut your manduca away as soon as the first autumn storms arrive? There is no need to do so! As often, it all depends on the right clothes. And it depends on how many layers of clothes you and your baby are wearing. Here are some tips for you, when the weather becomes colder and wetter now:
- Tip 1:
Carry your baby below your coat (no matter if it is a normal coat or a babywearing jacket), because this way you benefit from your body heat. You may wrap big coats and babywearing jackets around you and your baby, so that both of you are wrapped up snugly.
- Tip 2:
Don't dress your baby too warm if you are carrying her/him in a baby carrier such as the manduca. Why? First, the baby carrier itself is a layer of clothing and second, your body heat helps the baby to stay warm.
- Tip 3:
Make sure that your baby's head and feet are always warm, because extremities cool down rapidly. So, don't forget a warm cap and warm woolly socks or sheepskin shoes.
- Tip 4:
Please check the baby's temperature. Just feel the back of the neck: if it is sweaty, it is already too warm for your baby.
- Tip 5:
In case you think about buying a babywearing jacket, a coat with a removable babywearing panel would be best. You can wear such a coat not only when carrying your baby, but also when you are beyond the babywearing stage.
Windproof, weatherproof, and versatile: the All-Weather Babywearing Jacket
This autumn, we are introducing a new and particularly versatile babywearing jacket: the manduca by MaM All-Weather Babywearing Jacket not only has the important removable babywearing panel, but it also offers perfect rain protection for you and your child all year round!
The All-Weather Jacket at a glance:
- • Weatherproof (waterproof membrane up to 5000 mm), windproof and breathable (Softshell)
- • Practical: a southwester for your child, a big hood for you, and big flap pockets
- • Removable babywearing panel: the jacket can be worn with and without baby
- • Combinable: with an extra warm cover or with the manduca Cold Weather Insert.
Well, … now, even in the cold and wet season, there are no excuses. Go out and get some fresh air! Especially if you spend a lot of time with your baby in heated rooms, you should make up for the dry and heated air. Outdoor activity is good for both of you!
And after all, there are many more ways to carry your baby in autumn and winter while keeping it warm and dry. There are more jackets and a lot of covers to discover …
Stay tuned
Overview in every detail: new manduca instructions now online!
Instruction manuals are a subject for themselves, especially as they are often unintentionally funny.
But when it comes to safety, instructions are a matter of vital importance. The "be-all and end-all" is to explain everything of importance as concise as possible but also as detailed as necessary – in words and images. We have made sure that our new manduca instructions meet these requirements.


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By BEN FELLER
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama pledged a 'rigorous review' of a proposal for an oil pipeline between the U.S. and Canada after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The Obama administration's move to delay a decision on whether to proceed with the pipeline was poorly received in Canada, which views the project as critical to its economy. Labor groups in the U.S., as well as Republican lawmakers, also see the pipeline as an opportunity to create much-needed jobs in the U.S.
The White House has denied that politics caused the project's delay, saying further review is needed in order to balance job creation and energy security with public health and safety.
During a joint appearance with Harper, Obama said it is important that all the issues "are properly understood."


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If U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young's retirement announcement upended Tampa Bay's political landscape, his death Friday makes it unrecognizable.
Young, 82, represented Congressional District 13 for nearly 43 years, routinely winning re-election by 20 percentage points as he became the longest-serving Republican in Congress.
He towered over the Tampa Bay delegation with influence and impact measured by hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks he landed for Pinellas County and Florida.
Now his death turns Pinellas County into the ultimate bellwether of the national mood heading into the 2014 midterms.
A small handful of congressional districts nationwide are as politically competitive as Young's. Seeing such a seat open up with no incumbent favored to win is incredibly rare, which is why so many local politicians and would-be politicians started gearing up as soon as Young announced his retirement less than two weeks ago.
But the dynamic is completely changed. Mounting a campaign over 12 months is vastly different from running in a multimillion-dollar special election just a few months away.
Prospective candidates and party officials on Saturday did not want to publicly discuss political machinations so soon after Young's death. But the new time frame is sure to prompt national party officials to heavily pressure candidates with the best-known names and money-raising potential to jump in — and the underdogs to clear out of the way in the name of delivering the seat to their respective parties.
That means former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink and Republican former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker look like the overwhelming favorites.


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The vendemmia (grape harvest) this year is reckoned to be a good one in our area of the Luccan hills. The wet start to June may have been a blessing after all and there was certainly plenty of sunshine afterwards! A couple of days of heavy rain a week ago did little to spoil the grape and it was all go at a friend's vineyard the other day.
The men were picking and transporting the juicy products of what virtually defines the Mediterranean character. The women were stalking. (Not us, I hesitate to say but removing the grapes from their stalks, ready for the mulching machine which in this case was a piece of industrial archaeology manually driven as traditionally done).
I remember when rather young I was taken on holiday with my parents to Italy. I was particularly sad to return to a drizzly and grey UK. 'Why does everyone look so glum in Britain after Italy?' I asked in my childish philosophy. Before they could answer me I replied to myself 'it must be the wine they have over there!.
Despite political and government strictures, every part of the world has their own consciousness expanding (or liberating?) products. Sadhus in India wouldn't quite be sadhus without their ganja, South American Indians wouldn't be quite the same with their coca leaves, Britain wouldn't be Britain without its warm beers, and Italy certainly wouldn't be Italy without its vino.
In all cases there is a social etiquette regarding these godly gifts. Like the ambrosia of ancient gods these substances should be taken in in company and in moderation. Italians seem to know the exact balance between enlightened joviality and drunken disorder – something certain northern European nations could learn from.
Anyway, enough of moralizing. La vendemmia is a great social event and, with a fine day before us, we started in the cool September morning gradually heating up to a lunchtime climax when the work was virtually finished. Just the time to gather round the table, wipe off the sweat and de-hydrate with, of course, a glass of vino which in my friend's vineyard has improved by leaps and bounds since he first started on his venture of creating the human equivalent of heavenly drink not those too many years ago.
PS I hope you are making your elderberry wine in those parts of Europe not blest by the grape!


text: Don't you realize that when I'm looking for someone to hang with, you're supposed to be AVAILABLE? I mean, what's with this "job" thing, anyway? Is it more fun than me? Does it make you laugh as much as I do? I didn't think so. So, have some balls and tell your job that you have more important things to do, and make increasing your own happiness by hanging out with me a priority. It's not like I have all the time in the world here. Sheesh. Talk about fucked up priorities. Get it straight people... *I* am the most important thing in your life. I just don't see what's wrong with you. :P


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This event was covered by the Guelph Mercury - click to view the article, 'Brothers Share Skyline Realty Highs and Lows'.
On Tuesday, April 16th, Skyline's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Castellan, and his brother, Chief Development Officer Martin Castellan, spoke about the company's humble beginnings, great achievements and lessons learned to over 300 attendees at the Guelph & District Homebuilders' Association's 19th Annual Business Community Luncheon at the Delta Guelph Hotel.
With a humorous and down-to-earth approach to their presentation, Jason and Martin discussed the evolution of Skyline from one student rental house to two substantial REITs, all while keeping the company local. They reiterated several key "business lessons to live by" that are relevant and applicable to every business owner.


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Regardless of your leadership status, you should treat your role as if your job to make other people successful. Jacob Morgan didn't always feel he has those type of managers and as a result decided to look at the workplace from the people to the infrastructure. In his latest book, The Employee Experience Advantage, Morgan analyzes over 250 global organizations to determine how to create an organization where people genuinely want, not need to show up to work. Kevin and Jacob delve into employee experiences and what we need to look for in the future.
The Entrepreneur's Book of Actions breaks down actions leaders/entrepreneurs can take to make small daily changes for a big impact. Rhett Power, award-winning entrepreneur (Wild Creations), consultant, speaker and author joins Kevin to talk about his book and his leadership journey. He shares insights on working without capital and how to persevere through the not so great times.
Former mathematics professor turned author, Robert Pool, joins Kevin to discuss what you can do to truly improve a skill set. Whether it's an instrument, a sport, or how to be a more effective leader to be better requires purposeful practice. The only way to progress is learning about what you are doing wrong and what the "best" are doing right.
Leaders invest in relationships and continue to evolve to remain relevant to that relationship. David Nour thought leader on the topic of business relationships for more than 25 years joins Kevin to discuss his latest book, Co-Create: How Your Business Will Profit from Innovative and Strategic Collaboration. Co-creation means finding the common goal, sharing the same vision and working together through your strategic relationship to achieve the next big thing.


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Desmond Tanner
|Clarksville, Tenn.
|Northeast HS
Personal Bests
55m: 6.67 (MTSU Invitational, 2017)
200m: 22.18 (OVC Outdoor Championship, 2016)
400m: 54.29 (MTSU Invitational, 2017)
55m Hurdles: 8.03 (OVC Indoor Championship, 2016)
60m Hurdles: 8.60 (Vanderbilt Opener, 2017)
110m Hurdles: 15.57 (Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational, 2017)
400m Hurdles: 55.09 (OVC Outdoor Championship, 2017)
As a Junior, 2017-18 season: In the indoor season opener, took ninth in the 60m hurdles in 8.60… Ran a 22.47 in the 200m at the Thundering Herd Invitational during the indoor season… Took 10th in the prelims of the 60m hurdles at the OVC Indoor Championship… Posted a 56.35 finish in the 400m hurdles at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational for 10th… In the 400m hurdles at the OVC Outdoor Championship, ran a time of 55.99 in the prelims before clocking in at 56.17 in the finals for seventh place.
As a Sophomore, 2016-17 season: Ran in seven indoor meets and four outdoor meets as a sophomore for the Flying Tigers… Placed fifth in the 55m hurdles at the Ed Temple Classic with an 8.04 finish… Set a personal record for the 400m in 54.29 at the MTSU Invitational during the indoor season… Member of TSU's 4x400m relay team that took fourth at the North Florida Invitational… Had a career best 110m hurdles times of 15.57 at the Lenny Lyles / Clark Wood Invitational… Placed eighth in the finals of the 400m hurdles at the OVC Outdoor Championship with a time of 59.17 after a personal record time of 55.09 in the prelims.
As a Freshman, 2015-16 season: Placed fourth in the 55m hurdles at the Ed Temple Classic during indoor season... Helped the distance medley relay team place sixth (12:07.90) at the OVC Indoor Championship... Season-best 55m hurdle time of 8.03 came in the prelims of the OVC Indoor Championship before securing eighth place in the finals... Went on to compete in the 200m and the 400m hurdles during the OVC Outdoor Championship.
Northeast HS: Competed for the track and field team, as well as the football team at Northeast High School... Won the 2015 District Championship for the 300m hurdles... Hosts Northeast High School records for the 110m hurdles, 300m hurdles and as a member of the 4x400m relay squad.
Major: Health Performance Sports Science
Son of: Janita Burks and Marquis Tanner
Birthday: August 22


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A few years ago I lost over 100 pounds using an app on my phone to count calories and track exercise. I was one of "those" people, that snuck in a walk wherever I could, got up at 4:45 in the morning to head to the gym, and religiously tracked the food that went into my mouth. I felt great and I was in the best shape of my life, even if I wasn't quite to my ideal weight.
Then I met my husband. He too had just lost a bunch of weight, and apparently we liked what we saw because we got married shortly after. Instead of encouraging each other in a healthy lifestyle, we enabled each other to eat a lot of pizza, drink a lot of wine, and watch a lot of TV.
Almost 4 years and a lot of pounds later, I am ready to get back on the wagon and live a healthier, more active life. I have wanted to make this change for quite a while, but the body was willing and the willpower was … well, nonexistent. To make a major lifestyle change your mind is the first thing you have to work on! Well, I am finally ready to stop making excuses and start making changes.
This week I have gotten myself back in the habit of logging my food into my app, and have been tracking my water and supplement intake. We don't own a scale, so I can't say if I have lost any weight, but I know that I am sleeping better, I'm not as achey and creaky, and the wine section at the grocery store is starting to get lonely and dusty.
One of my problem areas is sweets and snacks. Especially after meals, I just want something a little sweet. Since Starbursts and Kit Kats are no longer an option, I whipped up a batch of Oatmeal Cranberry cookies, except these aren't any ordinary cookie.
I remember the no-bake cookies my mom made when I was a kid – ooey, gooey, and full of unhealthy ingredients. While these Clean Eating Oatmeal Cranberry cookies are just as easy to make, they are 100% organic and healthy.
The best part about these cookies is that you can substitute any of the ingredients to tailor these to your personal taste. In lieu of cashews you could use almonds or walnuts, and instead of cranberries you could sub any dry fruit.
Be very ginger when adding water, because one splash too many and your cookies will be sticky. Still tasty, but sticky. I made these fairly large and the recipe yielded 12 cookies, but you could almost halve them and wind up closer to 24 depending on your calorie needs. Enjoy!
- 1 Cup old fashioned oats
- 1 Cup raw cashews
- 10 Medjool Dates, pitted, halved
- 1/4 Cup water
- 1/4 Cup dried cranberries
- In food processor or high-powered blender mix oats and cashews until ground into a fine meal (about a minute). Add dates and half of the water and blend, then gradually add the rest of the water until it is the consistency desired. Mix cranberries in by hand. Remove from blender, form into balls and flatten. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet or cutting board and put in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove and eat. Store in refrigerator.


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Africa Moves to the Movies: The African Movie Industry Has Been Going from Strength to Strength. and Many African Countries Are Touting Themselves as Ideal Locations for the World's Film Industry to Choose to Film. Alecia McKenzie Reports from the Cannes Film Festival
McKenzie, Alecia, New African
Feel the pulse of Africa at our exciting locations," shouted a colourful brochure at the recent Cannes Film Festival in France. "Take a pick from an array of ... choices in Lagos." The brochure, produced by the Film Office of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations in Nigeria, was one of dozens of documents extolling the virtues of shooting movies in Africa to international film companies.
But there is also strong official support for local film industries, as African countries increasingly recognise the value of the sector to their economies. According to South Africa's Nacional Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the country's film industry contributes an estimated 45 billion ($547m) to the South African economy.
"The South African government has recognised the potential inherent in the local film and video industry in creating jobs and contributing to the GDP," says the NFVF, a statutory body mandated by South Africa's parliament to spearhead the development of the film business.
"With the global economic crisis hitting all sectors of production, the South African film industry revealed a resilient feature and continued to churn out quality products that were appreciated by the audience," the NFVF added.
A police thriller shot entirely on location in South Africa was in fact the closing feature at the Cannes festival, one of the world's most important industry events, which took place in May this year. The film--"Zulu"--stars British actor Orlando Bloom and American luminary Forest Whitaker and is directed by Frenchman Jerome Salle, who said that South Africa was as much a character in the film as the two protagonists.
"I almost didn't make the film because I was afraid that it wasn't going to be legitimate for me to talk about South Africa and (about) apartheid in a country that wasn't my own," Salle cold reporters. "To make up for it, I spent a lot of time there. I was keen to keep the number of French people involved to a minimum and so we took on a number of South African production directors and actors."
Apart from "Zulu", the African presence in Cannes was notable, particularly at the Marche du Film (marketplace) and at the festival's International Village, a long string of white pavilions on the beach of the southern French town. Within the festival, the Marche is the meeting place of some 12,000 distributors, producers, buyers and other industry movers and shakers.
Meanwhile, the International Village acts as a forum for world cinema, "designed to provide a highly visible setting in which film-producing countries can showcase their cultural identity, their institutions and the full range of their creativity", said Myriam Arab, director of operations, marketing and sales for the Marche du Film.
At the Village, Kenya had a pavilion for the first time this year, joining old hands Nigeria and South Africa. Meanwhile, North Africa was represented by Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The latter country had much to celebrate in Cannes as Tunisian-born director Abdellatif Kechiche won the top Palme d'Or prize for his feature "Blue is the Warmest Colour".
The pavilion of each country offered a space where industry delegates could hold meetings, show films and make agreements.
"All these countries are really developing their movie industry with an international focus, and it starts with the co-productions, of course," Arab told New African. "They come to Cannes' International Village because their main aim is to promote their cinema, and to encourage production and distribution, so they need a place to welcome others and also to exchange with one another."
Adding to the many co-production agreements under its belt, South Africa signed a new accord with Kenya during the festival. The pact between the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) and the National Film and Video Foundation is aimed at strengthening film activities in the two countries, according to KFC's chief executive Peter Mutie. …


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Are you ready? It's hopping and shopping day! All of the wonderful My Creative Time stamps and dies that we have been sneaking this week can now be purchased! If you just happened upon my blog, you might want to head over to Emma's blog, which is the beginning of the hop.
I had so much fun making my little card today! I'm in charge of planning monthly Happy Hours for the staff at my school, and I thought this would be really cute to hang in our workroom with the details for our October get-together.
It's an A2 size card, and I used the larger rectangle from the new Stitched Rectangular Frame Dies & More to make my beautiful stitched frame. I love how with even tone-on-tone, it just give the card a little extra something! My drinks were made with dies from an older MCT set, Stitched Cocktail Party Dies. I just adore these, especially the little cocktail pick!
Isn't the witch's broom adorable? That's from Emma's awesome new set of Halloween dies, Wicked Fun Dies. These are the best! All so cute!!! And then, my favorite sentiment, from the new Trick or Treat stamp set. It just makes me laugh.
Here's a closer look at the three sets I used on today's card. All of them are available for purchase now in the My Creative Time Store!
** Freebie Stamp **
For our "Freebie" this month, we have this adorable new stamp called "Something to be Thankful For" that Emma will be giving away to the FIRST 150 shoppers! Yep, you head that right, this stamp will go to the FIRST 150 shoppers for FREE! You do NOT have to add it to your cart; Emma and her shipping crew will automatically include it in your package, but ONLY to the first 150 shoppers! IF you happen to come through AFTER the 150th shopper, no worries because this will be available for sale! Emma knows there will be questions on whether YOU made the first 150. After the first 150 shoppers come through, then you will see this set available for purchase along with the new release items!
For our blog hop giveaway, Emma is giving away a $50 gift card to the "My Creative Time Store" to one LUCKY winner! All you have to do is leave your comments on our blogs! You are NOT required to comment on ALL blogs, but the more you comment on, the better chances you have for winning! Very important, please leave a way for us to contact you with your comment, just in case you are the lucky winner!
Also, DON'T FORGET our sale that is starting RIGHT NOW! Use the code SEPT2014 to receive 20% off your entire purchase!
Your next stop is the super talented Lee-Ann!
Here's the full line-up:
Katie (YOU ARE HERE)
Other products used on this card:


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The BlackBerry Z10 was officially released last week as it was made available on AT&T and today, it has been made available for T-Mobile customers. Not only has the Z10 officially launched in the U.S., but the new BlackBerry 10 OS has also been released to the masses. The content selection for the BlackBerry 10 platform are slim pickings at this point, but BlackBerry is announcing some additional worthwhile content for its new OS.
BlackBerry is partnering with PBS, Univision and Viacom to bring a number of their popular programming, including Downton Abebey and shows from channels such as Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon to BlackBerry's video catalog. Today's partnership seems to be exclusive to BlackBerry 10 U.S. users as there's currently no word on when or if it would be released across additional markets.
Today's announcement helps bulk up BlackBerry 10's already impressive list of content providers as the three providers announced today join the ranks of ABC Studios, CBS, Warner Bros. and Starz Digital Media, to name a few. We're sure you Z10 owners are going to enjoy all of this new content on your 4.2-inch screen, but you future Q10 owners may have some trouble watching some of these videos.
Filed in BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Z10.. Read more about


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In Store: Overton's
Alliance: North Carolina is a beautiful state and a great place to wakeboard, but did you know it's against the law to sing off key in North Carolina?
Overton's: It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone when you look at the musical talent that has come out of North Carolina… James Taylor, Chris Daughtry, Roberta Flack, Ryan Adams, Charlie Daniels…even the Grand Master of Funk, George Clinton, was born in North Carolina. We love our music, and truth be told, shouldn't bad singing be a crime everywhere? Or at least singing bad music?
A: We also heard that it's illegal to use an elephant to plow a cotton field. What's up with that?
O: Have you ever seen what a sick elephant can do to a cotton field? You'd wear polyester everyday. Trust me.
A: Let's get down to it. Overton's is no joke. You guys have some serious history. When did Overton's first open?
O: Overton's began in 1976 in the back of a family grocery store in Greenville, NC. An avid waterskier named Parker Overton had difficulty finding quality equipment in the area, and discovered it was easier to work directly with manufacturers to get skis rather than waiting on local sporting good shops. Unfortunately, this required him to buy several skis at a time, but word traveled fast and he soon had a loyal following showing up at his father's grocery store to pick up skis, vests, and even place orders. He started collecting names and addresses so he could mail out his inventory monthly, and the rest, as they say, is history.
A: Most consumers might not know about Overton's two giant retail locations. What might a customer expect when visiting one of your stores?
O: Overton's two retail stores are located in Raleigh and Greenville, North Carolina and together total roughly 30,000 square feet. The stores are loaded with a great assortment of boards, skates, and surfers from your favorite board brands like Liquid Force, Hyperlite, CWB, Slingshot, Ronix and more. Customers can expect to receive superior service from one of our knowledgeable sales associates, most of whom have the same passion for the sport as you. Overton's stores also stock just about everything else you'd need for your boating or fishing adventure.
A: How much of your business has shifted from catalog sales to online sales? Do people still send orders in through the mail?
O: Like most catalog retailers, Overton's embraced the web and became a pioneer in the online marketplace, launching Overtons.com long before many of our competitors had even heard of the internet. While a significant number of our customers prefer to shop exclusively online, we have found that our catalogs still drive much of our business, and serve as an excellent marketing tool. We work hard to make sure the two mediums complement each other, rather than compete with one another, creating a win-win situation for the customer. Our catalog often directs customers to online features such as Live Chat and sizing charts, while the website will give the customer the option of contacting one of over 200 knowledgeable customer service representatives. And yes, believe it or not, folks still send orders through the mail and we happily accept them.
A: Some smaller wake shops say mail order catalogs such as Overton's are bad for the industry, what do you say to that?
O: People tend to forget that Overton's started as one of those small shops, and grew considerably thanks to a loyal customer base and a desire to see our industry blossom into what it is today. We have consistently demonstrated a passion for the wakeboarding industry by partnering with various organizations, sponsoring events, and supporting amateur and professional athletes who are the future of the sport. Superior and affordable products, coupled with a high profile in community events have allowed us to foster and develop a new generation of water sports enthusiasts who will one day pass down their love of the water to their children.
The local wake shop is always going to thrive, as long as they provide the right customer service and develop a trust with each person that comes through their doors. They have proximity to the water and the face-to-face bond that can trump a website or a glossy catalog, provided they care about their customer. At the end of the day, it comes down to customer service, something many places may promise, but we actually deliver, day in and day out. Overton's has always been committed to wakeboarding and water sports on every level – beginner, intermediate, and professional. Part of that commitment is providing quality brand name and private label products that meet all enthusiasts' needs. Over the years, it can be argued that we've introduced more people to the sport of wakeboarding than any other retailer in the world…so if that's bad for the industry, then I don't know what else to tell you.
A: Overton's carries just about everything there is in the boating/watersports world. Is there something you guys don't have?
O: Well, we don't sell wakeboard boats… however, in the early 1980's, you could purchase a fully loaded Ski Nautique right out of the pages of the Overton's catalog with one simple phone call. Gotta miss that 80's excess.
A: What has Overton's done in the boating community to make a difference?
O: Pardon the bad pun, but the boating community has undoubtedly kept Overton's floating for the past 35 years. The safety and security of that community is of the utmost importance to every employee here, and we take the responsibility of providing quality products to those folks very seriously. We work closely with Coast Guard auxiliary units all over the country to provide floatation and location devices for volunteer search and rescue groups, and have provided support for thousands of charities nationwide. We make every effort to give back to the communities where we do business.
Throughout the years, Overton's has helped fund boating safety initiatives in several states, and has provided water sports equipment and advice to several camps and recreation departments from Florida to Alaska. Last year, Overton's helped sponsor nearly 100 waterski and wakeboard events in the United States and abroad, including the 52nd annual Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament and the King of Wake Series.
A: Where does Overton's see themselves in the next 10 years?
O: Everything at Overton's is done with an eye to the future. Whether its through our retail stores, website, or catalogs, in 10 years we expect to still have the same impeccable customer service and reputation that has helped us become the most trusted source for water sports in the world. Our continued investments in technology, facilities, and employees have positioned us very nicely for the next 10 years, and beyond.
A: We've heard mail order catalog wars can get pretty gruesome… care to share any grizzly details?
O: "War" is probably a strong term to use. More like "friendly fire." When you step outside and look at it, we are all competing in a relatively small, niche industry for the same vendors and customers. The struggling economy has in some ways helped make the entire industry more focused on the customer's needs. It has spawned changes that have greatly benefited the consumer; better quality products, better discounts, quicker shipping. When it comes to price, there's only so much a retailer can do. This means we turn the focus back to servicing the customer, which ultimately benefits both the retailer and the consumer alike.
111 Red Banks Rd.
Greenville, NC 27834
(252) 355-5783
3062 Wake Forest Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919) 850-9754
Once you get done shoppin at Overton's in Greenville… head over and shred at the ECWP 🙂
wal-mart of wake ~
i understand that Overton's is successful and spends a lot of $ in ad dollars, but what about the core shops??? The little guys out there need some love too. Not hating… just saying if you are going to give big-wigs exposure like this (which they don't need) you should also think about the mom n pops
Overton's doesn't run ads with Alliance. This is an 'In Store' feature that Alliance has been doing for years in the magazine. Pick up a few back issues and look at all the "mom and pop" shops Alliance has supported over their 10 year history. Just my 2 cents.
Have been purchasing from Overton's for years and have ALWAYS received excellent products and superior customer service! Nice to see an article done by Alliance on Overton's!


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Become a Crew MemberThere is strength in numbers.
Especially when those numbers include passionate West Virginians on a mission to make a difference.
Become a RAZE Crew member and join other teens just like you who care about the state, care about the future, and are determined to take on tobacco and e-cigarette companies in a big way.
Please 18 and older apply
Become an Adult Advisor
Apply now
You care about TEENS.You care about West Virginia.You care about making a difference. If this is you,