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Software engineers have been ardently following Test Driven Development (TDD) as an XP practice for having necessary safety nets. I have even tried covering different schools of TDD with an example in one of my previous posts. Considering recent surge in using Spring Boot for developing Microservice applications, I felt a need to understand and learn how to do TDD whilst implementing Spring Boot application.
In order to understand how Spring Boot simplifies the overall process of doing TDD, we will consider a very simple use case –
- Given a reservation system, when user enters details of the user which needs to be searched, it fetches required user details i.e. First name and Last Name
- Extend above use case to ensure that caching is being used to optimize lookup operation
End to End Test – 1st Version
By following Outside-In / Mockist school of TDD, we will start with an end to end test – Needless to say that it will fail initially. Of course we will need to ensure that it is compilation error free.
@SpringBootTest – Annotation that can be used for testing Spring Boot application. Along with Spring's TestContext framework it does following –
- Registers TestRestTemplate / WebTestClient that can be used for running application
- Looks for @SpringBootConfiguration for loading spring configuration from the source. One can not only have custom configuration but also alter the order of configurations
- Supports different WebEnvironment modes
Presentation Layer
Next we start with unit tests which will eventually help us in successfully executing the above end to end test. Since we have adopted Outside – In approach, we will first start with unit testing of REST endpoint. We will be strictly adhering to one of the fundamental rule of TDD
"No Production code without any test"
So in order to make end to end test pass, we will need to have missing pieces. The first missing piece that we will require is the API endpoint i.e. REST controller. We will first start with the controller test
In order to run the test, above test has to be made free of any compilation error. So this leads us to creation of actual endpoint.
Now that we have an endpoint, we will be able to execute test case and we are sure that it is going to fail 🙂 as it is not returning null currently.
Since the Controller is going to further delegate its task of business processing to the underlying Service. We are able to see that Outside-In / Mockist approach of doing TDD is helping us to determine collaborators required by class under test. Hence we will be creating ReservationService with required API which will be devoid of any behavior for time being – As its actual behavior will be discovered when we start writing unit test case for ReservationService. So we create the collaborator to get our class under test i.e. ReservationController compilation error free
We also update ReservationController by wiring required dependency
However, as per the rule of Mockist approach – dependencies (within application) for a Class Under Test should be mocked whilst performing Unit Testing. So we need to update ReservationControllerTest –
When we run above test . . . . . It passes – which means that Controller implementation is as per its expected behavior. So now we have some kind of safety net for our ReservationController . . Vola !
However, one might still feel that test driving happy path flows is relatively easier than business exceptions being thrown during workflow execution. So we will write a test case for a scenario which might end up in a scenario where in user is not available in our system i.e. ReservationNotFoundException. Also our unit test case will have to mock this exception
In order to pass the newly added above test case, ReservationController also needs to be updated by having required behavior for handling exceptions
Within the purview of our feature, this completes the unit testing of REST endpoint i.e Controller. Now we move to business layer i.e. ReservationService which has been discovered as a collaborator of ReservationController.
Business / Service Layer
Since ReservationService is a plain Spring bean, we just need to write a plain unit test which is devoid of any Spring dependency – and of course it will fail as our class under test i.e. ReservationService is returning null.
In real world application, business layer i.e. Service class will just be an orchestrator of business workflow, which needs to be executed for returning back required response to Controller. For the sake of simplicity our service layer will just be responsible for fetching required information from database. Hence it will need ReservationRepository as a collaborator, which will be able to fetch required data from database. So we will be creating corresponding Repository which just ensures that my class under test i.e. ReservationService is free from any compilation errors
So with the introduction of new above collaborator, ReservationService would look like
Now coming back to ReservationServiceTest which is now free of compilation errors; we will mock collaborator of ReservationService i.e. ReservationRepository
Lets also verify exceptional flows within this Service class. So we implement test case for the scenario where in ReservationRepository is returning null
Of course this test case will fail as our current implementation of ReservationService is not having required logic for handling no results returned by ReservationRepository. Hence we update our ReservationService
Within the purview of our feature, this completes the unit testing of ReservationService.
Now we move to the respository layer i.e. ReservationRepository which has been discovered as a collaborator of ReservationService.
Even though from implementation standpoint it might seem trivial to test – but its other way round. Reason being, lot of complexity is camouflaged behind CrudRepository which needs to be considered whilst implementing test case for a Repository. In addition we will also need a mechanism to generate test data without database – Many thanks to H2 Database which can be used for our development purpose and also to Spring Boot starter which helps in getting required dependencies of H2 Database. Just to reiterate, we will start with a failing test and then add required implementation to pass this test.
@DataJpaTest – Spring annotation that can be used for a JPA test. This will ensure that AutoConfiguration are disabled and JPA specific configurations are applied. By default it will use H2 database which can be changed by using @AutoConfigureTestDatabase and application.properties. One can change database according to environment by using Spring profile
TestEntityManager – Along with few methods of EntityManager it provides helper methods for testing JPA implementation. We can customize TestEntityManager by using @AutoConfigureTestEntityManager.
End to End Test – Final Version
We are still remaining to get our ReservationEndToEndTest pass 🙂 So we will update this test such that H2 database is populated with required data which can be used for asserting post invocation of API endpoint. And by this we are able to complete our feature implementation with Outside – In / Mockist style of TDD
Testing Non Functional Requirement – Caching
In order to test caching, first we will need to enable caching within our Spring Boot application via @EnableCaching i.e.
@EnableCaching – Responsible for registering necessary Spring components based on @Cacheable annotation
Next thing that needs to be done is – we annotate our business API i.e getReservationDetails() within ReservationService with @Cacheable
With this NFR the key question is, how can we test Caching implementation without any actual cache? We can still test this implementation with ReservationCachingTest as shown below
Finally we have covered all aspects of the feature that we were suppose to implement. I do know it has got bit too long, but the nature of topic and relevance it has with chronological order of evolution of implementation does not allow me to convert it into two parts !
As we saw throughout the implementation, Spring Boot has lot of features to easily test Spring Boot application. We can use them as per our need to ensure that we are not only able to have required safety nets whilst implementing them but can also verify / validate design decisions.
Testing is an indispensable practice of software development. I hope this article will be of some help to get you started with Test Driven Development of Spring Boot applications.
Source Code : https://github.com/dhaval201279/bootiful-TDD


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Did you know that more than 20 percent of patients with spondyloarthritis experience at least one episode of uveitis? Or that nearly half of patients with uveitis may also have undiagnosed spondyloarthritis? That's why co-managed care is so important for these patients, as rheumatologist Dr. Sergio Schwartzman and ophthalmologist Dr. Jennifer Thorne explain.
This activity is intended for United States and Puerto Rico health care professionals only.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. and Mattel, Inc., have partnered to develop the live-action, feature-length film Max Steel based on Mattel's franchise property of the same name. The film will be produced by Dolphin Films, a newly-formed subsidiary of Dolphin Entertainment. Open Road Films will distribute Max Steel in the U.S. as the first of a multi-picture agreement with Dolphin Films. The film will be given a wide release in theaters in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Here's what Dolphin Entertainment CEO Bill O'Dowd had to say about the project.
"Today marks the beginning of an exciting new relationship between Dolphin Entertainment and Mattel, two companies that have consistently worked to delight and entertain children all over the world. We couldn't think of a better property to kick off Dolphin's feature film division than Max Steel, which tells a story of the power of friendship and teamwork, with a heavy dose of humor - all qualities we hope to bring to our partnership with the Mattel team. Launching our film division has been a natural progression for us. Along with our established television and digital departments, our theatrical group will complete our goal of having a fully cross-platform production and distribution business. Open Road Films was the first choice for our theatrical partner as Tom Ortenberg, Elliott Kleinberg and Jason Cassidy are not only accomplished in the theatrical distribution business, but also true gentlemen."
Dolphin Films' multi-picture agreement with Open Road Films will focus on motion pictures aimed at families, tweens, teens and young adults, which is a strategy that aligns closely with Dolphin and O'Dowd's history delivering television and digital programming to those demographics.
Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg had this to say about working with Dolphin Entertainment.
"Dolphin has an excellent track record in creating family, tween, teen and young adult- focused entertainment. We can't wait to work with Bill O'Dowd and his team to bring this product to the marketplace."
Created internally by Mattel, the Max Steel franchise spans multi-platform entertainment, toys and consumer products. In development with Dolphin Entertainment the feature-length film will introduce audiences to a new and never-before-seen world of Max Steel.
Mattel's Doug Wadleigh had this to say about the project.
"Teaming with Dolphin Entertainment and top Hollywood creative talent to write, produce and direct the feature film, Max Steel will excite and engage audiences around the world. Max Steel's debut on the big screen is the next evolutionary step for the franchise utilizing a live-action theatrical format to truly personify the brand."
Bill O'Dowd will produce the film alongside kid's entertainment veteran Julia Pistor who is producing for Mattel. Pistor's storytelling and production expertise spans over two-decades with extensive work in television, film and syndication for premier global entertainment companies including Nickelodeon, HIT Entertainment and Viacom Enterprises.
Julia Pistor had this to say in her own statement.
"Max Steel is an action-packed, character-driven story that fits perfectly into the creative movie-making mold. We have assembled a world-class team in bringing Christopher (Yost) and Stewart (Hendler) to the project and collectively will tell the origin story of Max Steel in an authentic, visually compelling way."
Max Steel tells the story of teenager Maxwell McGrath and alien companion Steel who can combine special turbo-energy powers to generate sensational superhero Max Steel. The storyline centers on bringing a positive and relatable hero to kids, drawing upon turbo-charged teamwork, laughter and friendship.
Max Steel writer Christopher Yost most recently rewrote and did the production work on Thor: The Dark World for Marvel and director Alan Taylor. He also wrote the superhero adventure Secret Headquarters for Paramount and Stuber Pictures. Previously, Yost was a member of Marvel's Writers Program, where he worked on the first Thor. Max Steel director Stewart Hendler recently directed and executive produced H+, a digital series for Dolphin Entertainment and Warner Brothers Entertainment, winning a Best Director award and sharing in a Best Sci-Fi or Action Series award at The 2013 Streamy Awards. Hendler also recently completed work on the award-winning digital series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Between them, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and H+ have garnered 24 industry nominations, thus far. He also manages an active feature film career, having directed the studio features Whisper and Sorority Row, as well as developing several large-scale studio projects.
Dolphin Entertainment has a long history delivering television and digital programming to children and young adults. Dolphin's programs can be seen in more than 300 million homes in over 100 territories worldwide. Dolphin Entertainment shows include the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated Nickelodeon hit series Zoey 101, Nickelodeon's top-rated Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and in partnership with Warner Bros Digital both AOL/Cambio distributed series Aim High starring Jackson Rathbone and Aimee Teegarden, and YouTube distributed H+ from Bryan Singer.
O'Dowd has appointed Charles Cohen, former COO of MGM Studios, to serve as President of the newly-formed Dolphin Films. With Cohen at the helm, Dolphin Films will produce all theatrical projects for Dolphin Entertainment. Cohen is a 25-year veteran of MGM Studios, who most recently held the position of senior adviser for Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corporation.
Here's what Charles Cohen had to say in his statement.
"I'm thrilled with this opportunity, as there is a tremendous void in the marketplace of independently produced films aimed at families and younger audiences. The wealth of experience that Dolphin brings from the television, digital, branding, licensing and merchandising worlds will help accelerate the creation of franchise properties within our feature film division."
Bill O'Dowd added the following statement in regards to Charles Cohen.
"During his long tenure at MGM, Charles Cohen worked on several large properties across multiple platforms, which makes him ideally suited to lead Dolphin Films. We couldn't be happier that Charles has joined us, as we feel he's the perfect addition to a stellar cast of experienced executives involved in this partnership."
The Dolphin Films/Open Road Films deal was negotiated by Ken Deutsch of O'Melveny and Myers for Dolphin and Tom Ortenberg, Elliott Kleinberg, general counsel and executive vice president of Operations and Business Affairs, and Ben Cotner, senior vice president of Acquisitions on behalf of Open Road Films. The introduction of Dolphin and Mattel was facilitated by CAA.


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Stuffed Pepper Casserole…yum!
Diet helpers!
Yesterday I said (again): "Dinner will be roasted chicken, brown rice & brussels sprouts." Nope! It was Monique's Stuffed Pepper Casserole…with a couple changes! I used a bit less than 1 pound of the leanest beef I could find (I wanted ground turkey, but the store had none), 2 cups of brown rice, Italian peppers instead of green (I don't like green peppers, I do like red or orange or yellow ones…but not the extra expense), I added a can of diced tomatoes and substituted a cup of chicken broth for the wine. Mmmm, mmm, good! I also used fat free cheese, which I wouldn't recommend using. Blech!
Breakfast: oatmeal, coffee
snack: cashews
Lunch: stuffed pepper casserole & a clementine
Dinner: Not sure, going out to dinner with Lauren
Posted in Max, The Biggest Loser, Wolf, food, pets | 9 Comments


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Neville, Henry (1564?-1615) (DNB00)
NEVILLE, Sir HENRY (1564?–1615), courtier and diplomatist, born in 1564 in all probability (Rowland, Table No. v.; but cf. Foster, Alumni Oxon. s.v.), was son of Sir Henry Neville of Billingbear, Berkshire, by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Gresham. He matriculated from Merton College, Oxford, on 20 Dec. 1577, and on 30 Aug. 1605 was created M.A. He was introduced to the court by Lord Burghley, and throughout his life sat in parliament. He was member for New Windsor 1584–5 and 1593, Sussex 1588–9, Liskeard 1597–8, Kent 1601, Lewes 1603–4, and Berkshire 1604–11 and 1614. Neville doubtless for a time carried on the business of an ironfounder in Sussex. He succeeded in 1593, on his father's death, to property in Sussex, but in 1597 sold Mayfield, his residence in the county (Sussex Arch. Coll. ii. 187, 210, 245). A man of high character, he was soon selected for an important service. In 1599 he was sent as ambassador to France and was knighted. While at Calais, on his way to Paris, he had a dispute with the Spanish ambassador as to precedency (cf. Hist. MSS. Comm. 1st Rep. p. 32, and more fully Harl. MS. 1856). At Paris he negotiated the treaty of Boulogne, but complained that he was not over well treated by the French. In February 1600 he was troubled with deafness, and asked to be recalled. He afterwards complained that he had spent 4,000l. while in France. He returned to England in time to take some part in Essex's plot. Although he was not in intimate relations with Essex and his friends, he knew of their designs, and was in the confidence of Southampton (cf. Spedding, Bacon, ii. 207, &c.) Consequently, when the rebellion failed, Neville was imprisoned in the Tower, brought before the council on 8 July, dismissed from his place, and fined 5,000l. In Elizabeth's last year he agreed to pay that sum in yearly instalments of 1,000l. On James I's accession he was released (10 April 1603) by royal warrant (cf. Court and Times of James I, i. 7). There is an allusion to his danger in one of Ben Jonson's Epigrams (Works, ed. Gifford and Cunningham, 1871, iii. 250).
Under James I Neville played a more prominent rôle in politics. He inclined to the popular party. While at Paris he had been called a puritan. His advice was at all events not to James's taste. In the first session of 1610 he advised the king to give way to the demands of the commons. In 1612 he urged the calling of a parliament, and drew up a paper on the subject, in which he recommended what James could not but regard as a complete surrender; he expressed the opinion that supplies would be easily voted if grievances were redressed. On Salisbury's death in 1612 Neville was a candidate for the secretaryship of state. His appointment would have been popular, but the king had no liking for him or for the policy with which he had identified himself. Southampton used his influence in Neville's behalf, but in October 1613 his chances were hopeless. Winwood was made secretary in 1614, much to Neville's irritation, and he refused Rochester's offer of the office of treasurer of the chamber as a compensation. In the Addled parliament of 1614 the paper of advice which Neville had drawn up in 1612 was discussed by the commons (May 1614), and with his view the commons could find no fault (cf. Spedding, Bacon, v. 1, 3, 34, &c.) About this time Neville was much interested in commercial affairs, and in 1613 he drew up a scheme for an overland route from India (Anderson, Histor. and Chron. Deduction of the Origin of Commerce, ii. 258). He died on 10 July 1615. A portrait of Neville is in the possession of the Earl of Yarborough.
He married Anne, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew, and had five sons and six daughters. Of the sons, Sir Henry, the eldest, succeeded him, was father of Henry Neville (1620–1694) [q. v.], and died in 1629; William, the second son, was fellow of Merton College, Oxford; Charles died in 1626; Richard was sub-warden of Merton, died in 1644, and was ancestor in the female line of the Nevilles, barons of Braybrooke [see Neville, Richard Aldworth Griffin]; and Edward, a fellow of King's College, Cambridge, died in 1632. Of the daughters, Elizabeth married, first, William Glover; secondly, Sir Henry Berkeley; and, thirdly, Thomas Dyke. Catherine married Sir Richard Brooke; Frances married, first, Sir Richard Worseley, and, secondly, Jerome Brett; Mary married Sir Edward Lewknor; Dorothy married Richard Catlyn; Anne remained unmarried.
[An account of his French embassy and many letters are in Winwood's Memorials. Letters to Cecil are in Harl. MS. 4715; Gardiner's Hist. of England, i. 230, ii. 147, &c.; Nichols's Progresses of James I, i. 52, &c., ii. 37, &c., iii. 1063, &c.; Notes and Queries, 1st ser. ii. 307, vi. 48, 154; Bacon's Letters and Life, ed. Spedding, especially ii. 207, &c., iii. and v.; Birch's Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth; Cal. of State Papers, Dom. 1591–1618; Devereux's Lives of the Earls of Essex, ii. 198, &c.; Owen's Epigrams, 1st col. ii. 66; Metcalfe's Knights; Official Returns of Members of Parliament; Hist. MSS. Comm. 10th Rep. pp. 84, 174; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]


text: Royal Shakespeare Company conserves, advances and disseminates the dramatic heritage of Shakespeare and advances and improves the dramatic art in the UK and throughout the world. We produce and present dramatic performances of all kinds and teaching, training and other educational activities. These objectives are achieved by the production of plays by Shakespeare, other classic playwrights and commissioning new work.


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After huge success of 'Daran Tereyan Te', second song of Roshan Prince and Prachi Tehlan's upcoming Punjabi film Arjan has also won hearts of the audience. Within three days of launch, the song DJ Waaleya has got around 2 million views.
Watch the Song Here:
Nimrat Khaira's beautiful voice and Prachi Tehlan's energetic bhangra dance has made DJ Waaleya a perfect party song. Lyrics of the song have been written down by Dalvir Sarobad and music has been given by Jay K. Within two days of launch, DJ Waaleya started trending in top 10 videos on YouTube. The song was at number 6 within 24 hours of its launch, which is really a proud moment for the complete team of Arjan.
Excited about the success of the song, actress Prachi Tehlan also shared the news with her fans through a post on her Facebook account.
Feels great to receive these from fans and friends ! #DJWaaleya #trending on number 6 on #youtube 😍
Posted by Prachi Tehlan on Sunday, 16 April 2017
After many hit songs like SP De Rank Wargi, Dubai Wale Sheikh and Wajde Salute, DJ Waaleya is another feather in Nimrat Khaira's cap of hit Punjabi songs.
Prachi can be seen dancing and enjoying every moment like a true Punjaban. It is completely Nimrat and Prachi's charm making the song great. Glittery sets and Prachi's cute smile will force you to watch the song again and again. Roshan Prince can just be seen enjoying her love interest's dance in the complete song.
Arjan features Roshan Prince and charming Prachi Tehlan in the lead role. Directed by Manduip Singh, the movie is releasing on May 5.


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View additional EQ & Seismic services here.
Full waveform inversion (FWI) is a seismic imaging technique pioneered by Patrick Lailly and Albert Tarantola in the early 1980's. The method estimates earth model structure by seeking to match predicted waveforms (synthetic seismograms) to observed waveforms `wiggle for wiggle.' Hence, if one can capture the physics of wave propagation and apply that to the true Earth model, then one can exactly represent a recorded seismic waveform down to the noise level. While conceptually straightforward, the application of FWI to real data sets would have to wait a couple of decades for compute resources to evolve.
Because of the democratization of high-performance computing, FWI now has permeated to all facets of seismology and is successfully applied at all scales, from short period active source reflection and refraction surveys to long period tectonic scale earth investigations. Because synthetic waveform modeling is the crux of the method all FWI methods can be aided with massively parallel forward solvers that can operate in the time or frequency domain on two dimensional or three-dimensional data. Moreover, as hardware continues to improve it is now finally possible to model and estimate the complete anisotropic and attenuating subsurface. With all these tools at hand let ISTI design a solution that fits your data, timeline, and budget. We can handle the end to end solution from data collection to initial model estimation to high-resolution short period FWI thereby allowing you to extract the maximum amount of detail from your seismic acquisition regardless of the target size.


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Dependable Animal Clinic
At Noll Veterinary Hospital, we understand the importance of the well-being of your pets. We know that your pets are also a part of your family and that you want the best for them. Hence, our animal clinic goes above and beyond to make sure that your pet recuperates quickly.
Our veterinary doctors are highly knowledgeable and love animals. They ensure that the right treatment is given to your four-legged friend to get back to health in no time. We also provide routine check-ups that can prevent any unforeseen aliment that could occur to your beloved pet.
Trust us with your furry friend's healthcare and we are sure to exceed your expectations. We have helped cure several pets residing in Tremont City, Catawba, Springfield, and the surrounding areas. Our reliable medical care is available at competitive rates.
Our Services Include:
- Emergency Medical Care
- Dental Care
- Surgical Treatment
- Routine Check-Ups
Noll Veterinary Hospital
2725 Selma Road Springfield, OH 45505
Business Hours
Sat: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Sun: Closed
Dr. Gregory Noll, wife Lori and their two daughters


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hi, I have completed three sweaters now and one tank top and all but one are way too big for me. Can anyone help me figure out what I am doing wrong? I have checked my gauge under the supervision of my favorite knitting shop (the girls there are very helpful). I have followed all their instructions. I took one completed item in and they said well you'll just have to take it out and decrease here and there to make it smaller. But I am not a designer and am not good at figuring out how to tweak my patterns. why doesn't my sweater end up with the proper measurements and be about 3 sizes bigger than the pattern says when I have the correct gauge? I'm so frustrated.
It could be the yarn, some of them stretch and grow. You should wash and block the gauge square the same as the FO, and even hang it when dry to mimic being worn. Or you may be knitting the wrong size. Many people overestimate their size and think a sweater needs to be at least their bust size or larger. But if you measure one that fits you the way you like, you may find that it's actually a little smaller than you measure. That's called negative ease and a lot of tops look really good when knit with about 2" negative ease.
thank you for your reply, I always knit the smallest size available. I usually wear a medium sized top but I always knit the small or extra small if available.
I think your idea of yarn stretching makes alot of sense. But how do we compensate for that? How do I know which yarns stretch?
Will adjusting for a 2" negative ease fix the problem? if so, how do I do that? I don't know how to tweak instructions.
sorry, what does FO mean?
First, measure a sweater that fits the way you'd like it to fit to see if it does have negative ease. Then knit the size whose finished measurement is closest to the one you measured. You know if your yarn stretches by knitting a sample of it, taking measurements (sts and rows per 4") before and after. Usually the gauge given in a pattern is after blocking, so that's the way to see if yours matches or not. When it does, then check it as you knit, matching the gauge you got [I]before[/I] blocking so when you're done, it should turn out right.
FO means finished object.
I thought the gauge given with the yarn was without blocking. The dumbness in me is coming out. I thought if you knit gauge swatch and got what the pattern said it would mean you would come out with a finished product that would fit. Please tell me I won't have problem with a sweater I am knitting. I did the gauge swatch up a needle size because I am double stranding the yarn and got the gauge the pattern called for. I have done the back and am now working on the front. It has lots of interesting sts and front and back cables. This is for my son. The information you have given is very informative but now my stomach is in knots.
The gauge on the yarn label is probably without blocking, it's really just to put a yarn into a weight range - dk, worsted, bulky. I've learned the gauge given in a [I]pattern[/I] is after washing and blocking.
You can take what you have now and block it out to see if it grows or not. It also depends on the fiber of the yarn - some will, most won't. Please don't stress yourself out, you're probably fine.
Are you using the correct yarn weight for the pattern. Using worsted instead of DK will make the sweater too large, too.
Gauge swatches lie. I have never had a swatch match up to the stitches per inch I get when I actually start knitting my project. I have made enough sweaters and tops over the years to know pretty much how to compensate for my tension. I have several baggy oversized sweaters left from early days as I struggled to find a way to knit to size.
I'm a loose knitter so I go down a size and go down 2 needle sizes then measure the object about 4" in and very seldom have to rip out and start again.
Yeah, it can work if you use your project as a swatch. Many times people tense while working on their swatch and get gauge. Then when they start working on a bigger piece, they relaxe and their natural gauge is looser. So if you start on a sleeve even, or just the body, and measure that after 5-6", you'll have a better idea what your gauge really is.
I don't usually gauge swatch because I was taught by my mother and for some reason I get gauge all the time. In the case of this sweater the yarn I am using is lighter than what is called for so to check what my friends at the LYS said I knitted a gauge swatch up a size in needles with the double stranded yarn and got the gauge called for by the pattern if my yarn had been the weight the pattern called for.


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Body Science BSC GreenTea TX100
A potent green tea supplement which provides the nutritional benefits of 100 cups of green tea. Even better, it tastes great too!
BSC Green Tea TX100 is jam packed full of fat burning thermogenic benefits, boosting metabolism and calories exhausted by exercise. If you're looking for a natural and powerful way to slim down that extra jeans size, or get the most out of your weight loss results, while increasing your intake of good bacteria, BSC Green Tea TX100 is the perfect product for you.
Green tea has been utilized throughout history across the globe for its health and vitality benefits, as well as recently discovered antioxidant protection. Containing powerful benefits of detoxification for the gut and immune system, as well as inducing a thermogenic state, BSC Green Tea TX100 can benefit anyone, regardless of health and fitness goals.
Available in an assortment of delicious flavours, Watermelon, Super Berry, try sachet of BSC Green Tea TX100 at lunchtime daily to feel power of 100 cups of green tea!
Dissolve sachet content into 600ml of water and drink immediatly.
Consume 2 x 3g sachets daily
Best Taken in morning and at lunch time
Each 3g dose contains the active ingredients:
|Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) leaf extract equiv. to dry
|Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
|Lactobacillus acidophilus
|3 billion CFU's


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Build a Successful Business with Southern California Franchise Opportunities
Franchise opportunities are a great idea for someone who has a passion for entrepreneurship. If you are ready to leave your dead-end job and leap into a world of new possibilities, franchise ownership is for you. Owning a franchise is a simple process when compared to launching a traditional business. When you buy into a franchise you are purchasing a proven business model that has been successful in other locations. There is no worry of developing a new brand and being recognized by the public.
Southern California's Best New Franchise
Burgerim is changing the way people view the All-American burger. When you think of fast food, often the menu is ridged with very little variety and the food is processed, not fresh. Our mini burgers are served in a Duo, Trio or Party Box. When you visit a Burgerim you will be given a choice of many different meats including lamb, turkey and even Waygu beef. Once you have chosen the meat you can add one of our many different toppings to each of your mini burgers. Finish your sand which off with one of our delicious sauces and a side of custom fries. We offer a dine in eating experience that will help you enjoy your gourmet burgers.
When you purchase a Burgerim franchise in southern California, you will have access to many different amenities provided by our corporate offices. Your success is important to us as we increase the Burgerim brand around the world. Here are just a few of the tools we will provide.
- 24/7 access to corporate support
- Marketing tools to help you succeed
- Access to the Burgerim business model
Low Cost Franchise Start-Up
Many people allow the large lump sum of the initial investment scare them away from launching a new franchise. Burgerim's initial franchise investment fee is very low when compared to other franchises. Another benefit we offer is a finance option where owners can finance the initial investment fee, regardless of their current credit situation. Burgerim gives everyone an equal opportunity to realize their dreams of owning their own business.
If you have never worked in a restaurant you can still own a Burgerim. We don't require a fancy degree, or any experience. Our corporate offices will provide assistance to you every step of the way. Burgerim provides training courses that will teach you how to manage your restaurant, hire staff and daily operations. You don't have to worry about anything, we will guide you through the entire process.
Tools for Success
It is important to market your new franchise well so that you will have a steady stream of customers. When you buy a Burgerim franchise you will have instant access to our top marketing team at our corporate offices. They will walk alongside you during the entire process and make sure your opening day is a huge success. We will teach you the best ways to get the word out to your local community. Keep in mind Burgerim has successfully launched 160 franchises around the world. Our corporate offices know how to market your business for success.
Does the through of hiring the right staff members intimidate you? Let us help! When you buy a Burgerim franchise we will provide training seminars to teach you how to hire a staff. But it doesn't stop there. Our corporate offices will help you learn the operations of a normal day running a Burgerim restaurant and train your staff to be efficient. If you run into any problems we will help you find a solution.
Why choose a Burgerim franchise?
While it's true that there are many different franchise opportunities in Southern California, few offer the benefits that Burgerim does. Burgerim offers gourmet food at affordable prices. When you choose to buy a franchise, you are guaranteed success because of the reputation our food carries. There is no need spending months or years developing a new brand. Marketing a new name can be expensive with no guarantee of success. With Burgerim, you are investing in a proven business model that has already worked across other California cities. With a time tested menu and a successful business plan to guide you through start-up, Burgerim is the best franchise opportunity in Southern California for 2017.


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DigitalPhone.io Awarded New School District Deployments
DigitalPhone.io, a leading provider of USAC Category 1 E-Rate eligible hosted telecommunications for K-12 schools in the U.S. Southeast, announced that it has been awarded new contracts to install state-of-the art VoIP phone solutions at two school systems North Carolina and Georgia, respectively.
In April 2017, the DigitalPhone.io team will deploy 97 SIP trunks for Brunswick County Schools in North Carolina. The installation was given the green light after a highly successful test of 3 SIP trunks in February, which saved the school board over 50 percent vs. their current carrier. Staff were also impressed with the built-in data recovery and redundancy features that guarantee 99.99% uptime.
"Carolina Digital offers everything a customer deserves from their SIP service provider," commented Michael Bullard, Systems Asset Analyst at Brunswick County Schools. "Quality, price, responsiveness and dependability are important to us as a customer and I can't imagine any other service provider out performing them."
In June 2017, the DigitalPhone.io team will head to Georgia and deploy hosted VoIP phone system for Evans County Schools. The system will also include additional POTS lines for alarms and cloud-based faxing. This is the second school system in the state of Georgia for DigitalPhone.io, and will further strengthen their efforts to provide class leading VoIP services to school systems neighboring states.
In separate but related news, DigitalPhone.io also announced that in recent months it has renewed agreements with three other North Carolina school districts, including Roanoke Rapids Graded School District, Bertie County School District, and Currituck County School District, respectively.
"Over the past five years we have developed relationships in the K-12 market that now drive our commitment to servicing this sector," commented Brant Yandell, Partner Manager at DigitalPhone.io. "Saving school systems money to retain teaching jobs or free up funds for bettering programs for students is extremely rewarding."
The E-Rate program allows eligible schools and libraries to receive funding of 20-90 percent for new and existing network and telecommunications services. E-Rate discounts are based on the percentage of students eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program and the degree to which they may be considered urban or rural.
For additional information regarding DigitalPhone.io, visit https://digitalphone.io or email inquiry@ DigitalPhone.io.
About DigitalPhone.io
DigitalPhone.io (formerly Carolina Digital) is a pioneer of hosted phone services, and provides products that improve the capabilities of business and education telephony, while reducing their overall cost. The company's offerings stand out for their excellent value, including very competitive pricing, the industry's deepest feature set, ease of deployment, and many user-friendly packages – from a full turnkey set-up including dial tone and VoIP phones, to automated call answering and routing solutions that work with existing land lines, cell phones or VoIP phones.


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One of the great mysteries of the Vietnam War era has been solved. On March 8, 1971, a group of activists — including a cabdriver, a day care director and two professors — broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania. They stole every document they found and then leaked many to the press, including details about FBI abuses and the then-secret counter-intelligence program to infiltrate, monitor and disrupt social and political movements, nicknamed COINTELPRO. They called themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI. No one was ever caught for the break-in. The burglars' identities remained a secret until this week when they finally came forward to take credit for the caper that changed history. Today we are joined by three of them — John Raines, Bonnie Raines and Keith Forsyth; their attorney, David Kairys; and Betty Medsger, the former Washington Post reporter who first broke the story of the stolen FBI documents in 1971 and has now revealed the burglars' identities in her new book, "The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI."
On a night nearly 43 years ago, while Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier bludgeoned each other over 15 rounds in a televised title bout viewed by millions around the world, burglars took a lock pick and a crowbar and broke into a Federal Bureau of Investigation office in a suburb of Philadelphia, making off with nearly every document inside.
They were never caught, and the stolen documents that they mailed anonymously to newspaper reporters were the first trickle of what would become a flood of revelations about extensive spying and dirty-tricks operations by the F.B.I. against dissident groups.
The burglary in Media, Pa., on March 8, 1971, is a historical echo today, as disclosures by the former National Security Agency contractor Edward J. Snowden have cast another unflattering light on government spying and opened a national debate about the proper limits of government surveillance. The burglars had, until now, maintained a vow of silence about their roles in the operation.
The group — originally nine, before one member dropped out, includes:
William C. Davidon, professor of physics at Haverford College, who came up with idea. Davidon died late last year from complications of Parkinson's disease.
John Raines. taught religion at Temple University
Bonnie Raines, worked at a daycare center in Philadelphia
Keith Forsyth, taxi driver in Philadelphia
Bob Williamson, social worker for state of Pennsylvania
Still anonymous: 2 women, a professor, and anti-war activist; 1 man, graduate student in health profession
DemocracyNOW! exclusive interview with John Raines, Bonnie Raines and Keith Forsyth; their attorney, David Kairys; and Betty Medsger, the former Washington Post reporter who first broke the story of the stolen FBI documents in 1971.
The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI by Betty Medsger
Related Links:
Declassified Documents Reveal NSA Spied on Vietnam War Critics, Including MLK, Muhammad Ali, and Senator Frank Church
"We Are All Anonymous": Jacob Appelbaum on the War on Dissent


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Contact Center ManagementGet Quote
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Automate and optimize contact center scheduling
Since staffing can account for up to 70 percent of your costs, it's important to schedule and manage employees effectively. With inContact Workforce Management, align your team's skills and proficiencies with your objectives to create schedules that optimize everyone's preferences and needs. Employees are happy, scheduling is easier, and everyone wins with contact center management.
Enhance agents' efficiency and performance with call center management
Targeting areas where your agents need improvement can be a time-consuming task. With inContact Quality Management, you can capture and easily review their customer interactions. By monitoring their performance, you can give helpful feedback and deliver training targeted to agents' greatest areas of need. You can also link coaching to customized scorecards and eLearning assignments.
Track and analyze critical contact center metrics
To understand your call center's performance, you need regular reports and the ability to quickly analyze data in order to pinpoint areas of over- and under-performance. Use CXone Reporting and Analytics to track over 100 industry metrics. With historical analytics, you can benchmark important trends and pinpoint areas that need additional attention. Use customizable dashboards to quickly track real-time data so you can take immediate action.
Manage your contact center from anywhere
With the Supervisor interface, you can manage your busy contact center from any location using your iPad. Stay involved by monitoring and identifying issues, even when you're away from the office, with our mobile application. You'll get real-time reporting to monitor queues and SLA adherence. You can also quickly take action, such as managing queues and assigning agents, with the swipe of a finger.
What Our Customers Say
Senior Manager-Workforce


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Chey Anne question for Opeth is
" If Opeth could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and what genre of metal do you think it'd fall under? Also, I missed you guys in Moncton New Brunswick Canada, I was a very sad Panda.. do you think you'll come back!? "
phonelink asked Oct 3rd 2015 @ 02:00AM
on their Windows Device
on their Windows Device


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Community Coordinator Job Description: 8 Month Contract Position
The Community Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating, supporting and implementing the Strategic direction developed by the Board of Directors. They will report directly and be accountable to the annually nominated Board of Directors. This is a part-time, 8 month contract, and the individual will be responsible for overall management of the Bankview Community Association. The position will be 24 hours of work per week, and will include two set weekdays (office hours) with the remaining hours flexible each week to be to meet facility needs, i.e. evenings, weekends, and/or work from home. The Community Coordinator is required to attend monthly Board meetings and occasionally other meetings as requested by the Board.
Main areas of responsibility to include:
- Community Relations – strong interaction with the City of Calgary, community members, and the initiation of responses to community needs
- Marketing – work with Board members to develop and implement a marketing plan to enhance the profile and effectiveness of the BCA
- Organizational Development – strong oral and written communication skills essential while managing the staff of both facilities and service volunteers.
- Administrative skills – necessary to handle routine administrative functions including strong computer and social media skills
- Program and Services – develop new and evaluate existing programs, and apply for grants and funding to provide services and events that meet the needs of our residents
About Bankview and the Bankview Community Association:
The community of Bankview is located on traditional Blackfoot territory. In 1882, following the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877, William Nimmons purchased much of the land that today comprises Bankview from the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1908, the remaining lands were purchased by the City of Calgary and the community took on its present grid form. Bankview extends from 14th Street in the east to 19th Street in the west, and stretches from 17th Ave in the north to 26th Avenue in the south.
The Bankview Community Association was established in 1954, as part of the post-Second World War boom that saw the redevelopment and growth of many of Calgary's inner city neighbourhoods. The primary focus of the Bankview Community Association from 1976 to 1982 was the Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) prepared for Bankview by the City. Today the volunteer-run Bankview Community Association strives to foster an atmosphere of inclusion and diversity, while representing the interests of the 5100 Calgarians who call Bankview home.
Administrative Skills:
- handling incoming correspondence, participate on committees (finance, personnel, newsletter etc.) as requested assist meeting preparations, support meeting progress, and provide follow-up
- collaborate with the Casino Coordinator to ensure all volunteer commitments and financial reporting is completed
- proactive verbal and monthly written communication with the Board, evaluation of programming initiatives, and support for community leaders
- coordinate with Treasurer regarding financial requirements and reporting
- submit a monthly report to and support the Board of Directors ensuring that coordinator duties are consistent with the Board directives
Community Relations:
- proactively promote the Bankview Community Association's mission, values and services with residents, neighbourhood businesses and affiliated community associations
- develop a strong relationship with residents of Bankview, small businesses in the community, and the City of Calgary
- be informed of any concerns regarding the broader community of Bankview and ensure appropriate measures are taken
- research and recommend contracts for the various operations within the facilities
- prepare various grant applications that will assist and/or enhance the strategic plan
- liaise with City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services
- promote and market the facility for rentals
- initiate and evaluate new business opportunities and follow-up as needed
- maintain and update website and social media accounts
- develop a creative approach to promote the community association
- ensure marketing materials are maintained for the various events of the community
Organizational Development:
- establish and maintain a records management system for all areas of the organization, including accounting, hall leases, rentals, etc.
- recruit, research, and develop a volunteer management program
- assist the Board in developing human resource policies and procedures
- maintain strong organizational practices, including online rental schedule and calendar of events, in coordination with hall manager
- establish a clear rental policy and strategy, that supports community events as well as promotes rental opportunities.
- provide administrative support for volunteers, Board etc. (i.e. circulation of minutes, research costs, photocopying, mailing etc, attend Executive/Board Mtgs. and report on all aspects of the organization and community)
Programs and Services:
- work with City of Calgary and community based organizations (CNS, FCC, community schools, etc. in developing programs, events, partnerships)
- promote and market a variety of diverse programs and activities that meet the needs of the residents and customers of the community
- research and apply for various grants to introduce new creative programs
Estimated Breakdown of Responsibilities:
- Community Relations and Marketing – 40%
- Organizational Development – 20%
- Administration, Program Delivery, and Services – 40%
Additional Information for Applicants
- post secondary education or equivalent experience in community programming
- significant volunteer experience at similar organization
- proven social media and website management experience
- bondable
Application Package:
- Cover Letter (one page) that addresses the applicant's qualifications and vision for a community that is inclusive, active, and engaged.
- Resume (no more than two pages)
Applications will be accepted until Friday, December 11, 2015. Submit complete applications as a single PDF to email@example.com. Only those candidates shortlisted for this position will be notified in mid-January, 2016.


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Actuarial Manager
- Recruiter
- Grant Thornton Ireland
- Location
- Dublin
- Salary
- unspecified
- Posted
- 16 May 2019
- Closes
- 16 Jun 2019
- Ref
- Approved employers
- Approved employer
- Job role
- Audit, Business analyst
- Contract type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Experience level
- Manager
The role:
We are seeking to recruit an Actuarial Manager for the Grant Thornton Financial Services Advisory, Actuarial and Data Analytics team.
This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and motivated person to join our team in the growing area of financial services, with a focus on actuarial and data analytics. This will be a challenging and fulfilling role, where you will lead a team of junior actuaries in projects related to reserving, Solvency II, risk management, data analytics and actuarial modelling for Grant Thornton's advisory and audit clients. The role will sometimes require working in other financial services areas such as banking and aviation finance.
The role is to provide operational leadership and professional development to a team of data scientists and actuaries. The successful candidate will have exposure to a variety of jobs and will be required to contribute to the development of the team. The role will provide an excellent prospect to build a long term and sustainable career as well as exposure to industry specific developments such as IFRS 17 and data analytics.
Main responsibilities:
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of client operations, processes and business objectives and use this knowledge on assignments.
- Provide operational leadership to junior actuaries and contribute to successful project management.
- Provide on-going training and support to junior actuaries and on-boarding of new hires, particularly from a technical perspective.
- Work towards becoming the subject matter expert in a relevant actuarial topic.
- Work in close proximity with project leaders and clients.
- Work to deliver to strict deadlines.
- Effective communication with management in respect of summary analysis and the escalation of key action points.
- Proactively interact with key client management to gather information, resolve issues, and provide analysis to inform key client deliverables;
- Contribute to internal reporting requirements including the preparation of operational reports, management updates and client presentations.
Required skills and attributes:
- 5-7 years of experience in an actuarial capacity in either life or non-life insurance.
- Acting professionally, ethically and with integrity.
- Attention to detail, strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- Flexible, proactive and collaborative attitude.
- Knowledge of actuarial software relevant to experience: Prophet, SAS, ResQ, etc.
- Knowledge of the insurance legal and regulatory framework.
- Interest in developing data analytics skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication in particular the ability to relate to senior management, staff and clients.
- Making good progress with actuarial exams.
- Excellent MS Word and MS Excel skills.
- Experience managing a team.
- Excellent MS PowerPoint Skills.
- Awareness of current developments in insurance.
- Experience with R, Python or similar languages.
- Experience with visualisation tools such as Tableau or PowerBI.
- Experience with cloud computing environments.
- Experience using version control software.
For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the "Apply" button below.
Similar jobs


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Retaining the raw bones of its iIndustrial past, the transformation of this warehouse into a hub for artisanal creatives has created a uniquely ambient space. This versatile venue still holds features typical of Tenerife's manufacturing history dominated by the iconic riverside wool stores. On arrival, the warehouse invokes your curiosity, offering total flexibility and privacy. Bib 'n' Brace is ideal for cocktail parties, formal dinners, product launches, fashion parades, exhibitions, photo shoots, pop-up market stalls, charity fundraisers, basically anything you can conjure up.
Our open workshop space is perfect for smaller gathering, presentations and workshops. While the main open area have ample wall space with gallery lighting for exhibitions or used to projected presentations to. Larger events can combine the to create a more dramatic sense of occasion mixing both creating a multi functional occurrence. The workshop has a authentic fell, but clean vibe using upcycled furniture included with the venue hire. We never have two functions at once so every booking has exclusive use.
Parking Notes
Limit on street parking
- Floor Dimensions 100.00 meters sq.
- Ceiling Height Very High (4m +)
- Max. Capacity 150
- Floorplan Download


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alexanderstitch.jpg (18 kb)
This is a birth announcement I did for a friend when she had her son.
carouselhorse.jpg (34kb)
This is a carousel horse that I did for my daughter and it won second place in a competition in Arizona.
hbird4.jpg (22kb)
hbird3.jpg (25 kb) a little clearer
This is a rose wreath with a humming bird in the middle that I made for a person I really cared about who loves both roses and humming birds.
mizustitchlarge.jpg (37kb)
mizustitchsmall.jpg (213 kb)
These are wedding announcements that ayli and I made for freinds of ours who got married. The top one is mine, the bottom one is ayli's. The top one is a wall quilt and the bottom one is inserted in a jewelry box. Both have glass seed beads in them.
peekabobib.jpg (43kb)
puppybib.jpg (44kb)
These are bibs I made for another friend who had a little girl. The pcis don't show great detail but these were colorful bibs.
towel.jpg (68kb)
This is a finger tip towel which I cross stitched cats and a fishbowl on. I made two of them and gave them to sabryna, a friend of mine.
wizardxstitch.jpg (55kb)
This is a wizard that I stitched for my husband Ron.
It uses mettalic threads and cording. It is shown here not completely
finished as I am in the process of turning it into a wall quilt to hang
on the living room wall.
Cats.jpg (48 kb)
This one I did for a friend of mine as a reminder that she can be who
she wants to be. It was meant as a pick her up type of thing to let her
know that she is in charge of her life and that I will always be there
for her. This was the first of 2 that I did for her. Hopefully I can get
the picture of the dragon scanned in to put up here soon.
aurie-stitch.jpg (46 kb)
This one I did for my birth mother. It is buried with her. She loved
teddy bears and she chose the design. This was my first ever counted cross
bookmark.jpg (63 kb)
This is a laminated bookmark that I did for my friend talia.The design
is 3 pink and red roses on a vine. It was to remind her that people care
about her and since she reads so much, she would see it often.
dragon.bmp (546 kb)
This one I did for a friend of mine who's online nick is Little^Dragon. It took me almost 6 months to complete. But it is my favorite peice so far!
Raven's Love Poems | IRC Chat | Awards | Raven's Thoughts | lil`dragon's Poems | Web Rings | Donavan's Poems | Sabryna's Poems | Links | Home | Raven's Other Poems | Misc. Friends' Poems


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Levain Bakery
Levain holds the title of "best cookie[s] in all of New York". Queues snake down the street for them, dozens of rave reviews appear in praise of them, and Blake Lively calls them her "one true love" – is it all just hype, or is Levain Bakery really the holy grail of the humble cookie? You might not think so upon first glance. The bakery sits slightly below ground level on 167 West 74th Street, largely inconspicuous but for the long queues outside – the only indication that something special is there. I have learned that this is characteristically New York; the best gastronomy is found in the most unassuming of places. True to the formula, these cookies were indeed the stuff of legend – and I assure you my benchmark for a cookie is high!
These cookies aren't 'pretty' – they cut the crap and get to the chase. Giant globs of dough that have baked in the exact shape they were flung into on the tray – soft, gooey and chunky, you can't get better than this. I had the double chocolate chip cookie and the closest I can get to capturing the experience with the power of language is: it's like biting into a big gooey chocolate cloud.
Levain's knack for getting just the right amount of softness in their cookies also applies to their banana chocolate-chip bread, which is worth trying if you love banana bread as much as I do.
The hype is real. Those cookies are in a league of their own, and to tell the truth I can't quite decide how I feel about it. I'm glad I tried it – but I don't think I'll ever be able to enjoy another cookie again. My sweet tooth will be salivating after Levain's creations until my return to NYC.
167 West 74th Street, on the Upper West Side neighbourhood of Manhattan.
Dominique Ansel Bakery
Dominique Ansel's chocolate chip cookie shots have been the subject of much media coverage and it's not hard to see why. These shot-glass shaped cookies are filled with an ounce or two of Tahitian-vanilla-infused milk. (Eat in-store and you can get endless re-fills of milk!) Amazingly, the cookie doesn't get soggy or disintegrate, and it's all thanks to a layer of heat-resistant chocolate glaze set on the interior of the cookie 'shot glass' that keeps it water-tight. A talking point for the whole table, this quirky dessert was also one of the most delicious I've ever had. There's no way you can hold one of these cookie shots in your hand and not feel like an excited kid again, especially since these sweet treats only ever appear after 3pm as an 'after school snack' intended for students attending the school nearby. After-school snacking has never been so good.
189 Spring St.
Big Gay Ice Cream
Honestly, this ice cream is nothing special. Taste wise it doesn't pack much punch – it's just another quick soft serve. Having said that, I'm also a sucker for creativity, colour and a great photo, and luckily this is BGIC's crowning virtue: their totally Instagram-worthy transformation of the humble soft-serve. Your choice of soft-serve flavour is dolled up with everything from sprinkles to chocolate coating (if you want both, get the Merlin like I did), a winning recipe not for the palate but for a particular type of feed – the Instagram feed – or so the many people taking pictures with their cones would suggest. The photo came out great, but the ice cream itself is pretty mediocre. If you need a cold sugar hit, there's no harm done in necking this soft-serve. However, if you do take your ice cream seriously and want to savour it – steer clear, there's better out there!
125 East 7th Street (East Village) or 61 Grove Street (West Village)
Birdbath Neighbourhood Green Bakery
I'm so glad the internet tipped me off on this hidden gem. We had one cookie, then had to come back for another one almost immediately – that should say enough. Crunchy around the edges and soft at the core, Birdbath combines the best of both worlds and is THE classic cookie. I particularly liked the stacks of cookies on display in the shop windows – this is my kind of window shopping!
160 Prince St.
Junior's Cheesecake
Junior's, which sits on the corner of Broadway, claims it is "home of the world's most fabulous cheesecake". I myself am not a cheesecake guru so I decided to wait on the word of my partner in gluttony, J, who brought us to Junior's in the first place. There are not many desserts he puts on a pedestal, but cheesecake is number one. "How is it?" I ask. J turns to acknowledge the camera, his face melting with joy. He nods vigorously and there we have our verdict: excellent. I took a couple bites myself and could instantly see why 'Junior's' is the only name that's been synonymous with New York cheesecake for over 6 decades. It's not too sweet, and definitely no where near being too light. It's rich, smooth, creamy – definitely something you have to share with someone else, because a single slice goes a long way. No wonder why a Kuwaiti prince once flew several cakes home on his private jet – this truly is the ultimate cheesecake.
1515 Broadway.
Fat Witch Bakery
I'm not sure why the internet bestowed the title of 'best brownies in New York' on these tiny little packaged brownies, because they're not. The bakery boasted a decent array of flavours, something that turned out to be totally redundant as they all taste exactly the same. We tried red velvet after dark chocolate after regular milk chocolate, so on and so forth, but there wasn't even the slightest gradation in taste. It wasn't particularly chocolatey, nor was the almond-butter-cake texture very appealing. For a bakery heralded as serving the best brownies in New York, this wasn't as impressive as it should have been.
Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave
Momofuku Milk Bar
– Tried: cereal milk soft serve & cornflake-chocolate-chip-marshmallow cookie
Not bad at all, just overrated. For all the social media hype surrounding this award-winning dessert bar, I was expecting more than what I got. I suppose the signature cereal milk ice cream was 'good' in that it tasted exactly like cereal milk. So if that's what you want your ice cream to taste like, this is the place for you. Personally, if I want to taste cereal milk I'd just pour myself some milk and cereal in my kitchen. Putting it in an ice cream didn't work for me, but evidently most people love it considering that this is Momofuku's most successful specialty. I tried a cornflake-chocolate-chip-marshmallow-cookie, which was much better. I like any dessert with cornflakes in it because it gives it a chewier texture. Unfortunately the cookie was warmed up so much that it lost all structure and became like a floppy disc that completely fell apart in my hands. Levain Bakery's cookies are hard on the outermost surface but when you crack them open they're all gooey and ooze chocolate in the middle — Momofuku, take notes! I didn't stick around to try the birthday cake truffles that all my friends tell me are amazing, so perhaps that would have been the saving grace for my trip here. All in all, based on my admittedly minimal experience at the place, I think Momofuku Milk Bar is a spot you should definitely duck into if you're in the area, but don't go out of your way for it as there are better places to visit in the meantime.
382 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA
Black Tap
– Tried: oreo milkshake
Boy am I glad I made it to Black Tap. I'm told by friends of mine living in New York that there is a perpetual 2-hour queue going all the way around the block, so when I got there I wasn't surprised to see they have their very own bouncer at the door! By some miracle (probably thanks to the snowstorm, which made the prospect of leaving the house totally unpalatable for everyone else in New York) I managed to jump in a queue at 4.30pm with only a 15-minute wait. Winning. The doorman led us down a narrow flight of stars descending from street level, into what I can only describe as an underground hip-hop grotto. This cosy, casual space is low-lit with warm red and orange lights. Before I had even eaten anything, Black Tap had already exceeded my expectations. Genuinely good hip hop tunes are a dying art form, but Black Tap's playlist was a slew of straight-up bangers. Neon signs adorn the brick walls and shakes are made in plain sight behind the counter. It's these crazy, gravity-defying shakes that I came for. Black Tap is actually a restaurant that serves gourmet burgers and draft beers (according to the waitress their blue cheese-laced Kobe beef burger won the coveted people's choice award at the New York City Wine & Food Festival's "Burger Bash" competition). But it's their gigantic, colourful shakes that went viral online and inspired these 2-hour wait lines — I heard everyone in the queue talking about them! You can choose from 12 milkshake varieties ranging in price from $7 to $12. Not for the faint-hearted, these shakes are piled high with the mountainous toppings ranging from entire slices of cake, heaps of fluffy cotton candy, and handfuls of chocolate chip cookies. I don't even want to know how many calories this sets you back, but believe me it was good. Part of me thought it was all bark and no bite, but this shake isn't just a pretty picture — it's even better than it looks. I had the cookie milkshake, topped with clouds of vanilla frosting, chocolate syrup and an entire chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. Lord forgive me for I hath sinned.
529 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, USA
Cookie DO
– Tried: x2 scoops of cookie dough
The recently opened Cookie Do store serves a variety of different cookie dough flavours by the scoop. This concept gets full endorsement from me. Like Black Tap, the queues for this place can be very long — everyone who's seen the viral video of this store online wants to try it! I waited in line for about 20-30 minutes before finally getting to order. The store itself is incredibly cute; with white-painted wooden panel walls, pastel-coloured decor, and rows of glass jars holding all manner of colourful sprinkles atop shelves, it's like something straight out of Pinterest. Get your hands on one of the printed menus to peruse and salivate over all the different cookie dough flavours — the selection is incredible! (They even have different flavoured cones for you to choose from) Choosing which flavours I wanted was a tough decision as they all looked and sounded totally mouth-watering, but in the end I took away a 2-scoop cup: x1 scoop of brownie batter cookie dough, and x1 scoop of confetti cookie dough (which is just normal chocolate chip cookie dough with rainbow sprinkles and white chocolate chips thrown in). Yummy. If you like cookie dough, you'll (obviously) love this.
550 LaGuardia Pl, New York, NY 10012, USA
The Bagel Store
– Tried: rainbow bagel
I've been wanting a rainbow bagel from this store for a long time now. It's a solid choice if you're in the area, and of course everyone loves to take photos of it. While the rainbow bagel is their signature thing, there are many other types of bagel too if you'd rather have a good old fashioned plain bagel or a cinnamon-flavoured one, etc. I had my rainbow bagel toasted, as most people do, with funfetti cream cheese (cream cheese with rainbow sprinkles in it for added colour-pop). For some reason I didn't like it as much as I had hoped I would, and I'm not entirely sure why that is. I think the bagel tasted just a bit too sweet for my liking, and I'd probably put that that down to the cream cheese & rainbow sprinkles in it. Having said that, don't let that put you off going here. I still enjoyed it and it was worth venturing out for as I had wanted to go for so long. I think if I were to return next time I would try a different kind of cream cheese and bagel to see how it compares.
754 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA
Prince St Pizza
– Tried: pepperoni square slice
I'm aware this article is entitled 'definitive guide to desserts in NY' and yet I'm leaving dessert territory behind here… But consider it added homage to the brilliance of this pizza store — it's that good that it deserves mention. This is truly the best pizza in New York, and the best pizza I've ever tasted! I had a pepperoni square slice and was so surprised by how exceptionally good it was. The dough is thick and soft, the crust is slightly cruncher, the perfect amount of hot cheese and tomato sauce sits on top, and the little circles of pepperoni pack a flavourful punch. You absolutely must make a pit stop here — trust me when I say you won't regret it. Evidently neither of the dozens of celebrities who have been photographed in the store do!
27 Prince St A, New York, NY 10012, USA


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OR Territory Unisex Shirt
- Dear Oregon, We've been meaning to tell you for a while that we have a major crush on you. We can't stop thinking about all the things we love about you: the trees, rivers, mountains, beaches and the desert, just to name a few. Please accept this fresh t-shirt design as an expression of our love. Sincerely, TLE
- Tender Loving Empire is a hybrid handmade marketplace and record label based in beautiful (and sometimes rainy) Portland, Oregon. We have years of experience designing and creating high-quality handmade items, including cards, prints, t-shirts, and more.


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Filter by
Football at Queen's Park Gardens
Monday 16:30 - 18:00
As part of the Neighbourhood Sports Programme Everyone Active will be hosting football in the gardens. Monday 16:30 - 18:00 FOOTBALL
67Ilbert StreetLondonW10 4QH
Football at Queen's Park Gardens Hub
Various times and dates
Tuesday 16:00 - 18:00 7s AND UNDER FOOTBALL Wednesday 19:00 - 20:00 BOOTCAMP Thursday 16:00 - 18:00 8 -11s FOOTBALL Friday 16:00 - 17:00 GIRLS ONLY FOOTBALL Saturday 16:00 - 18:00 OVER 15s FOOTBALL Sunday 13:00 - 15:00 UNDER 12s FOOTBALL 13:00 - 15:00…
Q P G Community Hub, 254Kilburn LaneLondonW10 4BA
020 8964 8295
Football club
During term-time a programme of regular activities runs for primary school aged children.
All Souls Clubhouse141 CLEVELAND STREETLONDONW1T 6QG
020 7255 9755
Friday Seniors Youth Club
Cooking, recording studio, radio, computers, DJ-ing, T-shirt design and print, workshops, health and well-being sessions, pop up cafe, mentoring, work experience, games room and more
3-7Third AvenueLondonLondonW10 4RS
020 8969 9552
Fun Family-Friendly Buggy Walks
Every Wednesday, 10am - 11am
Join us for a weekly buggy walk with a combination of walking, jogging and toning exercises. Improve your posture, try out mindfulness techniques, meet new friends and have fun! Every Wednesday 10am to 11am at The Dalgarno Trust
Dalgarno WayLondonW10 5QB
020 7042 7186
Girls Hub
Every Tuesday evening (during term time) from 6:00 - 8:30
A gender-specific youth session where girls and young women learn new skills, spend time with friends both old and new but most importantly we hope that young people come to the Avenues to have fun. Offering dance, cooking club, creative arts and fashion, homework and…
3-7Third AvenueLondonW10 4RS
020 8969 9552
Green Park
Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit The Green Park, the smallest of the capital's eight Royal Parks. Comprising just over 40 acres of mature trees and grassland next to Buckingham Palace, the peaceful triangle between Piccadilly and Constitution Hill offers a popular location…
St. James's ParkLondonSW1A 2BJ
The Guards Museum
The Guards Museum is a military museum in Central London. It is in Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk near Buckingham Palace, which is the home of the five regiments of Foot Guards (the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards, and Welsh Guards).
The Guards Museum, Wellington BarracksBirdcage WalkLondonSW1E 6HQ
020 7414 3428 020 7414 3271
Gym Club for Disabled Adults
Every Friday, 10.30am - 12 noon
Kensington Leisure Centre hosts a free gym club for disabled adults (aged 17+) every Friday morning from 10.30am - 12noon. At Gym Club each participant has an individual workout plan written by the instructor. This session provides all participants with the opportunity to be active…
Silchester RoadW10 6EX
020 3793 8210
Homework Clubs in Libraries
3:30 - 5:30 Times vary per library
If you are 7 to 13 years old then come along to Westminster libraries' free homework clubs during term-time.


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Tchuss Berlin
March 31st, 2007 | Posted by Shannon
It is my last day in this city that I have totally fallen in love with. Tomorrow I have to go home. But I am already planning the next trip here.
In the past few days I managed to do a lot of the things on my list; Wednesday Tom, Kasch and I went to the Checkpoint Charlie museum, a collection of exhibits and photos about not only the Berlin Wall but also non-violent protest and the fall of Communism in other countries. It is shocking to me that less than twenty years ago, people were still burrowing tunnels in efforts to escape to the west. My apartment here in only a block and a half from where the wall once stood. Crazy.
After that museum – and it is a very big one – we went across the street and ate some lunch and then Tom and Kasch left. It was about three in the afternoon but I knew I was running out of time so I went to the Jewish history museum, housed in a zig-zaged modern building. I spent about two hours in there, checking out the history of the Jewish people in Germany starting in the middle ages until modern times. THEN I decided to go to the top of the Fernsehturm. There is an elevator that takes you to the top very quickly, and there is a viewing area where you can see the layout of Berlin. They also have a restaurant one floor up that rotates so you can sit and have a drink and look at at all of Berlin. When I first went up they said the restaurant was full, but heading to the elevator I noticed there was no one waiting, so I asked and was given a table. It was so cool! I had a glass of wine and a herring salad that was kind of nasty but who cares! I revolved around a couple of times with my head pressed against the window. Looking down at Alexanderplatz I could see all the people walking around like so many ants. I did not get home until nine that night – it was a very full day.
Thursday Tom and I went to the Pergamon museum, which has an an ancient Greek altar and an actual city gate from Babylon reconstructed inside. It was really cool but I think I was a bit museum-ed out. Then I met Paul Scraton, a writer who writes A Berlin Diary among many other things, and his wife Katrin and beautiful baby Lotta in a ginourmous beer garden called "Prater." Later Tom and Kasch and I went to dinner at a place called White Trash Fast Food. I had an "L.A. Style Burrito." Not! But it is a cool place and we had a lot of fun in there.
Yesterday we went to Potdam and Park Sanssouci. This is an amazing place just a half hour away on the train. The town itself got heavily bombed but there are still some cool buildings there that have been restored {also some really hideous DDR buildings.} Sanssouci is like the German Versailles. You walk in from the town and round a corner and WHAM, there is the most amazing, huge palace in front of you, with terraced grounds sloping down. And that is not all; there are amazing buildings all over the park, in all sorts of architectural styles. I brought along a picnic which we ate in the shadow of the Sanssouci palace and then we walked and walked through the vast park. We even saw a deer!
Last night was Thai food and then a drink at a place I went to last week called Scotch and Sofa. The bar has all kinds of kitsch from the 50's and 60's in it so I wanted Kasch to check it out.
This week hasn't been the 24 hour party last week was but I think I am glad because I did manage to see an awful lot. Even with Sad Arcade Fire day.
I'm off then, for the last adventure. I am going to have one final wine at the outdoor wine bar in Alexanderplatz and then head to the KaDaWe where I WILL have an overpriced glass of champagne. I promised myself.
Tonight I am cooking for Kasch and Tom at their house. Tomorrow I will be home. Onward.


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Tag Archives: life reimagined
Celebrating Them…and US!
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Professor of structural and planetary geology Matteo Massironi can create the story behind a comet 400 million km away from Earth by analysing its layers. He is allowed sneak previews of the images captured by European space missions to Mars, Mercury and Jovian satellites to offer a first analysis. Matteo has a great deal of experience in how satellites read the surface of a celestial body.
Matteo always comes back to the mountains however. As Pangaea scientific coordinator and instructor he loves scrutinising the stones he finds along the way. "I need to stay in touch with the rocks. Even when I am deeply involved in space missions for planetary exploration, I still go back to the field. Earth is the only real analogue we have at our disposal," he says.
He knows well the geological features of North Africa and South America, but it was during his work as a field geologist in the Italian Alps when he began working on satellite remote sensing. He got in touch with engineers and astronomers involved in space missions.There was a need for a geologist to interpret craters, rock-layers and other geological features to unearth more information about asteroids and planetary bodies. This was back in the 90s, and a decade later his career shifted from the mountains to space.
This is the third time Matteo joins Pangaea as an instructor. He trains astronauts to understand what they see from different angles, from panoramic views to close-ups of a surface. The geology of the planets, how to recognise a meteorite and what volcanic processes are will be part of his lessons during Pangaea.
"Astronauts and geologists must learn how to communicate and achieve scientific goals together," he says. His goal is to get scientific answers efficiently during space-like exploration activities, "a real challenge since the operational side of things was totally new to me as a scientist."
But not only astronauts take part in the campaigns. Matteo has to teach scientists and engineers as well. They all have different backgrounds, forcing him to continuously adapt his way of teaching.
"I have learned to simplify the geological vocabulary and find a common glossary. Pangaea not only improves my skills in teaching, but also gives me the opportunity to learn from other instructors and get in touch with professionals from other fields," he adds.
To know more about his views on planetary exploration, read Matteo's earlier post on the blog.


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If you have past due taxes, chances are you are stressed out. You may have already heard about how aggressive the IRS can be when it comes to collecting overdue debts. The truth is that you have every reason to be nervous. The IRS has powerful methods that they do not hesitate to use in collections. Among them are bank account levies, property levy and wage garnishment.
The harsh reality is that the IRS has one goal - to collect the money that they feel that you owe them. They are really not concerned about the impact that this may have on your life or the lives of your children. If the lights get turned off and the mortgage goes unpaid, so be it. The IRS will use every resource that they have to collect their money.
The amount of an IRS wage garnishment is calculated based on a formula. The amount will vary depending on your situation but will be somewhere between 30% and 85% of your total income. This obviously will cut your take home pay down to a level that few people can live on. In fact, you may only be able to take home several hundred dollars a week. The garnishment will continue until your debts are paid in full.
If there is any good news in all of this is that you will not be blindsided by a wage garnishment. There is a process that must be followed and you will know that an IRS garnishment is looming a few months ahead of time. The first notice you will receive will give you up to 30 days in which to fully satisfy your debt. It will inform you that if this is not done, they will be seeking a garnishment against you. If you can, now is the time to stop IRS garnishment by making satisfactory payment arrangements. While they will not offer debt relief help, they may be willing to set up a payment plan that you can live with.
You may want to consider hiring an attorney. You dealing directly with an IRS agent is generally not a good idea. They are highly trained to extract as much information from you as they can. Their intent is not to try to help you. Rather, it is to try to get us much information as they can for purposes of collecting the money you owe them. Chances are you may unknowingly say something that hurts your situation.


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Ofsted Report and Parent View
Our last Ofsted Inspection was on 15-16 November 2017.
Please see the full report and a letter from the previous Head Teacher, Mr. Lilleyman, below:
For the letter CLICK HERE
For current Ofsted report CLICK HERE
Parent View
This is an Ofsted online questionnaire that allows parents and carers to give their views about your child's school at any time. It is also the main mechanism for parents to give their views about their child's school to inspectors at the time of a school inspection.
Parent View can also be completed at any time during the year. This information contributes to Ofsted's risk assessment process, to help decide if and when a school should be inspected.
We also use this tool to help us understand what our parents think of our school and what, if anything we could improve upon.
To complete the questionnaire please follow the link below.


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TANDEM Conversation Partner
Are you looking for a way to improve your foreign language skills?
Would you like to converse with a native speaker?
Then find a conversation partner through the University of Mannheim's TANDEM program!
If you would like to participate, please register here.
Are you already registered? You can sign in here.


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One of the best pieces of advice I received from a former instructor during my developing years was, "You need to know every note on the fingerboard." This seemed like a daunting task to say the least. But this instructor was right on! It's incredibly helpful to know the names of every fret on every string. So let's look at what it takes to accomplish this task.
Open Strings
To start, you must know the open strings of the guitar. From strings 6 (lowest) to 1 (highest) the notes are as follows: E, A, D, G, B, E. By memorizing these notes you now have a home base to work from for figuring out the remaining notes.
Musical Alphabet and Natural Half-Steps
The musical alphabet is made up of 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. When you reach G you wrap back around to A. The distance between each pair of adjacent notes is fixed. For example the distance between A and B is a whole-step and on the guitar a whole-step is 2 frets. There are two pairs of notes that are a half-step apart, I refer to them as natural half-steps, they are the pairs [B, C] and [E, F]. Every other pair is a whole-step apart, see below.
The place where sharps and flats are located is between the pairs of notes that are a whole-step apart. So, the fret between A and B is occupied by A# or Bb (these are the same note with a different name called an enharmonic equivelant).
Put it into Practice
Let's try and figure out the first few notes on the first string. Start by identifying the first string open: E. Next we ask ourselves how far is F from E? Remember that the pair [E, F] is one of the natural half-step pairs. This means the first fret of the first string is F.
Now that we've identified the first fret we can keep working our way up the neck. Ask yourself how far apart is F and G. This is not one of the natural half-step pairs, so we find the G two frets away from F, located on the 3rd fret. Notice we skipped over the 2nd fret, this is where F# or Gb is located.
Look at the diagram below and you will see the notes we've just figured out. Notice at the 12th fret (the grey ovals are fret markers and typically two ovals on the same fret indicates the 12th fret) you see the letter E. The 12th fret is where it starts over, this is the octave. If you've worked your way up to the 12 fret and you don't get the same letter as its open string, then you goofed up somewhere along the way. This is a great way to check your work-the 12th fret note must be the same as its open string.
Fill in the rest of the fingerboard diagram on your own and you'll be on your way to unlocking the fingerboard. It takes time to memorize all of the notes of the fingerboard but it's well worth the effort. Now that you have a process to figure out the notes there's nothing holding you back!


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What We Do Best
Theme Customization
Extend Enfold's functionality with personalizations to take care of all your custom needs. We specialize in developments that cater best to growing business looking to expand their digital portfolio.
Plugin Development
Need a particular functionality that's absolutely crucial for your website? It's best implemented when integrated with Enfold in the form of a plugin. We build streamlined WordPress addons that effortlessly bring you the requisite functions and increase productivity manifolds.
Child Theme Development
Make the best looking multi-purpose theme for WordPress look even better with a customized child theme. Design your own layouts to run on on top of Enfold. All you have to do is decide on the features you need and we provide the solution for you.
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Have your designs ready as a Photoshop file? Well, we are ready to take them from just designs to a full blown website. Let's get talking!
Setup Your WooStore
What do you get when you put the best available e-commerce theme together with the greatest e-commerce plugin on WordPress? A lot of traffic and a lot more sales! Leave it to us to set up a fully functional WooCommerce Store for you running on top of Enfold, and watch the magic unfold.
Migrate to Enfold
If you're looking for a robust, flexible and multi purpose theme to migrate your old and cluttery website to, now is the time as good as any. And we are just the people for the job!
Why Choose WisdmLabs?
Your website is a reflection of your business principles and it should convey the message accordingly. And when it comes to creating an image for your business, no one would know better than you yourself.. So this is how we work.
We discuss your ideas in detail and make a list of the requirements which stem out of them. We then design the most plausible solution based on your requirements, and our knowledge of the framework. In the process, we would provide suggestions, to best implement an optimal solution. But you always have the final call.
Our expert Enfold developers then get to work, to build you a suitable theme. We always keep you updated with the development process to ensure that the solution best suits your needs.
How we Work
You Talk – We Listen
We gather your requirements and provide you with a time and cost estimate. We then scope out every detail, and move on to the next phase.
We Get Working
This is the design and development phase. We craft wire-frames, use high-end editing tools and employ an agile development methodology.
Tie Up Loose Ends
To ensure a bug free result, every project is tested in detail, and the code is sent for review. We settle any issues, before moving on.
We Deliver Excellence
We ensure that every product built is high in quality and delivered on schedule. We assure this because we follow the best web development practices.
Do you Develop Themes for Mobile Devices?
Yes. Our web developers specialize in creating responsive themes. Apart from this, we can build dedicated websites for mobile devices, according to your needs.
Is it Better to Use a Enfold Child Theme or Build a Theme from Scratch?
Based on your requirements, we can either customize a child theme or build a theme entirely from scratch. It depends on each use case. For example, if you have a layout in mind or provide us with PSD files, it would be simpler to build a theme from scratch.
Can You Build Layouts Without PSDs?
As theme developers, we can work with or without PSD files. We can create wire-frames and get them approved from you, before building the layout.
Do You Make Logos?
Yes. Since logos are integral to any business website, we can tailor-make a logo for you.


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In late May, after months of debate and rancor, the largest academic union in Britain advised its members to boycott any Israeli academic who would not publicly disavow Israel's so-called apartheid policies. This meant, in effect, that any Israeli academic who did not subscribe to the political views of the National Association of Teachers in Higher and Further Education (NATHFE) could have been blacklisted and prevented from speaking or participating in conferences at British universities and being published by British academic journals.
It was the third time in four years that British academics went on record to censure and isolate Israeli academics. The vote came despite an international petition drive launched by three academic groups: the U.S.-based Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (of which I am a board member), the Israel-based International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom and the Britain-based Engage, which together collected nearly 6,000 signatures.
The vote was close, 106 to 71, and a good number of the union's 70,000 members condemned it. Moreover, since NATHFE recently dissolved and merged with another British academic union (the Association of University Teachers, which ultimately failed in its attempt to boycott Israeli academics last year), the NATHFE vote is not binding on the newly formed body, the University and College Union.
Still, NATHFE's vote represents a disquieting turning point, one that attempts to chill academic freedom and place a political litmus test on scholarship. The treatment of these Israeli scholars is particularly troubling. They alone are held accountable for their state's policies while scholars from Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Korea and China – all recognized human rights abusers – are not boycotted.
The vote is yet another example of anti-Zionism morphing into anti-Semitism. Just as Jewish individuals were once persecuted and demonized, now the Jewish state has become the punching bag of the world. Contrary to what British academics would have the world believe, Zionism is not "racism" or "apartheid." It is the liberation movement of the Jewish people, founded by people of all colors gathered together from all continents. The attempt to target Israel and its people is not new. It is an old idea wrapped in a 21st-century veneer.
Seventy-three years after Adolf Hitler removed Jewish professors from German universities and burned and banned Jewish books, a group of British academics are leading the pack against Israeli scholars, claiming that Israel's "illegal" occupation of Palestinian territory requires the same sort of campaign that once was waged against apartheid South Africa. They envision that such boycotts, divestment and sanctions will ultimately end the "Zionist occupation." They, and their many European and North American academic and intellectual counterparts, see themselves as freedom fighters for the oppressed waging a battle against Israeli and American imperialism.
The potential danger to Jews, truth, democracy and other Western values is as great now as it was in 1933. Today, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel propaganda is not confined to one country or even one continent; it is global, constant, sophisticated and highly contagious. Those presumably most dedicated to truth-finding and truth-telling are perverting the truth and indoctrinating countless generations to do likewise. They are also emboldening the Islamist penetration of the West, which begins with the demonization of Israel. Education, talent, even genius do not immunize an academic from the mental illness that Jew-hatred represents.
Politically correct academics are in denial about Jihadic, Islamist danger. They seek to appease Islamist violence by siding with it against various scapegoats, beginning with the Jews and Israel. Thus, academics who should have more nuanced views of geo-political conflicts instead view the Jihadi aggressor as the "victim" and his true victims, including civilians, as the guilty perpetrator.
In 2000, the Palestinians unleashed a savage and lethal intifada against Israeli civilians, the vast majority of whom are Jews whose parents and grandparents survived pogroms, the Holocaust, mass expulsion from Arab lands and five wars of self-defense. From the fall of 2000 until late spring 2006, Israel lost 1,113 civilians and soldiers to terrorist violence. Adjusting for population size, in U.S. terms that's 50,274 killed – an average of 728 per month.
This is why the Israelis built the "security fence," or as it is known to members of NATHFE, the "exclusion wall." For the crime of defending themselves, Israelis under siege were characterized by some British academics as "worse than Nazis" and as perpetrators of "genocidal policies" that justified the rash of Palestinian suicide killings. Such academics, however, did not condemn the anti-Jewish, genocidal Islamist propaganda that turned countless adolescents into brainwashed, brutal killers.