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See Long Island motorcycle accident reviews
See New York motorcycle accident reviews
See more accident reviews
- 1 Settlements & Verdicts
- 1.1 $9,983.72 Motorcycle Damage
- 1.2 $425,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Suffolk County) — Broken Femur – Off Duty Motorcycle Police Officer
- 1.3 $250,000 Settlement — Dental Injury (Nassau County)
- 1.4 1,000,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Queens County) Insurance Offer: $150,000 — Head Injury
- 1.5 500,000 Settlement — Wrongful Death of 20-year-old
- 1.6 $50,000 Trial — Hit & Run
- 1.7 $150,000 settlement — Scar
- 1.8 $155,000 settlement paid by GEICO with only $25,000 insurance! & our client was drunk!
- 1.9 $25,000 Settlement — motorcyclist ran stop sign
- 1.10 $100,000 Settlement — bicyclist ran a red light
- 1.11 $100,000 Arbitration Decision — Ligament tear in a thumb
- 1.12 $465,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Nassau County) — Torn Meniscus (Knee injury)
- 1.13 $1.25 Million settlement at trial — Concussion
- 1.14 $225,000 Settlement — Broken Forearm
- 1.15 $25,000 Settlement — Scar inside lip plus a small scar on his leg which was among other previous scars
- 1.16 $1,000,000 Settlement — Neck Injury
- 1.17 See more Settlements & Verdicts
- 2 Medical Liens — Negotiated Reductions
Settlements & Verdicts
We obtained 2 of the top 50 (43rd & 48th) largest motor vehicle jury verdicts at trial in New York State for 2017. Both of our jury verdicts were motorcycle accidents (see the cases below).
$9,983.72 Motorcycle Damage
The insurance company for the car which injured our client offered to pay their entire $25,000 insurance policy for his injuries. However, they only agreed to 50% liability and to pay 50% of his motorcycle damage.
Our client wanted 100% of his motorcycle damage, so we refused to settle the case and filed a lawsuit against the driver to prove he was 100% at fault and recover 100% of the damage to the motorcycle. Four months after we filed the lawsuit, the insurance company paid 100% of the motorcycle damage. File # 11630
$425,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Suffolk County) — Broken Femur – Off Duty Motorcycle Police Officer
This trial verdict was published in New York Jury Verdict Review & Analysis and is listed by TopVerdict as the 48th largest motor vehicle verdict in New York State for 2017.
Suffolk County is known for its low jury verdicts! Adirondack Insurance originally offered to settle this case for $50,000.
Our client is a motorcycle police officer who was injured when he was off duty on his private motorcycle.
His motorcycle was going straight when a car coming out of a side street made a left turn in front of him after sundown at 9 PM. His motorcycle struck the driver's side of the car's rear bumper causing a broken leg (thigh bone).
Because he struck the rear bumper of the car, the insurance company alleged the accident was his fault. Additionally, he testified at his deposition that he was not wearing his glasses although his license required him to wear glasses.
Our client returned to work as a motorcycle police officer six months after the accident. At the trial, the insurance company argued that the plaintiff had a complete recovery and returned to full work duty without any restrictions or difficulties.
After our client's deposition and the deposition of the driver, we filed a motion for summary judgment which requested the court to rule before trial that the driver was 100% at fault. The defense lawyer offered to settle for $80,000 or admit 50% liability if we withdrew our summary judgment motion but we declined that offer.
The court ruled in our favor and found that the driver was 100% at fault. The defense attorney filed a notice to appeal the court's decision and offered $100,000 to settle which we declined.
At the time of the trial, the offer remained at $100,000. In the middle of the trial, the defense attorney offered $300,00 which we rejected. The defense attorney asked the jury to award $100,000 but the jury returned a verdict of $425,000. The insurance company refused to pay the verdict and advised that they were appealing the summary judgment decision (which would have taken another 1.5-2 years).
We refused to accept anything less than the jury verdict and four weeks later, the insurance company gave in and paid the entire verdict of $425,000.
The editor at NY Jury Verdict Review was so shocked that we won summary judgment, he called to ask how we won and left this message on our voice mail
$250,000 Settlement — Dental Injury (Nassau County)
— reported in Jury Verdict Review & Analysis and listed by TopVerdict as #30 in the Top Car Accident Settlements in New York State (includes motorcycles) and # 79 in Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in New York State for 2017
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company originally offered to settle this claim for $90,000.
Our client was a motorcyclist who was struck by an SUV whose driver was trying to pass her on the exit ramp of a parkway.
The motorcyclist had a broken nose, some scars, and dental damage but did not lose any teeth. She purchased another motorcycle and unfortunately had another accident soon after her first accident. In the second accident, she broke her nose again and had more serious scars on top of the previous scars. The second accident reduced the value of those injuries and the main injury became the damage to her teeth.
She came to us after seeing two other lawyers who were unable to find a dentist willing to treat her on a lien (without being paid until the end of the case). We were able to get her teeth fixed on a lien at a cost of $16,000 by a prosthodontist (a specialized dentist). Her condition worsened and her dentist said that she would need some implants.
This case was settled a few weeks before the trial was to start for $250,000.
1,000,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Queens County) Insurance Offer: $150,000 — Head Injury
Defendant's insurance company Kemper Auto & Home Insurance put heir customer's personal assets at risk so Kemper could go to trial.
Our client was riding his motorcycle on Port Washington Boulevard in Port Washington when he struck a car coming out of a shopping center to make a left turn. He broke four ribs and his helmet hit the ground causing a concussion resulting in memory difficulties.
We filed and won a Summary Judgment motion asking the New York State Supreme Court to rule that the driver was 100% at fault for causing the motorcycle accident. Since we won our motion, the jury only decided how much money to compensate our client for his injury.
Kemper Auto & Home Insurance never made a settlement offer until very late in this case even though we proved their driver was 100% at fault for causing the accident. Eventually, they requested a mediation where they offered to settle this case for $150,000. Later, they increased the offer to $250,000. Just before trial, they increased the offer to $400,000 which we also declined.
Kemper's refusal to offer a settlement that we believed to be fair caused considerable distress to their insureds, who were also attorneys. Because this case could not be settled, they had to hire their own personal lawyers because they were worried that we would get a trial verdict above their insurance policy and go after their personal assets. They were lucky because the verdict came close but did not exceed their policy.
At the trial, the defense expert, neuropsychologist William B. Barr, Ph.D., testified that our client's memory loss was caused by years of smoking marijuana and medication he was taking but the jury didn't believe it.
After the trial, the defense lawyer asked the jury to give our client $100,000 only for his broken ribs. The jury gave our client $1,000,000.
500,000 Settlement — Wrongful Death of 20-year-old
This wrongful death settlement was for a 20-year-old motorcyclist who was tragically killed when his motorcycle struck a car turning left in front of him. A witness testified at a DMV license hearing that the motorcyclist was next to him at a red light and took off at a high rate of speed.
We donated our money to pay the legal fees to set up the estate which we do with every wrongful death case.
The motorcyclist was never married and had no children dependent on him for support.
We demanded $500,000 to settle the claim and an offer was made for $375,000. We declined the offer and settled the claim two weeks later (before a lawsuit was filed) for the entire $500,000 insurance policy.
$50,000 Trial — Hit & Run
Nationwide Insurance Company refused to pay this claim because they said she lost control of her motorcycle and was never hit by a car.
Our client said she was riding her motorcycle on this curved ramp leading to the Long Island Expressway when she was hit in the rear by a car causing her motorcycle to hit the guardrail.
Since this was a hit and run accident and there was no one to sue, our client could only file an uninsured claim against her own motorcycle insurance policy for her maximum coverage of $50,000 even though she had serious injuries. This is why you should increase the underinsured coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy.
The insurance company denied the claim saying she wasn't hit by a car but lost control of her motorcycle. Nationwide presented three witnesses at the trial. The police officer testified that, in between going in and out of consciousness, our client told him she lost control of her motorcycle on the gravel.
Two other witnesses testified for Nationwide and said they were driving in cars behind the motorcycle and they did not see a car hit the motorcycle. On cross-examination, they admitted that there was a car in front of them and that they lost sight of the motorcycle on the curve.
The trial was conducted without a jury and the judge ruled in our client's favor finding that she was hit by a car. After the decision, the insurance company paid the entire policy of $50,000.
$150,000 settlement — Scar
This scar on our client's forearm was caused by a laceration from a motorcycle accident. He did not have surgery. This case was settled for $150,000.
$155,000 settlement paid by GEICO with only $25,000 insurance! & our client was drunk!
This settlement for $155,000 for a drunk motorcyclist with only $25,000 insurance was so amazing it was published in New York Jury Verdict Review & Analysis.
This motorcyclist was "falling down" drunk (0.203 BAC) while riding his motorcycle in Queens on the Belt Parkway! He was struck in a "hit and run" accident by an unidentified car that left the scene so we had no one to sue. He only had $25,000 uninsured coverage on his motorcycle insurance policy but I was able to get GEICO to pay more than his uninsured coverage limit! GEICO hired a toxicologist and argued that he wasn't hit by a car but fell off his motorcycle because he was drunk. His case settled for $155,000 even though he only had $25,000 insurance!
This photo shows the broken ankle
$25,000 Settlement — motorcyclist ran stop sign
A witness saw our client run a stop sign and our client even admitted to the police officer that he ran a stop sign. Two other lawyers refused to take the case. We settled this case for the entire $25,000 insurance policy. We even got money for the damage to our client's motorcycle.
$100,000 Settlement — bicyclist ran a red light
A witness saw our client run a red light and two other lawyers refused to take the case. We settled this case for the entire $100,000 insurance policy with GEICO. GEICO didn't pay his dentist for dental treatment.
We got the case two years after the accident when the dental office manager asked us for help to get the dental bills paid. We got the dental bills paid within two weeks so he was able to finish getting treatment. Then we got him $100,000 just a few weeks later.
$100,000 Arbitration Decision — Ligament tear in a thumb
Phoenix Insurance Company offered only $5,000 to settle this claim, arguing that our client put his motorcycle down for no reason other than he was afraid and that his injury was minor. He put his motorcycle down to avoid hitting a car suddenly backing out of a driveway. $100,000 was ordered to be paid to our client for his injury by an arbitrator (a retired Westchester Supreme Court Judge). The arbitration cost was only $1,400 instead of $25,000 for trial, so our client got to keep a lot more of his money.
$465,000 Jury Trial Verdict (Nassau County) — Torn Meniscus (Knee injury)
This verdict is believed to be the largest verdict on record in Nassau County for a meniscus tear and was published in New York Jury Verdict Review & Analysis and is listed by TopVerdict as the 43rd largest motor vehicle verdict in New York State for 2017.
GEICO's driver had $300,000 insurance coverage and GEICO only offered $10,000 to settle this claim, putting his personal assets at risk. Four years after the accident, GEICO increased its offer to $20,000. (Read how you can avoid becoming liable for more than your insurance policy)
The verdict was for a motorcyclist with a meniscus tear (knee injury) with arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus. Our client struck a car turning left in front of him. The jury found the driver was 100% at fault. GEICO hired two orthopedic surgeons and a radiologist to testify that the meniscus was not torn and the surgery was unnecessary.
Our client's knee injury after the motorcycle accident
$1.25 Million settlement at trial — Concussion
A 46-year-old woman with minimal impact did not report headaches until a month after her accident. Her first neurologist said her headaches were either early MS or from prior Lyme disease. The insurance company obviously thought this case had problems. Settlement offers were $50,000, $75,000, $125,000, $150,000, $175,000, 250,000, $300,000, $500,000, $550,000, $625,000, and $725,000. The case was settled at trial after jury selection for $1.25 Million. You might not think a concussion is serious or even realize how it affects you but it is a very serious injury! Read more about concussions and motorcycle accidents.
$225,000 Settlement — Broken Forearm
The motorcyclist riding a Harley was hit by a car making a left turn. He fractured the ulna and radius in his forearm requiring surgery with internal fixation to install a plate.
$25,000 Settlement — Scar inside lip plus a small scar on his leg which was among other previous scars
$1,000,000 Settlement — Neck Injury
Our client had a neck injury with surgery. Our client also had a prior accident causing a neck injury with surgery 10 years earlier.
See more Settlements & Verdicts
Medical Liens — Negotiated Reductions
See more information on these lien reductions and letters showing the reductions
See what we do to reduce hospital bills and stop your hospital bills from going to collection
New York accident lawyers usually pay the lien in full or charge 1/3 legal fee of the reduced amount of the lien. We do not charge a legal fee to negotiate a reduction of these liens.
The following shows some examples of the amounts we saved our clients with liens on their cases. Money paid for the lien was paid from the case settlement money.
Total liens below = $1,386,691.97
Total lien reductions = $1,369,154.08
Total paid by our clients = $17,537.89:
- Client paid $0 — $40,198.37 Medicare lien (File #11620)
- Client paid $0 — $33,564.73 lien for $66,823.26 in medical bills
- Client paid $1,939.04 — $26,241.05 NYS lien for Stony Brook Hospital (File #11620)
- Client paid $0 — $5,910.30 Medicare lien (File #11516)
- Client paid $1,152 — $6,676.99 lien by NYU Winthrop University Hospital (File #11613)
- Client paid $0 — $963,000 NYS lien for Stony Brook Hospital initially negotiated to $516,297.07 (File #11462)
- Client paid $0 — $113,311.07 Suffolk Medicaid lien (File #11462)
- Client paid $0 — $4,265.83 HIP medical insurance lien (File #11425)
- Client paid $600 — $32,000 Medicare lien (File #11583)
- Client paid $600 — $32,000 Brookhaven hospital lien settled for $1,6000 of which $1,000 was paid by insurance (File #11454)
- Client paid $0 — $35,000 hospital lien (File #11140)
- Client paid $13,246.85 — $94,523.63 NYS lien for Stony Brook Hospital (File #11548)
The results mentioned here are actual settlements, verdicts, and lien reductions, however, prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every motorcycle accident has many differences which will either negatively or positively impact the case. As can be seen, by some of the results above, we have accomplished some really good results.
Get Motorcycle Lawyers Rob Plevy, Esq. and Phil Franckel, Esq. at the HURT911® Personal Injury Dream Team™ on your side and become a member of our family!
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Motorcycle Attorney Phil Franckel talks about how motorcycle accidents are different
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The Impact of Seven Cents
by Deborah Kane, Sarah Kruse, PhD, Michelle Markesteyn Ratcliffe, PhD, Stacey Ananda Sobell, MPH, and Nell Tessman MS, 2009.
This study analyzes the economic effect if the Oregon school system spent an additional $0.07 per school meal to purchase local foods for the lunch line. Beyond economic effects, researchers also explored the potential public health benefits of bringing more local products into the lunchroom. The results found the increase purchasing of local foods helped to grow all aspects of the local food value chain including direct output, value added, and employment. The resulting tax revenue from additional local business more than offset the costs incurred to procure local foods.
Source: ecotrust.org

subset: commoncrawl


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Pupils receive expert help to gain the reading and writing skills they need to do well in all subjects. As a result, pupils make good progress
There is much joy in this school. Pupils value their teachers, and the rich and diverse community in which they learn
Teachers take account of individual pupils' needs in their good lesson planning. They make sure that pupils, even those who arrive at unusual points in the school year, are quickly assimilated and make good progress
Teaching is strong in the sixth form. Teachers are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects. They show great commitment. Students are fulsome in their praise of the impact their teachers have had on their future education
Lessons are characterised by strong and positive relationships between pupils and teachers. Teachers know pupils well. Often teachers target the learning that individual pupils need because they know them so well
In key stages 1 and 2 teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills.
We at The Bemrose School and Sixth Form give our students throughout their Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form education the access to free impartial careers information and guidance, with the opportunity to complete compulsory work experience placements to enable our students to gain experience of the world of work and employability expectations.
Careers sessions are delivered throughout their education with us from Year 7-13 with the Primary School having access to Employer Encounters and a Careers and Aspirations Programme. Meaningful activities are created throughout each term, including visits to Post 16 and 18 providers , Enterprise Days, Mock Interviews, CV Workshops, Cultural Visits and Employee Encounters. Each student throughout their education journey at The Bemrose School will receive 1:1 careers interviews by our in-house Careers Lead Claire Pavitt.
Incorporated within the careers programme is engagement with an extensive range of businesses and local employers, working together with employers enables us to stay updated with the labour market, in addition to providing students the chance to experience high quality enterprise activities and employability skills. We are fortunate to be within the 'Adopt a School' programme and are pleased to have Kevin Dodds from G F Tomlinson as our Enterprise Advisor.
If you would like any further information regarding our careers programme, please contact Claire Pavitt: email@example.com
Employers and organisations – We would love to hear from you. If you could support our students either by helping with a Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) event at the school, at your place of work or by offering work experience. Please contact Claire Pavitt, our in house careers lead: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Iceland is not a destination that was glaring on my radar. I mean, I have always wanted to see the Northern Lights but I am usually more of a sun and food kind of vacay girl. This was a different kind of trip for me and I am happy to be able to share my experience on TNL. Iceland is growing in popularity as a travel destination, so I hope this will be helpful and informative to those who may be pondering a trip.
My friend and I flew in to Iceland from Toronto on a Monday night. The flight is a short 4 hours and 45 minutes and it kind of trips me out that it is so close. There is a five hour time difference, so we actually landed in Iceland on Tuesday morning. This is a great setup because if you can sleep on the plane, you get a full day in Iceland. Or, if you're me and chose instead to watch an Empire marathon and Iceland documentary on your flight, you will be tired and essentially delirious on your first day of travel…also an adventure. The airport is located in Keflavik, which is about 50 minutes away from Reykjavik, where we were staying. The Keflavik airport is VERY nice. It has a variety of shops and dining options and is beautiful and modern.
I geeked out at the dual washing, drying sinks in the washrooms.
It's the little things…
Transfers were included with our package so we hopped on a bus and slept before arriving at the Cabin Hotel in downtown Reykjavik. When we arrived at the Cabin Hotel, staff was friendly and welcoming. They told us that they were overbooked (umm…how does that happen?) but that if we would be willing to stay at the nearby Storm Hotel then they would pay our taxi fare and the difference for a more expensive room. A quick Google search told us that this would be a wise deal to take (particularly because our room at the Cabin Hotel was supposed to be 107 square feet). So, we hopped in a taxi to the Storm Hotel and checked in there.
First things first, I think Storm is a terrible name for a hotel. Wouldn't you want your hotel to have a happy, calming, positive name? Just saying.
The Storm Hotel Storm Hotel is a 93 room hotel in Reykjavik city center that promises stylish and comfortable quality accommodation. The hotel is centrally located between Reykjavik's main business district and the popular Laugavegur shopping street.
Storm Hotel offers a Nordic-inspired design that is both welcoming and modern. The main lobby has a small bar and breakfast area. Daily breakfast was included in our stay. I forgot to take pictures of this (I was probably too concerned with guzzling down coffee and scarfing croissants) but it was decent. At first, I was unimpressed, but after seeing the price of everything else in Iceland, I appreciated the opportunity for free fuel every morning. The breakfast had boiled eggs, cold cuts, cheese slices, yogurt and croissants. There is also a computer in the lobby for internet use.
The room was cozy and modern with a sleek bathroom. The towels were on a warmer which was also super handy for drying them and our bathing suits. I am happy to report that there was a hair dryer. Speaking of which, let's talk about how I brought the WRONG converter to Iceland. This is the one you need: I brought a similar one with two prongs, but it didn't have the circular part. No bueno. Luckily, the room's outlets had USB jack…amazing! I was able to charge all my devices this way. The room also had free Wi-Fi that we had no issues with. Beds were small but very comfortable.
I would highly recommend the Storm Hotel to anyone visiting Reykjavik.
Ok, so…listen carefully. Iceland. Is. Expensive. You feel like a baller with your thousands of Krona and then you realize that its not quite as much as it seems.
Generally things are two or three times as much as they might cost in North America. For this reason, we did not eat at many restos while we were there. Hot dogs became our best friend. Yes, hot dogs. Research we did before our trip taught us the surprising fun fact that hot dogs are huge in Iceland. Here is what the Conde Nast Traveler had to say about the street meat:
"Hot dogs are so ubiquitous and beloved in Iceland, they're practically the national dish. They're sold at every gas station and most convenience stores, at hot dog stands inside malls and at ferry landings, and even at the airport, but the most popular place to get one is in Reykjavik at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur (which translates to "best hot dogs in town"). Seventy percent of the country's 300,000 residents have eaten at the harbor side hot dog stand, which has been open since 1937 and has fed famous visitors like Bill Clinton and members of Metallica. "
Traditional Icelandic hot dogs with the works, have raw and crispy onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and a remoulade sauce. They are 500 Krona which is about $7.50 CAD. Pricey for a little hot dog, yes. But, that is a bargain compared to some of the other options.
Reykjavik Harbor is home of a number of fresh seafood restaurants. The Sea Baron is known for their lobster soup. When we arrived we were surprised to see how teeny it was. 2 cups of lobster soup and a skewer of scallops to share set us back about $57 CAD.
Downtown Reykjavik is very small. You can walk everywhere and we finished our entire list of places we wanted to see in one afternoon. Everyone says that the coffee shop Reykjavik Roasters is a must for coffee and pastries.
It was…ok. I think I am probably spoiled by the delicious and varied cafes and food options here in Toronto, so perhaps it was hard to impress me. But, I could find similar (cheaper) coffee shops with a stone's throw here in my city.
On our last night we decided to bite the bullet and go to a restaurant. Primo Italian was delicious. We had a seafood pasta and eggplant pizza with wine. The meal was about $200 CAD.
The last price gauge we experienced was breakfast on the day we were leaving Iceland. We went to Iceland's oldest restaurant Prikid, for their 8am opening only to be told that they wouldn't have any food for an hour (wait, what?). We ended up at the cute grey cat café where we SPLIT ONE BREAKFAST and had two coffees for $50 CAD.
Muy expensivo. Food was always fresh and delicious, though and even the hot dogs were high quality as they are made primarily from local, free range, grass fed, hormone free beef and lamb. These quality standards make me feel a little better about the sky high prices, but it is hard on the old wallet nonetheless.
One of the most famous Icelandic delicacies is hakarl. This is rotten or fermented shark that has been called the most disgusting food on the planet. Anthony Bordain famously called it the most vile thing he has even eaten, and Gordon Ramsay spit it out. After watching countless YouTube videos or people trying unsuccessfully to stomach hakarl, I decided I would definitely be giving it a try for the sake of the blog. I would post the video, but I assure you it is entirely anti climactic. It wasn't bad at all. It kind of tasted like a very strong smoked salmon but it reeks of ammonia.
As I mentioned, downtown Reykjavik is quite small and slow (what do you mean your restaurant doesn't have food yet?). I would highly recommend either renting a car or taking a bus tour to get out of the downtown core and marvel at how beautiful Iceland is.
Here are some of my highlights:
Ok , so this attraction actually is located downtown. This Lutheran church is very beautiful to look at from the outside. But , what will really take your breath away is the view from the top.
You can take an elevator (for 900 Krona) to the top of the church where the bell is to look out and take pictures. Be warned of two things: it's a little scary if heights aren't your thing, as you have to climb a ladder up and down…and when the bell rings and you don't expect the noise, it will scare you half to death when you're up there.
Golden Circle
The Golden Circle refers to the route to extremely popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Tours generally do the route over the course of a full day or afternoon. When we went, chose the half day Golden Circle with a trio of amazing stops.
Gulfoss is a waterfall located in a canyon of the Hvita River. The pictures do not do it justice. Absolutely breathtaking in person.
Haukadalur is the name of three valleys in Iceland that are home to two famous geysers. Geysir (the larger geyser) erupts about three times annually.
The smaller geyser Strokkur, erupts once every five minutes or so. Strukkur shoots a wall of water up to 30 metres. It was a very cool phenomena to witness and I have never seen anything like it.
Lastly we visited the Thingvellir National Park. This stunning area featured huge cracks in the land where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of a few centimetres per year.
The Golden Circle features some truly stunning sights and I would call this a must see for all those travelling to Iceland.
The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are the result of electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere, causing displays of bright, colourful dancing lights. They may be the first attraction that comes to mind when you think of Iceland. It was definitely what we were most looking forward to. The Northern Lights are said to be spectacular and Iceland is one of very best places to view them. Did you notice I wrote that they are "said to be" spectacular? Yeah. I wouldn't know.
Conditions have to be absolutely perfect for the lights to be visible. They are unpredictable and at times elusive.
September to April are the darkest months in Iceland, making them the months when there is the highest probability to see the lights. In addition, this is apparently the best time in the last 11 years to see them. Alas, we didn't. Bus tours drive about an hour from downtown Reykjavik then you just look up and hope for the best. On the night we went out, we didn't have any luck with the lights. While it was still one of the most beautiful night skies I have ever seen, I am still bitter about it.
Let's move on.
The Laugarvatn Fontana
Being the hotbed of geothermal activity that it is, Iceland is home to a number of natural hot springs. Some are full of boiling hot water, but others are the perfect temperature for a luxurious soak. This is a popular pastime for tourist and locals alike in Iceland. The most famous of the hot springs is the Blue Lagoon, but we decided to try another less popular option, The Laugarvatn Fontana. This is a complex is built over the hot springs at the foot of a black sand beach featuring geothermal baths. It was very relaxing to soak in hot water while it's crisp and frosty outside.
It was very difficult to get pictures here as it was dark and steamy. Laugarvatn also has a café that offered a buffet dinner included with our package.
The dinner featured delicious rye bread that had been baked under the beach sand with geothermal heat! Nom.
While Iceland was an incredible trip. The people were sweet, the scenery was stunning and the food was ( super expensive but) delicious. I admittedly found it difficult to get used to the slower pace but I think that is a sign that I need to slow things down and take time to take it all in. I think with hectic go-go-go big city life , that is a valuable reminder. I would highly recommend Iceland and will likely go back at some point. This time, I had better see the lights!


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New Student
Share ideas with your peers, discuss assignments, and get career advice.
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New Student
Hello I'm very excited and nervous at the same time.
- Alicia.Forde
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- Joined: August 24th, 2018, 3:14 pm
Re: New Student
Hey Girl Welcome To The Club LOL Same
Good Luck xoxoxo
Good Luck xoxoxo
Re: New Student
Welcome, I think were all in the same boat Still what an adventure it will be
Re: New Student
Hi, am also new and nervous too. Past students, what should we expect any advice?
Am from Ghana; any Ghanaian in the house
Am from Ghana; any Ghanaian in the house
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Blessed for a Reason
Psalm 67:1-2
The Psalmist opens up this song with three requests. First, that God would be merciful. Mercy is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries." In other words, we as sinners deserve the righteous judgment of God for our sins, but mercy is receiving the forgiveness of these sins instead of justice.
Secondly the psalmist prays for God's blessings. The blessings of life come at the command of the Lord. Deuteronomy 28:8 says "The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." All the blessings that we have received have come from God's hands.
The third request made is that God would "cause his face to shine upon us." This phrase is mentioned seven times in the Psalms and means to look favorably towards. When I was growing up I would sometimes sit with my friends in church. I remember while sitting in church one Sunday morning we began to play with my friend's toys, I heard someone snap their fingers behind me and I turned around to see my mother staring at me. At that moment her face was not shining towards me; I was in trouble. Here, by praying "God cause your face to shine upon me" the Psalmist is asking to live in God's favor. He wants to know that God loves him and is looking towards him with a smile on His face.
In verse two he begins with the word "That." There is a reason he is asking for mercy, blessings, and favor. The word "that" here implies "so that…" or "in order that…" The Psalmist says God bless us, have mercy on us, look favorably towards us so others can hear of Your greatness. So Your way can be known throughout the world.
God has not saved us and blessed us so we can just sit around and do nothing more than live blessed lives. God has saved us and blessed us for a reason, and that is to make His way known throughout the whole earth. Who has heard of the greatness of our God and His great salvation as a result of you? We are blessed for a reason: so that others might hear.


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Customer Reviews
First time trying this and I fell in love with it! Easy to drink and a very gentle tea. Looking forward to its comeback!
This one of a kind tea is sold out. But, I hope the farmers decide to age new batches so more people can enjoy. This may be my new favorite white tea. (Definitely in my "top 3" list of favorite whites.) The floral aroma is gentle, with a very subtle hint of sweet mint/spice in the nose and on the palate, particularly on the first two steeps gong fu style. The honeycomb taste is apparent, along with something akin to dried apricot and nasturtium petals. Truly a one of a kind tea! Thank you for sharing it with the world, Matt. And kudos the farmers!
This is seriously an incredible white tea! It's a little pricey but you honestly have to at least try it! The texture is so silky an it's got such an interesting returning sweetness. Top 3 white teas for me.
This tea has made me fall in love with aged whites! It is deep, rich, and far more complex than an unaged white. I was genuinely surprised by the aroma & flavour. It was love at first sip. Currently my favourite MST tea. :)
If you've had white peony before then this is similar. Light, floral, sweet. The Qin Xin cultivar really shines in later steeps which sets this tea apart from your average peony. Truly a delicious delight!


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Stop by participating comic book relators on Saturday, October 25th and pick up a free special edition Halloween ComicFest comic book!
Participants can chose from any of 19 titles ranging from kid friendly My Little Pony to mature themed Resident Evil.
Local participating retailers including two locations in Uptown Whittier, Half Off Books and UnderCity Comics Too.
For more information visit www.halloweencomicfest.com.


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Unlike Gossip Girl's great-aunt Beverly Hills, 90210, there's no morality play at work (in other words, no Brandon Walsh drinking and crashing!): They do drugs, have sex, plot how to get into the Ivy League and seem tiredly resigned to, well, life.
"Do you ever feel like our whole lives are planned out for us?" one boy asks another, as they stroll through Central Park sharing a joint. "Aren't we entitled to be happy?"
"What we're entitled to is a trust fund," his friend replies. "Maybe a house in the Hamptons and a prescription drug problem. … But happiness? Does not seem to be on the menu. … So smoke up, and seal the deal with Blair, 'cause you are entitled to tap that ass."
The cast (who seem perfectly poised to step into Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Benjamin McKenzie and Adam Brody's shoes) play characters with fittingly posh names: Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, Nate Archibald, Dan Humphrey (funnily enough, the actors portraying them boast equally mind-bending monikers: In addition to Blake Lively, there's Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley). Mr. Badgley's character, Dan Humphrey, is the requisite outsider trying to break in—the one who's standing in for us. Dan's father is a former 90's rock star, and his family lives in (gasp) Brooklyn (judging from the confusing exterior shots, a loft that is in both Carroll Gardens and Dumbo at the same time!).
"In the book Dan lived on the Upper West Side, which I felt was a little subtle for the rest of the world," said Mr. Schwartz. "We moved him to Brooklyn, which is apparently our new Chino." Well, since he brought up Chino … was he worried at all about this show just being dismissed as The O.C. on the Upper East Side? "We always say we should be so lucky as to have the same run as The O.C. had," he said. "But they're very different shows. Orange County is kind of a bubble. It's a very sort of staid suburban enclave with a lot of new money. While these kids on the Upper East Side are incredibly well-traveled, well-read, worried about competing for their futures from the time they could get into the elite nursery school. There's just a different level of pressure and focus on the future."
From early on in the show's inception, Mr. Schwartz was determined to keep film production in the city, and the pilot serves up sumptuous images of tony Madison Avenue addresses, Henri Bendel, the New York Palace Hotel, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where girls from the fictional school Constance Dillard (an amalgam of various private schools, though Ms. Savage pointed out that Ms. Von Ziegesar, author of the series, attended Nightingale-Bamford) meet for lunch. "We loved the idea that the Met is this place that people from all over the world come to visit, but for our girls it's just another place to eat their yogurt."
"We were going to walk away from the show if they didn't let us shoot in New York," said Mr. Schwartz. "For us, to do another teen drama and to get excited about it was that this is the most exciting time in these kids' lives in the most exciting city in the world. To try to fake that in Burbank or Canada just felt like it would be lacking that thing you get from shooting in New York. It's a character in the show."
Back in Central Park, that character was not cooperating. The rain arrived in force, and the next scene, a dramatic and emotional moment between the best friends-turned-enemies, was supposed to happen while the girls fed ducks in the Bethesda Fountain. The crew quickly packed up and switched locations to the Bethesda Terrace Arcade with its pretty Minton tile ceiling and arched entrance.


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UN Security activity on Burma 2005-2008
15 December- The first debate on Burma was held at the UN Security Council. UN Source
20 September- Vaclav Havel and Desmond Tutu commissioned a Report finding that Burma fits the criteria for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) intervention. It calls on UNSC members to pass a resolution requiring the regime to work with the UN in restoring democracy to Burma, and to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all prisoners of conscience.
30 November- Human Rights Watch announces that the Burma junta attacks on the insurgent minorities have forced the displacement of thousands of civilians.
29 September- UN Security Council holds its first formal discussion on Burma.
15 September- UN Security Council puts Burma on Agenda. The action receives much praise from the US along with much opposition from China.
31 May- the UN Security Council held its second briefing on Burma after a visit to Burma by UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, in late May 2006 when he met regime head Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi.
March- The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced IDPs, stated that Burmas military junta has launched an offensive against separatist guerillas. The government forces attacked villages and displaced thousands while trying to quell the 50 year insurgency by the Karen ethnic rebels. More Info
11 October- The UN Security Council issues a presidential statement condemning the violence against the demonstrators in Burma along with a call for the early release of all political prisoners.
5 October- The UN SC holds a formal meeting to discuss the situation in Burma and is again briefed by Ibrahim Gambari upon his return from Burma
29 September- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon sends his Special Envoy on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, to Burma, in hopes of diffusing the crisis, with his admission into the country largely due to pressure exerted by China on the junta.
24 September- Approximately 100,000 people protest in Rangoon (the largest anti-government protest since 1988) following a hike in petrol, diesel and gas of 15 August. By 26 September, the junta begins a violent crackdown including raids, arrests, and a few deaths. See Dec 2007 Human Rights Watch Report
12 February- A report by human rights group Karen Women's Organization accuses the Burma military of killing, raping, and torturing ethnic Karen women as part of the armys violent campaign against the Karen. Report by Human Rights Group
12 January- The UN Security Council fails to adopt a draft resolution calling for the Burma government to cease continuing its violent campaigns against civilians due to two negative votes by China and the Russian Federation.More info and implications for R2P
28 July- Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes returns from his trip to Burma to discuss the present situation due to Cyclone Nargis. Holmes says the accessibility problem has been solved except for some inaccessible areas in the south). Holmes press conference
May-June The junta endures severe international criticism after it refused accessibility to outside aid agencies to assist the people most affected by the storm. As time went on, the junta slightly opens its aid barriers compared to its original aid policy.More info
16 May- As of 16 May, figures show that up to 78,000 people have been killed and almost 56,000 remain missing.
7 May- French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner invokes R2P in relation to the aftermath of cyclone Nargis, saying that "We are seeing at the United Nations if we can't implement the responsibility to protect, given that food, boats and relief teams are there, and obtain a United Nations' resolution which authorizes the delivery and imposes this on the Burmese government". His comment sparked an intense debate on the applicability of R2P in such circumstances. (click here for R2P-CS analysis of the debates)
2 May- Cyclone Nargis hits Burma and devastates the Irrawaddy delta region. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, n estimated 2.4 million people were affected. 1.3 million people are estimated to have been reached so far by International NGOs, the Red Cross and the UN.
Sources and more information:
Timelines of History- Burma:
The Guardian: Timeline of Burma
Security Council Report on Humanitarian Situation in Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis:
BBC Coverage of August 2007 Burma Protests:
R2P-CS debate on R2P and Burma:
21 May: http://www.responsibilitytoprotect.org/index.php?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=545
9 May: http://www.responsibilitytoprotect.org/index.php?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=535
responsibility to protect: Engaging Civil Society- Crisis in Burma page


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Hugo J. Verani
Emeritus Professor, University of California Research Professor, University of Notre Dame
B.A., Phillips University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison
Research Profile
Hugo J. Verani is a specialist in Spanish-American literature, with an emphasis in Southern Cone and Mexican literatures. He has published extensively in specialized journals in Europe, the United States, and Spanish America. He is the author of many books including: Onetti: el ritual de la impostura, Bibliografía crítica de Octavio Paz, Las vanguardias literarias en Hispanoamérica, Narrativa vanguardista hispanoamericana, and De la vanguardia a la postmodernidad: narrativa uruguaya, 1920-1995. In 2007, his commemorative edition of Octavio Paz's Piedra de Sol was published by the Fondo de Cultura Economica. Verani is also author or editor of three forthcoming books: an edition of the correspondence between Juan Carlos Onetti and Julio Payro set to appear in 2009, a revised and expanded edition of his critical bibliography on Octavio Paz, and a study of the Nobel Prize-winner's poetry and poetics.
Contact Information


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P: 312-551-2130 | F:: 312-551-2131 | 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2100, Chicago, Illinois 60602
McVey & Parsky serves as national coordinating litigation and trial counsel for consumer product manufacturers. Our attorneys have litigated product liability cases in most states as pro hac vice counsel. The firm also coordinates discovery on a nationwide basis and consults on risk management issues.
Tel: 312-551-2130
Fax: 312-551-2131
Address: 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2100 Chicago, Illinois 60602
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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|International Computer Science and Engineering Society (ICSES)
International Transactions on Evolutionary and Metaheuristic Algorithms
Vol. 3, No. 1, Dec. 2017
Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) and Its Applications | Special Issue Proposal
Hamid Reza Boveiri a,, Tribeni Prasad Banerjee b
a Sama College, IAU, Shoushtar Branch, Shoushtar, Iran
b Dr. B. C. Roy Engineering College, Durgapur, India
Highlights and Novelties
1. First of all, to better introduce Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) and its pros and cons.
2. Secondly, to investigate proper industrial and engineering applications better matched with characteristics of this metaheuristic.
3. Thirdly, as an outstanding resource and reference on this algorithm and its application.
Manuscript Abstract
Most of the combinatorial optimization problems in Engineering and Industry are of such problems cannot be solved using heuristics or exact methods in an efficient way. Meanwhile, another interesting paradigm inspired by biology and artificial life was introduced named Metaheuristics with significant power and potential to cope with such difficult problems. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant colony Optimization (ACO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Shuffled Frog Leaping (SFL), Biogeography-Based Optimization (BBO), Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) are considered as some of these metaheuristics. Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) is also a newly proposed swarm-intelligence-based metaheuristic algorithm first introduced by Rajabioun in 2011, inspired from the exotic lifestyle of a bird family called cuckoo. Indeed, specific egg-laying and breeding characteristics of cuckoos called parasite-brooding is the basis of constituting this novel optimization algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, this metaheuristic algorithm has not been attended and studied a lot since its first introduction in 2011, and a few applications of it on well-known industrial and engineering problems have been reported in the literature so far; hence, we believe that this Special Issue will be going to be an outstanding Resource and Reference on this algorithm and its application.
Artificial Intelligence Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) Metaheuristics Optimization Engineering Optimization Problems.
© Copyright was transferred to International Computer Science and Engineering Society (ICSES) by all the Authors.
Cite this manuscript as
Hamid Reza Boveiri, Tribeni Prasad Banerjee, "Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) and Its Applications," International Transactions on Evolutionary and Metaheuristic Algorithms (ITEMA), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 1-3, Dec. 2017.
For External Scientific Databeses
%0 Journal Article
< name="citation_title" content="Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) and Its Applications">


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Friday, after months of innuendo and exaggeration, President Trump signed an executive order to create a commission to look at "election integrity." It comes after repeated claims from Trump and his team that millions of noncitizens voted in November. They are, as he would say, "Wrong!"
That didn't happen, and the notion that it could without anyone noticing is completely absurd. But what is even more absurd is spending taxpayer dollars on a sham commission to investigate a phantom problem.
In study after study, academics and elections experts have found that noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare. And state elections officials of all political stripes charged with certifying election results, including those in border states, say that he's wrong too.
Arizona's Republican secretary of state, Michele Reagan, said that her state "didn't have widespread voter fraud." In neighboring New Mexico, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, said that the President's allegations were "simply not true."
Given the harmful impact the President's falsehoods have on faith in our elections, the Brennan Center decided to prove, once again, that allegations of widespread fraud, specifically noncitizen voting, are untrue. For the research, we went straight to the source — local election officials. These largely nonpartisan county and city administrators work on the frontlines of American democracy, interacting with voters and running our elections.
We found that they overwhelmingly rejected the claim that noncitizen voting is a widespread problem threatening the integrity of our elections.
Over the last four months, using a standardized survey process to gather facts from the officials that administer elections in the cities and counties with largest numbers of noncitizens in the country, we looked for fraud in the places where one would expect to find it.
We also took a close look at a diverse set of jurisdictions in three states — California, New Hampshire and Virginia — that Trump singled out as having widespread non-citizen voting. If his claims were factual, election officials in these areas would be well-positioned to confirm them. But they did not.
Across the 42 jurisdictions included in our study, officials administer elections to more than 33 million registered voters. In 2016, they tabulated over 23 million votes. Yet we documented just 30 suspected incidents of noncitizens voting. As a percentage, this breaks down to a miniscule portion, 0.0001% of all ballots cast under their watch. That's a one in 800,000 chance of improper voting by a noncitizen. One Texas election official aptly characterized claims of noncitizen voting as "much ado about nothing."
The danger of the President's commission is that it will mischaracterize extremely rare events as widespread problems. According to election officials, when election irregularities do arise, the causes are seldom nefarious in nature.
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For instance, several election officials told us that when noncitizens do end up on the voter rolls, it is most often a mistake — someone checked the wrong box on a form at the DMV or a student registers at a school voter registration drive because all of his friends are registering. Officials also emphasized that, even if someone accidentally ends up the rolls, they likely didn't vote.
Moreover, if noncitizens do vote, they face stiff penalties, including fines, prison time and deportation. It's a high price to pay for someone with aspirations of becoming a citizen, and the risk just simply isn't worth it.
A young mother in Texas was just sentenced to eight years in prison for having registered to vote — as a Republican — and voting in two elections. When she completes her sentence, she will likely be deported.
Our findings echo past research that found noncitizen voting accounts for a tiny fraction of a fraction of all ballots. For this reason, policies designed to prevent noncitizen voting — like proof of citizenship requirements — are more likely to harm eligible voters than identify ineligible ones.
Our findings also cast doubt on the real purpose of the commission.
While we can all agree that protecting the integrity of our elections is critical, we must identify and address problems based on facts instead of outlandish falsehoods.
Voter roll errors do occur. President Trump has rightly raised concerns about this. Common-sense steps, like implementing automatic voter registration, could help address the issue.
But the President and his team, instead of focusing on facts, spread falsehoods on voter fraud — through Twitter, on television, and in closed meetings with lawmakers. Now we expect the misinformation campaign to continue, through the work of the President's commission on election integrity.
This is especially disappointing because giving credence to patently untrue rumors about rampant noncitizen voting will only lead to unnecessary barriers between voters and the ballot box. It's suggestive of rhetoric that's been used to justify voter suppression for years. Voting is the most fundamental right in American democracy, and all of us — especially our President — must be careful not to undermine free and fair access to the ballot.


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Do you know the most basic skills you need for survival? Even if you have been preparing by purchasing all sorts of different pieces of gear and goodies from the web, that doesn't mean you really know how to survive. It simply means you know how to shop online and use gadgets. You need to cultivate real skills that are essential for surviving in the wild.
One of the first skills you need to know is how to make fire. This doesn't mean striking a match or using a lighter. You should learn how to make fire using several different methods, including primitive methods such as the bow and drill. In addition, you need to understand how to procure water. Learn how to make various water traps that can catch condensation, and which should be clean enough to drink without boiling.
In addition, you need to learn how to make a shelter. You can't survive in the wild for very long if you don't have a shelter. You can't just hope that you will get lucky enough to find a cave or an abandoned house. Learn to make different types of shelters, such as lean-tos.
Of course, you are going to be getting hungry as well if you are doing all of that survival work. You can't simply walk down to the local grocery store and pick up the food you need. Instead, you need to learn how to forage and hunt for your food. You also need to learn how to not be picky when it comes to what's on the menu. In some cases, it might be bugs and worms for dinner. It might not be very appetizing, but it is survival.
These are skills that you need to learn, and not just read about. Get out and learn them and practice them now. This way, you will have the confidence needed in a real survival situation.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like….
Can You Defend Your Family When SHTF?
Natural Healing Secrets You Need to Know…
Effective Primal Diet Hacks…


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I love the Lord and his word; today while reading Proverbs 16 the word heart struck me again. How can this be, does the heart think? Am I thinking too literally?
The sinners prayer, If you believe in your heart and confess with your tongue that Jesus is Lord.
Proverbs 16:1 To man belong the plans of the heart but from the Lord the reply of the tongue.
:21 The wise in heart…, 23 A wise man's heart….
Thank you in advance for your help.
It's a figure of speech, and represents an emotional conviction, not just intellectual agreement. Lots of people know intellectually, perhaps from their study, who Jesus is. But only those who also risk their eternal destiny on the belief that He died for their sins will be saved. We call this a heart-felt conviction, because it's made at the core of our being.


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Talk:Dazz Thorne
From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
(Redirected from Talk:Dazz)
Regarding whether the writer's category is appropriate[edit]
Well, the article says they co-write with their mate, so perhaps it is publish under them. Or, they could be reluctant to post something online. I myself have yet to publish anything but fanfictions to avoid important things being stolen. Perhaps this person feels a similar way? I think we should simply take it at face value--if they say they write, they write. Equivamp 10:01, 10 June 2011 (EDT)
- It was more about whether it was appropriate to add them into Category:Writers or not, as that category *seems* to only be published/notable authors.Bezel 10:37, 10 June 2011 (EDT)
Edits from the Owner[edit]
After I noticed some false information, I (Dazz himself) edited the page for accuracy. :)


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April 19, 2011 – Holland, Michigan, USA - Tiara Yachts is pleased to announce the appointment of Grande Yachts International as their newest dealer. Grande Yachts is located just outside of Annapolis and will service Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
Strategically located in the Mid Atlantic, Grande Yachts International is perfectly positioned to bring the Tiara Yachts brand to one of America's premier yachting regions. With their knowledgeable sales staff and experienced team, this full service marine retailer will excel with the Tiara product in the DC area. Tiara Yachts is thrilled about this new relationship and believes their customers on the Chesapeake Bay will be excited about this joint venture as well.
Grande Yachts will be participating in the Bay Bridge Boat Show April 28 – May 1, 2011 and will feature Tiara Yachts' newest model, the 3100 Coronet. This is sure to be an exciting event and a perfect way to kick off the partnership between Tiara Yachts and Grande Yachts International.
For more information, please visit www.tiarayachts.com and www.grandeyachts.com
Tiara Yachts is headquartered in Holland, Michigan. Products include Open, Sovran, Convertible and Coronet models with inboard power from 30 to 60 feet. Tiara Yachts and Pursuit Boats are subsidiaries of S2 Yachts, Inc. which was founded in 1974. S2 Yachts, Inc. is one of the oldest privately held International boat manufacturers in the United States producing boats that are a source of pleasure, a matter of pride and a lasting investment to their owners.


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I've been taking a different approach to my winter wardrobe this year in that I'm wearing my summer dresses. Yes, this sounds a bit weird, but let me clarify that I am layering with my summer dresses. I'll add a blouse, sweater, or collar over a summer dress to make it warm enough for the season and to expand my wardrobe. This often makes the dress look like I wearing a skirt and top, which leads to compliments about my "new fancy skirt." Oh, how I wish.
Now, adding a bit of an accessory to a dress, making it look like another *newer* dress, is not a new idea. In fact, I got the idea from flipping through 1940s Ladies Home Journal issues. Now, while I haven't started adding sashes (as shown above) to my dresses, I have been very keen on the idea of "changing" my dresses with detachable collars.
Sears catalog, 1935 [Source]
Detachable collars are a common sight in 1930s mail order catalogs, like this layout Elide posted on her blog a while ago. While I have a couple in my collection, they are ones that came with homemade vintage dresses I bought and normally only work with the dress it came with. (I'm assuming the seamstress did make others for that dress, but they have long been separated from one other.) So, I've been looking for collars that are versatile with my wardrobe, which has led me to several tutorials. So far, the one I've really liked is this one from Megan Nielson for a Scalloped-edge Pearl Collar. When I make it, I would omit the pearls, so it is better for everyday wear.
The pink silk matches my pink garters!
Unfortunately, I don't really have the time to sew anything up right now, so I was very happy to see that Previously had the new collar she spoke of making all ready for sale at the DIY Trunk Show last month. I tried it on, fell in love, and snatched one up for myself. I'm happily wearing it as I type right now and love how it transforms my shirts and dresses into something else entirely. Now, I just need to find the time to make that scalloped one for myself and I can really start emulating that 1930s wardrobe!
Anyone know of any other tutorials or shops for detachable collars?


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Flo Au
Ying plunges into the air, imagining that she is a kite without a string, spreading her arms and legs like the Chinese character "big" and preparing to bounce from one cotton cloud to another with her flat tummy. It would be fun. Yet, this is not true. The reality is a string. The law of gravity is the string. She studies Physics and she understands the natural force. She does not have a suicidal thought, nor does she feel depressed about anything. Strangely, every time she comes close to the railing in the lift lobby outside her flat, such a thought would dawn on her and lately, she even has dreams at night of leaping over the paint-peeling and rusted railing like those hurdles in the sport events. She wonders if other residents of the same floor would think the same. But for her, the dreams are so real that the images are very vivid; that she wakes her mum because of her teeth grinding; and that she finds herself clenching her fists tightly.
The weather is congenial with the sun blazing. Now she leans onto the railing, stretches her back forward, lifts her head towards the brightest part of the translucent blue sky. She closes her gazelle eyes and raises her crescent blows, both of which are obviously inherited from her mother. A welcoming act for a gust of fresh and cool air allying with the warm and soothing light to reinvigorate her mind and body. She still immerses herself in her imagination. This time, her face and limbs are gently sprinkled with the golden powder of the sun like confetti, instantly becoming speckles on her skin, glowing in the lift lobby. She lets strands of her hair vigorously dance across her face without tightening her hair pins and tucking them back behind her ears, which she often does for not intruding her studies.
She lives with her family on the highest floor, the 20th floor. Of course, compared with the building just right opposite across the road, the 20th floor is just the mid-level. But this is not the major difference. The biggest difference is the building in front is in a private housing project whereas hers, a public one. Hierarchy is what it means. Then everything is all different. The residents are different. Even though there is only one road between them, that road seems to be too wide for people on her side to cross. When she thinks of this, she starts to feel sulky.
From the railing, she gazes down, searching for a familiar shadow. The trees, the vehicles and the passers-by shrink into a small size as if she was watching an animated street Lego model in some kind of exhibition. On the 20th floor, she can still clearly hear the vehicles down there hooting and speeding along the driveway so loud that drown the birds and insects chirping and cooing in the background. It is absolutely not a perfectly silent environment for studying. What would it be like if she was standing in one of those balconies on the highest floor of the building in front? She guesses around the 40th floor. The scene down would be like an ant colony with people turning into colourful dots streaming to all directions. She has good eyesight and definitely she can still identify her mother's shadow. She cannot find her among the passers-by now. She checks her watch. Still five more minutes before 3 pm. Definitely, her mother will not be earlier today like those other days.
She is hungry but she can wait. She is used to the late lunch with her mum. Just five minutes. Five minutes of anticipation and relaxation. A short break from her studies. Half a month later, she will be braced for the public examinations. A make-or-break situation which determines if she can have a step closer to touch the resident card of the building in front. She is nervous but she will not let her nerves crush her because she knows what she wants. She hears a door slammed, a gate latched and a key turned. Every step takes a while before the next one. The gate is closed and opened a few times. The key turns and turns. She knows who is coming.
"Little Ying, waiting for your mum again?" Granny Li stumbles slowly with her cane towards the lift. She is almost 80 years old and loves to go out for a stroll in the park nearby and chat with other grannies in the late afternoon.
"Yes, granny, can you go down to the park yourself? Do you need my help?" Ying turns her head to Granny Li and asks.
"What a lovely girl! I wish my kids were like you. They used to wait for me there when they were small," she smiles to her but then her smile freezes and her eyes dim with an inexplicable sadness. It just happens in a split second. She quickly recuperates her normal self and looks directly into Ying's eyes and broadens the smile to conceal her loss in the second. Ying knows what she would say. She says the same line every day, "You look exactly the same as your mum. The younger version."
"Yes, I know," she replies and then clamps her mouth tight and forces a faint smile. She thanks God that the lift arrives. She darts to press the "open" button, not for fear of missing the lift but for fear of continuing the conversation. She helps Granny Li discreetly move her steps into the lift. Li nods and thanks her.
Ying returns to the railing, scanning down to the small park across the road where just one big fig tree and a small patch of grass are planted. Right in front of the tree some grannies are sitting there on some benches in its shade chatting and listening to the radio, probably some Chinese operas. After a while, Ying can see Granny Li's shadow joining them. Ying knows most of these grannies who live alone in their flats without their kids and partners. Their kids have grown up, moving out to have their own families in some of the most popular types of housing in the city, subdivided flats with four or five people crowding themselves in a hundred square place, far worse than the public flats. The TV and newspapers often report about them as one of the eyesores of this cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong. In fact, Ying and her mum and other residents of those public housing projects are considered to be lucky today. A low-income family has to wait for at least three years to be assigned a public flat. "Being allocated to a public flat is far better than winning Mark Six". People often say. It may be lucky or unlucky that Ying and her mum have waited for three years exactly to move into a public flat because of the special reason, a single-parent family. Before, they also lived in a partition flat like Granny Li's children. She once heard her mum talk to Granny Li about her kids in the corridor.
"Granny, have your kids come to visit you?" Her mum casually asked.
"Not recently. They've been very busy about their life. The rent is high and the living cost is so expensive that most of them have taken more than one job to support their families with small kids. You know, not just one mouth to feed and I'm too old to look after their kids. My eyesight is deteriorating," Granny heaved a sigh.
"You take care of yourself. Come and have dinner with us any time if you want," her mum comforted her.
"Thanks. I'll look after myself. Don't worry. I've got used to solitude since my old partner left several years ago. It's okay. My right eye is fine though my left one can only see shadows. Old people are like that. Things go downhill. I'm not the worst. Plus, who would like to see things so clearly all the time? Sometimes you wish they were all shadows. Anyway, I may be too long-winded. Don't want to waste your time. You take good care of Little Ying. She's gonna have the public exams, right? She must be under great pressure. The news says the exams will start next month."
"Yes. She is very serious about the exams. I hope she will make it. You need a good degree to have a decent job."
"Right. She is the only kid left here. The smallest but the smartest one on this floor. I'm sure she will be the first one of us to obtain a place in university. She has your character, being tough and persistent. She looks exactly the same as you."
"I just pray that she won't be like my ex-husband, giving up so easily."
"Don't worry. She is not a fish in a pond. She will swim to the ocean."
"She looks exactly the same as you." Ying whispers the words to herself with mixed feelings, somehow some familiar sort of fear, resistance and bewilderment seeping into her heart. When her mum was young, she worked as a bread maker in a bakery, a waitress in a restaurant and a saleslady in a boutique. Now she is a part-time janitor in a primary school nearby. She doesn't want to be a waitress, a bread maker or a saleslady, nor does she want to be a janitor. Granny Li was a cashier in a supermarket. Her daughter is now a cashier in a Chinese teahouse while her son, a delivery man to different stores. Most of the other kids living on the same floor are no longer kids anymore. They have all gone out to work for at least five or six years: Mr. Wong's son, a construction worker like his father, Mrs. Lee's daughter, a cook like her mother and more and more who either do the same jobs like their parents or work in the same field. Ying loves her mum and highly appreciates her character. But she is afraid of herself growing into her mum. She strongly resents it and thus sometimes she feels uneasy when hearing those words which are like a spell or even a curse, particularly at times they remind her of the exactly same words she heard among the neighbors chatting about their children when she was in primary school. These words are timeless but powerful.
A familiar shadow emerging from the street corner and striding swiftly along the road to her building interrupts her thought. The shadow greets the grannies under the tree. Yes, it's her mum. Ying can see her mum carrying two bags which are definitely their lunch. She wonders what tea sets her mum has bought. It is the tea time when discounted meal sets replace the more expensive lunch sets in a chain restaurant nearby. Her mum usually picks those sets with sandwiches, rice or noodles as they are more economical and filling. Today, she would like to have Ovaltine and rice with barbecue pork. She does not call her mum to order her lunch. She usually takes whatever her mum buys. It's just today. She suddenly has a strong desire for some meat and grease. Perhaps she is a bit exhausted. She has already pored over five chapters of Physics and has done enough thinking. She wants to swallow some fat to fill the remaining room of her brain. Yet, she still did not call her mum before to order the food. It's okay. It doesn't matter. She does not want to trouble her mum to do this or that for her.
She traces her mum's shadow into their building. She is excited, turning her head to the lift and gazing the number indicated in the small screen on the top of the lift door. The arrow keeps going upward with the number blinking and jumping from one floor to another, showing the lift ascending against the law of gravity. Up and up. 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th… She is expecting. Her heart throbs with the rhythm and so does her tummy. The lift door opens. Her mum comes out, beaming, waving her bags and blurting out, "Ovaltine and rice with barbecue pork" before Ying says anything.
Author's Statement on Beauty
Flo Au won the Most Creative Award in HK's Top Story 2015. Her pieces are published in online literary journals like Aaduna, Pif Magazine, EJ Insight, Quarterly Literary Review of Singapore, Star82 Review and ChristArt.


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By Meredith Lyons
CrossFit is growing nearly as quickly as MMA did when it first hit the fitness circuit. The idea of a 'hardcore' workout that is adaptable to any individual regardless of age or current fitness level has led droves of former couch potatoes to the gym, or 'box' as crossfit gyms are called. The boxes are usually no-frills warehouse or garage-type locations and the workouts are reportedly grueling and addicting. There are a plethora of CrossFit boxes across Chicago and here are some of the most raved about.
Windy City CrossFit
4043 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 536-9223
Windy City CrossFit is a large facility in the Lakeview area with plenty of equipment and knowledgeable coaches. New students start out with a three-month foundation class to get them up to speed on the various lifting techniques and workouts. The foundation classes are kept purposefully small and are designed for more one-on-one coaching. The goal is to get each student ready and in shape to participate in the main classes by their third month. The workouts are extremely challenging and the community is supportive. If you're looking for a larger gym with a longer ramp-up time, Windy City may be one to check out.
Related: Best Spinning Classes in Chicago
Chicago Elite Fitness
1918 N. Mendell St., Suite 100
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 834-7487
Located in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, Chicago Elite Fitness offers Group CrossFit classes every hour from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. The club is a warehouse location without any bells and whistles, but its clientele raves about the workouts. The price is affordable at $100 for monthly unlimited access (various pricing packages are offered to suit different needs). If you're looking for a little something besides Crossfit, Chicago Elite Fitness also has its own climbing wall with Open Climb until midnight on Monday and Thursday. The hours are convenient for those who work late with weekend hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for a schedule of classes.
CrossFit Defined
1235 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
(312) 659-5940
Another Lakeview-area 'box' is CrossFit Defined. Located in a basic garage setting with no mirrors, what sets CrossFit Defined apart is not the tough workouts, but the feeling of community that the members seem to enjoy. New members wear name tags for their first few intro sessions until the trainers know them on a first-name basis. They're also accommodating with changing schedules. This works for many in professions that may not allow them to attend normal group fitness hours. CrossFit Defined's schedule is diverse with WOD classes offered nearly every hour from 5:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. Other classes are offered as well, such as yoga and kettlebells.
Atlas CrossFit
1030 N. Larrabee St.
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 664-0130
Located on the north side of the city, Atlas CrossFit has a large facility with an extremely diverse schedule of classes including CircuitFit, TRX and MMA classes in addition to CrossFit. As with most CrossFit gyms, the first intro session is free. After that, you're encouraged to take six small group classes (or a few individual personal training classes if the group classes don't fit your schedule) to get you up to speed. Membership prices range form $135 to $275 depending on the package selected and all options are detailed on the Atlas website. The trainers are friendly and attentive; email inquiries are responded to very promptly.
CrossFit Chicago
1444 W. Willow St.
Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 281-0411
CrossFit Chicago recently relocated to a new location and may be a good fit for any who want the gritty workouts of CrossFit but miss the 'niceties' of standard gyms. The box has two levels and still has a standard warehouse feel but with a few plush couches and chairs set around a table on the upper level for the members-only lounge, which includes free WiFi and cable as well as men's and women's locker rooms. CrossFit Chicago offers a strength program, a 12-week rowing program and yoga for athletes in addition to the standard WOD classes. It also offers several Women's Only classes for any who may be intimidated by a co-ed program. CrossFit Chicago's blog is also good for a little encouragement and includes everything like paleo recipes, nutrition or technique tips and even inspirational stories from other CrossFit Chicago members. Check out the blog here.
Meredith Lyons is an actor, competitive fighter and fitness instructor in Chicago who also owns an amazing cat named Jake. Meredith has been writing on Examiner as the Chicago Martial Arts Examiner since 2008. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.


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On July 19th Adrian had a routine appointment at the renal clinic of our local hospital. The consultant nephrologist from Nottingham – Dr Evans comes down every three months to run this shared clinic. We were pretty happy with Adrian's progress and growth in general, and had no particular concerns aside from the UTI that Adrian had experienced in May/June.
Dr Evans however seemed very concerned that Adrian's creatinine and urea levels were still very high following the elevations that were caused by the UTI. He mentioned that there may be some procedures that could be attempted to assist getting his toxic levels down. Dr Evans rang his colleague Mr Shenoy – Consultant Urologist/surgeon at QMC in Nottingham to see if Adrian could be seen, and another call secured him a bed on ward E17 for that very same night.
We left clinic in a startled daze, with me wondering how on earth I could get everything together quickly and travel the four-hour journey to Nottingham at such short notice. My boys had been collected from their schools by Grandparents, but still had another day at school before the holidays began. My mind raced with all the little jobs that needed to be completed before I could get on the road. I'd never left either of the older boys for more than one night, it felt heart wrenching that I couldn't be there for them all simultaneously.
On our way home from clinic we stopped off at Tesco for supplies. Nappies, milk, and food were loaded into the car in a flurry, then back home to pack whatever was clean.
Adrian was ready for bed by the time I finally set off at around 8pm, and fortunately he slept throughout most of the 170 mile trip up to Nottingham. I pulled into the car park at 11.50pm and to be met by what seemed like cute little bunnies in my headlights. Adrian was just rousing as I began to unload the pushchair and piles of bags. In spite of the late hour it was incredibly hot, I'd driven up in a summer dress and sandals which suddenly felt insubstantial upon recognising that one of the bunnies nearby was indeed a ravenous rat in search of discarded food. Soldiering on, Adrian and I made it up one level on the dark spiral ramp and around to the main entrance of QMC. I followed the hospital signs into west block and took the lifts up to E floor, finally making it onto ward E17 shortly after midnight.
On the ward we were met with a pleasant welcome in spite of our anti social arrival time, we got shown to Adrian's cot in the darkened and sleepy bay and left to settle. Except the settling part didn't really work out well. Adrian was replenished from his nice long sleep and had awoken to the excitement of being carted through an alien environment, he was totally wired, eyes like saucers, seeking out his new surroundings. He spotted a giraffe picture on the wall and let out an excited, ear-splitting shriek. An elephant picture on the adjacent wall, sent him wildly squealing and pipping, and no amount of soothing seemed to shush his little lungs. A nurse soon appeared to begin the admittance paperwork, thankfully choosing the parents sitting room to contain Adrian's voice a little.
Back in our bay Adrian's excitement went up to a new level. I tried everything I could think of to quiet him down, but was becoming quite distressed myself. It was so hot up there, and being on the fifth floor turned out to be quite a big deal to me. Leaving our insular little life and well trodden tracks in Suffolk and entering ward E17 at QMC was a big shock for both me and Adrian.
I'm pretty sure that no one on the ward managed to get any sleep until we had been ASBOed off the main bay, and into an empty double bay at the far end of the Ward. I was thankful that Adrian's sleep disruptive shouts were distanced from the poorly children at last, and by about 3am Adrian and I finally managed to get some rest.
Friday morning got off to a good start, with me arranging our things, eating our breakfast and meeting the day staff. Later, during doctors ward rounds I met Dr Lunn for the first time. Dr Lunn is a consultant pediatric nephrologist who works as part of the senior renal team alongside Dr. Evans, Dr. Malik, and Dr. Christian at Nottingham Children's Hospital. He explained to me that it was planned that Adrian would be fitted with a catheter to freely drain his bladder, releasing any possible pressure that takes place during the filling and emptying processes. It was unclear which type of catheter would be fitted yet, it would depend on the notes from Adrian's previous tubal investigations. The surgeon would be contacted and in the mean time a review renal ultrasound scan was booked for the afternoon.
Adrian's renal scan was a bit of a disaster, he was very upset and awkward throughout. Wriggling and writhing about in spite of plenty of input from myself and the play specialist. The sonographer managed to get the images she needed, but the whole process was a traumatic struggle. Later the images came back to show that Adrian's kidney, bladder and tubes was very much as before. The remaining organ with large cystic chamber, his bladder small and thickened.
Dr Lunn returned to the ward in the afternoon to explain the results of the scan and told me that Adrian would be discussed and seen by Mr Shenoy upon his return on Monday.
I don't mind admitting that I found it incredibly frustrating and alarming to have been thrown unexpectedly into a hospital stay. The very thought of staying and waiting another two days on ward until we knew more sent me into panic, and I found the rest of Friday a real trial. Adrian was fit and well, full of beans and seemed to be having a sensory overload. It was boiling hot that week too, and the ward felt stuffy and claustrophobic because of its fifth floor level and lack of opening windows. Adrian's cot was metal and all his athletics caused a bump and bruise on his forehead. The playroom had similarly hard edges to the tables and furniture, it was very difficult to contain him both happily and safely in that environment and I spent many hours carrying him around and rocking him in the evening.
On Saturday we managed to escape the ward a couple of times. I had shared my despair with several of the nurses, who may well have found me to be slightly manic. I certainly came across as a neurotic mess, blubbing about my little family I had left behind. All the staff on E17 were very supportive but I was incredibly homesick and probably still in shock. My older boys at home were constantly at the forefront of my mind, and by saturday I was missing them like crazy. The last time I'd seen them I'd been panicking madly about the long journey and we didn't have much of a farewell. When I looked at photos of them on my phone I cried like a baby.
Nursing staff were just doing four hourly observations of Adrian over the weekend, along with his usual meds. They were kind enough to let us off ward for a stroll which helped pass the time away as well as giving me the chance to collect supplies from the car and local shop. We went off site for a little explore, found some fountains and a bit of shade under the trees at the University of Nottingham Campus.
One real positive about being on ward E17 was ordering Adrian's meals from their specialist renal menu. It was nice to have a break from being tied to our kitchen, on high alert, cooking certain foods to avoid further damage his kidney. Low potassium, sodium and phosphate is hard work, especially for babies. The renal menu on ward E17 seemed incredibly extensive compared to the very limited set of food that Adrian had become accustomed to at home. He tried renal minced beef, mashed potatoes and his first ever brain freeze from ice cream!
Looking back at my photos from the trip I see mostly a very happy lad in a high chair. Perhaps because it was one of the few hours that I wasn't either holding him, or trying to catch him. Every new mealtime bowl became a hat. That was something that Adrian learned up on E17 that week. Along with how to do a forward roll in his metal cot, and appropriately timed waving… so much waving.
On Sunday Adrian and I ventured further afield. After his Obs and bloods had been done we went off for a walk to the supermarket using the GPS on my phone. The walk was pleasant enough, taking in some beautiful,l turn of the (last) century architecture along pretty streets. Unfortunately the google maps app led me to a Tesco Express store rather than the mega store I'd had in mind for supplies. A quick chat with a some locals then led me off towards Sainsburys. I never did find it, but managed to skirt various sights of Nottingham that I'd had no idea existed. Canal boats, the rocky castle surround and all of a sudden the city centre itself, bustling in spite of it being Sunday. We saw trams and buses aplenty, fairground rides, synthetic beach and the iconic Nottingham Council House. We spent an hour or so stocking up on clothes, flip-flops and amusing things to take back to the ward. It was a pretty long walk back to QMC from the centre and I relied on various strangers directions. I didn't see a single thing that was the same as my outward stroll, so perhaps I did a big loop in the three and a half hours I was walking. I certainly felt I'd had a decent taste of Nottingham.
Monday morning brought us a visit from My Shenoy along with a large team. He explained how he planned for Adrian to have a urethral catheter inserted because he'd checked his notes from Adrian's cystoscopy in April and he said there were no strictures. He went on to say that Adrian's Creatine levels would be closely monitored through blood tests for a significant decrease. If the free draining of Adrian's bladder showed an improvement in his kidney function, a further operation could be considered to relieve the pressure on the bladder whilst still offering some urine output in the usual way. Mr Shenoy explained how he could bring both ends of one of his ureters to the surface of Adrian's abdomen which would empty into a stoma bag. The other ureter would remain intact and it would relieve pressure whilst avoiding Adrian's system becoming dry. It all sounded frighteningly imminent, with the catheter planned to be inserted later that day under sedation.
A doctor came to take bloods and insert a cannula for Adrian's sedative to be given. His poor little hands have no accessible veins anymore but thankfully it went into his foot instead after quite a lot of attempts and the inevitable wailing that went with it. Later we went back into the treatment room for the catheter to be inserted. Adrian was linked up to the sats machine, given an IV sedative and entertained while the meds did their work. The doctor prepared her catheter kit, with several nurses to assist. Nothing prepared me for having to watch my little man having a catheter inserted. He shouted out and cried in spite of his sedative, and feeling helpless I had a good cry too.
A catheter bag was attached to a leg strap and I was taught how and when to empty it on ward. Because of Adrian's short stature the bag's valve reached all the way down to his ankle… so long he could've tucked it in his sock!
In spite of his obvious distress when inserted, his catheter and bag didn't seem to immobile him in any way at all. Keeping him safe on ward was even more tricky. Later on Monday I escaped the ward for an hour with Adrian resting up in his pram and ate my first hot meal since Wednesday. We went down a floor to the hospital restaurant and I replenished my own electrolytes. Now it was a waiting game until the next set of blood tests, and observing any possible improvements to Adrian's high creatinine levels.
Did I mention Adrian loves Giraffes? I think we spent the next couple of days trying to find every giraffe in the E17 playroom. Along with books about giraffes, the toys were not in short supply. Duplo, Fisher Price and realistic looking versions were gathered up, carried around and hugged.
Doctors rounds on Wednesday brought a pleasant surprise. I was told that we could finally be discharged with Adrian's indwelling catheter tube draining into a double nappy. His blood tests would be taken at home by our community team and follow-up clinic in Nottingham would be in 4-6 weeks time.
It was the news I'd been hoping to hear for days, which had actually seemed more like weeks, and yet it was bittersweet. I had seen so many distressingly real snippets of other people's lives and families at QMC. The place is huge and seems to have a timezone and airspace of its own, painful moments tumbling headlong into each other, charged with emotion and then frustratingly long still pauses in between. The parents I'd met up on E17 had so many stories of their time in Nottingham. Nothing had prepared me for being there amongst those chronically ill children and their families. Adrian's CKD had been controlled so well with medication and diet, hospital treatment had seemed somewhere off in the future. The reality of seeing the clinical intervention and invasive life saving operations taking place in real-time at QMC brought our future together into a clearer view.
I left Nottingham feeling changed in some ways, I don't think it was hardened, perhaps just resigned. People have been telling me I am strong and brave to deal with all the extra care and concern that Adrian's CKD brings. The truth is I'm neither. I do these things for Adrian because they have to be done, even if I don't always quite believe they can be. Driving unplanned to Nottingham happened because it had to happen. I spent the hours that led up to leaving upset, crying and feeling that I simply couldn't do it. No bravery involved. On the ward when I saw the transplant cool box waiting near the doors, my mind became a morbid tangle of pessimistic thoughts. Along with a strong overprotective feeling for my baby's tiny body.
I'm not even attempting to put a brave face on this journey. It's Adrian's story, and during that particular week , some terrifying possibilities of his future came into stark focus.


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text:
More than 1,000 Diablo series fanatics lined up at Wangsimni station even the day before the eve of Diablo3's launching event. Fanatics who want to purchase Diablo3 collector's edition kept increased over night and exceeded 2,500 in the morning. Fans stayed the whole night and kept the line in the rainy morning.
Blizzard Korea will hold the eve of Diablo3's launching event tonight with several celebrities joining up. At the event, fans could purchase Diablo3 collector's edition the day before it is launched and could have developer's autographs on it.
Blizzard Korea did not expect that many people gathered at all and finally announced that fans who visit after 14th in the morning could not purchase the collector's edition due to the shortage of it.
The collector's edition could be purchased through online and several merchandise marts from the 15th of May as well. However, fans rushed to the eve event because the rumor told that the number would be very limited.


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Handayani, Lina and Md. Kosnin, Azlina and Yeo, Kee Jiar (2010) Social support, knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy as predictors on breastfeeding practice. edupress 2010 .
Current WHO/ UNICEF recommendations for optimal infant feeding are exclusive breastfeeding for approximately the first 6 months postpartum, after which complementary food should be introduced gradually, with the continuation of breastfeeding until 2 years or beyond. In the past decade, there has been a myriad of research into the factors affecting breastfeeding duration to identify risk factors for failure. It is important to investigate many predictors of premature breastfeeding discontinuation which are modifiable demographic variables such as social support, knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. An empowerment program can improve a mother's control over her environment by encouraging active participation on the basis of her requests regarding the content and implementation of the program, by making the program mother-oriented, and by helping the mother to determine the solutions suitable for her. Key words: social support, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, breasrfeeding
|Item Type:
|L Education > L Education (General)
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Assoc. Prof Dr Azizi Yahaya
|Deposited On:
|19 Sep 2011 17:50
|Last Modified:
|11 Sep 2017 09:41
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