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Icarus: Korosuke's City Cruiser & Light Tourer
photos: Blue Lug
This Icarus City Cruiser / light touring bike is the definition of a versatile. It's also quite pretty. This Icarus features a road-inspired geometry with a little more tire clearance and accoutrements for both front and rear racks. I'd swap out those Rolfs before throwing any weight on this bike though…it's begging for some hand built wheels. Get a closer look below.

subset: commoncrawl


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Donation Video / Mobile Site Renovated
in San Clemente. They were very appreciative of the donation, and we are looking forward to continue working with them in the future. We also just finished renovating our mobile site, and it is now live. You can view this site on any smartphone or tablet device. Check it out and let us know what you think!


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Multiplying Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits
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|A sure fire close up effect using cute rabbits. Use two rabbits; a Mother & a Father.
The magic happens in the spectator's hand.
The Mommy & Daddy rabbits multiply into an entire family.
YES! Right in the specator's hand!
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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Politics, Religion, Social Issues' started by zimv20, Sep 19, 2005.
What part of 'Do as I say, not as I do' do you not understand?
Well, it's pretty much how the neo-cons handle domestic functions, too: screw them up really bad, and then later claim that they obviously don't work.
our weapons are for spreading peace and democracy.
everyone else's are for evil deeds.
IOW's : we kill out of love.
we had to destroy the world in order to save it?
Yeah, that sounds about right.
God did. Seemed to work out pretty well...
Oh wait, you're serious. Well in that case --
Is it me, or does anyone else think He's doing it again? Maybe the first time didn't work out so well. Hey, at least there's no rain of fire and rivers of blood.


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Chairman's Report - AGM 2015
- Details
- Category: Publications
Annual General Meeting 2015
Chairman's Report
Welcome to the AGM and thanks to the committee and to all those who helped with the work of the Comann Eachdraidh throughout the year.
T. Edgar our Seanchas editor and Facebook manager resigned in September, having moved off the island. We miss his expertise, but we're grateful to Ewen Maclean for agreeing to manage our popular Facebook. We still have not got an editor for Seanchas. This must be resolved tonight. The committee have had a busy time with preparation, training, public meetings etc and the leaders of our three main projects have had a particularly demanding year. We also dealt with many enquiries about the village history and we supplied the BBC and others with images and material for their various projects. We also welcomed visitors to the Comann Eachdraidh. With funding from TCDL Ewen Maclean is to back up our records onto hard drives. We held Social Evenings and the evening on 10th October with guest speakers S. Matheson and R. Doig was particularly successful. The display of WW1 memorabilia and class photographs set up for that evening was kept open to the public for a further week. Other public events included Display on Tolsta Shielings 22–27 October; Hebrides People website Presentation by Bill Lawson and Alex Tearse on 10th November 2014; Commemorative Service on 4th August 2014; Cathie Mary gave a talk to the children in Tolsta School in May and afterwards met up with myself and the schoolchildren at the local War Memorial where, after discussion, poppy seeds were sown. We also had a highly successful mainland trip in June organised by Cathie Mary in connection with the project on WW1.
Hebridean Connections
The Hebridean Connection Project aims to build a network of Comann Eachdraidh throughout the Hebrides. As recorded at the last AGM the Tolsta Brother's Keeper Records were transferred into the new Hebridean Connections database. Since then we have edited these records and added all the crofts in the village. The new Hebridean Connections website was launched in Stornoway Town Hall on 30th September 2014. The website address is www.hebrideanconnections.com None of our records are available online yet as they require to be validated before publication on the site. Our two busy representatives, Anna Mackenzie and Donald Macdonald are doing sterling work but we are seeking to recruit more volunteers. Full training will be given by Hebridean Connections and volunteers will then be able to work from home provided they have internet connection.
Heritage Sites North Tolsta
This project received Heritage Lottery Funds of £6,700. The project was much more demanding than we had anticipated and so, with time running out, we applied successfully for an extension of the completion date to 31st December 2014. We received training in interview techniques, GPS and map reading, research and Excel spreadsheets. Several interviews were conducted and the research carried out using documents and oral recordings was completed. Several teenagers interested in the project visited the shieling sites and photographed the ruins and recorded the GPS readings. We then identified the shielings and, using Excel spread sheets, we placed their position on maps together with local place names. When we submitted our end of grant report on 12th December 2014 we had underspent and £834 of the grant had not been used. The grant officer wrote back 'I have now read through the report and must say I was most impressed by what the project has already achieved' He encouraged us to use the extra money to prepare an A0 hard copy map of the shielings and to produce a booklet of our findings. We proceeded and the map and booklet should be available soon.
Effects of WW1 on the Village of North Tolsta
Cathie Mary has had a very busy time preparing and organising this project in a highly professional and successful way. I have already mentioned several meetings she organised and she has produced and researched meticulously the history of Tolsta Servicemen in WW1. The noticeboard at the post Office will display a poppy and cross commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of each of the fallen heroes and Murdo Morrison, the Anchorage, is making a display cabinet so that these commemorative poppies and crosses can be on permanent display in the village hall. Cathie Mary is also liaising with web designers as they work on the new website for this WW1 project. The website should be live in the autumn. Kenny Maciver (28) is also producing maps for both these projects and I wish to thank him for his diligence. The WW1 project also received Heritage Lottery Funds.
New Build
The committee has identified allotment 83b as the most suitable site for the proposed new Comann Eachdraidh building. The present tenant Mr I. Macleod and the Stornoway Trust have agreed to transfer the allotment to the Historical Society. After we purchase the site (for title deeds) we would have land for purpose built premises for the CE as well as a café. This is a much needed facility in the community. After we have finalised this we will arrange a meeting with the local councillors, the Community Council, TCDL and our MP and MSP to discuss the project as we would like the whole community to become involved.
Tolsta Head Walk
Mick Blunt, John Muir Trust, regularly takes groups of walkers round Tolsta Head and he has kindly offered to put a few small board walks over some boggy sections of the Tolsta Head Path. He will supply the money, the material and the volunteers to complete this. The Grazing Committee have agreed for these boards.
Thanks again for your help and support. The Comann Eachdraidh work can be demanding but it can also be rewarding. Having an interest in people is an important part of the work and when people with Tolsta connections (however distant the connection) make contact with us, I, like other members of our committee, get a lot of satisfaction from working out the connection!
A lot of work has been done but there is still plenty to do.
Donald Murray chairman


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Blue isn't blue, we all know ;) And light blue turns out to be one of the colours that suit Crown Princess Mette-Marit the most.
October 2, 2012
Mette-Marit in light blue
Eingestellt von Royal Lady um 11:18 AM
Labels: fashion
6 comments:
- Lisa said...
I love the top left, I think a bit of colour on her lips really suits her.
- October 2, 2012 at 12:10 PM
- L. said...
When M-M does it right, she does it REALLY right. Soft colours look perfect on her. Light blue, or light pink, and even white looks amazing on her...
- October 2, 2012 at 12:25 PM
A beautiful bright colour
- October 2, 2012 at 3:15 PM
MM is natural woman, she has a normal weight, she is very charming
MM is my princess-favorite.
- October 2, 2012 at 5:45 PM
I love the powder blues, they are so complimentary on MM. I agree, love when she has colour on her lips, it just brings out her features so well.
- October 2, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Ma princesse préférée...
- October 8, 2012 at 5:14 PM
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Purple Bloom Crocus Spring Flower Blossom
The maximum dimension of photo 3000×4000 pixels, you can download with JPEG format. This image was made by Panasonic DMC-Fz150 camera with shooting mode 108.0mm · ƒ/5.2 · 1/160s · ISO 100. our contributor was tagged: Crocus, Blossom, Bloom, Flower, Spring, Purple.
License to use Creative Commons Zero - CC0. You are free to use for many purposes without worrying issues copyright because this photo is TRUE FREE. We just want you to back a referral link to Max Pixel (optional).
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Why Do You Want to Work Here, What To Say ? What Not To Say ?, Common Mistakes, Tips For Answering
Why Do You Want to Work Here, What To Say ? What Not To Say ?, Common Mistakes, Tips For Answering
Mistakes To Avoid | Answering Why Do You Want to Work Here
1. Being too honest:
"Uh, because I'm totally unemployed and sorta desperate at this moment which means my standards for what I'll do for money are pretty low and flexible right now, including working for you."
Again, bonus points for being honest…but although we always encourage you to tell the truth, there is a fine line between being upfront and being escorted out the door. Next.
2. Being too generic:
"Well, it seems like this is a super cool company to work for and it would be great to be able to get a job here."
Aww, I bet you tell all the hiring managers that. Not only is it generic, but it doesn't showcase any of the research that you've done on the company or the position. Next.
3. A boring apathetic answer:
"I dunno. I saw you were hiring. Guess you wouldn't be advertising if you didn't have a job opening and I could really use one…a job that is. So…we gonna do this or what?"
Wrong. Your job is to convince the hiring manager that you're the perfect candidate…and this job seeker is definitely not the perfect candidate for anything…except maybe going back to bed and getting some sleep. Next!
4. Being wishy washy:
"Uh, I don't know. I mean, I need a job and well, you guys have a super cool website and I really like your company logo colors so I guess…give me a chance?"
Oh man, I don't know if I should give you a job or a sympathy hug. I think I'm gonna go with hug. Next.
5. Being inappropriately funny:
"Because you guys need me. I'm the best of the best and then there's the rest."
Why Do You Want to Work Here?
The interviewer is looking for similar things whether asking about company or position. The hiring manager wants to:
- Learn about your career goals and how this position fits into your plan
- Make sure that you are sincerely interested in the job and will be motivated to perform if hired
- Find out what you know about the company, industry, position (and if you took the time to research)
- Understand your priorities and preferences — which aspects of the company and/or job are appealing to you and why?
However, you must approach each part of the question differently.
I. What do you like about this company? | Answering Why Do You Want to Work Here
The hiring manager is looking for someone who will fit in at the company and enjoy working there.
A good answer will demonstrate a knowledge of the company and industry. That means you must do your homework so that you can identify specific reasons for wanting to work for the firm.
These reasons could include one or several of the following:
- Company general reputation
- Reputation of key leaders
- Admiration of products/services
- Admiration of other company initiatives (marketing campaign, community involvement, training programs)
- Company awards
- Company management philosophy
- Company values
- Company positioning in market
- Company growth/success
You can probably think of other reasons that would also work. Please note: "It's close to my house" is not a good reason.
Common Mistakes: What Do You Like About This Company?
- A too-general answer that could apply to any company. Most of my interview coaching clients make this mistake. They say something like,"It's a great company and I'd love to work there." That's nice, but it's also not very memorable or believable.
- An uninformed answer that shows you haven't done any research. The worst thing you can do is demonstrate that you don't even know what the company does — or that you only have a vague idea and expect the interviewer to fill you in.
- An unenthusiastic answer that makes the interviewer wonder if you really want the job. You want to convince the interviewer that you are excited about the idea of working for his company. Avoid an answer like, "I heard there were some open positions, so here I am."
II. Why are you interested in the job? | Answering Why Do You Want to Work Here
So you love the company and you can prove it. Think you're all set? Not so fast. You must also be prepared to speak about the position. You must prove that you are the perfect fit for THIS JOB at THIS COMPANY.
So ask yourself: What is appealing about this job? Why did you respond to this job description?
You must be able to discuss what excites you about the work. After all, every manager wants to hire someone who will love the work required and be committed to doing a great job.
A great answer will also allow you to sneak in information about how good you are at the work required (after all, it's much easier to love your work when you're good at it). While the interviewer wants to know why you are attracted to the job, he'll be even more interested in hearing about why your experience has prepared you to excel in the position.
Bottom line: Companies like to hire people who will be good at the job – and enjoy what they do. Clearly communicate both your interest and ability.
Common Mistakes: Why Are You Interested in This Job?
- A too-general answer that could apply to any position. You don't want to give the impression that you're only interested in this job because it's available. I often compare job interviewing to dating (hopefully, dating is at least a little bit more fun for you). No date wants to hear, "You were the only one who would go out with me." It's the same with job interviewing. You have to woo the company and talk about why the position was made for you.
- An uninformed answer that shows you don't understand the job. If you don't comprehend every word on that job description, take some time to research.
- An unenthusiastic answer that makes the interviewer wonder if you really want the job. If you can't provide details about why you're into the job, the interviewer will likely assume that you're NOT.
How to Research the Company | Answering Why Do You Want to Work Here
Now you know the best practices for answering, "Why do you want to work here?" To apply them to your own next job interview, you'll probably need to do a bit of research.
If you already know all about the company and why it's a good match for you, you can skip this part and go practice your answer. For everyone else, here are some tips for researching any company.
The Company Web Site
Start with the company web site. This may seem like an obvious approach, but you have to take the time to actually do it.
A good company web site covers everything from firm history to mission statement to product lines to latest awards and accomplishments. Read all of the About Us stuff and spend some time in the Press Room, where you'll usually find the latest press releases and media mentions.
Read the company blog if they have one. Next, sign up for any newsletter offered and check out the company's social media presence (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
You'll also want to spend some time in the site's Careers section. Some firms provide extensive information about the hiring process on their sites — including job profiles and sample interview questions in some cases.
Depending on the size of the company and whether it's public or private, you may even be able to access financial statements, annual reports, and executive biographies.
Media Coverage
Although company web sites can tell you a lot, you can learn even more with a broader Google search.
Look for recent articles about the company in the mainstream press and industry publications. These articles can also provide useful information about the latest trends in the industry and how the company compares with competitors. If you are aware of an influential publication that covers the industry, go to the publication web site and conduct a search.
You can also find articles and other company information through services like LexisNexis® and Hoovers™. While these are pricey subscription-based services, many public libraries offer free access.
Your Network
Your network may be your most valuable research source. Reach out to trusted contacts in your network for information. A search on LinkedIn can quickly reveal who you know at the hiring company (or who you know that knows somebody). Look for those currently at the firm and those who worked there in the past.
An "inside contact" can provide priceless data and can even serve as an advocate (if you're lucky and have been nurturing your relationships).
Don't just rely on LinkedIn. You can also ask around to determine if any trusted contacts (former colleagues, professors, etc.) have a connection to the firm.
Just be careful about name-dropping in the interview if you don't know your contact's internal reputation.
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20234 Kings Camp, Katy, TX
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4 BEDROOMS | 3 (2 full, 1 half ) BATHROOMS | 2499 SQUARE FEET
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Property Description
Beautifully located home in Nottingham Country. This home has high ceilings and a newly refurbished swimming pool.
Home has been freshly painted with 2 year old Central A/C and Heaters, full sprinkler system and other nice upgrades


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Evergreen / Susan May Warren.
View other formats and editions
Record details
- ISBN: 9781496400109 (electronic bk.)
- ISBN: 1496400100 (electronic bk.)
- Physical Description: 1 online resource.
- Publisher: [United States] : Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. : 2014.
Content descriptions
|Restrictions on Access Note:
Digital content provided by hoopla.
|Summary, etc.:
An empty nest has Ingrid Christiansen dreading the upcoming holidays, but her husband, John, couldn't be more excited about this new season of life. He even has a surprise trip abroad planned. He's sure she'll love it. What's more romantic than Christmas in Paris? Before he can stop her, however, Ingrid agrees to spearhead a major church project. Then their faithful dog, Butterscotch, needs emergency surgery, draining their savings. And then-because disasters strike in threes-an unexpected guest arrives, dredging up old hurts. As a beautiful blanket of snow transforms the north woods into a winter wonderland, a deep chill settles over John and Ingrid's marriage. With the holidays fast approaching, their only hope of keeping their love evergreen depends on turning the page on the past and embracing a new chapter of their future.
|System Details Note:
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Search for related items by subject
|Clergy > Fiction.
Empty nesters > Fiction.
Older couples > Fiction.
Electronic books.
Minnesota > Fiction.
|Christian fiction.


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Collection of drawings
Brooom (November, 2015). Text in english: «I'm off for work then, love! Home again around 5 o'clock.» «Remember to buy eggs and Nugatti!»
Faces (November, 2015)
Censorship (November, 2015)
Sustainable garden (November, 2015). Text in english: «We are sooo going to win at the garden fair!» «For sure! We didn't even need adding fertilizers».
Bad vegetables, (November, 2015). This is a piece (called «Dårlige grønnsaker» in Norwegian), with several names for the different characters which proves very difficult to translate into english in a funny way, since it's based on Norwegian play with words. A few examples in english though: Cool carrot, barking kiwi, cuckoo coconut, puking lima beans. Not so funny when it's translated. Teasing peas works though. To sum it up I depict vegetables/fruit in way that is opposite to the typical «Eat your greens and stay healthy» kind of message. It has proven popular among kids at sales fairs. But anyway. Kids, you should definitely listen to your mom and/or dad and eat your vegetables and fruit. Don't listen to me.
Illustration for christmas card sold at different christmas pop-up-shops in Bergen. Santa Clause also needs variation in his diet I guess. English translation: «Could we have something else for dinner tomorrow?» And of course: «Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!». (November, 2015)
Instead of a business card, I've made something people actually can use as an object; a bookmark. (October, 2016)
Water color trees (November, 2015).
Mayor of Bergen up until 2015, Trude Drevland. Her turbulent last year in office, inspired me to make this drawing. (July, 2015)
August 2015 sees the world economics in danger, and the illustration depicts the main effect in Norway, where oil industry is the cornerstone of wealth. (August, 2015)
Mulder and Scully (January 2016)
Ziggy (January, 2016). Homage-drawing after the death of David Bowie.
© Åge Peterson


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AEssense to Expand and Relocate Headquarters/R&D Facility in Sunnyvale, Calif.
25 July 2016
Silicon Valley-based AEssense will consolidate, expand and relocate its headquarters and R&D facility in Sunnyvale, Calif. The developer of intelligent aeroponic plant growth systems and products leased a 16,260-square-foot, single-story building at 1281 Reamwood Drive. The Class A flex property, located in a business park environment, has been fully renovated and is conveniently situated near Highway 237 and the Lawrence Expressway.
The company is currently located at 1400 Terra Bella Avenue in Mountain View and 1220 Alderwood Drive in Sunnyvale and has nearly tripled in size. AEssense plans to occupy the new space on Reamwood Avenue by October of this year.
Scott Kinder, Corporate Managing Director with global tenant advisory firm Savills Studley, represented AEssense in the lease transaction. He has a 30-year relationship with the management team and this is the third transaction he has completed on behalf of the company.
"This represented an excellent opportunity for AEssense to bring its expanding operations under one roof and build a customized interior environment to meet their specific needs," said Kinder. "Warm shell improvements were in place and the landlord contributed a generous TI package to complete the build-out."
"The expanded space provides us with capacity for increased customer support, engineering, equipment testing, sales and services, and office space to support our continued growth," said AEssense President & CEO, Robert I. Chen. "Scott did a great job finding the perfect fit for us, and the City of Sunnyvale has been encouraging and supportive of our advanced agriculture technology venture."
WTA Reamwood LLC is the property landlord and was represented in the transaction by Greg Davies, Steve Horton, Alan Guterman and Kelly Yoder of Cushman Wakefield
AEssense is a Pan-Pacific company with a significant manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China.


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Thick as Thieves
Thick as Thieves – Los Angeles, CA
One thing about the music that we hear these days is how often the creative lines are blurred. The DJ culture saw to that with bad ass mashups, (props to Muggs, C-Minus and Danger Mouse), and more and more suburban kids growing up on a steady diet of Rock, Punk and Hip Hop. Thick as Thieves appear to be a product of said environment. Residing in Hollywood via the Northwest, they are the perfect blend of aforementioned genres. Lines will be blurred and I love that…just make sure you as good as Thick as Thieves when you do it.
– Wurds Smith
Fresh Track: See below!
Link: Facebook


text: I didn't like it hear more would I come back if it was up to me. Old hotel with old tvs from the 90s. If you can't Atleast update your tvs then I have a bad taste in my mouth. The pool was very very dirty for summer time but I guess it hadn't been open all year. Mexican restaurant... More


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Frangible, Impact Absorbing Bollards
SlowStop® Rebounding Steel Bollards solve the problems building designers and property managers face when trying to protect buildings and assets without damaging foundations and creating costly repair scenarios. SlowStop® bollards are a unique surface mounted design that gives slightly upon impact, reducing damage to vehicles, foundations, and the bollards themselves. Easy to install and maintain, surprisingly strong, SlowStop® bollards offer superior life cycle value and even easy to replace modular components.
See a video demonstration of this remarkable new product HERE.
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Learn more about how SlowStop® Rebounding Bollards can benefit your building designs HERE or call us at 1-800-736-5256. We offer a full suite of CAD Details, Three Part CSI Specifications, and can even provide guidance on anchor calculations.
Categories: Articles


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Pinball is a game mechanic lounge, which launched a metal ball on an inclined board. On this board we have to keep the ball from falling through the hole in the lower part, for it will have paddles or also called flippers to resend the ball towards the top.
The goal is to get the majority of points possible without the ball lands, points are scored every time the ball bounces off one of the elements of the board. Also we have special elements that are activated at certain times and if we can send at this time the ball to the event, get many more points.
Normal games usually have three balls, as if we fall one at the bottom will have two other trials. This means that each item is considered finished upon completion balls obtained by adding the punctuation before. There are many varieties of game in which we find different environments such board space board, in which the ball becomes a luminous sphere and bouncing off buildings or other objects.


text: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20040107/tc_nm/tech_ceos_dc NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top executives from technology companies, facing criticism for moving jobs to low-cost centers such as India and China, said on Wednesday that the United States needs to boost education and offer more tax breaks to compete in the global job market. Such heavy-hitters as Intel Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett and Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive officer Carly Fiorina spoke on Wednesday at a Washington DC computer industry lobbying group roundtable with the media. The technology companies also issued a report to lay out policies to keep a strong tech job market in the United States. "America can only grow jobs and improve its competitiveness by choosing to compete globally, and that will require renewed focus on innovation, education and investment," said Barrett. The lobbying group, which also includes International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news) and Dell Inc. (NasdaqELL - news), pushes for policymakers to support the industry by boosting high-speed Internet use and putting favorable trade policies in place, among other things. While the group's appeals were not much different than usual, it is now tying its message to the fate of the U.S. technology workforce, which is fearful of losing jobs to cheaper overseas labor. Jobs in computer services and customer call centers have been moved to countries such as India and China by most large tech companies, including IBM. "We can either choose to compete with the rising powers of China and India and other would-be economic leaders and take advantage of worldwide business opportunities or we could retreat," said Bruce Mehlman, executive director of the lobbying group, called the Computer Systems Policy Project. One analyst said that the group's message would not be lost in an election year, in which jobs moving overseas could become a hot-button issue. "Right now there are eight to 10 million technology-related votes out there, that's a pretty big portion of the populace," said Meta Group analyst Howard Rubin. "This is a block of voters that no one has been paying attention to." While their proposals are largely the same, adding the outsourcing of jobs overseas brings new attention to them, he said. "If around these policies they are proposing they've had an agenda, well yeah, this issue brings new light to that agenda. But it would be nice if people were to think about what the right thing to do is at this time," Rubin said. In the report released on Wednesday, the group said that the U.S. needs to set goals for the deployment of high-speed Internet technology, put in place a permanent research and development tax credit, and fund University-based research in the physical sciences, among other things. The report, called "Choose to Compete: How Innovation, Investment and Productivity Can Grow U.S. Jobs and Ensure American Competitiveness in the 21st Century," also calls for a change in the depreciation of technology assets, a permanent tax moratorium on Internet access and changes in international income tax rules.


text: WASHINGTON -- Many easily obtained liquid chemicals can be used to produce an explosive capable of causing a devastating fire or blast aboard an airplane, experts said Thursday. While hesitant to provide a specific recipe that would aid terrorists, several experts said it would not be difficult to obtain a liquid explosive or chemical mixture that could be smuggled aboard a plane. "From available commercial material, and with the right basic knowledge, it doesn't take too much expertise," said Tal Hanan, a security expert at Demoman International Ltd. in Israel. "Any second-year chemical engineering student probably with the right guidance and some handbook they pull off the Internet could probably compose such an explosive." Nitrogylcerin is probably the most well-known liquid explosive. While terrorists tested the explosive in the mid-1990s as part of a plot to bomb 11 airliners over the Pacific Ocean, several experts said it is relatively hard to get and very difficult to handle. "If it freezes it detonates. If it falls just two or three feet it will detonate. It's so sensitive that it's not practical," Hanan said. One of the most commonly used explosives by Middle East terrorists is triacetone triperoxide or TATP, a highly potent explosive used by would-be "shoe bomber" Richard Reid. Usually found in a crystalline form, experts said TATP could be dissolved into a liquid that could carried aboard a plane. "Some terrorists have actually held TATP in water in order to reduce its sensitivity," Hanan said. But terrorists could simply carry aboard a plane the two chemicals used to make TATP -- acetone and hydrogen peroxide. Acetone is the same substance found in most nail polisher remover. Hydrogen peroxide in a very diluted form can be purchased at any drugstore as an antiseptic. The highly concentrated versions necessary to create an explosion can be obtained commercially. "All you need to do is go into the restroom with a pint of each in a couple of water bottles and mix them together," said Neal Langerman, a chemical industry consultant who acts as a spokesman for the American Chemical Society. "Chances are it will instantaneously and violently react. If it didn't you can stick in a detonator, hook it up to the battery in your iPod and you're dead." Even if whatever was used failed to create an actual explosion, a major fire would probably be sufficient, Langerman said. "Fire aboard an aircraft is a very bad thing," Langerman said. "If you create a hot, energetic fire, the aircraft is in very big trouble." Many other substances could potentially be used to create a fire or an explosion, such as oxidizers used to clean pools or combining ammonium nitrate and diesel fuel. "When you bring them together, you have the most common commercial explosive," said Jimmie Oxley, an explosives expert at the University of Rhode Island.


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"Five years from now, there will be some bodies by the roadside," said Roy Grace, chairman of Grace & Rothschild, New York, agency for Land Rover North America. "It's not going to be us."
Land Rover is backing the 1996 model year advertising with an estimated $40 million budget, up a projected 25% from 1995, in an effort to continue its spectacular sales momentum. On a year-to-year basis through October, sales were up 71.3% to 15,063 units as Land Rover capitalized on an expanded product lineup and the growing popularity of sport-utility vehicles.
A recent survey by Time Inc. and CNW Marketing/Research, Brandon, Ore., found strong consumer interest in the upscale segment. Among households with $100,000-plus income who intend to purchase a sport-utility vehicle within six months, 35.2% said they would consider a premium brand priced more than $45,000. And 84.8% in that income category said they would consider one priced above $35,000.
The phone survey of 573 people who said they planned to buy a sport-utility vehicle within six months was conducted the week of Oct. 30 and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
The survey indicates there's room for substantial growth in upscale sport-utility vehicles, said Art Spinella, CNW VP-general manager, but he noted that could change if they lose their trendiness. Among households in the $100,000-plus category, 97.2% said they like the image sport-utility vehicles project.
"Land Rover has a big area to defend, but they've put down a good foundation," Mr. Spinella said. "The heritage of the nameplate plays pretty well in the luxury segment."
"A lot of [luxury brands] are dabbling in four-wheel-drive, because that's where the money is," Mr. Grace said. "It remains to be seen whether these brands will be able to thrive, considering that it's not part of their roots."
That's exactly what Land Rover hopes to communicate with a campaign that broke in November. One magazine spread, for instance, shows vehicles alongside elephants and a rhinoceros, with the headline, "Think we have tough competition now? You should have seen it 50 years ago."
The campaign uses exotic jungle and desert locations and a touch of wry wit, as illustrated by one new spot in which elephants soap off a muddy Land Rover Discovery. The campaign also is aimed at clearing any confusion about the Land Rover and Range Rover names, both sold at Land Rover dealers.


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"The Dialogues call for governments to create spaces and mechanisms for engagement, not only as a way to strengthen people's basic political rights but also because it helps to create better policies and generate better development outcomes."
Post-2015 Dialogues on Implementation (UNDG 2014)
As evidenced by the quotation above, central to the legitimacy and quality of a society-wide agenda is the design of multi-stakeholder policy development and implementation modalities to encourage and facilitate partnerships between government and nationally and sub-nationally active stakeholder networks of civil society, universities, think tanks, the private sector, workers' and employers' organizations, other development actors, and national human rights institutions (UNDP-OHCHR 2012). In reaching out, it is important that actors reach out to all groups, including ones that are at times vulnerable and marginalised, such as refugees, internally displaced and stateless persons, in recognition that the SDGs are built on a principle of universality and a pledge that no one shall be left behind from sustainable development.
As further rationale, consider the conclusions of the Post-2015 Dialogues on Implementation with regard to participation and inclusion (UNDG 2015):
- "The Dialogue on localizing the agenda pointed to the need for stronger engagement of local stakeholders in the definition, implementation and monitoring of the post-2015 development agenda, as the achievement of many of the MDGs depended on the work of local governments and stakeholders.
- Community participation and ownership, rooted in local culture, are instrumental in development programmes, including for environmental protection, for sustainable urban development and for gender equality and women's empowerment.
- An engaged business sector is critical for innovation, technological advancement and sustainable economic growth.
- Governments and civil society already have working models to tap into people's desire and capacities for engagement; but these examples are too few and not yet fully institutionalized into how public policy is delivered.
- While consultations are a good start, they should not be one-off events but, rather, mechanisms that provide for a continued dialogue with feedback loops that inspire ownership from various stakeholders.
- The inclusion of the full diversity of stakeholders means paying specific attention to the inclusion of all voices, including women and children, with a particular focus on marginalized groups and individuals. People living in poverty, indigenous communities and other minorities, persons with disabilities, refugees, others forcibly displaced and stateless persons, children and young people, migrants and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community are some of the groups and individuals who are not necessarily included in policy- and decision-making processes."
This section presents guidance for involving stakeholders in the process of adapting SDGs to the national context, and is applicable also at the sub-national and local levels.
The need for multi-stakeholder approaches is ubiquitous across the eight guidance areas in this document. Four specific aspects are presented below to clarify the means by which Member States can engage an array of different stakeholders at different stages of mainstreaming The 2030 Agenda and SDGs.
It is recognized that all nations already have in place existing processes for planning, budgeting and monitoring, with varying degrees of stakeholder involvement. The guidance areas herein strive for transformation, to go 'beyond governance as usual' and match the transformative ambition of The 2030 Agenda.
- Initial multi-stakeholder engagement: for increasing public awareness of The 2030 Agenda and SDGs;
- Working with national multi-stakeholder bodies or forums: for reviewing existing plans;
- Guidance on multi-stakeholder dialogue: to assist with the process of engagement;
- Fostering public-private partnerships: to leverage the ingenuity, scaling-up ability, and investment potential of business.
These guidance aspects represent successively deeper integration of The 2030 Agenda and SDGs, starting with sensitization of The 2030 Agenda (guidance aspect #1) and evolving to a purposeful analysis by formal multi-stakeholder bodies, forums and planning commissions for how the SDGs could be practically reflected in development strategies and plans at the national, sub-national and local levels (#2). For governments that are already about to engage in a visioning process for their national plan or are interested in a deep conversation with their citizens on how to land the global SDGs at a national, sub-national or local level, the guidance on multi-stakeholder dialogue (#3) will be useful.
Initial Multi-stakeholder Engagement for Increasing Public Awareness of The 2030 Agenda and SDGs
As a first stage of multi-stakeholder engagement for mainstreaming The 2030 Agenda and SDGs Member States with guidance from UNCTs can begin raising public awareness of the global agenda and also the country's existing national development plan and planning process. Guidance in this regard was provided in Section B1, including the types of stakeholders that could be engaged and the content that would be useful to share at this early stage.
Working with National Councils or Forums on SDG Review and Implementation
"Arrangements for engaging stakeholders need to be flexible to take account of changing patterns of stakeholders' organisation. But they can be strengthened by institutional arrangements to enable long-term engagement to flourish and deliver results. National Councils for Sustainable Development, Commissioners or Ombudsmen for Future Generations, Economic and Social Councils can all play a valuable part. Such bodies can develop expertise in the creation of strategies and the policies pursued within them and in the monitoring and review of progress. They can build crucial relationships of trust with all the parts of Government that are concerned and with the major stakeholder groups in society."
Report to the European Economic and Social Committee by the Stakeholder Forum (2015)
Stakeholders have collectively made the call "for governments to create spaces and mechanisms for engagement." In some countries these 'spaces' have already been institutionalized as some type of formal multi-stakeholder council or similar body and may have a proven track record in facilitating national stakeholder dialogue on sustainable development issues. Notable examples from developed countries include the German Council for Sustainable Development and the Finnish National Commission for Sustainable Development (Stakeholder Forum 2015). [1] Examples of similar national councils can also be found in a number of developing countries from around the world, such as in the Philippines, Vietnam, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Dominican Republic (GN-NCSDS 2015).
In countries where multi-stakeholder bodies currently exist, or where planning commissions operate in collaboration with multi-stakeholder forums, such bodies represent a logical starting point for raising public awareness and creating a broader media or social marketing campaign (Section B1). Such consultative bodies are also the logical point of departure for reviewing existing development plans and the process of adapting SDGs to national contexts (Section B3), as well as a mechanism for facilitating ongoing national dialogue on the implementation of nationally-adapted SDGs. In many countries, the tripartite social dialogue structures between governments, business and workers can serve as platform for the development of more comprehensive implementation and accountability mechanisms.
Innovative Case Example: German Council for Sustainable Development and its SDG Statement to the Federal Government
The independently led The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) has led several wide stakeholder engagement processes around highly substantial sustainability issues including corporate responsibility and the major energy transformation now in progress (the "Energiewende"), and helped to build national consensus on the way forward (Stakeholder Forum 2015). Since 2001, the German Chancellor renews the Council every three years and mandates 15 Members representing all parts of society. A State Secretaries' Committee on Sustainable Development is in charge of the national SD Strategy.
In 2014 the German Government asked the Council to assess how a national implementation of the SDGs will impact the structures and institutions of Germany's sustainability policy. The RNE responded in 2015 by engaging experts in and outside of government and submitted its statement to the federal government on 'Germany's Sustainability Architecture and the SDGs'.
Source: RNE (2015)
Where such formal bodies or forums do not already exist in a country, governments could convene a consultative forum for purposes of SDG review and implementation.
For example, at the EU level, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recently instructed its Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment to draw up an information report on 'Opportunities and processes for civil society involvement in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda in the EU'. A key proposal of the information report is "to establish a regular platform or forum for the EU sustainable development agenda." Key guidance elements proposed for this regular forum include (EESC 2015):
- "The Committee strongly believes that participatory governance requires a political framework and an organisational and procedural structure in order to become operative. Stakeholder engagement in long-term sustainable development works best if it is organised as a continuous process rather than being conducted on an ad-hoc basis or through unrelated one off engagement exercises at different points of the policy cycle. A structured process enables stakeholders as well as governments to plan ahead, to assemble evidence, reports and other material to make well-researched contributions at the appropriate time in the policy cycle. Standing institutional arrangements allow the capacities of civil society representatives to be strengthened over time and the trusting relationships of support and cooperation to be built up.
- This forum will bring together, on a regular basis, policy actors from EU institutions with a broad range of civil society representatives, including the private sector. The process must match with the EU Semester cycle as well as with the UN SDG monitoring intervals.
- The forum will provide the required regular, stable, structured and independent framework for civil society dialogue and debate at EU level:
- The Committee recognises that for such a framework to be effective, it should include all the core EU decision-makers on economic and financial policies, including the Commission's First Vice-President and the Commissioner responsible for the EU Semester as they need to engage in the debate on sustainable development policies. This will create the environment that will enable civil society representatives to be able to hold the decision-makers to account.
- The Committee recommends that the participation structure for civil society must include the whole spectrum of organisations representing sectors of relevance for the sustainable development agenda, including industry, micro, small and medium-sized businesses, trade unions, farmers as well as development, social and environment NGOs.
- The Committee knows from long experience that participatory governance must be based on transparency, knowledge and monitoring. Regular progress reports on the implementation of the SDGs provided by the Commission and Eurostat are therefore an important prerequisite for organised civil society to play an active role in the monitoring."
Excluded groups, including women, children, adolescents, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities often lack adequate forums in which to build consensus and articulate demands for their social, economic and other rights, and UNCTs may wish to examine how to foster the development of new stakeholder groups, where necessary.
Innovative Case Example: Somalia
The development and implementation of a compact in Somalia under the 'The New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States' framework is a good example of applying a multi-stakeholder approach to implementation of the SDGs.
In 2013, with the adoption of a new Constitution, formation of a new Parliament and selection of the President, a window of opportunity for a new phase of stabilization and peacebuilding in Somalia was presented. In order to help manage the transition process, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), with civil society, parliament and other Somali stakeholders, and the international community agreed to develop a Compact, guided by the principles of the New Deal.
As part of the Compact, which was produced on the basis of a fragility assessment, the FGS and international community defined mutual roles and responsibilities including a financing architecture and setting up of overall framework for advancing peacebuilding and state-building in Somalia. The compact was the result of an inclusive process and strong partnership between the FGS, the United Nations, the World Bank, EU and donors and other key partners. The FGS and partners made sure there was strong alignment between international assistance and the Somali Compact priorities and partnership principles. With support from the UN, the government established an Aid Coordination Unit for effective coordination and implementation of the compact.
Source: UNICEF.
Guidance on Multi-stakeholder Dialogue
Some countries may already be poised for deeper dialogue on the integration of SDGs, for example, if it is about to engage in a national visioning process. In such instances, guidance on how to conduct large-scale multi-stakeholder dialogues will be helpful to Member States.
To inform the Post-2015 'World We Want' Global Conversation initiated in 2012, the UNDG issued guidelines to UNCTs for conducting national consultations (UNDG 2012). The national dialogues were designed to "stimulate an inclusive, bottom-up debate on a post-2015 development agenda in order to complement the existing intergovernmental process." In the context of the dialogues, the guidelines provided "ideas for how to promote inclusive consultations with government representatives, NGOs, civil society, community-based organizations (CBOs), indigenous peoples, women's and social movements, youth and children, and the private sector, among others (UNDG 2012)."
Two core process principles were put forth as a foundation for the consultation guidelines:
- INCLUSION: Efforts should be made to open the consultations to all stakeholders in the country who will be affected by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with particular focus on effectively involving those who are commonly underrepresented or marginalized in decision-making processes; and
- ACCOUNTABILITY: Efforts should also be made to ensure that people who participate in the consultations have access to relevant information and can provide feedback and influence the results and the process of the consultations. More specifically, a critical aspect of accountability in any kind of consultation process has to do with who controls the information that is generated, how that information is analysed and how it is subsequently used. Another very important aspect of accountability is transparency — not just about how the results of the consultation are arrived at, but also transparency in how the consultation itself will relate to the wider process of decision-making about the 2030 Agenda.
Innovative Case Example: National Post-2015 Consultations Across Africa
The post-2015 consultation processes in Africa largely benefited from the legacy of formulating long-term development plans (vision documents) and short- to medium-term plans (poverty reduction strategy papers, PRSPs, and national development plans, NDPs)—processes which have demanded broad consultations with different stakeholders.
The post-2015 consultations, therefore, built on this foundation and included new forms of consulting stakeholders and bringing in other groups that would not normally participate in national planning processes. The methodologies used were largely similar, with a few exceptions. Most of the consultations in Africa were organized by the various UN country teams (UNCTs), national governments (mainly ministries/departments of planning or finance) and key actors of civil society, including women and youth groups, people with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, academia and the private sector.
Face-to-face meetings in various formats dominated consultation methodologies in all the 30 countries conducting national consultations. To increase inclusion and accountability, however, focus group discussions, stakeholder interviews, radio phone-in programmes, television panel interviews and specific group and expert group meetings were used. In addition, on- and offline surveys were used in several countries including MY World surveys and the use of text messaging, which managed to obtain feedback from 17,000 young people in Uganda.
In total, close to 350,000 stakeholders were consulted on the post-2015 agenda in Africa. Many of the countries conducted consultations in selected districts, regions, provinces or zones as representative samples of entire countries followed by consultations and validation at the national level.
Source: UNDG (2013)
Fostering Public-Private Partnerships
"Private business activity, investment and innovation are major drivers of productivity, inclusive economic growth and job creation. We acknowledge the diversity of the private sector, ranging from micro-enterprises to cooperatives to multinationals. We call on all businesses to apply their creativity and innovation to solving sustainable development challenges. We will foster a dynamic and well-functioning business sector, while protecting labour rights and environmental and health standards in accordance with relevant international standards and agreements and other on-going initiatives in this regard, such as the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the labour standards of ILO, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and key multilateral environmental agreements, for parties to those agreements."
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (para 67)
Partnerships with the business sector will be a crucial part of implementing The 2030 Agenda. Businesses around the world have experience with integrating sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles into planning and reporting practices through the adoption of volunteer guidelines such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP 2015) and Greenhouse Gas Protocol, UN Global Compact (UN-GC 2015), the 'Equality Means Business' Women Empowerment Principles (UN Global Compact & UN Women, 2010), Principles for Responsible Investment, and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (2011), just to name a few. The innovativeness of the private sector can bring new insights to the solution of systemic sustainable development issues and the ubiquitous nature of supply chains represents a leverage point for scaling up the impact of sustainability practices. Combined with the investment potential of the private sector in driving local, sub-national, national and global development, the necessity of public-private partnerships for implementing The 2030 Agenda is clear.
Given this context, Member States with the support of UNCTs where required can endeavor to include the private sector in awareness raising efforts (Section B1) and as valued stakeholders in adapting SDGs to national, sub-national and local contexts (Section B3), creating horizontal and vertical policy coherence (Sections B4 and B5), budgeting for the future (Section B6), monitoring, reporting and accountability (Section B7), and in assessing risk and fostering adaptability of plans and policies (Section B8).
Innovative Case Example: Public-Private Partnerships: UNEP/GEF's en.Lighten – A Global Efficient Lighting Partnership
The initiative is a public/private partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme, OSRAM and Philips Lighting, with the support of the Global Environment Facility. The National Lighting Test Centre of China became a partner in 2011 and the Australian Government joined to support developing countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific in 2013.
Interested countries make a dedicated pledge signaling the intent to work with en.lighten to design and implement a set of policies and approaches that will enable the transition to energy-efficient lighting quickly and cost-effectively. Emphasis is placed on an integrated approach for designing policy measures so that the transition can be sustained by the domestic market without continued external support or resources.
Source: UNEP-GEF (2015).
UNDG National Consultation Guidelines
In 2012 the UNDG issued national consultation guidelines for UN Country Teams to "facilitate post-2015 consultations …to stimulate discussion amongst national stakeholders, and to garner inputs and ideas for a shared global vision of The Future We Want." These guidelines can be of use today in a country's efforts to engage multiple stakeholders in a dialogue on how to improve an existing national strategy or plan through the integration of the global SDGs. The process-related guidance included the following areas (UNDG 2012):
- Whom to engage? (a) Identifying stakeholders, (b) Considerations for selecting stakeholders
- How to engage? Preparing an inclusive consultation. (a) Questions to ensure inclusiveness and accountability when planning, (b) Format (or 'shape') of the consultation process, (c) Designing of consultation activities
- Which method should be used?
- The role of the facilitator
- Logistics: Preparing a consultation. (a) Preparations, (b) Venue of meeting, (c) Post-consultation
Human Rights Guidance
- Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions. UNDP-OHCHR (2012)
- UNDG Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples' Issues. UNDG (2009)
- Frequently Asked Questions on a Human Rights-Based Approach to Development Cooperation. OHCHR (2006)
- Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework OHCHR (2011).
Information Report of the European Economic and Social Committee on CSO Involvement in the Post-2015 Development Agenda at the EU Level
The EESC information report on civil society involvement in the Post-2015 Development Agenda at the EU level provides guidance that is relevant to any country (EESC 2015).
Website of the Global Network of National Councils for Sustainable Development and Similar Bodies
The Global Network of National Councils for Sustainable Development and Similar Bodies (GN-NCSDS) aims to help strengthen national level sustainable development bodies through information exchange and collaboration. Operated by the UK-based Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future, the network's website maintains a global database of existing national councils or similar bodies and provides links to useful research and guidance.
References and Links
Bertelsmann Stiftung (2013a). Winning Strategies for a Sustainable Future. Page 31. Verlag Bertelsmann Stiftung: Gutersloh.
CDP (2015). The Carbon Disclosure Project.
EESC (2015). Opportunities and processes for civil society involvement in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda in the EU. Information Report of the Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, European Economic and Social Committee. Available at:
OHCHR (2006). Frequently Asked Questions on a Human Rights-Based Approach to Development Cooperation.
OHCHR (2011). Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework.
PRI (015). Principles for Responsible Investment.
Stakeholder Forum (2015). Building the Europe We Want: Models for civil society involvement in the implementation of the Post-2015 agenda at the EU level. Study by Stakeholder Forum for the European Economic and Social Committee.
UN (2015). Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Outcome Document for the United Nations Summit to Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
UNDG (2009). Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples' Issues.
UNDG (2012). Post-2015 Development Agenda: Guidelines for Country Dialogues – What Future Do You Want? United Nations Development Group.
UNDG (2014). Delivering the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Opportunities at the National and Local Levels. United Nations Development Group.
UNDG (2013). A Million Voices: The World We Want, Annex 1: Process Description of National Consultations.
UNDP-OHCHR (2012). Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions.
UNEP-GEF (2015). En.Lighten. United Nations Environment Program and the Global Environment Facility.
UN-GC (2015). United Nations Global Compact.
UN Global Compact & UN Women (2010). 'Equality Means Business' Women Empowerment Principles.
WRI and WBCSD (2015). The Greenhouse Gas Protocol. World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
[1] It is worth noting that in some countries, such formalized stakeholder bodies have already come and gone for a myriad of reasons. Notable examples include the United Kingdom's Sustainable Development Commission, Canada's National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and the Tasmania Progress Board (Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2013a). Perceived reasons for the dissolution of these bodies vary from fiscal pressures, to not reflecting current government policy, and to the perception that sustainable development is already sufficiently integrated within government.


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photos by Kyle Johnson
Blind Pilot is an indie-folk duo from Portland who tours the West on bike, even hauling all their gear in tiny coffin-shaped bike trailers. The press has drawn the obvious, big name comparisons to the duo like The Shins, Bright Eyes and Neutral Milk Hotel, but like their approach to touring, there's something more organic, down to earth, and undeniably "Portland" about the act. Whatever magical coffee bean Portland is using in their espresso to churn out bands like Blind Pilot who are at the front of the evolution of independent music — especially in their approach to touring and evading crippling gas prices — needs to be shared already.
interview by Jim Beckmann
After their set, I sat down with Israel, Ryan, Kati, and Luke, four bike touring members of the band:
Jim: I'm interested in the bicycle tour. How does that work? How did it happen the first time?
Israel: The first time it was just Ryan and I, so it was just drums and a guitar. The more we thought about it, the more it seemed like it would work really well. We moved out to Astoria, lived in a cannery building where we recorded an EP, and then started out on the road.
Jim: What kind of places would you play?
Ryan: We ride about 50 miles a day and mostly go to small towns and play little local bars, where ever there's the most people. Our music kind of lends itself being flexible. We can amplify everything or play acoustic. I can play the drums so that it doesn't overpower his guitar.
Jim: Speaking of that. I heard you have a modified drum kit for the road.
Ryan: For the bike tour, I made a kick drum by mounting hardware to a hard shell tom case, and inside the case I have snare, high hat, more hardware, and then I have a kayaking dry sack with simple hardware. It's very minimal and I can actually make it sound pretty good. But then I'll usually try to set up to have a full kit when I can or just use the band's who played before us.
Jim: Did you book any of the shows in advance?
Ryan: Just a couple.
Israel: On this tour, be booked quite a bit.
Jim: Because people were starting to pay more attention?
Ryan: Mostly. We wanted it to be a bigger thing. We have a real full length album now that we're touring with.
Jim: And now there are four of you? [Asking Kati and Luke] How did you two get added on?
Luke: I demanded it.
Israel: We were playing as a nine-piece in Portland and threw it out there, and though, 'Yeah, right, like anyone's going to want to come on a bike tour, but you all are welcome to come.'"
Jim: Is it easier or harder than you expected it to be? Were you like, "I want to play, but I don't know about this 50 miles a day thing?"
Luke: For me it's not really a lot. I've done a little bit of touring before. This way, I think we're living a little easier and it's a little more relaxed. I thought that touring like this would be harder than it is.
Jim: You're bringing the full sized bass, right? How do you manage that? Are you bringing trailers?
All: Yes!
Israel: We all have trailers. Luke built his trailer himself. It's great. It kind of looks like a coffin, but it rides very smoothly.
Kati: It's really great for getting people's attention on the road… for safety and to get people to come to the shows.
Jim: How has it been on the roads? Is it dangerous out there?
Luke: Not as dangerous as it should feel.
Israel: You start to feel a little invincible, especially when you're all riding together. Nothing bad can happen to you, but then these logging trucks are whizzing by and you get sucked in by them.
Luke: I kind of that feeling when the truck passes you and for a second you get caught in that "whoosh"!
Jim: Do you camp?
Israel: We've only had to camp twice coming down from Bellingham.
Jim: Then do you stay at people's houses?
Kati: For the most part. People are very generous, even when we have six or seven people with us, and open their space for us.
Jim: Technically, your tour is still in Eugene. Where do you go from there? Down or up?
Israel: We're taking an old logging road out to Coos Bay, and then from there down Highway 101 and take that all the way to San Diego.
Jim: And then wind your way back or straight back?
Israel: We're not coming back.
Jim: Ever?
Israel: From there, we're doing a long week on the East Coast. It's still undecided how we're going to get back to Portland.
Jim: Would your tour by bike on the East Coast also.
Ryan: Not really. It will be cold there by then.
Israel: Yeah, [biking] has its limitations. You can bike anywhere, but we're going to fly to Minneapolis and rent a van there.
Jim: Cheaters!
Luke: We're letting everybody down!
Jim: Have people ever come up to you and asked you how you do it? Has there been interest from other people wanting to do this?
Israel: This guy in Corvalis says he wants to do it. He wants to bring his accordion and guitar.
Luke: It's not anything complex.
Jim: Seems more simple than any other way. But logistically, it does seem like a challenge. Like, To bring a standup bass is admirable because you could make do with something else.
Luke: We were actually thinking about that when we were getting ready for this tour. I could have brought and electric bass, but then you have to bring an amp, and it just doesn't sound as good. There are small basses, but the sound just doesn't carry.
Israel: We need to be able to play acoustic.
Jim: So what's the coolest place you've played on the road?
Kati: The Udder Room. [All agree]
Israel: We were biking from Seattle. It was raining in a pretty bad way.
Kati: We missed our ferry.
Israel: We wanted to get to the closest campground because it was getting dark. We rode past this big barn and their was a sign for songwriters. There was this guy inside playing the bass with this huge mustache. And a guy with the biggest hands I've ever seen playing the guitar.
Ryan: It was so surreal. In the back room, they had this little bar.
Israel: They just gave us the stage and we played.
Kati: It was someone's birthday… Kim's…
Jim: I take it you just met Kim that night?
Kati: Yeah.
Ryan: Those are the best parts of touring by bike because you just stumble upon things much more often than if you were just touring by car and driving to your next city.
Israel: And you give things a chance to work out. Like this guy in the Udder Room, and he said that he recognized us on the ferry coming over and he invited us to stay at his house.
Jim: Any groupies? Anyone follow you on the road?
Ryan: One. On the first day, she showed up. She had contacted us on MySpace.
Israel: I've never understood. Did she show up just to ride with us?
Ryan: Just to ride with us. I'm not sure where she was from, maybe Canada. She was fine, but she had said she was a massage therapist and would give us massages. But it never came up.
Israel: It's like she was avoiding it in conversation!
Ryan: She rode with us for a couple days, and that was fun, and then a couple people road with us from Eugene.
Jim: It would be cool to ride with a team of people who go from one city to the next.
Luke: It's great until we don't know where we're going to stay, and then we have to vouch for all of these other people.
Ryan: And everyone is expecting you to show them the way, and we don't always know.
Jim: How about songwriting — are you writing on the road?
Israel: That was originally the plan, but we haven't had a lot of down time because we've been playing the new one. But there are songs in the works.


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Become A Technical Rock Star With Lessons From The Singer Meatloaf
Being a technical rock star is not all about technical skills sometimes soft skills are important. I was watching a documentary on Meatloaf called In Search Of Paradise and when it comes to soft skill lessons he can teach us a few lessons. So here the Top Five lessons from Meatloaf to turn you into a technical Rock Star.
Give It All.
Meatloaf famously faints after every show this is not that he unfit but he puts in so much to the performances when he stops his body just needs to recharge. Know I am not saying that we need to work so hard at work you come home and faint however when it comes to the afternoon and you are starting to lag make sure you work through that barrier.
2. ## Take It All Both The Good & The Bad.
The program showed Meatloaf looking at the reviews and most where good apart from one area of the show he accepted the good parts and the bad parts. In life you could say Meatloaf has had his ups and downs in his life suffering depression and drug abuse however in his personal life and onstage he knew he had to follow point three.
3. ## It Is Not Too Late To Change.
In his tour he performed the song Paradise By The Dashboard Light . The tour was getting raving reviews except for this one segment that some felt that it seemed to 'pervy' when Meatloaf and singer Aspen Miller were acting on stage due to the youthful look of Aspen. After a number of shows just hours before they were due to go on stage they rewrote how the song was going to performed. However the next day they rewrote it again. The take away from this is that is never too late to change even if you are due to ship tomorrow or that big meeting is in few hours.
4. ## Teamwork.
What was obvious from the documentary was the experience was a team effort all working together to put on a rock concert. The next time you are implementing something new remember to get advice from rest of the organisation.
5. ## Introduction Is Everything.
Meatloaf is probably one of the worlds most recognised artists yet every time he meet someone new he started with "Hello I'm Meatloaf". He realised that introductions are everything be that introducing yourself, a rock concert or someone else.
As can see the soft skills we learnt from Meatloaf can help you on your journey to becoming a technical rock star. What else can we learn from rock stars like Meatloaf?


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I was going to ask you guys which hair colour I should choose to get.
Since I wanted something who looked a bit more fresh :P
Than my usually greyish hair xD
I had several colours before: brown, mahogny, black, light :) I tried it ;)
And I like both dark and light.. So it was difficult to choose.
I kind of wanted orange hair.. Which I think is super awesome.. But at the same time, my face us just to red. To have orange hair next to it :( Buhuu..
So I thought practical.. My hair was already a bit light, coz of the lightening spray I have been trying out lately.. And I don`t wanna colour my hair.. Coz it grows out extremly fast.. So I whould have to colour it again in 3 weeks or so.. So I decided on staying like I am and put in some light stripes.. Just to give it some life :P
And summer is on it`s way anyway.. And that will make it even lighter ;)
Wuhuu.. for the sun.. So it would kind of be wast of money, making it dark, right before the summer is coming..
I am happy with the result..
And already dreaming of what my next hair colour should be xD
What do you think??
Which colour should I pick next :P And nope.. I am not doing green ;)
Do you think I would be able to pull of orange hair :)


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Student Exam / Online Test Dashboard - Repost - open to bidding
Budget $30-250 USD
I wanted to create an online test pages for students to improve the old system in my database. Students can log in, taking a test, to see the results. Design view and table I have prepared.
you can discuss to me about my old system to match the new system that will be develop
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Last day of 2015! I hope this year has been amazing to you and that 2016 will make all your wishes come true!
This cover was made for an article titled "Glitter, Cluster, Cover" in the October 2015 issue of Craft Stamper. The idea was to show a piece combining bought embellishments together with some flea market findings. And of course there's glitter, glimmer and shine in there as well as I added many different mediums on top of each other.
With this glimmering project I wish you Happy New Year! For the following few days I'll be sharing my favorite projects of 2015. And don't forget, you still have time to participate to the giveaways, the winners will be announced tomorrow!
Materials: Prima Marketing, Scrap FX, Talens, Ranger, Design Memory Craft


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Caps roll into Tampa playing their best hockey
The Washington Capitals are about to do something they haven't done the past two seasons -- play a meaningful Southeast Division game after the calendar turns to March.
The Capitals have dominated the division since 2008, but this season has been a different story.
They have been chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it will be the Caps who enter Monday's showdown against the Lightning (7 p.m. ET, VERSUS) at St. Pete Times Forum with a one-point lead in the division.
The Capitals have won four straight, most recently Sunday's 3-2 overtime win against the Florida Panthers, 3-2. It was the Caps' seventh-straight win by one goal; they are 19-7-10 in one-goal games this season.
"Sometimes it's good to play the close games," said goalie Michal Neuvirth, who has allowed just seven goals in his past four starts. "It's a little bit intense and I don't mind playing in intense games. We've won four in a row and it's a good start. I think we're getting something together here, and (Monday is) going to be another great challenge for us and we've got to be ready."
Washington won each of the past two Southeast titles by more than 20 points, but Tampa Bay has emerged as a worthy challenger this season.
Under new coach Guy Boucher, the Lightning have gone from also-rans the past three seasons to a team that's contending for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They are third in the East with 190 goals and have improved defensively in the past month.
However, they've hit a bit of a wall recently. They have lost three straight, are winless in seven of their last 11 and scored just eight goals in their past five games. Steven Stamkos, who leads the League with 41 goals, has just one in his last 11 games.
"It's definitely a struggle right now," Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier said. "We've got to get back to taking the shots and putting back rebounds."
"You battle a lot of adversity throughout the year," Martin St. Louis said, "and right now we're in the middle of it."
The season series between the Lightning and Capitals has been a back-and-forth affair.
In the first two meetings, in November, the Capitals rolled to home wins of 6-3 and 6-0. With goaltending proving to be an issue, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman acquired Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders on Jan. 1.
Roloson paid immediate dividends, earning shutouts of 1-0 and 3-0 on Jan. 4 and Jan. 12, respectively, to help the Lightning vault the Capitals in the Southeast.
The Capitals responded Feb. 4 with a 5-2 victory in Tampa, setting up Monday's pivotal game.
The Lightning are coming off Saturday's 4-2 home loss to the Montreal Canadiens, a setback that had Boucher wondering if his team's slow start was a result of the Capitals looming on the schedule.
"I don't know if it was because we were looking ahead to the Washington game, or it was the first game back from the road trip or it was because we felt comfortable with where we (were in the standings)," Boucher told the Tampa Tribune. "Whatever reason it is, it's a bad reason.
"We are not going to have that problem (Monday)."
"I think this is the biggest game of the year for us, and we know it, we talked about it," Stamkos told the Tampa Tribune. "The last time we played them they came into our rink and embarrassed us. They were ready to play and said it was their biggest game of the year, and did it. They are playing good hockey right now and we are getting away from why we were successful."
The Capitals are looking to ride the momentum of their winning streak to a three-point advantage in a division they've owned since 2008.
"We're looking forward now and we have to be focused, especially since we have to play in Tampa," Caps center Nicklas Backstrom said. "Hopefully this winning streak can give us the confidence we need for the upcoming games."
Follow Dave Lozo on Twitter: @DaveLozo


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Christianity teaches that humans are unique in all of creation: we are conscious of our existence, aware of death, capable of works of great creativity, and the only part of creation that bears the image of God. Humans alone have eternal souls, which confers unique moral status.Unfortunately, Colson didn't have the foresight to respond to the insight that chimpanzees swaying rhythmically while staring at a waterfall may be a primitive form of worship. This is not your father's evangelicalism (and I'm not assuming you particularly admired that one).
"We will never save civilisation as long as civilisation is our main object. We must learn to want something else even more." —C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Monday, April 23, 2012
On Chimps with Souls and Why I'm Thankful for Chuck Colson
Christianity Today has released a breathtaking interview that suggests chimps may have souls. In God's kind providence, Chuck Colson repudiated this notion not quite four years ago:
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Hey Blogger Babes! I'm here today to share with you one of my favorite affiliate companies, Maven X Inc! 99.9% of us started our blogs as a hobby writing about something we are passionate about. My passion is style and creating fun looks…..but your's might be makeup or cooking or really just about anything! Now we would all be lying if we said were not here to make money. At the end of the day though, this is business. For some of you that business is your full time income and you should be paid for your work
Affiliate links are the main way most of us earn income but that can also be slow in the beginning so today I'm going to tell you about Maven X Inc which is an affiliate site that also hooks you up with Share Events (collaborations) for some great companies! With Maven X you create boards similar to pinterest and you can share your boards all over social media If someone clicks on a product and makes a purchase you get a commission like any other affiliate. See boards below that I have created:
I created the above boards for my first 2 collaborations that I landed within the first week or so of signing up with Maven X Inc! I was able to collab with Dynamite Clothing & South Moon Under and my experience was awesome each time! The collaborations, or Share Events as they call them are my favorite way to earn while sharing products I love.
How it Works:
When you do a Share Event you receive detailed instructions about creating your board and when and where to share. The company will usually send you a gift card to shop for products on their site. Then they also pay you a monetary fee on top of that after completing the share event. I love this type of collaboration because let's face it….we all love free products but spending the time writing and shooting costs time and when this is your job, free products don't pay the bills. Maven X Inc is great because they work with companies that know up front that influencers deserves to be paid for the work they do …not just gifted free products!
Once you complete your sharing you fill out a completion form showing all the links where you shared your products and then within a few days your fee is deposited into your Maven X Inc account. Payments accumulate in your account and are then deposited to you via paypal at the beginning of each month! Super easy. The amount you get paid for each share event is different ….but let me just say ……they pay well!
You also get a bonus commission for referring your blogger babe friends and it's free to sign up! So why not try it out and start getting the exposure you deserve! Don't take my word for it….sign up HERE and see for yourself!
atlanta blog income blogger fashion maven maven x inc


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|Personal Liberty Bob Livingston provides you with a conservative, Christian view on life. Helping you live free in an unfree world. Delivering news on improving you health, boosting your wealth, and protecting your civil liberties."
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Union: Federal Government Should Take States Out Of Immigration Debate To Stop The D
One of the Nations most powerful labor unions is lobbying the Obama Administration to take immigration policy considerations out of the hands of State officials in an effort to make the United States a friendlier nation for persons who live here illegally.
"DHS needs to reassert federal control over immigration enforcement priority decision-making and implementation by ending programs that effectively delegate these responsibilities to state and local law enforcement, many of whom do not share DHS's enforcement priorities," the AFL-CIO wrote.
The recommendations also call on the government to disallow local law enforcement agencies to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers by way of the Secure Communities program, the Criminal Alien Program and 287(g) agreements.
According to a series of recommendations for Presidential action on immigration released by the AFL-CIO on Monday, there are a number of pro-worker reasons for the Federal government to halt deportations.
One such issue that the labor union wants the President to address is the use of the deportation card by U.S. employers and landlords to discourage illegal aliens from reporting unsatisfactory working or living conditions.
"When undocumented individuals complain about workplace or housing violations, (their bosses and landlords) may report false or minor charges to the police, potentially leading to the individuals being placed in removal proceedings even if criminal charges are dropped," the union said in a statement.
People living and working in the Nation illegally should have the ability to step out of the shadows without fear of government or employer retaliation, the union argues.
"Based on our experience, most workers will not take action to enforce their workplace rights if they know they can be fired or, worse, deported if they complain about non-payment of wages, dangerous working conditions, or sexual harassment," the AFL-CIO said. "The same is true when undocumented tenants face unsafe housing conditions, but fear reporting violations to housing authorities."
The post Union: Federal Government Should Take States Out Of Immigration Debate To Stop The Deportation Crisis appeared first on Personal Liberty.
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I was happy with the structure of this full day event as it allowed members to attend sessions that were relevant for them. The day started off with the welcome address by HSMA Germany chief, which was followed by key note session on "The hotel industry explained in five games" by Dr. Christian Rieck, professor of game theory, University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt. The session went really well as it was quite interactive and engaged the audience effectively.
The rest of the event was neatly segregated into three parallel sessions – Metasearch, Revenue Management and Distribution. Each session had different sub-topics with expert speakers. The highlight of this year's Pricing & Distribution Day was the panel discussion on the hot topic Meta Search - new opportunity or new threat to the hotel industry. Industry experts from Trivago, KAYAK, TripAdvisor and Google took part in the discussion and shared their insights.
The event provided a great networking platform to meet hotel owners and managers. We received some good reviews about our products and also got the opportunity to showcase some of our new solutions. I look forward to attending more sessions organized by HSMA – many congratulations to HSMA for the successful event.
Alina Wysokowsky is Sales Manager for Germany at eRevMax and is responsible for business development in the region. She can be reached at email@example.com


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Watch Phoenix rise: fame has its downside.
Record details
- Physical Description: 1 online resource (1 video file (approximately 91 min.)) : sound, color
- Publisher: [United States] : ♭Maverick Entertainment Group : 2015.
Content descriptions
|Restrictions on Access Note:
Digital content provided by hoopla.
|Creation/Production Credits Note:
Directed by Ramasses Head.
|Participant or Performer Note:
Sierra Mora, Karen Cox, Jonez 'Joni' Cain, Angelica Marie, Tammy Brice, Ron Cooper, Kartiea 'Foota' Turner, Benjamin Colbert, Marcus Spencer.
|Summary, etc.:
Phoenix, a young girl from humble beginnings is destined to be just another pretty face until she becomes a fashion model. She soon realizes that the industry is full of users and abusers, so she starts a modeling agency with her best friend Angel
|Target Audience Note:
Not rated.
|System Details Note:
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Search for related items by subject
|Fame > Drama.
Families > Drama.
Friendship > Drama.


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This article is a collaboration between MedPage Today® and:
Trans fats may be good for taste and texture, but they may have adverse health effects beyond cardiovascular risk, at least for men under age 45.
Among nearly 700 men, high consumption of dietary trans fatty acid (dTFA) was associated with worse performance on a word-recall test: for each gram of dTFA intake per day, participants recalled 0.76 fewer words, according to Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, and Alexis Bui, both in the department of medicine at the University of California San Diego, writing in PLOS ONE.
The deficit translated to an estimated 11 or 12 fewer correct responses (out of 104 possible) for those who consumed the most dTFA, at 15.7 grams per day (SE 0.27, 95% CI 0.22-1.3; P=0.006).
The relationship was significantly affected by systolic blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference, Golomb and Bui indicated.
"These findings ... add to evidence for unfavorable health correlates of trans fat consumption," wrote the authors. "They extend findings to a third pillar or central nervous system function, cognition -- complementing evidence for adverse dTFA relations to behavior and mood."
On the other hand, there was no relationship between dTFA consumption and worsened memory in males over 45.
Earlier this month, the FDA announced that food companies must remove all trans fat in their products within 3 years, citing health risks. In 2013, they said that the fat was no longer "generally recognized as safe," and in recent years, trans fats have been found to be associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including increased LDL cholesterol levels and increased risk of coronary heart disease. Some researchers have been calling for a ban for years.
Data for the current study came from a 1999-2005 trial of statins involving more than 1,000 adults, with a variety of noncardiac outcomes (including cognition) measured prospectively. Golomb and Bui restricted the primary analysis to men because only postmenopausal women were screened for participation in the study.
A central weakness of the study is its reliance on a food frequency questionnaire, asking about consumption frequency, portion size, and preparation. This method is known to suffer from faulty recall and other biases, according to a recent review. Patients completed the dietary survey before their baseline visit.
Trans fat consumption was estimated from the questionnaire responses and from USDA data on foods containing trans fats.
For the memory test, participants were shown a set of 104 cards, each with one word. Most of the cards (82) had a word that was being shown for the first time in the set, while 22 of them showed words that had been previously shown. Participants were then asked to state if the word was being shown for the first time, or if it was a recurring word. Their score was the number of correct responses. The average across all participants included in the analysis was 86 out of 104.
"Trans fats were most strongly linked to worse memory in men during their high productivity years," said Golomb in a press release. "Trans fat consumption has previously shown adverse associations to behavior and mood -- other pillars of brain function. However, to our knowledge a relation to memory or cognition had not been shown."
Researchers tested for certain confounders including age, exercise, education, ethnicity, chocolate consumption, and mood, the last of which was adversely associated with dTFA in the study, wrote the authors.
"As I tell patients, while trans fats increase the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people," said Golomb.
Golomb and Bui suggested that the effect was missing for those more than 45 years of age because the higher age might have meant that those with poor memory were already excluded from the study. "Greater variance in word memory introduced by accrued cognitive losses with age ... could mean that the restricted visible portion of the distribution no longer retains comparable power to detect associations," they wrote.
Blood pressure, waist circumference, and BMI didn't independently predict memory performance. The authors hypothesized that those factors worked in parallel with cognition rather than themselves playing a mediating role.
Limitations of the study, in addition to the method for estimating trans fat consumption, include its cross-sectional nature. "Unaccounted sources of bias and confounding cannot be excluded," wrote the authors. Objective markers, like measures of red blood cell membrane trans fats, were not used. But there are advantages to using trans fat intake over levels, according to the study authors, since other factors can modify the relation of nutrient intake to blood level.
In addition, the researchers could not determine causality, but they wrote that their findings "add weight to the possibility that the association we identify could have a causal basis."
Researchers disclosed no relevant relationships with industry.
- Reviewed by F. Perry Wilson, MD, MSCE Assistant Professor, Section of Nephrology, Yale School of Medicine and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
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