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Mediators of Inflammation
Volume 2012, Article ID 515692, 3 pages
Inflammatory Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers: Update on Novelties and Limitations
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Avenue de la Roseraie 64, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
2First Medical Clinic, Laboratory of Phagocyte Physiopathology and Inflammation, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16100 Genoa, Italy
3Laboratory of Hypertension, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
4Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Genetics and Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211 Genera, Switzerland
Received 1 April 2012; Accepted 1 April 2012
Copyright © 2012 Fabrizio Montecucco et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Evidence from Framingham studies showed that some disorders and conditions (such as hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, smoking, diabetes, old age, and male sex) are particularly useful to estimate the cardiovascular (CV) risk of acute ischemic events [1] and are currently considered as the "traditional" cardiovascular risk factors. This led to the development of several clinically based CV risk stratification tools, and the Framingham risk score is one of the most commonly used CV risk stratification tools nowadays [2]. However, these "traditional" cardiovascular risk factors were shown to be suboptimal for proper CV risk stratification due to low specificity and sensitivity [3–6]. Therefore, a novel concept of "global" cardiovascular vulnerability has been suggested to better predict acute cardiovascular events [7, 8]. Interestingly, this approach was particularly focused on "the clinical and laboratory complexity of the patient" instead of "a single risk factor." Several pathophysiological parameters have been proposed as new cardiovascular risk factors potentially improving the assessment of patient vulnerability [7, 8]. Although some controversies still exist, the atherosclerotic role of inflammatory biomarkers (such as C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and chemokines) [9–12] has been shown within atherosclerotic plaques, in the systemic circulation or in the peripheral ischemic tissues in both in vivo and in vitro models. More recently, novel inflammatory mediators (such as circulating autoantibodies and hormones) have been also identified [13, 14]. These soluble mediators have been shown to trigger several atherosclerotic functions of both inflammatory and vascular cells [15]. On the other hand, the mobilization of protective cell subsets might also counterbalance atheroprogression, thus limiting the chronic inflammatory processes and improving cardiovascular outcomes [16]. These protective aspects might be particularly relevant when atherosclerosis is associated with concomitant inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, and diabetes), which seem to further accelerate atherogenesis towards final acute ischemic complications or arterial aneurysms [17–19]. This special issue focused on new soluble mediators as promising candidates to better assess the cardiovascular risk. Importantly, the limitations of the potential clinical use of these systemic and intraplaque inflammatory molecules influencing atheroprogression have also been discussed. In particular, E. Lupia and coworkers revised the clinical role of thrombopoietin (a humoral growth factor activating platelets) as a promising biomarker of cardiovascular injury. P. Kunes and colleagues developed interesting findings on the controversial role of pentraxin family (which includes CRP) in the inflammatory response. The authors focused on the newly discovered pentraxin 3 and suggested paradoxical issues that will probably be validated in the near future. Drs. D. Vasic and the D. Walcher from the University of Ulm (Germany) revised the potential proatherosclerotic activity of C-peptide as a predictor of cardiovascular risk in diabetic subjects. This paper focused on a hot-topic issue in cardiovascular research. In fact, only very recently, C-peptide (previously considered as a product of cleavage of proinsulin) has been proposed as an active factor favouring atherosclerosis. Despite some limitations on the molecular mechanisms (the C-peptide receptor remains to be identified), this molecule might activate different leukocyte subsets in atherogenesis. Among these cells, the different types of macrophages appear as a relevant target for inflammatory mediators. T. Gui and coworkers discussed this issue and provided an interesting and comprehensive review on the impact of macrophages in both early and advanced phases of atherogenesis. The authors also suggested these cells as promising biomarkers of plaque vulnerability. Another review article of the present issue mainly focused on the proteolytic mechanisms regulating intraplaque remodelling potentially favouring the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Drs. Z.- Z. Li and Q.-Y. Dai focused on direct activities mediated by nicotine via its receptor (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor) on plaque inflammation, angiogenesis, and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. The paper of Z. Qu and colleagues further developed the proinflammatory reactions underlying abdominal aortic aneurysm formation in advanced atherosclerosis. Some receptors of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P, a recently discovered lysophospholipid) were shown to play a crucial role in human abdominal aorta aneurysms as compared with normal aorta control tissues. In particular, S1P3 receptor was significantly upregulated in human abdominal aortic aneurysms, while S1P2 receptor was downregulated as compared to normal aortic samples. Although the molecular mechanisms remain unexplored (parallel expression of other inflammatory mediators was not investigated), this observational study identified a potential novel cardiovascular biomarker (S1P) in advanced atherosclerosis. Differently from this paper, K.-Karatolios and coworkers focused their study on well-known cytokines and growth factors. Surprisingly, the authors showed that the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in pericardial effusions of patients with autoreactive or viral inflammation were significantly higher as compared to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). No significant difference was shown for inflammatory cytokines. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be investigated, these two growth factors might be more promising biomarkers of pericardial inflammation than "traditional" cytokines. After a diffuse discussion on soluble mediators potentially increasing the cardiovascular risk, R. Wyderka and coworkers focused their investigation on the mobilization of protective CD34+CXC4+ stem/progenitor cells in humans after an acute myocardial infarction. The authors clearly showed that this process was positively correlated with the improvements of values of the left ventricular ejection fraction at 1-year of followup, suggesting a beneficial activity of these cells in myocardial repair.
In both inflammatory micro- and macroenvironments characterizing atherosclerosis, some tissues might also produce some unexpected molecules potentially contrasting with physiological paradigms. M. L. Sirico and coworkers showed that human adipocytes can express and synthesize albumin. This paper was selected to highlight the potentialities of adipose tissue as an inflammatory organ capable of ectopically producing a large variety of mediators during atherogenesis. The present issue includes by the paper of C. Falcone and colleagues investigating the potential activity as biomarkers of soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (sRAGE) in patients with hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk. The authors showed that antihypertensive treatments might affect sRAGE plasma levels. All the papers included in the present issue focused on both novelty and limitations of promising inflammatory biomarkers that in the near future might be used in the clinical practice to improve cardiovascular disease prevention. We hope that the reader will find some useful inputs for developing research and updating knowledge on cardiovascular pathophysiology.
This research was funded by EU FP7, Grant no. 201668, AtheroRemo to Dr. F. Mach. This work was also supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation Grants to Dr. F. Mach (no. 310030-118245) and Dr. F. Montecucco (no. 32003B-134963/1).
Fabrizio Montecucco
François Mach
Aldo Pende
Thomas H. Schindler
Rafaela F. da Silva
Nicolas Vuilleumier
- P. W. F. Wilson, R. B. D'Agostino, D. Levy, A. M. Belanger, H. Silbershatz, and W. B. Kannel, "Prediction of coronary heart disease using risk factor categories," Circulation, vol. 97, no. 18, pp. 1837–1847, 1998. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- I. Tzoulaki, K. C. Siontis, and J. P. Ioannidis, "Prognostic effect size of cardiovascular biomarkers in datasets from observational studies versus randomised trials: meta-epidemiology study," British Medical Journal, vol. 343, article d6829, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- U. N. Khot, M. B. Khot, C. T. Bajzer et al., "Prevalence of conventional risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease," Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 290, no. 7, pp. 898–904, 2003. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- T. P. Murphy, R. Dhangana, M. J. Pencina, A. M. Zafar, and R. B. D'Agostino, "Performance of current guidelines for coronary heart disease prevention: optimal use of the Framingham-based risk assessment," Atherosclerosis, vol. 216, no. 2, pp. 452–457, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- K. Nasir, E. D. Michos, R. S. Blumenthal, and P. Raggi, "Detection of high-risk young adults and women by coronary calcium and national cholesterol education program panel III guidelines," Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 46, no. 10, pp. 1931–1936, 2005. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- K. M. Johnson and D. A. Dowe, "The detection of any coronary calcium outperforms framingham risk score as a first step in screening for coronary atherosclerosis," American Journal of Roentgenology, vol. 194, no. 5, pp. 1235–1243, 2010. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- M. Naghavi, P. Libby, E. Falk et al., "From vulnerable plaque to vulnerable patient: a call for new definitions and risk assessment strategies: part I," Circulation, vol. 108, no. 14, pp. 1664–1672, 2003. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- M. Naghavi, P. Libby, E. Falk et al., "From vulnerable plaque to vulnerable patient: a call for new definitions and risk assessment strategies: part II," Circulation, vol. 108, no. 15, pp. 1772–1778, 2003. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- M. Mirabelli-Badenier, V. Braunersreuther, G. L. Viviani et al., "CC and CXC chemokines are pivotal mediators of cerebral injury in ischaemic stroke," Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 105, no. 3, pp. 409–420, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- L. Guasti, F. Dentali, L. Castiglioni et al., "Neutrophils and clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes and/or cardiac revascularisation. A systematic review on more than 34,000 subjects," Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 106, no. 4, pp. 591–599, 2011. View at Google Scholar
- W. Koenig, "Predicting risk and treatment benefit in atherosclerosis: the role of C-reactive protein," International Journal of Cardiology, vol. 98, no. 2, pp. 199–206, 2005. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- F. Montecucco and F. Mach, "New evidences for C-reactive protein (CRP) deposits in the arterial intima as a cardiovascular risk factor," Clinical Interventions in Aging, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 341–349, 2008. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- F. Montecucco, N. Vuilleumier, S. Pagano et al., "Anti-apolipoprotein A-1 auto-antibodies are active mediators of atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability," European Heart Journal, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 412–421, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- F. Montecucco, A. Pende, and F. MacH, "The renin-angiotensin system modulates inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis: evidence from basic research and clinical studies," Mediators of Inflammation, vol. 2009, Article ID 752406, 13 pages, 2009. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- P. Libby, P. M. Ridker, and G. K. Hansson, "Progress and challenges in translating the biology of atherosclerosis," Nature, vol. 473, no. 7347, pp. 317–325, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- W. Wojakowski, U. Landmesser, R. Bachowski, T. Jadczyk, and M. Tendera, "Mobilization of stem and progenitor cells in cardiovascular diseases," Leukemia, vol. 2012, no. 26, pp. 23–33, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- F. Montecucco and F. Mach, "Common inflammatory mediators orchestrate pathophysiological processes in rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis," Rheumatology, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 11–22, 2009. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
- M. E. Rosenfeld and L. A. Campbell, "Pathogens and atherosclerosis: update on the potential contribution of multiple infectious organisms to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis," Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 106, pp. 858–867, 2011. View at Google Scholar
- F. Montecucco, S. Steffens, and F. Mach, "Insulin resistance: a proinflammatory state mediated by lipid-induced signaling dysfunction and involved in atherosclerotic plaque instability," Mediators of Inflammation, vol. 2008, Article ID 767623, 10 pages, 2008. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus


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The epidemic of addiction and abuse spawned by OxyContin is well documented, prompting even its manufacturer to replace the narcotic painkiller with a pill it claims is harder to abuse. Now, with the patent expiring on the original drug in two weeks, some provincial health ministers have made an unprecedented request of the federal government: prohibit generic versions of the prototype from coming on the market and opening up a new, far-cheaper supply of so-called Hillbilly heroin. […] In fact, if Health Canada concludes the generic versions of the medicine are biologically equivalent to the already li-cenced, brand-name original, it has no choice but to approve them, said Richard Gold, a leading intellectual property expert at McGill University. "It just seems like a very odd thing to ask for, because anyone who has read the legislation and knows the process would know this just doesn't make sense," Prof. Gold said. "The actual banning of the drug itself and complete refusal I don't think is on the table."
Read more at National Post (and other Postmedia papers)

subset: commoncrawl


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Brought a young man in Puchong to see a priest regarding his intended marriage at the end of the year.
Catholic must register with the priest of intended marriage one year in advance.
He is not fervent but attend Sunday Mass may be once a month. He has a few issues needed to be clarified, one of them is a unpleasant encounter with a priest more than a month ago regarding wedding in the church.
When he mentioned "marriage" to the parish clerk, the reply was:
"First you must have had attended marriage preparation course...."
"... I need to see the priest for advise first..."
The clerk highlighted: " you must make appointment ... the priest will tell you when to come .... Tuesday to Friday, office hours only " . She was holding an appointment book, very business-like and stern face. Don't pray pray ....heh heh heh ( italic wording added by me)
"subject matter: marriage ...or personal ....?"
The young man was quite at a loss ...
If she could have just said: " not to inconvenient yourself, it is advisable to make an appointment with the priest...". ... we would have felt better.
We know priests are busy people, parishioners are busy too ....but since in the vicinity, no harm to try mah...!
All the while, we were shouting at each other. We were not arguing but hard of hearing. We were seperated by a piece of glass and speaking through an tray-like opening, like the old bank teller counter,without voice holes above. The guest has to stoop down to shout at the "opening ".....
In fact I have requested : Let us inside to talk ... but understood its security implication, I did not pursue further and remained stooping ....
My young friend is awaiting for the priest to call ... when? God knows.... and being genuine, he will take a day off from his 27 hour-a-day construction company job (he said so) to attend this 30 minutes meeting .....
Good Catholics are not supposed to complain .....
" 你应当先参加了婚前辅导课程。。。"
书记特地提醒:"见神父必须先预约 。。。 然后等神父答复 。。。只能够在星期二至星期五 。。。办公时间 。。。" 她手上捧着一本预约部,一板正经的 。。。。Don't pray pray, heh heh heh ..(这是我自己加上的英文形容词)
假如那位书记说:" 。。。为了避免你的不方便,我建议你先与神父约定。。。" 这听了也比较舒服。
其实我有提出,好歹也让我们进去谈谈 。。。但知道这是保安的一种措施,就作罢了,还是折腰算了。
这位年轻的朋友,正等待着神父的回电,什么时候?只有天知道 。。。但因为是真诚的要在教堂结婚,他得从每天27小时的建筑公司差事里(他说的),拿一天的假期来赴这三十分钟的约会。
。。。。唔 。唔。唔。 天主教徒不应该埋怨!


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Saturday, June 25, 2011
New Scrap Bag!
5 comments:
Okay, seriously?!! You are just too crafty! LOVE it, and I realize that I NEED (have to) make up page packets!!!! I will be heading to Micheal's on Tuesday to pick me up some of those plastic sleeves! Now you just need a crop to go to! ;)ReplyDelete
That bag is beautiful as well as practical. I bought one of those huge rolling carts when I first started scrapbooking, and I've used it one time. (That was also the only time I went to a crop. hehehe) Your bag would be so handy when I want to take something with me to work on when I visit my parents. Reason #456 why I wish I could sew.ReplyDelete
I love this bag! Citrusy is a word in blogland. ;) Heather Bailey rocks bright colors that make me happy!ReplyDelete
I love your new scrap bag. The fabric is gorgeous. Stopping by from Sew Many Ways linky party and your newest follower.ReplyDelete
This is what I shared today: http://craftybrooklynarmywife.blogspot.com/2011/06/summer-pillows.html
This turned out really nice, thanks for sharing, love the fabric colors and size. What type of padding or interfacing did you choose to use with this fabric? It looks sturdy.ReplyDelete


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Michelle Monaghan: Baby Bumpin' at Bristol Farms!
Michelle Monaghan shows off her growing baby bump as she grabs groceries at Bristol Farms on Thursday (September 19) in Los Angeles.
The 37-year-old pregnant actress carried her two bags of groceries to her car and headed on her way!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of
Michelle recently joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's new HBO pilot Open as a successful and recently engaged gynecologist, according to THR. Anna Torv, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Wes Bentley and Scott Speedman have also signed on for the project.
10+ pictures inside of Michelle Monaghan showing off her baby bump after leaving Bristol Farms with her groceries…


text:
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Having dealt with the hags of Branweald, we continued our journey into Thornwood Forest, to seek the skull of Potentate Olsen's vision. As we entered we found that the forest dark and oppressive, with little light filtering its way through the canopy.
Our first day travelling into the Thornwood was uneventful, though at night the forest seemed to be more alive with wildlife. We decided it was best to set up a cold camp and maintain our vigilance throughout the night. The night passed without event, and we continued our travels deeper into the forest the following day.
Around midday Potentate Olsen said we had reached the source of his vision. After a prayer to our gods and the ascendants, we passed through the forest to find a desolated clearing, void of significant life, apart from a small group of Tharn. Their shaman was performing some ritual at a monument, littered with human remains, which sat upon a small burial mound. Once we entered the clearing, they spotted us and instantly attacked. The battle was short, and we prevailed with minor injuries.
We quickly searched the mound in case more Tharn were attracted to the sounds of gunfire, and found a small alcove concealed by human remains. Upon clearing the carcasses, we found a set of heavy stone doors, engraved with Orgoth carvings. With some force, we managed to push the doors open, and entered a musty corridor. We continued exploring, passing several secret passages, and the site was filled with murals depicting parts of the Orgoth Invasion, particularly the acts of whomever was buried here.
As we ventured deeper into the tomb, we found a pair of guardians known as Dread, corpses filled molten iron, engraved with wards and their arms fashioned into scything blades, similar to the mechanithralls created by Cryxian forces, minus the mechanika. After defeating these Dread, we entered a room with a depraved throne, and human remains littering the area. From these bones emerged several Thrall Warriors. Once again we prevailed and searched the surrounding rooms. In one we found what appeared to be trophies of broken weapons and armour, and several banners that were centuries old. In the other, we found a sarcophagus. Opening the casket, we found the remains of an armoured Orgoth champion, with the skull shaped pendant wound its neck. With great care, we removed the relic and carefully packaged it as best we could, then left the area to return to Corvis.
With haste we made our way back to Corvis to secure the relic, hoping the Menites had crafted a warded vessel to contain it. The small pendant weighed upon the soul, making travel slow, and Matthias took most of the burden. On the first night we returned, near dawn, we were awoken to the amulet chanting, having released itself somehow from Mathias's pack. It seemed to have enchanted Mathias, drawing him closer. We were forced to subdue Mathias, knocking him unconscious. Once this occurred, the chanting stopped, and we collected the relic and continued our journey.
Not long into our travels, the relic started to emit a high pitched screech. We then started hearing horns blown in our vicinity. Obviously the Tharn that had been tracking us could hear the relic's call. We hastened our pace, though could hear the calls of the Tharn getting closer, and decided to stand our ground and prepare for the imminent attack. Within minutes, a small war band of Tharn appeared, and we could hear other groups closing in to our vicinity.
As we readied ourselves, we heard mounts entering our area. They were fellow members of the Illuminated, and with their aid, we were able to despatch the Tharn savages. Once the battle was over, we were interrogated by our rescuers, who were members of the Ordo Fidelus, in regards to their fallen comrade Gault Keller in Corvis. We explained our investigation that led to the assassins in the undercity, and informed them of our investigations. We were then introduced to the members Ulric Fisher, Jonas Bainbridge, and their leader Malek Hartcliff.
The Ordo Fidelus escorted us back to Corvis without further incident. After entering the city, we made our way to the Temple of Menoth and reported in to Potentate Reynard and toasted our success. A majority of us consumed wine, though Mathias and Potentate Olsen drank water, which turned out to be poisoned. Both collapsed, and Olsen was transformed into a Thrall by the toxins. We were forced to cut the blind priest down. We then heard a commotion within the temple, where others had been afflicted. We managed to discover the kitchen well had been poisoned, and we sealed the well so the Menites could purify it. Once the commotion died down, we were then summoned to Sovereign Nikolas Lambert. The Sovereign requested we keep the incident about the poisoning secret, and that we investigate the matter discreetly.
We then returned to the Church of Morrow where Mathias informed them of recent events, and then conducted some tests on poison residue we had discovered. It was found to be as lethal as Khorva's Kiss, mixed with Necrite, causing a fast acting poison that enabled its victim to be transformed into the undead.
The following day we regathered our stores as we investigated, and met with Malek from the Ordo Fidelus. We had surmised that further poisoning would occur at one of the main wells within the city, so we requested the aide of Mallik and his men to keep on of several of the wells.
As Caleb and I surveyed the well at the Docks, we saw an individual approach the well around midnight. Awaiting him to act, we called out when we saw him reveal a glowing bag. The poisoner ran and I managed to chase him down and subdue him, as Caleb collected the necrotite-infused poison that had dropped scattered near the well. We then collected Lucian and Mathias, and returned to the Temple of Menoth to hand in their culprit for interrogation.
Sovereign Lambert managed to get a confession from the poisoner, and provided us with a map to the base location, which coincided with the path he took as he ran earlier that night. We also discovered the Sovereign was more inclined towards the harsher justice of Menoth, unlike the Potentates we had met who were more moderate in their beliefs.
We travelled to the map location, to discover an old warehouse. Lucian entered with the aid of Lucian's occultation, and emerged with a captured guard. A deal was made with the guard to give up information on those within, and we were told there were five people below, one of these being Fitch, the crafter of the poison. In return for the information he provided, we let him leave without harm.
Entering the warehouse, we delved below the building into an old alleyway. We were spotted by the guards, and we launched an assault upon their base of operations. The guards were heavily armed, and it appeared Fitch was a Thamarite Priest, wielding arcane powers during the fight. Unfortunately we were unable to take Fitch alive, though the last remaining guard yielded and we questioned him about Fitch's undertakings. We then seized several items, including a barrel of the necrotic poison, a Thamarite tome, and items gathered from a makeshift altar.
Upon exiting the warehouse, we found the city watch en masse on the streets as there had been several small isolated outbreaks within the city. We handed custody of the henchman over to the city watch. An initiate of Menoth had then found us, requesting we return to the Temple of Menoth with due haste. When we returned, we were arrested by the Sovereign and a dozen Errants, accused of being heretics. We had no choice but to surrender, and were imprisoned within the temple.


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New studies continue to provide important evidence that excess sodium promotes structural and functional impairment of the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. Over time, these impairments usually progress to severe diseases, cardiac failure, end-stage renal disease, and death.
When the American Heart Association (AHA), issued a sodium reduction advisory in 2011, that prompted six other independent studies to be conducted. In 2011, the AHA recommended that all US adults maintain a sodium intake of not more than 1500 mg/d. Generally speaking, most US adults consume more than twice that level of salt daily. Children ages 1-3 years should have less than 1,000 mg/d daily, and children ages 4-8 years of age should consume less than 1,200 mg/d daily. The six studies did not agree with the AHA's recommendations and claimed inconsistencies in the AHA's report. One study even suggested that low sodium intake was as unhealthy as a high sodium intake diet.
Undeterred, the AHA decided to investigate the six studies that contradicted their findings. The results were disclosed in the AHA's journal Circulation, and the AHA still stands by their 2011 recommendations. After analyzing facts and evidence from the other studies, the AHA found significant weaknesses in each study's interpretations, and how each study was conducted. The AHA continues to recommend a maximum intake of 1500 mg/d for adults.
Since most US adults consume an excess of salt from sodium additives during food processing, a new collaboration of interested organizations has emerged to help combat this battle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute are now looking into ways to strengthen US surveillance of sodium content in processed foods. Sodium is often an unnecessary food additive in the era of refrigeration.
The AHA recommends portion control and less dependence on commercially processed foods. By choosing to eat minimally processed foods such as perishables, and foods that are prepared at home, a lower intake of salt can be achieved. Researchers do agree that even a modest salt reduction will likely result in improved health benefits.
References: Circulation Journal


text:
Psalm 32 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Psalm 32
[A Psalm of David.] A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.
1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]—then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
6 For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray—pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.
7 You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
8 I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Cross references:
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
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text:
Hotspeck Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd is a Private Company incorporated under the Companies Act Chapter 24.03 and is wholly owned by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) of Zimbabwe. It was established in September 2012 and is located in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe, which is the hub of forestry plantations. Hotspeck enterprise uses a fully computerized state of the art technology in pole treatment. This makes it a unique pole treatment plant in Africa and Zimbabwe in particular.
Board of Directors
HOTSPECK ENTERPRISE (PVT) LTD is overseen by the Business Development Committee of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) BOARD.
The members include:
- Eng. C Moyo Chairperson
- Mrs Chitiyo Deputy Chairperson
- Mr F S Mbetsa Board Member
- Mr JT Jaji Board Member
- Mr M Khumalo Board Member
- Eng. JV Mashamba Chief Executive (REF)
Contact Details
Should you wish to contact us today, please do not hesitate to call us on the numbers listed above , or simply fill in the contact us form , and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Hotspeck Enterprises prides itself in having the state of the art pole treatment plant which can achieve high preservative penetration.The pole treatment process is done under pressures of up to 10 bars and preservative temperatures of 85 degrees celsius which ensures that the desired penetration levels are achieved. The plant uses the creosote preservative.
Length (m)
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|1.2 – 2.4
|25 -50
|Light Poles
|1.8 – 7.5
|Transimission Poles
|9.0 – 13
|Cross arms 11kv
|Cross arms 33 kv


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Diogenianus, of Heraclea on the Pontus (or in Caria), Greek grammarian, flourished during the reign of Hadrian. He was the author of an alphabetical lexicon, chiefly of poetical words, abridged from the great lexicon (Peri glosson) of Pamphilus of Alexandria (fl. A.D. 50) and other similar works. It was also known by the title Periepgopenetes (for the use of "industrious poor students"). It formed the basis of the lexicon, or rather glossary, of Hesychius of Alexandria, which is described in the preface as a new edition of the work of Diogenianus.
We still possess a collection of proverbs under his name, probably an abridgement of the collection made by himself from his lexicon (ed. by E. Leutsch and F. W. Schneidewin in Peroeminographi Graeci, i. 1839).
Diogenianus was also the author of an Anthology of epigrams, of treatises on rivers, lakes, fountains, and promontories; and of a list (with map) of all the towns in the world.
From the eleventh edition of The Encyclopedia, 1911. Public domain. The name of the encyclopedia is still a registered trademark, and is therefore not listed here. Some spellings have been changed to reflect the times (and link better) and some editing has been done, for the sake of clarity. Also, the Latin transliterations of Greek words have been used, for lack of a standard Greek font.
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Okay, so I'm late...that's the story of my life! I said I would try to choose a winner last week, but it just didn't happen. But you know what they say, better late than never!! So onto the winner...
I used random.org to choose a commenter and the winner was Deni! And isn't she sweet, she wants to give it to someone else! Let me know your plans Deni!
I hope you all had a peaceful Mother's Day. Mine was...I don't know, I guess kind of weird. I did the usual things to celebrate and that was nice, but I just feel like I'm in a strange place with my loss.
My first Mother's Day after losing Sophia and Ellie was just 2 or 3 weeks later. I was still numb, still so tired. Last year I was pregnant with Gigi and we had just "celebrated" the girls' first birthday. This year was just...I don't know, just strange. I guess I'm still learning to live with it all, but I wish it would stop changing. Just when i think I have things semi-figured out, something changes. I'm not sure what, but something. I guess grief is forever evolving. Hmmm...that wasn't in the handbook.
2 weeks ago


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Q-Connect polypropylene Ring Binders.
Strong 2 ring binders, features include plastic label holder on spine for easy identification and indexing and a ring mechanism that opens and closes easily.
Size: A4.
Capacity 25mm.
Colour - Red.
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Snap Chat!
August 23, 2016
Jan-Pro of New Mexico, Shashi
Hi everyone. Here I am again. This time mom and I are doing Snapchat. Thank you Melissa Sanchez for teaching us this last Friday. I know I look like I'm just tolerating this, but I really do love that mom wants to take pics with me. We are learning a lot of stuff and it can be hard sometimes, but I really love having fun. You can follow us on Snapchat @ sophialguido. Who knows maybe some of my snaps may end up on our new website. Right Robert Anderson and Shawna Baker? Lots of love to you all. And as always, until next time have a unique week.


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If you like the Anchor Inn, then help us spread the news about your favorite island get-away by "liking" the Anchor Inn on Facebook. Although you're all our "friends," the Anchor Inn's Facebook "friends" will be first to get the news about special promotions as well as events here on the island you won't want to miss. You can even post questions and comments, and we'll likely get back to you the same day. Plus, "liking" the Anchor Inn is free! No toll, no speed bumps... and we might even post a few cute kitten photos we're equally certain you won't want to miss.
It's easy! Just click on the handy button up there - or here, if you don't like buttons - and you'll be whisked away to our Facebook page in a brand new browser window where you can click "Like!" Then hurry back, scroll down and enjoy the photo below:
|Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! See?


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Charlie Benton is 25 and Camilla Sitko is 24.
Narrated by Camilla Sitko
I don't know if it was the pancakes I made them for breakfast or if they were just excited, but they were going a little nuts.
I was so grateful to Dad. When he came over, he took them outside to play (in the snow, no less!) to burn off some of their energy, while I got ready with Mum and my sisters.
Which came with its own set of problems. The dress I designed for Lila and Adelaide had a low back, so it showed off the tattoo that Adelaide got a few weeks ago.
Mum didn't know about it and she wasn't happy. She kept going on about Adelaide's future job prospects and how the tattoo was going to ruin the wedding photos.
Thankfully, I managed to calm her down. Adelaide could easily hide that tattoo for work, if she needed to and as for the wedding photos, it's my wedding. If I don't care, I don't see why Mum should.
She didn't really agree (not because I was wrong, just because she's so terribly stubborn) but she did promise to save any other tattoo complaints until after the wedding.
Our ceremony wasn't exactly as I imagined it in the beginning. I was thinking of an outdoor ceremony, at Charlie's parents' place but we ended up getting married at First Grace Church instead.
Getting married in the middle of winter made an outdoor ceremony a risky prospect and given the heavy snow on our wedding day, I think we made the right choice.
It's a pretty little church, so it really wasn't much of a sacrifice.
Charlie and I decided to write our own vows and use those for our wedding. Our relationship hasn't really travelled along a traditional path, so we thought personalising our vows would make it more meaningful for us.
Charlie's were really beautiful and so him. I could have cried!
I was very nervous about the ceremony but it went very smoothly.
I could still hardly believe we were actually married but I couldn't wait to relax a little and enjoy our reception!
We kept our original plan to have the reception at Charlie's parents' place. It's big enough and it let us saved a lot on costs.
I know it was stressful for Tate and Zelda to prepare their house for the reception, as much as Charlie and I helped out. On the day though, Zelda told us they were thrilled to host everybody, which was nice.
Mum would not have been so excited about that. She's not big on entertaining at all. I don't think she would have had such a good time with Dad at the reception if she was hosting.
Mum even seemed to have forgotten about Adelaide's tattoo, at least temporarily!
Dad made a lovely toast and talked about how much Charlie and I had grown over the years and formed such a good family unit.
And he threw some jokes in as well, so that even the kids didn't mind the speech!
It was incredibly sweet in general. Dad is the one to go to for sentimentality and I sort of take after him.
By the time the toasts were over, Tate was looking hungry so we told him he could go ahead and serve lunch.
Tate did a buffet, rather than a sit-down meal, so it was very casual.
Some of us ate at the dining table and some just sat on the couch or stood, wherever there was space.
People were mostly quiet during lunch, which Tate took as a good sign, figuring they were obviously too busy enjoying the food to talk.
Except for Charlie's nephew Jude, who talked to anyone who'd listen. Charlie always says that kid could talk underwater.
Our kids have their own little quirks. Everett shoveled his food into his mouth in what seemed like seconds and spent the rest of lunch time doing some very interesting dance moves, on his own in the corner.
And Grace used the pocket of her flower girl dress to hide a little bottle of bubble blowing solution. She was having a fantastic time with that.
Tate made all the food for the wedding, including the cake. He insisted on doing it for free but once I saw it, I felt a little guilty about accepting it. He did such a beautiful job.
Charlie and I had a little fun with the cake. If you can't shove food into your beloved's face on your wedding day, when can you?
Everett was very keen to get to the cake! After Charlie and I took our pieces, he was right behind us for his share!
This was followed by more shoveling.
Grace isn't very big on cake at all, so she had a little dance with Dad instead.
Dad is such a cute grandpa. I love watching him with Grace and Everett.
Charlie and I are still deciding if we want more kids but I know Dad would be totally on board with that, if we had another.
I don't think we even noticed the lack of chairs apart from when we were eating. It caused a lot of mingling, which was good.
The Benton and Sitko families mesh very well together, so it was an opportunity for everyone to catch up.
Even though it was my wedding, there were a couple of people there I hadn't met, like Sophie's new boyfriend Oliver. They've been together since January but we hadn't yet been introduced.
I really liked him. Very different from the other guys Sophie has dated since graduation but seeing she wasn't that into any of them, that's a plus.
You don't have to talk to Oliver for long to see how much he likes Sophie. He seems totally in love with her.
I had to go and find Sophie right away and tell her how happy I was for her.
Sophie is pretty happy herself. She deserves a great guy like Oliver.
Our neighbour, Susannah, brought her boyfriend Daniel as her date. I'm amazed I hadn't met him yet, given he's over at Susannah's every weekend.
Daniel is quite shy, so I don't feel like I got to know him as well as I got to know Oliver.
But he's quite sweet and I have my fingers crossed for him and Susannah.
They were almost surgically attached at the wedding, so I think things are going well between them.
I even got to spend time with my new husband! We both got so busy mingling at the reception that there were times we thought we might lose track of each other.
Although even if we had, we knew would could make up for that on our honeymoon.
Charlie's family own a beach house and they were generous enough to let us stay there for the duration of our trip.
They even had Grace and Everett stay with them, so it was truly relaxing and romantic for us.
It's not right on the shore but it's close enough. It was literally just a few minutes down the street on foot.
And there's a pool in the backyard, for those times when walking a few hundred metres to the beach is still too much effort.
It was such an amazing honeymoon. Charlie even came back with a tan!
Not that it lasted long! We've been back in Sullivan for a few days now. We're missing the beach but looking forward to starting our married life together.
This one is my favourite!
Charlie and his brother Jack and sister Josie.
The happy couple with Charlie's parents, Zelda and Tate.
And with Camilla's parents, David and Kirstin.
Camilla with her sisters and bridesmaids, Lila and Adelaide. Do Camilla and Lila look alike or what?! I think the only difference between them is that Camilla's eyebrows are arched and Lila's are straight.
Charlie and his groomsmen, Jack and Connor.
A little family portrait of Camilla and Charlie with their twins, Grace and Everett.
And finally, the entire bridal party!
- I know lots of you were looking forward to this wedding, so I hope it didn't disappoint! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. :)
- Charlie's favourite colour is blue and Camilla's is grey, so I tried to work those colours in. I was so excited to find those grey dresses for Lila and Adelaide! Let's forget that it's winter. ;) They were inside the whole time anyway. Also, I have been dying to use that little veil on somebody since I started this hood! I almost used it on Olivia but it didn't really match the dress and her hair was bleeding into it like crazy.
- I went ahead and gave Charlie his trust fund too, seeing he's close enough to 25 and dammit, it's my hood, lol! I'll probably let him and Camilla stay in their apartment one more round though.
- Oliver's wants panel was filled with Sophie wants. I really love it when I see that from my Sims when they're not even on a date. Awww!
- Adelaide got that tattoo when I played the last college update but seeing her back and shoulders were covered the whole time, you didn't see it. I'd forgotten all about it until I put her in that dress, actually! I can't imagine David is too thrilled about it either but he's more likely to let things go than Kirstin.
- I actually got through this entire wedding without crashing, probably because I let my computer take a break between the ceremony and the reception. My computer was still not happy though! It really needs to be retired and I'm in the process of picking out a new one right now.


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he Law Enforcement Technology program at Central Ohio Technical College's Institute for Public Safety offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement Technology.
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COTC offers a wide range of high-quality degree and certificate programs for those planning to start a career, pursue a brand-new career, prepare to continue their education at a four-year school, or even just follow a course of study for personal fulfillment.


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Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Against the backdrop of the worsening terrorist attacks in Nigeria and the abduction of over 200 school girls by the Boko Haram terror group, chiefs of security and intelligence of ECOWAS member states are due to meet in Ghana's capital, Accra, Wednesday, PANA reported, quoting Nigerian defence sources.
The meeting is being held to fashion out measures aimed at assisting Nigeria to confront its security challenges.
In view of the fact that they share common borders with Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad will also have their intelligence and security chiefs at the expanded meeting.
PANA reports that the meeting followed the directive from ECOWAS Chair and Ghana President John Mahama during a visit to Nigeria to deliver a message of solidarity to President Goodluck Jonathan, in the wake of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls four weeks ago.
During the visit, the Chairman assured gave an assurance that the region would support the country in addressing the scourge and announced that a meeting of security officials would be convened to agree strategies for this support.
An international effort is underway to find and rescue the girls, with the US already flying surveillance aircraft over the area where the girls were kidnapped.
On Monday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, who has already claimed responsibility for the abduction, said he would not release the girls until the sect members in detention nationwide are freed.
The federal government reacted by saying all options are on the table to free the girls.
The government of Borno State, where the girls were kidnapped, said Tuesday that 54 of them were identified by parents and escaped school girls who watched the video that showed about 130 of the girls wearing full length hijab and reciting the Quran.
-0- PANA SEG 14May2014


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Know your merlot
Merlot is the fifth most planted grape in New Zealand. Last year, 2013 is now being rated as one of the outstanding vintages in recent years and you will find many great, reasonably priced wines now available. These wines will age if you want to start a cellar, but are equally enjoyable now.
Merlot is best known as the partner of cabernet sauvignon, which interestingly is now known to be its genetic sibling. When blended together, they produce the most famous wines of Bordeaux.
Merlot offers ripe fruit to balance cabernet sauvignon's herbal notes, tannins and acidity.
Hawke's Bay is home to most of New Zealand's merlot grapes and only small amounts are planted in other regions including Waiheke Island.
Merlot's growth in New Zealand is largely due to its more reliable viticultural habits as it ripens earlier than cabernet sauvignon.
Where it comes from
The true expression of Merlot wines are made in the wineries of St Emilion and Pomerol in Bordeaux. Its full body, medium tannins and rich fruit flavours are prized for adding flesh to the more structured bones of Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux's left-bank region.
Tip: When a wine is described as "Bordeaux" or "Bordeaux blend," this means that it has been blended using the grapes of cabernet sauvignon, merlot along with cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot; all blended in different proportions depending on the vintage.
Where it grows
Merlot grows easily in a wide range of climates, soils and aspects; for this reason it is planted almost everywhere wine is made today. Merlot is now extensively planted in Italy and an important component of Super Tuscan wines. Other important merlot areas include California, Australia, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand.
Merlot is medium ruby to deep purple in hot climates. As the wine ages it develops brick tones.
As a young grape, ripe red and black plum aromas characterise merlot and the use of oak can add an overlay of cedar, spice and 'cigar box' type aromas. As it ages, merlot is best known for adding softness to blends, both in terms of taste and aroma, develop aromas of mocha, earth and spice.
Wine style
The style of merlot is influenced by whether it is used as a blending grape with another, such as cabernet merlot, or as a single varietal wine. In general, merlot produces full-bodied, high-alcohol wines.
As a single varietal wine, merlot is full-bodied with medium to high tannins, soft red to black fruity flavours and, in a good vintage, it can have great length and ability to age in the bottle.
Try these wines
Wild Rock Gravel Pit Red Merlot Malbec: Rich dark black fruits with spice, oak. RRP $18
Crossroads Milestone Merlot 2013: Ripe black fruit with cedar and oak. Alc 13.5%, RRP $20
Alpha Domus The Pilot Merlot 2012: Red fruits with subtle oak adds a spicy influence.
Redmetal Vineyards Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2013: Merlot dominant blend with dark berries and plums. Alc 14%, RRP $18
Villa Maria Private Bin Organic Merlot 2013: This wine offers excellent value with notes of plums and cherries. Alc 13.5%, RRP $15
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Organic Merlot 2013: Ripe berries, plum and oak notes dominate this wine. Alc 13.5%, RRP $19
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot: Rich dark plums and berry fruit with savoury oak. Alc 13%,RRP $16
Food matching
Merlot, especially from a hot vintage, can make full-bodied red wine with luscious dark plums and berry characters. Depending on the degree of oak influence, that gives flavours such as cedar, cinnamon and vanilla, you can put this style of wine with hearty meat casseroles, stews, or seared or grilled beef, lamb or venison. A big wine needs to balanced with strong flavours.
In her latest book New Zealand Wine Guide: An Introduction to the Wine Styles and Regions of New Zealand, Celia Hay, Director of the New Zealand School of Food and Wine and well-respected wine educator, explains in detail about new Zealand's wine regions, significant grape varieties and wines produced.
RRP $49 from nzwinebook.com and selected retailers.
Wine and book deals
We've gathered great value New Zealand wines for sale, as well as package deals of wines with a copy of Celia Hay's New Zealand Wine Guide. You can order deals now from heraldwines.co.nz.
Perfect partners
Match your merlot with these recipes.


text: A California jury has awarded a $417 million verdict to a woman with terminal ovarian cancer who filed a talcum powder lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. The verdict is the largest that has ever been awarded in a lawsuit involving the company's talcum powder products, surpassing several multi-million verdicts against Johnson & Johnson that were awarded in Missouri last year. (more…)


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Sydney Web Design Studio is just that, a Web Design studio based in Manly, Sydney Australia. Thus giving us the opportunity to offer local clients a Face-to-Face consultation where an accurate and speedy assessment can be made, making the planning of your new website easy.
Right from the get-go, through to your web site going live, Sydney Web Design Studio leaves no stone unturned.


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Shackelford Named All-Region
Sophomore volleyball player Haley Shackelford capped off a remarkable career becoming only the second player ever at YC to be named to the 1st Team All-ACCAC for two consecutive years. In 1994-95, Celeste Taylor was the other Roughrider player to achieve the honor. Additionally, Shackelford was named to the NJCAA All-Region I 1st Team, becoming only the third player in Yavapai history to achieve this honor in successive seasons (Taylor and Kelsey Dresback – 2005-06). Freshmen Natasha Ray and Chelsea Szretter were also honored being named Honorable Mention All-ACCAC.
Yavapai concluded the 2010 season with a 25-12 overall record and a 12-6 league mark.


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I have recently taken the role of SWAT Coordinator across the school. After attending one meeting of SWATCo's I cannot wholeheartedly define my role, which I believe will develop over time. However, I do know that SWAT will allow the continued development of teaching and learning and I think that opportunities for this with similar schools is integral to engage and challenge our students.
That's nice, but what is SWAT?
SWAT (The South West Academic Trust) is a partnership of leading South West grammar schools and The University of Exeter.
The schools involved can be seen on the map above: Bishops Wordsworth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Churston Ferrers Grammar School, Colyton Grammar School, Devonport High School for Boys, Parkstone Grammar School, Plymouth High School for Girls, Poole Grammar School, South Wilts Grammar School, Torquay Boys Grammar School and Torquay Girls Grammar School. These are leading academic schools in the South West region and these links are the start of exciting partnerships.
The vision for SWAT is that schools work together to raise achievement and aspiration within our schools. This partnership started with fewer schools and we have recently joined with the hope that we can work with these partner schools to foster good practice and innovation. Exeter University's involvement gives us further opportunities to access resources for our teachers and students through their research and working collaboratively in teaching and learning and preparing students for higher education.
The key areas below are the driving factors for SWAT and its vision:
Subject Department collaboration will allow Heads of Department to meet and collaborate on a specific area of their choosing. This is likely to involve other department members and/or students and should contribute to work already being done to improve and develop teaching and learning
Gifted and talented research will allow those who have responsibility for G&T to meet to discuss how they can most effectively be challenged. These discussions take place alongside events specifically designed for our most able students.
SWAT also aims to look at CPD, activities for students and collaboration with local schools and the "Mastering the Dragon"conference is a good example of this in action (look out for more information about this event soon).
Please look out for regular posts and updates about SWAT events and opportunities for our students.
Rachael Green @dhsbgeography
Head of Geography


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We work out of Toronto, ON and Kalamazoo, MI.
We can be reached toll free:
Kirk @ EXT 1
Ray @ EXT 2
Matt @ EXT 3
Lisa @ EXT 4
Kaley @ EXT 5
Shelly @ EXT 6
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I have decided to take a day off! It was just fantastic to be outside feeling the fresh air and the sun.
Roast chicken and cheese and brussel sprouts gave good Chrismassy atmosphere. This year, there were not only Black Kites but also a stray cat who were interested in our dinner.
Souvenir from the sea.


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Believing in the idea that if I do something extremely well, I will get something really good. Therefore, if I just keep on persevering and endure through all of these struggles with exuberance and strong determination, I will be rewarded.
And yes, it will get better if I don't give up. It will get better if I keep on trying. And true, there will be people who would try to bring you down and there will be events that will bury you deep into the ground, but you must always fight and make sure you bring a shovel along too lol.
Because with it all, it does get better.
Have a nice day ♥


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SALT LAKE CITY — A jury on Friday convicted a Cottonwood Heights man of murdering his wife in 2009.
Dennis Wayne Lambdin, 64, was convicted of murder, a first-degree felony, for the brutal death of his wife, Touch Choun, 41. The jury deliberated for more than six hours Thursday and Friday before deciding that Lambdin was guilty and had not been experiencing "extreme emotional distress," as his defense attorneys had argued.
Choun was found dead in the kitchen of the couple's duplex near 7300 South and 2200 East on Aug. 17, 2009. She had been stabbed 19 times and bludgeoned with a ceramic ball. It was later determined that she had died of shock, most likely caused by a loss of blood.
Police were called to the home by someone on the East Coast who reported that Lambdin had sent an e-mail saying he had killed his wife and was planning to kill himself. Lambdin confessed to the killing multiple times.
Related Stories:
Defense attorneys argued that the man acted the way he did because of extreme emotional distress caused by Choun's request for a divorce. They said Choun was a drinker who gambled, cheated on her husband and told him she was pregnant in the weeks before asking for a divorce, causing him to finally lose control.
They argued that Lambdin's emotional state made the killing a manslaughter, but the jury disagreed.
Prosecutors said Lambdin lost his temper when Choun defied his will, wanted to retaliate and planned to kill her. They pointed to emails Lambdin sent hours before he murdered his wife in which he talked about killing her and said he was "glad I did it."
Sentencing in the case is set for March 4.


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KARACHI, Sept 3: A civil judge and judicial magistrate, east, on Wednesday remanded two suspects in police custody till Sept 8 in a kidnap-cum-rape case.
The police arrested the owner of a restaurant, and his associate on Sept 2 for allegedly kidnapping a woman, stated to be a stage artiste, in the Ferozabad police limits on Aug 31 and taking her to a house in PECHS, where the suspects reportedly raped her.
Meanwhile, an accountability court again deferred the indictment of a deputy inspector-general (DIG) of the Sindh police and others till Sept 10 in a reference pertaining to a land scam as one of the accused fell sick.
On Dec 4, 2007, the NAB, Sindh, had arrested DIG Altaf Hussain Bhatti for misusing his authority to acquire more than 500 acres of government land in Thatta district.
The judge of accountability court I, Syed Aley Maqbool Rizvi, on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the reference due to the sudden illness of an accused during the indictment process. The indictment was also deferred on the pervious two hearings (Aug 2 and July 16) when the judge was on leave.
A reference (No 59/2007) was filed against him by NAB accusing the DIG of illegally transferring pieces of land under fake names and later on getting them allotted to himself, his family members and other relatives. Ali Ahmed Bhatti, Usman Memon, Noor Ali, Mohammad Hussain, Usman G. Memon, Hanni Ram and Thain are co-accused in the case while three other accused in the same case have died.
Source: Dawn


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I didn't really mean to say, "Hey, I'm outliving my husband today!" and then run off for three months, but seriously, the words and I haven't been getting along for so long that right now I'm basically doing a writerly smash and grab and planning to sprint off the second I'm done before I get caught.
My theme for 2017 has accidentally been Rent, which started when I chose "Creation" as my word for the year because of the line "The opposite of war isn't peace; it's creation!" Act 2 of Rent begins on New Year's Eve with basically the best song ever for facing a new year. So I'm sure it's a surprise to no one that that's what I have on repeat this morning.
Another reason I haven't had a lot to write about lately is that it's hard to be lighthearted when the whole world is coming apart at the seams. There's a lot to be angry about right now, but I tend to translate my person anger into works of fiction that will never be published and gripe sessions with coworkers instead of bringing it here. To say nothing of the internet becoming unbearable because so many people I care about insist on defending the indefensible. Let's make the world better in 2018, y'all. Not whatever this nonsense has been.
The story never ends. Let's celebrate and remember a year in the life of friends.
The half-witted, half-baked, half-mad ramblings of a widowed, thirty-something, earth-loving, commuter-cycling, theatre-going, runner-girl Christ follower. Abandon seriousness, all ye who enter here.
What are we talking about today?
Some days have themes. I don't necessarily post something in each of these topic areas every week.
Sunday: Church-related or spiritual things.
Monday: Running.
Tuesday: Books.
Wednesday: Transportation.
Friday: Green living.
31 December 2017
And the World Still Spins
1 comment:
- Crystal Collier said...
Wishing you peace and comfort. Be patient with yourself. You deserve at least that, and don't worry that things aren't getting done or feel like they're falling apart. You'll find the sunshine again.
- 08 January, 2018 10:59
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text: Zecotek Laser Systems Singapore Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Zecotek Photonics Inc. of Vancouver, Canada, has signed an agreement with Fujikura Ltd. Japan to develop, manufacture and commercialize Zecotek and Fujikura laser products, components and systems, including Zecotek's crystal- and fiber-based lasers and Fujikura's infrared fiber lasers. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies' intellectual property, products and processes in laser and laser-related fiber technologies will be pooled into a joint development, manufacturing and commercializing program solely for that use. The companies said they will retain their respective rights to intellectual property and know-how initially brought into the collaboration, and they will share in any jointly created intellectual property proportional to their relative contribution. The joint effort will initially comprise Zecotek's solid-state and fiber-based lasers and Fujikura's newly developed IR fiber lasers. Fujikura is the appointed manufacturer. The companies said the agreement also includes a right of first refusal provision for Fujikura to acquire or take another form of equity position in Zecotek Laser Systems on mutually agreeable terms. Zecotek makes crystals, photodetectors, lasers, imaging and 3-D display technologies, for medical, biotechnology, industrial, nanotechnology and atomic/molecular science applications. Fujikura is a manufacturer of cable products, including optical fibers and flexible printed circuits, for the electrical, electronic equipment, automotive and telecommunications industries.


text:
Principal Financial Group
|Traded as
S&P 500 Component
|Insurance, Financial Services
|Edward Temple
711 High St.,
Des Moines, IA
Area served
Key people
|Daniel Houston (CEO)
|The Principal is a global investment management leader offering retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management.[1]
|US$1.1 Billion [1]
|US$ 879.7 million (2013) (available to common stockholders) [1]
|US$ 692.4 billion (2017)[1]
Number of employees
|14,600 (March 2014)[1]
The Principal Financial Group is a global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Principal Financial Group (Principal) offers businesses individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services including retirement, asset management and insurance, through its diverse family of financial services companies. Principal has offices in 18 countries throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and North America. As of March 31, 2014, The Principal Financial Group had $496 billion in total assets under management and serves some 19.2 million customers worldwide.[2]
As of 2018, Principal was ranked 210th on Fortune magazine's list of the 500 largest U.S. corporations by revenue.[3] In 2013, Principal earned the top spot in its category for the second year in a row of Pensions & Investments' annual survey of "Best Places to Work" in Money Management. In 2013, Principal ranked 528th on the Forbes Global 2000 list, which recognizes the world's biggest and most powerful companies, as measured by a composite ranking for sales profits, assets and market value (as of April 2013).
Founding and early history[edit]
- 1879 - Bankers Life Association was founded on July 1, 1879 by Edward Temple, a banker from Chariton, Iowa, and five other colleagues. At first, Bankers Life Association provided life insurance (in the form of memberships) to men between the ages of 22 and 55, they had to be in good health and not be employed in any occupation that was considered high-risk. Insurance benefits would also not be awarded if unintentional death was caused by harmful consumption of alcoholic beverages, or the irresponsible use of drugs.
- 1882 - The number of memberships required the hiring of the association's first employee, John Tibbs, who acted as a General Agent.
- 1889 - Bankers Life Association had $29 million of life insurance memberships in effect. This required the association to relocate its operations to the Equitable Building in Des Moines, Iowa. Costs were kept at frugal standards. Temple's salary increased to $6,000 in 1890, which was considerably lower than salaries offered by similar businesses.
- 1909 - After the death of Edward Temple, the Board of Directors voted to reorganize the business into a mutual life insurance company. George Kuhns became president of the company, he employed the use of direct-mail advertising to reach new markets. This brought in $3 million in new sales within the first year.
- 1925 - The company acquired a small, 500-watt radio station, WHO, with a broadcast range of 150 miles (240 km). George Kuhns saw this tool as a way to increase sales. Bankers Life ran WHO until 1930.
- 1930 - Prior to the Great Depression, the company was closing in on the $1 billion landmark. The 50th anniversary, which was scheduled to take place on June 1929, was postponed until January 6, 1930. President Gerard Nollen gave a $10 gold piece to every person in attendance as a token of his optimism about the future of the economy.
- 1939 - Continued growth required the company to relocate its operations to a larger facility. A building was constructed at 711 High Street to house the offices, it was the first building in Des Moines to be fully air-conditioned.
- 1941 - The company issued its first group health insurance contract. Within the next five years, group health insurance accounted for a third of the business.
- 1962 - The company ended its policy of terminating new mothers, instead offering them part-time work. They could work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between the months of September to June, while their kids were at school.
Name Change and Expansion[edit]
- 1985 - The Bankers Life Company became The Principal Financial Group.
- 1990s - The company expanded to markets outside of the United States, including Brazil, China, Chile, Hong Kong, India and Mexico.
- October 23, 2001 - The company filed its initial public offering and became a publicly traded corporation.
- February 28, 2008 - Nippon Life Insurance announced that it would increase its stake in Principal from 4.3% (11.29 million shares) to 7%, making it the largest single stakeholder. The move was said to reduce the likelihood of a hostile takeover.
Business operations[edit]
Four segments comprise the company: Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Global Investors, Principal International, and U.S. Insurance Solutions.
The company employs roughly 9,000 people in Des Moines, Iowa, and owns and operates several buildings in the downtown area, the tallest, known as 801 Grand, is 45 stories tall (192m/630 ft),[4] and houses many other companies in addition to The Principal.
As of March 2014, Principal employed 14,600 employees worldwide, with its Global Delivery center, Principal Global Services, in Pune, Maharashtra, India.[5]
Principal also has a lobbyist registered in the Iowa Legislature since 2016 December, he is designated to lobby the Executive Branch of the Government of Iowa.[6]
Eddie was the lead and central character in the marketing campaign of the Principal Financial Group from 2005 to 2015. Eddie's television and print ads often depicted him facing challenges and using the Principal Edge logo to solve his financial, business, and everyday life problems. Eddie retired in late 2015 in preparation for the company's new logo that debuted in 2016. [7]
Naming rights[edit]
The Principal owns the naming rights to Principal Riverwalk, Principal Park and The Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines.
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-11-04.
- ^ "2012 Company Profile" (PDF). The Principal Financial Group Company profile. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
- ^ "Fortune 500 Companies 2018: Who Made the List". Fortune. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- ^ Emporis Building Listing for 801 Grand. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=123036
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ http://coolice.legis.iowa.gov/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=Matt&Service=lobpic&lobbyist=1712
- ^ "Even Cartoon Guys Plan for Retirement: The Principal Financial Group Bids Farewell to "Eddie" with Launch of #SeeYourRetirement Campaign". Principal Financial Group. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
External links[edit]
- The Principal Financial Group Official Website
- Business data for Principal Financial Group: Google Finance
- Yahoo! Finance
- Reuters
- SEC filings


text: Vice Admiral Girish Luthra took over the reins of Western Naval Command (WNC) as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) on 30 May 16 from Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra. Later in the day, officers of the Western Naval Command accorded Vice Admiral Lanba a warm send off, with the traditional 'Pulling Out' ceremony. Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba will take over as the Chief of Naval Staff tomorrow.


text:
And now, ladies and gentlemen, I'm thrilled to welcome to the stage, Kyler Christenson, Robbie Russo, and Black Heart Down! Woo hoo! I'm ecstatic to see these guys go live. They're a little different from my other couples, grittier and rougher around the edges, but they also have some friends that you may recognize if you've read the other Conquest books ;-) I hope everyone who decides to spend some time with the BHD guys will enjoy them!
To view the ebook at MLR Press, please CLICK HERE.


text:
Ruff still wants Buffalo to win a Cup
Lindy Ruff has begun looking toward his next job – the New York Rangers are reportedly the latest to give him a call – but he'll remain a Western New Yorker. In fact, he still carries the same dream for Buffalo as when he represented the Sabres.
"There's one thing missing from my playing career and my coaching career," Ruff said Monday night. "I have no regrets on my playing career. I have no regrets on my coaching career, but there is one thing I want to see Buffalo have one day and that's the Stanley Cup."
The Sabres fired Ruff as their coach in February, but his ties to the community remain strong.
The Clarence Chamber of Commerce honored him as its inaugural Sportsman of the Year during a ceremony at Westwood Country Club, and the Clarence resident received handshakes, laughs and applause from his neighbors.
"I owe a lot to the City of Buffalo, to the community of Clarence," Ruff said. "My kids all grew up and were raised here, went through school. Not many coaches can say their kids went to one school.
"I don't have any plans of moving. I might have to relocate short term for a while, but home will always be Clarence."
It's possible the relocation could be downstate.
The Sabres, who still have Ruff under contract, have granted the Rangers permission to speak with the 53-year-old about their coaching vacancy, according to multiple reports. Ruff declined an interview request.
Ruff was scheduled to play in a golf tournament that accompanied his award banquet, but he canceled to take care of important phone calls, according to an event organizer.
He has already interviewed for the Dallas Stars' coaching job, and he has been linked to the opening in Vancouver, too.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cancer Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CGIX) ("CGI" or "The Company"), an emerging leader in DNA-based cancer diagnostics, announced today that it has secured an in-network provider agreement with the healthcare network, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois ("BCBS"). The Blue Cross Blue Shield plan is the largest in Illinois, covering over 7.3 million individuals. As part of the agreement, CGI will offer cancer diagnostic services to members of the BCBS network.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is part of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the country's fourth largest health insurer and the largest customer-owned health insurance company. HCSC includes BCBS networks in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Montana, and Illinois, covering nearly over 16 million individuals across these states. Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois takes pride in offering comprehensive and affordable health plans. As part of the agreement, BCBS Illinois' network will have access the full range of oncology-focused proprietary tests offered by CGI.
"We are very pleased to announce our relationship with BCBS of Illinois, the largest and most experienced health insurance company in Illinois. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois is committed to the highest standards of business ethics and integrity, as well as to fulfilling their corporate citizenship responsibilities to the communities it serves," said Randy Goodman, Ph.D., Director of Reimbursement and Clinical Revenue Cycle Management at Cancer Genetics, Inc. "The plan recently announced an agreement to launch an innovative new value-based care model with one of the largest independent physician practices in the Chicago area. As a leading oncology diagnostics company dedicated to the personalization of cancer treatment, we look forward to working with health plans such as BCBSIL that promote the provision of high-quality, cost effective care."
CGI is executing a multipart access and reimbursement strategy geared toward securing reimbursement for its genomic testing platforms by establishing relationships with leading payers. One of the end goals of this strategy is to help providers appropriately manage and personalize treatment to improve patient outcomes.
About Cancer Genetics
Cancer Genetics Inc. is an emerging leader in DNA-based cancer diagnostics. Our tests target difficult to diagnose hematological, urogenital and HPV-associated cancers. They are designed to guide the prognosis and treatment of these cancers with the goal of improving outcomes for patients. We have established strong clinical research collaborations with major cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering, The Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute. CGI also offers a comprehensive range of oncology-focused tests and laboratory services that provide critical genomic information to healthcare professionals and biopharmaceutical companies. Our state-of-the-art reference labs are CLIA certified and CAP accredited in the US and have licensure from several states including New York State.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois
Forward Looking Statement
This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development and potential opportunities for Cancer Genetics, Inc. products and services, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to, statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, risks of cancellation of customer contracts or discontinuance of trials, risks that anticipated benefits from acquisitions will not be realized, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, maintenance of intellectual property rights and other risks discussed in the Cancer Genetics, Inc. Forms 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015 along with other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Cancer Genetics, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: Media Contact: Marie-Agnes Patrone-Michellod, PhD. Tell: 201.528.9200 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
BMS Names Morgan Wisbey as Director of Insolvency Client Services
Newly Created Role Continues BMS' Focus on Providing Exemplary Service and Support to Bankruptcy Trustees and Corporate Restructuring Professionals
March 4, 2016
Irvine, CA — Bankruptcy Management Solutions, Inc. (BMS), the leading provider of case administration software for Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees and corporate restructuring fiduciaries, today announced the promotion of Morgan Wisbey as Director of Insolvency Client Services. Mr. Wisbey will lead to the client services for insolvency operations to adhere to the needs of corporate restructuring fiduciaries and other insolvency professionals.
"Throughout Morgan's extensive career he has successfully unraveled the complexities of the bankruptcy and restructuring industries. His experience and dedication to providing a consistently high level of service are invaluable assets to both our clients and BMS." said Dave Beltran, Chief Client Officer, BMS.
Mr. Wisbey previously served as a Senior Account Manager, where he supported restructuring fiduciary clients nationwide. In his new role, his responsibilities will expand to include providing input to our product teams on the evolving needs of restructuring fiduciaries for case administration software as well as taking a leading role in expanding depository services specifically for insolvency professionals.
He joined BMS in 2000 as an account manager and, since 2007, has been instrumental in the development of the company's corporate restructuring software, TrustWorks. Prior to joining BMS, Mr. Wisbey's experience included software training and implementation, as well as extensive experience working with Chapter 11 trustees and attorneys.
About BMS
For over 25 years, BMS (Bankruptcy Management Solutions, Inc.) has been the industry's premier provider of bankruptcy case administration software. Our software solutions support the administrative and legislative requirements of Chapter 7 panel trustees, liquidating and post-confirmation Chapter 11 trustees and a variety of other fiduciaries involved in bankruptcies, restructurings, liquidations and claims distributions. BMS understands the complexities involved in bankruptcy, and has developed advanced, easy-to-use solutions that automate and streamline bankruptcy administration—all while providing superior support services through a national network of account managers, US-based software and banking support centers, and comprehensive training resources. As the industry leader, we are dedicated to ensuring that trustees and fiduciaries become even more productive and profitable. For more information, visit www.BMSadvantage.com.
Ajay Parikh | Marketing Director
(949) 222-1212
Email BMS PR Contact


text:
I suppose it was only a matter of time considering that they have a Be@rbrick version of just about EVERYTHING already... but needless to say I was quite pleased when I saw this in the local convenience store. Gundam everything here! Little toys sold in conveniece stores, attached to candy, attached to noodles, attached to drinks.
Why am I leaving again?


text:
When looking for a new Vancouver Island brunch place to try, I asked around and kept hearing one name - the Longwood Brewpub in Nanaimo. My curiosity of why a brewpub was so popular for brunch increased when I discovered that they have been voted "Best Brunch in Nanaimo" the past six years running. So, on a foggy & rainy Sunday, my husband and I headed over to the west coast brewery on the hill see what all the fuss was about.
There are two things that instantly made me glad we'd come to Longwood for their buffet. The first was, of course, the food. There was a nice variety of freshly baked pastries, Pacific snow crab and wild salmon, and large selection of what I consider "brunch comfort food" - eggs benedict, honey-glazed ham, salads, waffles and a side table covered in cheesecakes and other desserts.
My one prior concern had been fact that we were a little lazy and not going to arrive until 1:15, right before the last seating. I was happy to see that the buffet was still well stocked, and the restaurant was still packed with diners. The only thing that suffered from the 'late hour' was the Eggs Benedict, which had over-cooked in the steam tray, then cooled. But when I mentioned it, the chef immediately went to the kitchen and brought two freshly-made ones out to me, then stopped by a few minutes later to check if I was enjoying them. Much appreciate, as I have a long-standing weakness for the Benedict on a Sunday afternoon, and it made the meal complete.
There were some pleasant surprises on the menu - my husband (a Saskatchewan boy) was impressed with the wide selection and quality of meats (both of the deli and breakfast variety) and delighted to find house-made cabbage rolls. I couldn't get enough of the sweet potato hash browns with a dash of spice, a nice compliment to the traditional potato variety.
The second thing that makes the Longwood Brewpub a memorable brunch spot is the ambiance of the restaurant and its staff. The west-facing hillside location has great views of the nearby mountains (pretty even on a rainy Spring day, and amazing on a clear sunset evening, I'm told). The Longwood has three levels, and brunch takes place on the main restaurant level, with warm west coast decor and a two-story wood-burning fireplace.
The restaurant was crammed with happy multi-generational families and couples during our visit, but it still felt open and airy even with a full house (reservations are a must, it's a popular spot). The staff, without exception, were all pleasant and attentive, from chefs making sure that the brunch tables stayed well-stocked right until the last brunch seating at 1:30pm to the serving staff keeping coffee flowing and empty plates whisked away.
I also liked that many individually portioned items were mini-sized, so you could sample a little of this or that throughout the buffet instead of overloading your plate - highlights included the mini cornbread muffins with maple pecan cream cheese, and the mini chocolate mousse that I enjoyed with one last coffee at the end of our meal.
I can now see why the Longwood Brewpub Restaurant's Sunday Brunch gets voted as the best in the city year after year. It's an authentic, unpretentious and tasty buffet that focuses on fresh and local food paired with a staff that are happy you've come to spend your Sunday meal with them.
I'll certainly be back again, perhaps next time down to the pub level to do a Longwood Brewery Beer Tasting.


text:
30 Day Challenge
Husband Encouragement Challenge For Wives
Day 1
{ Devotional }
"...through love serve one another." Gal. 5:13b
How did you do yesterday with your first day of blessing and encouraging your husband? Was it easy? Was it hard to hold your tongue when you wanted to say something negative? We hope you're off to a good start. (If you blew it, don't give up - start again today!) There are so many practical things you can praise, if you look for them.
Today, find some way that your husband is serving you or your family. Does he help around the house? Take care of the car? Fix things that are broken? If your budget allows, give him a new, small tool with a big bow attached. But make sure he doesn't think it's part of a "Honey Do" list!
Maybe your husband's not a handyman, but does he run errands for you? Let you go first? Take care of you when you are sick? Help you make decisions? Praise him for his willingness to serve others. Let him know that you see his unique service as a great strength.
{ My Husband }
Nick and I moved from central Wyoming to northern Illinois in March of this year. For some reason I can't quite recall now, we had been under the impression that it was relatively easy to find work here, and since the cost of living is quite low in this area, and Nick's family moved here back in 2008, we decided to take the plunge and pack up shop. It was quite the adventure, and took us two days. Our dog, Butters, had a nervous breakdown when we packed all his things, but that was our only casualty.
When we arrived in Illinois, we quickly discovered that our visions of "Hiring" signs in business windows was incorrect; very few places were looking for help, and the ones that were tended to require an advanced education of some sort. We were here almost a month when I sort of "fell into" a job at a chain photography studio, but Nick continued to search for over four months.
I think unemployment is hard on most men ~ at least, the ones who take their calling to provide for their families seriously. (I know there are some families where the wife works and the husband minds the children, and if they feel that God orchestrated that arrangement, I am fine with that, though I know from experience that it doesn't work in my family.) Being out of work was extremely difficult for Nick, and he struggled with feelings of inadequacy and depression because no matter how hard he looked or how many applications he filled out, he could not find a job. The whole situation was a tremendous blow to his masculinity and to his role as a husband.
Yet in the midst of this time of trial, Nick rose up and provided for me in whatever ways he could. There was a period of several weeks where I was working over 40 hours per week, with a 2 hour commute; add to that the sudden attack of poor health that sent me to the emergency room twice in a week and left me with severe pelvic pain that lasted for over two months, and I had absolutely no energy left at all by the time I came home in the evenings after work! It was a miserable time for me, and I know that Nick felt keenly the fact that I could not stop working because he had not yet found a job of his own. So what did he do?
He did the laundry.
That might not seem like much to some, but to me, it was epic! He hauled our clothes from the second floor to the basement and back, twice a week, for almost two months, so I wouldn't have to do it when I came home. I felt incredibly appreciated and loved, and simply astounded that in the middle of feeling so bad about his job situation, Nick went out of his way to do something helpful for me. (Not to say he isn't helpful - I just usually have to ask first.) Knowing that I could come home and rest, and not have to worry about what to wear the next day, took a huge weight off of me; but the bigger blessing was knowing that my husband cared enough about me to do something to ease my burden.
I could go on all day about times Nick has gone out of his way to help someone in need. My husband has a servant's heart, and I am so blessed to be able to serve along side him!
{ What Has Gone Before }
To see the original post introducing this 30 Day Challenge, click here.
To see my post for Day 1, click here.


text:
When I was little my parents often received one of those store bought Christmas tins of shortbread cookies. I was the only one besides my mom who ate them. Shortbread has always been one of my favorite cookies.
This year instead of using granulated sugar in my cookies I opted to go with brown sugar to give them a toffee flavor. I then dipped them in some milk chocolate (left over from the cookies I shared yesterday!) and then sprinkled them with crumbled heath bar bits.
I think I ate 2 whole sticks of butter in 24 hours..... I ate the entire plate of cookies by myself! As my boys would say.... "What a pig hog!"
They are so good, I strongly recommend you make them. These cookies are also part of Cookie Week. A group of my favorite ladies are sharing their favorite cookie swap cookies, all week long. Check out my friend Kirsten's blog for some great cookie related giveaways! While your at it... go check out Megan's as well... she has 12 days of giveaways going down! During Cookie Week, every cookie swapped Glad is donating $1 to Cookies for Kids Cancer.
Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies Dipped in Chocolate and Toffee
2 cups flour
1 cup room temperature butter
2/3 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup heath bar bits or toffee bits of any kind
In the bowl of your electric mixer using your paddle attachment mix flour, butter, and salt together until very crumbly looking. It may take a few minutes for the butter to work into the flour and it may appear to be very dry. This is ok!
Remove from mixer and inside the bowl kneed the dough with your hands until it comes together and has moistened into a cookie dough.
On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet shape dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
Using a tooth pick score lines for where you want to cut the cookies and add little holes to each one. I poked mine about 4 times per cookie.
Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until they are golden around the edges.
Remove from oven and cut along the lines you made before baking. Allow to cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.
Mean while in a double boiler add in chocolate and allow to melt, mixing constantly until smooth.
Dip cooled cookies into chocolate and place on a pieces of parchment paper. Sprinkle with toffee bits and allow to cool.
Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.... or cookie swap them!


text:
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While we are better known for our contribution towards off-shore paper discovery services, we have made a significant move towards services like Document Review, Deposition Summaries, Legal Research and technical support. We have always been looked up as a partner of choice by our Clients the new ones that we add up.
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