text: Latest News Staff Picks Is Merkel planning to continue EU anti-Russian line despite Trump? As Donald Trump clearly signals change of course, some EU leaders – possibly including Angela Merkel – cling to their anti-Russian policies. Published 2 years ago on January 7, 2017 By Alexander Mercouris 1,928 Views Share Tweet The French commentator Natalie Nougayrède has written an extraordinary piece in The Guardian, which hints that even if Donald Trump lifts US sanctions on Russia… Angela Merkel will try to keep EU sanctions in place: It's expected that the first key test will play out in the Donbass. If Trump backtracks on sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, will the EU be able to maintain a common front? German officials privately hint this may create a transatlantic rift that they wouldn't shy away from if Europe's collective interests are deemed at stake. "We may need to go there" says one, quickly adding a lot will depend on the French presidential vote. Nougayrède is a well-connected person, who was formerly executive editor and managing editor of Le Monde, and her writing does sometimes reflect fairly closely the opinions of senior EU officials. In this instance moreover she claims to have been told this by German officials, who presumably reflect Merkel's thinking. In reality the suggestion that the EU might persist with its anti-Russian sanctions if Trump lifts those of the US, is both breathtaking and delusional. There is already widespread opposition to the sanctions, especially in southern Europe, and the idea that Angela Merkel, with or without French support, could single-handedly keep Europe in line on the sanctions even if a Trump led US reversed its position on them, is sheer fantasy. It is to such fantasies that those in Europe who joined the ride of the anti-Russian campaign during Obama's second term, and who invested all their hopes and ambitions in Hillary Clinton's election, must now cling to. Having surrendered to the US control of Europe's foreign policy, if under Trump the US now reverses course, they will have no cards left to play, and will be obliged to follow suit. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Related Topics:RussiaDonald TrumpAngela MerkelEUGermanyUSsanctions Up Next Moscow at Christmas – a city at peace with the world and itself Don't Miss Donald Trump tweets for peace with Russia Advertisement You may like Photos of new Iskander base near Ukrainian border creates media hype Vladimir Putin calls new Ukrainian church 'dangerous politicking' May survives 'no confidence' vote as UK moves towards March 29 deadline or Article 50 extension (Video) Click to comment Leave a Reply This comment form is under antispam protection This comment form is under antispam protection Subscribe Notify of new follow-up comments new replies to my comments Latest Photos of new Iskander base near Ukrainian border creates media hype But research into the photos and cross-checking of news reports reveals only the standard anti-Russian narrative that has gone on for years. Published 7 mins ago on January 18, 2019 By Seraphim Hanisch Fox News obtained satellite photos that claim that Russia has recently installed new Iskander missile batteries, one of them "near" to the Ukrainian border. However, what the Fox article does not say is left for the reader to discover: that in regards to Ukraine, these missiles are probably not that significant, unless the missiles are much longer range than reported: The intelligence report provided to Fox by Imagesat International showed the new deployment in Krasnodar, 270 miles from the Ukrainian border. In the images is visible what appears to be an Iskander compound, with a few bunkers and another compound of hangars. There is a second new installation that was discovered by satellite photos, but this one is much farther to the east, in the region relatively near to Ulan-Ude, a city relatively close to the Mongolian border. Both Ukraine and Mongolia are nations that have good relations with the West, but Mongolia has good relations with both its immediate neighbors, Russia and China, and in fact participated with both countries in the massive Vostok-2018 military war-games earlier this year. Fox News provided these photos of the Iskander emplacement near Krasnodar: Fox annotated this photo in this way: Near the launcher, there is a transloader vehicle which enables quick reloading of the missiles into the launcher. One of the bunker's door is open, and another reloading vehicle is seen exiting from it. [Fox:] The Iskander ballistic missile has a range up to 310 miles, and can carry both unconventional as well as nuclear warheads, putting most of America's NATO allies at risk. The second deployment is near the border with Mongolia, in Ulan-Ude in Sothern Russia, where there are four launchers and another reloading vehicle. [Fox:] Earlier this week, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's Security Council, said authorities of the former Soviet republic are being "controlled" by the West, warning it stands to lose its independence and identity as a consequence. "The continuation of such policy by the Kiev authorities can contribute to the loss of Ukraine's statehood," Mr Patrushev told Rossiyskaya Gazeta, according to Russian news agency TASS. This situation was placed by Fox in context with the Kerch Strait incident, in which three Ukrainian vessels and twenty-four crew and soldiers were fired upon by Russian coast guard ships as they manuevered in the Kerch Strait without permission from Russian authorities based in Crimea. There are many indications that this incident was a deliberate attempt on the part of Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko, to create a sensational incident, possibly to bolster his flagging re-election campaign. After the incident, the President blustered and set ten provinces in Ukraine under martial law for 30 days, insisting to the world, and especially to the United States, that Russia was "preparing to invade" his country. Russia expressed no such sentiment in any way, but they are holding the soldiers until the end of January. However, on January 17th, a Moscow court extended the detention of eight of these captured Ukrainian sailors despite protests from Kyiv and Washington. In addition to the tensions in Ukraine, the other significant point of disagreement between the Russian Federation and the US is the US' plan to withdraw from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). Russia sees this treaty as extremely important, but the US point of view expressed by John Bolton, National Security Adviser, is that the treaty is useless because it does not include any other parties that have intermediate range nukes or the capability for them, such as Iran, North Korea, and China. This is an unsolved problem, and it is possible that the moves of the Iskander batteries is a subtle warning from the Russians that they really would rather the US stay in the treaty. Discussions on this matter at public levels between the Russian government and the US have been very difficult because of the fierce anti-Russia and anti-Trump campaigns in the media and political establishments of the United States. President Putin and President Trump have both expressed the desire to meet, but complications like the Kerch Strait Incident conveniently arise, and have repeatedly disrupted the attempts for these two leaders to meet. Where Fox News appears to get it wrong shows in a few places: First, the known range for Iskander missiles maxes at about 310 miles. The placement of the battery near Krasnodar is 270 miles from the eastern Ukrainian border, but the eastern part of Ukraine is Russian-friendly and two provinces, Donetsk and Lugansk, are breakaway provinces acting as independent republics. The battery appears to be no threat to Kyiv or to that part of Ukraine which is aligned with the West. Although the missiles could reach into US ally Georgia, Krasnodar is 376 miles from Tbilisi, and so again it seems that there is no significant target for these missiles. (This is assuming the location given is accurate.) Second, the location shown in the photo is (44,47,29.440N at 39,13,04.754E). The date on the "Krasnodar" photo is January 17, 2019. However, a photo of the region taken July 24, 2018 reveals a different layout. It takes a moment or two to study this, but there is not much of an exact match here: Third, Fox News reported of "further Russian troops deployment and S-400 Surface to air missile days after the escalation started, hinting Russia might have orchestrated the naval incident." It may be true that Russia deployed weapons to this base area in Crimea, but this is now Russian territory. S-400s can be used offensively, but their primary purpose is defensive. Troops on the Crimean Peninsula, especially at this location far to the north of the area, are not in a position strategically to invade Kherson Oblast (a pushback would probably corner such forces on the Crimean peninsula with nowhere to go except the Black Sea). However, this does look like a possible defense installation should Ukraine's forces try to invade or bomb Crimea. Fox has this wrong, but it is no great surprise, because the American stance about Ukraine and Russia is similar – Russia can do no right, and Ukraine can do no wrong. Fox News is not monolithic on this point of view, of course, with anchors and journalists such as Tucker Carlson, who seem willing to acknowledge the US propaganda about the region. However, there are a lot of hawks as well. While photos in the articles about the S-400s and the Russian troops are accurately located, it does appear that the one about Iskanders is not, and that the folks behind this original article are guessing that the photos will not be questioned. After all, no one in the US knows where anything is in Russia and Ukraine, anyway, right? That there is an issue here is likely. But is it appears that there is strong evidence that it is opposite what Fox reported here, it leaves much to be questioned. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading Latest US Christians move to protect Christians in the Middle East It is very good to stand up for Christians in places where they are persecuted in the world. We ought to start with the US and Europe. Published 7 mins ago on January 18, 2019 By Seraphim Hanisch ISIS represents the single most prominent national or pseudo national entity that makes the persecution of Christians a central part of its activity. The would-be Islamic Caliphate is widely understood to be on its last legs, having been destroyed or driven out of most of the Syrian territory and Iraq, which it had gained in surprisingly swift conquests during the administration of US President Barack Obama. However, ISIS is not the only persecutor of followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, Christianity is by far the most widely persecuted religion on earth, with the last 100 years seeing more martyrdoms than in the entire history of Christianity before. In this video, released by Fox Entertainment, Dede Laugesen discusses the activity of Christians in the US moving to help those abroad. The video is well worth watching, but with additional considerations. Persecution of Christians has many forces, and although this piece largely concerns itself with causing the physical death of Christian believers, it also makes a point of "exclusion from civil society, loss of property, and many other things." This may or may not be code for the other type of persecution that has taken place against Christians, that being in what we might call "First World" countries, like the United States itself, England and others in Europe. During President Obama's terms, for example, Christians were actively persecuted through the Affordable Care Act's provisions of (at first) trying to get one dollar of everyone's health insurance policy premiums to go towards providing abortifacients or contraceptives to anyone who needed them. This was a violation of American First Amendment rights (Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…) and the Roman Catholic Conference of Bishops in the US spoke out against it strongly. The answer from the Administration was basically a shell game – insurance companies were thus mandated to provide such services for no charge at all. Of course, the insurance companies are not about to lose money, so the original idea of a dollar per premium payment essentially survived; it was just slightly more hidden. In 2015 and 2016, American Christians began to notice in very widespread fashion that they and those believing in a traditional understanding of family life and marriage, were now considered "hateful, bigoted, homophobic" and other pejorative labels. Some were driven out of business, like the cake backers in Oregon and Colorado. Homosexuality, a lifestyle that has been condemned by all Abrahamic faith traditions since recorded history began, was made legal by Supreme Court fiat in the United States. Now parents have to deal with the reality of lesbian or gay hero characters being portrayed by the likes of Marvel and DC productions on TV at home, and some public schools are insistent upon teaching children about "my two dads" or "my two moms" and so forth. As Tucker Carlson noted in his own video presentation about two weeks ago, the attack against traditional family values for the sake of economic gain has caused unbelievable destruction in American society. The legalization of cannabis has accelerated this. With all this is probably the most powerful attack yet devised against Christian believers. That attack says something like this: Christianity? Sure, it's okay if you want to be Christian. We do not mind. But keep your faith in Church. Be nice to the rest of us who do not believe like you do. Your faith is yours to keep but it offends us. Jesus said to love everyone, but when you talk about your beliefs (that we disagree with) you are being a bad Christian because you are being hateful to people who are different than you. Many Christians have silently buckled to this argument. And why? It is in our nature as Christians to strive for compassion and kindness to others. In America, a large part of our church upbringing talked about being nice to others whether they deserved it or not. But being "nice" is not the same as being honest. There are still a lot of great parents that know that being too nice to their children will kill them. Being honest, strong, disciplined… these are also measures of what Christian love is. Christian love is rooted in reality. The reality of God, of who we are, our ability to do either good or evil to ourselves and those around us, and far more than being nice to others, facing the Lord at the last moment in life or at the Last Judgement. To survive and make it through that session means that we have to make decisions that may not look nice. They may look harsh, unkind, or hateful. But every sane adult probably remembers times his or her parents put their foot down and did not let them do something. At the time it seemed wrong. But later it proved lifesaving. We are under an attack as severe as ISIS' attacks on Christians in those other parts of the world. If the seculars of our culture can render our faith as irrelevant, then they have won, and we all suffer. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading Latest The Pences: defenders of Christian values in the White House Article about Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen views Christian life as weird, showing nature of Christian persecution in the US. Published 8 mins ago on January 18, 2019 By Seraphim Hanisch A companion article noted that Christian believers in the US are seeking to help stand for those Christians in far off lands who are being martyred and persecuted for their faith at the hands of ISIS and other cruel religious and secular forces. But we also noted that this problem is extremely fierce in the Western "Christian" world, but the attacks try to bring Christian life to irrelevance and "shame it out of existence." An example of this in action came from Yahoo.com, carrying a news piece from AFP. Here is that piece; we have added emphases to focus on our point: On page 11 of an application to work at a private Christian school in Virginia, teachers are bluntly asked to pledge to "maintain a lifestyle based on biblical standards of moral conduct." It goes on to say banned conduct includes, but is not limited, to: "heterosexual activity outside of marriage (e.g. premarital sex, cohabitation, extramarital sex), homosexual or lesbian sexual activity, polygamy, transgender identity" or "any other violation of the unique roles of male and female." Students at the Immanuel Christian School — who range in age from five to 14 — are also banned from engaging in "homosexual or bi-sexual activity," according to an agreement parents must sign before enrollment. Vice President Mike Pence's wife Karen is once again teaching art at the school in Washington's suburbs — sparking anger from gay rights advocates who say it sends the wrong message from the inner circles of US power. "We'll let the critics roll off our backs," Pence said in an interview with Catholic television network EWTN. But he added: "The criticism of Christian education in America should stop." Of course, the Pence family's brand of religious conservatism is exactly why Donald Trump chose him as a running mate in July 2016. – Pro-prayer, anti-abortion – At that time, Pence was the governor of Indiana and a former congressman with a low national profile. He had a few crowning achievements to boast of — a state anti-abortion law and a "religious freedom law" that said individuals and companies wishing not to serve gay and lesbian customers could cite a "substantial burden" on their religious beliefs as a reason. An amendment was eventually passed to provide protections for LGBT citizens. The anti-abortion law added limits to access, banning those motivated by the fetus's race, gender or disability. But it was eventually blocked in the courts. Nevertheless, the two initiatives had burnished Pence's reputation as a champion of the religious right. Since taking office as vice president, the 59-year-old Pence — who seems to make it his business not to make waves — regularly appears alongside the 45th president of the United States. In meetings, he often takes a back seat, his lips sealed and his head nodding in approval. When he speaks in public, he never misses a chance to voice his admiration for the man who brought him back to Washington. On the face of it, they could not be more different — Trump is brash, twice divorced, vocal about his sexual conquests and doesn't seem to have a tight grasp on biblical passages. Pence meanwhile said last year: "I do try and start every day reading the Bible. My wife and I try to have a prayer together before I leave the house every morning." On Thursday, the vice president was set to host a roundtable for pro-abortion rights activists on the eve of the March for Life, a major annual anti-abortion rally in Washington. Pence was the first vice president to speak at the march in 2017. "We will not rest, until we restore a culture of life in America for ourselves and our posterity," Pence told the crowd. – The fight continues – Mike and Karen Pence met at church — an evangelical Protestant congregation. One in four Americans associates with the movement. Today, they are often seen holding hands when they are together in public. Pence often begins his tweets by saying, "Karen and I are praying for…" They are reportedly inseparable — a fact that sometimes sparks mockery. In 2002, Mike Pence, then a lawmaker, infamously told The Hill that he never ate alone with a woman other than Karen, and that he would not accept an invitation to an event where alcohol was being served if she were not there. "If there's alcohol being served and people are being loose, I want to have the best-looking brunette in the room standing next to me," Pence told the Washington paper. While he has often joked about his traditional views of coupledom, he has never denied them. Karen Pence, 62, shares her husband's conservative beliefs. In 1991, she wrote to The Indianapolis Star newspaper to complain about an article that, she claimed, encouraged children to think they were gay or lesbian, according to a copy of the letter released by The Washington Post. Since that time, gay marriage has become the law of the land — legal across the country. But there is no explicit federal ban on discriminating against someone for their sexual orientation, which allows employers like the Immanual Christian School to maintain its rules against "sexual immorality." For the Pences, as for other evangelicals, the battle continues. The thing that is stunning about this news piece is that it casts what are traditionally Christian values and a traditionally good Christian family in a negative light. For AFP and Yahoo, the Pences are an anomaly, a throwback that needs to be thrown back. The contemporary reader is more likely to mock the "backwardness" of Family Pence rather than see their lifestyles as honorable. This is the nature of the attack against Christianity in our country. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Your donations make all the difference. Together we can expose fake news lies and deliver truth. Amount to donate in USD$: 5 100 Validating payment information... Waiting for PayPal...Validating payment information...Waiting for PayPal... 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text: Trustmark has named Michael T. "Mike" Belmes as corporate finance officer at the corporate office in Jackson, where he serves as corporate planning analyst. Belmes, a native of Hilo, Hawaii, earned a bachelor of science in business administration with concentrations in accounting and finance from American University. His work experience includes merger and acquisition advisory at Barclays Capital.Read More »

subset: commoncrawl


text:
more participants here
They thought we had something to eat for them
Happy Jersey with his bone
Yanouk meditates about the miseries of the world
more participants here at Pet Pride
Kim and Pookie
Water tastes better in other places !
ACK!!! You let Arthur lick out of a pan? Do you cook with it? phewww eeewww LOL. And how did you train Pookie to drink outta the fountain like that? I swear you do magic on these cats! Those first three photos are just spectacular. They all are really. Have a wonderful Sunday :)
Love your pictures! My CC entry is up: http://jottingsfromjersey.blogspot.com/2010/01/camera-critters_10.html
I loved the shot of Happy Jersey eating his bone. He looks very happy.
Wonderful series of photos!
My CC
Ah, you know Arthur! He has discriminating tastes!
You certainly find these special poses.
Great set of critters photos, I love the horses but my favorite is Yanouck. He is a gorgoeus dog.
Love all your photos! What a wonderful variety of four-legged friends you have! And Yanouck truly does look as if he's worried about the world! Have a great week!
Sylvia, Sam and Mojo
Hello dear friends!
Happy Camera Critters!
These pictures are great, the first one is so beautiful, I love horses.I hope they can hide tonight inside a warm place because it's really cold!
Ahhh about water.In Brazil I used to drink water directly from the tap.
Here in Lux, mommy not allows me do it, she said there is lots of "calcare"( kalk ) in the water.
But I like that "evian" water, it's nice! :)
purrs and love
Great photos.. and poor Yanouk does look a bit sad...
so cute! Who wants to drink water out of a bow?!


text:
News story
Welsh Secretary says latest Unemployment Statistics show positive news for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan has welcomed the latest Labour Market Statistics published today which show a significant fall in…
Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan has welcomed the latest Labour Market Statistics published today which show a significant fall in unemployment, placing Wales in line with the picture at UK level.
The figures for the period January to March 2011 confirm that the unemployment rate in Wales was 7.7%, a fall of 0.7%. The statistics also show that employment levels increased by 0.9% from the last quarter, and both economic inactivity levels and rates decreased.
Mrs Gillan said: "These latest statistics show positive news for Wales, with a big fall in unemployment levels. This is significant, placing Wales in line with the picture at UK level and confirming that we are moving in the right direction as we try to rebuild the economy towards a sustainable recovery.
"The increase in employment levels and decreased economic inactivity levels are also good news. However, we need to redouble our efforts so that figures such as these now become the norm. The Welsh economy still faces a number of challenges and I look forward to working closely with the Welsh Government and the newly appointed Cabinet members on this important issue in the best interests of the people of Wales."
The employment rate in Wales was 68.5%, an increase of 0.9%. The employment level in Wales rose by 12,000 from the last quarter to 1.347m.
The economic inactivity rate was 25.6%, a fall of 0.4% on the last quarter. The economic inactivity level was at 485,000, a fall of 7,000.
Unemployment rate was 7.7%, a fall on last quarter of 0.7%, and a fall of 1.6% on last year. Unemployment rate in UK was 7.7% a slight fall on last quarter (0.1%) and also fell by 0.3% compared with the same quarter of 2010.


text:
Types of surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy — traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, a surrogate mother is artificially inseminated, either by the intended father or an anonymous donor, and carries the baby to term. The child is thereby genetically related to both the surrogate mother, who provides the egg, and the intended father or anonymous donor.
A Traditional Surrogate acts as both egg donor and surrogate. Traditional Surrogates are impregnated by a process called intrauterine insemination or IUI. A doctor transfers sperm taken from the intended father and transfers the sperm into the uterus of the surrogate so that natural fertilization can take place. Traditional Surrogacy creates a genetic link between potential parents & Surrogate mother, that's why this type of surrogacy is merely chosen by the infertile patients. By using traditional surrogacy, the surrogate acts as both an egg donor and a actual surrogate as well, and she is impregnated with semen from the intended parents or any Sperm donor.
This process is completed by using a process known as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).Therefore, with traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is also called the biological mother of the child.
Traditional surrogacy is more controversial than gestational surrogacy, in large part because the biological relationship between the surrogate and the child often complicates the facts of the case if parental rights or the validity of the surrogacy agreement are challenged. As a result, most states prohibit traditional surrogacy agreements. Additionally, many states that permit surrogacy agreements prohibit compensation beyond the payment of medical and legal expenses incurred as a result of the surrogacy agreement.
Surrogacy Qualifications
Most surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics require surrogates to meet the following general qualifications:
a. Be in good physical and mental health;
b. Have carried and delivered at least one child;
c. Have had pregnancies that were all free of complications and were full-term;
d. Be less than 43 years of age (some clinics will accept older woman in certain circumstances; others have younger age cut-offs for all surrogates);
e. Be in a stable living situation; and
f. Not smoke or abuse alcohol.
In the past few years surrogacy has seen an increase in utilization, especially among very prominent social figures. Sarah Jessica Parker and Ricky Martin have both recently had children through surrogates. Will their happily ever after stories be the ones to change the negative public perceptions that have dominated the media for the past three decades? Or, are these stories simply highlighting the ways in which surrogacy can be seen as stratified reproduction, a technology only available for the wealthy? Both of these celebrity stories showcase how positive surrogacy can be for different people facing different realities of infertility. While this may be a step towards acceptance for surrogacy as a viable and accepted form of reproduction, there have been other stories featured recently within the New York Times emulating Baby M, reinforcing negative perceptions once again.
Based on available statistics, which are quite incomplete due to a lack of reporting regulations, about 1,500 to 2,000 surrogate/contracted babies are born per annum in the United States (Ali and Kelley 2008, 44). In addition, several thousands more are born each year as the result of a surrogate arrangement in a wide-variety of nations worldwide. Australia, Canada, and Brazil report numbers at least as large as those reported in the United States (Covington and Burns 2006, 371); and in India, where commercial surrogacy was legalized in 1992, poor women are recruited to gestate what may amount to hundreds (more likely thousands) of babies for couples throughout the world .
The medical risks of surrogacy
There are certain medical risks involved with surrogacy. These risks are similar to those that may be experienced with all other methods of assisted reproductive treatment. These may include:
Effects on the child born as a result of the treatment – IVF treatment has a greater chance of producing multiple births, which increases the chance of a premature birth and a baby that is below the normal birth weight.
Effects on the egg provider – there can be reactions to fertility drugs, including hot flushes, feelings of depression or irritation, headaches and restlessness. There is also a small risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurring, which can cause stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and faintness. This condition is extremely rare.
Effects on the surrogate – there are the usual risks associated with any pregnancy and birth. These risks are increased with the age of the surrogate.
Celebrities for Surrogacy
Shah Rukh Khan and wife Gauri had a surrogate baby, AbRam, in May 2013.
Nicole Kidman and her husband, singer Keith Urban, had their second child through surrogacy in 2011.
Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao had a son via a surrogate mother in 2011.
Sohail Khan and wife Seema had their second child through surrogacy in 2011.
Elton John and his partner David Furnish had a son using a surrogate mom in 2010. This year they had another surrogate baby, also a boy.
Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City fame and her husband, actor Matthew Broderick, had twin babies through surrogacy in 2009.
Robert De Niro and his wife Grace Hightower had a baby girl via a surrogate in 2011. De Niro and Hightower were 68 and 56 respectively at that time.
First Case of Surrogacy
The first "official" legal surrogacy agreement was enacted in the mid-1970's with the child who was referred to as Baby M. The same lawyer who brokered this agreement went on to found the Infertility Center, a company that arranges hundreds of surrogate births every year.
During that same time frame, surrogacy made the national and international news with the world's first "test tube" baby, Louise Joy Brown. Although this was not technically a surrogate mother situation, this event did pave the way towards what is now known as gestational surrogacy – a practice that is used today for implanting both sperm and egg in a laboratory to later be placed into the surrogate mother's uterus.
It wasn't until 1980 though, that the first paid traditional surrogacy arrangement was conducted. In this case, the surrogate mother, a 37-year old woman, was paid $10,000 for the successful delivery of a baby boy.
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text:
Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'iPad Help' started by Blackhart, Apr 3, 2011.
To much a newbie to understand how to do this any help plz.
Do you mean from your computer?
You need to use imageshack.com or photobucket.com and upload your image, and they will give you a image link that you input in this forum under the picture
Was thinking more from iPad hate pulling out my 2010 laptop it like waking up a dinosaur
Same thing ~ get the Photobucket app and then put your photos on your ipad into PB. Then copy to clipboard and past here!
Ok thanks hoping it was no comp required
Sounds a little easier will try that tks
Photo bucket gots pretty bad reviews know of a better one?
That is all I use! Have for years.
Really? I've been using photobucket for years with great success and have the apps on my Droid Incredible and this iPad, both work seamlessly for me
I use Tapatalk for 99% of my forum surfing and it has a built in upload feature built in
The photo attached is a bookmark from Star Walk app taken as a screen shot,uploaded from tapatalk
Support Our Troops!
This post was Tapatalk approved
Sent from my iPad


text:
Christopher Ricks
- My Sister and Myself: The Diaries of J.R. Ackerley edited by Francis King
Hutchinson, 217 pp, £8.95, March 1982, ISBN 0 09 147020 X
'Women are bitches.' It was odd and ugly of J.R. Ackerley to put it like that, since both the sentence before this terse rancour and the one after it dote upon a bitch, his dog Queenie. Much-loved Joe Ackerley was not much-loving, but he did love his dog, loved her even more than he loathed his sister Nancy. Nancy loathed them both back. She also loathed their old aunt Bunny, whom Ackerley only intermittently hated. When Ackerley took a break, he contrived a busman's Roman holiday, since he went to stay with Siegfried Sassoon, who was fully occupied loathing his wife, as she him. 'He was obviously very wrought up over her emotional persecution of him, and described at much length her jealous rows, resentments, emotional blackmail, etc. He was describing Nancy.' Nancy was chagrined at not having been invited, so Ackerley gave it her straight:
'Why on earth should he have asked you?'
'I'm your sister.'
'But he hates women,' I said. 'He's going through torment over his own woman already. He's a sort of hermit. He would never have had you in the house.'
Ackerley's best and posthumous book, My Father and Myself (1968), had love and respect in it. Someone had actually surprised him. His father's secret life – a whole other wife and children all unbeknownst to Ackerley until after his father's death – moved him to an apprehension of a life intimate with his and yet utterly distinct from him. So the newly fashioned parallel title, My Sister and Myself, is misleading. For the previous book was about Ackerley's father and about Ackerley and about their relation. This selection from Ackerley's diaries is about the relation between Ackerley and his sister: about that only, since Nancy is granted no independent life. (Francis King does his best to supply her with one in his accommodating introduction.) Given that Ackerley could unquestionably write, his perverse refusal to make real the husband of Nancy, or her son, has to be evidence that it was his own flesh only that he yearned for her to be a thorn in. Oh, he deplores her treatment of her husband and her son, but only so that we – he, primarily – may the more underline her monstrous behaviour to him, Joe. 'Horrible, horrible woman. Poisonous. Corroded with jealousy and envy.'
The misogyny is unremitting; beside it, the misanthropy is light relief. Francis King's introduction finds convenient a turn of phrase: 'Joe and his often misogynistic friends', 'Joe's friends, many of them women-haters'. But it cannot be that Joe's friends were at odds with him in this, or indeed were able to outdo him. When Ackerley showed E. M. Forster a letter from Nancy, Forster was horrified: 'unfocused hatred'. Ackerley focused.
Essentially these diaries cover 13 months, from August 1948 to September 1949. A further 15 pages pounce along till 1957. (Ackerley died in 1967, Nancy in 1979.) Practically every page has a blistering or festering remark about women. It is not just that Nancy and Bunny are always despised explicitly as women, but that Ackerley incites himself to every generalising contempt. When Bunny boasts, Ackerley interrogates himself, and acquits himself as a man:
Shall I be like that when I get old, talk endlessly about myself and such successes as I have had in life, my books, my good looks when young, my successes in love? I can't believe it. Indeed I think it is female vice. Women are naturally vain and self-centred, interested only in themselves or what other people think of them; boasting in old age is what they are all too liable to come to.
When Nancy smarts, Ackerley surreptitiously snickers: 'I remember Nancy saying to me, "I believe you'd sacrifice us any time to the dog." I said, "Yes, of course." Being a woman, so vain, I suppose she thought I didn't mean it, but I did.' When his aunt is granted his praise ('Bunny is very good really about such disappointments'), this is so that the praise may then with the more animus be rescinded, for the very next sentences are these:
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Vol. 4 No. 9 · 20 May 1982 » Christopher Ricks » Women
pages 3-5 | 3019 words


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The Penthouse features distinctive eight-foot wraparound windows, on three sides, which provide daylight from the South, East and West. This space is perfect for environmental shoots with vintage oxidized stainless steel windows, distressed concrete floor and custom furnishings. The Penthouse is also equipped with a full service kitchen that is often used by food magazines, consumer brands and television companies for cooking shoots. Additionally, this space offers rooftop access and amazing NYC views. Square feet: 1700 main space / Limited roof access Ceiling height: 11 ft Sound system with iPod hook-up Video presentation projector and screen Wireless internet / Access to fax and printer Access to in-house inventory of rental furnishings Blackout shades available Full service kitchen Passenger or freight elevator access available
Please follow all of Peerspace's terms and conditions including overtime and cancellation policies. A Certificate of Insurance is required by any guest wishing to rent our space. The Certificate of Insurance must name host as second insured. Please note that the studio offices and facilities are private and off limits to the independent contractor and it's guests. Please note that the balcony area is limited to 1 event worker. The general public is off limits to the balcony area. No smoking No Outside alcohol No Drugs
All ages


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Bukola Azeez, FNP-BC
Health Center Location:
Masters in Nursing (University of Texas at Tyler)
Bachelors in Nursing (University of Texas at Tyler)
American Nurses Credentialing Center
Texas Board of Nurses
Specialty/Area of medical interests:
Family Practice, OB
What do you enjoy most about working with Community Care's Patients?
It makes my day when I help a patient start the journey to a healthier lifestyle, better manage a chronic illness or ease the anxiety of welcoming a new baby. Putting smiles on faces of patients' everyday gives me great joy and fulfillment!!


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When Britain Burned the White House: The 1814 Invasion of WashingtonBy: Peter Snow (author)Hardback
Up to 1 WeekUsually despatched within 1 week
DescriptionAs heard on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week. Shortlisted for the Paddy Power Political History Book of the Year Award 2014. In August 1814 the United States' army is defeated in battle by an invading force just outside Washington DC. The US president and his wife have just enough time to pack their belongings and escape from the White House before the enemy enters. The invaders tuck into the dinner they find still sitting on the dining-room table and then set fire to the place. 9/11 was not the first time the heartland of the United States was struck a devastating blow by outsiders. Two centuries earlier, Britain - now America's close friend, then its bitterest enemy - set Washington ablaze before turning its sights to Baltimore. In his compelling narrative style, Peter Snow recounts the fast-changing fortunes of both sides of this extraordinary confrontation, the outcome of which inspired the writing of the 'Star-Spangled Banner', America's national anthem. Using a wealth of material including eyewitness accounts, he also describes the colourful personalities on both sides of these spectacular events: Britain's fiery Admiral Cockburn, the cautious but immensely popular army commander Robert Ross, and sharp-eyed diarists James Scott and George Gleig. On the American side: beleaguered President James Madison, whose young nation is fighting the world's foremost military power, his wife Dolley, a model of courage and determination, military heroes such as Joshua Barney and Sam Smith, and flawed incompetents like Army Chief William Winder and War Secretary John Armstrong. When Britain Burned the White House highlights this unparalleled moment in American history, its far-reaching consequences for both sides and Britain's and America's decision never again to fight each other.
About AuthorPeter Snow is a highly respected journalist, author and broadcaster. He was ITN`s Diplomatic and Defence Correspondent from 1966 to 1979 and presented Newsnight from 1980 to 1997. An indispensable part of election nights, he has also covered military matters on and off the world`s battlefields for forty years. Peter is married and has six children.
Product Details
- publication date: 12/09/2013
- Format: Hardback
- Number Of Pages: 320
- weight: 590
Delivery Information
- Saver Delivery: Yes
- 1st Class Delivery: Yes
- Courier Delivery: Yes
- Store Delivery: Yes


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As a blinking light source approaching you gains speed, you see the frequency of flashes increase.
Work Step by Step
This is discussed on page 669, and in Figure 35.15.
You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this answer.Update this answer
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The Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island
Executive Director
Providence, RI
What drew you to the field of aging or gerontology?
As a director of a statewide agency focused on reducing poverty among children and families, for many years I shared an office and worked collaboratively with the Rhode Island chapter of the Gray Panthers. I was impressed by their members' energy, fire and dedication to fighting for a better community. I was also amazed by their stories of surviving on very limited incomes. Five years ago, when I had the opportunity to take on my present position organizing seniors to promote "aging in the community" opportunities, I jumped at it.
What is your specialty or area of interest?
I am focused on empowering people to change policies, laws and programs that will enable seniors to "age in the community" longer and with better quality of life. While I work primarily with seniors and help them develop leaders for this cause, I also engage seniors' families, caregivers, and anyone concerned about having a good quality of life as they age. As a baby boomer I have a very immediate self-interest in this issue, which is always a good thing for a community organizer.
How do ASA's resources and education help you with your work?
As a newcomer to the field of aging, I have relied heavily on the ASA's resources for my education in senior matters. Foremost has been the ASA's Annual Aging in America Conference--I've attended every one since starting this job. Beyond its superb workshops, plenaries and exhibitors, it has been a fabulous networking venue. It has enabled me to meet 1 on 1 and build relationships with national experts who have been generous with their time and advice. "Generations" is always required reading for me, and ASA Webinars have also been very helpful.


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April 2017 - High Point Market
Launching its brand new showroom in the first building built on High Point Market's downtown campus since 2005, Christopher Guy prepares to open its doors this spring in the company's inimitable, spectacular style.
Coinciding with Christopher Guy's tenth anniversary in business, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception beginning at 3 pm on Fri., April 21 will include dignitaries from the City of High Point and the High Point Market Authority.
The stand-alone, two-floor 20,000 square foot space is situated on Hamilton Street, along the now expanding Hamilton-Wrenn Design District corridor.
See Christopher Guy's new showroom and spring product offering at 129 South Hamilton St.
Christopher Guy - Birgit Muller


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Aalim Hakim guides you to wonderful mane
His latest offering is a TV show, Style Inc. With Aalim Hakim, which offers behind-the scenes footage from his photo shoots and dressing room moments with the who's who of Bollywood — Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Ajay Devgn, to name a few.tv Updated: Mar 08, 2013 18:04 IST
Aalim Hakim has been cutting hair since he was a teenager. "I went to college with Vivek Oberoi and choreographers Bosco-Caesar. I'd cut and style their hair for fashion shows during college festivals. I loved it, so I made a career out of it," recalls the hairstylist, who is now responsible for the haircuts sported by a host of A-list actors and top cricketers.
His latest offering is a TV show, Style Inc. With Aalim Hakim, which offers behind-the scenes footage from his photo shoots and dressing room moments with the who's who of Bollywood — Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Ajay Devgn, to name a few. We get him to spill a few secrets.
What are the easiest and most difficult haircuts you've given?
Salman Khan's is the easiest hair to cut. He loves to experiment, but likes to keep it short from the back. I've made mistakes with his haircut sometimes, but we're friends, so he comes back to me. And because he's Salman, he pulls off the bad cut too, and people perceive it as a new fashion statement.
But convincing Saif to get a buzz cut for Omkara (2006) was difficult because he loves his hair. I had to call photographer Prasad Naik to shoot my hair from all angles, because I had a buzz cut at that time, chop my face to replace it with Saif's and show him how it would look. Finally, he agreed just the day before the shoot and we buzzed it at midnight. He loved it, and after that, a lot of actors went in for the same cut.
Do people still come in with pictures of celebrities and request the same haircut?
I get some requests for hair like Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor, but I tell people that it's important to have their own identity. But a lot has changed over the years, because a lot of youngsters now come and say that they don't want the same haircut as their friends. Besides, after the '90s, there have been no long-staying Bollywood-inspired trends. Haircuts aren't as iconic as they were back then, and people don't want to ape stars anymore.
Do you get creative freedom when styling for films or is there a clear directive?
I get a brief, but directors let me do what I want, so I'm lucky. It's fun building a character. I've experimented a lot over the years — I gave Emraan Hashmi a mullet in Awarapan (2007) when no one wore their hair that way. Ranbir Kapoor's haircuts for Rockstar (2011) were very unconventional too. I've been toying with an Elvis-style quiff for Varun Dhawan in his next film. Having said that, I prefer styling for photo shoots because they're challenging and better outlets for my creativity. Within a span of five hours, I can do multiple looks with the same length of hair.
Aalim's favourites
The hairstylist lists his most iconic cuts:
Amitabh Bachchan's spiky hair in Ek Ajnabee (2005)
Ranbir Kapoor's long locks in Rockstar (2011)
Saif Ali Khan's buzz cut in Omkara (2006)
Emraan Hashmi's mullet in Awaarapan (2007)
Sanjay Dutt's spiky hair in Musafir (2004)
First Published: Mar 08, 2013 16:33 IST


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West Village locals are looking to make a "Common Sense" Change On Barrow Street — renaming it to honor the 18th century writer and revolutionary Thomas Paine.
"Thomas Paine is like the Founding Fathers' founding father. He's the one who made the convincing case for independence," Dylan DePice wrote in an online petition to the City Council calling for the change.
"The guy who did as much as anyone to spark the creation of a country founded on religious liberty deserves to be honored for it."
The street, which became city property in 1809, was named after Thomas Barrow, a rich landowner and a vestryman at nearby Trinity Church. [NYP] – Christopher Cameron


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Mumbai, Nov 18: Mumbai Police has issued an advisory to citizens to curtail their movements outside their houses only if exigencies arise.
Motorists have been advised to avoid Western Express highway between Santacruz and Kalanagar. North-bound traffic should take SV Road from Sea link, says a traffic advisory.
Following is the advisory issued by Mumbai police for today:
-don't come on road unless if there is an emergency
-don't use private vehicles, use public vehicles like BEST bus,local trains etc for safer travel
-don't go for auto or taxi -as most of the auto, taxi unions have called a bandh
-if you live in suburbs and want to go to the city by road, please avoid western express highway specially from Kherwadi junction till Dadar. Due to funeral procession, most of the roads there will witness jams and you may be stuck in heavy traffic
-For Western express highway use Swami vivekanand road ( S V road) and go till Bandra -from there use Bandra Worli sea link and Worli sea face, Poonam Chamber road,till Haji Ali and then Peddar Road, Nariman Point and go to Churchgate
-also avoid using Eastern express highway specially from Sion to Dadar circle--
-use Kurla, BKC, Bandra -Worli sea link and go to Churchagate
-dont go by Tulsi pipe road, Dadar flower market, Siddhivinayak temple road, Shivaji Park road- Shivsena bhavan road-avoid this route completely
-dont go for any shopping etc in malls or for watch movies in theaters. All cinema halls and most of the malls and markets will remain closed today
-avoid going out of Mumbai today due to transport problems, better postpone it for Monday


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Have you ever watched Kristen Wiig as the Target Lady? If not... you must! Here's the link: Go there now! http://www.hulu.com/watch/72441
Did you hear her say, "It was a weird, weird night?"
I'd like to bet my night was weirder!
Jackson started with a cough on Friday night and I could tell he was not feeling well at all. The rest of the weekend he went downhill. His color was bad. His energy level was WAY down! His cough was getting worse and by Sunday evening he had a fever. He hadn't been sleeping very well so I gave him some Motrin and put him on the floor in our room to sleep for the night.
I had only been asleep for about 2 hours when I felt someone tapping on my should. I turned to see Jackson wide awake. He whispered, "Come here mom. I have to show you something." I got up and followed him to the landing right outside my room. He stopped and I stopped. I waited a second and then I said, "What do you want buddy?"
His reply was a very frustrated, "Oh NEVER MIND!"
Then he went to his room, instead of back to my room. He crawled into his bed, rolled himself in a ball and hid his entire being under his quilt.
I thought, "Guess he wants to sleep in his own bed." So I headed back to my room. In the hall, I ran into Gracie who was completely wide awake. As a matter of fact, have you seen the owl from the Animal Crackers video who had 12 cups of coffee. (If not click here). She looked just like that owl. She said, "I haven't been to sleep yet!" She then quickly shut her door. It was 1:30am and I was so confused.
I later found out she was scared to death. She had walked into my room right before my incident with Jackson and she had her own incident with him. Apparently she was heading in my bathroom for something and when she walked into my room, Jackson was just standing there. She jumped 10 feet and then she asked him if he was ok. He yelled, "I'M FINE!!!" She said, "You don't look fine. You should probably wake up mom and then he yelled, "I'M FINE!!" again.
I was probably back in bed for about 20 minutes when I felt someone leaning over me. Then Jackson spoke. He said, "There were two giant needles." I said, "Are you having a dream about going to the dentist tomorrow?" He said, "No."
He went back to his little bed on my floor.
30 minutes later...he's back. He says, "Mom! When's it going to stop?"
I said, "When's what going to stop?"
"All the screaming and yelling" was his reply.
"I don't know buddy."
He laid back down.
Now, I'm starting to get a little freaked out. What in the world is wrong with him? Starring at the ceiling a couple of thoughts went through my head: 1) I'm taking him to the doctor in the morning. 2) I think his fever is higher than I thought. He must be hallucinating.
But, then I head down a really bad path. What if he has a mental disorder? What if he's going crazy? What if he's still acting like this in the morning? What if he walks out of the house? What is starts toward the mountains and runs into a mountain lion and forgets all the rules (click here for previous post). What if.... What if... What if....
A few minutes later, he's back. "Can you go to the bathroom with me? I'm really dizzy?
I hold him while he takes care of business and then lay him back on the floor.
Another 45 minutes of tossing and turning, I get myself to settle down and begin to drift off to sleep. Then... he's back. He crawls into bed with me and he says, "I get it!! When the giant meatball hits the brick wall... it turns into a chicken!"
That's it! I'm done!! I can not take this anymore! What in the world is wrong with him? It'd be one thing if he were doing all this with his eyes closed. But, he looks like he's never been asleep. And, he's acting like we are having a perfectly normal conversation.
I don't know if I slept the rest of the night.
I called the doctor as soon as it was 8am. When I was explaining all this to the lady on the phone, she says, "Are you sure you don't need to take him to the emergency room?"
I said, "No. I think we'll start with a regular doctor."
Turns out, after a thorough exam, he was diagnosed with a sinus infection and lots of pressure in the ears. She didn't seem alarmed by any of his behavior during the night! Shew! She did say that sinus infections are harder to treat here because of how dry it is so we were given a list of things to do in addition to the antibiotics.
I'm happy to report... he slept like a baby last night. And, so did I.
It was a weird, weird night.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
It was a Weird Weird Night
Posted by April Isaacs at 12:56 PM
1 comment:
- Singing Shannon said...
When I get Sinus infections and pressure in my heads. I say some really weird things but I'm not going repeat here. Love to see your blogs and I know you're missed here too in Ohio..
- January 15, 2013 at 1:18 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Part of my research for this episode.
A Study from Thucydides to Justinian
by Christine A. Smith
Throughout history, humans have been faced with disastrous catastrophes which must be endured in order to survive. One of the most incomprehensible disasters for humanity has been the plague. This term in Greek can refer to any kind of sickness; in Latin, the terms are plaga and pestis. In antiquity, two of the most devastating plagues were the Athenian plague of 430 B.C. and the Justinianic plague of 542 A.D. This paper will discuss these plagues, the manner in which they spread, and their consequences for the survivors. Also, the ways in which ancient writers wrote about these disasters will be discussed, with special reference to the role of the gods. Much of what is conventionally believed about these plagues comes from comparisons with the Black Death, a visitation of bubonic plague during the fourteenth century A.D. Although the sources for the Athenian and Justinianic plagues are insufficient, there is some question as to the validity of this analogy as an historical source.
The Athenian plague occurred in 430-26 B.C. during the Peloponnesian War, which was fought between Athens and Sparta from 431 to 404. Because of overcrowded wartime conditions in the city, the plague spread quickly, killing tens of thousands. <1> Included among its victims was Pericles, the former leader of Athens. <2> The only surviving source for the Athenian plague is the first-hand account of Thucydides in his History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides, who lived from c. 460 to c. 400, was an Athenian general and political critic.
In his History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides employed a carefully developed structure to investigate the meaning and causes of historical events. His writing, which evolved from Sophistic thought, reflected a constant conscious analysis of grammar and rhetoric. <3> History, according to Thucydides, was a process of human nature; and as such, it was highly influenced by mass movements. He, therefore, stressed physical reality, and did not allow for the active intervention by the gods. This is most evident in his account of the Athenian plague, since plagues were traditionally attributed to the wrath of the gods, as evidenced in Herodotus, as well as in the Book of Exodus and the Iliad of Homer. <4> Through this work, Thucydides began an historiographical tradition which would become the model for many future historians.
Having suffered from the plague himself, Thucydides presented a very systematic account of the symptoms. His aim was merely to "describe what it was like, and set down the symptoms, knowledge of which will enable it to be recognized, if it should ever break out again." <5> The Athenian plague originated in Ethiopia, and from there spread throughout Egypt and Greece. <6> Thucydides, however, remarked that the city of Athens suffered the greatest toll from the disease. <7> Initial symptoms of the plague included headaches, conjunctivitis, a rash which covered the body, and fever. The victims then coughed up blood, and suffered from extremely painful stomach cramping, followed by vomiting and attacks of "ineffectual retching." <8> Many people also experienced insomnia and restlessness. Thucydides also related that victims had such an unquenchable thirst that it drove them to throw themselves into the wells. Infected individuals generally died by the seventh or eighth day. If anyone managed to survive this long however, s/he was then stricken by uncontrollable diarrhea, which frequently caused death. Those who survived this stage might suffer from partial paralysis, amnesia, or blindness for the rest of their lives. <9> Fortunately, infection of the plague provided immunity; that is, few caught the disease twice, and if this occurred, the second attack was never fatal. <10>[…]
Source: http://www.loyno.edu/~history/journal/1996-7/Smith.html


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An extremely bio-chemically active material, humic acid is an excellent conditioner for organically-deficient soils and has a beneficial impact on the growth and cultivation of crops, flowers and turf. It is not a single acid but a mixture of many different acids that are present in the organic constituents of soil, peat, coal and even water basins.
The process by which humic acid and its compounds are formed in soil by plant residues is known as "humification." It is not a fertilizer but rather a complement to it. With regular use of humic acid, the soil and plant may be better able to utilize the fertilizer, reducing the frequency and need for more fertilization. By helping to increase fertilizer retention and the plant's uptake of necessary organic nutrients, humic acid improves growth and development.
Humic acid also sets up a virtuous cycle by stimulating the activity of beneficial soil microbes which leads to the formation of more "humus" or organic matter in the soil and consequently more humic acid.
Humic acid works with different types of soils, including clay and sand. Its addition to tight, compacted clay soil breaks up the soil, improves water penetration and promotes better development of roots. Sandy soils are deficient in organic material and hence very poor at retaining water. Adding humic acid corrects this deficiency and makes the soil better able to retain water and essential nutrients for better root growth.


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What Are the Signs of Heat Stroke?
Heat-related illness can affect anyone who spends blocks of time outdoors
Heat-related illness isn't just for ambitious athletes overextending themselves in the blazing sun. It can affect anyone who spends blocks of time outdoors. One expert, Jonathan Becker, a specialist in sports medicine at the University of Louisville, explains how to tell when we've had too much sun and when a glass of iced lemonade isn't enough to help us regain our cool.
From Bad to Worse


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Live updates
Birmingham singer-songwriter Laura Mvula misses out on Mercury
Birmingham singer-songwriter Laura Mvula has missed out on this year's prestigious Mercury Music Prize for her album the Dream Room.
Laura performed her song 'Phenomenal Woman' at the ceremony in London.
She was one of twelve artists nominated and was competing against artists including Radiohead and David Bowie.
The 2016 award was won by artist Skepta for his almum, Konnichiwa.
- ITV Report
Singer Laura Mvula nominated for Mercury Prize
Midlands' artists nominated for BRIT Awards
Herefordshire's Ellie Goulding and Birmingham's Laura Mvula have tweeted their delight at being nominated in categories at this year's BRIT Awards.
They face each other in British Female Solo Artist. Laura has also been nominated in the British Breakthrough Act category, while Ellie has been nominated in the British Single category.
Soul singer Laura Mvula cleans up at MOBO awards
Birmingham-born soul singer Laura Mvula cleaned up at last night's MOBO Awards, taking home two gongs.
She walked away with the coveted Best Female Act prize, leaving other nominees Jessie J, Rita Ora, Jessie Ware and Lianna La Havas disappointed.
Mvula, aged 27, also won Best R&B or Soul Artist and treated the audience to a live performance.
Homecoming gig for Laura Mvula
Her star is rising and she's home grown talent about to perform a homecoming concert. She's been compared to many legendary female artists but she's certainly got her own distinct look and sound.
Laura Mvula is smashing through the emerging talent scene and fast becoming a household name. Tonight she is performing back in Birmingham and a little earlier she allowed Karen Griggs to interrupt her soundcheck .
Stage almost set for Laura Mvula
Rigging for the sound check is underway at Birmingham's Glee Club ahead of Laura Mvula's performance tonight.
Laura Mvula back in Birmingham before summer of festivals
Laura Mvula, who grew up in Birmingham, is performing at several festivals this summer. As well as three slots at Glastonbury, including the main stage, she is also performing at V Festival and Latitude Festival.
The singer graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire with a degree in composition and began writing songs while she was working as a supply teacher in the city.
She will be performing at Birmingham Glee Club today.
Birmingham's Laura Mvula returns to play gig
Laura Mvula will be playing at home today as she appears at the Birmingham Glee Club.
The singer who grew up in the Selly Park and Kings Heath areas of Birmingham has just returned from the United States. She starts her headline UK tour on Monday.
This year she will be playing three slots at Glastonbury - including the main stage on the same day as The Rolling Stones.


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This short 84 page book, published in 1990 and easily read in one night, is a poignant, powerful memoir in which Styron attempts to describe the indescribable - "the pain of severe depression is quite unimaginable to those who have not suffered it, and it kills in many instances because its anguish can no longer be borne."
Styron won the Pulitzer Prize in 1968 for his novel, The Confessions of Nat Turner. Other well-known works include his first novel, Lie Down in Darkness (1951) and Sophie's Choice (1979). He became clinically depressed and suicidal later in life (60's) although he admits that alcohol use probably masked the symptoms.
Styron has a beef with the word "depression" arguing that
"melancholia" would still appear to be a far more apt and evocative word for the blacker forms of the disorder, but it was usurped by a noun with a bland tonality and lacking any magisterial presence, used indifferently to describe an economic decline or a rut in the ground, a true wimp of a word for such a major illness.Why do the blackest thoughts reside in some and not others? He tries to answer this for himself and for the long list of other artists who succumbed to suicide, acknowledging that
bloody and bowed by the outrages of life, most human beings still stagger on down the road, unscathed by real depression. To discover why some people plunge into the downward spiral of depression, one must search beyond the manifest crisis - and then still fail to come up with anything beyond wise conjecture.Bottom line, who knows?
He describes the rapid descent of "anxiety, agitation, unfocused dread" and openly admits relating to Baudelair, the 19th century poet's words, I have felt the wind of the wing of madness. He then very definitively says:
But never let it be doubted that depression, in its extreme form, is madness. That madness results from an aberrant biochemical process.....such madness is chemically induced amid the neurotransmitters of the brain, probably as the result of systemic stress, which for unknown reasons causes a depletion of the chemicals norepinephrine and serotonin, and the increase of a hormone, cortisol.This reminds me of Josh's psychologist's words when we spoke on the phone after his death. Somehow, that night, Josh suffered a psychotic break with reality. I did not get it then, but Styron's words help give some framework to the comment.
As Styron's struggles intensified, he gives a vivid description of the mental pain and anguish that leads to suicidal thoughts.
It may be more accurate to say that despair owing to some evil trick played upon the sick brain by the inhabiting psyche, comes to resemble the diabolical discomfort of being imprisoned in a fiercely overheated room. And because no breeze stirs in this cauldron, because there is no escape from this smothering confinement, it is entirely natural that the victim begins to think ceaselessly of oblivion.He goes on to speak of the concept of loss:
It is the touchstone of depression - in the progress of the disease and, more likely, in its origin....the loss of self-esteem is a celebrated symptom...one dreads the loss of all things, all people close and dear. There is an acute fear of abandonment....There is no doubt that as one nears the penultimate depths of depression - which is to say just before the stage when one begins to act out one's suicide instead of being a mere contemplator of it - the acute sense of loss is connected with a knowledge of life slipping away at accelerated speed.He chronicles his own suicidal ideation and the reason why.
In depression this faith in deliverance, in ultimate restoration, is absent. The pain is unrelenting and what makes the condition intolerable is the foreknowledge that no remedy will come - not in a day, an hour, a month, or a minute. If there is mild relief, one knows that it is only temporary; more pain will follow. It is hopelessness even more than pain that crushes the soul....the situation of the walking wounded.On the night he determined his own extinction, he "experienced a curious inner convulsion that I can describe only as despair beyond despair. It came out of the cold night; I did not think such anguish possible."
He was so close to suicide but luckily for him, one song snapped him out of it. He was voluntarily hospitalized the next day. My thoughts upon reading this are, Why wasn't Josh saved? Why wasn't he spared? Why couldn't he have failed? Why couldn't something have snapped him out of it?


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|It looks really dark in this light. Doesn't look anything like me.
|Country Road silk blouse, J Bran Houlihans, Targert flats.
WHY don't they make those leather ballets any more? Loved them.
Things I love about this photo:
- my J Brand Houlihans. Cannot take these things off, they are the most comfortable pants I have ever owned
- Marcel refusing to look at the camera/ mirror. He was so naughty last night but we can only laugh at him
- brown hair!
Things I do not love about this photo:
- messy, messy bed. Because of the rain here I haven't had a chance to wash our normal bedlinen (I hate dryers!) and had to use this queen size quilt cover. My giant latex mattress, even though it's queen size, needs king linen it's so high
- we STILL don't have bedside tables. Only been in our place a year, no rush. I just can't find what I want. The only things we have bought brand new furniture wise are Ikea bookshelves (does anyone not have an Expedit bookcase?) and desk. New furniture just doesn't do it for me. I really want solid (no veneer) teak drawers, but they are so hard to find in good condition.


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A lot of joy was felt inside a Fort Worth courtroom Tuesday.
Two sisters beat the odds stacked against them and were adopted at ages 12 and 10.
According to Child Protective Services, only 1 in 5 children adopted in Texas last year was age 10 or older, which is why what happened Tuesday was so moving.
"Happy, excited and a little nervous," is how adoptive mom Justine described the joyous occasion.
Her now daughters 12-year-old Christina and 10 year-old Aubree had a dream come true.
"I don't have to go through anything else," said Aubree referring to her painful past of abuse and neglect.
Things weren't so happy last July during our Wednesday's Child taping. Behind the laughs, Christina and Aubree were anguished over not having parents.
"I always say, when I get scared, God has a plan for me," Christina told WFAA.
She was right.
Fast forward 10 months and WFAA was at her adoption Tuesday.
"Last year when I was on Wednesday's Child I said 'God has a plan for me and I knew it was going to happen,'" said Christina.
Today a family was sealed after two adoptive parents fought for their daughters. Tarrant Co. Judge Patricia Bennett made it official.
"It's my pleasure to grant the adoption. Congrats and good luck!"
When Justine and Bill saw our Wednesday's Child report last summer, they knew.
"Christina said God has a bigger plan for me and that's when I knew those are MY girls!" said Justine.
Adoptive dad, Bill, fought back emotion the entire day.
"I'm usually a rock, but not now. I love my daughters," he said wiping away the tears.
Christina smiled knowing her mom and dad are not going anywhere.
"I'll always be there for you two. I love you guys so much," he said before jokingly adding "I gotta pay for two weddings!"
According to Child Protective services, of the 5,703 children adopted in Texas last year just over 1,000 were age 10 and older.
That's roughly 20 percent.
Babies and younger children are adopted at a much higher rate than the older kids. That's why Judge Bennett says what happened with the adoption of two older sisters is so important.
"They get to have a family again and they learn to trust again."
In the future, Christina wants to help kids like herself.
"I'm going to help them by giving them a life. I might adopt kids," she said.
This is the end of Christina and Aubree's story. Together and blessed.


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By Rick Reeno
A deal is basically wrapped up for IBO super middleweight champion Thomas Oosthuizen (21-0, 13 KOs) to make a defense of his title against undefeated Brandon Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs) on June 29th as part of an HBO televised tripleheader. The main event features a middleweight fight between WBA/IBO middleweight king Gennady Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) and top contender Matthew Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs). The card takes place at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
Promoter Lou DiBella denied published reports that junior middleweight contender Willie Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) will face Joshua Clottey in the televised opener. The opponent hunt continues, says DiBella, but many of the boxers approached for the HBO opportunity have either turned Nelson down without hearing an offer or they overpriced themselves.
DiBella tells BoxingScene - "That is not true, Willie Nelson is not going to fight Joshua Clottey. We are still searching for an opponent, but nobody wants to fight Willie Nelson."


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From: Mohammed Rafiq Lodhia
To: Maulana Wahiddudin Khan
Subject: "JINHE NAAZ HAI ISLAM PAR VO KAHAN HAIN?"
Honorable Maulana Saheb,
As-Salaam Alay-Kum
"Ignorance is the mother of all evils," proclaimed our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Well having stated this, kindly allow me to jot down three more quotes from three other wise persons on the very word "Ignorance" as follows:
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action."
Johann Wolgang von Goethe
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere
ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of
our own ignorance."
Benjamin Franklin
Undoubtedly, ever since the tragic day of September 11, 2001, the silent majority in the Muslim Ummah clearly displayed an act of sincere ignorance by continuously dwelling on the so-called "Conspiracy Theory," let alone the conscientious stupidity by relentlessly arguing that all the mayhem created by those who hijacked our great religion of Islam are more or less instigated by the invisible hands who are out to hurt the good name of Islam. Believe it or not, as Muslims we have become masters of shifting the blame on others without using our common sense not realizing that we are our own worst enemies for being "Ignorant" to the hilt.
It's truly mind boggling that in spite of a recent terror attack in once a peaceful city of Bombay/Mumbai, the same conspiratorial theories are again being discussed as if we the Muslims are immune to committing any crimes on humanity. Goethe's words proved to be so right that the rampant attack upon the innocent civilians is not only frightful, but ignorance blended with extreme hatred in action is ever more dangerous. Small wonder that the Islamic zealots are always out to disrupt the human civilization as these ignorant ones in their own stupid minds believe that they are conducting a holy act in the name of Islam.
Benjamin Franklin's cautionary words that the knowledge of our own ignorance paves the way to the doorstep of wisdom must be heeded too. We Muslims must come out of our self-imposed "Silence" and sheer "Ignorance," or else, the ruthless fanatics led by the criminal minds who have indoctrinated the young Muslims with nothing but hatred towards humanity will forever ruin the image of Islam. Witnessing the uncalled for death and destruction in India, my heart calls out for a single most powerful question, "JINHE NAAZ HAI ISLAM PAR VO KAHAN HAIN?"
Sahir Ludhianvi is no longer with us, however, the famous lyrics of the unforgettable timeless movie "Pyaasa" are forever engraved in my mind. The song "Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par" succinctly highlights the decadence in Indian society, especially the streets of brothels. It was none other than Mohammad Rafi who superbly sang the song which was penned by Sahir. Sadly, these two great Muslims died in the same year; Sahir on October 25, 1980, whereas, Rafi on July 31, 1980. (May Almighty Allah rest their souls in peace.)
Mohd Rafi with Sahir Ludhianvi, Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Madan Mohan, Minoo Karthik
Today, Muslim world needs poets and singers to portray the utter corruption of the Islamic world where the streets are being roamed by the murderous young Muslims whose sole mission in life is to destruct anything iconic to prove to the world that they are the followers of Islam. Fiery and hateful sermons given by our religious teachers are much to be blamed for such a chaos that prevails in the world. Listening to the twisted interpretation of our Holy Quran by taking the verses out of context helps elevate the level of ignorance. Unfortunately, most amongst us despise "Reading" even by using the "Blackberry" which brings the world in the palm of their hands. Perhaps, "Listening" might well be one of the avenues to expose the evil nature of Muslim terrorism similar to one of Sahir's heartfelt verses as follows:
Madad chahati hai ye hawwa ki beti
Yashoda ki ham-jins, radha ki beti
Payambar ki ummat zulai khan ki beti
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan hain
That's right, "Kahan Hain." Spiritual poets are long gone and it is hard to seek spiritual scholars in the Islamic world. You are the only one who I know can give some satisfying answers as to why "Ignorance" and "Inconsideration" plague our Islamic society. Interestingly, the editorial page of Pakistan's leading newspaper "Dawn" falls short in addressing the root cause of terrorism except for dedicating a first few lines in condemning the despicable attacks. Surprisingly, in the same editorial section was an article by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer titled, "Two Great Modern Thinkers," namely Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (May Almighty Allah rest their souls in peace). For sure these two great Muslims have made rich contributions, but they are all but mostly forgotten as their rational teachings of Islam can never endorse the violent acts unleashed by the Islamic zealots.
Last but not the least, I am totally at sea, engulfed in a state of deep sadness. Every act of terror brings out the embarrassing headline news all over the world, thereby, the teachings of our great religion of Islam are once again up for critical debate by our fellow humans hailing from different religions. I stand absolutely confused and do earnestly request you to pen another book emphasizing the saying of the Prophet of Islam that "Ignorance is the mother of all evils" without an iota of doubt.
With warmest personal regards, I, your ardent admirer, beg to remain,
Respectfully yours,
Mohammed Rafiq Lodhia
Two great modern thinkers
By: Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer
Dated: November 28, 2008
The subcontinent produced many great Islamic thinkers throughout the medieval period and even during the decline of the Mughals when Shah Waliullah stands out.
During the British rule two great thinkers came to prominence: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Sir Syed belonged to the 19th century. Maulana Azad, on other hand, lived and worked during the 20th century (died 1958). Both were great Islamic thinkers. Sir Syed though known more for his establishment of the modern educational institution, the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO), which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920, was also an Islamic thinker in his own right. Sir Syed's services to the community in the field of education perhaps overshadowed his Islamic scholarship.
His scholarship was original. He wrote books in defence of Islam when some British and western orientalists found faults with it. His book, Essays on the Life of Muhammad, is an important work from the modernist point of view. More than that, his commentary of the Quran, which he could not complete because he was forced by orthodox ulema to abandon it, is quite significant.
Sir Syed was earlier influenced by the puritan Wahabi ideology; he later changed track and came under the influence of the Muttazila school of thought, arguing that it was closer to the rationalist point of view. His commentary on the Quran, published under the title of Tafsir al-Quran wa huwa al-huda wa al-Furqan is, to my mind, a milestone in the 19th century commentary literature which came into existence as a result of countering western, rational challenges.
Sir Syed's commentary and scholarship could be compared with his Egyptian contemporary, Muhammad Abduh. Abduh was also influenced by western rationalism and adopted a modernist view on many aspects. He, like Sir Syed, devoted himself to spreading education among his people and shunned politics in his later years.
Under pressure from traditional ulema, Sir Syed gave up writing the commentary and began to spread modern education among Muslims, which he thought was more important than insisting on writing the commentary. He argued that if modern education took hold, Muslim could understand the Quran in a rational way. Unfortunately, that did not happen and the orthodox ulema continued to have sway over the Muslim mind.
Sir Syed's commentary went out of print and no one was interested in reprinting it. Thanks to Khudabakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna, it became available in India again about a decade ago.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's commentary on the Qur'an is equally significant. Azad was greatly influenced by Sir Syed in his earlier days though later he charted his own course. He too could not complete his commentary though for a different reason. He had written his commentary during his internment at Ranchi in the 1920s. Unlike Sir Syed, Azad was a freedom fighter and his political activities kept him so busy that he could not complete the commentary.
Azad's commentary is somewhat different from Sir Syed's, though similar in spirit. He tends to be more traditional. Unlike Sir Syed, he does not write under the influence of the Muttazila school, though his approach, too, is not orthodox. He claims in the introductory part that he went through all the available tafsir literature before writing his commentary. Thus, Azad was fully conscious of what was written in the past and without significant departure from the traditional line, he made his commentary much more relevant to modern times. Also, his prose style is much simpler than Sir Syed's.
Azad's commentary on Surah Fatihah, the very first chapter of the Quran, is unique and remains unbeatable by other commentators. Also, he devotes one volume of his tafsir to what he calls wahdat-i-deen (unity of religion), basing his view on the Quranic text. This is his unique contribution, and leaves one wondering at his knowledge of other religions and philosophies, like Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc.
Azad maintains that deen is one, though laws (sharia) differ from religion to religion. Differences in these laws are because of culture, customs and traditions, not because of principles and values. He supports his thesis by quoting extensively from the Quran and other religious texts. Though one finds the doctrine of wahdat-i-deen in tafsir literature before Azad also, like in Shah Waliyullah's Hujjatillah al-Baligha, but one does not find here a scholarship of other religious texts. Maulana Azad's tafsir is thus much more inclusive.
Both Sir Syed and Maulana Azad have made rich contributions to the tafsir literature in modern times which needs to be popularised.
The writer is an Islamic scholar and heads the Centre for Study Society and Secularism, Mumbai.