text:
Business breakfast networking for South East London
The Business Bagel is for local businesses to showcase their services and make new connections; Business-to-business, service-to-service. We meet, talk shop and facilitate the sharing of help and advice within the group for new, start-up businesses or established companies. Small or large, sole traders to self-employed.
Plus we offer a FREE directory listing for all bagel attendees
We hope to see you at the next Business Bagel breakfast to make some new contacts and share what you do.
The next Business Bagel is on: Tuesday the 26th of February at 9am
Coffee Craft
Stanley Halls
12A South Norwood Hill
London SE25 6AB
at 9am
Bagel Networking @ Coffee Craft
Enterprise Junction at the Stanley Halls
A winter trade show for business connections
What is it?
A shout out and celebration of the amazing capacity for locality of business and employment in The South East.
At The Enterprise Junction, businesses can:
Promote themselves through sponsorship, publicity, display stalls, networking, attending seminars and giving talks
Explore the business potential of The Stanley Halls and the surrounding area
Meet potential clients and employees
Where is it?
It is literally at The Stanley Halls SE25, the whole of it; three halls, networking and workshop spaces, cafés and bars and business resident's studios.
When is it?
All day on January 23rd, 2019
This event has now passed but pop along to the next Business Bagel or get in touch for information on the next Enterprise Junction show.


text:
The departments "pulled the rug out from under transgender students," says Lambda Legal's Susan Sommer.
According to a press release from the group, the Departments of Education and Justice did not comply with the request of Lambda Legal. Indeed, the group wished to have access to the documents about these policies.
The request included "correspondence with any groups outside the government, communications with the President's staff, and instructions to staff about how to handle inquiries and complaints about discrimination, bullying, and harassment based on gender identity or transgender status."
The Freedom of Information Act authorizes them to have access to these documents.
The departments acknowledged that they had received the request from Lambda Legal. One can then wonder why they refuse to communicate the documents.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Description: Fantastic POV with the beautiful Jessica Blue and the big-cocked David Galant. This couple is the perfect combination for this kind of scenes. She's got deep blue eyes, perfect for a video in the first person. And David Galant's cock does its part of the job perfectly.
- Pornstars:
- Jessica Blue


text:
Submitted by sujongippi • August 25, 2013 www.modernhousecompare.com
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text:
The LL.M. in American Legal Studies provides students who already hold a law degree with an introduction to the breadth of American law. Students who complete the one-year LL.M. program are ready for the further study of law in the United States, select bar examinations, and the practice of law internationally. Candidates must hold a basic law degree (LL.B. or equivalent) from an accredited foreign college or university, or a J.D. from an accredited American law school
The KU Law LL.M. in American Legal Studies will prepare you to take the New York Bar Examination. The curriculum, tied to the requirements set by the New York Bar Examiners, consists of the following:
Course Requirements
|Professional Responsibility (fall or spring semester)
|Lawyering Skills I (fall semester)
|Introduction to Constitutional Law
|Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following:
Business Organizations or Business Associations I and/or II
Conflict of Laws
Criminal Law
Criminal Procedure
Family Law
Trusts and Estates
Commercial Law: Payment Systems
Commercial Law: Secured Transactions
|Electives: Students may take 10 credit hours in any course offered by KU Law, subject to relevant prerequisites.
Students seeking a more specialized curriculum may request approval from the Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law to waive one or more course requirements.
Grading System
An LL.M. student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 at the end of any regular semester is on probation. A student on probation is not in good standing for purposes of the rules of withdrawal or any other rules that require good standing.
All LL.M. students must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 during the semester in which they complete 24 credit hours, or they will not be awarded the degree nor will they be permitted to continue in school. There is no appeal within this law school from this requirement.
LL.M. students are not subject to the mandatory grading guidelines applicable to students seeking a J.D. degree.
Students must complete all requirements for the degree within three years of initial enrollment.


text:
Landover Leftovers From WVU's Defensive Showing
LANDOVER, Md. – The numbers are in on West Virginia's defensive performance, and the most concerning one is in the teens.
With coordinator Tony Gibson "uncomfortable" with the depth situation, particularly at linebacker and in the secondary, the Mountaineers trotted out only a handful of reserves on defense. Included in that was nose tackle Lamonte McDougle, by far the true freshman to see the most time on the defensive side. McDougle was credited with two solo tackles, one for loss, while reserve middle linebacker Brendan Ferns had one stop.
But that was largely the bulk of the second team snaps taken, while the first team was littered with first-time starters like linebacker Dylan Tonkery – who is replacing the injured David Long on the weakside – cornerback Hakeem Bailey, nose tackle Xavier Pegues, linebacker Xavier Preston, corner Mike Daniels and end Reese Donahue. That's five – or almost half the starters.
Factor in safety Toyous Avery and end Adam Shuler, who each had one career start entering the opener, and the Mountaineers put a whopping seven players on the field for the first snap who had combined to do that just twice ever before.
It made for a mostly inexperienced unit outside of linebacker Al Benton and safeties Dravon Askew-Henry and Kyzir White, and that combined with a lack of proven ability throughout the reserves limited Gibson to far fewer than the full two deep of 22 players he would like to have. The best guesstimate is that the Mountaineers played 14 to 15 different bodies on defense through Virginia Tech's entire 72 plays.
"That's no excuse, though," White said. "We needed to make more plays and we didn't. We could've cleaned up a lot of different things. We'll get better."
With fatigue setting in late, Tech quarterback Josh Jackson was able to rip off a trio of big plays, including a 32 yard pass touchdown pass to Cam Phillips and a run of 46 yards to set-up the game-winning score.
"We knew what kind of offense they run and what type of players they put back there," Benton said. "They always have a quarterback who can run, and they have another one in Jackson. We went over those things all game and all week. We did what we had to do for the most part, but we let them get out a few times and it hurt us.
"All these teams run this type of stuff. We might not necessarily have had film on (Jackson), but we had film on the scheme and how to block against it. Coach Gibby and those guys do a great job of getting it."
The issue was continuing to try to handle the Hokies' offense while managing the building snaps and weariness against the sheer numbers situation. Virginia Tech managed just 165 yards of offense in the first half, but rolled up 304 yards and 21 points over the third and fourth quarters.
"We gotta come back and use it as motivation," White said. "Even though we lost I feel like everybody was out there fighting and grinding. Nobody gave up. We are resilient and we find ways to step up."
Which, as Gibson pointed out, means finding additional younger players ready to see action. Included on that list, according to Gibson, is transfer corner Corey Winfield and safety Derrek Pitts.
"Right now we are searching," Gibson said. "At linebacker I just have to keep bringing these guys along."
Cramps An Issue In Opener
With the amount of snaps played, and the early September conditions, a handful of players on both sides cramped during the game. But this wasn't a 90-degree game at 1 p.m. It was a 7:30 night kick, with little to no radiative heat transfer, especially on a grass surface. WVU strength and conditioning coach Mike Joseph said perhaps the sheer emotions, and being too excited to play and keeping muscles more tense than relaxed, could have played a role.
As for Benton, he remained unsure.
"Mine, specifically, I have no idea," Benton said of his cramp. "The adrenaline and running around and seating a lot in pregame and on the field…I just need to do a better job of drinking during the game. I think (depth) helps. Some teams do a good job of that, taking guys in and out, keeping guys fresh. That's the biggest thing. But with the strength and conditioning program we have, these guys can play all the snaps."


text:
Smoke Another
Quick Puffs
End Of The Nats
Originally published: 21 April 2004
I haven't entered into the election fray too deeply (in fact - I've hardly mentioned the elections at all), simply because I haven't been particularly interested.
I've kept tabs on it all from a safe distance, but now that the last few "electoral irregularities" squabbles are gradually fading into obscurity (let's face it - who cares?) I thought it prudent to sit back and take stock of what our political map is looking like.
Fear not - this article shall not be punctuated with grey suits and boring speeches. When I think politics the first thing that comes to mind is perspiring, fat, cocaine-nippled white men strangling themselves with garter belts and the like, so my take on politics is usually tinged with a liberal dose of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
Right - let's start with Kortbroek (to the uninitiated: Kortbroek is an Afrikaans term meaning literally "short pants", and refers to New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk). Not exactly your typical rock legend, but he'll do for starters.
I've got no problem with anyone voting for the Ex-Crimes-Against-Humanity Party, but surely to do so you would need the leader of the party to look at least a little like Brad Pitt? Why would you vote for them otherwise?
Most people like to consider themselves a good judge of other people, and indeed - ou Kortbroek might be just the most swell guy around. But look at the man, for goodness' sake - is that somebody you would entrust your vote to?
Compare him to Tony Leon, say - Tony might be chock-full of democracy and himself, but at least you can look at him and say: "Yeah, alright - I see a guy who looks like he might know how to spell his own name and engage in an intelligent debate over supper on the Sudanese Problem - I don't mind throwing him a vote and seeing what he does with it".
But you want to give Kortbroek a firm smack and send him to bed without any supper, don't you? I certainly do. I think it's the shiny, comfortable face which - when married to the side parting on the dome - causes fleeting moments of unreasonable rage.
Or maybe it's just the party he represents. "New" is an adjective, so let's remove it for now and we're left with the National Party.
Now I don't know about you, but surely that name should be as reviled as the Nazi Party, say? Would it be acceptable in Germany today to have a New Nazi Party, even if they profess their dedication to democracy and apologise for their sins of the past?
Doesn't the name alone conjure up images of a dark, unpleasant past? If Charles Manson says "Sorry", does that make his crimes any less heinous?
To be honest I find it astounding that a party that once stood for everything that is wrong with society - run by a bunch of evil, satanic butchers - should even be allowed to still exist, much less get airtime for their cause.
But what's even more extraordinary is that the vast majority of their support comes from the very people they once oppressed - does nobody spot the problem here? Does everyone just think "Oh, OK, fair enough"?
Am I the only one who finds it odd that coloured people in the Western Cape have been responsible - up until the 2004 elections - for keeping in power the party that once forced them out of their homes and relocated them to racially-segregated areas, tortured their sons and fathers in brutal police cells, and raped them of decades of freedom?
I mean - I'm sure there's a reason for it, but for the life of me I can't think of it. It's just a bit bloody creepy.
Still - each to their own, as they say. Maybe it was temporary madness, because now the NNP has lost masses of support and their 1.65 percent of the national vote in the 2004 elections represents their worst showing at a general election in their 90-year history.
I'd be tempted to say it's the end of the road for the Nats, although politics makes strange bedfellows of politicians, and you never know who's going to hop into the sack and with whom.
But rest assured there will be a lot of fidgeting under the covers - the NNP is already holding crisis talks and dreaming of coalitions and saving their sorry asses, and with 7 seats in parliament (and an as-yet undetermined representation in the provincial legislature) you would figure them to keep going in some state for a while yet.
Back to the coloured vote briefly - Tashi was interviewing voters on election day and all the young coloured people she spoke to were extremely apathetic about voting. She spoke to a young flower-seller called Nazeem, who said the following:
"I never registered because it doesn't bother me at all. It won't be an advantage and it won't be a disadvantage ... like I think ... we coloured people were never part of the voting ... I don't think it will change our lives. It's just another day going by for me."
When Tashi asked him if the coloured people were affected when democracy arrived in South Africa 10 years ago, he said:
"Not actually. Nothing changed for the coloured people at all. That was like that and it will still be like that in 20 years time. I think the younger generation - aged 20 to 30 - we're not bothered at all. Seriously. I will never vote."
Obviously Nazeem is not necessarily representative of all young coloured people, but I wonder if the coloured vote that has gone to the NNP in each election since 1994 was from an older electorate, and now that the young folks are reaching voting age they are more disillusioned than their parents were. Or more apathetic.
If you're apathetic it means your life never changes for the better despite constant political promises, which would suggest that the NNP hasn't delivered much to the coloured people of the Western Cape to keep them happy and voting.
Personally I can't wait to see a new provincial government. Between them the ANC and DA have 72.36 percent of the Western Cape vote, and you can do a lot worse than those two parties giving each other some stiff opposition.
And hopefully the Nats will bumble and burble away and eventually be lost to history.
All Smoked Out,
Luke Tagg
Smoke Another
Quick Puffs
Spending time online does bad things to a person, but I'm OK.
Look at me now - all the way from Uitenhage to the bright lights of the big internet.
Find out more using the handy links provided.
About Me
About The Smoke
Copyright © Luke Tagg. All rights reserved. A few lefts as well.
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Abyss Star Destroyer
The Abyss Star Destroyer was actually one of the earlier warship designs used
by the Imperial Navy. Smaller and slower than the later Imperial Star Destroyer,
it never became popular among the admiralty.
At the time it was developed, it was considered a step up from the older Rendili
Victory-class destroyer, which, despite being a fine combat starship, was beginning
to show its age. However, the Imperial Navy was not quite ready to settle into
this new class of vessel, the high construction and maintenance costs just didn't
seem right at the time. The decision not to hold off mass production and deployment
of the Abyss proved to be wise when Kuat offered up the Imperator just a year later.
Technologically, the Abyss was indeed more advanced than the Victory star destroyer
and had the capability to maintain three full starfighter squadrons, as opposed to
the two that the Victory could carry.
In a ship-to-ship conflict, the Abyss was more apt to dish out continued punishment
than the Victory, due highly in part to the Victory relying on its numerous missile
launchers, which had only a finite amount of ammunition whereas turbolasers could
continually operate under ideal conditions.
While it was never very popular, Kuat Drive Yards did produce several hundred of
these vessels, most of which served the Empire in lower priority sectors once the
Imperial Star Destroyers became the backbone of the fleet.
Craft: Kuat Drive Yards' Abyss-class Star Destroyer
Class: Capital
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Passengers: 4,400 (troops)
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Consumables: 2 years
Hyperdrive: x2 (backup x10)
Maximum Speed: Cruising
Defense: 12 (-8 size, +14 armor)
Shield Points: 260
Hull Points: 400
Weapon: Heavy Turbolasers (60)
Fire Arc: 30 front, 10 left, 10 right, 10 back
Attack Bonus: +4 (-8 size, +2 crew, +8 fire control)
Damage: 5d10x5
Range Modifiers: PB -6, S -4, M -2, L +0
Weapon: Ion Cannons (35)
Fire Arc: 15 front, 10 left, 10 right
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Damage: Special
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Fire Arc: 2 front, 1 left, 1 right, 1 back
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Damage: 9d10x2
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Weapon: Tractor Beam Projectors (6)
Fire Arc: 2 front, 2 left, 2 right
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Damage: Special
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Starfighter Compliment:
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Ground/Air Compliment:
15 AT-ATs
25 AT-STs
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text:
One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Definition of macrourid in US English:
(also macrurid)
Of, relating to, or characteristic of the family Macrouridae of deep-water marine fishes with long tapering tails.
A fish of the family Macrouridae; a rat-tail or grenadier.
1930s; earliest use found in John A. Thomson (1861–1933). From scientific Latin Macrouridae, family name from Macrourus, genus name (M. E. Bloch Ichtyologie v. 122; from macro- + ancient Greek οὐρά tail: see uro-) + -idae. Compare Hellenistic Greek μακρόουρος long-tailed (one isolated attestation), French macroure macrourid.
Further reading
Top tips for CV writingRead more
In this article we explore how to impress employers with a spot-on CV.


text:
Newspaper: Gang Member Killed Tupac
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles Times investigation into the long-unsolved murder of Tupac Shakur concluded that his killer likely was a gang member who used a pistol provided by rival rapper the Notorious B.I.G.
No arrests have been made in Shakur's death following the Sept. 7, 1996 shooting near the Las Vegas Strip.
The Times, which said it interviewed members of the Southside Crips who had never before spoken out about the killing, reported that the fatal shots were fired by a Crip named Orlando Anderson, whom Shakur and his bodyguards had beaten in a Las Vegas hotel hours before the shooting.
The newspaper said B.I.G. had agreed to pay the gang $1 million to kill Shakur, his rival in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.
The 24-year-old B.I.G, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was shot to death six months later in Los Angeles, a killing that also remains unsolved. Anderson, 21, of Compton, was killed in 1998 in an unrelated gang shooting.
Anderson and Wallace had both denied involvement in Shakur's murder.
Las Vegas police interviewed Anderson once but said they could not build a case against him because witnesses in Shakur's entourage weren't cooperating. A police spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.
Shakur was riding in a car with Death Row Records co-founder Marion ``Suge'' Knight after attending a Mike Tyson fight when another car pulled alongside and someone inside opened fire.
According to the Times' reconstruction of the killing, based on police affidavits, court records and interviews with witnesses and investigators, the Crips approached Wallace in hopes of making money from the killing after they had already decided to carry it out to avenge the beating.
Wallace and Shakur, once close friends, had been feuding for more than a year and had exchanged insults in recordings, at concerts and awards shows.
According to the Times, Shakur and his entourage had jumped Anderson to avenge an earlier beating of one of Shakur's bodyguards at a shopping mall. The assault was captured on a hotel security camera.
Anderson declined to file a complaint. Instead, the Times said, he telephoned other Crips and set up a meeting at a hotel room where they decided to kill Shakur that night.
The gang then set up a meeting with B.I.G., who was in town, and asked for $1 million, according to people who said they were present. The newspaper said B.I.G. agreed on the condition a .40-caliber pistol he was carrying be used in the killing. He wanted the satisfaction of knowing his own gun fired the fatal bullets, the Times said.
Since the shooting, rumors about Shakur's killing have continued to spread among hip-hop fans. Some even contend that he faked his own death to escape the pressures of fame and troubles with the law.
Three days before his own murder on March 9, 1997, Wallace discussed his feud with Shakur in an interview with a San Francisco radio station.
Asked whether he had a role in the Shakur's death, Wallace said he ``wasn't that powerful yet.''
09/06/02 05:55


text:
Onkyo Launches DP-S1 Digital Audio PlayerCommuniqué de presse en date du: 20 avr. 2017
Onkyo, one of the world's leading home entertainment specialists, announces that its second generation Digital Audio Player, the Rubato DP-S1.
Considerably more compact than the existing award-winning Onkyo DP-X1 model, the DP-S1 is milled from a solid block of aluminium (for durability and rigidity) and boasts Dual ESS SABRE Digital to Analogue converters (ES9018C2M) as well as 16GB of internal memory that's expandable to 416GB - nearly half a Terabyte - courtesy of twin side-mounted MicroSD card slots.
Onkyo has placed a particular focus on tailoring and enhancing sound quality for this model. To that end, selected components – including high quality film capacitors – have been employed after careful and extensive listening. The result is a DAP that conveys an uncommon level of rich musicality.
Remarkably at its price point, the DP-S1 also comes with a 2.5mm balanced headphone/line jack as well as a standard 3.5mm unbalanced output, allowing it to power a diverse range of headphone types.
As you'd expect, the DP-S1 supports an extensive range of digital audio files including MQA (to be activated via a firmware update scheduled in June). Formats that can be handled include DSD 5.6 MHz/2.8 MHz, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF (up to a maximum of 192 kHz/32-bit), AAC, and MP3. A dual digital clock arrangement (using independent 44.1kHz and 48kHz clocks) drastically reduces jitter noise.
Expanding music options yet further, the DP-S1 incorporates dual-band Wi-Fi (5GHz/2.4GHz) to allow streaming from services such as Tidal and TuneIn (support for further streaming services – including Tidal MQA - will be added in the future).
Wireless casting of music from the DP-S1 to a home hi-fi system, wireless speaker or car stereo is also straightforward, thanks to the provision of Bluetooth. What's more, if owners download a free DapController App, they can also control the DP-S1 while it's in a bag or pocket, simplifying day-to-day use and operation.
Osaka, Japon. Onkyo présente deux modèles d'amplificateurs Audio/Video intégrant le Dolby Atmos et le DTS:X, le modèle 5… plusCommuniqué de presse en date du: 6 févr. 2019
Onkyo est fier d'annoncer que la technologie Apple AirPlay 2 sera pris en charge sur certains produits grâce à une mise à… plusCommuniqué de presse en date du: 9 janv. 2019
OSAKA, JAPAN. Onkyo is pleased to announce a firmware update release on Dec. 18th that activates MQA audio playback… plusCommuniqué de presse en date du: 13 déc. 2018
Onkyo, the world leader in home entertainment innovation, announces a firmware update available for download today (October… plusCommuniqué de presse en date du: 11 oct. 2018
October 11, 2018 OSAKA, JAPAN. Industry-leading hi-fi and home entertainment specialist Onkyo, in the vanguard of bringing… plusCommuniqué de presse en date du: 11 oct. 2018


text:
Loan's offered by NCSL are secured and affordable with repayments made easy. Every loan obtained from NCSL is charged at 1% per month on the reducing balance and can be comfortably repaid over a term of 1-60 months as the maximum.
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We offer loans based on 1:1 and 1:2 basis as approved by the Bank of Papua New Guinea who is also the Registrar of Savings & Loan Societies.
For more information, click on the following links:


text:
By Stoyan Zaimov / ChristianPost.com
Chinese Christians across several congregations are facing the choice of voluntarily dismantling the crosses on their own churches, or seeing government officials come in and forcibly demolish them, reports have said.
China Aid reported that the number of church crosses demolished in Zhejiang since the beginning of 2016 has risen to 49, as the Communist Party continues to send soldiers to churches across several provinces to take down their crosses.
Churches in Zhejiang have been given official notices telling them that they have to comply to the orders and take down the crosses, which the government argues is due to building code violations.
ChinaAid and several other persecution watchdog groups have pointed out, however, that the cross removal campaign, which has led to several pastors and hundreds of Christians being temporarily arrested, is in reality linked to the government's attempts to control the rising Christian population in the country.
The report detailed several instances of churches receiving similar notices, and the consequences they have suffered for refusing to comply. Zhongchang Church in Wenzhou for instance has had its water and electricity cut.
Hai'an Church, also in Wenzhou, refused to take down its cross, which led to the local government sending 100 officers to forcefully demolish the cross on March 4.
In some cases, however, such as Luxi Church, the congregants blocked the entrance and stayed together and prayed, singing Christian songs, which on March 1 forced the demolition crew to cancel the demolition in order to avoid an accident.
The Chinese government has been tightening its grip on Christianity in a number of different ways. Earlier in March it was revealed that Roman Catholic officials will soon be required to carry around ID cards stating their faith, which groups such as the International Christian Concern have compared to "Nazi-like" requirements.
China's two government-controlled Catholic organizations have also agreed to ordain bishops "under the leadership of the government," something with the Vatican strongly opposes, as it argues that church leaders should be chosen by the church, not by the ruling government.
The crackdown on church crosses has also led to very high-profile arrests, such as the formal charge against Pastor Gu Yuese of Hangzhou's Chongyi Church, the largest government-sanctioned church in China.


text:
Monday, 11 August 2008
Everything Has Its Price
I can have just about anything material that I want, y'know, and so can you. Luxury holidays in far-flung exotic places, a flashy car, designer clothes, expensive furniture… you name it, we can have it.
Let's say I wanted to live in a bigger house. I could have it if I really wanted to. I could give up the security of living in a housing association, forget any ideas of paying off my credit cards at more than the minimum monthly payments, wave bye-bye to an emergency fund and privately rent a lovely big house that would be the envy of my friends. Or I could take on two or three jobs even though that would make me very ill, but it'd get me a mortgage the size to match the house. I could even go a step further and gather the money through fraudulent means but I'd be risking prison if I were caught.
As much as I'd like a bigger house, the fact is that financial security, a reasonable level of mental health and the ability to sleep well without worrying about the police knocking on my door are all far more important to me. Sure, I could have the house if I really wanted it, but the price would be way too high.
But that's the thing with 'wants'. We don't always stop to think how much those things we want are actually going to cost us - the other things we also want and maybe even actually need, that we won't be able to have because of that one particular thing, whether it's an object, a lifestyle or even a friend.
We can have just about anything we want if we want it badly enough but there's invariably a price to pay and while that price is sometimes acceptable, sometimes the price is WAY too high. I know that the lifestyle I'd been living caused not only my debt problems but my health problems to and, for me, that's a price that just wasn't worth it. Neither was it worth the pressure it was putting on me to "keep up", let alone the damage it was doing to the planet.
Sharon J
7 comments:
- Julie said...
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Sharon. One of my family members has a debt story much like yours, and now struggles to keep a roof over their head; I worry about them (and try not to, because worrying brings on a whole other set of problems). The family works hard, though, to get out from under, always focusing on loving each other first and putting an emphasis on faith and hope, which carries them through.
I hope things look up for you soon.
There's another way we dig ourselves holes, too, and that's with our emotions. A different family member allowed themselves to feel like a victim---orphaned, financial struggles throughout marriage, spouse committed suicide, second marriage failed, son and family disowned the rest of the family...oh, lordy, the list goes on. For "protection" from the world's "onslaught against" her, she finally just went inside herself and stayed there. Now, she realizes the price she paid for "protection" was way too high: She hid from life. And it all started because of the thoughts she chose to hold on to.
I've found that waking each day thinking "Today's a brand new day" is very load-lightening. It gives me a second (or ten millionth) chance to have a fresh go at it all, again. One day at a time is a much easier chunk to tackle!
- 11 August 2008 at 13:32
- Frugal Trenches said...
Absolutely wonderful Sharon and I can think of sadly almost every one I know falls into that trap. They work non stop carry huge mortgages to simply look good. I had a commenter once to my post about why people buy so much to buy "stuff" who said something like "if I only worked 40 hrs a week I'd be so bored, what would I do" - um find hobbies, spend time with your children, relax, garden, walk, read??? I still chuckle about it today!
The recipe is up for you! I used it tonight with my salad and it was oh so yum!
- 11 August 2008 at 20:02
- Sharon J said...
Julie. You're so right in what you're saying there. Emotional situations also have a price.
Frugal Trenches. I've known a few workaholics in my time, too. Not because they needed to work in order to keep a roof over their heads but because they were always looking for more stuff, a bigger bank balance etc when they already had more than enough. It's sad really.
Will nip over and grab that recipe. Thanks :)
- 12 August 2008 at 05:30
- Catz said...
Very true Sharon! We nearly fell into that trap mainly trying to pay as much as we could to enable the children to take part in their chosen sports while paying a mortgage and having a fairly good life style (holidays etc) I now have cfs and have had to slow right down! I am much happier now I have time to smell the roses!
- 12 August 2008 at 11:35
- Sharon J said...
Catz. I think most of us have fallen into 'the trap' at one time or another. I'm just glad I saw what was happening before I'd fallen too far to get out again.
- 12 August 2008 at 13:02
- shabby chic said...
A simple life is a good life & its true. I have a mortgage and no debts and thats the way I like it. I We dont have huge incomings and we still have to watch those pennies . I would like to have a little savings for things like if the car go wrong!As have zero in a savings account.
loved your post x
- 13 August 2008 at 07:27
- Sharon J said...
Shabby Chic. You're right, a simple life IS a good life.
I try to put a little into my two savings accounts each month (kitchen fund, which receives the most and emergency fund) but my main priority at the moment is getting rid of my debt. Seeing it gradually go down brings me far more contentment than a bigger house, fancy holidays or anything else material ever could.
- 13 August 2008 at 10:38


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Moths of Suffolk
Filtered - 1813 species
Suffolk only
National Status :
Local Status : Resident (SMP Status 3)
Distribution and abundance : Rare
Habitats : Grassland and hedgerows on chalky soils
Flight Period : Single-brooded; July to August, occasional partial second brood September to October
Larval foodplants : White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Records : Icklingham (S Clancy 27.vii.2004), Mildenhall (A M Emmet, J Langmaid, P Sterling 17.ix.1996)
Morley's Final Catalogue : A local southern kind, extending northwards to only Worcester and 'Suffolk' (Meyrick). Has occurred in Suffolk (Steph. Illust. iv, 1835, p. 371): Taken by Mr. Sparshall in some abundance upon undergrowth upon a heath near Mildenhall on 8 July 1824 (Curtis, Brit. Ent. iv, pl. clxi). One on Mullein-leaf on open heath of Wangford Warren, Lakenheath, at 3 p.m. on 26 July 1937 (Mly).
Wingspan details : Wingspan 18-26mm
Further Photographs


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Can Travis Pastrana do What Even Knievel Couldn't?
Nitro Circus and Indian Motorcycle, America's first motorcycle company, announced today that Travis Pastrana will be jumping an Indian Scout FTR750 when he looks to pay tribute to Evel Knievel, the founding father of motorcycle stunts, and surpass America's most iconic daredevil. "Evel Live", an unprecedented three-hour live event premiering Sunday, July 8th at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT on HISTORY® in partnership with Nitro Circus, will see Travis Pastrana attempt three of Knievel's most famed jumps on the Scout FTR750, including jumping the length of 52+ crushed cars, 16 Greyhound busses, and the ill-fated Caesars Palace fountain jump that left Knievel grasping for his life. If successful, Pastrana will be the first individual to complete all three jumps in one three-hour timespan and on a motorcycle similar to those Evel used.
The Indian Scout FTR750 is a flat track racing motorcycle designed to push the boundaries of speed and redefine control with two wheels firmly on the ground. Rewinding time, you find the motorcycles Evel jumped were designed for similar purposes. However, neither were intended for jumping.
"It was extremely important to use a motorcycle similar to the ones Evel jumped. The Indian Scout FTR 750 is just that, a modern-day evolution of the flat track motorcycles of the past," said Pastrana. "It has the power I need and handles well, but I'm only going to have a few days to get comfortable on it, not to mention I've never jumped a V-twin before. I've got my work cut out, but we're used to going big at Nitro Circus, so we'll make it happen."
The Indian Scout FTR750 is far different from the lightweight motocross bikes you would typically find Travis Pastrana jumping. The engine of the FTR750 features a powerful 750cc 53-degree V-Twin and utilizes 43mm conventional front suspension with an adjustable Ohlin's mono-shock on the rear. Introduced in the American Flat Track racing series in 2017, the Indian Scout FTR750 secured 14 victories along with the manufacturer's and rider's championship in its first year of competition.
"We couldn't be more excited for Travis to be piloting the Scout FTR750 as he looks to make history by recreating three of Evel Knievel's most historic jumps in a single evening," said Reid Wilson, Senior Director, Marketing and Product Development for Indian Motorcycle. "Evel Knievel is truly a global icon, and we're proud to be a part of this incredible event that pays homage to his legacy in such grand fashion."
Will Travis Pastrana successfully complete all three jumps on the Indian Scout FTR 750? Tune-in to HISTORY® on Sunday, July 8th at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT to find out.
To learn more about the Indian Scout FTR750 and Travis Pastrana's attempt to make history with it on "Evel Live," as well as for periodic updates leading up to the event, visit IndianMotorcycle.com or follow along on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Evel Knievel at Ceasar's Palace
Evel Knievel at the LA Coliseum
Evel Knievel Jumps 14 Buses


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Day 8
Continuing the recount of our 11 day visit to China.
The morning of Day 8 had been spent exploring Shibaozhai's, Red Pagoda.
On our return to the Katerina, we cruised further up the Yangtze River. At about 3 pm we moored at Fengdu. I was the only one of our group who elected to visit its old city and the relocation Village.
In the old city we walked through narrow, but busy alleyways, to visit a Chinese school for children 4 to 6 years. It seems a lovely idea to be able to visit, but in the height of the tourist season, the disruption must be awful for the teachers.
From the school we continued into the busy market area. Falling rain added to the hustle and bustle, as the locals went about their daily way of life.
Noodle making
It was about a half hour drive to the edge of Fengdu, to visit an 84 year old, who had been given Government money to build a home and some land to share, to compensate for the flooding of his farm. He said he was happy with the flooding of the Yangtze and his move to the new location.
Lower floor of his new home.
Back on board, we enjoyed a final night in the company of our many new friends. Just on retiring for the night, the Katerina sailed past this brightly lit city for about half an hour,
Day 9
The Katerina docked in Chongqing, soon after sunrise. Our wonderful voyage was over.
As part of our 'Tripadeal', we spent the day in a coach, visiting Chongqing's highlights.
As part of our 'Tripadeal', we spent the day in a coach, visiting Chongqing's highlights.
During our visit to China, we were regularly exposed to the traditional Chinese way of life, amidst modern surroundings. This was particularly so in Chongqing.
The boat's porters, organising for the disembarkation of our luggage.
The boat's porters, organising for the disembarkation of our luggage.
Carrying a roll of carpet from the Katerina.
Immediately below this huge, very new bridge, we visited Huguang Guild Hall - an old complex of buildings that had been a cultural, business and social centre.
Water tank incase of fire.
The time is midday. The hazy view is supposedly not pollution, just winter cloud.
The modern, commercial area of Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street and
The People's Liberation Monument, 1945 to celebrate victory over the Japanese.
The People's Liberation Monument, 1945 to celebrate victory over the Japanese.
Perfect shot of contrasting ways of life. Not sure what the ladies in red were carrying, but it was extremely heavy.
Chongqing's 'Sydney Opera House' at the junction of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers.
The domed 'Hall of the People' - musical and theatrical performances. Dancing very popular in the grounds.
Opposite was the Yangtze River Museum, where we spent 2 hours viewing informative displays about the history and creation of the project. 4pm saw us all back on the bus, headed for the airport and our 8pm flight to Xian.
Our first glimpse of the sun in 9 days, as we neared the airport.
Almost there. Clear blue sky and sunshine just a sleep away! I'd love to read your comment.


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Brazil Judge Hands Goldman Custody Win
Brazil's chief justice on Tuesday ruled in favor of a U.S. man who has pursued a five-year court battle to gain custody of his son.
According to the court's Web site, Chief Justice Gilmar Mendes ruled David Goldman's 9-year-old son must be delivered to him by the boy's Brazilian relatives, as a federal court ordered last week. A time frame for the handover was not clear.
The ruling put Goldman one step closer to finally being reunited with his son, Sean. The boy was taken by Goldman's now-deceased ex-wife to her native Brazil in 2004, where he has remained. Goldman has been fighting to get him back from the boy's stepfather.
Lawyers on both sides have said there was still a chance for the Brazilian family to appeal to Brazil's highest appeals court, though the chances of success seemed slight.
A member of Goldman's team reached just minutes after the ruling described the father as happy, but said he had seen earlier rulings ordering Sean's return be blocked and was waiting to see if the latest ruling would stick or be enforced.
Goldman, who lives in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, declined to comment until he learned more details.
For days the Goldman camp has expressed worries the Brazilian family might try to flee or hide Sean.
Calls to the Brazilian family's lawyer were not immediately returned.
Silvana Bianchi, Sean's Brazilian grandmother sent a written appeal to the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, saying it was "inhumane" to remove the boy from the country.
"Our upbringing stresses the role of the mother. In the absence of the mother, upbringing should be done by the grandmother. That is how it is in all of Brazil, from north to south, independent of race, creed, religion or social class. It is natural that foreigners, who were brought up differently do not understand these genuinely Brazilian values," the letter, translated from Portuguese to English, read.
Both the U.S. and Brazilian governments argued that the case clearly fell under the Hague Convention, which seeks to ensure that custody decisions are made by the courts in the country where a child originally lived in this case, the United States.
A lawyer specializing in the Hague Convention said Tuesday's decision by Mendes was the only right one to make.
"It would be virtually impossible to reconcile international law with a ruling in favor of the Brazilian family," said Greg Lewen of the Miami-based law firm Fowler White Burnett.
He said that if the Hague Convention were not followed by the chief justice, "the State Department should immediately issue a travel advisory warning parents not to go to Brazil with their children."
Goldman launched his case in U.S. and Brazilian courts after Sean was brought by his mother in 2004 to her home country, where she then divorced Goldman and remarried. She died last year in childbirth, and the boy has lived with his stepfather since.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Goldman said he would allow Sean's Brazilian relatives to visit with his son if he won the case. "I will not do to them what they've done to Sean and me," he said.
The case has affected diplomatic ties between Brazil and the U.S., and has been discussed by President Barack Obama and his Brazilian counterpart. Last week, a U.S. senator reacted to the case by blocking renewal of a $2.75 billion trade deal that would lift U.S. tariffs on some Brazilian goods.
The U.S. State Department pressed for the boy to be returned. But a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Thursday stayed the lower court decision ordering Sean to be turned over to his father.
Goldman and Brazil's attorney general both filed appeals Friday asking the Supreme Court to overturn the justice's decision to block Sean's return while the court considers hearing direct testimony from the boy. On Tuesday, Mendes ruled the order no longer valid.
The Brazilian family's lawyer, Sergio Tostes, had told the AP that he would like to see a negotiated settlement, saying he wanted to end the damage being done to Sean and to U.S.-Brazil relations.
"We're raising the white flag and saying: 'Let's get together, let's talk. We're the adults, we have responsibilities, so let's start to have a constructive conversation,"' Tostes said.
Goldman, however, was in never in a mood to negotiate.
"This isn't about a shared custody I'm his dad, I'm his only parent," Goldman said. "This isn't a custody case it's an abduction case."


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Saturday, November 21, 2015
Will to Power is not psychological will, but perspectivism and nihilism
The Will to Power is a concept which comes from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
It is entirely an expression of the philosophical desire in the thinking, not an expression of reality or life itself.
It is an expression of the thinking´s desire after controlling truth, happiness and reality. It is therefore I call it a philosophical desire.
It it not enough to designate it as a psychological desire, but a perspectivism which ends in nihilism.
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Five Key Takeaways from ad:tech San Francisco
With 50+ sessions to choose from and 6 keynote speakers, ad:tech San Francisco proved to be an incredible learning opportunity. More importantly, it offered many different flavors of inspiration for marketers. In this post, I've summarized the five key takeaways from the conference based on the sessions I attended and all of the keynote speakers.
Consumers are in the drivers seat more than ever.
We've all heard this before, but nearly every session and keynote speaker mentioned this at the beginning of their presentation. But there is a significant difference between hearing this and embracing it. It's not about "allowing" consumers to be in the drivers seat as much as it is about companies adjusting their internal culture to fully embrace the idea. Jaime Cohen Szulc, CMO of Levi Strauss, spent the first 15 minutes of his keynote emphasizing the importance of this issue. Jaime talked about how Levi's recognized they can't control dialogue, but could provide consumers with solutions to help manage dialogue. He went on to say, "Companies have to lose control to gain other advantages in the marketplace." As an example of how Levi's has embraced the concept of consumers being in the drivers seat, he referenced Levi's "Go Forth" campaign (Wieden+Kennedy).
Throughout the campaign (TV, print, online), consumers were encouraged to visit the Go Forth website to help rewrite the Declaration of Independence - an idea that quickly tested whether or not the internal culture at Levi's was truly ready to put consumers in the drivers seat. While execution of the concept hit a few bumps in the road along the way, Jaime considered this campaign to be a huge stepping stone for Levi's in the right direction. Overall, the campaign creative delivered on the key insight of exuding a sense of individual empowerment and emotionally connecting people to the roots of American history. A great place for Levi's to step in and provide a platform to manage dialogue.
Innovation starts with strategy, not technology.
The Levi's Go Forth campaign example above is a perfect example of how good marketing is based on key consumer insights. Levi's wanted to make America fall in love with Levi's again (straight from the RFP, according to Jaime). W+K was able to deliver on this by uncovering the key insight that the target audience highly valued a sense of personal independence and sought empowerment to demonstrate their emotional connection with America to others.
The idea that all good marketing is based on a key consumer insight was also discussed during "The Bleeding Edge of Advertising Innovation" session on day two at ad:tech San Francisco. The moderator for this session, Adam Broitman of Circ.us, kicked off the session by talking about how it's easy for interactive marketers to immediately jump to technology solutions (tactics) before clearly articulating the key consumer insight (strategy). There's a plethora of shiny objects to distract brands at any given point in the interactive space and it's our job as marketers to think hard to see the forest from the trees.
Marketers must look to the outside for inspiration.
As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed on my way to day one at ad:tech, I came across the following post by Stuart Foster at Mullen.
"So true," I thought to myself. So I quickly retweeted Staurt's post and received many @replies from people within the industry saying they totally agree.
This is a good example of someone saying what people in advertising think out loud. I also completely agree with this statement. Just because it's not your agency's idea doesn't mean it's not a great idea. In his keynote presentation, Jaime Cohen Szulc said, "It's very important to look outside of your company and advertising and think more about consumer experiences." He went on to give examples of work that he's been inspired by, such as Luv Jozi - as seen in the You Tube video below. I recommend we all take Stuart and Jaime's advice and look to the outside for marketing inspiration. Outside your agency, outside your company, outside of advertising.
Technology solutions with "sustainable attention power" win.
During the second keynote of day one at ad:tech, Chris Anderson (Editor-In-Chief at Wired Magazine) talked about "How Tablets Will Change Media." You can view my video recap of Chris' keynote presentation in an earlier post. While the technological advancements Wired is making with devices such as the iPad are impressive and sophisticated, Chris' idea of "sustained attention power" is impressive in a more simplistic way. He talked about how there's a scarcity of attention in the publication industry due to technological advancements and how people are choosing to consume content (shorter format, less depth). However, while it may be difficult to capture one's attention in today's emerging media world, books and video games are able to capture people's attention for extended periods of time. Chris went on to say that he thinks the iPad will have a similar effect on consumer behavior. I think the idea of sustainable attention power is a good one and is applicable to the interactive marketing industry as a whole. Are you creating experiences for people that have sustainable attention power?
Innovation is creativity with a job to do.
At the beginning of the session "The Bleeding Edge of Advertising Innovation", the speakers recognized that it's difficult to define innovation in the interactive marketing world. Interactive marketing and technology by nature are innovative because there's always something being created that hasn't been done before. But does this really mean it's innovative? Bob Gilbreath kicked off the session by offering up a different way to think about innovation. His first slide read, "Innovation is creativity with a job to do." It's an interesting way to think about innovation and really sharpens the focus on the "with a job to do" portion of the definition. This gets at the point I made earlier about consumer insights fueling good marketing. Giving creativity purpose means developing experiences based on a key consumer insight. Again, it's easy to be distracted by the latest shiny objects in the interactive world, but we need to stay focused on delivering utility to people based on what we'd like them to accomplish while interacting with brands.
It's difficult to define innovation. At Colle+McVoy, we created a website to have people help us define innovation in their own words as we pushed to get a panel at SXSW 2010. Innovation is hard to define because it's always changing itself. Especially in the interactive world. However, thinking about innovation as creativity with a job to do in the interactive space increases the possibility of an outstanding user experience. Something we all strive to accomplish on a daily basis.


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Great set of wardrobe basics for your 18" doll! This amazing VALUE pack includes 3 versatile mix and match outfits sure to make your doll feel special. The first outfit includes an amazing pair of black, skinny stretch jeans that have beautiful white stitching details and real front and back pockets, an ultra soft, pink long sleeved top with black and white polka dots and flared bottom, and a cool matching black denim purse with pink trim and pockets! The second ensemble is perfect for an afternoon hanging out with friends! Included is an awesome denim skirt with pretty ruffle and real front pockets, a pink and grey striped short sleeved tee that includes a hood that stretches to fit perfectly, and pair of matching denim sneakers. The final outfit is super fun and includes white leggings with sequins, a zebra print sleeveless shirt that can be worn as a dress, and a great matching sequined hat. The best part is that these fashionable outfits feature our special "no grab" Velcro closure, making getting dressed a snap!


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The Victorinox 46035 Executive Culinary Knife Set is the bad boy on the block when it comes to having all your blades in one place. Providing not only a variety of high quality knives, this all-in-one 12 piece kit also comes with a handful of kitchen tools that make managing your daily operations that much easier. Each piece fits snugly into place inside a washable canvas roll and the set is equipped with patented black Fibrox handles that are lightweight and slip-resistant when wet. Perfect for those looking to outfit their home or chef staff with a blade for every occasion!
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What is your best one liner?
Pride is the direct appreciation of oneself
Who do they say you look like?
I am my own person
(Account Executive)
Tanning, Shopping, Working Out, Softball, Diehard Yankees Fan
Florida Southern College - BA in Public Relations
What people don't like about me?
straight forward and tell it how it is. I call it like I see it


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Mad Mexican Episode 17: This week, the Mad Mexican Angel H. Rivera interviews guest Sandyha Nankani. The founder of The Literary Safari discusses her quest to educate all of the world's children and how her journey from Ghana to the Ivy League have impacted her life's mssion.
Nankani also shares how writing about domestic violence gave her clarity on her personal and career path.
And listen to where you can see Angel H. Rivera this week! For more Mad Mexican Show, check out Latino Sports Talk Radio.


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Tahari Bathroom Accessories - Clever use of toilet accessories can create the impression of a totally new room. They can create a difference to the ambience of any bathroom and it is a great deal less expensive than doing full bathroom renovations, which costs a great deal of money but also can be quite an exhausting job. Keep in mind that you will spend a great deal of time in your bathroom so that you need to ensure that it provides the soothing, welcoming surroundings as possible.
Decorate your bathroom to reveal your personality. In the event you are a fun-loving, brilliant individual, you can decorate your bathroom having a lively, bright towel rack, laundry basket, or shower curtain. In the event you are calming man or a more serene you might prefer softer colored accessories. Whatever color scheme you select, make sure that it represents your personality in order that you feel at ease whenever you see your bathroom.
When you are thinking about using toilet accessories, you need to maintain a theme in mind. If there exists a theme that you really like or really feel will add to the atmosphere of your bathroom, tend not to be unwilling to put it to use. These are all great topics for decorating toilets.
You also ought to use toilet accessories that complement the colors that you just have selected for the toilet. This can be the best part of your bathroom. If you'd like to truly have a toilet that fits the remaining part of the home, you may use toilet accessories in styles or those colors at the same time.
Decorating your toilet doesn't have to set you back an arm and a leg. You are able to locate accessories that are relatively inexpensive have an open mind and to decorate your own bathroom fairly easily in the event you look around.
Your toilet accessories do not have to be the most extravagant, high-priced things to create the perfect look and feel for your toilet. Plastic accessories, although cheaper than steel or ceramic accessories, can be utilized to great effect. Be creative when selecting bathroom accessories; with a little imagination you'll be able to design a toilet that is stunning. Simply use more accessories that are pricey if your financial plan permits it - be cautious not to overspend.
Keep in mind that toilet accessories can be an effective strategy to brighten up your toilet. With an open mind and a little ingenuity you will be competent to find the perfect toilet accessories that match your needs, and also you can even locate them at inexpensive prices that match your financial plan.
Tags: #tahari bathroom accessories #tahari home bath accessories #tahari home bathroom accessories


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I couldn't stop thinking about that video I included with her post and what the old man said at the end. I've watched it twice since then. There's so much we all take for granted. Every day we wake up, start the day, 12-16 hours later finish it and never notice the amazing things that happened along the way.
I remember a wonderful story from Kevin Ames many years ago about his brother getting Cochlear Implants as an adult and being able to hear for the first time. He was startled by the crinkling of an empty potato chip bag and later the sound of running water in the kitchen sink. Most of us don't take the time to even think about the miracle of sight, sound and being able to communicate.
After sharing my thoughts about Claudia, I just wanted to spend the day with Sheila. I took my GH3 and we headed to the Classic Car Show at the Venice Campus of the Friendship Centers and just played. We made it a fun day with no real purpose except to act like Florida tourists.
I really have only one point this morning...and it's from the video...
"...that everyone you will meet this day will be blessed by you. Just by your eyes, by your smile, by your touch, just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you and then it will really be a good day!"
Wishing everybody a wonderful rest of the weekend and a "really good day."


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Parish News September 28, 2018
Upcoming · Formation · Connect · Subscribe
A Note About Fr Bruce's Schedule
Fr Bruce will be taking a brief retreat this coming weekend. Fr Ed Morgan will preach and preside at both services on Sunday, October 7.
(click on event title links for details)
Top · Formation · Connect · Subscribe
Save the Date! – 2018 CROP Hunger Walk on October 21
Top · Formation · Connect · Subscribe
- Taizé Service with Eucharist, Saturday, September 29, 5:00pm
- Sunday Worship Services, Sunday, September 30, 8:00am (no music) & 10:00am
- Mary Magdalene in Southern France Presentation, Sunday, September 30, 9:00am
- Centering Prayer, Tuesday, October 2, 9:15am
- Staff Meeting, Tuesday, October 2, 5:00pm
- Worship Advisory Team Meeting, Tuesday, October 2, 6:00pm
- Vestry Meeting, Tuesday, October 2, 7:00pm
- Men's Discussion Group, Wednesday, October 3, 9:00am
- Expressions of the Divine Feminine Retreat, Friday, October 5, 7:00pm – All Welcome
- Expressions of the Divine Feminine Retreat, Saturday, October 6, 9:00am – All Welcome
- Contemplative Eucharist on the Labyrinth, Saturday, October 6, 5:00pm
- Sunday Worship Services, Sunday, October 7, 8:00am (no music) & 10:00am
Thoughtful Endings: A Series on End of Life Planning (September 30th – November 11th)
St. Mary Magdalene and the Gunbarrel Faith Partnership are joining with the Conversation Project to host a five session series on important end-of-life issues. Topics will include Confronting Mortality, Your Wishes and Values, Documents as a Guide for Decision Making, Understanding End of Life Resources, and Your Precious Body After Death. Each congregation will host one of the sessions. The series begins on Sunday, September 16th, 1-3pm, and continues every other Sunday through November 11th. for more information click here.
Next Session: "Your Wishes and Values: Guiding End of Life Conversations," Sunday, September 30 @ 1-3pm, Niwot United Methodist Church.
Expressions of the Divine Feminine: Mary Magdalene and the Black Madonna
This 3-part series will explore historical, cultural, scriptural, and spiritual dimensions of the Divine Feminine, including Mary Magdalene, the Black Madonna, and Biblical figures. The series includes
(1) a presentation by Fr. Bruce on his journey to sites associated with Mary Magdalene and Black Madonnas in southern France (Sunday 9/30 @ 9am);
(2) an evening presentation by the Rev. Mary Hardy on the Divine Feminine in the Bible (Friday 10/5 @ 7-9pm); and
(3) an interactive day-long retreat on the Black Madonna with the Labyrinth (Saturday 10/6 @ 9am-4pm). Suggested donation: $50 (includes Friday evening presentation and lunch on Saturday).
For more information, see the calendar for September 30, October 5, and October 6.
Calling All Supporters of Mental Health Awareness!
Meg Thornbury and Courtney Gambrell are planning to offer a Mental Health Support Group at SMM. It would be for both those who experience mental health challenges and for those who love someone affected by them.
If you have counseling or mental health expertise, or a general interest in this topic, we invite you to help us define the scope and structure of the group, and/or to be involved in its implementation. Please contact Courtney. We would love to share our ideas and hear your own!
New Centering Prayer Group?
Centering Prayer is prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. ~ Thomas Keating
We are considering offering a second Centering Prayer group on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm. If you are interested in participating in this new group or would like more information please contact Carolyn Baker. More information about Centering Prayer is available here.
Save the Date! – 2018 CROP Hunger Walk on October 21
Join us for this special parish-wide event held every fall. Donations support Community Food Share & Church World Service. Let's walk together in solidarity with those who hunger. Check out the team page and consider contributing and walking with us. Contact Rick Fredo for more information.
Communion Bread Bakers Needed!
Would you like to bake communion bread? The recipe is simple – making and baking takes about a half hour on Friday evening or early Saturday morning. Deliver the bread to the church before 10:00 am Saturday. It is nice too if you present it at the offertory on Sunday Morning, but not necessary. This is a wonderful expression of service and care for your church family! Contact Janet Poley to volunteer. Find the recipe here!
Buy Grocery Cards to Support St. Mary Magdalene
Did you know that you can support the ministry of St. Mary Magdalene by purchasing reloadable cards for stores such as King Sooper's? SMM will receive 5% cash back for all purchases made on these cards. For example, in the second quarter of 2018 the church received $1,289.14 in proceeds from card use. It is an easy and fantastic way to support our church community. Contact Colleen Brolin to purchase cards or to learn more.
Bishop: The Rt. Reverend Robert O'Neill
Priest in Charge: The Rev. Bruce Swinehart, firstname.lastname@example.com
Children and Youth: Sue Crowley, email@example.com
Parish Administrator: Brian Gates, firstname.lastname@example.com
Sr. Warden: Jim Watkins, email@example.com
Jr. Warden: Jeff Cantrell, email@example.com
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Office Hours
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Priest in Charge Hours
Monday – Sabbath
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Version of Record online: 8 JUN 2017
DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12197
2017) Age-dependent changes in physical performance and body composition in community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12197., , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and (
Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan2
Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan3
Laboratory for Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics, School of Health and Sport Sciences, Chukyo University, Toyota-shi, Aichi, Japan4
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kyusyu Nutrition Welfare University, Fukuoka, Japan5
Liberal Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Toyama, Japan6
Department of Nutritional Health, Faculty of Wellness Studies, Kwassui Women's University, Nagasaki, Japan7
Department of Health Care and Science, College of Health Science, Dong-A University, Busan, South Korea8
Research Institute for Gerontology, J.F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: Hyuma Makizako (email@example.com)* Correspondence to:
The aim of this study was to describe the age-dependent changes in the parameters of physical performance and body composition in Japanese older adults who are independently dwelling in the community. We also examined whether the age-dependent changes differ among physical performance and body composition parameters.
Cross-sectional data from 10 092 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 73.6 years; 5296 women) were analyzed. The measures of physical performance included hand-grip strength, the five-times-sit-to-stand test, and walking speed. Body composition parameters (body weight, fat mass, and appendicular skeletal muscle mass) were measured with a bioelectrical impedance analyser. Correlations between age and the physical performance and body composition parameters were tested. The T-scores of physical performance and body composition measurements were calculated and presented according to 5-year age groups to examine the differences in age-dependent changes in physical performance and body composition parameters.
All physical performance measures significantly decreased with aging. The cumulative mean T-scores according to age group showed different age-dependent changes between body mass index (BMI) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) (cumulative mean T-score change of BMI and ASMI of −5.7 to −2.9 and −12.7 to −12.1, respectively). The slope declines in age-associated changes were greater in grip strength (β = −0.77, 95% confidence interval = −0.82 to −0.76) for men and in walking speed (β = −0.95, 95% confidence interval = −0.99 to −0.90) for women.
The patterns of age-dependent decreases in physical performance measures differed among parameters and between sexes. There is a possibility of a difference in the age-related slope patterns among parameters; decreases in grip strength in men and walking speed in women may be more prominent with advancing age. Furthermore, the decrease in ASMI with age is more striking than that of BMI.
Several important contributors to the ability of older adults to live independently have been reported.[1] Physical performance, including grip strength, lower-extremity muscle strength, and walking speed, could be significant predictors of adverse health events such as disability,[2-4] hospitalization,[5] and mortality[6-8] among older adults. Age-related declines in muscle strength and mobility have been investigated, and ethnicity- and sex-based differences have been reported.[9-11]
Sarcopenia, defined as low skeletal muscle mass, is common in older persons and significantly associated with functional decline and disability.[12, 13] Recently, several organizations worldwide, including the International Working Group on Sarcopenia,[14] the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People,[15] and the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia,[16] have proposed more accurate definitions for sarcopenia, including loss of not only skeletal muscle mass but also functionality, such as weakness and slowness. Muscle mass may be a major determinant of the age- and sex-related differences in muscle strength.[17] Muscle mass peaks between the second and fourth decades of life, and subsequently declines steadily with aging.[18]
Although some previous studies with large populations (1000 or more participants) of older Asians have examined age-dependent changes in physical performance[19] and body composition,[20-22] few studies have demonstrated differences among age-dependent changes in specific measures of physical performance (grip strength, lower-extremity muscle strength, and walking speed) and body composition (body mass and appendicular skeletal muscle) in the same large cohort.
The aim of this study was to describe the age-dependent changes in multidimensional physical performance measures and body composition parameters by using data from a cross-sectional national study including >10 000 Japanese older adults who were independently dwelling in the community. We also examined whether the age-dependent changes differ among the parameters of physical performance and body composition.
We used data from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes (NCGG-SGS), a cohort study with a primary goal to establish a screening system for geriatric syndromes in the community-dwelling population. In our national study, we assessed 10 885 persons, aged 65 years and older, who were enrolled in the NCGG-SGS.[23, 24] Each participant was recruited from either Midori Ward (a part of Nagoya City) or Obu City, Japan. Our inclusion criteria were as follows: participants from Obu aged 65 years or older (August 2011–February 2012) and those from Midori (Nagoya) aged 70 years or older (July 2013–December 2013) at the time of the examination. All participants resided in Obu City or Midori Ward, Nagoya City. We excluded participants with neurological disorders such as stroke and Parkinson's disease, as well as those with cognitive impairment (Mini-mental State Examination score <18).[25] Of the initial 10 885 participants, 793 were excluded; thus, data from 10 092 older adults (mean age 73.6 ± 5.5 years; 4796 men, 5296 women) were analysed in the present study. Informed consent was obtained from all participants before their inclusion in the study, and the ethics committee of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology approved the study protocol.
Licensed nurses recorded demographic data, including age, sex, number of prescribed medications, and medical history in face-to-face interviews. The participants were asked about their history of the following diagnoses: stroke, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
Measures of physical performance included grip strength, the five-times-sit-to-stand test (FTSS), and walking speed. Well-trained assessors administered these tests.
Grip strength was measured in kilograms for the dominant hand of the participant, by using a Smedley-type handheld dynamometer (GRIP-D; Takei Ltd, Niigata, Japan). The FTSS involved standing up and sitting down five times from a sitting position, as quickly as possible without pushing off.[26] In the FTSS, well-trained assessors recorded the time taken to perform five consecutive chair-stands (timed to 0.1 s) from a seated position on a 45 cm tall chair, with arms folded across the chest. Walking speed was measured in seconds, by using a stopwatch. Participants were asked to walk on a flat and straight surface at a comfortable walking speed. Two markers were used to indicate the start and end of a 2.4 m walk path, with a 2 m section to be traversed before passing the start marker, such that participants were walking at a comfortable pace by the time they reached the timed path.[27]
Body composition parameters were examined by using a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyser (BIA) (MC-980A; Tanita, Tokyo, Japan); this tool is used to assess whole and segmental body composition.[28] The BIA instrument used six electrical frequencies (1, 5, 50, 250, 500, and 1000 kHz). The surface of the hand electrode was placed in contact with each of the five fingers, while the heels and forefoot of the participant were placed on the circular-shaped foot electrode. The participants held out their arms and legs to avoid contact with any other body segments during the measurements. The measurements were recorded by well-trained staff and completed within 30 s. The BIA assessment was performed between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The participants were required to fast and avoid vigorous exercise for at least 1 h before BIA assessment. Height was measured with a standard stadiometer (Seca, Marsden, UK). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing the body weight (kg) by the square of body height (m2). Appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) was derived from the appendicular muscle mass (kg) divided by the square of height (m2).[29]
Means, standard deviations, and proportions were calculated to describe the samples and provide summary information about the measures used. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used to compare differences in measurements between the sexes. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the simple correlations of physical performance measures and body composition parameters with age. According to Pearson's coefficient (r), the correlations were graded as weak (r < 0.3), moderate (0.3 < 0.5), or strong (r > 0.5).[30] We calculated the means of physical performance measures including grip strength, FTSS, and walking speed, and those of body composition parameters including body weight, fat mass, and appendicular muscle mass in each age group. The age-dependent changes were then plotted.
To compare the differences in the age-dependent changes among various measures, T-scores were calculated by using the following equation:
Then, the T-scores for each measure in the 65–69 year age group were set as references (i.e. T-score = 50), and the cumulative mean T-score change for each age group was calculated. For the T-score curve for the FTSS, we inverted the curve in a logical manner (decreasing with advancing age).
For the evaluation of the slope decline in age-associated changes among parameters including grip strength, FTSS, and walking speed for physical performance and BMI and ASMI for body composition, we estimated the regression coefficients by using linear regression. The T-score changes that were set as references for each parameter in the 65–69 year age group were used as dependent variables in the linear regression analysis. Linear regression coefficients (β) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each parameter were calculated in men and women, separately.
Data entry and analysis were performed by using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (version 23.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Table 1 lists the characteristics of the participants. Older men exhibited significantly better values for grip strength and FTSS than women (P < 0.01); however, walking speed did not differ between sexes (P = 0.83). Among the body composition measures, body weight and appendicular muscle mass were higher in men, and fat mass was higher in women (P < 0.01).
|Overall (N = 10 092)
|Missing data (n)a
|Men (n = 4796)
|Women (n = 5296)
|Age (years), mean ± SDb
|73.6 ± 5.6
|73.7 ± 5.6
|73.6 ± 5.6
|Age groups, n (%)
|65–69 years
|2389 (23.7%)
|1101 (23.0%)
|1288 (24.3%)
|70–74 years
|3642 (36.1%)
|1759 (36.7%)
|1883 (35.6%)
|75–79 years
|2509 (24.9%)
|1161 (24.2%)
|1348 (25.5%)
|80–84 years
|1177 (11.7%)
|588 (12.3%)
|589 (11.1%)
|85 years and older
|375 (3.7%)
|187 (3.9%)
|188 (3.5%)
|Medical diagnoses, n (%)
|4642 (46.0%)
|2289 (47.7%)
|2353 (44.5%)
|Heart disease
|1730 (17.2%)
|975 (20.4%)
|755 (14.3%)
|Diabetes mellitus
|1287 (12.8%)
|765 (16.0%)
|522 (9.9%)
|1357 (13.5%)
|84 (1.8%)
|1,273 (24.1%)
|1828 (18.2%)
|509 (10.6%)
|1,319 (25.0%)
|Prescribed medications (n), mean ± SD
|2.6 ± 2.6
|2.6 ± 2.6
|2.7 ± 2.5
|Education (years), mean ± SD
|11.7 ± 2.2
|12.3 ± 2.8
|11.2 ± 2.2
|Living alone, n (%)
|1241 (12.3%)
|285 (6.0%)
|956 (18.1%)
|Physical performance measures
|Grip strength (kg), mean ± SD
|26.6 ± 7.8
|32.8 ± 6.1
|20.9 ± 4.1
|Five-times-sit-to-stand test (s), mean ± SD
|8.93 ± 3.06
|8.80 ± 2.84
|9.04 ± 3.24
|Walking speed (m/s), mean ± SD
|1.14 ± 0.23
|1.14 ± 0.22
|1.14 ± 0.24
|Body composition measures
|Height (cm), mean ± SD
|156.3 ± 8.7
|163.3 ± 5.8
|150.0 ± 5.6
|Body weight (kg), mean ± SD
|56.8 ± 10.1
|62.7 ± 8.7
|51.5 ± 8.1
|Fat mass (kg), mean ± SD
|15.9 ± 5.8
|14.6 ± 5.1
|17.1 ± 6.1
|Appendicular muscle mass (kg), mean ± SD
|17.1 ± 4.1
|20.5 ± 2.9
|13.9 ± 1.8
|BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD
|23.2 ± 3.1
|23.5 ± 2.8
|22.9 ± 3.3
|ASMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD
|6.9 ± 1.1
|7.7 ± 0.9
|6.2 ± 0.7
Table 2 shows the correlations between age and physical performance and body comparison parameters assessed by using Pearson correlation coefficients. For physical performance measures, grip strength (men: r = −0.44, P < 0.01; women: r = −0.36, P < 0.01), FTSS (men: r = 0.27, P < 0.01; women: r = 0.33, P < 0.01), and walking speed (men: r = −0.37, P < 0.01; women: r = −0.48, P < 0.01) showed significant weak to moderate negative associations with advancing age. For body composition parameters, body weight (men: r = −0.23, P < 0.01; women: r = −0.17, P < 0.01) and appendicular muscle mass (men: r = −0.32, P < 0.01; women: r = −0.32, P < 0.01) showed significant weak and moderate negative associations with advancing age, respectively. Fat mass showed a significant slight association (r = −0.05, P < 0.01) with age in women; however, there was no significant association in men (r = −0.02, P = 0.21).
|Grip strength, kg
|FTSSa, s
|Walking speed, m/s
|Body weight, kg
|Fat mass, kg
|Appendicular muscle mass, kg
Figures 1 and 2 show the age-dependent changes in physical performance and body composition parameters. Poorer performance was observed in all physical performance measures with advancing age (Figure 1). The sex-based difference in grip strength was greater than that of FTSS and walking speed; the sex-based difference decreased with age. For body composition, body weight and appendicular muscle mass showed greater values in men than in women at all ages; however, fat mass was greater in women than in men at all ages (Figure 2). Body weight and appendicular muscle mass gradually declined with advancing age. Fat mass showed a smaller decline with aging.
Age-dependent changes in physical performance measurements.
Age-dependent changes in body composition parameters.
Figure 3 shows the cumulative mean T-score changes in physical performance measures. The trends toward age-related declines in physical performance differed between the sexes. All physical performance measures worsened with advancing age. Particularly, declines in grip strength in men (cumulative mean T-score changes of grip strength in the ≥85 year age group: −16.8 in men and − 14.4 in women) and walking speed in women (cumulative mean T-score changes of walking speed in the ≥85 year age group: −14.4 in men and − 20.7 in women) were more prominent with aging. The cumulative mean T-scores according to age group showed different age-dependent changes between BMI and ASMI, with an obvious age-related change in ASMI (cumulative mean T-score changes of BMI in the ≥85 year age group: −5.7 in men and −2.9 in women; those of ASMI: −12.1 in men and −12.7 in women) (Figure 4).
Cumulative mean T-score changes in physical performance measurements. FTSS, five-times-sit-to-stand test.
Cumulative mean T-score changes in body composition index. BMI, body mass index; ASMI, appendicular skeletal muscle index.
The slope declines in age-associated changes are described visually in Figure 3 for physical performance measures and in Figure 4 for body composition measures. For physical performance measures, the linear regression coefficients for assessing the slope declines in age-associated changes were follows: β = −0.77, 95% CI = −0.82 to − 0.76 in men and β = −0.67, 95% CI = −0.72 to − 0.63 in women for grip strength; β = −0.50, 95% CI = −0.55 to − 0.45 in men and β = −0.63, 95% CI = −0.68 to − 0.59 in women for FTSS; β = −0.62, 95% CI = −0.66 to − 0.57 in men and β = −0.95, 95% CI = −0.99 to − 0.90 in women for walking speed. The slope declines in age-associated changes were greater in grip strength for men and in walking speed for women. In addition, there were greater sex differences in the age-associated changes in walking speed. The linear regression coefficients for body composition measures were follows: β = −0.24, 95% CI = −0.29 to − 0.20 in men and β = −0.06, 95% CI = −0.11 to − 0.01 in women for BMI; β = −0.56, 95% CI = −0.60 to − 0.51 in men and β = −0.60, 95% CI = −0.65 to − 0.56 in women for ASMI.
The current study described age-dependent changes in physical performance and body composition measures. The results showed that the age-dependent changes differed among various parameters for Japanese older adults. The trends in age-related declines of physical performance differed between the sexes; decreases in grip strength in men and walking speed in women were more prominent with advancing age. Furthermore, the age-related changes were more prominent for ASMI than for BMI in both sexes. Although the reference group was the 65–69 year age group, the results of this study indicated that the age-related slope patterns may be different among parameters.
In the current study, physical performance was measured by using grip strength, FTSS, and walking speed. The tests used in this study are reliable and valid clinical tools commonly used in assessing muscle strength and mobility in community-dwelling older adults. Moreover, they require limited space and can be administered quickly.[8, 31, 32] Although these clinical tests are very simple, parameters with poor performance predict adverse health in older adults and would have advantages over other common markers. For example, a worldwide cohort study found grip strength to be a better predictor of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality than blood pressure.[33]
The results of the current study indicate that trends toward age-related declines in physical performance differ between men and women. In older men, declines in grip strength and walking speed seemed to be more striking after age 70 years. On the other hand, although each physical performance measure declined with advancing age, walking speed seemed to decrease more rapidly than did grip strength and FTSS in older women. Although there was a significant sex-based difference in grip strength, this difference decreased significantly with advancing age in a previous cross-sectional study.[19] Because age-related decrease in grip strength is more significant than decreases in FTSS and walking speed in older men, as shown by our current data, the performance gap in grip strength between men and women may decline with advancing age.
Walking speed is considered the most reliable physical performance measure for predicting the onset of disability in community-dwelling older adults,[34] especially for very old persons (e.g. aged 75 years and older).[2] The population of older adults with limited ability to carry out routine daily activities seems to differ between the sexes, and older women constitute the majority of disabled older adults.[35] In the current study, the results obtained for older women indicated that advancing age may have a stronger influence on walking speed than on grip strength and FTSS. There might be sex differences in walking speed, although its use as a risk assessment measure (e.g. for estimating survival) was confirmed in both sexes.[7] Improvement or maintenance of mobility in older adults could potentially be a beneficial intervention for the prevention of future disability.
Confirming previously reported findings, the present study showed that both muscle mass and muscle strength declined considerably with advancing age in both men and women. Reduced skeletal muscle mass appears to increase physical disability,[36] particularly mobility disability.[37] On the other hand, an increase in fat mass may cause greater functional disability and lower physical performance in older adults.[38] The current study demonstrates that differences between age-related changes in BMI and ASMI, with a rapid decrease in ASMI but only a slight change in BMI, increased with advancing age in both sexes, and those differences were most notable in women. The differences in age-related changes in body composition between men and women may affect the sex-based differences in age-related changes in physical performance.
This study has some limitations. In interpreting our results, we should have considered the details of BIA measurement, particularly the preparation of the participants and the timing of the measurements. We could not strictly control for factors that could affect the accuracy of the BIA measurement. Bioelectrical impedance analyser requires measurement under standardized conditions, including hydration status, recent food and beverage intake, skin temperature, and recent physical activity. To prepare participants for BIA assessment, avoiding alcoholic beverages for at least 8 h, fasting, and drinking no water for 4–6 h were recommended.[39] Although the participants were required to fast and avoid vigorous exercise for at least 1 h before BIA assessment, the actual state of dehydration or water retention may be the main limitation of this study. Despite the exclusion of participants with chronic diseases and those using prescribed medications, as well as the predominance of participants reporting a relatively consistent lifestyle pattern during the previous year, the timing of measurement and food intake or exercise before BIA measurement must be controlled to minimize potential errors. In addition, prescribed medications, nutritional supplementation details, and medical diagnoses could be potentially associated with age-associated changes in body components. These factors should be considered in further studies.
The present data describe specific age-dependent changes in multidimensional physical performance measures and body composition parameters, and demonstrate differences among age groups and between sexes in Japanese older adults. As this study was a cross-sectional analysis, conclusions could not be drawn concerning cause-and-effect relationships. Selection bias should be considered another limitation. Although this study included a very large sample, most participants seemed to have good function because they were able to independently participate in the assessments at the community center. This corresponds to approximately 30–40% of the target population. These limitations related to the participants might have influenced the results of the present study. In addition, analysis of socio-demographic data (i.e. economic status) would be largely important in enabling the results to be extrapolated to other populations. Therefore, our results should be interpreted carefully. Further longitudinal studies are needed.
In conclusion, the patterns of age-dependent declines in physical performance measures differed among parameters itself and between sexes. There is a possibility of a difference in age-related slope patterns among parameters; decreases in grip strength in men and walking speed in women may be more prominent with advancing age. Furthermore, the decrease in muscle mass with aging is more striking than the decrease in whole body mass.
We thank the Obu City Office and Midori Ward Office for helping in participant recruitment. The authors certify that they comply with the ethical guidelines for publishing in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle: update 2015.[40]
This work received financial support through a Health Labor Sciences Research Grant (23-001) from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, and Research Funding for Longevity Sciences (22-16 and 26-33) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Japan. Additional support was provided by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) to HS and a Grant-in-Aid for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellows from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science to HM and TD.


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- Signs for push-out forces
- After two years on the job
- Mariano Tannenbaum taking over
(management-change.com) — Montevideo, Uruguay, January 04, 2017 — José Carlos Alcantara, finance chief of Arcos Dorados, leaves. It is a change at short notice. As announced by Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. in a news release on Wednesday, January 04, 2017, José Carlos Alcantara leaves the post as Chief Financial Officer at the world's largest McDonald's franchisee in a surprising move after two years on the job, effective February 01, 2017.
No company wants a CFO to flame out in the first years.
Alcantara's duties are taken over by Mariano Tannenbaum, currently Senior Director of Corporate Finance at Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc.
The move is part of a management shake-up. Arcos Dorados also announced the appointment of Dan Gertsacov as Chief Marketing and Digital Officer.
"New personal and professional endeavors"
The management change is explained as follows. Arcos Dorados said: José Carlos Alcantara "has decided to take on new personal and professional endeavors".
The phrase "has decided to take on new personal and professional endeavors" is often used in corporate announcements and opens the door to speculation.
Wake-up call
Generally speaking, it is often an alarm signal for shareholders when a CFO leaves the post at short notice and without a reasonable explanation.
Arcos Dorados said: "Mr. Tannenbaum's appointment is effective on February 1, 2017 and he succeeds José Carlos Alcantara."
Precise information about the future plans of Alcantara was not immediately available.
"I am not in a position to disclose the information that you are requesting about José Carlos's next move," said Daniel Schleiniger, spokesperson at Arcos Dorados, in an emailed response to a management-change.com query.
Share price decline
The change follows a decline in the share price of Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. since September 2011.
Chaired by Woods Staton
Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. is chaired by Woods Staton.
Staton is the Executive Chairman of the Board. Staton was Arcos Dorados' Chief Executive Officer from 2007 through October 2015.
Sergio Alonso serves as CEO of Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. Alonso is Arcos Dorados' Chief Executive Officer since 2015 and was, prior to his appointment as such, Chief Operating Officer.
On the job as CFO since 2015
Alcantara has been Chief Financial Officer at Arcos Dorados Holdings, Inc. since January 12, 2015.
He attended Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing in Brazil, where he received a Bachelor's Degree, and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, where he earned an MBA.
Alcantara has worked as a consultant and as a senior auditor at Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse Coopers, respectively.
Alcantara has held senior finance positions within PepsiCo's Quaker Oats and International (LAR Foods & Beverages) businesses both in Brazil and in the United States.
Most recently, Alcantara served as the Managing Director Spanish Latin America at Experian, where he was previously CFO Latin America.
Signs for push-out forces
It is not completely certain what forces eventually triggered José Carlos Alcantara's move.
The Push-out Score™ determined by management-change.com suggests that push-out forces may have contributed to the management change.
Read the full story in the management-change.com report 02.2017 ($).


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From the beginning, I didn't think I'd be here. I still have doubts and disbelief nearly every morning as the trip inches closer, day by ever-passing day. I don't win anything, I rarely travel, particularly outside of the country, and I struggle to make huge decisions that affect only me. Now on the day of my departure I am excited, yes, but also perpetually overwhelmed (I'm beginning to believe that this is the default setting for 20- and 30-somethings). This–along with the entire graduate school experience–is going to be the most grown-up thing I've ever done. And I'm not sure I'm ready for it.
Not that I'm complaining. I'm absolutely grateful for the opportunity. I've been abroad only twice before, the last time being a trip to Ireland that was also an opportunity provided through a college program. When I applied to Virginia Tech, I did so with the intention of teaching outside of my comfort zone. I earned a Preparing Future Professoriate Certification through the graduate school in order to learn more about what it takes to thrive in higher education. As a GTA, my interest in teaching was cultivated by interacting with students of all disciplines, skill levels, and nationalities, who have to overcome racial and socio-economic disparity and learning styles and disabilities. Now, as part of the Virginia Tech Global Perspectives Program I am extending that interest in teaching to learn further. I teach English composition and my experience working in Writing Centers as well as working with my students in and out of the classroom one-on-one has shown me the intimate connection between language and culture. One of the biggest issues that students–especially those who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable writers–have when they sit down to write is having a command of the language, being able to use language for nuance, clarity, and articulation in ways that are beneficial to their particular project. I am fascinated by the intersection of language and culture in composition because so much of our understanding of one relates to the other. What I want to look at is how the universities utilize language pedagogy to help benefit multi-lingual and native language-learning students and borrow these ideas for American students. America is becoming more and more diverse every year with the number of non-English speaking or English language learning (ELL) citizens growing each year. In order for these students to be able to thrive in a diverse learning environment, particularly one that is so dependent upon language efficacy and application.
For me, this trip is about immersing myself into a culture outside of my familiarity, to experience–however briefly–what it is like to be an outsider, in a place where the language, the culture, and the people are different from what I know. By doing so, I aim to acquire the kind of knowledge necessary to understand, to a lesser degree, what ELL and non-native speakers experience every day in America.
So, in a sense, my discomfort means that I'm doing it right, that this is exactly what I'm looking for, that the anxiousness I feel is a defense mechanism. So, I say, let's see how far down the rabbit hole I can go. That's what grown-ups do, right?