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Deadlines:
University of Graz: 15 April 2018 (for non-EU applicants) & 01 June 2018 (for EU applicants)
University of Belgrade: 01 June 2018 (for all applicants)
The University of Graz and the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Sciences (FPS) are pleased to announce the call for applications for the academic year 2018/2019 for the Interdisciplinary Joint Master’s Programme in Southeast European Studies (www.seestudies.eu & http://www.jointdegree.eu/en/masees/)
This two year MA program is conducted in English as a joint degree between our universities. The seventh generation commences in October 2018.
Students enroll in and spend the first year at the chosen home university (Graz or Belgrade). In the second year, students spend at least one semester on mobility at a partner university. The list of partner universities includes:
Babes-Bolyai University from Cluj-Napoca (Romania).
Central European University (Hungary)
South East European University, Tetovo (Macedonia)
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje (Macedonia)
University of Bologna (Italy)
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
University of Novi Sad (Serbia)
University of Regensburg (Germany)
University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Students from Graz can also spend their mobility semester in Belgrade and those from Belgrade in Graz.
Why Southeast European Studies in Graz?
Southeast Europe has been a focus of the University of Graz for over a century. The noble prize winner Ivo Andrić wrote his PhD in Graz and many scholars and prominent intellectuals from the region have studied here. Since the early 1990s thousands of students from across the Balkans have decided to study at the University of Graz and it is today normal to hear Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian and Albanian in addition to German and English in the hallways of the university. Only two hours from Ljubljana and Zagreb by car, the city is close to Southeast Europe and the dense ties to the region are tangible throughout the city, from the cultural life to the social scene.
Over the past decades, the University has had a strong academic interest in the history of Southeast Europe, in particular historical anthropology. Various exchange programs, teaching, research and public events on the region have a long tradition. The Centre for Southeastern European Studies is not only coordinating the Master’s Programme, but also hosts regular public events, workshops, conferences and conducts research on Southeast Europe. There are two other degree programs focused on Southeast Europe, an MA programme in the History of Southeastern Europe and a European Regional Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democracy in South East Europe. Students are thus not just offered an MA programme in Southeast Europe, but are part of a vibrant community of scholars and students interested in, and from, Southeast Europe.
First of all, you will be studying Southeast Europe in its very centre. In this way, you will be able not only to better understand your chosen field of interest, but also to learn one or more languages of the region. Secondly, you will profit learning from a group of outstanding FPS and foreign professors, with excellent academic records and long-time expertise in Southeast Europe. Last but not least, as part of an academic community with strong international character, you’ll enjoy the exciting social life in Belgrade, too.
Check some impressions of our previous generation of students: http://www.seestudies.eu/node/48.
During two semesters in Belgrade you will also be able to get involved in the work of the FPS Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Balkans (CisBalk). As an extension of the Master Program and a focus point of cooperation of Serbian and international experts dealing with Southeast Europe, the Centre offers ample possibilities for engagement in research projects, workshops and numerous public events it organizes.
Content of the Programme
The Interdisciplinary Joint Master in Southeast European Studies is an international and interdisciplinary programme in social sciences and humanities of the highest quality which enables participants to effectively understand the interrelationship between law, politics, economics and culture with an emphasis on Southeast Europe. The programme prepares students for doctoral studies and professional life in a variety of other fields including work in international, local governmental and non-governmental organizations, journalism, business, scientific research and consultancy.
In the first year students take core courses which include an introduction to multidisciplinary approaches in the study of Southeast Europe, public law, political science, history, economics and cultural studies. In the summer after the first year, a joint summer school is held in Hvar, Croatia, for all students from the participating universities to complete the compulsory core modules. In the second year, students attend one of the partner universities and specialize in their desired field. There are also optional provisions in place to offer students professional trainings and internship positions. In the final semester students write a master thesis reflecting their capacity to work on a scientific subject independently.
All compulsory courses are conducted in English, but students are able to take classes in other languages. Language acquisition is an important key aspect of the joint degree and students are expected to learn a regional language and/or the predominant language of their mobility institution.
Academic Degree
Students completing the Interdisciplinary Joint Master’s Programme in Southeast European Studies earn the degree “Master of Arts”, abbreviated MA.
Admission
The Interdisciplinary Joint Master’s Programme in Southeast European Studies welcomes applicants who hold an academic degree of at least 180 ECTS credits (bachelor’s degree or equivalent), who can demonstrate their basic knowledge of social sciences or humanities – law, political, social, cultural or economic sciences – and who have general insight and interest in Southeastern Europe.
The APPLICATION should consist of:
1. completed online application form
2. at least one letter of recommendation (preferably from a university professor or employer, in English)
3. certificate/diploma obtained at the undergraduate level (for Graz: translated into English or German; for Belgrade: translated into English if it is not in Serbian)
4. transcript of records obtained at the undergraduate level (for Graz: translated into English or German; for Belgrade: translated into English if it is not in Serbian)
5. letter of motivation (English)
6. curriculum vitae (English)
7. proof of proficiency in English language: IELTS (required minimum score: 6.0), a TOEFL (required minimum score: 210 on the computerised test, 547 on the paper based test, 78 on the internet based test), a Cambridge Exam (required level: FCE) or an equivalent certificate. Students who have completed their BA in English are not required to provide this proof of proficiency but may be interviewed.
Tuition fees are waived for Austrian/EU students. Tuition costs approximately €745 per semester for citizens of other states but can usually be fully refunded upon successful completion of each semester for citizens of Albania, Belarus Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
For enquiries about the admission procedure, tuition fees and refund process at the University of Graz please contact Ulrike Krawagna, [email protected] at the Office for International Relations. Please note that the University of Graz does not provide financial support – no scholarships are currently available but we encourage students to seek available funding from third parties.
However, a limited number of student research assistantships will be available at the Centre for Southeast European Studies at the University of Graz. Candidates, who wish to be considered for these, must apply by 15 April 2018 and in addition to all application material outlined before, ad a writing sample (BA thesis, report, blog post, etc.) to their application.
All candidates are encouraged to apply early as the programme has a rolling acceptance scheme and we only have limited capacity of student intake.
€3,900 EUR (or equivalent value in Serbian dinars), including ALL costs of a four-semester studying, costs of recognition of foreign BA degrees and the ten-day Summer School at the island of Hvar, Croatia (full board and transportation) – payable in ten installments – for citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
€4,900 EUR (or equivalent value in Serbian dinars), including ALL costs of a four-semester studying, costs of recognition of foreign BA degrees and the ten-day Summer School at the island of Hvar, Croatia (full board and transportation) – payable in ten installments – for citizens of all other countries.
Upon applying online via the platform, please also send the printed application form with all supporting documents by registered mail to Gordana Ristic, University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Sciences, Jove Ilica 165, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Certified translation of diploma and transcript of records into Serbian shall be required additionally.
Candidates are encouraged to apply early as the programme has a rolling acceptance scheme and we only have limited capacity of student intake. | {
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ArtSlut
Sam Houston Doc Now Available on DVD
After walking up and down the governor's mansion all night, Texas governor Sam Houston made a decision.
"Margaret, I will not do it," he told his wife. He would not recognize the legality of the 1861 secession efforts, even knowing it would cost him the governorship.
"He lived the rest of his days, in Confederate eyes, in disgrace," said biographer James L. Haley. "But that, to me, was his great, defining moment."
The three-hour documentary Sam Houston: American Statesman, Soldier, And Pioneer, to air Thursday on KLRN Channel 9 and available on DVD, is a favorable take on the only man that was elected as governor of two states (Tennessee and Texas), but it is far from a biography. Written by Haley, Sam Houston is a gorgeously shot and edited movie as complex as the man himself, who was adopted (and renamed) by the Cherokee nation and who marched at the beat of his own drum throughout his life.
"Let me tell you what is coming," he had warned the South. "After the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives, you may win Southern independence, but I doubt it. The North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche."
His refusal to secede was respectful, but unflinching.
"Fellow-Citizens," he wrote, "in the name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the nationality of Texas, which has been betrayed by the Convention, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the Constitution of Texas, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of my own conscience and manhood, which this Convention would degrade by dragging me before it, to pander to the malice of my enemies, I refuse to take this oath. I deny the power of this Convention to speak for Texas ... I protest ... against all the acts and doings of this convention and I declare them null and void."
"Get the picture of a man who was willing to go with his own conviction and his own conscience, rather than the pleadings of the popular majority," said former governor Ann Richards in the film (she had been interviewed for the film a few months before her cancer diagnosis, one which ultimately took her life in September 2006).
In spite of the political cost he had to suffer, he became one of few figures in American history to earn the admiration and respect of people from both sides (and outside of) the aisle.
"Certainly, without a doubt, [Houston was] the most influential and intriguing governor that Texas ever produced and, I would suggest to you, ever will," said Governor Rick Perry in the documentary.
"He was a lynchpin to our history," said Richards in a written endorsement of the project. "And having a documentary about him with the points of view of a number of people, a sort of unwashed, unvarnished, no dressed-up version of ‘Here’s who Sam Houston was and therefore we can better understand why we are the way we are’ is a truly important project.”
Soon after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Houston orally freed his slaves (which was illegal in the Confederacy) and, after falling from grace, used whatever influence he still had to help Native Americans avoid the Confederate draft.
"He came to our reservation all the time, talking to the elders," said Clayton Sylastine, chief of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe, in the documentary. "He was a good friend of ours." | {
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This was for my son's 4th birthday. I ended up making the face twice. The first one was too big and the second one was too small. Oh well. He loved the cake and I got a lot of attention at Chuck E. Cheese's. lol | {
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Thank you for participating in CyclingRevealed.com's Winter Trivia Contest. We draw on the rich history of elite professional racing to take you on a journey through our fascinating sport. There are the Grand Tours, the classics, great champions and domestiques, famous climbs and much more. | {
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La Fidélité
When I first heard André Saraiva and Lionel Bensemoun (the guys behind Le Baron, Paris’s hippest night club for the n-teenth year running) had opened a restaurant called La Fidélité I was skeptical. Not that these guys weren’t visionaries or had good taste or couldn’t pull it off. (Hell, they’ve killed it since in Pigalle with their Hotel D’amour and Chez Moune their sister nightclub.) It’s just in general I like to keep my food and clubbing separate.
But then I found out La Fidélité was in my neighborhood, which suddenly changed everything. Now I HAD to go. Not just because of the satisfaction of knowing I lived in "ze new place to be," but out of obligation as well. Bobos feel they must frequent neighborhood restos, as a way to give back to their community. We make it sound like we’re saving the whales or sheltering the homeless, when all we’re really doing is drinking near home.
La Fidélité has a great space going for it. And Lionel and Andre have used that space wisely. Most of the new restaurants I’ve been to in Paris are small, where tables are crammed together, where the emphasis is clearly on the food and making you feel lucky you even got a table (because look how crowded we are!). And it gets tiring listening to the conversation of the table next to yours (especially when it’s more interesting) or being shushed because you’re too loud (which happens quite often to me actually.)
Hence why La Fidélité’s high ceiling, moldings, mirrors on the walls, proper table spacing, and its soft but apparent din was refreshing. I was also served a generous whiskey (which isn’t often the case in Paris) before ordering, which made the whole ambiance come together better (weird how that happens.).
Ambiance I knew was Andre and Lionel’s specialty, but what really surprised me was the food from their recently-hired chef. They make a great duck terrine for starters and any American worth his salt can’t pass on poached egg with truffles or the Utah Beach oysters, unless you’re scared it’ll have a dog tag in it. My entrecôte with sea salt was no Peter Luger, but it was tasty and moist and not too chewy. My friends had steamed haddock, which they adored and my wife—I can’t remember what she ordered. I never remember what my wife orders.
No, La Fidélité isn’t culinary craziness. And frankly I’m getting a bit annoyed by that anyway. It seems every new restaurant nowadays HAS to celebrate the chef and every meal has to have this new divine experimental quality to it with organic this and farm raised that. What often ends up getting lost in between is a time well spent talking and eating and laughing and drinking. La Fidélité isn’t going to wow you gastronomically, but that was never Lionel’s and Andre’s intention I don’t think (and the earlier critiques on the food missed that.)
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to eat a show for 30 bucks either. I just want what the French call "correct". Meaning I get to dine in an eye-candy atmosphere, with a solid meal and a cool Burgundy pinot noir that goes well with fish or meat. And if I go to the bathroom afterwards and discover a little bar down below where you can drink what the French call a "digestif," correct suddenly changes into pretty fucking great. C’est vrai. In the basement of La Fidélité; you can sit on a chesterfield couch, drink a cognac, and smoke. Smoke? Yes. I don’t know how they do it legally, but they do it. And the fact that they do it, well, that just adds to the allure .
It’s a place that says F-you to the preciousness of chef-ordained dainty cuisine, with its Taliban mico-organic no fun rules. Andre and Lionel have a neo-bistro with old school objectives. A place to dine with friends then get your swerve on (pronounced "swareve.") downstairs. A place that reminds you why foodie towns like Seattle or Portland at times still feel like nerdy cafeterias compared to Paris. Fine you had your line-caught bass on a bed of organic cilantro risotto. Did you have a memorable time? I did.
And since it’s in my hood, I plan to return fairly soon. Next time with a lot of friends – just so someone can save me a spot on the couch downstairs while I take dessert.
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Community Stories
Forest Rescue Now A Vital Service For Mountain Bike Riders
Forest Rescue Now A Vital Service For Mountain Bike Riders
As Charlotte Hamilton lay in excruciating pain on the floor of Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest, she thought she might be paralysed.
“Initially I couldn’t feel my legs. I did actually think of another woman who crashed off her mountain bike in the same forest and was now a paraplegic. A little bit of panic set in when my friend, Todd, called 111 and they told him to leave me to find a GPS co-ordinate because they didn’t know where we were.”
Todd Scanlon knew Charlotte’s injuries were serious and leaving her wasn’t an option. Instead, he remembered the First Response Unit had been set up one month prior by the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club. He called their 0800 number and experienced patrollers from Peak Safety were soon at Charlotte’s side, fitting a neck brace and back board before carefully transporting her to a site where a rescue helicopter could land.
“It was such a relief to have them there. It’s a dense forest and there are areas which ambulances can’t get to. These boys knew exactly where we were as soon as we described the track and our surroundings to them.
“The medics were so very careful in their handling of me that day – something I will be eternally grateful for. There is no doubt in my mind that their actions prevented me from becoming a paraplegic.”
That quick response and excellent medical care provided by the First Response Unit was later praised by Charlotte’s doctor who confirmed the outcome could have been “disastrous”. Instead, the 29 year-old police officer has made an excellent recovery from her spinal injuries and is now back at work and out mountain biking once again.
Rotorua Mountain Bike Club (RMTBC) secretary Barbara Jenks is one of several people who were instrumental in establishing the First Response Unit in December 2016. She says she can’t imagine the Whakarewarewa Forest being without the service now. Paid patrollers are on duty each weekend and during peak holiday times, and have attended over 160 callouts in the past 10 months. A similar voluntary service is provided by local business Mountain Bike Rotorua during weekdays.
“There’s nothing else like it in New Zealand at all,” Barbara says. “It’s quite unique for a club to provide this professional service. The patrollers are themselves mountain bikers and therefore familiar with the forest and are able to navigate to an incident much faster than an ambulance.”
As well as providing a swift emergency response and first aid, the patrollers focus on injury prevention by offering basic bike safety and helmet checks, and giving advice to the public about appropriate trails for the level of rider experience.
“It’s often the people who ride above their skill level on average grade trails who get into difficulty,” Barbara says. “But having said that, we do have callouts across all trails and all levels of ability. Our average response time is 7 to 8 minutes which is outstanding when you consider how big the forest is.”
BayTrust has recently given the RMTBC $25,000 to help run the First Response Unit. The money will be used to pay patrollers from Peak Safety and help fund other operating costs such as radios, fuel, signs and stickers for bike helmets which feature the 0800 WHAKA1 phone number.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant. If we don’t receive funding, we can’t run the service, it’s as simple as that. We do rely on donations, grants and fundraising and this money will fund one patroller for about 50 days. It makes a huge difference to receive large sums of money like this.”
Barbara says the club has developed a fantastic relationship with St John ambulance and rescue helicopter services around the region. “They love the fact we can get in there quickly and our guys are experts at dealing with spinal injuries.
“The service gives riders peace of mind that they will be well looked after in the event of an accident, and it ensures that our forest is recognised as a safe, well-managed biking destination of international standard.” | {
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Physical Activity Blues? Ways To Motivate Yourself To Keep Going
Physical activity is something we hear about all the time, and it’s something that a lot of people either love or hate because of it. But in truth, it’s not evil, and everyone needs to do a little bit of it in their lifetime; seeing as we evolved to run and jump and stand around for a bit, it’s good for you!But it can be hard to motivate yourself to take it seriously. So if you’re in a bit of a fitness rut, or you just want to get outside more with your running shoes on and know you’re going to actually do something with them, here’s a couple of tips on building up the motivation to get yourself going.
Focus On Your Goal
It can be easy to forget why you’re exercising in the first place when you’ve got sweat dripping down your temples and aches in your knees and shoulders from all the weight lifting you’ve been trying out. But if you take a few seconds to think about why you started to workout or go for a jog or a swim in the mornings, you can really find the strength to keep on going.
If you do a spot of quick thinking every now and then when the going gets really tough and all you want to do is tap out, you’re going to thank yourself by the end of the session. After all, you will have worked harder in the face of great odds, and come out the other side with better results down the line.
Host Your Own Tournament
Exercise is always easier to get on with when you’ve got friends around you to keep you going. Working with this, make sure that whenever you’re feeling some physical activity blues, you call up the people who support you and ask them to take on the challenge with you. 9 times out of 10 they’ll be up for it, seeing as you most likely have the same interest in getting into shape.
And then, introduce a bit of friendly competition between the two or three of you. When there’s clear odds set out, with a payoff on the other side, you’re going to feel like you can keep on going forever just to make sure you win. And with items like crystal golf trophies on the market, you can very clearly boast to everyone you know and love that you won this round, and you’re a fitter person because of it.
Physical activity is always going to be a hard undertaking, but it’s one of the most worthy things out there that you should try out. Everyone is capable of some form of exercise, so don’t let yourself make excuses, and try to keep in mind why you’re doing this, and how you’ll feel on the other side. And hey, if you out a cake on the treadmill, and it makes you increase your running speed as a result, stick with that method!
About The Guy Corner NYC
The Guy Corner NYC is a lifestyle blog providing information about sports, tech, food, style and much more. I am always interested in doing tech, or guy related reviews as well as sponsored blog posts. Feel free to reach out to me any time if you have a product that might fit this site.
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278738 members
Welcome To Disabled Dating Club!
Have you had trouble making a connection with someone who understands your needs? Have you tried other general dating sites and had no luck finding someone special? Have you thought that you found the right person, but it didn't work out? Well you don't need to worry about any of that anymore! Here, at DisabledDatingClub.org, we're positive you'll find a match. We have plenty of members who are looking for someone just like you. It's completely free to join, so, why not give it a try?
The reason we founded Disabled Dating Club was because we understand the challenges that our members face. It's not easy to explain your restrictions to someone on an average dating site. It can be a hard subject to approach and you might be nervous about it. That can make your conversation uncomfortable and unnatural. You might be worried about saying the wrong thing, or being taken the wrong way. None of this is ideal if you're already facing a challenge. All you want to do is make a connection with someone. Someone who is going to understand you.
Disabled Dating Club Is One Of The Fastest Growing Dating Sites On The Internet
We want to provide you with a comfortable and safe place to branch out and have fun. You don't have to worry about approaching the subject of your restrictions, because the other members of our site already understand. You'll meet someone with similar interests as you and never have to worry about the discomfort of that conversation. If you've tried other dating sites, you know all too well that some people aren't receptive to the challenges you face. After all, dating itself can be a challenge for everyone. Here at DisabledDatingClub.org, we aim to eliminate that challenge for you.
We want you to be able to make a genuine connection with someone. We want you to feel comfortable, relaxed and confident - with yourself and with your match up. We want you to find someone who is understanding of the uniqueness that is you. We want you to find someone who will accept, encourage and love you. We want to help you do all of the above. Everyone deserves the chance to flourish, especially when it comes to love. Our mission at DisabledDatingClub.org is to give you that chance.
You can browse profiles, knowing that the people you choose to connect with are in the same situation. They've all been in the same position of awkward conversations about their restrictions. But you won't have to worry and neither will they about that being an issue.
Together, you will be able to overcome what may have caused your other connections to fail in the past. Everyone you interact with here, will likely feel the same way as you do - hesitant, nervous, but ultimately still trying to make a genuine connection with someone who understands them. Isn't everyone?
Relationships are all a learning process. Like every other learning process, it's important that you can do it at your own speed, in your own way. It's important that you feel comfortable. You can feel comfortable at Disabled Dating Club.
With hundreds of thousands of members in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia and all over the world, we're confident that you'll find someone that is suited to you here.
So why wait? Don't hesitate. Sign up for your FREE trial right now. There is no obligation. Have a look around, check out the profiles of people near you and when you are ready to connect, you can upgrade to our full membership options, if you would like. You will find our membership packages to be highly competitive and great value for money! | {
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SEW BREEZY Pillowcase Top Pattern - New Easy High Low Blouse or Tunic - PDF Sewing Pattern. One of my easiest pattern for the beginner seamstress.
Super easy to make pillowcase type top with popular hi low lines and adjustable neckline. Simple construction yet very stylish. The top is hi in front with a graceful low curve in back. The silhouette of this hi low hem gives this free flowing top a slimming effect. The back has a narrow racer type cut at the neckline.
Sizes Small to XX Large adult all on color coded lines. Step by step instructions with matching color photos.Click on last picture for finished measurements, material list, notions and references.
A download link is emailed to you when the order is fulfilled.
THIS IS A PATTERN AND NOT A COMPLETED ITEM.
You are welcome to use this pattern to make your own item to sell. Acknowledgement of my patterns is a courtesy. | {
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Players' union hits naming of Dons over drug use
The AFL players' union has bitterly condemned the identification of present and former Essendon players who are alleged to have admitted telling investigators they had been injected with peptides.
AFL Players Association chief executive Matt Finnis said it was an abuse of the players' trust in the system and the confidentiality they were guaranteed in the investigation for them to be identified.
Fourteen players were identified in the News Corp press on Sunday as having told the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority they had taken supplements that may have been banned and they consequently face suspensions.
It has long been known and accepted that a number of Essendon players had admitted to having been administered peptides that may have been banned - with possibly more than the 14 who were named being involved.
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Essendon captain and Brownlow medallist Jobe Watson had previously admitted in a television interview that he had been told that he had taken the peptide AOD9604, which the World Anti-Doping Agency insists was a banned substance, but the AFL admits there was confusion about its status at the relevant time.
Finnis said all players had voluntarily co-operated with the investigation into the ''failures of workplace governance'' and their trust in the process had been abused.
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"The AFL Players Association condemns in the strongest possible terms the publishing of names and photos of current and former Essendon football players in today's Herald Sun,'' Finnis said.
"[It] calls on everyone to respect the process and integrity of the ASADA investigation - just as the players have done since this regrettable saga arose.
"For over 12 months, players have withstood enormous uncertainty, public scrutiny and speculation over their health, their careers, and their reputations. But for over 12 months, players have honestly, candidly and transparently co-operated with all authorities involved in multiple investigations.
"You would hope that by now, there might be some level of acknowledgment of the invidious position these young men have been placed in, which is higher than publishing names and photos of some of them in a major daily newspaper in a manner which only fuels further speculation and uncertainty."
Despite the ''invidious position'' and the sympathy for the players' predicament, the doping code provides little scope for leniency were they to be charged and found guilty of taking banned substances, such as hexarelin or thymosin beta 4.
It is extremely unlikely any player could argue ''no fault or negligence'' under the World Anti-Doping Code as that defence refers to cases such as an athlete being administered a drug when unconscious on the operating table.
The defence below that is when athletes satisfactorily claim there had been ''no significant fault or negligence''. They are entitled to a reduction but that discount ''may not be less than one-half of the period of ineligibility otherwise applicable''. For instance, a 12-month ban cannot be reduced to less than six months.
While there is confusion over the legality of AOD 9604, there is none over the status of thymosin beta 4. It is banned.
There are other thymosin variants that are legal but the AFL and ASADA investigation could find no source of legal thymosin being sourced by Essendon.
The AFL investigation has already concluded that 38 players admitted signing release forms for the administration of AOD9604 and weekly injections of thymosin.
Invoices discovered at Windy Hill also point to the purchase of hexarelin, a banned drug, which was found in an unlocked fridge in Stephen Dank's office at the club. | {
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RS
FRONT PAGE CONTRIBUTOR
Is Our Economy Stuck in the Mud?
On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech are joined by Francis Cianfrocca to discuss jobless claims, the Fed’s realization that American’s buy groceries and gas, and whether or not we’re ready to pay higher taxes to erase the debt. | {
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} |
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Home Design Inspiraion Ideas
Any content, trademark's, or other material that might be found on Home Design Inspiraion Ideas website that is not Home Design Inspiraion Ideas property remains the copyright of its respective owner's.
In no way does Home Design Inspiraion Ideas claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Made of steel, wood and upholstered, with a stainless steel and walnut finish
One of our contemporary and modern-styled bar stools that will work in almost any kitchen
This beautifully made contemporary hydraulic stainless steel stool has a simple yet elegant design that is perfect for any decor. An ideal way to add a touch of modern flair to any dining or entertaining area in your home. This stool features a veneer wood back that comes in either black, white or walnut. It also has a quality stainless steel frame with sturdy legs and foot rest finished. The padded seat is upholstered offering comfort and style. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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CodeIgniter: Measure Page Load Time
How do I measure the page load time in a CI application that is using Smarty? Right now, I have put benchmark points at the beginning and end of the index() method, but that only measures the execution time of the method, right? I want to know how long it take to fully render a page. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
"Mrs. Collins' February 16, 2011 NYT article, Mrs. Bush,
Abstinence and Texas, makes a number of disputable claims, the
most notable of which is that 'Perry used $3.2 billion in stimulus
dollars for schools to plug other holes in his budget.'"
The accusation that Gov. Perry oversaw the misuse or
misappropriation of federal education stimulus dollars is
incorrect. Texas state lawmakers used the $3.2 billion in state
stabilization funds to support ongoing commitments in education
which might not have otherwise have been fully funded. Simply
because no new initiatives were funded is not grounds for claiming
money was shifted from education to other purposes.
Furthermore, singling out the way in which the Texas Legislature
chose to appropriate the federal education stimulus funds is an
unfair criticism. The Campaign for Educational Equity reviewed 20
states’ use of education stimulus dollars and concluded "every
state in essence 'backfilled budget holes’” with them. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Welcome to Etsy!
The global marketplace for vintage and handmade items.
Welcome to Etsy!
The global marketplace for vintage and handmade items.
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Craftomoto
Shop owner
Craftomoto is taking a short break
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Note from shop owner
Hello! Due to the current situation with COVID-19 virus, our shop will be closed until further notice, and we won't be able to take orders during that period. Thank you for understanding :)
Goga & Vedran
Craftomoto
Note from shop owner
Last updated on Mar 17, 2020
Hello! Due to the current situation with COVID-19 virus, our shop will be closed until further notice, and we won't be able to take orders during that period. Thank you for understanding :)
Goga & Vedran
Craftomoto
A beautiful bunch of flamingos that light up your day, every day! Beautiful print, lovely colours on good quality paper. It made one 3-year-old B-day girl very happy.
Smooth communication & delivery - a perfect deal all in all.
I am proud owner of several illustrations :) beautiful, high quality prints, really special and different. I will definitly remain a loyal customer, and I will recommend your art to everyone. Thank you so much for beautifying my apartment! ;)
Martina
About Craftomoto
Sales
19
On Etsy since 2017
We are Goga and Vedran, a creative couple from Zagreb, Croatia, who loves art, craft and things in motion.
Vedran deals with robotics, innovation, and creates technical solutions and art installations for many designers and artists, pieces of theater sets and props, parts for the tuning and car styling, custom items of furniture and supplies for people with special needs.
Goga works in the field of visual communications, including visual identity, promotional material and websites, publications, packaging, branding and illustration.
We started this shop so we can promote our joined and individual projects, that are mostly related to industrial art, custom design and illustrations.
You can check our projects at: www.craftomoto.com, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs.
If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value. Seller will cover return shipping costs. Contact them for details.
Seller will cover return shipping costs. Contact them for details. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
J.K. Rowling's Tweet About Morning People Is Such A Mood, I Can't Even Explain It
Morning people get all the attention in this world. They're constantlypraised for setting their alarm before 8 a.m. and greeting the morning with a genuine smile on their face. Of course, to each their own, but TBH, up until J.K. Rowling’s tweet about morning people surfaced on Dec. 17, 2018, night owls everywhere had more or less been left in the shadows. But no longer, my friends, because in less than 140 characters, the Harry Potter creator has essentially flipped the bird to anyone who’s ever suggested early risers are the only ones who can be productive and successful.
Of course, I’m sure Rowling wasn’t putting down early birds, or undermining the success of people who do wake up early; she was simply making a point that people who wake up with the dawn aren’t the only ones making a name for themselves. So to all the night owls who feel like their successes aren’t being recognized or given enough credit — Rowling hears you, and she's here for you, friend.
Now, out of context, it might sound pretty random that someone like J.K. Rowling would be taking a stand against the injustices thrust upon the naturally nocturnal, but it makes sense once you read the entire thread — which, BTW, is all of two tweets because, really, who can argue with the woman who created Hogwarts?
On Dec. 16, Inc. tweeted out an article offering tips to boost your productivity in the morning. This is all well and good, and probably serviceable to a lot of people, but the reason why the outlet’s tweet riled up Rowling so much was, apparently, because of how it was captioned.
“The world’s most successful people start their day at 4 a.m.,” the tweet read. Cue Rowling sipping her English breakfast tea at 7 a.m., typing the most scathing reply she could muster in three words or less: “Oh, piss off,” she replied.
Seriously, if that isn’t a mood in and of itself, then I don’t know what is.
Obviously, I don’t know J.K. Rowling on a personal level, but she had to be feeling herself after tweeting that soundbite out into the Twitterverse, right? Like I said, morning people get most, if not all the glory, so it was about time someone stood up for all the night-walkers doing their thang — you know, the ones who roll into bed at 4 a.m.
Naturally, nocturnal Potterheads flocked to the thread, adding their own two cents ( er — galleons?), and applauding Rowling for stating hers.
While I agree that Inc.’s tweet might have been worthy of an eye roll or two, as someone who personally loves mornings, I do have to say there arebenefits to being a morning person — but you definitely don’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. to reap them. Hell, you don’t even have to wake up at 7 a.m. if that’s still a little too early for you. I think a common misconception about morning people is that we’re all competing against one another to wake up the earliest, and complete the most tasks before 10 a.m., but that’s not the reality of it for many of us.
The idea behind training yourself to become a “morning person” is simply that, if you can get yourself out of bed at the earliest time you can muster (even if that’s 11 a.m. — it’s still morning, right?), you'll have that much more time in the day to accomplish your goals. At least, that's the way I see it, anyway.
Inc.'s article, on the other hand, based its findings off the routines of successful people like Apple CEO Tim Cook, Virgin America's CEO David Cush, and Michelle Gass, the chief merchandising and customer officer at Kohl's, who all apparently start their days between 3:45 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. And listen, if that's the route you want to take to achieve your goals every day, go for it. But the point I'm trying to make, and that Rowling already made very clear in her tweet, is that you don't have to be a 4 a.m. morning person to be successful. You don't have to be a morning person at all. You just have to commit to following your dreams, working hard, working with your heart, and success will come — and it won't matter at all if you rose with the sun, or chose to sleep through it. | {
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Zenele Ndlovu walks down the aisle on her wedding day at a hospital Chapel in Zimbabwe (AP Photo)Zenele Ndlovu walks down the aisle on her wedding day at a hospital Chapel in Zimbabwe (AP Photo)
(Newser)
–
A couple attacked by a crocodile wedded days later in a Zimbabwean hospital, where the bride was recovering after losing an arm. "In one week we went from shock and agony to a truly amazing experience," 27-year-old Jamie Fox told the AP on Monday. Fox and his then fiancée, Zenele Ndlovu, were canoeing on the Zambezi, one of Africa's longest rivers, when a crocodile attacked them on Apr. 30. Zenele lost her right arm and suffered injuries to her left hand. Five days later, they married in a hospital chapel. "We were glad we still had our lives and managed to keep our wedding date, although we had to do with a much smaller venue. The celebrations went ahead at the original venue but Zenele and I had to remain at the hospital," said Fox. He described the wedding as "incredible."
Victoria Falls Guide, a travel website, describes canoeing on the Zambezi above the Victoria Falls "the perfect activity for those who not only want to see the abundant bird and animal life but also want to experience the peace, tranquillity and beauty of the Zambezi River." For the couple, the experience turned into a terrifying incident. "I was shouting, trying to save her. She was not complaining of pain when we managed to pull her out of the water, maybe because of the shock. We were hoping the doctors would save her arm but that was not to be," said Fox, adding that the couple had dated for about 18 months. "I proposed in February. We are hoping to settle in the UK so we are sorting out her visa and then we will think of the honeymoon," he said. Zenele was discharged from the hospital on Monday. (Others have not been as lucky.)
racist crocodile ? ha ha ha , glad to see them not let something like this ruin there lives or their bond with one another , that will come later in the relationship when everything they do annoys each other and they start to act on it, good luck ...
TheJman
May 8, 2018 6:02 AM CDT
Amazing story. Successful people refuse to label themselves as victims. I hope they have a long & happy life together. | {
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} |
GrAnDpA bLoB's StOrY - Page Text Content
2: Blob looked at his wizard grandpa, Grandpa Blob. “Grandpa Blob, did you ever do bad things when you were little?” Grandpa Blob chuckled, “Hohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoho, yes indeedy I did young’un.” Scribble gasped, “Really?! I didn’t know wizards could do bad things!” Grandpa Blob chuckled again, “Hohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoho, well I certainly did young’un!” he said. “Like what?” asked Blob, tilting his red head. “Well now Blobby, let me tell you a story from when I was a boy...”
4: They arrived about three minutes later. “Hey Mr. Nail!” Splatter said. Bill Nail looked at him, “What are you doin’ ‘ere?” He said, staring at them in an annoyed fashion. Grandpa Blob and Splatter always caused trouble in Bill’s store, eating ice cream and getting it all over the nails, tripping and knocking over a shelf displaying nails, and putting boxes of nails in the corner so people couldn’t find them. In case you couldn’t guess, all Bill Nail’s Hardware Store sold was nails. Long nails, short nails, fat nails, thin nails, red nails, blue nails, green nails, orange nails, flavored nails, scented nails, nails in nails, nails in nails that are also in nails, and nails in a box made of nails. Bill also sold ice cream, however, including nail flavored ice cream. “What, can’t a kid go walkin’ into a hardware store without being all harassed and stuff?” said Splatter, putting on an innocent face. Bill mumbled something under his breath. “Jus’ don’t cause none trouble ya ‘ear me?” He said, looking Splatter right in the eye.
5: “Come on, Blob, let’s go look at the flavored nails!” Splatter said, pulling Grandpa Blob over behind a shelf, where Bill couldn’t see them. He then spoke in a hushed voice, “Man, I’m sick of that guy always thinking we’re going to do bad stuff!” He said. Grandpa Blob looked confused. He tilted his head and looked at Splatter, “But we do always cause trouble.” Splatter disregarded that comment, and motioned towards the boxes of flavored nails, “Yeah yeah yeah, but listen, I got a plan!”
6: Grandpa Blob snickered, “Yeah, that’s a great plan!” he said. Splatter’s plan was to steal a whole bunch of boxes of flavored nails, because Bill had been so mean that they deserve to get them for free. The both began to grab the boxes of nails, and then ran out the store. “Oi, you two!” Yelled Bill when he realized what they had done. “Ye’d better get yer rotten ‘ides back here!” he yelled, waving a box of nails in the air. A passerby, Doc Square, saw what was happening. “Don’t worry, Bill, I’ll get them!” He said heroically. He easily caught up to the two children, and grabbed them by their collar. “Hey! Let us down!” yelled Grandpa Blob. “Yeah!” yelled Splatter. “Not until you give Bill Nail his nails back.” said Doc Square sternly. Grandpa Blob and Splattered grumbled a few things, and then reluctantly agreed.
7: After giving Bill Nail his nails back, he called his parents, Great Grandpa Blob and Great Grandma Blob, who told them that stealing is wrong and that if everybody stole from Mr. Nail he’d be out of business and poor. Then they were grounded for two weeks and had to apologize to Mr. Nail, who yelled at them further.
8: “An’ that right there young’uns, is why ya ain’t supposed to steal from nobody!” Said Grandpa Blob to Blob and Scribble. “Else ya goin’ to be grounded!” | B^J
9: DYLAN DURKIN DYLAN DURKIN is a cool guy and he is friends with miles and zach and other people like nathan and jake and josh and mason and steven and devin and doug and other zac | {
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} |
Video Information
Information
Comments:
This was my 14th video. I made this one strictly because I was really bord. I mean strictly. I just want to to create somthing and that's what I did, made a farly well made video, with some plot to it. Well, the song I used was "Tyler's song" by Coal Chamber, off the Scream 3: Sound Track. | {
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Nv casinos
Best Casinos in Carson City, NV - Casino Fandango, Carson Nugget, Crystal Bay Casino, Cactus Jack's Casino, Harrah's Lake Tahoe, Grand Lodge Casino. The entire listing of casinos owned by Game Tech Group N.V. Casinos, sorted by their basic data and their players' experiences through AskGamblers'. This is a list of casinos in Nevada. Contents. [hide]. 1 List of casinos ; 2 Gallery; 3 See also; 4 Notes. Sources. 5 External links. List of casinos [edit]. See also: List of casinos · Notes.
Open 24 hours a day for non-stop fun, our casinos offer live action table games and the latest in slot and video machines. Because of this variation, the terms and conditions also differ from one site to the next. Real Time Gaming, Rival. Laughlin Visitor Information Center S. The company offers cash commissions to third-party advertisers who promote any or all of Deckmedia N. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. | {
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Big Country Journal Briefs 5/15/13
The Myrtle Wilks Community Center is looking for local artists to exhibit in the Starbucks Java Bar. Contact Levi Goode at 254-442-4479 for information.
Snyder
Historic Scurry County will host an anniversary reception for members who have been married 50 or more years from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, 2700 College Ave.
Goree
The 13th annual Bobby Boatright Western Swing Music Camp has been set for July 7-11 at the Knox Prairie Event Center. Fiddle and guitar students ages 10 and older will learn during the day and perform in the evenings. Email J.W. Solis at [email protected] or call 940-839-7870 for information. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
TV News: Brandon Routh’s Atom Suit Revealed
Currently on the CW’s Arrow, Brandon Routh’s Ray Palmer is becoming very close to seeing his Atom Exosuit become a reality. During the fifteenth episode “Nanda Parbat” on February 25th he will finally suit up. Luckily, you don’t have to wait several weeks to see him as the Atom since you can check him out below! | {
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Section: Toys / Games
Animatazz
Animatazz by Drumond Park (age 8+) – this cool kit provides everything needed for kids to make their own impressive animated films. A winner on Dragon’s Den in Ireland, this innovative new product is now taking the UK by storm. Kids create their own ‘stars’ by covering the poseable figures with modelling clay, photograph their individual movements with a digital camera - then upload the results onto their PC or laptop using Movie Maker or similar. The film can be edited and sound added - then it’s ready to email to friends, or posted on YouTube, Facebook etc. A truly amazing and totally unique new concept which will keep everyone enthralled for hours and hours!
Very pleased, We really enjoyed playing and making movies using this product, its a great way to see your imagination come to life!
Articulate for Kids - The Fast Talking Description game!
Articulate - the spectacularly successful description game can now be played by kids as young as 6 and as old as 12. This game can also be played with the adult version.
Articulate for Kids is the same fast moving, lively, gripping fun as the adult version. Played in teams, the idea is to describe as many card entries as possible to your team mates in 30 seconds without giving "begins with" or "sounds like" clues.Compiled by an educational specialist there are 336 cards with over 2,000 entries in the same six categories as the original Articulate!Complete with it's own board it can be played alone or along with Articulate! So there's no escape from all those fast talking kids.For 4 - 20 Players
Ages 6 - 12
£19.99
Overall though a great game and I would definitely purchase knowing now how entertaining it is!
Bakugan Battlers Starter Pack
Special Attack Bakugan are the most action packed Bakugan yet, bringing a whole new level of excitement and energy to the battlefield. New dynamic, features make each roll more intense. Enhance your gameplay, add to the overall drama of each battle and brawl like a master with Special Attack Bakugan.
My son is very happy with this product as he does enjoy rougher game playing; these are solid items and can handle being thrown around
Bananagrams Game
Bananagrams is a FAST and FUN word game that requires NO pencil, paper or board. All you need is a table. One hand can be played in as little as 5 minutes making Bananagrams a great family fun as well as being educational! Bananagrams portability makes it perfect for travel. The whole game is contained within a fun yellow banana shaped pouch that's just the right size to throw in your handbag.... So just grab the pouch and go! The rules are pretty straight forward. Depending on how many players you have, put all the tiles face down and take a certain number of letter for yourself from the bunch. One player shouts 'Split' and everyone turns their tiles over. Then its up to you to try and connect all your letter into intersecting words. You can re-arrange them as many times as you like until you have used all your tiles. Then you shout 'Peel'. This means all players have to take one more tile from the centre bunch. This continues until all the tiles are gone. The player to connect the last tile is the winner. If you are the lucky one you shout 'Bananas' and the game is over... But be careful, a single spelling mistake will make you a 'Rotten Banana!'
We all really loved the fact this comes in a banana shape case. Design is great and would make a super gift.
Catchabubble
The Original bubble you can touch and hold. Now you can Catchabubble, stackabubble, connect and collectabubble. These amazing bubbles can last for days.The amazing new Catchabubble solution produces thousands of bubbles that last for ages!Unscrew the stopper and slowly remove the bubble wand from the tube, allowing excess solution to drip back into the tube. Aim the bubble wand upwards and blow gently for a stream of bubbles. Wait a few seconds for the bubbles to harden. Then try to Catchabubble, stackabubble, collectabubble, connectabubble, they're irresistabubble, and they can last for hours for children and their parents too. Suitable for Children Aged 5 Years Plus. Catchabubble is 100% water soluble but may leave residue on fabrics and other absorbent surfaces. To remove simply use hot water. Bubbles are non-toxic but taste BAD! Young children should NOT use without adult supervision.
If older kids enjoy bubbles and want a fascinating twist on your "bog standard" bubble this is the gift for them! A fascinating twist on the common bubble, lots of fun!
Chatman
Use Chatman for Chat: Chat one to one; tell him something and he’ll tell you how he feels about it. Let Chatman join you as your buddy in online chats with your friends. He’ll read what your friends write and give you his own point of view! Chatman is compatible with all major IM platforms including Facebook, MSN, Yahoo and AOL. Chatman has 3 personality options with over 500 actions and over 25 customisable moods. Create new custom personalities by recording your own recorded messages, sounds or ‘chit-chats’. Share ‘chit-chats’ online and download all new personalities, features and applications at www.mychatman.com
A great idea that is fun to use, educational and helps to ensure a safer way for children to use the internet. I great quality product that, looked good, was durable and fun to use. It was “hassle free” and did everything that was expected.
CHICKEN CHARADES
The lightning fast game of Chicken Charades! You only need to know two things – you’ve got to be fast (you only have 10 seconds) and you have to use the rubber chicken to act out your word. Be the player with the most number of points to win the game!Age: 8+ yrs
Number of players: 3+
We had 3 generations playing and everyone enjoyed it. I would recommend. Great fun for the whole family
Conversation Cubes
Get your child talking by rolling these appealing cubes!
Ages 6-10
Item No.: LER 7300
Spark discussions that will get all of your students talking. Colourful 4cm soft foam cubes feature 36 engaging questions about students experiences and perspectives, including "Who is the bravest person you know?" and "What foods do you like?" Use in character development activities, brainstorming before writing, and to build oral language, social and listening skills. Activity Guide included.
They are great educational cubes that get you talking as a family and can be fun at the same time.
Crafts4Kids Dress Your Doll (level 3)
Sew an outfit fit for any summer festival with the with the Carry Red Vichy outfit from the Dress Your Doll range - the fun way to learn about fashion design and sewing clothes!This set has a front tie shirt, fringed waistcoat and denim shorts to sew - cut the pattern out of the non-fraying, soft and stretchy fabric then sew following the stitching guidelines. Carry Red Vichy is a level 3 difficulty so children will need some sewing skills or adult input to complete this outfit.
Suitable for Children 8 Years Plus
Overall this product was packaged well with clear and concise instructions. Item was of high quality and easy to use.
Dobble Card Game
Dobble, a visual perception card game suitable for ages 6 and up in which players race to find the one matching image between one card and another. The images may be different sizes and placed on any part of the card, making them difficult to spot. The circular cards feature an assortment of colourful images of everyday items.
Every card is unique and has only one picture in common with every other card in the deck.
Dobble has 5 mini-games: all of them reliant on speedy observation, creating excitement for children and adults alike and keeping every player involved.
• Fill the Well
• The Towering Inferno
• Hot Potato
• Catch them all
• The Poisoned Gift
Don't Rock The Boat
Ahoy, mateys! Arrrrr ye ready to set sail on a rockin’ adventure with a crew of 16 pirate penguins? Take turns balancing the pirate penguins on the ship without making it tip! Be ever so careful, if you rock the boat and send the penguins overboard, ye might have to walk the plank! A fun balancing game for all buccaneers!
Age: 5+ yrs
Number of players: 2-4
James and I have both loved playing this game, it has provided hours of laughter whilst exploring educational concepts in his mind.
Drumond Park Crazy Claw
The claw, the grabber, the crane... it's that perennial amusement arcade attraction on your own kitchen table! Take turns to be the CLAWMASTER, and make a grab for the ball you need. But keep a steady hand - the other players will be frantically bashing away on the paddles to put you off your grasp! (This is one game where it's just as much fun when it's not even your turn...) There are toy tokens hidden inside those balls; match the three on your card and you've nailed it! Crowning clawmaster... prize pincer... greatest grabber! Claw-tastic fun for kids of five years and above, Crazy Claw pitches concentration and persistence against out-and-out mayhem - a playroom-friendly twist on an old arcade favourite.
2-4 Players - Ages 5+
I would consider buying this game and I would recommend. Delivered hours of entertainment and great for social and hand-eye co-ordinations skills.
Drumond Park Og on the Bog Electronic game
You’re trying to steal Og’s loo rolls while he farts and fumes in his bog. Just hope he doesn’t blow his bog to bits with a gigantic fart while you’re too close for comfort!You are a group of adventurous children who want to steal Og’s loo rolls and leave him in a pickle. As you lurk around the bog, take a spin to see if you can sneak a loo roll off its pole. If your hand isn’t steady enough, Og might hear you and scare you away.But beware, if Og does a REALLY EXPLOSIVE fart he blows his bog apart – and you lose your loo roll.
Suitable 5Years + and 2-4 Players
A very good game and nothing any of us disliked about it. I would recommend. This game is a fun, laugh out loud game for kids of all ages.
Drumond Park Rattle Me Bones Game
Take the treasure without waking Captain Boney. Just one tiny twitch and he’ll leap into action to scare you to bits.
Use the spinner to find which colour of treasure you have to take, then gently lift it off Captain Boney. If you waggle it too much, he’ll wake up and leap about, rattling and shaking to scare you away.
Collect three pieces of treasure, then try for his golden hat to win the game.
Suitable 5 Years plus - 2 - 4 Players
It is a good game so would recommend. My son did enjoy playing but in short spells.
Drumond Park The Magic Tooth Fairy Game
The Magic Tooth Fairy Game "magically" changes teeth into glittering gold coins in front of your eyes!
When a kid loses a play-tooth they place it under the Magic Bed's pillow, plunge the Tooth Fairy Wand and hey presto their tooth has turned into a gold coin.Great game play recreates all the tension and excitement of losing a tooth - including that Wobbly Tooth Dilemma: do you have the courage to pull your tooth out - or don't you?
GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Bug Net™
This clever, talking net knows which bug has been caught!
Ages 4-8
Teach children about bugs with this clever, talking bug net!Children put one of the included plastic bugs into the Talking Bug Net. The net will automatically identify the bug and provide facts about the bug. The net will then quiz children on that bug. Set includes:Talking Bug Net - Plastic Ladybird, Plastic Butterfly, Plastic Spider, Plastic Bee, Plastic Grasshopper, Plastic Flying Mantis. Talking net measures 28cmL x 14cmW Largest toy bug measures 7cmL x 5cmW Talking Net requires 3 AAA batteries
I have recommended it to my child's school who are going to borrow it for their bug topic next term! Overall a fab product. Great for learning and really good fun. Great for getting everyone involved without needing to stare at some sort of screen and good for in the car or on the go fun. Pleasantly surprised by its constant use... a guilt free way for grabbing a quite 5 minutes to yourself!
Goldilocks and the Three Bears from Orchard toys
Race home to stop Goldilocks from eating Baby Bear’s porridge, breaking his chair and sleeping in his bed.
They like playing with the three bears and Goldilocks as figures too as well as taking turns to build the puzzle. It's a great quality product, really thick cardboard so no worries about it getting bent.
Hama Beads Ballerina Gift Box
Hama Beads are the ultimate craft toy. Their aim has always been to stimulate creative play through producing colourful and imaginative designs with their bead systems. With a selection of different coloured beads, pegboards and gift sets there is plenty of fun to be had. Hama offers a large range of bead craft kits, including generic and top Disney licenses.
Harumika Interior Design
Design a beautiful lounge and use the Harumika wrap and lock technique to make the sofa and hang curtains on the wall frames. Includes selection of different sized materials, wallpapers, sofa, 2 cushions, a coffee table and stickers.
Box Contains
Lounge frame, selection of different sized materials, wallpapers, sofa, 2 cushions, a coffee table and stickers.
You can Design a beautiful Lounge! Make the sofa and hang the curtains! Selection of different sized materials!Different wallpapers and stickers! Suitable for 6 years +
Harumika Pop Diva Set
Enter the extravagant world of pop music and create stylish and wonderful outfits inspired by your favourite artists from Lady Gaga to Pixie Lott!The classy Pop Diva set includes purple dress form, 2 removable corsets to make different skirt shapes, 5 pieces of pop inspired fabric and belt and jewel accessories.For ages 6 years and up
It is a really nice product that can open your child's imagination. Many hours spent designing beautiful clothes, mixing and matching fabrics. It is well worth it for those budding fashion designers!
Lalaloopsy Tinies with Hair
The new Lalaloopsy Tinies™ with Hair figures see original characters with super springy, tangle free Lalaloopsy™ signature lanyard hair. Lalaloopsy Tinies ™ with Hair are available in packs of five and retail at around £9.99.
I think it offers good value for money as there isn't just one and each one is different. I would purchase and I would recommend. Really cute and pretty dolls causing lots of hours of play and fun.
Little Big Planet Sackboy Keyring
LittleBigPlanet is a unique community-based game with a hugely innovative concept behind it. Players meet on a blue and green planet scattered with individual plots - and use their character's amazing abilities to play, create and share what they build with other gamers throughout the world via PlayStation Network.
Take LittleBigPlanet with you wherever you go, with this adorable Sackboy keychain!
Logo Grab
LOGO GRAB is a riveting and fast-paced game where everyone plays at once. A turbo-charged game of Roll, Spot and Grab!
Lay out a 3x3 grid of LOGO cards – then roll four 'letter dice'. Everyone tries to match a dice letter with a LOGO card and GRAB THAT DICE.Now comes the brilliant new TWIST!If the dice is silent – you keep the LOGO card. BUT if the dice RINGS – you LOSE A CARD!Only two of the eight dice have bells inside – but it’s shocking how often they seem to pop up!The first player to collect two sets of three cards WINS!
I would recommend as it would make a great present and is easy to take with you if going away or to someone's house. We all loved this game it is one of the kid’s favourites now.
Loom Twister Loom Kit
This must-have accessory is great fun for kids to teens. Have loads of fun creating your own unique friendship bracelets, charms, rings and more with easy to follow, simple instructions. There are endless cool, funky designs to make and so many various combinations of colourful bands to use! Each set includes a Loom Board, 600 assorted bands, Loom tool,25 S- Clips and Loom charms, all neatly packed in a handy Looms storage case. There's so much Loomtastic fun to be had creating your own individual designs.
You can find out more about all the Loom Twister products available and stockists Natuionwide by clicking onto www.loomtwister.com
This is a very easy to use toy, which encourages creativity and my daughter has never lost interest in this product it keeps her entertained all the time and allows her to create new things. My daughter loves wearing her creations and we took more bands on holiday with us and it kept all the girls entertained. This is excellent and we love it.
Mattel Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Stunt Set
Get racing with the Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Basic Stunt Set. Take your races where they've never gone before - off the floor and onto the walls! Stop bouncing your head off the wall and start racing off the wall with all your friends. Stunts, speed, turns, and tricks, powered by gravity and set up any way you can imagine it.Mix, match, and combine with other Wall Tracks sets to create an all-new Hot Wheels competition. Complete track set is safety-tested and easy to hang with safe-for-walls Command™ Strips.Note: Includes one car. Not for use with some Hot Wheels vehicles. This is an assortment. You will only receive one of the products illustrated.FEATURES:Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Basic Stunt Set - 3 AssortedGreat gift idea for the little car enthusiast in your home.Command strips won't damage walls.Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Basic Stunt Set includes: One die-cast Hot Wheels® car.Full-colour hanging template for easy set-up.Command Strips from 3m.Connects to other Wall Tracks™ sets.Manufacturer's recommended age: 4 and up.Requires assembly.Note: Includes one car. Not for use with some Hot Wheels vehicles
It is really good to find a car track that doesn't take up floor space and need to be constantly cleared away to prevent tripping.
Nubie Doodle Doll
Doodle Doll by Manuella's Picnic - Nubie Doodle doll available in boy or girl doodle doll that can be scribbled on. The doll is made of special water-resistant paper. It comes in a cardboard box with a set of permanent markers to create a lifelong keepsake. Measurement: (cm) 45H -Age range: 3 Years plus
Material: Water Resistant Paper
Other features: Height 45cm. Washable at 30 degrees
A good quality doll and does allow your child to be a little more creative.
Orchard Games Pop to the Shops
A fun shopping game. Help children learn about handling money and giving change, by playing this fun shopping game. Go around the board from shop to shop, using plastic money to buy lots of different items.
Orchard Toys Magic Cauldron Game
Add and subtract to fill your cauldron!A unique way to make learning addition and subtraction exciting!Fill bubbling cauldrons with weird and wacky ingredients as you solve the sums. Check the answers by rubbing the heat sensitive 'ghost' patches on the cards to see if you are right.
Suitable Children 5-8 years
Players - 2 - 4
I would be more than happy to recommend this product to friends and family and I think Noah would show this toy to friends and family that visit and offer to play. Fun, mathematical game to help build confidence in children learning sums with a magical way of revealing the answer.
PlayMais Pirate Ship Set
PlayMais is an eco-friendly, green and fun new modelling material. Play with it, build with it and get creative with it. PlayMais is a revolutionary craft toy using 100% natural ingredients. Sweetcorn and plant dyes are moulded into a colourful building material, which, using just a dab of water, stick to each other. Like all simple ideas, its brilliant! Once you start you can’t stop – this is THE ideal crafting toy for young artists! Not only is PlayMais fully biodegradable and eco-friendly, all of the packaging and box contents are too – even the cutting tool in each pack is made from the cornstarch! PlayMais has already won awards in its native country Germany, and is taking the UK market by storm, currently holding accolades from the NATLL Good Toy Awards, the ToyTalk Awards and Creative Play
We loved this product. From my husband and oldest child, down to the youngest, we’ve all had a great time with the playmais and it lasted really well, both in terms of amount of product in the box and lifespan of creations.
Playteachers Game
Hands up if you love to playteachers... ask this question to any group of children and loads of hands shoot up. Kids love school... especially when they're the teachers.playteachers is a role play game which provides children aged 4-10 years with the opportunity to create their very own mini classroom. It can be played with friends, family or even dolls and teddies.With our new playteachers packs imagination has no limits as children can have fun creating their own school using the props enclosed with each pack.
playteachers...
the children's game which encourages imagination through playbuilds confidencedevelops speaking and listeningis perfect for a mini teacher-to-be
POP for Sight Words™ Game
Practise key word recognition with this entertaining grab-and-go game!
Ages 5-9
Students will grab handfuls of fun as they recognise and read aloud high frequency words. Fast-paced game play is great for improving fluency. Includes 100 popcorn cards: 92 high frequency words and eight 'POP' game-play cards. Appealing popcorn storage box measures 7cm W x 16cm H. For 2-4 players.
Very impressed with this. At first quite concerned that it might not hold Oscars attention but it has far exceeded my expectations.
Pumpaloons
Race your opponents to pump air into your 3ft tall inflatable characters which bob and weave as the slowly rise up. The first pumpaloon to fully inflate and sound it’s whistle is the winner! A great game for 2 – 4 players. www.drumondpark.com
We had easy family fun with a little exercise and healthy competition. It is an easy concept so you can all play straight away with not too many restrictive rules. Great simple safe healthy fun.
Save Our Friends Teddy
The African Friends ethical range of cuddly, super-large toys are our way of showing we care about the animals across Africa who are under real threat of extinction. So many of our friends - lions, elephants, zebras, cheetahs and many more - are in jepoardy due to dwindling natural habitats, disease, loss of prey and most harmful of all, the impact of man. By sending on of our African Friends to your friends or family, you will make a positive contribution to the Born Free Foundation, a charity who's dedicated work across the world helps to protect the threatened species and to stop individual animal suffering.
I love this product, and the help that he provides you with when you buy one. I will definitely be buying more for my girls at Christmas time!
Speye Know The UK Game Junior Edition
Welcome to Know the UK Game, this is a brand new, fun and educational game made in the United Kingdom (UK) about the United Kingdom.A fun 3 in 1 game for children, friends and the family to play.Children and adults can improve their UK geography knowledge by assembling the hexagonal pieces to complete the jigsaw. OR Answer the knowledge question cards on: Maths, English, Science, UK Geography, UK History.To add fun the challenge cards test each player's cognitive skills, memory, language and speech abilities. OR The two can be played together as a board game by answering knowledge and challenge card questions correctly, then placing the hexagonal jigsaw pieces on the board to complete the map of the UK . The player has to say the name shown on the jigsaw piece as it is placed on the board.The knowledge and challenge cards can be used in the classroom, at home or on that long journey.Each box contains:1 UK map boardHexagonal UK jigsaw piecesKnowledge cardsChallenge cardsKnow the UK Junior Game boxes contain 2 levels of question cards for ages 7 to 11 years (approx)
I would consider purchasing this to support educational purposes. I would recommend this game to schools. Educational game to support knowledge and awareness of the world in a geographical sense.
SpongeBob Shell Sham Game
On your turn, try to catch a character with the rodCatch the character with the ring, and lift them out of the sea.When you manage to catch a character, keep it and pass the rod to the next player.Catch more clams than other players do to win the gameFun family game with a Spongebob theme!
Suitable for 508 year olds and 2-6 players
I would purchase as a gift and have recommended to family and friends with SpongeBob mad children. A great game to keep children entertained as well as all the family and ideal for SpongeBob Fans.
THE GRUFFALO WORD RHYMING GAME
A card game that helps children have fun while picking up the language and rhymes from the story. Players follow rhyming patterns but have special cards to help them out. There is an additional, bonus card game inside where the characters in the story are collected and the first player to have the set, wins.
Age: 4+Number of players: 2-4
The quality is very good. Represents good value for money. I would purchase this and highly recommend. Easy to play and kept my son entertained- fun for all!
The Guiness World Space Hopper Set
Turn one of your favourite childhood activities into a world record attempt. Our Space Hopper Set contains a mini book and full sized Space Hopper to help you break the current 100 m record of 30.2 seconds. And if you can gather 1,009 people together for a mass space hopper bouncing session you will have broken that record too!
Good value also for a fun product that can be used by one person upwards!
Who Put the Marmite in the Fridge Game
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
We should all know that Marmite does NOT belong in the fridge, so in this pairing game you must try and avoid being left with the Marmite Jar.Watch out though, your opponents will be trying to offload the marmite jar into your possession at every opportunity.WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
‘Who put the Marmite in the fridge?’ was and still is my daily question.My wife, being French, puts everything in the fridge, including the Marmite. And this annoying habit has now been passed on to my children.Frustrated at trying to spread a lump of hardened Marmite, I invented a game in an attempt to educate them about what should be in the fridge.It hasn’t worked, but a great little game has come out of it.AND HERE’S A BIT MORE INFO….
A fast, fun, action game of matching the food pairs – just don’t be left holding the Marmite Jar as this should never go in the fridge. If you have it in your hand you need to get rid of it by fair means or foul, bluff or double bluff…..
I would recommend this game to others. It is a fun game which my child enjoyed playing.
Yellow Moon Beastly Body Bits Puzzle
Take a tour of the human body with a little help from the famous Horrible mad scientist Baron Frankenstein! Spot the Monster's body bits, answer the bloodthirsty quiz, test your teacher and discover how the body works. Plus, learn all about beastly body snatching in the 8 page Loony Leaflet! 300 pieces. Puzzle size 470mm x 670mm. Age 7+.
My son loves all the horrible histories stuff, so this puzzle was perfect. All in all a very informative, imagination provoking puzzle!
Yellow Moon Don't Say It Game
Where a slip of the tongue can lose you the game! Race against the timer to get your teammates to say a particular word - you can give them clues, but there are certain words you can't say! Could you describe a balloon without saying 'pop', 'blow' or 'float'? Requires 3 x 'AAA' batteries (not included). 2 or more teams. Age 6+.
A good simple game that gives lots of fun.
You Cannae Push Yer Granny off the Bus Game
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
…but you can push someone else’s off…! Battling Grannies fight it out to be the last Granny on the bus.Can you defend yourself using your tartan shopping trolley and then bash another unfortunate Granny over the head with your handbag.A great kids game especially if Granny is playing.WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
I used to sing this classic Scottish children’s song to my children. My wife thought it would be a great title for a children’s game. I couldn’t have agreed more. A game about pushing Grannies off the bus… what’s not to like? Not very politically correct, I know, but it’s all just a bit of fun.
The quality is very good quality. It offers very good value for money; similar priced games around. This was such a fun game. I would buy this and would also recommend to a friend. It is a very entertaining, fun, family game.
Zibits Robot
ZibitsMini Robots - Mega Fun! Each robot is remote-controlled, has great light and sound effects, is highly manoeuvrable, can spin 360 degrees and there are 12 funky styles to collect. With many different accessories and playsets to collect, you can connect them all together to build your own Zibit world.
After testing this we have been and purchased more…apart from Dex, we already have 4 additional Zibits living with us as well as 2 additional sets too. I would definitely recommend this to others. Good quality and brilliant value for money.
Zipit Animal Bag from Fizz Creations
The biggest of the Zip-It Animals range that can carry just about anything! This mini shoulder bag is great for kids to take to school, to swimming lessons, for sleep overs and more importantly to play with!
Available in Frog, Bunny and Monster
I would recommend this as it is something you would purchase as a present. Very good quality, practical but also has the novelty factor. Something that my daughter would have chosen if she’d seen it in a shop. | {
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We've come a long way, guys. In 2005, the best possible laptop you could buy from Apple scored around 1,000 on Geekbench, a popular performance testing program. The newest iPhone 5—a phone—demolishes that number.
The 17-inch PowerBook, the last of the line that preceded the current MacBook lineage, weighed in at 7 pounds, a full inch thick, and ran at least $2,500. The iPhone 5 is less than a third of an inch thick and weighs 112 grams. And as Gruber points out, its Geekbench numbers are already hitting the web, and its A6 chip delivers a score of 1,600. It also costs less than a tenth of what a flagship PowerBook would hit you back then. It's a synthetic benchmark, sure, but there's nothing artificial about the fact that we now walk with computers in our pockets that once filled desktops. Sci fi stuff. [Mac Rumors via Daring Fireball] | {
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Talk about something that makes you excited
Talk about something that makes you excited.
and say if other people who do the same thing feel exactly the same way or not.
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Excitement is not the thing to be seen rather people feel it inside. This is a very special type of feeling that people undergo in all of the stages of their life for some unknown reasons.
When I hear about going to a movie with my friends, I become excited. I do not have any idea how to express my emotions when they ask me to accompany them to enjoy the newly released movie on the local theatre hall. We all go there like a ‘gang’ and come back after enjoying the movie and most of the time we remain busy in criticising the characters or artists who have taken part in the movie. This is the positive excitement for me. But there are some other negative excitements are also found as well which cause damage to the people. When the excitement is in negative form, they usually get angry and take wrong decisions or speak unwanted speeches. It is a blessing to me that I do not own such negative emotions and I am highly excited about movies.
The excitement is great. After my college classes, I have nothing much to do at home. So, whenever I get a chance in the evening, I sit with my laptop and watch movies. I have also registered myself for some online movie watching websites by paying a standard monthly charge so that I could enjoy the high-quality movies. Mostly I like the action and comedy movies and when the scenes appear before me, I got too much excited. Clapping my hand is a common issue for me during the movie watch and sometimes I start cutting my nails with teeth (I think it does not go with me but I cannot resist myself). Further, when it is about the comedies, I cannot stop laughing and sometimes (when I am at home) I rewind the comical sequences to enjoy the events.
I think the excitement for movies is nothing to be felt guilty inside for developing such a peculiar habit. One can derive pleasures from any of the legal things and can do anything which is not harmful to anyone or the society. So, I am happy indeed with my excitement and at the same time proud of it too. Though my excitement may sound weird to many, but I have nothing to bother or concern about other people’s thought. I feel good at the ways I feel excited. When I hear about the release of any movie, I go to the local theatre hall to enjoy it. Sometimes, I watch that online if not released in my town. But I have to acknowledge some facts and as a girl, at times it becomes difficult for me to go to theatres, alone. So, I move with my family members or friends and they are also excited to be with me.
The people who love to watch movies are also crazy like me especially when a new movie is released. But the numbers of such people are limited and the adults are not too much attracted to the movies like us. When I share my movie watching experiences with my friends, I find that most of them are eager like me to watch the movie. Then, I have to accompany them to the theatre again.
Model Answer 2:
I really feel very excited when I plan to buy new books or visit any bookshop. In fact, the excitement begins with the thought that I would be able to buy books. Besides, the smells of new books are also exciting to me. It has become a habit for me to smell new books.
Reading books is a hobby for many and I am also similar to them. I love to read books, particularly novels. So, the moment is too exciting for me when I plan to go for buying books. In every month, I have a budget for books and I spend it by purchasing several types of books. Actually, I have a dream to make a private library for myself that will contain numerous books.
The idea is of buying books makes me excited. But the feelings would not be the same for everyone except the book lovers. Only the people who have intimacy with books will know how it feels when someone buys books. Books are like assets that will bring a joy of mind. And only you can feel them. So, when I buy books, I feel a deep sense of pleasure inside my mind. It is too exciting to me that I eagerly wait for the day to come.
I am lucky that I am blessed with the type of habit. Not everyone is able to read books and they do not develop any love for the books. But if they had known how books help to grow up mentally, they would have read books. I am different from them, and I regularly read books. My feelings are inexpressible about this matter. I definitely feel lucky for developing the habit. My dad was the inspiration in this case. He appreciated me for reading books and once I grew interested in reading, he used to bring various types of books for me. After growing up, I found that I am greatly attracted to the habit and cannot do without it.
As I said before, the feeling is not the same for everyone. But the people with the same thought share the similar feeling. In fact, this is not possible for an intruder to know how it feels when someone gets a new book for reading. There are some people who only smell the book and start reading later. In the meantime, they only take book’s smell. There are some other people who store the books in innovative manners. So, the reactions after getting books might be different while the inner feelings are the same. All the book-loving people have the same feeling towards books as I do. And we all are proud of that. | {
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Teacher had a sexual interest in children
Eoin Blackwell
A former senior official at an exclusive independent school in Perth says he acknowledged a teacher had a sexual interest in children but did not "process it" as sexual abuse.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has also heard the official found circumstances at the school "too hard" to adequately deal with the complaints.
The commission is examining the response of authorities at the school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, to allegations of abuse against a teacher known as YJ.
On Wednesday, the former head of the institution's primary school arm, known as YK, said he did not "unpack" a 2001 letter from a concerned teacher detailing YJ's suspicious behaviour towards certain children at the school.
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YK concluded that YJ needed supervision.
"Had a sexual interest in children," YK said in response to a question from council assisting Sophie David.
"But I didn't process it as sexually abusing children."
At the end of 2001, a teacher known as WF sent a letter to YK detailing concerns about YJ - including his touching boys on the stomach and thigh.
He was also observed to have given certain boys presents and money, and in one incident fondled the head of a boy who sat at crotch height to him.
"Is it the case that you actually did realise that what was being raised here was concerns that YJ was sexually attracted to these boys ... but it was too hard for you to deal with it in the circumstances of the school at the time?" Ms David asked.
YK replied: "I believe that captures my situation."
He told the commission he chose not to pass WF's letter to the school's headmaster and did not view it as a formal complaint.
In 2002, YK wrote to YJ in relation to concerns over his making inappropriate references to giving children a good belting and corporal punishment.
YJ received a warning in 2004 after another teacher, WH, placed a letter about his behaviour on file, which YK viewed as a formal complaint.
The commission has established that teachers at the school had raised concerns about YJ as far back as 1999 and until 2004.
When a former student raised sexual abuse allegations against YJ in September 2009, he was dismissed.
YJ was arrested that year on multiple charges of indecent dealing with a child and eventually sentenced to five years in prison.
After a successful appeal, he was again convicted after a retrial in 2012.
YK earlier told the commission he felt he had limited options in dealing with the 2001 letter because WF did not want to be identified and insisted on remaining anonymous.
"I felt I could not act upon the information or take any concrete steps against YJ," YK said on Wednesday.
"Nowhere in the letter was there any allegation of actual sexual abuse."
During his opening statement on Wednesday, YK briefly became emotional and apologised for not acting on WF's letter. | {
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What is regression analysis in research
The regression analysis is commonly used to look for linear relationships (linear regression analysis), but there are other forms as well the regression analysis is used to develop predictions path analysis is an extension of regression analysis for more than a single dependent variable or outcome. Regression analysis is a statistical tool that explores the relationship between a dependant variable and one or more independent variables and is used for purposes like forecasting and predicting events. Regression models for quantitative and qualitative predictors lecture 22 (and last of the year) december 5, 2006 psychology 790 of the type of research or analysis or purpose (explanation or prediction) of the analysis overview categorical regression analysis, where the dependent variable is.
Multiple regression analysis is a powerful technique used for predicting the unknown value of a variable from the known value of two or more variables- also called the predictors. Regression analysis is essentially equivalent to anova while anova focuses on the variance in the data to assess differences between the means of subsets of the data, however, regression analysis focuses on assessing the parameters of a model (ie, mathematical function) posited to describe the data set. Multivariate regression analysis | stata data analysis examples version info: code for this page was tested in stata 12 as the name implies, multivariate regression is a technique that estimates a single regression model with more than one outcome variable.
Multiple regression is more widely used than simple regression in marketing research, data science and most fields because a single independent variable can usually only show us part of the picture. In statistics, linear regression is a linear approach to modelling the relationship between a scalar response (or dependent variable) and one or more explanatory variables (or independent variables)the case of one explanatory variable is called simple linear regressionfor more than one explanatory variable, the process is called multiple linear regression. In statistical modeling, regression analysis is a set of statistical processes for estimating the relationships among variables it includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables (or 'predictors'. Multiple regression analysis is almost the same as simple linear regression the only difference between simple linear regression and multiple regression is in the number of predictors (“x” variables) used in the regression.
Linear regression is a basic and commonly used type of predictive analysis the overall idea of regression is to examine two things: (1) does a set of predictor variables do a good job in predicting an outcome (dependent) variable. There are several types of regression analysis -- simple, hierarchical, and stepwise -- and the one you choose will depend on the variables in your research the big difference between these types of regression analysis is the way the variables are entered into the regression equation when analyzing your data. Regression analysis in market research – an example so that’s an overview of the theory let’s now take a look at regression analysis in action using a real-life example our goal in this study for a supplier of business software was to advise them on how to improve levels of customer satisfaction. This is where regression analysis comes into play regression analysis is a way of relating variables to each other what we call 'variables' are simply the bits of information we have taken. Regression analysis who should take this course: scientists, business analysts, engineers and researchers who need to model relationships in data in which a single response variable depends on multiple predictor variables.
What is regression analysis in research
This video introduced analysis and discusses how to determine if a given regression equation is a good model using r and r^2. Regression analysis is a powerful statistical method that allows you to examine the relationship between two or more variables of interest while there are many types of regression analysis, at their core they all examine the influence of one or more independent variables on a dependent variable. The goal of a correlation analysis is to see whether two measurement variables co vary, and to quantify the strength of the relationship between the variables, whereas regression expresses the relationship in the form of an equation for example, in students taking a maths and english test, we could use correlation to determine whether students who are good at maths tend to be good at english.
Multiple regression analysis is a more powerful technique than linear regression analysis and is used to predict the unknown values of variables from known values of two or more than two variables these variables are also called predictors.
Most regression models are characterized by having one dependent variable and one or more independent variables in the example above the dependent variable is sales common dependent variables in survey analysis applications of regression include.
Regression analysis is a quantitative research method which is used when the study involves modelling and analysing several variables, where the relationship includes a dependent variable and one or more independent variables in simple terms, regression analysis is a quantitative method used to. Multiple regression multiple regression analysis, often referred to simply as regression analysis, examines the effects of multiple independent variables (predictors) on the value of a dependent variable, or outcome. Definition of regression analysis (ra): statistical approach to forecasting change in a dependent variable (sales revenue, for example) on the basis of change in one or more independent variables (population and income, for example. Multiple regression analysis (mra) is a statistical method that correlates the behavior or variation of a number of factors, or independent variables, in order to ascertain. | {
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Thanks academia, soon I will join a generation of jobless PhDs
January 15, 2014 by Amanda Chung, The Conversation in Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Just one more experiment to get that professorship. Credit: flseagrant
My friend leaned forward over the table where we were having dinner. It was a loud, busy restaurant, but she lowered her voice conspiratorially and her eyes took on a sheen of excitement, tinged with fear. "I accepted a position working with a non-profit in the South American rainforest after I graduate, but I haven't told my professor yet. If I already have a job lined up, he can't stop me, right?"
At first I considered this apprehensive attitude to be unique and maybe unwarranted. Why wouldn't a PhD student want to tell her professor, with whom she works so closely and who supervises her PhD, about such a unique job opportunity? But over time, I saw this scenario again and again, and not without reason. Classmates were told they would not be allowed to pursue non-academic opportunities. Professors scorned the idea of being a "bench monkey" at a private biotech company. Internship programmes advertised to us during our PhD interviews were quickly retracted and made to disappear as soon as any real interest was shown.
After entering a PhD programme, it became obvious that when in academia, the only respectable future job is in academia. Becoming an academic is typically considered the holy grail for PhDs in the sciences. Certainly, one can see how the position is an honourable one. To dedicate one's life to the pursuit of science and discovery, for the sake of knowledge. And with tenure appointment comes the freedom to pursue the answers to the questions you care about, instead of the questions the stockholders of a company care about.
But I have major issues with the view that academia as the be all and end all of science careers. The drive by the US to produce more scientists began around 1940-1950. Spurred by events such as the Manhattan Project and later the space race, increased funding for science and technology drove a perceived need for more scientists. More recently, reports and testimony from the likes of Bill Gates have continued to encourage the production of more scientists. Nevertheless, as numerous recent articles have warned, the population of science PhDs is steadily growing, while the number of available faculty jobs increases at a pace only a snail could envy.
Credit: Nature Biotechnology
As a result, the competition for faculty positions has become incredibly competitive, and PhDs end up languishing in post-doctoral positions for more than ten years, many never attaining a full-time academic position. Yet, instead of universities taking precautions and educating their students in a way that would provide them with the skills to be competitive in job markets outside of academia, these institutions continue to maintain a traditional instructional framework. While a PhD programme provides experience in skills such as project management, problem solving, and communication, students still come out with a narrow window of extremely specialised knowledge and techniques that are often not transferable to the job market.
What can schools do to produce more well-rounded PhDs? Progress would be to offer courses that train students in a wide variety of skills. This would make them more attractive to potential employers. Additional courses in broader topics such as writing and business would also be beneficial. But classes can only provide limited experience; direct, hands-on training is also vital. Therefore, departments should also provide infrastructure and support that provides opportunities for internships in a range of companies.
With plunges in funding for science research and increases in the number of people earning their PhDs, advances in science may need to come from sources such as private research facilities like Seattle's Allen Brain Institute. Other groups, such as Microryza and Sage Bionetworks, have started taking advantage of public interest and participation for funding and brainpower. It is becoming clear that traditional research is turning into a broken system.
I think it is time for a change of attitude towards acceptance of non-academic careers. Progress begins with the professors; they must become more open-minded to students' pursuit of alternate career opportunities. This includes allowing them to devote some of their time to cultivating skills and relationships that will provide a solid foundation upon which to find the right job after graduating. Students, like my aforementioned friend, should not have reservations about discussing their job future with professors.
In the dynamic job market for scientists where there is an increasing amount of competition for fewer academic positions, it is important for both professors and departments to provide support for their students. This includes changing the general attitude towards jobs that are not in academia, and providing programs that give students opportunities to gain skills and experience that will help them have a fulfilling career in science.
What is my next step towards finding my ideal job? Telling my professor I don't want to be like him…
This story is published courtesy of The Conversation (under Creative Commons-Attribution/No derivatives). | {
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The neurotic, opinionated and self important musings of a mildly intoxicated, 30-something wannabe hipster.
Fifteen and Counting
A few years back, I saw a documentary on childbirth. It scared me more than The Exorcist did. Watching this movie, turning a delicate shade of green, my friend similarly horrified by my side, I could actually feel my legs moulding shut. When the newborn alien-thing catapulted out, covered in vernix, shredding the poor woman on departure, my friend and I looked at each other and gulped. I recall thinking, I don’t really need to have sex again, do I? I mean, I could be celibate, it can’t be that hard…
As you may guess, I don’t have the baby gene. I don’t even have a baby chromosome. In fact, I may have been born fully grown, smoking, swearing, and drinking red wine. I don’t have baby DNA. Me and children go together like fish and vagina. I wonder how many times I can get away with saying “vagina” in this post. Vagina.
I wanted to title this post “paedophobia”- the fear of children. However, that looks too much like that OTHER word. I played around with google looking for a suitable title. After typing “fear of what childbirth does to your vagina” in, my computer blew up in a small puff of smoke.
I may have googled “vagina” too many times.
I write this now Hunter S. Thompson style, on a typewriter.
Anyway, kids are cool, don’t get me wrong, I’m not Cruella de Ville. Also, there is something about seeing a man with a baby in his arms that twangs the ovaries of even the hardest woman.
I probably could have gotten away with using “vagina” there.
But, I have no desire to spit my own children out.
I mean, hippos are cool too, doesn’t mean I want one tearing through my house.
Or my vagina.
When I get asked if I would like to hold a baby, my gut reaction is always no. Hell, no, to be exact. To the mothers who don’t ask me, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my black little heart. Maybe you sensed something. Maybe you saw me spill the fruit platter on the ground, earlier. In any event, putting a small human in my arms is never a good idea. It’s not that I don’t like your baby, it’s just that saying, “uh, do you still have the receipt?” doesn’t work if I drop your child the way I just dropped your iPod. I hate holding babies, hate it. There I said it. Vagina.
Also, baby showers, I don’t go to them. I would rather have extensive, unanaethetised vaginal surgery than play nursery games with a group of ovulating women madly sucking on dummies while hysterically surfing a wave of oestrogen.
I went to one, once. Bought a bottle of wine to it. That went down well. I thought we would all drink. It was a party, right?! How the hell was I supposed to know that getting drunk and vomiting in the bassinet was poor form. They shouldn’t have gotten her a white one, looks far too much like a toilet. I now know that BYOB probably means bring your own baby, not bring your own bottle of wine you silly little alcoholic.
Back when I was first starting out as a nurse I worked a shift in a maternity ward. Note that I said “a shift” as in one shift. A shift that, I am proud to say, I got through without touching a single newborn. If a mother asked me to pass her the baby, I would look flummoxed, splutter, “just a, yeah, um, hold, minute, on, will back…” I would then scurry out, find a midwife and ask her to do it. This often earned a look of pity and incredulity, the sort of look you give a lame dog that has learnt to ride a unicycle. I didn’t care, there was no way I was touching a newborn. I would have been more comfortable touching a suitcase bomb.
Funnily enough, they never put me in that vagina ward again.
I told a friend about this and he laughed at me. Rightly so. He pointed out that most women would want to kidnap the babies. I told him that I often try to kidnap my aunts cat, but he won’t stay in my handbag. Actually, I believe that the baby gene that normal women have manifests in a strange form for me.
I was sitting in the park earlier this week when a Scotty dog started sniffing my feet. My heart melted. This dog was gorgeous, like he had leapt straight off the Chum can and bounded over to me. The owner came up and we had a conversation that contained the phrases: “how old is he?”, “they are so cute when they are that age”, “how is toilet training going?”, and “it’s so important to get them into a vagina routine”.
It occurred to me that perhaps I don’t want to have children because I have always had a furry surrogate child to satiate me. Where most people put pictures of their children on Facebook, I posted ones of my dog. I would talk to her. I would reason with her. I would compliment her (“that’s just people speak for awesome…”). She wore doggie clothes. I bought her souvenirs from my holidays. You may look at this as pathetic, and you have every right to judge me after a small human has clawed it’s way from your vagina. However, I never had to book a baby sitter, I never had to give her the awkward “where did I come from” talk, she would be happy with just a bone for dinner, and she never once told my ex that it was me that finished the Tim Tams. All in all, perfect.
Vagina.
But, as you age, you question things in life.
About four years ago, I discovered that I have a half brother and half sister. My sister has two kids, making me an overnight aunt. They are gorgeous, and I felt almost instant affection towards them, partially because they are awesome and partially because they are blood. Living the majority of my life as an only child, “Aunt CC” is a role that I never thought I would fill. So, I want them to like me, but the problem is that I am not sure how. I am incredibly awkward around kids; hell, if I am honest with myself I am incredibly awkward in life in general. I can pass my social nervousness off to adults as shyness or kookiness, or I can masquerade as a Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl type. I have gotten used to the bizarre looks I get when my mouth is moving, anyway.
The thing with kids is that they are perceptive, and they see through your bullshit. If they were older I would bond with them over a double espresso and rant about my favourite authors or take them out, get them blind on Jagermeister, and dance badly to revoltingly catchy pop music. Unfortunately, supplying alcohol to minors is illegal and my sister may just kill me. I look back and think about the adults I liked as a kid, and what characteristics made me like them. I liked the adults that paid attention to me- a sentence that speaks volumes about my personality. Vagina.
I watch my Dad play tea parties with my little niece and it is quite endearing to behold. I can’t do that. I’d feel ridiculous man, and I’m so clumsy I’d probably scald myself with the imaginary tea.
So, perhaps I am too serious to be good with kids. Maybe my sense of humour is too black, my ideas too out there. Vagina. In any event, I think that there is something brave and ballsy about marching to the beat of my own drummer on this issue. I am too selfish, immature and arguably unstable to have a kid, so I won’t have one. Going through life periodically uttering the phrase “no, I really don’t want children” is exhausting. And frustrating. And it can shatter relationships like glass. But I stand firm on this. I will never have kids. Love me or pity me for my decision, it’s mine and my uterus is my business.
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One thought on “Fifteen and Counting”
Okay, you get huge points for being smart enough to notice my kids are beautiful and awesome. Don’t worry about feeling uncomfortable around them – that will change as you get used to them. And REALLy don’t worry about being able to play tea parties – I’m lucky if I can do it for 5 minutes and she’s my daughter!!
They will come to love you as they recognise in you another kindred spirit who swims in the lake of awesomeness.
Vagina. | {
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Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Review of "Shaman's Curse" By: Suzannah Daniels
"Shaman's Curse" By: Suzannah Daniels
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Whilst most seventeen year old girls are worrying about being liked, what they're going to wear, make up, boys and school work, Maylin is fighting for her own survival and for the survival of those in her group...and to stay seventeen. With a plague having swept the world and few human survivors left, other species such as vampires are thriving.
'Shaman's Curse' picks up where 'Vampire's Bane' finishes. There is much that is unknown for Maylin and her group as they reach Exordium and the set up there does nothing to ease their concerns. With so much to discover in their new home, it would be easy for them to relax but with past events not as in their past as they thought, they must keep their guard up.
I was once again drawn into this post-apocalyptic world where vampires, witches and other creatures can thrive in a world once dominated by humans. There was much revealed about these characters and the events that led them to this point but there was equally so much more still to be revealed. Just as one piece of the jigsaw is revealed, another takes its place. I am really looking forward to finding out how this series develops and reading more of Suzannah Daniels' engaging writing style and ability to create strong female characters. | {
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“Rubber Mallet.” ( short story)
With each swing of the mallet, I pound the spike deeper into the ground.
Anger, jealousy, envy, and hate fuels my swings but, I cannot stop pounding the spike more profoundly into the ground until my arm and shoulder begin to ache as tears and sweat streaming along my cheeks.
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About Me
I'm a retiree voicing my wisdom, opinion, and thoughts about the retirement lifestyle and life in general as a travel blogger touring the US.
I’m an aspiring pre-published indie author of baby boomer romance and adventures, with a whimsical comedic side. I photograph landscapes and wildlife, along with mountain biking/trail riding, kayaking, hiking, and backpacking.
I travel along the back roads and highways of America, Canada, and Mexico, documenting my adventures in print, photography, and video.
Ola! It's just an amatuer rhyming or just penning down my encounters and perspectives of life.Here's to hoping that someone might relate to it or get inspired.(Pics belong to Rightful owners).Stay tuned on SUNDAYS .Yep,there'll be new content on sundays for sure.But i will post on other days,when i get free time in my hectic schedule.If you're still reading,i'm a medico who wanna be annoymous for now.Thanks a lot for your time.Hope you have an awesome time ahead. | {
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Год производства: 2018 г.Жанр: Transsexual Gonzo AnalПродолжительность: 00:46:49Студия: Devil'sFilm.comВ ролях: Kai Bailey, Valentina MiaОписание: When Kai is getting ready to head down to the office his brand new ts girlfriend has other plans. Seems Valentina just wants to stay in bed all day and play around. How can Kai possible resist when he gazes at her sweet little man pole hanging there so invitingly. Hopping back into bed the hot couple get down and nasty. As she sucks his massive cock she undulates her little girl cock to rock hard dimensions. Soon enough he has her sphincter stretched wide open with thick man cock as he plumbs the deepest recesses of her asshole giving her exactly what she needs. Soon he has her covered in cum. Maybe now he can get down to the office.Формат видео: MP4Видео: H.264/AVC 720х400 16/9 23976 fps 1500 kbpsАудио: AAC Dolby Digital, 44.1Hz, 2ch, 128 kbps | {
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GRM Sticker Kit
This package includes everything you need to fly the colors during your racing season: A pair of 16x20-inch Grassroots Motorsports adhesive vinyl number panels, which feature a large 13x13-inch area to fit clearly visible car numbers for track days and race competitions (numbers not included), and four 9x3-3/16-inch Grassroots Motorsports vinyl stickers. | {
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Spanish banks' bad loan ratio at record 11.38 pct
Spain's central bank says the level of bad debt in the country's banks rose to a new record 11.38 percent in November, up from 11.23 percent in October.
In data released Friday, the bank said non-performing loans totaled €191.63 billion ($256.17 billion) in November, up by €2.01 billion from the previous month.
It was the 17th monthly increase in a row.
With 25 percent unemployment, Spain is battling to emerge from its second recession in just over three years.
Many banks were badly hit by the country's property market collapse in 2008. Spain last month received €40 billion from a €100 billion credit line earmarked for its troubled banks by the other 16 European Union countries that use the euro. | {
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A little over four months ago, I left a comfortable, well-paying job that I was quite competent in doing, for the unpredictable, self-employed route of professional blogger. Professional blogging is a lot like many professional sports, you have a handful of rockstar performers getting a ton of headlines, a ton of money and you have the rest squeaking by. Check out this Fortune piece, dated 1998, on #100 ranked tennis player Jack Waite. He’s the 100th best tennis player in the world and his take home page, after expenses and taxes, was less than three thousand dollars. That’s rough.
So, was I destined to be a rockstar or would I be content as one of the rest? I, of course, thought I was going to be a rockstar. As my wife says jokingly, and often, I probably would do well to sell off some of my self-confidence (she used another word) for my sake and hers. Despite the long odds, I left my job, and the predictability and the comfort, and haven’t looked back. When I left, I was scared. I was really really really scared.
To give you an idea of how scared, it was a lot like when I climbed up the two and a half story ladder to inspect our roof after it was replaced. In the case of the roof, I really had no choice. There’s no way in the world we were going to spend four grand on a roof and not inspect it with our own eyes (I did and the roof was as expected) but in climbing up that roof I learned one thing: things are never as bad as you think they are. As I climbed the ladder, I quickly realized that the most unstable point was about the middle. Once I got past the middle, the roof helped stabilize the ladder and it stopped bowing and shaking as much. Fear sharpened my senses, made me more cautious, but it didn’t change my decision. That’s what fear should do.
So, here I was leaving a job that I liked in order to do a job that I also liked, but one that lacked as much predictability and comfortability, if that’s a word (it’s not). I was so afraid of pulling the trigger, despite all the signs saying it could be possible, that I just put off thinking about leaving for at least six months. My wife and I talked about it off and on and she was supportive, but it took an epiphany before I could think about it rationally.
I realized I was more afraid of working the next forty years of my life and wondering “what if?” than I was of blogging full-time and failing. Then I used my fear of failure to hone in on a plan that would, at the very least, give me confidence that everything is progressing as it should be.
So how are things four months later? I love it but it’s still scary. There’s a certain bit of comfort in taking direction from someone else. If your boss tells you to do this and it’s the wrong thing (wrong as in bad decision, not ethically wrong), then the responsibility and the blame falls on your boss’ shoulders. If you are the boss, the burden is on you not to mention the burden of figuring out what it is you’re supposed to do. That freedom is very exciting but also very demanding.
I’d also like to thank all the folks who read this site regularly. It is because of you that I was even able to have a decision four months ago and you all keep me honest. Much thanks. Please continue to email me with comments, questions, sites you’ve found interesting, articles you thought I should check out, anything in the world, I’ll read it and try to get back to you.
So moral of the story, fear isn’t a reason not to do something or not to consider something. This blogging thing may not work out in the end but at least I’ll have tried, right?
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As Steve Pavlina says “Whatever you fear, you must face”. It’s good that you took the route. I took a similar route (not a problogger, but left a job) 5 years ago and besides the many hard moments I don’t regret.
I just quit my job of the last 5+ years for the same reason. The thought of going through one more project was worse than going onto something new. That doesn’t mean that my current directionless state is any less scary though. Thanks for the reaffirming and hopeful article.
Recently, I face the same situation you had four months ago! Instead of me quitting the job and becoming a full-time blogger, my newly wedded husband wants to follow his dream to be a professional blogger! Your feedback on this will be highly appreciated!
Be careful where you practice the “don’t be afraid to get towed” theorem. In places like NYC a ticket and tow can run close to $400. I had a friend with a commercial vehicle get towed on Water Street in downtown Manhattan and he was towed with one of the larger tow trucks and his bill came out to nearly $800.
Recently, I just experienced a similar situation. I do think that the themes you have hit on keep people from making the plunge into things they really love. The unpredictability and uncertainty of the unknown are major detractors to long-term happiness.
Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page.Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. | {
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Tuesday, June 26, 2007
So, we got off to a good start today. Everyone was happy and smiling. We even played a rousing game of "where's leah" while we waited for the doctor (I put the blanket on leah's face and she bats at it until she can see me...then giggles).
Around 10 a.m. everything changed...Leah had to get her 4-month vaccinations. Because I think this is the worst for the parent who takes the child to get the vaccinations (aka ME) - even worse than for the child becacuse she apparently forgot about the whole ordeal quite quickly while I am still having nightmares - I decided something today: Each time I take a child to get shots, I get a treat and they get a treat. So, we will be getting Leah a fun mirror toy and I got a necklace. In addition, the parent who does not take the child to get shots (aka Ryan) will be grounded from something of the other parent's choice. My choice today is Ka-Glom. That's right, Ryan, you cannot play Ka-Glom for one week. Only I can. But, to make it fair, if you take her next time (August 24th, 9:30am - be there or be square), I will consent to be grounded from something of your choosing while you get a treat along with Leah. It's only fair.
I can totally relate! I just took the twins for their 4-month vaccinations and it was traumatic. I made it out of the office but as soon as I called Tucker I started crying. Pathetic, maybe, especially because the kids were asleep by then. | {
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Meanwhile, a report by Korea Times suggests that the South Korean tech major will release a new wearable device, tentatively named as 'G Watch 2', at this year's IFA trade show in Berlin, scheduled to be held from 5-10 September.
"LG Electronics was working on a September release for the new smartwatch alongside Google's wearable platform. The IFA fair may be the venue to see the upgraded smartwatch," revealed an LG official.
He further added, "The debuts of the smartwatch will be coming at the IFA." IFA is Europe's biggest technology exhibition, which kicks off every September."
For the new watch, LG has reportedly teamed up with LG Display, LG Innotek and LG Chem, which will supply batteries.
In terms of specifications, the next G Watch will have OLED display manufactured by LG Display. The device will feature Google's voice recognition and allow users to check messages with other customised information. It will run Android Wear operating system.
The G Watch 2 will use Qualcomm's processor, but the sources failed to mention the particular chip.
The G Watch 2 will vie against Apple's highly anticipated iWatch, which is likely to be launched in September. | {
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Bad Tenants / Landlords Complaints
There is currently a prostitute working out of building 12 in this apartment complex. The apartment managers are renting a unit to a person who is using it for illegal purposes. The person goes by Claire She Blows and she is soliciting out of a unit in building 12. She is giving blowjobs (BNGs) for $120 in this location. There are families and children who live near her building and this is a SAFETY ISSUE. If I were in the Apartment Managers shoes, I would evict her and report her to Law...
We helped this family move into an apt and now they sopped paying rent and are squatting on the unit! They are even still use the gym and the pool even though they havent paid rent in 6months. Apt is working hard to get them evicted but laws on not paying rent are on the side of the renter or they would be evicted. They are squatters DO NOT RENT TO MARIA/ DAVID/ SAMANTHA VAUGHN
Samantha maria Vaughan
David Patrick Vaughan
Maria Vaughan
***-***-**** -cell or home phone...
Crystal Brown who works for Crystal Brown | Executive Assistant to the Director
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Office of the Director
** ****** *****, ****. **, **. ****, *** ****, ***, Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: ***.***.**** | Mobile: ***.***.**** | Fax: ***.***.****| Email: [email protected]
wE HELPED THIS LADY GET A PLACE BECAUSE SHE HAS BAD CREDIT SHE THEN SQUATTED AND DID NOT PAY RENT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS UNITL THEY FILED THE...
Our Company helps customers who have bad credit and not only did we help Ms Jacquaeline Davis with Mutual of Omaha but We Co-Signed for her for her leases for 3years. Ms Jacqueline Davis Squatted the last 2months and then before she was evicted she left the apt damaged. This property was at a $1800@month community in Houston Texas. We didnt deserve that and now we are letting anyone that has rental porperty to stay away and DO NOT RENT TO MS JACQUELINE DAVIS WITH MUTUAL OF OMAHA.
SHE WILL...
Our company helps customer who cannot get approed on their own because of bad credit. We dont get our cliens approved at crappy apts we get them approved at the best luxury apt in the US because we use our Credit and Finaicals to secure the unit.
Katrina Pitman used our service and then squatted on the management company She then was evicted and left this A+luxury apt destroyed like an animal of some sort.
DO NOT RENT TO KATRINA PITMAN SHE IS A CON-ARTIST KATRINA PITMAN IS A SQUATTER!!...
Trains buses and local prostitutes every day and nite
A lousy home for rent that is not remotely insulated and or in livable shape....
Plus a psychotic land lord / Marlo Montoya
Who harasses her tenants and calls city code enforcement. On them ... Check out her tenant eviction history before you rent ...
Beware San Antonio ....
202 eads 78210 or any property Marlo Montoya rents....
Trains buses and local prostitutes every day and nite
A lousy home for rent that is not remotely insulated and or in livable shape....
Plus a psychotic land lord / Marlo Montoya
Who harasses her tenants and calls city code enforcement. On them ... Check out her tenant eviction history before you rent ...
Beware San Antonio ....
202 eads 78210 or any property Marlo Montoya rents....
Trains buses and local prostitutes every day and nite
A lousy home for rent that is not remotely insulated (large heating cooling bills) and or in livable shape....Roaches
Plus a psychotic land lord / Marlo Montoya
Who harasses her tenants weekly and calls city code enforcement. On them ...
Check out her tenant eviction history before you rent ...
Beware San Antonio ....
202 eads 78210 San Antonio tx
or any property Marlo Montoya rents....
She will make your life miserable ...
The DENNIS FAMILY in gadsden,al will rob you sideways!! I let this family live in my grandmothers house, a very special place of mine, and they destroyed it! Ran my cable bill up to $500.00 dollars renting black porn and other movies! They have no morals or respect and all are on meth or other drugs!! You have been warned!! Do not rent to the people listed below!!!
KELLY DENNIS
CATHY DENNIS
BECKY DENNIS and her so called husband BLAKE, they have 3 disrespectful kids
I purchased and built a home from Perry in Summer/Fall 2013. As the construction was underway, I noticed that the kitchen pantry' door was off-centered from the pantry itself, allowing marginal to no access to the right half of the pantry. I communicated my concerns to the Project Manager assigned to the construction of my home, we walked over to the model home (which is the model for the home I purchased, located across the street from my house)and confirmed that there was an issue with the...
We have just signed a lease on a property being managed by this company. Upon viewing the house all seemed fine. The day we received our keys we noticed a bizarre smell. Turns out that this house was previously INFESTED with German Roaches. They DID NOT clean the fecal matter left behind by these roaches and it appears that, instead, this fecal matter was painted over in places instead of actually cleaned up. There were dead roaches in the dishwasher when it was run for the first time, by us...
We hired this company to do background for us and once they received the money they wouldn't pay what is owed. They are bullshit company who scam all over the States!!! Once they are paid or get your money they will not return any of your calls and wont ever contact you about the monies you are owed. Do not let this happen to you. They will ROB you!!! Be aware of this company Rental Protection Agency. Their background services are FAKE and bogus they have no access NO such thing I can find...
I live in Tucson AZ and rented to a gentleman by the name of Obie Jay Spooner, who has not paid rent since August 2013, he paid partial for August of $400, currently owes for 1/2 Aug, all rent for Sept, Nov and December. Judge granted eviction on 12-10-13, Writ of execution for December 16, 2013, This guy had the nerve to ask to stay until after Christmas holiday, Uses 19 year old daughter as pawn to rent places, he moves in and pays once and stops paying after first payment. Spooner was...
He built a house in his new property in Westmead Sydney and greedy enough, rent it out. We rented this house for a year without knowing he lived next door. He is a fairly young man around 30 years old who became the landlord for the first time. He used to monitor our front/backyard and complained, the real estate which managed the property for him, that we did not mow the lawn as frequent as we should. When we left the property after a year of contract, he charged replacing the whole backyard... | {
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I have to agree with D Stettler... I did mention this in one of my hubpages its the one called preparing for the new winter approaching, check it out I have a lot of information about the flu shot there
The people at the disease control division of the US government take their bets "guess" as to what the most common thread of flu will be for the season. Unfortunately, lu is a virus, and guess what? There is no absolute with viruses, they are constantly changing so we are unable to find a way to completley create immunity or cure them.
I think you should get it, especially if you're either in a high-risk group or regularly exposed to a high-risk group. I used to never get my flu shot because I work at home, I'm exposed to very few people and vice versa, and I'd rather my body fight it off naturally. However, now that I have a 4-year-old and soon will have a small infant in the house, I keep up on the shot because they are at the most risk of contracting and having serious complications from the flu. It's not worth the risk of not getting the shot.
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Life of Fred is a series of books that presents math in a unique way. It is the work of Stanley F. Schmidt, Ph.D. who admittedly gives all glory to God for his inspired curriculum supplement idea. Each book in the series retails for approximately $16. It starts with the elementary series book, Apples.
There are 10 books in the entire elementary set, 3 in the middle school set, and 5 in the pre-algebra set, 4 in the high school algebra set, one for geometry, one for trigonometry, and 6 in the college level set, for a total of 17 in the entire upper level set.
Apples begins with a 5-year-old college math professor named Fred. Don't ask how a 5-year-old can become a professor. It's all part of the unique approach to teaching math. See, math doesn't have to be frustrating or boring.
It's not your typical worksheet style math instruction book. Instead, it weaves in math facts that are appropriate for each level of book intertwined within a fun story. Also, The book progresses with 18 chapters, and with each chapter the story builds using a sort of unit study format and opening up math class to concepts of every day life, historical stories, science facts, and other fun useful, real-life learning.
The first chapter, and many subsequent chapters, cover math facts of the number 7. It seems everything equals "7". And, then pictures of clocks begin to show up within the story as Fred casually mentions time in 5 minute and hour increments as he tells his story.
Geometry concepts are also introduced, showing shapes and names of shapes in a really fun way. My elephant-loving daughter really loved that the ellipses was explained as a circle that an elephant had sat on.
The chapters have a story that are each about 6 pages long, followed by a "Your Turn to Play" which asks questions and has the child perform activities related to what they just learned in the chapter.
The answers to each "Your Turn to Play" section are on the reverse and following page.
Screenshot from Sample Lesson
The chapters cover:
Time
The 7 Fact Families
Circles
Ellipse
Days of the Week
Facts about February
Temperatures
Deciduous treet
How to make 20 by adding 10 + 10
Counting by 5's
Ordinal numbers of First, second and third
Concepts of algebra finding the value of "X"
Archimedes
The meaning of a.m.
One hundred explained in rows and columns
Before photography was invented
Best Mathematician who lived over 500 years ago
Ocen liners in Kansas
Square
Pacific and Atlantic oceans
Whales
Fish
Concepts of Zero
Sets of up to 17 members
subtraction facts of 7
Triangles
Herbivores
Carnivores
Chess facts - What checkmate looks like and how the Rook moves on the board
How to spell yacht
The story of the Titanic
Truth and lies using a silly duck
Letters of the Greek alphabet
Drawing circles inside of triangles and triangles inside of circles
Counting by hundreds
Movies verses real life
rectangles
octagons and stop signs
five-sided shapes
Reading books and research facts of how to
money concepts using a dime
drawing comic strips
.
OK, I'll be completely honest and admit that before I sat down with the book and my child, I wasn't sure I really understood all the hub bub behind Life of Fred. I like humor, but found it sort of strange that the curriculum focused on a 5-year-old math professor named Fred. My very logical 8-year-old had the same reaction at first as she had difficulty getting past the idea that a child could teach math as a profession.
So, we sat our serious selves down and decided to delve into the book and see what was at the bottom of the Life of Fred. It really only took me a few chapters to decide that this book was amazing. Silly, yes, but that's what makes it unique. By being silly in having it all presented by a 5-year-old math professor named Fred, it takes the edge off of the stress of learning and allows the child to settle in to enjoying the story.
Instead of freezing up and hating math, what happens is that the child begins to want to know what happens next in the story. What they don't realize is how much math and other facts they are learning.
And, they really are learning so much more than math.
Everything is woven throughout the story to fit together and make sense in a nonsensical way. When we had finished the Apples book, we understood what the difference was between a deciduous and evergreen tree, how many days are in specific months of the year, how many days are in a week, how to tell time down to the 5-minute mark, who Archimedes was, a bit about the history of the Titanic, how to draw a circle inside of a triangle, and whenever we envision an ellipse now, we will picture an elephant squashing it. Not only that, but concepts of algebra have already been introduced in a way that almost seems mysterious and spy-like. The book ended by having the child draw a cartoon comic strip and segues into wanting to read the next book. | {
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Lin-Manuel Miranda is here to make all your Disney dreams come true. Over the weekend, the Tony-Award-winner took over Disney Animation's Instagram account to promote the new animated film "Moana," an... | {
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A Guide to Masonry Skills: Mixing and Using Cement
The world's strongest foundations, footings and masonry walls are made with concrete or mortar—mud as it's called here in MOTHER's neck of the woods. But many newcomers to country life shy away from working the stuff, perhaps because the chemistry of it seems alien to the more natural lifestyle they're seeking.
It isn't, really. The cement that is the heart of all mudwork comes from good and natural things like limestone, oyster shells and iron ore, which are fused in a kiln, then ground from hard clinkers into a fine powder. Mixed with varying amounts of sand, gravel or crushed stone aggregate, this forms the dry base for concrete, the plastic mix that hardens into bridges and garden walks, or—with the addition of lime—mortar that's used to bond brick, stone and precast concrete blocks.
When water is added to the dry base, it combines chemically with the cement in a process called hydration. The resulting paste solidifies within the hour, binding in the aggregates for now and always. Over a period of three days it cures and hardens to nearly half its finished strength, and in a month or more returns to rock.
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The best way to learn about any skill is to do it, and working mud is no exception.PHOTO: WILLIAM WALDRON
Diagram 1: A pointing trowel.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 2: A homemade mortar box.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 4: Leveling a small form.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 3: Squaring a post.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 6: Floating a finished surface.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 5: Screeding with a strike board.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 8: Using a finished width guide.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 9: Cutting control joints.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 10: Leveling a trench footing.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 7: Measuring slope with a line.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 11: Repairing broken corners.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 13: Repointing mortar joints.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
Diagram 12: Parging with mortar.MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors
A Trial Cement Mix
The best way to learn about any skill is to do it, and working mud is no exception. Buy an 80-pound bag of packaged concrete mix, and with it get a 9 inch or 10 inch brick or pointing trowel (Figure 1), a hoe and a pair of leather work gloves. For what it's worth, a real mortar hoe has a pair of holes in the blade to make mixing easier; my old garden hoe has no holes, but carries a rind of dry cement on the shaft anyway. As for the gloves, masons rarely use them, but wet concrete and mortar are somewhat caustic and can dry the skin and burn the eyes. Cement also makes a great bleaching agent, so don't work mud wearing your best jeans.
Professionals always make a trial mix of any new combination of materials to determine the best proportions for the job at hand; so do I, and so should you. To see what mud should and shouldn't look like, clean out a steel barrow or make up a mortar box (Figure 2); or use an old 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of plywood to serve as an even simpler mortar-mixing board. Mound the dry mix, and scrape out a dent in the center to make a doughnut shape. Add water, and use your hoe to push the inner edge of the doughnut out away from the puddle and then to pull dry mix from the outer perimeter back and into the water. Don't let the round dam of mix break, or all your liquid and much of the cement will flow off from the gravel and sand.
At first, combine the dry mix with about 3/4 the amount of water specified on the package. (An 80-pound bag would normally require about a gallon to flow and set properly.) Try to work with the resulting too-dry mix. The concrete will be gravelly; when you pat the top of the mix with a trowel, the rocks won't slide effortlessly into the sand-cement matrix to give you the smooth presentation you want along forms and on the surface.
Next, work the balance of water into about half of the too-dry mix. It'll become too wet, and watery sand will slop away from the gravel. A trowel pushed into it will "smush" in, and when you slide it sideways, will press gravel down and make a wave in the matrix.
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Now that you know what concrete shouldn't look like, mix it properly. You may need a cup or two more water than specified, but add it in small amounts. The result should give you a sense of relief—it just feels and looks and flows right. With a light troweling, gravel will slip into the matrix; it, in turn, will bounce up easily into a firm, smooth surface. Still, the concrete will have a dry look, and when poured in small quantities won't quite flow, but will want to hold together. It will fall in blobs and make a satisfying plop when it lands, like a well-fed toad. Piled in a cone, it will "slump" perhaps a third of its height.
Starting Small
Post setting is an easy one-sack project that can teach several essential mudworking skills, so let's work through planting a sturdy gate post: 8 feet of pressure-treated 4 by 4 sunk 3 feet down—deeper if soil is soft, shallower if you have a near-surface hardpan to deal with.
Dig your hole with a posthole digger, or with a squarefaced spade if you have to get out rocks. Use the post to compact the bottom of the hole until it's solid. Unless you have a flowing sand soil on top, firm up the sides, too, by wiggling the post back and forth; soaking the soil can help. The concrete will act as an anchor, but it can loosen in time if the soil surrounding it is loose.
Next, gauge the volume of the hole. If it's small—no more than 8 inches across—and in firm soil, I use all concrete. Wider than that, say when a shovel was used to dig out stones, I inter-layer rocks with the concrete. First, dump 6 inches of coarse gravel in the hole and compact it, or just lay a flat rock on the bottom. Then prepare enough concrete and loose rock to ring at least a foot of the post's buried length; the concrete mass needn't fill to the top.
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Now set in the post, put about 6 inches of small rock or gravel in the hole, and tamp it down around the pole with a broomstick or metal rod. This rock layer will allow water to drain—a post set in pure concrete would be sitting in a basin, to eventually become waterlogged and rotten.
Square the post with a 2 foot level (Figure 3), and pour in your concrete. You may find that, once mixed, the scant 2/3 cubic foot of concrete obtained from an 80-pound sack will make a very small dent in that cavernous hole. In that case, add some rocks if you have them. Just be sure that each rock of any reasonable size is separated from the others and is surrounded by concrete. I make a puddle of mix, add rocks so they aren't quite touching, top up with more concrete, and continue to build in layers like that, packing down the concrete in each layer around the rock and working out any air bubbles with my stick.
Let the concrete set up overnight, then fill the top of the hole with the soil you removed, tamping it hard to plant the post and anchor it securely. You've just accomplished a small-scale poured concrete operation: 1) making the mold, albeit a simple hole in the ground, 2) compacting the base of the footing and pouring the mix and 3) tamping or "rodding" the mix to remove air bubbles. Setting larger posts deeper and anchored more substantially will give you the foundation for a traditional pole barn.
Building a miniature reinforced concrete slab probably sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. Anywhere you'd like a level, solid surface to step on—say, below a gate or in front of a stoop—would be the perfect place to try this project.
You'll need some lumber scraps and 2 by 4s, along with a saw, a hammer, 10d nails, a tape measure and some 4or 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. Dig out the sod or soil in a rectangle; a space just a little more than 2 feet wide by 1 foot across will take an 80-pound bag of premix and give you up to a 4 inch-thick paving stone in that size. Make the hole 6 inches or so deep-down to firm soil. Use a wooden beam or a brick to compact the bottom and sides well, then fill the trench to within 4 inches of the top with gravel, and tamp it down, too.
Now, build a rectangular form of two 2 feet and two 1 foot 2 by 4s. Nail 8 inch stakes onto one side at each end, stake tops flush with the tops of the boards. Tap the stakes and form squarely down into the hole, and use your carpenter's level or a straight 3 foot board with a mason's line level tacked on top to level the form all around (Figure 4). Made with nominal 2 by 4s set on edge, the top of the form will be 3 1/2 inches above the level gravel bed—the correct thickness for a small concrete slab.
To give the slab enough tensile strength to withstand the stresses of bending and seasonal changes, you'll need some reinforcement a bit smaller than 1 feet by 2 feet. Use a length of old hardware cloth, metal lath or even several thicknesses of chicken wire folded and stomped flat. Lay this inside the form, mix the concrete, and pour it in so it just overflows. With a coat hanger or a pronged garden cultivator, dig down into the bed of wet concrete, snag the wire, and pull it up off the bottom of the form and well into the concrete, but not all the way to the top.
Now, rest a straight-edged strike board (the 3 foot leveling board will do) on the sides of your form, and saw it back and forth over the surface, moving forward slowly and agitating the overflowing top like so much jelly, until a thin layer of cement and sand builds around the larger aggregate to give you a smooth surface (Figure 5). This is called screeding and is a two-person job on larger projects. Don't overwork it on any one pass or you'll bring up sand and too much water. If you do create a puddle, resist the temptation to sprinkle on dry concretewait instead for the water to be absorbed, then go over the surface again.
Let the concrete heat and set up a bit so you can trowel it smooth. Within 30 minutes to an hour, you should be able to press in a thumb and make only a small dent. Generally, the surface is ready for finishing when the water sheen is gone and the mix has the feel of wet sand beneath your trowel.
Masons use a pair of rectangular steel cement trowels for fine surfaces, and wood or aluminum floats for slightly rougher work, but any block of wood will do for this job. Swipe it back and forth, keeping the leading edge of the block raised a fraction of an inch as you go (Figure 6). Smooth the surface to even out any bumps, and push the gravel down so you'll get a flat, waterproof finish. Again, don't overwork the area—doing so could cause flaking later on.
After the concrete has set for another hour or two, use a coarse brush or a pocket comb to make shallow grooves over the surface. The little windrows of cement that are gouged out will wear off with use, but the grooves will give you traction for years.
Before the slab is fully set—say, within a day of pouring—take a flat trowel or a table knife and run the tool between wood and concrete so the forms will come off easily. But don't pull the forms for several days lest someone step on the edge of the uncured concrete and break it down. While the slab's still wet, you should also round the edges, where cement meets the form. A mason's edging tool is best for large jobs, but the flat of a table knife will do for this one. just round and smooth the ragged edge so someone stumbling on it won't scrape a shin.
To cure the concrete properly, cover the new slab with plastic sheeting as soon as the pour is firm enough to stand without being marred. Weight down the edges, and leave it on for a minimum of three days, and longer if possible. When you've removed the plastic and pulled the forms, you'll have accomplished a very simple version of the reinforced slab foundation that's used to support houses.
The Bigger Stuff
Walks, stairs and foundations will require more than a bag or two of premix, so you may want to mix your own concrete for these jobs (see page 96 ). Should you take this route, you'll need a mortar box at the very least, and more likely a 3- to 9-cubic-foot gasoline-powered cement mixer, which you can rent for about $50 a day.
If you use a box, first dampen the inside with water, then spread your measure of gravel evenly over 3/4 of its bottom. Follow with a level portion of sand, and top that with the proper amount of cement, also spread evenly. Slice off a section of the mound with your hoe, and dry mix it until the color is uniform. Continue to add dry slices until the entire load is the same color, then push it to one end of the box. Add water in small amounts to the free end while pulling in dry mix as needed; eventually you'll have a uniform mix of the proper consistency.
The procedure for hand mixing in a wheelbarrow is similar in that you must dry-mix thoroughly. The measurements are smaller, and the sand should go in first, followed by gravel, then cement. Machine mixing calls for more caution, and the water and aggregates are blended a bit at a time before the cement is added.
A walkway is little more than a long version of the mini-slab discussed earlier. If you live in town, it's best to check codes and municipal restrictions before you do any excavating.
Buy about 250 feet of nylon or hard cotton mason's line and a line level, and estimate the route of your new path. Most walks are 4 feet wide, so you can plan the distance from shrubbery, gateposts or what have you. Ideally, the slope should be gentle; if the fall is much more than 1 inch per foot, you may need to add steps. A level line stretched between two stakes will let you measure drop accurately (Figure 7).
Lay out both sides of your walk with line and stakes. If you place the lines about a foot farther apart than the width of the finished walk, you'll have room for the form boards and support stakes at the sides. Using your spade, dig out the soil within the string perimeter to a depth of about 6 inches, which will put you well into firm subsoil.
Next, place and level your form boards—2 by 4s for straight runs, side-by-side lengths of 1/4 inch plywood cut into 3 1/2 inch strips and nailed together to make fair curves. At the ends and about every 2 feet between, nail pointed stakes-tops even with the upper edges of the boards (sharper curves may need more frequent supports). On a level walk, plan on pitching the surface to the side, away from buildings, by 1/4 inch to the foot.
The top of the form should be about 1 1/2 inches above the ground, and the joints between sections of form board connected with nailed-on scraps of wood. Close the ends with 2 by 4 stop boards nailed between the sides. If any one run is longer than 20 feet, separate it into two by adding an expansion joint-simply a break filled with tar or fiber mastic.
Fill the trench with gravel to the bottom of the form and tamp it down as best you can. At this point, you'll need to make a finished-width guide. It's a piece of lumber the width of the walk and the depth of the concrete, hanging from a slightly wider board. Mine is a 4 foot length of 2 by 6 with a 4 1/2 foot 2 by 4 nailed along its top 2 inches (Figure 8). Run the guide along the top of the form to level the bed, then cut and lay down your reinforcing wire, making sure it's narrower than, and not touching, the form. Steel fence wire will do, or—if you have a pair of bolt cutters—you can buy the standard 6 by 6 No. 10 wire mesh. Be prepared to stomp it flat, though.
Starting at one end of the walk, pour in the concrete, and move it along with shovels, packing corners and sides with the flat of a garden rake. This is much more pleasant as a two- or three-person job. Plan to work in 3 foot or 4 foot sections, screeding as you go toward the unfinished end. Pour the next section when you've leveled the previous one, allowing the two to blend without setting up.
Finishing can be done with a float or a longer wooden darby, but don't wait too long to start. Brush-score the surface if you wish, then run down the insides of the form with an edging tool, and cut lateral grooves every 4 feet with it, as well. Use a squared, straight board to guide the edge of the tool (Figure 9) when you make these control-joint slices. Finally, cut the slab from the form, and cover the job with plastic; when you remove the wood in a week or so, your walk will be complete.
Trench footings are continuous foundations for a wall or building. After marking the perimeter of the footing with lines strung from stakes or horizontal batter boards set beyond the ends of your planned excavation, you can dig down to firm subsoil below the frost line. A lightweight plumb bob hung from the line will allow you to establish both the width and rough depth level of your trench. Footings should be twice as wide as the wall they'll support, and about 8 inches thick for average construction.
In firm, rock-free soil, you can use the trench itself as the form; if you use wooden forms, widen the excavation to make room for the boards and stakes. The easiest way to level a trench footing is to drive short lengths of reinforcing bar into the soil every 4 feet along the center line so the tops are even. Use a clear plastic tube filled with water to establish the proper elevation for each bar; the level of water at one end of the tube will always be the same as that at the other, which is matched to the height of the first rod (Figure 10).
Fill any hollows in the trench bottom with gravel, tamp it down, and pour away. Distribute the mix with rakes or hoes, and screed the surface along the top of the bars with a straight board. If you can get hold of a 4 foot hand tamper, use it to "jitter" the mix into place. Then trowel the concrete flush with the top of the rods, remove the bars before the mud sets, and fill the holes with loose mix. Wooden forms can be peeled within a couple of days, and plastic sheeting should be used in hot weather.
Simply Mortarfied
Now comes the mortar. It's lovely stuff to work with because it's made with sand-fine aggregate. Buy a small bag of premix and make up a trial batch, just as with the concrete. Too-dry mortar will crack when you throw it on the board, rather than flow out in a svelte line. Too wet, and it will sag into a puddle instead of sitting up proud, and will drizzle over the edges of the trowel. Proper mortar has a bold consistency; plastic and fluid, it will give out a crisp tsssst when you dig the side of your trowel in, then will hold together on the blade. But when you tip the trowel by rotating your wrist and pulling back so as to lay a line, the mortar will roll off deliberately and land with a convincing splat.
You can purchase mortar mix for less than $4 per 80-pound bag, or make your own from one part Portland cement, 1/4 to one part hydrated lime ($3.50 per 50-pound bag) and three to six parts moist sand, depending on how strong—or workable—you want the finished mix to be. Strength increases with more cement and less lime; sand doesn't appreciably affect the strength, but rather the workability. If you use masonry cement, you don't have to add lime because it's already been included. Be aware, though, that there are two common types of mortar cement: Type N, a general-use medium-strength blend with good weather resistance; and Type M, a high-strength cement with even better durability.
Mix your measured ingredients dry in a mortar box, then add water and blend thoroughly until the color is consistent. Add just enough water to make up a good-working mix. If you must be scientific about it, figure about one pint of water per shovelful of material . . . but that's my guess, and I may not be as scientifically inclined as you. Some folks let the mortar sit for 10 minutes or more, then mix it again, adding a bit more water if necessary. This retempering breaks up initial stiffening and helps in gauging the quality of the batch.
There are many masonry-repair uses for mortar mix around the house. For simple crack patching in walks and walls, use a stiff wire brush to clean the area of flakes and crumbling concrete. Deeper cracks may have to be enlarged or undercut with a cold chisel and hammer (wear safety goggles). Once the opening is brushed clean of debris and powder, dampen the area with water and use a wet pointing trowel to fill the gap with a rich but workable mix. Pack it as deeply into the crack as possible, then build up layers of mortar until you've got enough at the surface to trowel smooth.
Openings around pipes and vents or holes in a block foundation can be sealed using the same method. If you have to, make a cardboard form to back one side of a large hole so the mud doesn't slump out. If you're working in a heated basement, try to keep the patch moist for a day or so by covering it with a sheet of plastic.
Concrete steps and porches may break at the corners, but often the damage isn't severe enough to ruin the whole structure. Nicks and small chunks can be patched without forms if the area is wire-brushed and cleaned well before the mortar is troweled on and sculpted. Where larger hunks have come off, the base should be chiseled clean, then drilled in several places with a 1/4 inch masonry bit to a depth of 1 inch or more. Small wooden forms can be set in place around the damaged area, and the holes filled with bolts or short pieces of rod so they protrude a bit from the ragged surface (Figure 11). Pack the mortar well into the form, and smooth it flush with the existing surface.
Parging, or one-coat stuccoing, is a real learning experience for a novice. New concrete block walls can be dampened and plastered directly; nonmasonry materials such as wood or insulation board require a metal lath base to adhere to. It's best to use Type M mortar and less sand for parging. Pick up the mud on the bottom of the trowel and help press it into the surface by pushing the blade with your other hand as you slide it along (Figure 12). Try to achieve a consistent thickness as you worklater, you can use a wet trowel to smooth the surface for a final finish. If you have to work in direct sunlight, dampen the finished wall with a fine spray to keep it from drying too quickly.
The only other small-scale job involving mortar is repointing—replacing the joints between bricks and masonry that have deteriorated over the years because of age, water damage or exposure to chemicals. Chip out the loose bond with a hammer and a narrow chisel; the idea is not to damage the brick surface itself. A square cut made to a 3/4 inch or 1 inch depth is ideal. Brush the particles out of the cracks, then use a mister to barely dampen the joint.
To repoint, you don't want a particularly strong mortar, but you do need one that's workable. A mix with a fair amount of lime and sand is best. Use a pointing trowel or a mason's brick jointer to press the new mud firmly into the open joint (Figure 13). Let the mortar set up a bit, then tool it to shape with the jointer. After about two weeks, you can scrape excess mortar globs of the wall with a broad chisel. One word of warning: Don't try repointing in frigid or even near-freezing weather—the mud will probably get brittle and fall out on the first warm day.
Come Clean
Cement will stick forever to almost anything hard. Hose wet concrete and mortar off every tool that isn't going to be used again within the hour. Wash mortar boxes to bare wood, and hose barrows down to slick metal. Run a few shovelfuls of pure sand in a rinsed-out mixer for at least five minutes to scrape it clean. And any time you don't plan to use steel tools the following day, oil the metal surfaces. Wood, too, succumbs to cement's caustic action, so when you're done working for the season, coat your wood floats and hoe handles with linseed oil. You'll want the tools of the trade in good condition the next time you get the urge to work in that most flexible but permanent medium—mud.
Additional Reading
Concrete, Masonry & Brickwork: A Practical Handbook for the Homeowner and Small Builder, by the U.S. Department of the Army, is available from Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, NY. Masonry & Concrete Work, by Max Alth (Harper & Row, 1978) is currently out of print, but may be in your local library.
Self-reliance practitioner/author and MOTHER contributor John Vivian is mixing mud these days to shore up an old farmstead in Massachusetts.
The Right Mud for the Right Job
Not all mud is created equal, and for good reason—each type is made for a specific purpose. First, to get the terms and ingredients straight: cement is the bonding agent common to all mudworks. One cubic-foot (94 pounds) sack needs about 5 or 6 gallons of water to undergo hydration and turn to stone. One part cement and half its weight in water mixed with two to three parts sand and three to five parts gravel becomes concrete, the slurry mix that's poured into forms at a building site or molded in a precasting facility; the sand, gravel and stone which make up the lion's share of concrete's volume. are known as aggregates. Portland cement and water mixed with up to an equal part of hydrated lime and three to six parts fine sand make mortar, which is used to create a bonding layer between rock, brick or precast concrete block, or as a stuccoing compound.
Good old-fashioned natural cement, Type N, is still available in some places, and you may find it congenial. It's made from local clayey limestone that varies in quality, but lets you work mud the traditional way. Because of its moderate strength, it's usually mixed with other cements or is used where it won't be supporting heavy loads.
Far more uniform and reliable is an assortment of rocks containing iron, lime, alumina and silica concocted in a process patented in the nineteenth century by British stonemason Joseph Aspdin, and named for its resemblance to a rock found on the Isle of Portland. Portland cement is sold in 94 moisture-proof bags containing one cubic foot loose volume for about $6 per bag.
The American Society for Testing Materi. als sets standards for cements, and ASTM Type I is the general-purpose Portland you'll get unless you live in an area where the soil is high in sulfates or you have a need for special curing times or temperatures. Type IA Portland cement is the same thing with an air-entraining compound—a kind of soap powder—added. Air entrainment creates thousands of microscopic bubbles within every cubic inch of finished material, adding resilience and resistance to freezing and chemical damage. In the snow belt, most commercial concretes are air-entrained. The only other common cement is ASTM C91, a masonry cement that's mixed with lime and other additives to make mortar with improved workability and water retention. It can be difficult to come by outside the trade, and for most homescale projects, normal Portland is fine for use in mortar.
In addition to pure Portland cement, any hardware or building supply store sells packaged mix; all you have to do is add water, stir and use it. You'll usually find 40-, 60- and 80-pound sacks of a general-purpose concrete mix, a conventional sand/cement/lime mortar mix, and a sand topping mix to use as a concrete patching or stuccoing compound. At about $3.50 per 80-pound bag, these premixes are costly compared to mixing onsite from bags of Portland and truckloads of aggregate, but they're great for small jobs. You can learn a lot about making good mud from a bag or two of premix, so before tackling a major project, I'd recommend setting a post or two in concrete or mortaring up a stone table to get some practice.
Ready-mix, or transit mix, is the wet concrete trucked to your site in a cement mixer. There are all sorts of reasons why, if you need more than a cubic yard or so of material, ready-mix may be the best choice. But it's often just not practical, or even possible, to maneuver 35 tons of machinery through narrow drives and around a tight building site. That's one big reason we still mix mud by hand.
The Trick's in The Mix
Roughly speaking, it would take 41 80-pound sacks of packaged concrete mix to make a cubic yard of finished material. That comes to around $145, or about three times more than the same amount of ready-mix delivered and poured at your site. For major concrete projects—those requiring contractor excavation, inspector approval and much more than a cubic yard of concrete, you are time and money ahead to call in the cement mixer. But if you have a willing work crew with strong backs and some time on their hands, or just want an economical mix for medium-size jobs, you can mix your own from Portland cement and local aggregate. For what it's worth, here are some rules of thumb I've come to follow:
1. Estimate the size of the job. All mudwork is gauged in volume—cubic feet or cubic yards of concrete needed to fill a space. Simple math is all that's required to figure how much you'll need. The small stepping slab mentioned in the main article required not quite 2/3 cubic foot of mix: 1 foot by 2 foot by 3 1/2 inches, or 1/3 foot for our purposes. A larger project such as a footing for a block wall is no different. At an average thickness of 8 feet and width of 16 inches, the numbers are 2/3 foot by 1 1/3 foot, multiplied by total length; a 10 foot run would call for almost 9 cubic feet, or 1/3 yard in mud talk, while a perimeter footing for an outbuilding measuring 12 foot by 10 foot would need over 38 cubic feet—nearly 11/2 cubic yards.
2. Use the largest size of gravel practicable. Large aggregate is economical, but don't use any stone larger than 1/4 the thickness of the footing or slab being poured, up to about 2 inches in diameter. If you dig your own aggregate, it must be free of silt and organic matter, which can seriously weaken the concrete.
3. Mix by these cement/sand/gravel ratios, according to use:
This is the volume method, by part (shovelful, box or bucket) or by cubic foot. Measuring by weight is far more accurate, but difficult without a proper scale. The ingredients should be thoroughly mixed dry before adding any water; figure it takes about 1 1/2 cubic yards of loose material to make one yard of finished mud.
4. The water/cement ratio is most important. Clean water is always added in proportion to the cement used in each batch of concrete, not the total mass including aggregates. Each bag of Portland in the mix requires between five and six gallons of water to give the mud a good balance of strength and workability. By weight, at 8.33 pounds per gallon, this comes to a 46:94 ratio—about 50% water-to-cement.
5.Make a trial mix. With site-mixed concrete, trial-testing is important because aggregates vary in water content. Measure the proportions carefully and keep a record so you'll know what makes the best mix.
Share your thoughts.
ichaya
3/4/2015 7:53:37 AM
You should have some information in this article warning about using newer mortars with pre 1940 brickwork.
The newer mortars contain cement, and dry very stiff. This makes the mortar join harder than the original brick. When the building moves, and flexes, as all buildings do, this can cause the brick work to spauld, or just break destroying the wall.
Money-Saving Tips in Every Issue!
At MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. You'll find tips for slashing heating bills, growing fresh, natural produce at home, and more. That's why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.00 (USA only). | {
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Nice deal! Looks like you'll even be more dedicated to guitar playing after your purchase. I just bought my first ever acoustic guitar a month or so ago and I'm struggling to learn it (sigh). Love the sound of it though. Now I'm thinking of selling it on Craigslist, kinda losing the motivation.. ah.
The acoustic I have is a Jasmine by Takamine. I think the neck is too wide, so learning A and then going to G is a bit hard. Dude, I swear.. it's like my fingers are not long enough to cover all the strings or.. chords
Spontaneous buy, haha. The guy who sold me the guitar was this old dude who plays bass in a local band. He was very helpful about it, he said any time someone is eager to learn how to play the guitar, he's more than happy and willing to help them out. It was nice meeting someone who wanted to promote or share their hobby.
Oh BTW, do you have any tips on maintaining the acoustic? Specifically, do you really *need* to keep it in a humidified room? I'm wondering if it's okay to just store it in my room, nothing fancy with regards to room climate compared to what I've seen in some guitar stores.
About the storage the only thing ive ever had problems with in storing a guitar without playing it is the strings rust. But if you buy elixir strings their coated and on an acoustic that fixes the rust issue. But that seagull is a great acoustic guitar. I have an alvarez yari and thats all i play. Not a big electric fan. The strings on an acoustic are tighter and I just like the feedback better. Anyway just kinda had to coment on this one haha.
The acoustic I have is a Jasmine by Takamine. I think the neck is too wide, so learning A and then going to G is a bit hard. Dude, I swear.. it's like my fingers are not long enough to cover all the strings or.. chords
Spontaneous buy, haha. The guy who sold me the guitar was this old dude who plays bass in a local band. He was very helpful about it, he said any time someone is eager to learn how to play the guitar, he's more than happy and willing to help them out. It was nice meeting someone who wanted to promote or share their hobby.
Oh BTW, do you have any tips on maintaining the acoustic? Specifically, do you really *need* to keep it in a humidified room? I'm wondering if it's okay to just store it in my room, nothing fancy with regards to room climate compared to what I've seen in some guitar stores.
just keep it in a case (hard is better), above ground and away from vents. if you like go on a plane and come off or go on a long drive, wait 5-7 hours before taking it out of the case so the pressure changes slower and there are no cracks in the top. in the winter it is good to have a humidifier in the case too | {
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The Leg Curl from Rogers Athletic has quickly become our favorite prone hamstring training piece of equipment. Rogers Athletic took into consideration the mechanical advantage, and at times disadvantage, of this muscle group through the entire range of motion. With adjustability to fit a wide range of athlete’s heights, the Leg Curl has become a staple on leg day.
It is easy to see that Rogers Athletic put a lot of thought into the Leg Curl. From the small footprint it has in our facility, the comfortable padding for your body and lower legs, to the Set Extension Technology, this piece has been a great addition to our programming.
Coach Taylor’s go to exercise…
“Having the ability to focus in on the hamstring and strengthen the posterior chain is an asset for us. Rogers Athletic created an awesome Leg Curl that has quickly become a staple in our programming. Emphasize the eccentric phase of the contraction by using both legs to lift the resistance and then lower the weight with only one. Stay on the same leg for 5-8 solid reps and repeat on the other side. Both legs should raise the weight 10-16 times, but individually each leg should be put to the max eccentrically.”– Rob Taylor, Jr., Founder and Owner of SMARTER Team Training
Mike changes his training up with…
“Many athletes struggle to control the weight through the entire range of motion of a rep. This is complete reps, combined with partial reps can really help, especially when emphasizing the end ranges of motion. One of our lower body combinations that we will use is our 1½ rep supersets where we take our athlete from an effort set on the prone leg curl to an effort set on the Hip Press.
For the prone Leg Curl 1½ reps, the athlete will begin by curling the weight all the way up, lowering the weight half way down, curling the weight all the way up, then lowering the weight with control all the way down. Our goal is for an athlete to complete a set of 12 1½ reps. If they complete 12 1½ reps, we will increase the weight for the next workout.
On the Hip Press the athlete will lower the weight all the way down, press the weight half way up, lower the weight all the way down, then press the weight all the way up. The goal is for the athlete to complete 15 1½ reps. If the athlete can complete 15 reps then we will increase the weight for the next workout.” – Mike Whitman, Director of Training
Alex keeps it creative with…
“The Rogers Athletic Leg Curl is the smoothest machine of its kind – it puts the body in a very comfortable and safe position but also has the ability to train the hamstrings to absolute failure. Since the hamstrings are generally considered to be mostly fast twitch muscle fiber, I like to stimulate the neurological system differently on this machine with an extended time under tensions set, generally of about 30 seconds. This may only be 2 or 3 actual repetitions – each being 10-15 seconds long, but the muscle is under constant tension and the brain is forced to continually fire for an extended period of time to activate a muscle for which it usually doesn’t have to do that.” – Alex Walsh, Performance Coach
Riley enjoys this protocol the most…
“To see if there is a discrepancy in strength in the hamstring a good protocol would be to do single leg ‘1 and ½’s’. Start with either leg and perform a full rep pausing at the top. Slowly lower halfway, pause, then pull back to the top, pause, then slowly lower to beginning position. This is considered one rep. Use a weight that you can perform 6-8 good reps.” – Riley Oharah, Former Performance Coach | {
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This week was an exciting week in Super Smash Bros. news, as we saw a brand new screenshot that hints at a Super Mario Galaxy level, featuring Kirby. In addition to that, Princess Peach was announced as a playable character and several new screenshots of her moves have been shown off, including a new move that seems to include her crown.
Check out the full gallery below and let us know what you think about these brand new screenshots and stay tuned next week for another round up of Super Smash Bros. screenshots, as they’re released daily.
is it the same with jigglypuff and Kirby? too much pink to play them too?
Rick van der Linde
It’s my main character and she’s just wrecking everything on her path of destruction. It’s a miracle how Bowser can capture her every Mario game, he’s nothing compared to that pink demon from the depths of hell.
Arthur Jarret
The bottom left picture… that might be her reveal movie.
It would be great if Bowser was laughing, mario is about to rescue her and then… she turns around and just smacks Bowser out of the area with her frying pan – leaving Mario out of the equation.
(Although… why would her reveal movie be in a metroid stage?)
Merrfn
Amazing. I can’t stop feel the tingly sensation of hype in anticipation for the lineup of games Nintendo shall be providing us with in 2014. Smash bros screenshots tip me over the edge.
Lil J Moore
So many things wrong. Where do I start at #5 or #7?
Thomas Fitzgibbon
I want to play as BLASTOISE!!!
bizzy gie
Kirby is KING!
I’ll destroy all with him!
Arthur Jarret
Kirby will destroy the world one day. Please stop feeding him – or we’ll all be doomed!
(I made the pic in Colors! 3D)
00EpicGamer00
…Did Kirby swallow a Chain Chomp?
CMB
We have villager though!
CEObrainz
Everything is so pretty in HD, I mean the other iterations were okay, but it really is easier to keep on looking when the lines are all crisp and there is more detail. Especially on Peach’s Gloves…..
Daniel Carvalho
When you think of HD with other companies, the only thing that comes to mind is textures in 1080p. But when Nintendo makes it HD, we can see a care with the elements that compose the visual elements that goes far beyond just HD. That’s why I love Nintendo so much. The game looks so beautiful, instead of simply sharp.
CEObrainz
It’s one of the primary reasons I think why Nintendo games take so long to develop.
TaintedXGamer
is that a bad thing? 🙂
CEObrainz
Nope, if anything it allows you to treasure the game more. Especially with the Smash Bros series which comes out once per console.
I would so Kick yo Ass with Peach, Fool! and when u’re beaten and full of Briuses, then you can kiss my feet.
Rukiafan Rukiachan
Looks kid ikarus is a masochist!
Wiiluigi
First column third picture down. Why is Peach holding her crown? Do her powers come out of there or is she holding it to not drop it. lmao. Also check out third column third picture. Did I miss something?
Josiah Parsons
I think she is about to pwn someone with said crown. as for the hearts? your guess is as good as mine.
00EpicGamer00
I think the hearts might be a taunt. Or, it’s one of her moves and the hearts are the after effects.
Wiiluigi
Maybe one of her special moves makes her happy. 😛
Josiah Parsons
the PilotWings stage looks Epic!
Yoshiwhirlwind
Peach’s forward air is my favorite move in Smash next to her float of course. The flash when she swipes at you is her crown, talk about bling.
marth175
her crown attack is not new, that’s her forward air attack.
Jack5221
The game is coming together nicely!
Toadlord
Glad you decided to use the idea, Ashley 😉
TULFich
AS much as I am waiting for this hell of a game!! the dev team has a lot of work to do with the character model´s articulation influence, some movements look just wierd. and the attack effects, seem to be a bit invasive. But I expecti it to be an excellent game for next year, and the years I´ll be playing this 😀
The crown move isn’t really new. Her forward aerial movie in Melee and Brawl is the crown smack attack.
But since Sakurai mentioned “refreshing” her move set, I feel like the move could do something new and different! Who knows?! All I know is that I’m excited! | {
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How do you reach travelers? If you’re a tour operator, you probably ask yourself this question a lot.
In an effort to book more tours, you utilize several marketing channels, one of which is likely via email. A well-targeted email cangrab a traveler’s attention, encourage them to browse current deals, and ultimately, book a trip or an excursion.
Email is a great way to capitalize on the record amount of traveling that’s happening these days. Research shows 66 million people traveled abroad in 2016, an eight percent increase in jet-setting activity from the previous year, according toresearch the National Travel and Tourism Office.
To get your piece of the travel pie, you’ll have to send a variety of emails. From welcome emails to trip reminders, here’s a look at seven emails that trip operators can send:
#1 Welcome email
When someone joins your list, be sure to send him or her a welcome email.
You can automate welcome emails too. When someone joins your list, the action triggers a premade welcome email to arrive in the contact’s inbox minutes later. Meanwhile, the new contact is automatically added to your master contact list.
#2 Purchase confirmation emails
If a customer books a trip, use email as a digital receipt. Give the customer all of the details of the trip along with notification about the amount paid.
Purchase confirmation emails enjoy high open rates, so you might consider adding a link or two that directs customers to book additional excursions.
#3 Shipping confirmation
Some travel operators like to send a care package to their customers. Maybe you’re sending a travel bag, luggage tags, and the tickets needed for an excursion. Once you send it, let the customer know it’s coming with a shipping confirmation email.
#4 Cart abandonment emails
If travelers add items to a cart without making a purchase, you can remind them about it via email.
A traveler headed to Paris, for example, might add a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower to his online cart. But, for some reason, he doesn’t complete the purchase.
When a cart is abandoned like this, send the customer a reminder email that mentions the benefits of the tour he hasn’t booked yet. You might even consider giving him a small discount, like 5% off, to close the deal.
#5 Reminders
You can use reminders pre- and post-sale. Before a customer makes a purchase, you can send reminders when deals are about to expire. For example, if a customer has shown interest in an excursion in Rome, you can send an email reminding him or her that the sale price ends at midnight.
After a sale, you can remind customers about their excursion and provide some helpful tips too. For instance, if a customer books a fishing trip in the Outer Banks, you can send him or her a reminder of the date and time and include a handy link to a checklist of items to bring.
#6 Birthdays and anniversaries
Send customers an email on their birthday or anniversary to show them you care. It’s a nice way to engage customers while subtly reminding them about your business. The email should provide a special treat, like a discount or a deal.
You could send an email in advance of their birthday and encourage the traveler to take a trip as a celebration. For example, your email might say, “Mike, celebrate your birthday in Miami!” You can list a few deals or give him a coupon code good for any Miami excursion.
#7 Re-engagement
When customers are quiet, create an email campaign that gets their travel juices flowing. Send an email that offers a short list of amazing travel deals to entice former customers to start thinking about a trip again. Track response rates and send relevant follow-up emails. For example, if a customer clicks on a link for Yellowstone National Park, send a follow up email that focuses on that location specifically.
This handy list of seven emails can be very helpful for tour operators looking to boost their bookings this year. To help you remember this list, here’s an infographic from email marketing platform, Campaign Monitor, that highlights each email with a compelling statistic to remind you why each email is important to send. | {
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~ a year of celebrations
Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?
Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away! Who doesn’t love Sesame Street? It’s got something for everyone. Humans, puppets, singing, dancing, celebrities…it’s amazing. I was trying to think of a fun way to celebrate today’s holiday…but then I got seriously derailed. I was reading up about Sesame Street, its origins and all the heavy topics they have covered. I was very intrigued by the episode where they have to explain death to Big Bird. The actor who played Mr. Hooper died suddenly of a heart attack (not on the show, obviously…) and the adults then had the task of explaining to Big Bird that he was never coming back. After some extensive scouring of the internet, I finally found the clip. It is a link, not embedded so you have to click it and go to the site:
I was extremely touched by the honesty in this episode. The actors are showing real emotions and they are explaining death in a way that is not flowery and not leaving room for confusion. I’m not going to lie, explaining things like death to my child is something I am not looking forward to. I take solace knowing that I can pull this clip up, if needed, when that time comes to aid in our discussion. The sad thing about this is that I don’t think this sort of brutal honesty would fly in today’s world. It’s ironic because we are surrounding our children with death and destruction every day in video games, tv, even in the news. But when the time comes to tell them about it for real, people are glazing over it and not really getting to the heart of the matter. I think if someone died on Sesame Street today, they would be faced with major criticism if they just told everyone that he/she died or was dead. Although these words are much harsher than saying things like passed away or went to a better place, it is important to show finality. Rich told me about this a few years ago when he started in the firefighting business. He said that they have to say dead and not sugarcoat it because that gives people hope. It’s sad, but so very true. So, now that I have taken this happy holiday to a much more somber place, I want to bring everyone back up. Sesame Street is real life, whether it is happy or sad. I love the show even more after reading about it today. To end on a brighter note, here I am with my fav SS shirt and a few of the many Sesame Street items we have lying around the house:
On the street since ’69! You got that right. Happy 42nd Birthday, Sesame Street!
Total Cost to Celebrate: $0
Clip of the Day:
N’SYNC on Sesame Street. I had to pick this one, I actually saw it the other day on Sesame Street. They play their clips f-o-r-e-v-e-r….I swear they have stuff from 1970 that still gets airplay:
P.S. – Dear JT, I have NO clue how you were a heart-throb with that ugly hat…..bad choice. | {
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Monday, April 27, 2009
Here's a look at an early advertisement campaign for the Sega Saturn. Adorned with characters for marquee games in the Saturn line-up, these ads also contained words that were to epitomize the system's revolutioniary 32-bit gaming. | {
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Skype's decision to release Intel-only features on its newest software refresh may have been a poor idea
Last month we wrote a small piece about the upcoming Skype 2.0 features that are only enabled for Intel processors. AMD is hoping to add another spear to its ranks by demanding Skype documents that prove or disprove Intel provided incentives to Skype for this favor. Intel denies the allegations.
A Skype executive declined to comment earlier this month when asked whether the company had tested the performance of its software on both Intel's and AMD's dual-core chips. An Intel representative confirmed that there are no instructions that specifically enhance the performance of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software like Skype's in Intel's dual-core chips.
This is not the first time this year for an AMD-Intel legal battle. AMD has been building anti-trust cases against Intel in Japan, the US and Korea for over a year, claiming that Intel leverages its buyers and distributors to not carry AMD products. Of course, AMD's 21.4% marketshare is looking pretty good to the company right now, monopoly or not. | {
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Posts from Christmas
Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes the house smell better than sweet holiday loaves just out of the oven. It's a siren call to the kitchen, even for those of us most devoted to sleeping in on a chilly morning.
These lovely loaves are made from a simple overnight dough that gets folded around a sweet cream cheese filling — essentially, cheese danishes in the form of a sliceable, shareable breakfast bread. One batch makes six loaves — that's one for you and plenty to share with friends, neighbors, teachers, bus drivers, and anyone who deserves a little thank-you gift this time of year.
Bubble and squeak, with its cutesy name, is a classic British day-after-holiday dish. It is incredibly versatile, as you can throw in any leftover vegetables or mashed potatoes into this comforting recipe — perfect for a relaxing meal after a hectic Thanksgiving.
I adore the weekend after Thanksgiving. It's long and replete with leftovers, and it's also when I get seriously excited about planning Christmas gifts. This weekend is still early enough to start a project like DIY vanilla or cocktail bitters, or to make a big batch of caramels, but not too early to freeze some dough for homemade puppy treats.
If you need a few fresh ideas for homemade holiday gifts this year, take a look! We have 15 homemade gifts from the kitchen (or for the kitchen) that you can get a head start on this weekend.
I am not a holiday food purist. When my family switched our eating habits, we carried our love of vegetables and whole grains into the holidays as well. At first, the other members of my extended family were hesitant, but after a few years, they realized that while the food was heavily loaded with vegetables, it was still delicious. These simple sweet potatoes would easily grace our table during the holidays.
We've always found that being told how to check the internal temperature of the turkey in one line of instruction is very different than actually doing it. And when we're talking about not only our own health but that of our guests as well, we don't want to get it wrong!
Here is how to take the temperature of your turkey and make sure that it has arrived at the safe internal temperature for eating.
You've roasted your turkey, and now it's time for for gravy. You don't need a recipe; this step-by-step guide will show you how to make delicious gravy to smother your mashed potatoes and gravy.
The deeply browned and greasy scrapings from the bottom of the roasting pan might not look like much when you first take the turkey out of the oven. But those drippings are Thanksgiving manna. Let's make some gravy.
Still hunting for the perfect dessert to crown your holiday table? This stunning pumpkin roll with a dreamy Swiss meringue buttercream delivers big on taste and packs an eye-pleasing punch. It’s a Thanksgiving no-brainer! (Oh, and did I mention it was easy? Yep, it's easy!)
Are you hosting a smaller Thanksgiving this year? Don't bother with a whole turkey — just roast a turkey breast! One half-breast or even a whole turkey breast makes more than enough for a small party of four to six. (And yes, you'll still have plenty of pan drippings to make gravy.)
Turkey breasts are also a cinch to roast. No flipping, no basting, no fuss. Here's a recipe to show you how to do it, step by step.
Even when you're on a budget, the holidays can still be enchanting—and delicious. The trick to staying out of the red (and still feeling festive) is to shave dollars while traveling, menu-planning, and hosting.
When I entertain, I make drinks that can do double duty as delicious offerings and gorgeous centerpieces. Whether placed on my bar or in the center of the dinner table, this seasonal cranberry sangria is perfect for your next holiday gathering. | {
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Clean Edge report projects growth in global biofuel industry
Clean Edge Inc., a clean-tech research and advisory firm, has released a report finding that although 2012 was a difficult year for the clean energy industry, the fundamental global market drivers for clean technology remain largely intact moving into 2013. The report, titled “Clean Energy Trends 2013,” notes that while there was a renewed focus on scalable projects, resulting in record annual deployment in the biofuel, solar and wind sectors, combined global revenue for those industries expanded by only 1 percent last year. | {
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THIS WEEK'S MUTUAL FUND STORIES
In the 2000-2002 bear market, two groups of mutual funds not only didn't lose as much as their peers, but often delivered positive results. And many of these stock funds also have done reasonably well as markets have recovered.
Their secret? The ability to sell "short" -- that is, to make money when stock prices fall. This sophisticated investment strategy is common for hedge funds, but relatively new for mutual funds. Most retail funds are "long" only, meaning that they profit only when stocks are rising. That's where so-called long-short funds and cousin market-neutral funds come in, combining the two approaches with a goal of posting market-topping returns with below-market risk.
With bear market memories still painfully fresh, many investors are embracing these specialized offerings. But short-selling is a market-timing tactic that's difficult to pull off. This week's lead story, "The Long and Short of It," looks closely at long-short funds and market-neutral funds, and offers advice about using them in your portfolio.
In other stories, check out some new exchange-traded stock funds with their own unique style, read about funds that tie management fees to investment results, and see which fund companies have a big stake in the proposed merger of two telecommunications giants.
Plus, Paul Farrell tells investors to trade that tired fund for a do-it-yourself version, and Chuck Jaffe boils down boilerplate fund information you should know, on this week's Mutual Funds page.
Having the flexibility to make money in both good markets and bad ones is tempting, particularly now that the option is more affordable. Just be careful not to lose your shorts.
Jonathan Burton, investments editor
The long and short of it
Mutual funds that use sophisticated strategies to control stock-market risk are coming out from behind their hedges. See Mutual Understanding
Hedge-style funds take the spotlight
Mutual funds designed to make money whether stocks are rising or falling are gaining attention from retail investors and financial advisers, and two leading fund-rating firms are simplifying their search. See FundWatch.
Is the Big Board for your portfolio?
The merger of the New York Stock Exchange and electronic marketplace Archipelago Holdings is a milestone for stock trading, but individual investors might not want to rush a "buy" order for shares. See full story.
NYSE stock poses hurdle for funds
Owning 5% or more of NYSE Group Inc. shares could spell trouble for firms that sell mutual funds because it potentially could prevent their funds from executing trades via the Big Board without Securities and Exchange Commission approval, an advocate for fund shareholders says. See full story.
Silver is golden
Silver prices have broken through $10 an ounce to reach 22-year highs on speculation that a silver exchange-traded fund in registration from Barclays Global Investors may soon begin trading. See ETF Focus.
ETFs focus on growth and value
Financial advisers and individual investors are increasingly using specialized exchange-traded funds to enhance stock portfolios, and several offerings slated to debut this week could fuel the trend. See ETF Investing.
Funds shun performance fees
Earlier this year, Janus Capital Group Inc. introduced performance-based fees on some of its mutual funds as a way to better align the interests of fund shareholders and portfolio managers. But Janus is just one of a handful of fund companies to implement such a clear-cut reward system, despite their investor-friendly appeal. See FundWatch.
Bells ring up gains for funds
The combination of telecommunications giants AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corp. may take months to finalize, but the deal will give an immediate boost to shareholders of some of the biggest diversified U.S. mutual funds and specialized telecommunications and utilities funds. See full story.
Telecom ETFs connect with Ma Bell
Shares of exchange-traded funds focused on the U.S. telecommunications sector got a lift from AT&T Inc.'s planned acquisition of BellSouth Corp., even though the two stocks moved in opposite directions. See full story.
Riding the market's big waves
Tobin Smith of Change Wave Research says the time to sell hot stocks is when all the good news is priced in for expectations down the road. See Personal MarketWatch.
Don't hedge; start a fund
Hedge funds aren't for beginners. You got to pay your dues, earn your stripes, get a track record. Most hedge managers get experience as mutual fund managers first. So here's how to set up your own mutual fund; how you can get the credentials to become a hedge fund manager. See Paul B. Farrell.
How to read a fund
Fund investors have questions, lots of them. Here are three particularly good ones I've received recently, the kind that probably speak for a wide range of investors. Enjoy. See Chuck Jaffe.
Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements. | {
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WATCH: Weezer Drummer Makes Awesome Mid-Song Frisbee Catch
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Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson showed his multitasking skills during a performance on Friday night in St. Augustine, Florida.
Midway through their 2005 hit "Beverly Hills," a floating Frisbee (thrown by a fan we presume) crossed the stage.
Wilson casually reaches up, fields the Frisbee and places it in his mouth before eventually discarding it next to his kit - all without missing a beat
Needless to say, the crowd went wild.
One excited fan posted a video of the incident on Instagram and Twtter to which Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo gave a shout out to, tweeting that this is "one more reason Patrick Wilson is my favorite drummer in the world :)" | {
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Doctor Who is off to a bold new start to kick off Jodie Whittaker’s era as the Thirteenth Doctor
“All of this is new to you, and new can be scary,” remarks Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor early in her debut episode, “The Woman Who Fell To Earth,” which kicks off the eleventh (or 37th, depending on how you count) season of the long-running sci-fi show.
And she’s right: change can be scary. But in the case of the Thirteenth, it’s mostly just a whole lot of fun, with Whittaker kicking off her tenure as the time-traveling, face-changing alien hero with flair and grace. | {
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What happens when record-setting rains coincide with your outdoor event?
This past weekend KC Plaza Rotary Club was one of several local organizations to grapple with this challenge. So, how did they handle it?
KC Games for Good is the club’s major event of the year and the primary fundraiser to support beneficiary organizations. Leading up to this year’s event, the volunteer organizers felt they had finally reached a tipping point with new ceilings set in virtually every category:
· more non-profit organizations than ever were committed to exhibit
· more teams than ever were committed to compete
· more financial support than ever had already been committed
Games for Good is an outdoor event, held the first Saturday of October on the south lawn of the National WWI Museum & Memorial. Each of the four years prior saw the beautiful fall weather Kansas City is known for.
Over the past few weeks, as organizers watched weather forecasts, it was apparent 2018 might be an exception…
Planning Ahead
About 10 days prior, the chair polled committee members to see how they wanted to proceed. There was ready consensus: rescheduling is not an option (due to weather, holidays, other commitments, etc.) so this would be a “Go/No Go” decision.
While no-one wanted to cancel everyone agreed we should be ready should that need to be done.
The committee is organized by functional areas of responsibility:
· competitions (recruit teams, organize and set up games, etc.)
· exhibitors (recruit non-profits to exhibit and provide support)
· sponsorship (solicit donations)
· logistics (site plan, infrastructure, etc.)
· volunteers (primarily club members)
· marketing/communications.
The first step was to ask the coordinator of each area to begin building a list of everyone who would need to be reached if plans did need to change.
On Wednesday the week prior, an initial message went out to each of these individuals from their primary contact on the committee, alerting them to potential weather difficulty and promising to keep them informed. On Friday morning, when the decision was made to cancel, the communication plan was again put into play.
Working with Attendees, Vendors & Exhibitors
Teams were offered the chance to receive a full refund of their registration fee or carry it forward to next year’s event. More than half responded immediately and 90% of those wanted to carry the registration forward.
Sponsors were offered those two options as well as the chance to donate funds already contributed to help cover expenses incurred and provide some distribution to primary beneficiaries. Almost immediately nearly 40% of funds were donated and about as much more has been rolled forward to next year’s event.
Because of the initial notice, when many vendor orders were cancelled (latrines, dumpsters, tents, inflatables, etc.), the organizations were able to do so with no charge.
Companies that couldn’t do that have offered to apply some or all of the cancellation charge to the 2019 event.
Primary outreach for the event was through the event Facebook page along with promotional support from KC Parent. As soon as the decision was made, posts went up to notify followers. In addition, a cancellation banner was added to the event web site.
Participants at every level appreciated the situation, and really appreciated the efforts to keep them involved and informed. Organizers are hoping this is the first step to making 2019 the most successful Games for Good yet.
Bob Merrigan, Founder of M&C, serves on the volunteer leadership committee for KC Games for Good and is an active member of the KC Plaza Rotary Club.
Day or night, my cell phone is usually by my side. Though, it’s rarely used as a phone. Rather than track down a tablet or laptop, I rely on my phone for quick help with the name of a movie I saw 20 years ago, get an updated weather forecast, learn what to do about my dead lawn, and check out M&C’s Strutt With Your Mutt team page.
Okay Google, how
do I make a donation?
With phone in hand, it’s easy to skip the typing and just talk. After all, Google Assistant is on stand by ready to help. Say “Okay Google” and ask a question. Or, ask Alexa, Siri or Cortana (Microsoft’s assistant). They’re all listening. ComScore, an analytics company, predicts in 2020, 50% of all searches will be voice searches.
When a prospective donor is asking for your nonprofit or inquiring about a good cause, you want to be mentioned.
5 Optimization Tips
There are numerous strategies for optimizing your nonprofit’s website and content for voice search. Don’t feel bad if you find it overwhelming. It is. And, it can be time consuming. However, we have 5 tips to help streamline the process and get you started:
1. Create content that talks back, recommends Betsy Rohtbart of Vonage in a recent Forbes article. A typical text search is 2-3 words. Voice search is conversational. Read your content out loud. Is it stiff and formal? Adding abbreviations and contractions will help.
2. FAQ pages cater to voice search optimization, according to Performics. A good starting point is to create a Q&A page written in a casual style featuring commonly asked questions by prospective donors. Include who, what, where, when, and how in constructing your questions.
4. Infographics should compliment content not replace it. Bots crawling your site aren’t able to read the content on images. It’s important to give the image a descriptive file name and include keywords in alt tags. Otherwise, your creative visual messages will be missed with both voice and text searches. Search Engine Journal has additional tips for images and SEO.
5. Mobile-friendly design has an advantage with Google’s algorithm. Use a responsive design that automatically resizes images/videos and stacks content. Also, develop a writing style that includes headlines, a quick opening sentence or two, brief paragraphs, bullet points, and call to action.
When you are ready to talk structured data and how it plays into optimizing voice search SEO, give us a call. We’ll help.
Susan Mertz is a Content Specialist at M&C. She specializes in website development, search engine optimization and enhancing user experience.
A couple of weeks back, Monica and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Bridge to Integrated Marketing Conference. The theme for 2018 was the “Art and Science of Fundraising & Marketing.”
One of our favorite events of the year, The Bridge Conference unites the fundraising and marketing communities. Lots of cross-pollination, innovative idea sharing and catching up with friends, clients & colleagues at the Gaylord in Washington, D.C. If you haven’t been to the Gaylord, it’s one of the largest hotels in the nation … I think it has its own zip code and maybe its own ecosystem. But I digress …
Team M&C hit some great sessions. Among the highlights:
At the opening session, Shankar Vedantam, host of the NPR’s Hidden Brain, delved into what really motivates giving. My takeaway: the human brain can’t handle challenges that seem insurmountable, so talking about the actual scope of a problem may be counterproductive. The feeling of being able to make a real and immediate difference is a necessity for donors.
Event-based fundraising has evolved way past the annual gala. In a fascinating case study, the founder of Tap Cancer Out described how he left his “day job” to create a nonprofit funded from tournaments held for Jiu-Jitsu competitors and community. Big learning: creating incentives to motivate increased peer-to-peer fundraising. Tap Cancer Out had a very sophisticated strategy with swag to inspire higher and higher levels of fundraising by event participants.
Too much choice in digital is counter-productive. In one session, we saw case studies with cold, hard statistically significant data proving that donors expect nonprofits to act as their “sherpa.” Too much choice—on donation forms especially—can cause them to abandon ship and take their contributions with them. Simplicity and elegance win every time.
Our overall takeway from the conference is that donors continue to be more discerning across the board. The bar is going up. Appeals focusing solely on emotion won’t cut it anymore. Donors want outcomes/proof that their money is doing good work. This is a drum we’ve been beating for quite a well … and the drum is getting louder. | {
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Through the efforts of the GUDMAP consortium, substantial progress has been made in establishing a molecular
anatomy atlas of the developing murine kidney. This has provided a
significant resource in support of research in kidney development, repair and
regeneration. However, there remain significant gaps within the atlas in the
areas of the developing lower urinary tract (ureter, bladder, urethra,
sphincter, and prostate) and the developing vascular and nervous system
associated with the organs of the urinary tract.
To address these deficiencies, the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) invites applications for
Cooperative Agreement Research Projects (U01) that focus on defining the
molecular anatomy of the developing murine lower urinary tract, or the
innervation and vasculature of the lower urinary tract organs. These
applications will be considered as part of a continuing GUDMAP effort.
Key Dates
Posted Date
January
27, 2011
Letter of Intent Due Date
March 10, 2011
Application Due Date(s)
April 7, 2011
AIDS Application Due Date(s)
Not Applicable
Scientific Merit Review
June/July, 2011
Advisory Council Review
October, 2011
Earliest Start Date(s)
December, 2011
Expiration Date
April 8, 2011
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Required Application Instructions
It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in
the PHS398
Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or
in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance
to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is
required and strictly enforced. While some links are provided, applicants must
read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well
as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific
instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the
program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with
these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
The genitourinary (GU) tract encompasses organ systems and
structures commonly involved in congenital birth defects, and emerging data
suggest that the prevalence of some of these birth defects (e.g., hypospadias
and cryptorchidism) is increasing. Understanding the developmental basis for
these defects is only the first step in developing successful therapeutic
strategies to reduce or eliminate the defects.
There are important clinical implications to research on
early development. Abnormalities in embryonic development that result in birth
defects are likely to involve the disruption of many cellular signaling
cascades that would usually direct normal embryonic development. Many of the
same signaling networks become dysfunctional later in life and result in adult
disease. Furthermore, embryonic developmental factors are emerging as important
participants in adult regenerative and repair processes. Thus, a comprehensive
understanding of how organs develop in the embryo is necessary to effectively
interrogate maladaptive processes and understand regeneration. Successful development
of cell therapies to replace or repair damaged tissue will require knowledge of
the catalog of cell types for each organ; the genes that mark these cells, as
well as those that are required for their function; the regulatory factors that
induce or maintain the various cell types; and the developmental and anatomic
relationships of each cell type to its neighbor.
As a result, the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) sponsored the
GenitoUrinary (GU) Development Molecular Anatomy Project (GUDMAP) in 2002 to
(1) develop a low resolution gene expression atlas of all genes expressed
within the developing murine GU tract, (2) perform high resolution anatomic
gene expression studies using available or newly generated molecular tools, and
(3) produce an integrated, continuously updated database that provides the
entire research community with access to the data as it is generated.
Through the efforts of the GUDMAP consortium, substantial advances have been made in establishing a molecular
anatomy atlas of the developing murine kidney. Molecular markers have now been identified
for physiologically or anatomically defined cell types within the kidney and
for developmental established functional domains and helping to reveal the
genesis of kidney structure at the molecular and cellular level. This
fundamental description of the kidney provides a significant resource to
support research in kidney repair and regeneration, including stem cell
research, because the design of novel therapies relies on knowledge of the cell
types within an organ to determine whether putative therapies are effective at
regenerating them or restoring their functionality.
There are, however, considerable gaps within the atlas for
the other organs of the urinary tract, as well as for the vasculature and innervation
associated with urinary tract, including the kidney. There is a paucity of
cell-specific markers for key lineages, an incomplete understanding of the
normal innervation and vasculature of the major organs of the urinary tract,
and an absence of knowledge regarding the three dimensional cellular structure
of the major organs of the lower urinary tract (ureter, bladder, urethra,
sphincters, and prostate) and the morphogenetic events that occur during
organogenesis.
GUDMAP
Atlas Projects and the Ontology Team
This FOA invites applications for Atlas Projects and for the
Ontology Team that will work together as a consortium with the GUDMAP
Website/Database Center (RFA-DK-10-005).
The GUDMAP Website/Database Center will oversee the continued production of an
integrated, continuously updated database, and the incorporation of data
generated by the continuing GUDMAP Atlas Projects. The Ontology Team will
ensure that these data are accurately annotated and easily accessible to the entire
research community. Applicants should propose either an Atlas project or an
Ontology Team project in their application and indicate clearly which activity
is being proposed. Because these are distinct research activities,
investigators interested in both project types should submit two separate
applications. Combined applications for an Atlas Project and Ontology Team
will not be accepted.
GUDMAP
Atlas projects
GUDMAP Atlas projects will focus on defining the molecular
anatomy of the developing murine lower urinary tract. Projects studying the innervation
and vasculature of the major organs of the lower urinary tract may include the
kidney, however, projects that focus solely on the kidney will be considered unresponsive.
The goals of each of the applications for GUDMAP Atlas Projects are expected to
vary, depending upon the objectives they are designed to address; however,
projects must be focused on the organs of the lower urinary tract (e.g., ureter,
bladder, urethra, sphincters, prostate). Studies of the vasculature or
innervation may also include the kidney but cannot be solely focused on the
kidney. Examples of the types of projects that may be supported include, but
are not limited to:
Large scale spatial analyses of gene/protein expression utilizing
whole-mount in situ hybridization, or other in
situ approaches, or using libraries of antibodies. It is expected
that this type of approach will provide near-genome-wide analyses of gene
expression in the relevant organs and associated nervous or vascular systems at
a single time during development, expanding to a second time point if possible.
Low resolution analyses of gene expression through developmental
time, using high throughput strategies, but focusing on a restricted set of
genes. This approach may be suited to study the expression of a given class of
gene products, e.g., transmembrane proteins. This type of approach may be
especially suited for the urologic organs, for which studies examining gene
expression at multiple developmental stages are particularly lacking.
High resolution, three dimensional analyses of a set of genes or
gene products using, for example, tagged gene constructs, antibodies, or
section in situ hybridization. Various types of imaging may be useful, including confocal
microscopy, optical tomography, micro-MRI, or light microscopy. The goal is to
produce three dimensional representations of gene expression patterns and
relate them to functional, anatomical, or molecular hallmarks.
Analysis of gene expression programs in critical cell types using
state of the art technology (i.e., NexGen RNA sequencing, TRAP, etc) to
establish a set of novel cell type specific molecular markers. Labeled
cells/tissues may be generated via knock-ins, transgenic, or other methods.
It is expected that novel tools may need to be developed to
allow these studies to be conducted. This FOA will support GUDMAP Atlas projects for
the development of these tools, with the understanding that they will be
rapidly shared, prior to publication, with the general research community.
Ontology Team
It is expected that the successful application for
the Ontology Team will lead the development and monitoring of the ontology to
ensure the global integrity of all components of the urogenital tract, and to
ensure the utility of the GUDMAP website for all researchers working across all
urogenital tract organs. The Ontology Team will also facilitate and help
coordinate efforts with the GUDMAP Website/Database Center and GUDMAP Atlas
Projects to (a) improve the quality of the existing data within the GUDMAP
database and thereby enhance the utility of the GUDMAP website for the research
community, (b) extend the data content of the GUDMAP database by way of the
presentation of bioinformatics results from existing analyses, and (c) improve
the accessibility and utility of the GUDMAP website to end users.
It is expected that these studies will be very effective at
generating new hypotheses. For example, discovery of sequential activation of
gene expression in identical patterns might suggest a regulatory relationship
between the first and subsequent genes. Hypothesis generation is a goal of this
FOA. However, experiments to test these hypotheses are more suitable for investigator-initiated
R01 applications and are beyond the scope of this FOA. Such applications will
be considered non-responsive. Likewise, projects designed to test hypotheses
based on previously generated data are also unsuitable for this solicitation.
GUDMAP
Structure and Organization
The GUDMAP Atlas Projects and the Ontology Team will work
together with the GUDMAP Website/Database Center as a consortium. The GUDMAP
consortium is designed to serve as a resource to the research community, so all
of these components must be well integrated, coordinated, and materials freely
shared beyond the consortium members. All applicants for this FOA are expected
to indicate their willingness to participate as active members of the GUDMAP consortium
(see Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award) and to work together
to establish database vocabularies, annotation criteria, and to provide
feedback regarding the utility of the GUDMAP database and the ease of use of
the GUDMAP website. Applicants are also expected to indicate their willingness
to distribute research tools to the wider community, including probe sets,
antibody libraries, transgenic or knock-in mouse strains, cell lines, and other
reagents, and to describe their willingness to submit data generated through
this project to the GUDMAP database prior to publications. It is expected that
data will be released to the database as soon as they are validated (see Special
Instructions for Appendix under Research Plan).
During the course of the funding period, technologies will
improve, and the rate of progress and focus of work supported by the
cooperative agreement might change. It is expected that the Principal
Investigator(s), in consultation with NIH program staff, the Steering
Committee, and the External Advisory Board will make any necessary adjustments
to accommodate the changing research environment, in order to remain focused on
overall consortium goals; to maintain excellent coordination with the other
projects; and to incorporate new technological advances.
Section
II. Award Information
Funding Instrument
Cooperative Agreement: A support mechanism used when there
will be substantial Federal scientific or programmatic involvement.
Substantial involvement means that, after award, scientific or program staff
will assist, guide, coordinate, or participate in project activities.
Application Types Allowed
New
Renewal
The OER
Glossary and the PHS398 Application Guide provide details on these application
types.
Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards
The NIDDK intends to commit $1,000,000 in total cost to
support 2-3 atlas project awards and one ontology team award in FY2011.
Future year amounts will depend on annual appropriations.
Award Budget
Application budgets are not limited, but need to reflect
actual needs of the proposed project. The direct costs are expected to be in
the range of $100,000-$200,000 per year for a five-year period.
Award Project Period
Scope of the proposed project should determine the project
period. The maximum period is 5 years..
NIH grants policies as
described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement will apply to the
applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible Organizations
Higher Education Institutions:
Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
Private Institutions of Higher Education
The following types of Higher Education Institutions
are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private
Institutions of Higher Education:
Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations
as described in the PHS398 Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or
receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following
registrations.
All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) must
also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons
or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons
account of the applicant organization.
All registrations must be completed by the application due
date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration
process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application due date.
Eligible Individuals (Project Director/Principal Investigator)
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources
necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Project Director/Principal
Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an
application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic
groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply
for NIH support.
Applicant organizations may submit more than one application,
provided that each application is scientifically distinct.
NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA
that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review
unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any
application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.
Section
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package
Applicants are required to prepare applications according to
the current PHS 398 application forms in accordance with the PHS 398
Application Guide.
2. Content and
Form of Application Submission
It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in
the PHS398
Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity
announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the
Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out
of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
Letter of Intent
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding,
and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information
that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and
plan the review.
By the date listed in Part 1. Overview
Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent
that includes the following information:
Descriptive title of proposed research
Name, address, and telephone number of the PD(s)/PI(s)
Names of other key personnel
Participating institutions
Number and title of this funding opportunity
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research
grant application forms and instructions for preparing a research grant
application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application,
including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:
All page limitations
described in the PHS398 Application Guide and the Table of
Page Limits must be followed.
Research Plan
All instructions in the PHS398 Application Guide must be
followed, with the following additional instructions:
Investigators who have generated GUDMAP data as part
of a subcontract may submit within the Progress Report within the Research
Strategy section. Please use the instructions provided for Progress Report for
Renewal/Revision Applications. Provide the beginning and ending dates for the
period covered. Summarize the specific aims of the previous project period and
the importance of the findings, and emphasize the progress made toward their
achievement.
Resource Sharing Plan
Individuals are required to comply with the
instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model
Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) as provided in the PHS398
Application Guide, with the following modifications:
All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs
requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan.
Applicants are expected to include in the appendix a plan
addressing if, or how, they will exercise their intellectual property rights
while making available to the broader scientific community patentable research
resources, consistent with achieving the goals of this program. These plans
must be consistent with the applicant’s institution’s policies for intellectual
property.
Appendix
Do not use the appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow
all instructions for the Appendix (please note all format requirements) as
described in the PHS398 Application Guide,
Foreign Organizations
Foreign (non-US) organizations must follow policies
described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement, and procedures for foreign organizations described
throughout the PHS398 Application Guide.
Applications must be received on or before the due dates in Part I. Overview Information. If an application is received after that date, it will not be
reviewed.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for
completeness by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.
Special requirements
Applicants must indicate their willingness to be part of a
GUDMAP consortium and be willing to participate in the Steering Committee for
this consortium, which will meet monthly through telephone conference calls,
semi-annually in person, and may meet additionally in subcommittees (see
Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award). GUDMAP consortium
participants are expected to discuss progress toward each project, quality
assurance, and activities involved in coordination of projects, data and
reagent sharing, and means of informing the research community of progress (see
Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award). The GUDMAP Atlas Project
participants are expected to work together and in coordination with the GUDMAP Ontology
Team and the GUDMAP Website/Database Center to establish database vocabularies
and annotation criteria and to provide feedback regarding ease of use and
database utility. This consortium is expected to serve as a resource to the
community, so the consortium members must maintain resource generation as the
primary objective for their participation in this consortium. Applicants must
indicate their willingness to distribute research tools to the wider community,
including probe sets, antibody libraries, transgenic or knock-in mouse strains,
cell lines, and other reagents, and describe their willingness to submit data
generated through this project to the GUDMAP database prior to publication. It
is expected that data will be released to the database as soon as they are
validated.
Post Submission Materials
Applicants are required to follow the instructions for
post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.
Section
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be considered
in the review process. As part of the NIH mission,
all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral
research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer
review system.
In addition to standard review criteria, all applications will be judged on the
documented ability of the investigators to meet the RESEARCH OBJECTIVES of the
FOA.
It is expected that the proposed studies will be very
effective at generating hypotheses. Hypothesis generation is a goal of the
initiative, not hypothesis testing.
Overall Impact
Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to
reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the atlas project or ontology team project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research
field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and
additional review criteria (as applicable for the project or team proposed).
Scored Review Criteria
Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in
the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An
application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to
have major scientific impact. For example, an atlas project or ontology team project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to
advance a field.
Significance
Does the project address an important problem or a
critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical
practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the
concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative
interventions that drive this field?
For Atlas Project applications, do the genes chosen
for high resolution analysis mark distinct cell populations? Can the
expression of these genes be correlated to anatomic landmarks? Are the gene
sets chosen for high throughput studies well justified? Will the tools to be
generated be useful for the community?
For Ontology Team Project applications, does the application
describe significant leadership activities and strategies that will ensure
global integrity of the GUDMAP projects? Does the application propose valuable
modifications and improvements to the GUDMAP website/database in order to
improve accessibility and utility?
Investigator(s)
Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers
well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators,
or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate
experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing
record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is
collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and
integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and
organizational structure appropriate for the project?
For Atlas Project applications, do the PD/PIs and
other key personnel have a demonstrated track record of accomplishments
indicating that they are capable of carrying out the proposed work?
For Ontology Team Project applications, do the PD/PIs
have prior experience in the development and modification of ontology for
components of the urogenital tract?
Innovation
Does the application challenge and seek to shift
current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical
concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are
the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions
novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement,
improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or
methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?
Approach
Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses
well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented?
If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy
establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?
If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of
human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members
of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms
of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
Environment
Will the scientific environment in which the work
will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional
support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators
adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique
features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative
arrangements?
Additional Review Criteria
As applicable for the project or team proposed, reviewers
will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and
technical merit, and in providing an overall impact/priority score, but will
not give separate scores for these items.
Interactions:
Are there adequate plans for effective interaction
and coordination among Consortium components and the NIH? Do the investigators
state their willingness to collaborate extensively and share information fully?
Do the investigators state their willingness to abide by the priorities and
policies agreed upon by the Steering Committee? Have the applicants proposed
sound strategies for communication within the GUDMAP consortium and with the
NIH?
Protections for Human Subjects
For research that involves human subjects but does
not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR
Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human
subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their
participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to
subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the
subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data
and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or
more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46,
the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human
subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For
additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to
the Human
Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children
When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of
minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children. For
additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Human
Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.
Vertebrate Animals
The committee will evaluate the involvement of live
vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the
following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains,
ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and
for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of
veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and
injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound
research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs
and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason
for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For
additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please
refer to the Worksheet
for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.
Biohazards
Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures
proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the
environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
Resubmissions
Not Applicable
Renewals
For Renewals, the committee will consider the
progress made in the last funding period.
Revisions
Not Applicable
Additional Review Considerations
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will
consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items,
and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.
Applications from Foreign Organizations
Reviewers will assess whether the project presents
special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual
talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other
countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment
existing U.S. resources.
Select Agent Research
Reviewers will assess the information provided in
this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in
the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select
Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor
possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate
biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the
requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to
the proposed research.
2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical
merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by NIDDK (assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons), in accordance with NIH peer
review policy and procedures, using the stated review
criteria.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:
May undergo a selection process in which only those applications
deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top
half of applications under review), will be discussed and assigned an overall
impact/priority score.
Will receive a written critique.
Applications will compete for available funds with all other
recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA . Following initial
peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by
the National Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Advisory Council
(NDDKAC).. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as
determined by scientific peer review.
Availability of funds.
Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.
Compliance with resource sharing policies and the evidence for
willingness to work cooperatively
Degree of originality and innovation;
Creativity of the approaches and technologies; and
Likelihood for substantial contribution by the applicants to a
successful collaborative effort
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
After the peer review of the application is completed, the
PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique)
via the eRA
Commons.
If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH
will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as
described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided
to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by
the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via
email to the grantee business official.
Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection
of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any
costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These
costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.
The following special terms of award are in addition to, and
not in lieu of, otherwise applicable U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
administrative guidelines, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
grant administration regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 (Part 92 is
applicable when State and local Governments are eligible to apply), and other
HHS, PHS, and NIH grant administration policies.
The administrative and funding instrument used for this program will be the
cooperative agreement, an "assistance" mechanism (rather than an
"acquisition" mechanism), in which substantial NIH programmatic
involvement with the awardees is anticipated during the performance of the
activities. Under the cooperative agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and
stimulate the recipients' activities by involvement in and otherwise working
jointly with the award recipients in a partnership role; it is not to assume direction,
prime responsibility, or a dominant role in the activities. Consistent with
this concept, the dominant role and prime responsibility resides with the
awardees for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may
be shared among the awardees and the NIH as defined below.
The PD(s)/PI(s) will have the primary responsibility for:
Defining the objectives and approaches, planning, conduct,
analysis, and publication of results, interpretations, and conclusions of
studies conducted under the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement
award.
Accountability towards the applicant organization officials and
to the NIDDK for the performance and proper conduct of the research supported
by the project in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award.
Serving as a voting member of the Steering Committee and will
attend the Planning Meeting and a Steering Committee meeting in the first year,
two Steering Committee meetings a year in subsequent years and monthly
teleconference calls.
Accepting and implementing the goals, priorities, procedures,
protocols, and policies agreed upon by the Steering Committee and
subcommittees, and be responsible for close coordination and cooperation with
the components of the GUDMAP consortium and with NIH staff.
Adhering to PHS policy for the distribution of unique research
resources produced with PHS funding as described under Special Requirements.
The NIH Project Scientist, on behalf of the NIH, will have the same access,
privileges and responsibilities regarding the collaborative data as the other
members of the Steering Committee.
Establishing written milestones for the project, in negotiation
with NIDDK Project Staff within the first three months of the award period.
The PI is expected to put all study design materials and
procedure manuals into the public domain and/or make them available to other
investigators, according to the approved plan for making data and materials
available to the scientific community and the NIDDK, for the conduct of
research at no charge other than the costs of reproduction and distribution,
consistent with achieving the goals of this program initiative.
Add any additional bulleted information. Awardees will retain
custody of and have primary rights to the data and software developed under
these awards, subject to Government rights of access consistent with current DHHS,
PHS, and NIH policies.
NIH staff have substantial programmatic involvement that
is above and beyond the normal stewardship role in awards, as described below:
An NIH Project Scientist will have substantial programmatic
involvement that is above and beyond the normal stewardship role in awards, as
described below. However, the dominant role and prime responsibility for the
project as a whole resides with the awardees, although specific tasks and
activities in carrying out the studies will be shared by awardees and the
NIDDK.
NIDDK will designate a Project Officer and a Grants Management
Specialist to provide normal program stewardship and administrative oversight
of the cooperative agreement.
NIDDK will form an External Advisory Committee (EAC), comprised
of the NIDDK Project Scientist and other NIH extramural staff with relevant
scientific expertise or who manage research grant programs that relate
scientifically to the goals of the GUDMAP projects, and outside advisors
selected by the NIDDK. The EAC will meet annually with the GUDMAP Steering
Committee to review and assess the GUDMAP and to advise NIDDK Project Staff of
scientific developments and opportunities that may enhance the achievement of
the GUDMAP goals.
The NIDDK Project Scientist will attend and participate as a
voting member in all meetings of the Steering Committee, and provide liaison
between the Steering Committee and the External Advisory Committee.
The NIDDK Project Scientist will help the Steering Committee
develop and draft operating policies.
The NIDDK Project Officer will review the scientific progress of
the GUDMAP database/website, access for compliance with operating policies
developed by the Steering Committee, and may recommend to the NIDDK to withhold
support, suspend, or terminate an award for lack of scientific progress or
failure to adhere to policies established by the Steering Committee.
An agency program official or IC program director will be
responsible for the normal scientific and programmatic stewardship of the award
and will be named in the award notice. The assigned Program Officer may also
serve as an NIH Project Scientist.
Areas of Joint Responsibility include:
Steering Committee - The NIH Project Scientist, PIs from the
project funded through this FOA and RFA-DK-10-005,
and voluntary representatives from the previously funded GUDMAP atlas projects
funded under PAR-04-042 will be responsible for forming a Steering Committee as defined below. An
arbitration system, as detailed below, will be available to resolve
disagreements among members of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee
will be the main governing board of the GUDMAP consortium. It will develop
collaborative protocols, identify technological impediments to success and
strategies to overcome them, develop shared software tools for disseminating
information about the projects, and identify opportunities for sharing
techniques and tools that might be developed in future GUDMAP atlas projects.
The Steering Committee will be composed of the PIs from the
project funded through this FOA and RFA-DK-10-005,
representatives from the previously funded GUDMAP projects, and the NIDDK
Project Scientist. The representatives and the PIs will each have one vote. The
NIDDK Project Scientist for this project will have one vote. The Steering Committee
will select a chairperson who will be someone other than an NIH staff member.
The Steering Committee may, as it deems necessary, invite
additional, non-voting scientific advisors to meetings at which research
priorities and opportunities are discussed. The NIH reserves the right to
augment the scientific or consumer expertise of the Steering Committee when
necessary.
There will be two Steering Committee meetings annually, both in
the Washington, DC area. The first meeting will be a Planning Meeting on October 13-14, 2011.
At the Planning Meeting, the Steering Committee will be formed and a
chairperson selected from among the members. At the Planning Meeting, the
Steering Committee may: (a) draft a charter to detail policies and procedures,
a process for monitoring compliance with the policies and procedures, and a
process for recommending that the NIH Project Administrators act on evidence of
non-compliance of any Consortium component with Steering Committee policies;
(b) agree upon the terms of the charter; and (c) devise a plan for working with
the GUDMAP database developers to provide ongoing input into database and
website design.
At the second and subsequent meetings, the Steering Committee
will refine the GUDMAP scientific objectives and implementation as necessary,
consistent with data produced by former and possible future GUDMAP atlas
projects and from other laboratories.
The Steering Committee will plan workshops, to which non-GUDMAP
participants will also be invited, to inform the research community of the
progress made toward development of the atlas, and to inform the research
community of any technological advances related to the implementation of the
GUDMAP website/database. The NIDDK Project Scientist, the External Advisory
Committee, and other NIH staff as appropriate will provide the Steering
Committee with advice on participants for the workshops and symposia.
The Steering Committee may establish subcommittees as it deems
appropriate; the NIH Project Scientist on subcommittees as they deem
appropriate.
Each full member will have one vote. Awardee members of the
Steering Committee will be required to accept and implement policies approved
by the Steering Committee.
The EAC will meet annually with the GUDMAP Steering Committee to
review and assess the progress of the GUDMAP consortium and to advise NIDDK
Project Staff of scientific developments and opportunities that may enhance the
achievement of the GUDMAP goals.
Dispute Resolution:
Any disagreements that may arise in scientific or
programmatic matters (within the scope of the award) between award recipients
and the NIH may be brought to Dispute Resolution. A Dispute Resolution Panel
composed of three members will be convened. It will have three members: a
designee of the Steering Committee chosen without NIH staff voting, one NIH
designee, and a third designee with expertise in the relevant area who is
chosen by the other two; in the case of individual disagreement, the first
member may be chosen by the individual awardee. This special dispute resolution
procedure does not alter the awardee's right to appeal an adverse action that
is otherwise appealable in accordance with PHS regulation 42 CFR Part 50,
Subpart D and DHHS regulation 45 CFR Part 16.
A final progress report, invention
statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is
relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is
terminated.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of
2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants
to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation
under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of
applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to
the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants
Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.
Section VII. Agency Contacts
We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity
and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.
Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and
under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. | {
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Playlist: explore Jenny Hval's curated program for LGW19
Norwegian multidisciplinary artist Jenny Hval is one of the curators for Le Guess Who? 2019. Hval will host her very own program at the upcoming edition of the festival, inviting a.o. Japanese musician and sound artist Haco; Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based ambient artist Sarah Davachi; French sound sculptor Felicia Atkinson; Glaswegian polymath’s fearless creative spirit Richard Youngs, and Japanese producer Oorutaichi.
Also, Hval will present her own sonic, visual and choreographic ideas in a new performance called 'The Practice of Love', which is named after her new album that will be released 13 September, and includes guest performances by curated acts Vivian Wang and Felicia Atkinson.
Get to know the artists featured in Hval's program via the playlist below. You can stream it via Spotify, Deezer or Apple Music.
"With a delicate sheen of trance-lite pop — the kind of rainy-night nostalgia heard on late-night Top-40 radio in the mid-'90s — "Ashes to Ashes" looks back to early Robyn, Everything But the Girl and Sophie B. Hawkins' still oh-so-good "As I Lay Me Down" as sonic and spiritual guides." - NPR
Jenny Hval presents 'The Practice of Love' at Le Guess Who? 2019 on Saturday, 9 November. Find out more about her curation at the festival here. | {
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Now, the exploitation of most scientific and military developments is impossible without the analysis of data using space systems. A wide range of space factors influence spacecraft during space flight, one of them is cosmic radiation that affects the durability and performance of on-board radio electronic systems of spacecraft and can lead to a change in the operational properties of the materials of the spacecraft systems and radiation failures. In this final qualifying work, the implementation of the automated system of calculation and assessment of radiation firmness of electronic modules of onboard systems space devices. The final qualification work consists of eighty pages and besides the introduction, conclusion and list of literature contains three chapters: the theoretical part, the special part of the design and technological part.
The first chapter examines the external factors affecting outer space, the mechanisms of radiation exposure, provides an overview of the existing software for assessing radiation resistance. The second chapter is a description of the structure of the software and the automated methodology for ensuring radiation resistance, an overview of the chosen language and programming environment. Description of the structure and operation of the developed software that implements an automated method for calculating radiation resistance is described in the third chapter.
The conclusion contains all the key points of the software development, and the results are presented.
Student Theses at HSE must be completed in accordance with the University Rules and regulations specified by each educational programme.
Summaries of all theses must be published and made freely available on the HSE website.
The full text of a thesis can be published in open access on the HSE website only if the authoring student (copyright holder) agrees, or, if the thesis was written by a team of students, if all the co-authors (copyright holders) agree. After a thesis is published on the HSE website, it obtains the status of an online publication.
Student theses are objects of copyright and their use is subject to limitations in accordance with the Russian Federation’s law on intellectual property.
In the event that a thesis is quoted or otherwise used, reference to the author’s name and the source of quotation is required. | {
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View the step-by-step solution to:
A stunt driver wants to make his car jump over eight cars parked
A stunt driver wants to make his car jump over eight cars parked side by side below a horizontal ramp (see the figure(Figure 1) ). Part A With what minimum speed must he drive off the horizontal ramp? The vertical height of the ramp is 1.5 above the cars, and the horizontal distance he must clear is 20 . Part B If the ramp is now tilted upward, so that "takeoff angle" is 13 above the horizontal, what is the new minimum speed?
About this Question
Need a Physics tutor?
Why Join Course Hero?
Course Hero has all the homework and study help you need to succeed! We’ve got course-specific notes, study guides, and practice tests along with expert tutors and customizable flashcards—available anywhere, anytime. | {
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Little sister, after kissing me don’t run and hide, I need a bride, or I can lock you in a cell.
Recently granted a castle and land with promise of a title, Sir Morgan has been instructed by the King to take a bride. The king has recommended the daughters of Baron William. Sir Morgan arrives and begins courting the older sister Cat. At first although shy Cat seems receptive of his advances but when it comes to marriage she runs away and hides, leaving the younger sister as his only choice. Morgan has no time to court Liz so he rushed her into marriage. Then he worries that she will run away. His fears do not ease although he has taken her to his castle. Every time she is out of sight fear plagues him. Liz doesn’t fit in because Morgan won’t let her assume her role in her new home. She doesn’t understand Morgan’s and then he locks her in a dank dungeon cell.
To read excerpts, you need to have an account with us. Please log in first. | {
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Accession Number
Medium or Technique
Not On View
Collections
Classifications
Consists of ten cibachrome prints. Number 50 of an edition of 50 plus 10 artist’s proofs numbered from I to X. Printed by David Travis, Elmi Graphics, Hollywood, California. Title page: “Art is man’s nature; nature is Gods art.” (Philip James Bailey). | {
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International journal of clinical oncology [Epub ahead of print] doi:10.1007/s10147-014-0711-5
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is widely used to evaluate tumor metabolic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of FDG-PET in assessing the histopathological response to preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: Forty-five patients with resectable advanced OSCC who had received preoperative CRT followed by tumor ablative surgery between January 2004 and December 2011 were included in the study. All patients underwent FDG-PET before and after preoperative CRT. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) before (pre-SUV) and after preoperative CRT (post-SUV) and the SUVmax reduction rate (ΔSUV %) were used to evaluate the response to preoperative CRT. Correlations among SUVmax, histopathological response, and expression of cancer antigen Ki-67 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were analyzed. RESULTS: Preoperative CRT significantly reduced intratumoral FDG uptake (P < 0.001). The pre-SUV and post-SUV were significantly lower in patients with a pathological complete response (pCR) than in those with a non-pCR (pre-SUV P = 0.037; post-SUV P = 0.001). ΔSUV % was higher in patients with pCR than in those with non-pCR (P = 0.029). The pre-SUV was significantly correlated with Ki-67 and HIF-1α expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens (Ki-67 P = 0.046, R = 0.292; HIF-1α P = 0.007, R = 0.385). The expression of both Ki-67 and HIF-1α was significantly lower in patients with pCR than in those with non-pCR (Ki-67 P < 0.001; HIF-1α P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Low pre-SUV and post-SUV and high ΔSUV % may predict a good histopathological response to preoperative CRT. Ki-67 and HIF-1α expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens were predictors of histopathological response to preoperative CRT. | {
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Scott's phony outrage
Apparently it doesn't take much to shock Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott, who is attempting to turn himself into a hand-wringing, whining Wee Willie Winkie of the hustings. • It makes you wonder if Scott would get his debentures into a wad after being confronted by a testy Bichon Frise. • The Lurch of the stump was supposedly flabbergasted, bumfuddled and completely discombobulated the other night during his debate with Democrat Alex Sink when he noticed during a commercial break that the candidate had glanced at a cell phone text message handed to her by a makeup artist in violation of the agreed-upon rules.
Related News/Archive
Was this a boo-boo? Sure. Should Sink have looked at the message from a campaign aide essentially reminding her to be tougher in responding to the Luca Brasi of health care? Absolutely not. It was wrong, shouldn't have done it. Bad, bad Alex. You naughty girl, you.
And let's all throw in a clucking harrumph for good measure, too.
But among all the Sturm und Drang over Sink's momentary use of a cyber crib sheet, could just a pinch of perspective prevail? Good grief, it is not as if someone slipped Sink the nuclear codes. This wasn't a Wikileaks document dump. This wasn't a Cold War dead drop of secret CIA papers to be collected by Soviet spies.
This was simply a campaign aide urging Sink to stop acting like Aunt Bea and more aggressively attack Scott, the Pancho Villa of bedpans.
For breaching the debate rules, Sink dispatched the offending aide, insurance lobbyist Brian May, from the inner sanctum of her campaign. That means the poor man must now return to his original job making gobs of money schmoozing Tallahassee pols.
If we lived in the real world of adults, Sink's misstep would be simply dismissed as an unfortunate gaffe, which in the end had zero effect on the debate and will have even less impact by Election Day.
Alas, this is a political campaign for governor of Florida, which probably explains why Scott is trying to turn the cell phone kerfuffle into the stump's version of a war crime meets Watergate.
For all his feigned indignity, Scott does shock and appall with all the sincerity of my goldendoodle pretending she's contrite after she's been caught raiding the garbage.
After all, while Scott is acting as if Sink had given him a hot foot, short-sheeted his bed and stolen his lunch money, this is same guy who presided over a company that was indicted in the largest Medicare fraud scheme in United States history, which led to $1.7 billion in fines.
And while Scott blithely dismisses his association with a corrupt corporation with the alibi he should have hired more bean-counters, the candidate gets all lathered up over a momentary glitch.
Scott certainly has expressed zero shock when the company he ran was engaged in a massive rip-off of American taxpayers. Good grief, Scott can't even work up a pinch of chagrin.
Nor has Scott demonstrated even a little appall — just a tad, not too much, not too little — over the fact that he has taken the Fifth in legal depositions more often than Tony Soprano.
And yet, Scott is getting all huffy that Sink, at best, bent a cockamamie debate rule?
This is a bit like scruples-challenged Afghan President Hamid Karzai getting on his moral high horse because a Kabul traffic cop took a $50 bribe to fix a parking ticket.
If Scott is going to whimper about how shocked and appalled he is because Sink may have committed the political equivalent crime of removing a mattress tag, should he get elected to the Governor's Mansion next week imagine how he'll react to the legislative Sodom and Gomorrah that awaits him in the vomitory of Tallahassee?
In the end, whether Sink received some prohibited counsel from a campaign gofer hardly changed the quality of the discourse in the face-off between the two candidates. These so-called "debates" have pretty much been reduced to Sink raising her opponent's association with the Columbia/HCA Medicare fraud, while Scott has remained true to his talking points to accuse Sink of being more liberal than Jane Fonda, Barney Frank and the entire Cal Berkeley faculty.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates these exchanges are not. For that matter Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" shtick qualifies as higher civic discourse than for what passes for political dialogue these days.
Only a few days to go. But still enough time for Scott to become suitably shocked and appalled that Sink once maliciously double-parked. Oh the scandal of it all! | {
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The anonymous designer reportedly wants to help inform the world about Taiwan's situation
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – For many Taiwanese people who travel internationally, the cover of the country’s passport can sometimes be confusing for immigration and customs officials in other countries. It can also be disheartening for many Taiwanese citizens who do not consider themselves Chinese.
To help better explain the country’s situation to others using the cover of the Taiwanese passport, a local Taiwanese designer has created a rather cheeky passport cover.
The “Government in Exile” passport cover offers a very simple illustrated history lesson on Taiwan, in an effort to help explain why the passport carried by Taiwanese people includes the “Republic of China” designation.
The clear passport sleeve places the dates “1912-1949” above the name of the government listed on the Taiwanese passport, implying that the name "Republic of China" is an antiquated term.
The Facebook page Get Green (抓到了！這梗很綠) first unveiled the passport covers on the evening of Nov. 16. It was reportedly designed by a single person that wants to help the world better understand Taiwan’s situation.
The front side of the passport cover includes the statement “KMT Party killed lots of Taiwanese,” and the back of the passport sleeve displays the message:
“Taiwan is not yet a normal state.
Please support us on the way to the soveregin (sic) state,
the REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN.”
The designer has chosen to remain anonymous, but is selling the new passport covers through an online shop.(Image from GET GREEN Facebook) | {
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Tag Archives: pet toys
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Those tennis balls not working so well in the snow? If you’re looking for a good “go fetch” toy for your dog this winter, try the Zisc Flying Disc made by West Paw Design.
According to the manufacturer, these dog toys made from Zogoflex® material are tough and durable. But they aren’t rigid, so they are gentle on your dog’s teeth. The Zisc Flying Disc also floats, so it won’t sink right into the snow.
The Zisc® is eco-friendly, recyclable and made in the USA. It comes in two sizes and three colors, plus a new glow in the dark version. Just put Zisc Glow in a window or under a bright light for five minutes and you’re good to glow. About $11 for the small Zisc and $15 for the large size; the Zisc Glow runs a couple of dollars more. Buy them at WestPawDesign and many online retailers, including DogTuff.com, Chewy.com, OnlyNaturalPet and northwest pets.com
What cat doesn’t love playing with a bag – and these contain irresistible catnip. SuperCat Catnip Caves are basically paper bags infused with catnip. The Catnip Caves Cat Toyemploys the same technology as Scratch ‘N Sniff stickers to release catnip scent when rubbed, buffed, crumpled, or scratched. When your furball plays with this toy, each movement releases a nose-pleasing whiff.
Each Catnip Caves Cat Toy constantly releases enticing catnip scent for approximately six weeks for a long lasting catnip experience. Made in the USA, Supercat Catnip Cavesare sold in packages of 4.
PetravelR™ thinks these are great for traveling – they are lightweight and easy to pack. You might also try them as a treat or distraction when you travel but poor kitty gets left at home with a pet sitter.
PetravelR™ has found another cool summer toy for you and your dog. Set up the Outward Hound Doggy Drencherin the yard on a hot day and have some fun!
Perfect for splashing up some interactive outdoor fun. Simply hook up the Doggy Drencher rotating sprinkler to a conventional garden hose and see it spin and shoot out water. Great way to keep your dog, entertained, cool, and hydrated on hot summer days.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive toy to entertain your cat while traveling, PetravelR™ suggests a pack of Spot Brand Colorful Springs. Small enough to fit in your purse or backpack, they’re perfect for vacations, road trips, or even as a distraction on a visit to the vet.
These crazy and colorful plastic springs are not only economical, but lots of fun for your cat to play with. They bounce erratically to amuse your cat, and their vibrant colors add to the fun. Your cat will have fun chasing them around. Fun for solo or interactive play.
Spot Brand Colorful Springs are designed with no wires for safety. As with all toys, supervise your cat’s play time. Periodically inspect each toy for signs of excessive wear or damage and immediately remove any worn toys from your cat’s play environment.
When you think it’s too hot for to play fetch with your dog, consider one of these cool water-filled dog balls.
PetravelR™ found these two products online, and there are also Hydro Saucers available if that’s your dog’s preferred game.
The Hydro Ball is an innovative chew and fetch toy for your pet that combines fun with refreshment. It’s a durable rubber ball in cold water and with a foam core that you soak in cold water. The Hydro Ball gradually releases water through specially designed holes as your dog plays, helping to keep him hydrated. It can be frozen for even greater pleasure.
The Multi-Pet Squirt Ball will help quench your dog’s thirst on a hot summer day. Great filled with ice water, Squirt Ball, releases a hydrating burst with every bite! Just submerge the ball in a bowl of water, squeeze it flat and let it fill with with water. Once it’s full, just toss it to your dog for some refreshing fun.
These dog toys are available at a number of pet supply and general retailers, but prices vary significantly (from about $7 to $28, plus shipping!).
Wausau and Marathon County, Wisconsin are hosting a Dog Gone Pool Party for dogs and their people on Sunday, June 21, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. Okay, so it’s technically not a “pool party,” because it will be held at the Marathon Park Splash Pad and not at a pool.
But PetravelR™ thinks it still sounds like a great time, plus this off-leash dog romp helps raise funds for reduced-cost pool passes and swimming lessons for families who couldn’t otherwise afford them. The cost is only $5/person, and youths ages 13 and under get in free with a paid adult ticket. And there will be door prizes!
There is a limit of two dogs per adult. Dog owners must bring proof of current vaccinations. All dogs must have current rabies tags and a collar or harness. Dogs must be well socialized to people and other animals. Aggressive dogs will not be allowed to participate. Good Dogs are welcome to be off-leash!
Two more Dog Gone Pool Parties are scheduled at Marathon Park this summer on Monday August 3 and Sunday August 16. And if you think these events are a lot of fun, then be sure to come back next winter for the Dog Gone Snow Stomps!
Is your dog so well known that he needs to travel incognito, just to avoid the (ouch) puparazzi? Then PetravelR™ suggests the Humunga Stache.
The Humunga Stache is actually a giant mustache on one side and a black rubber chew ball on the other. Ridiculous? Of course! But for $15 you and your dog can afford to be a little silly. Comes in large, small, and mini – which we think is based on the size of your dog, not his stache preference.
When we travel, we often get out of our normal routine and may not get our regular exercise. The same is true for our pets. But now you can keep track of your pet’s daily activity level with the Whistle Activity Monitor, whether at home or on the road (with or without your pet, because you can monitor his/her activity long distance). PetravelR™ admits to loving cool gadgets, and this one is really neat – sort of a canine Fitbit!
The Whistle Activity Monitor and connected app keep you close to your best friend by helping you create healthy habits, track progress, and stay in touch when you have to be apart. With the Whistle Activity Monitor, you can -
Set a custom goal: Set a daily activity goal customized to your dog’s age, breed, and weight;
Track progress: Learn when your dog is most active and the type and quality of exercise they’re getting;
Stay connected: Whether you’re at work, on vacation, or out for the day, use Whistle to see what your dog is up to and who they’re with;
Compare to similar dogs: Compare your dog’s daily activity and rest with similar pups to see if they’re on the right track.
The Whistle app is a central communication hub for you and everyone who cares for your dog. Think of the Whistle Community as your local dog park in your pocket. You can post photos and notes on the Community Board, and share moments, tips, and advice with a network of fellow dog owners.
You can also use the device to track your dog’s medication and health -
Track medication: Never miss a dose by tracking when your dog takes a medication. Set reminders for ongoing treatments and vaccinations.
The device has wireless data syncing via bluetooth and wifi and is compatible with Apple and Android devices. The 7+ day rechargeable battery lets you capture over a week’s worth of memories on a single charge.
The Whistle Activity Monitor has an adjustable strap and fits dogs over 10 pounds. Compatible with all collars. Shockproof, ruggedized, and waterproof, so your pup can swim, take a bath, or romp in the rain without worry.
Need to work on your golf swing, but your dog is begging for some quality time? PetravelR™ has found the perfect solution in the Hyper Pet Doggie Driver.
Designed just like a golf club, the Hyper Pet Doggie Driver lets you to launch your dog’s ball up to 100 yards. The hand-free design means you just push the club up against the ball to go again, no more touching those slobbery balls!
Fun and easy to use, simply swing this dog toy driver like a normal golf club, with a full and even follow through. The driver works as a fun training or exercise tool for dogs, while also allowing users to practice their golf swing and keep muscles flexible and in shape. The tapered steel shaft provides a golf-grade grip – designed for right-handed golfers. (Sorry lefties!) Only tennis balls should be used. Comes with one tennis ball. Remember to always supervise your dog when using the ball launcher, and make sure the dog is out of the way when swinging the driver.
Unfortunately, it appears that Hyper Pet has discontinued the Doggie Driver, but it is still available at paws4deals.com for $29.95 plus shipping. (If you happen to be in Australia, you can also buy one from Dr Pet.)
If you’re still searching for that perfect Christmas gift for your favorite canine, PetravelR™ thinks you should check out DOGTV, the first television network developed specifically for dogs.
DOGTV “provides television for dogs as a 24/7 digital TV channel with dog – friendly programing scientifically developed to provide the right company for dogs when left alone. Through years of research with some of the world’s top pet experts, special content was created to meet specific attributes of a dog’s sense of vision and hearing and supports their natural behavior patterns. The result: a confident, happy dog, who’s less likely to develop stress, separation anxiety or other related problems.”
According to the DOGTV website, their scientifically designed content is divided into 3 categories, according to what dogs need:
1. Relaxation
Content designed to help the dogs relax, reduce their stress level and keep them calm through soothing music, sounds and visuals.
2. Stimulation
Dogs need to be stimulated, which is hard to achieve when they are home alone. DOGTV uses stimulating scenes with and without other animals, animation sequences and a variety of moving objects to stimulate the dogs. Great care is taken to use just the rights sounds and frequencies to encourage the dog’s playfulness even when home alone.
3. Exposure
Based on the most advanced veterinary science, DOGTV uses special sounds and visuals to help habituate the dog and make him more comfortable in his environment, by exposing him to different day-to-day stimuli.
Just be sure to get your dog outside for a nice game of fetch or a trip to the doggy park, so that he doesn’t turn into a total TV-watching couch potato! | {
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} |
To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website
The official student publication of Bethel College
Monday/October 16 / 1995 Volume 71, Number 3
Inside. . .~| Construction to increase Communication Dept's
classroom, office space dream becomes a reality
Variety
An intimate look at
depression
A study of the disease that
affects thousands across
the country. Doctors,
experts, and a Bethel
student expose
depression.
Exclusive
A week of events and
competition conclude
with a photo journal.
Arts
Hollywood's
sermon on sin
... a humbling reminder
of how ugly the human
race can be
Sports
Kick it
Senior Carly Rise lights up
the women's soccer team
and keeps the dream
alive.,;
Opinions
Bethel's Unabomber
Bethel student makes
demands, threatens
By JOHN GROH
Lay
out Editor
The 2.2 million dollar expansion of the Robertson Center is
underway. The expansion will
be on the south side of the
Robertson PE Building. It will
give the college an additional
22,000 square feet of classrooms offices and an athletic
training room.
The first floor of the addition
will be level to the second floor
of the academic complex.
Therefore the first floor will be
referred to as the second floor,
etc. On the second floor there
will be three classrooms that
will seat 75 students and be di-
vidable into six classrooms, an
athletic training room, faculty
offices, and Bethel Security offices. The third floor will house
offices for Financial Aid, Admissions, Public Relations, Human Resources, and the Center
for Continuing Studies. New
social work department facilities, faculty and staff offices, a
seminar room, and four more
classrooms that will seat 75 students will be located on the
fourth floor. Three of the four
classes on the forth floor will be
dividable.
As a result of the new office
space that is being built, offices
that are presently scattered
throughout the campus will relocate into the space vacated by
offices that will be moving into
the addition. The Campus Ministries and International Studies
offices will move to the Admissions offices. The Education
Department offices will move
into the Campus Ministries office as well as retaining the of
fice space they currently ocupy.
The Academic Enrichment and
Support Center, will move into
SEE CHANGES PAGE 2
New faculty members
bring experience to Bethel
By MIKE HAMERNICK
Writing Intern
Live at Bethel College: the
Fighting Irish vs. the kilted
Scotsmen of Glasgow. Unfortunately it isn't true, but there are
a couple new members of the
Bethel faculty that have
spanned the globe to bring the
experience of the Scottish and
the Irish to a classroom near
you.
The well-traveled Dr. Jufia
Abbott Janeway is a new member of the Bethel English Department as an Assistant Profes-
sor. Having graduated from
Bethel College, Janeway went
on to gain her Masters degree
in Scottish Literature at the
University of Glasgow, Scotland. She then attained her
Ph.D. in Fiction Writing from
the University of Denver, Colorado. Janeway is married to
photographer Augustus
Janeway. The two have a dog
named Fairnytickle (Old Scots
for freckle).
Janeway says she is, "excited to be here." She is also
excited to join the ranks of the
well published Bethel English
department staff with her soon
to be released short story,
"Above the Apothecary." The
SEE FACULTY PAGE 2
By RENAE ORVIS
News Coeditor
The lights are up, the cameras connected and the action
is soon to be seen. The Communication Department's studio was officially opened and
dedicated on Saturday, October
7. Among those in attendance
were alumni, students, faculty
and administration.
The studio,
located in HC i
301 next to
the Library,
has been under construction since
February 23
of this year.
It's completion has been
long awaited.
"When this
classroom
was built in
the early
1970's the intent was to make it a studio.
Seeing this occur is a dream
come true," said Leta Frazier,
chair of the Communication
Department.
The studio and control room
have come at a time when there
is a great need. "This facility
enables us to teach audio and
video techniques and aesthetics on-campus for the first
time," said Kathy Bruner. "We
have been teaching at Cable
Access facilities in Blaine, Columbia Heights and Roseville
for more than eight years."
The new studio has already
drawn new students. The number of communication majors
last year at this time was 78 —
this year there are 127. Frazier
said she was "floored" when she
found out. But growth of communications majors means
growth of facilities. Though the
studio is well-equipped, Bruner
expects the department to grow
out of it within three to four
years.
Despite the growth, the
communication department has
a strong commitment to keeping the two majors (speech
communica-
"... the intent
was to make it a
studio. Seeing
this occur is a
dream come
true."
tion and media communication) intertwined.
The studio
and control
room isn't
just for technical junkies. According to
Bruner,
studying this
field will
change the
way students
look at all areas associated with
communication. "I want people
to know that we're not just
cranking out camera operators,"
Bruner said. "This is a part of a
well rounded education."
What does all this mean to
people who aren't communications majors? There are many
ways for students to get involved. Later in the semester
there will be opportunities for
people to sign up and watch live
student productions. There is
also a need for people to be in
the productions as on-camera
talent. If none of these options
sound thrilling, students can always take the class. Who
knows, they might discover
hidden talent.
A Clarion survey shows that 90% of Bethel students
DISAGREE WITH THE O.J. SIMPSON VERDICT.
DO YOU AGREE WITH O.J. SIMPSONS VERDICT?
9o%-
80%.
70%-
60%.
50%.
40%.
30%-
20%-
10%-
0%-
DISAGREE
AGREE
Photo by Associated Press
By AMY TUCKER and DREW RUST
Reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted for educational and research purposes with proper attribution to the Bethel Digital Library. No commercial reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted under copyright law without the written permission of Bethel University Digital Library. For questions or further information on this collection, contact [email protected].
Reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted for educational and research purposes with proper attribution to the Bethel Digital Library. No commercial reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted under copyright law without the written permission of Bethel University Digital Library. For questions or further information on this collection, contact [email protected].
The official student publication of Bethel College
Monday/October 16 / 1995 Volume 71, Number 3
Inside. . .~| Construction to increase Communication Dept's
classroom, office space dream becomes a reality
Variety
An intimate look at
depression
A study of the disease that
affects thousands across
the country. Doctors,
experts, and a Bethel
student expose
depression.
Exclusive
A week of events and
competition conclude
with a photo journal.
Arts
Hollywood's
sermon on sin
... a humbling reminder
of how ugly the human
race can be
Sports
Kick it
Senior Carly Rise lights up
the women's soccer team
and keeps the dream
alive.,;
Opinions
Bethel's Unabomber
Bethel student makes
demands, threatens
By JOHN GROH
Lay
out Editor
The 2.2 million dollar expansion of the Robertson Center is
underway. The expansion will
be on the south side of the
Robertson PE Building. It will
give the college an additional
22,000 square feet of classrooms offices and an athletic
training room.
The first floor of the addition
will be level to the second floor
of the academic complex.
Therefore the first floor will be
referred to as the second floor,
etc. On the second floor there
will be three classrooms that
will seat 75 students and be di-
vidable into six classrooms, an
athletic training room, faculty
offices, and Bethel Security offices. The third floor will house
offices for Financial Aid, Admissions, Public Relations, Human Resources, and the Center
for Continuing Studies. New
social work department facilities, faculty and staff offices, a
seminar room, and four more
classrooms that will seat 75 students will be located on the
fourth floor. Three of the four
classes on the forth floor will be
dividable.
As a result of the new office
space that is being built, offices
that are presently scattered
throughout the campus will relocate into the space vacated by
offices that will be moving into
the addition. The Campus Ministries and International Studies
offices will move to the Admissions offices. The Education
Department offices will move
into the Campus Ministries office as well as retaining the of
fice space they currently ocupy.
The Academic Enrichment and
Support Center, will move into
SEE CHANGES PAGE 2
New faculty members
bring experience to Bethel
By MIKE HAMERNICK
Writing Intern
Live at Bethel College: the
Fighting Irish vs. the kilted
Scotsmen of Glasgow. Unfortunately it isn't true, but there are
a couple new members of the
Bethel faculty that have
spanned the globe to bring the
experience of the Scottish and
the Irish to a classroom near
you.
The well-traveled Dr. Jufia
Abbott Janeway is a new member of the Bethel English Department as an Assistant Profes-
sor. Having graduated from
Bethel College, Janeway went
on to gain her Masters degree
in Scottish Literature at the
University of Glasgow, Scotland. She then attained her
Ph.D. in Fiction Writing from
the University of Denver, Colorado. Janeway is married to
photographer Augustus
Janeway. The two have a dog
named Fairnytickle (Old Scots
for freckle).
Janeway says she is, "excited to be here." She is also
excited to join the ranks of the
well published Bethel English
department staff with her soon
to be released short story,
"Above the Apothecary." The
SEE FACULTY PAGE 2
By RENAE ORVIS
News Coeditor
The lights are up, the cameras connected and the action
is soon to be seen. The Communication Department's studio was officially opened and
dedicated on Saturday, October
7. Among those in attendance
were alumni, students, faculty
and administration.
The studio,
located in HC i
301 next to
the Library,
has been under construction since
February 23
of this year.
It's completion has been
long awaited.
"When this
classroom
was built in
the early
1970's the intent was to make it a studio.
Seeing this occur is a dream
come true," said Leta Frazier,
chair of the Communication
Department.
The studio and control room
have come at a time when there
is a great need. "This facility
enables us to teach audio and
video techniques and aesthetics on-campus for the first
time," said Kathy Bruner. "We
have been teaching at Cable
Access facilities in Blaine, Columbia Heights and Roseville
for more than eight years."
The new studio has already
drawn new students. The number of communication majors
last year at this time was 78 —
this year there are 127. Frazier
said she was "floored" when she
found out. But growth of communications majors means
growth of facilities. Though the
studio is well-equipped, Bruner
expects the department to grow
out of it within three to four
years.
Despite the growth, the
communication department has
a strong commitment to keeping the two majors (speech
communica-
"... the intent
was to make it a
studio. Seeing
this occur is a
dream come
true."
tion and media communication) intertwined.
The studio
and control
room isn't
just for technical junkies. According to
Bruner,
studying this
field will
change the
way students
look at all areas associated with
communication. "I want people
to know that we're not just
cranking out camera operators,"
Bruner said. "This is a part of a
well rounded education."
What does all this mean to
people who aren't communications majors? There are many
ways for students to get involved. Later in the semester
there will be opportunities for
people to sign up and watch live
student productions. There is
also a need for people to be in
the productions as on-camera
talent. If none of these options
sound thrilling, students can always take the class. Who
knows, they might discover
hidden talent.
A Clarion survey shows that 90% of Bethel students
DISAGREE WITH THE O.J. SIMPSON VERDICT.
DO YOU AGREE WITH O.J. SIMPSONS VERDICT?
9o%-
80%.
70%-
60%.
50%.
40%.
30%-
20%-
10%-
0%-
DISAGREE
AGREE
Photo by Associated Press
By AMY TUCKER and DREW RUST | {
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I remember seeing this car at the national motor museum when i was a kid. We were there on a school trip and all the boys were very impressed at the wild features.
I found some info about the project from;
http://www.sigmaturbo.com/sigmaturbo_048.htm
"It serves as a timely reminder of how big turbocharging was in the late '70s and early '80s and how Chrysler Australia looked at it as a potential saviour, before the company surrendered to a takeover by Mitsubishi in 1980.
According to documentation supplied by the museum, the "Sigma Turbo" show car pictured here was a highlight of the 1980 Melbourne Motor Show. Apparently this one-off wild-bodied Sigma sedan was the brainchild of Chrysler National Sales Promotion Manager, Malcolm Miller, to try and re-stimulate interest in the 2.0 litre Sigma range following the introduction of the larger 2.6 litre Astron engine.
To do that, the Chrysler factory had been experimenting with various turbocharged versions of its locally-made Astron 2.0 litre four cylinder engine and needed a show car that could get the public all excited about the program's potential. The wild body treatment was farmed out to Alan Pervis, who was building the VW-based Pervis Eureka sports car at the time and had the necessary expertise in fibreglass construction techniques.
Pervis based his Sigma design on the wild-looking European Group 4 racing sedans of the era, like works Porsches and BMWs. His fully enveloping aero bodywork included a huge front spoiler, boxed wheel arch flares, side skirts, large integrated rear wing and various scoops and vents. Fat wheels, big rubber and Recaro seats filled in the gaps."
I forgot to get shots of interior, it was clad in orange and red velour!
Some original magazine scans from the time;
I might offer my boss $50 for the scrap!
Just kidding! I would love to get it running.
_________________Too many Mazda's in the collection. 4 Mitsubishi's, 6 Toyota's and now 3 Datsun's as well.
Putting together a Mazda/Japanese motor museum. New bigger venue for the museum has been bought, watch this space!
i have heard some people say that it dose not have the turbo engine. Perhaps the engine specs were "virtual" specs, or someone swapped out/over the motor years ago.
Think im down there tomorrow, will try and take a peek and get some shots under the hood.
Why was this ever taken from Birdwood Motor Museum???? I also remember always loving this car since I was a kid and I took a photo of it every single time I went to visit the Museum. The last time I was there which was earlier this year for Rock 'N' Roll Rendezvous, I went looking for this car and was disappointed because I couldn't find it. Now I see why. It looks so sad
Mate, such a shame really, such a rare car sitting like that, particularly after being at the museum, it would be welcome anytime at my museum shed! I would like to add a Sigma and that's the coolest around!
_________________Too many Mazda's in the collection. 4 Mitsubishi's, 6 Toyota's and now 3 Datsun's as well.
Putting together a Mazda/Japanese motor museum. New bigger venue for the museum has been bought, watch this space! | {
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Now, you hold firmly the penis head, another hand keeps the remaining hand to make a grip. You can sit on the chair or stand up, it depends on you. Then, you get a firm grip on the head, hold straight, and hold for 30 second. You can pull the penis and stretch it, but you can feel painful when you perform this exercise. You can take a short break between the sets, and you can speed up the process or increase the intensity if you feel better.
And if you're worrying about your size pleasing your partner, remember that penetration is just one part of sex, and everyone's preferences are different. Many women don't even orgasm from penile-vaginal sex, for instance, and other people don't care very much about size or length. The size of your penis could possibly be unrelated entirely to your partner's ability to experience pleasure.
However, after more than a century of generally dubious and sometimes lunatic penis enlargement attempts, there's still not much you can do. Sure, there are lots and lots of supposed options out there -- penis pills, creams, brutal stretching exercises, horrific-looking devices, and penis surgery. Almost none of it works. The few approaches that can work often have modest benefits and serious side effects. How serious? In some cases, erectile dysfunction-serious. | {
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GOD'S INFALLIBLE WORD
Infallible means unerring, flawless and yes it means perfect! Nothing reflects this better than the revelation of the apostle's doctrine found in the first three pieces of furniture in the Tabernacle of Moses. "And let them make me a sanctuary that I may well among them. According to all that I show thee after the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all the instruments thereof even so shall ye make it"(Exo.25:8-9). This word for "dwell" from Strong's Concordance suggests literally and figuratively to permanently remain! Both in the OT and the New the heart of God was to dwell among his people. "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." The Greek word for "dwelt" is tabernacled. Now through the "mystery of the ages" Christ in you the hope of Glory the desire of God to dwell with and in His people is fulfilled!
The first piece of furniture fashioned for the Tabernacle was the brazen altar. We know this was where the trespass offering was offered and the blood was shed. It reflects the cross of our Heavenly Lamb with His infallible blood being applied to our heart, which is now the "true altar"! So in type this brazen altar is not just a piece from the Tabernacle, but has become a vital experience in our lives, our place of repentance and the beginning of our sacred approach to God!
The second piece was the brazen laver which contained water for the cleansing of the Priests. They were washed once for all by Moses or Aaron, but also they were required to wash daily in order to approach the Sanctuary. Here's the revelation; it was not just "any ole water", it was water from the smitten Rock! Paul taught us the Rock that followed them in the wilderness was Christ! "Behold He smote the Rock that the waters gushed out and the streams over flowed"(Psms. 78:20). Get baptized into Christ (the smitten Rock) and you won't need any other holy water! So the brazen laver reflects the "washing of the water of the Word" Jesus is both Word and Water, and so we're baptized in Water in the Mighty Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The third sacred piece is the Golden Lampstand. In this short article we can only highlight. Also called the candlestick, it had seven small bowls on top which held the reservoir of "anointing oil" with a wick and this produced Light! The Priests were required to keep it perpetually burning! John the Revelator sees this in the Spirit: "and I turned to see the voice that spake with me, And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the son of man..."(Rev. 1:12-13) The same writer says in St. Jn. "In him (Jesus) was life and the life was the light of men". "That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"(St. Jn. 1:9) In short, this is a type of the precious Holy Ghost our life, our light and our anointing, all on the inside shinning out and must be kept perpetually burning and continuously filled! Just as the OT priests approached God by the brazen altar, laver and the golden Lampstand, Apostle Peter begins his ministry by preaching "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" Hope you see it! | {
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Indiana wins on road at Illinois 24-14 to keep bowl hopes alive
CHAMPAIGN, IL.– Bowl game hopes were on the line for Indiana as they traveled to Illinois to take on the Fighting Illini. The Hoosiers responded with a much-needed 24-14 win over Illinois, to improve their record on the season to 4-6 with two games left.
It was a very slow start to the game for both sides, with no scores until six minutes and thirty seconds left before halftime when IU took a 7-0 lead on a Morgan Ellison 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then right before the break, Indiana tacked on 7 more points with a short 4-yard touchdown pass from Richard Lagow for a 14-0 halftime lead.
Illinois responded to the very slow start in the second half on the opening drive. Jeff George Jr. completed a 77-yard bomb down the field to Louis Dorsey for a touchdown, cutting into the Hoosiers lead. IU about 10 minutes later would score a field goal to extend the game to a 17-7 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Fighting Illini rumbled and crumbled after making it a 3-point game with a passing touchdown only trailing IU 17-14. With just 5:45 left in the game, Richard Lagow threw another touchdown pass which went to Simmie Cobbs Jr. to make it a 24-14 lead. Illinois had back-to-back possessions in crunch time and failed each time with an interception. Indiana’s defense held their own and did not allow a comeback to win 24-14.
Richard Lagow completed 32-of-48 passes for 289 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Lagow was clicking with his receivers and completed a monster number of passes. Saturday marked the second-highest season total in passes, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns for Lagow. He really was in a groove.
Cole Gest was the leading rusher for the Hoosiers, with 17 carries for 82 yards and 4.8 yards per carry average. Morgan Ellison added 13 rushes for 49 yards, and the only rushing touchdown of the day.
Luke Timian led IU receivers with 5 catches for 62 yards and a long of 24. Simmie Cobbs Jr. added 4 receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, while Ian Thomas caught 2 passes for 11 yards and a TD.
Moving on to the defensive side of things, Indiana University picked off Illinois QB Jeff George Jr. twice late in the fourth quarter. Rashard Fant and Tegray Scales each recorded an interception. Scales also added a key fumble recovery late in the game. The defense put all kinds of pressure on Jeff George Jr. who was sacked 8 times led by Jacob Robinson who recorded two of those.
Indiana will once again have bowl chances on the line next weekend when they are at home to face Rutgers with a to be determined time next Saturday. | {
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BANKING & FINANCE
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With our avant-grade CCTV solutions, better preventive measures can be taken when a suspicious activity is identified within the bank or ATM premises. Our smart security solutions for the banks and financial institutions can prevent robberies, helps in the crime investigation, cover check frauds, helps in coordinating from multiple locations, enhance the confidence of the bank customers and allow remote access to the video feeds with the help of the IP surveillance. Our surveillance tools are endowed with the intelligent functionalities such as motion sensing and facial and behavioral recognitions that can be used to identify an abnormal activity around the bank premises. | {
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2004
Jolie Holland interviewed on Puremusic.com.
Puremusic interview with Jolie Holland by Frank Goodman.
Texan by birth, gypsy by nature, Jolie Holland is quietly carving a niche for herself in the musical landscape. She and Samantha Parton crossed paths some years back, a meeting that ultimately culminated in the forming of The Be Good Tanyas. She bugged out after the first record was done, but her co-write "The Littlest Birds" remains one of their most memorable and radio worthy songs.
There were any number of old-timey artists and outfits percolating under the radar as Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and then the whole O Brother phenomenon unpredictably captured the ears of millions of people. Some of those artists like Jolie and the BGT also had a lot of Jazz and Blues influences in their sound, and less Bluegrass per se. But in both of these cases at least, it's a more primitive and sound texture approach to the music that prevails, rather than the flashy or chops type approach that either jazz or bluegrass tends to incorporate.
In the case of Jolie Holland's music, there are some very good players in the mix who take a decidedly textural and ambient approach to the material, creating a very unique and appealing atmosphere. Dave Mihaly's touches on the drums, percussion, and marimba, Enzo Garcia's musical saw and banjo, and Bruce Miller's tremoloed guitar lines interweave and coalesce with the sound of Jolie Holland spectrally.
And well they might, since the artist seems to channel the singing and playing of another time herself. The lyrics get pretty modern in vituperative spots, but the writing voice is the mystic she calls herself, the urbane wanderer. Whatever you call it, or her, she's making great and unusual records. Many offbeat luminaries are among her admirers, we'll add our names to that list unabashedly. We were very enamored with the unintended debut called Catalpa, which caught on regardless of its low-fi personality (see our review), and no less impressed were we with its more legitimate sister record, Escondida. Be sure to catch her show when she comes to your town, and we hope you enjoy (as we did) this recent phone conversation with Jolie. | {
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Makery
In 2009, my wife and I bought our first home. One of our (my) requirements was a workshop, or at least the potential for a workshop. We're now many projects into the renovation of our home, but I wanted to share a teaser image of one of the rooms that I've spent a fair bit of time working on. | {
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This blog discusses the historical reliability of the Bible, the creation/evolution debate and apologetics in general.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Hobbits Becoming More Human
Hobbit skull. Image: Wikipedia
Joel Kontinen
A new study suggests that the hobbits, a diminutive people whose remains were found on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003 and 2004, were real humans after all. They were originally classified as Homo floresiensis, a species distinct from Homo sapiens but the dispute about their status has never abated.
Named after J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth heroes, they became known all over the world after scientific journals published a drawing by Peter Schouten that describes a tiny ape-like man carrying a furry animal on his shoulder.
Many researchers think that the hobbits’ small stature (one meter or just over three feet) and small head were the result of microcephaly, a neurological disorder that still causes some individuals to have an abnormally small head. They maintain that it is not justified to classify them as a distinct species. For instance, in 2006 Pennsylvania State University published a study stating that the small head of Homo floresiensis was due to microcephaly.
As reported by ScienceNow, a new study conducted by Peter Obendorf and Benjamin Kefford of the RMIT University of Melbourne and Charles Oxnard of the University of Western Australia at Crawley concluded that the small stature of the Homo floresiensis was not the result of genetic defects. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that the hobbits’ size was caused by a condition known as cretinism. This is due to a lack of iodine. Comparing the pituitary flossa in a hobbit skull with individuals suffering from cretinism, they found a significant match and thus suggested a new theory.
The remains of twelve hobbits were originally found in a cave in Liang Bua. Obendorf stated that it is an area where people still suffer from goiters that results from iodine deficiency. The new study even mentions that local myths include stories of tiny people who lived in caves.
While it may be too early to discard the microcephaly hypothesis altogether, the case for hobbits being real humans is much stronger than before. We should probably do well to forget the image of an ape-like man carrying a furry animal on his shoulder and start describing hobbits as real people. It seems that the distinction between hobbits and humans is found only in Tolkien’s Midde-Earth but not on this earth. | {
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Short for Pint After Work. Perfect to catch up with your work buddies which you may not have seen over the weekend. There is not a best day for a PAW, any day is good. Sometimes a Monday, sometimes a Thursday, the important part is that it is a moment for you to enjoy a beer with your work mates.
Dude, you need to tell me about your long weekend trip!! Let's grab a PAW today. | {
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The NCII at American Institutes for Research (AIR) encourages schools and districts to use data-based, individualized instruction in reading, math, and behavior, especially with students who struggle academically. | {
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Top Tips from Careers Abroad
Graduates and experienced professionals have long been attracted to large multi-national organisations as a springboard for overseas postings. However time spent working overseas is no longer simply a ‘nice to have’ on our career trajectories and the terms of assignments no longer what they once were.
As a result of significant (and continued) economic downturns, large-scale downsizing, and the offshoring of major components of industries (and whole industries altogether), for many, a move overseas has been one of few remaining options to advance their careers. In fact, PwC reports mobility levels have increased by 25% over the last decade, and a further 50% growth is expected by 2020. Further to this, 71% of Millennials, who will form the majority of the workforce by 2020, would like (and expect) to work outside their country of origin during their career.
So, what does the new age of global secondments look like?
The value proposition for working overseas has fundamentally changed. For the most part, gone are the days of 3-5 year secondments, plump relocation and expatriate packages, and a guaranteed right of return to your country of origin. For starters, arrangements appear to be far more fluid. PwC's report revealed the average length of an overseas posting is closer to 18 months, they are purpose-based assignments, and the destinations extend beyond the ever-popular London and New York to the emerging markets of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
I recently surveyed a sample of my professional network from a range of backgrounds including Engineering, Communications, and Business Development, across a mix of industries in the public and private sectors, who are currently or have very recently returned from living and working in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. I queried them on what had prompted their move, the challenges, surprises, and tips they would share with others considering a similar adventure. The below offers some insight into their experiences.
The respondents relayed many positive aspects about working in these fast-emerging markets and most consistently reported that experiencing a different culture not only exposed them to new people, places, and experiences but also shifted their perspective on their own culture and life. Perhaps unsurprisingly...
‘..the one factor that made their experiences so enjoyable and unique, was the same factor that provided the greatest challenge’.
‘Culture shock’ is commonly understood as the phenomenon of disorientation experienced when transitioning to a culture different to your culture of origin. All respondents agreed the most formidable facet of their time living and working abroad were the cultural differences. And the overt differences such as languages weren't necessarily the most difficult to navigate, but rather the deeper cultural differences in mindset, customs and interpersonal interactions.
Further to this, one respondent reported that as well as taking time to adjust to your new life in a different country, it also takes time to adjust back, and 'reverse culture shock' can be harder than culture shock, because you don’t really expect to be out of place in your home city but..
‘…the experience of living and working overseas changes you.’
It seems successful cultural assimilation is critical to countering what London-based headhunter Hudson recently described as a trend away from sourcing foreign senior executives in emerging markets in favour of local talent. Louisa Wong chairman of Bó Lè Associates, an executive search company in Hong Kong, agrees that frustrations surrounding cultural differences is one of the key drivers for the shift away from hiring expats. Goldman Sachs is one organisation that has for many years facilitated programs to tackle cultural and linguistic barriers and support their top talent living and working overseas.
My contacts offered their own top tips on how to successfully manage cultural differences whilst living and working abroad as follows:
Do your research. Prepare, learn what to expect, and understand how to act in the new culture. Research before you arrive and observe for yourself on the ground.
Keep an open mind. Recognise cultural differences from the outset. Be willing to listen, be flexible, and learn from and respect the people in the country you are in - 'you’ll probably learn more from them then they will from you'.
Make efforts to assimilate. You don’t need to give up your culture entirely, but it is important to strike a balance between assimilating (e.g. conversation skills and eating out with others for lunch if that's what they do) but also staying true to what works for you, your family, and your wellbeing (e.g. work start and finish times).
Go! If this is something you have thought about - DO IT! Living abroad had been described to one respondent as the ‘University of Life’. They described how their mind had been opened and they'd been exposed to experiences they had never thought possible: ‘Last night I had dinner at a restaurant on the Arabian Sea in Karachi. Never in my wildest dreams did I consider I would travel through and conduct business in Pakistan… Last week was Nairobi, Kenya’.
The Career Guide can help you to maximise your career potential. Please contact us on +61 407 679 847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the author
Olivia Evans (‘The Career Guide’) is a qualified coaching professional with nearly a decade of experience in management consulting and human resources including recruitment and career development. Olivia has worked with ASX 200, top tier Professional Services firms, and Government departments. Olivia’s passion is people, and specifically assisting them to build meaningful careers. | {
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Create and broadcast your own Internet TV channels for the web. Set-Top-Box or Connected TVs. The BrandCoder Real TV technology makes it easy to simulcast video. All viewers see the same point in the video at the same time. creating real Social TV. This platform includes everything you need to create. mange and publish your own linear TV channel or multi-channel TV network. Setup your schedule by adding web videos then simply grab the embed code to place the player into any webpage on your site. Each channel includes a mobile to on-screen chat app so viewers can chat in realtime from their smartphones while tuned into your channel(s) on their Connected TV.
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free way to watch live tv. tv shows. and videos. With Online TV Toolbar. you can enjoy free HD movies & TV shows. streamed live to your PC. Online TV Toolbar lets you watch over 2000+ movies & internet TV channels. listen over 1000+ online radio stations and play over 1000+ fun online games all free on your PC. Online TV Toolbar allows the user to watch TV without having to experience the annoyances of Web sites (like slow-loading pages and pop-up ads). Online TV Toolbar support all major media types. Adopting state-of-the-art streaming technology. Online TV Toolbar is very efficient and easy to use. .
web flash advertisement banner and burn swf flash to DVD disc for playing on TV with a DVD player. It can allows you to create flash picture animation gallery and embed the flash to MySpace. Website. Wordpress. It also allows you to burn the dynamic flash to DVD disc for playing on TV with a DVD player to show flash on TV. . | {
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The 4 Most Unanswered Questions about
The field of accounting is among the industries that continue to grow year after year, and this means that you need to have strategies that will help stand apart. If you are looking to expand your client base, you have some online promotion opportunities that you can use. However, there is the need to determine the strategies that will work for your accounting business. Follow these ideas to ensure that you have done everything for your accounting business marketing as well as promotion.
You can make use of online freebies as they are the best option to get new customers and also retain your current clients. Freebies are a great choice when you need to promote your brand. You have numerous options when you are determining the best freebies to give to your customers. You can choose to give out small items such as a pen or a notebook, while you can go a step further to give out cell phone cases, iPad covers and mouse pads. It is also advisable that you offer one of you services for free to the new clients and this helps you build your customer base.
Another choice when you need to spread a word for your business is choosing to spend time with your potential customers and also sharing your opinion. When you want to deliver consultations online, you can rely on Skype and Facetime. One can spend 10 minutes with their customer and ensure that you make a valuable impression and also establish yourself. Choosing to provide free quotes for your customers is also a useful resource when you aim at growing your customer base.
Social media is also one of the most significant ways that an accounting firm can promote their services. Instagram and Snapchat provide you the avenue to display the temporary promo codes for your followers. Spreading a word about the discounts will see the customers become keen to follow you to stay up to date.
If you really need to promote your firm, it is vital that you become a content machine. A blog might be simple, but it will be a helpful way to reach out to your customers. There are several content strategies that you can use to ensure online marketing works for your firm.
Business on the internet is enormous, and this means that every business has a share, thus the need to avoid viewing every company as competition. You have the opportunity to reach out to new audiences and even expand your business network through cross promotion.
The above points will be vital when you are out to promote your accounting firm, but it is also advisable that you subscribe to our posts and learn more about digital marketing. | {
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The Manager: A Football Story – Quick Arcade Style Football Management Game for iOS and Android (with Tips and Tricks)
Just several weeks ago, we have witnessed the return of the football management sim king, Football Manager 2016 with its mobile and touch version. For those of you who haven’t played these games, I’d suggest you to read my review for the mobile version of FM2016.
However, I also did, realize, that these two games can also be considered as premium games for mobile games. With pretty expensive tag on its price, $19.99 for the touch version, and $9.99 for the mobile version, these games aren’t for everyone.
I do also realize that, some of you, still want to play amazing football simulation games with a more reasonable price. This latest game from 2bigpixels, will really relieve your thirst for a good football sim game, with a FREE price. This game is called The Manager: A Football Story.
The Manager: A Football Story – The Premise
The Manager: A Football Story starts with some unique approach that I believe will give fresh impression to you. You, will become the club owner, meaning, you will name yourself and your club name, you will also choose club’s color stripes.
When all this ‘all the same with other game’ thing is done, you will be brought into the so-called ‘Scouting Agency’ screen. At first, you will be given 20 players, then you will choose which players you don’t like or the weak one. Drop the player that you don’t like and you will be given a new player with different ability.
However, there aren’t unlimited players available for you to scout. You only have 30 scouting attempts, if you reject a player, he won’t be coming back to you and you will get another player with similar position.
After you’re done with the scouting, you will be brought to your club’s home screen. In this screen, you will be able to view many information for your club. From trophy room, club’s stats and records room, up to the tactics for your team.
Your club will be starting their journey from the beginning, playing matches in the local park. Then, by winning every matches, your club will be living its dream, playing in the Gold League football and the electric atmosphere of a packed out super-stadium. This is what The Manager should aim, to become the Ultimate Football Manager.
The Manager: A Football Story – The Gameplay
The Manager: A Football Story is a quick arcade style football management game. In this game, you will only spend less than one hour to complete a season. There won’t be any news or rumours lurking around you every day. You will just have to arrange tactics to conquer every match and if you’re able to win every match, then you’re done.
Tactics in The Manager: A Football Story, while being kept simple, are hiding more advanced tactics that as you play along, will unlock these advanced tactics. There are total 35 famous advanced tactics to unlock, from Mou’s ‘Park the bus’ to the infamous ‘Chop down star man’. There are some explanations to help you understand that ‘Park the bus’ means your team will extremely deep in defend and will rely on counter attack.
In The Manager: A Football Story, you also have the freedom to create tactics anyway you want, from the regular 4-3-3 formation, to perhaps an all-out-attack formation, leaving only one defender behind, perhaps? It’s all up to you as the Manager.
Just after you’re done with the tactics, you will start your first match. The match in The Manager: A Football Story is done with just a ball and some texts, in a glance. The more you’re playing with this game though, the more you will realize the detail lies behind. For example, the stadium, when you’re playing at the lower league, the stadium isn’t that big packed with audiences. It’s just a simple football’s field with no one’s watching. However, later on when you’ve reached the higher league, the background will be changing into a more epic stadium.
The match commentary also. If you just looking at it, you won’t realize, but the tactics that you chose, is reflected in the commentary. Even the ball is also reflecting the tactics that you chose. So for example, if you chose long ball tactic, the ball often will fly higher like it was kicked harder and the commentary will also support it as well. Moreover, you can also change the match speed, so you have from in-depth commentary, to quick play for your daily commute.
After you’re done with the match, you will be rewarded with some Bonus. This bonus is reflecting your performance in the field. It varies from goal bonus and match-related bonus, up to club-related bonus. Like ‘transfer record scoring a goal or making appearance’ bonus, ‘unstoppable’ bonus, and even in the end of the season, you will be rewarded with bonus if you’re unbeatable in your home/away play. There are also some unlock-able bonus exclusively on each league, so meaning if you have unlocked unbeatable home season in Silver League, in Gold League, you will be able to try unlock this bonus again.
Now, Bonus here, is the only currency used throughout the entire game. While the game is a FREEMIUM game, The Manager: A Football Story is no where near greedy. There are no adverts, whatsoever the shape is. Sure, there’s an IAP to get more Bonus, but just by playing, you will be able to get some.
Bonus, will be used to purchase or loan players. But before we’re talking about the transfer market, let’s talk about the players first. In The Manager: A Football Story, there are no real players. If you’re expecting to find Neymar Jr. here, I’d suggest you’re trying premium games that have all the player license and all. Players are all generated with three decisive stats, ability, age, and personality.
Let’s talk about ability and age first. Ability here acts like the value of a player. The higher ability a player has, the more valuable he is. On the other hand, age acts as a growth factor. The younger your player, the more likely he will improve. The older you player is, the less likely he will be improving, if not retiring in the next season.
The last thing but the most important thing is personality. Here in The Manager: A Football Story, personality plays a huge part to decide player’s form. Even when the player is an skillful young player, you won’t want your team to have player with Psychopath personality. It would ruin your team overall performance and your result. You will want player that has Honorable personality, or Friendly personality. These colorful player personalities, are only available in The Manager: A Football Story.
I think many people would agree with me, that one of the factor of playing management game is the excitement of being able to empowering your team. In football, this period is called Transfer Window. However, in The Manager: A Football Story, this period is designed a bit differently.
Normally, there are two transfer windows. The first one is before the season started, and during the mid season. Well since this is their own game, The Manager: A Football Story put the same two periods, but the mid season, instead of being able to acquire more players, you’re only allowed to do LOAN and just for three players.
After the season ends, then you are allowed to buy and sell players again. The way you do transfer is also different. Unlike most football management games transfer period that require process to complete, The Manager: A Football Story use only one time transfer period, no turning back.
The transfer period is divided into two steps, three if you haven’t extended the contract of your players. The first step (if you haven’t extended the contract), is to extend player’s contract. You decide if the player is staying or not. If the player stays, you will negotiate the contract. You will be given three chances to negotiate the value of his contract.
Afterwards, the second step is to decide which players that have to be sold. This move is also required to free some players slot in your squad. You will get some BONUS, but it’s not much. Then the fun part comes along at the last step, the third step.
At the third step, you will be given around 50 choices of players. You, however, can only acquire players according to your squad’s free slots and your bonus. Have less or none of this, then you won’t be able to do anything. If you have, you will be able to try acquire the player of your choice.
Which will brings you the next screen, the bidding process. Yes, you will try to win the bidding for your targeted player. There will be several other teams that are also trying to bid your player. There are 6 bidding steps, each step will eliminate the lowest bid team and at last bidding step, the time will always be extended until one team stop the bid. You can also activate the ‘Buy It Now’ button that will override the bidding rule and allow you to buy the player immediately.
Of course there are some extra details inside The Manager: A Football Story. For example, players with good personality will always cost you more than players with bad personality, even if their abilities are better. Also veteran players, will cut their price down with a bargain, so you will be able to bring experience with minimum cost.
The Manager: A Football Story – Things I Like
I love The Manager: A Football Story. I think this game really brings some refreshment in the midst of football management crowd. I feel like playing an entirely new game but with casual feeling, coming from its quick gameplay design.
I also love the freemium system built inside the game. I really think though, that at least The Manager: A Football Story should have put some ads inside or perhaps charge a premium price, since the game is so good and they deserve more than just a free game.
I also love the commentary detail put inside the game. Making the game feel more realistic, especially with all those dynamic stadium and the advanced tactics that reflected into the match preview.
And of course, the cartoon style art captures my heart. Love the choice of the color, love the character design, the way they smile, or smirk. The generated photograph that doesn’t look the same for one and another players proves the quality from 2bigpixels.
Tips and Tricks
These tips and tricks are taken from 2bigpixels’s site, straight from the developers, to help you ‘kick off’ and climb those leagues.
You begin at the bottom, expect a tough time. Play to your strengths and don’t be afraid to launch a long ball if you have a poor midfield. Attacking play is appealing but if you have poor defenders or goalkeeper, expect to leak goals !
Just like in real football, match results are swayed by things like current player form, age, tactics (not just your own) and incidents that crop up during the game. Just because you beat a team once, doesn’t mean the exact same approach will work automatically a second time.
Players can be prone to off days as well as great days. As manager you have to pick the right team for the upcoming match and then develop an instinct for your players responses.
Pay close attention to contracts, they have to be managed too. The better the player, the more his contract will cost to keep him once it runs out. Longer contracts have the added bonus where they can give you the option to sell the player before it runs out. Sometimes ‘cashing in’ on a player at a profit can be the best choice.
Vary your tactics – play the same tactic over and over and your opponents will learn what to expect and can plan against it.
The mid-season contract review screen will give you a good idea of how many coins you’ll need to renew contracts at the end of the season.
Troublesome and aggressive players can influence the dressing room harmony. They can be very useful leaders when the going gets tough but be wary if they like to collect red cards. Lightweight and uncaring players are less aggressive but more likely to crumble under pressure.
Keep a close eye on your dressing room harmony. You can find this on the stats screen.
Player personalities play a big part in the game – if you find success try bringing in players with a similar personality to the player you are replacing, to keep the team’s winning formula.
A balanced team is paramount – too many players with the same traits can cause issues and friction within the team.
Youth players are energetic but inexperienced. They can improve much more rapidly than older players.
The transfer window provides the opportunity to sign new blood. Be aware that players can flop as well as play well above their expectations, just like real football !
Keep going, a large coin bonus can crop up when you least expect it.
I also have some tips to be added to this already complete list, some of it, regarding the loan and transfer window.
My best formation for this game is 4-3-3 with Long Ball and Play to Flanks. At the early league, I tend to use the Attacking tactics, but once I’ve unlocked this strategy, I use this tactic in almost all games. This tactic is extremely good for scoring first and against weaker teams, then at the second half, if I have won, I’ll change it to Keep the Ball tactics. If you are fighting for stronger team though, I’m suggesting other tactics like Counter Attack or similar tactics.
I found that it would be better to acquire young players with pretty good personality as they will play better and will bring good harmony to the team.
There’s a really low possibility that any players will be injured throughout the season, but you can keep a backup at least one or two players for each position. I don’t think keeping more is a good idea, since it will eat up your bonus too much.
Good Goalkeeper is a must. At least your GK must be stronger than most forwards at the league. Don’t think lightly for this position as it will be deciding between a strong team and a stronger team.
In the Loan Window, try to analyze weaker area in your team, then try to aim a really good player, don’t mind its personality or age, since you won’t keep him for another season.
Yep, don’t keep a loan player. Unless, the player is really good and scores a lot, I usually never keep loaned players. They tend to have more expensive price, and their club will ask for our player for trade.
Never use the Buy it Now button. During the bidding, don’t use this button, just try to keep up with other team. Usually, they won’t bid too far from the asked price.
Conclusion
The Manager: A Football Story is a refreshment and an awesome football management sim game. It’s not the best, but surely give excitement to me. If you’re looking for a football game that’s good, you must give The Manager: A Football Story a try and at least, try to support them by buying their IAP. This game is that good.
About 2bigpixels
2bigpixels Mission :
To have a ton of fun, creating high quality games that people all over the world will enjoy playing!
Overview :
2bigpixels is an independent gaming studio based in Walsall, England.
Once upon a time… two friends banged their heads together in a pub, and out fell a bunch of game ideas. One friend is a coder, one is an artist. Together they spend their spare time laughing and making games. | {
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Payoneer banks on freelancers, exporters & IT
He estimates that there are over 15 million freelancers and 1.5 crore exporters, so the potential these segments present is huge.
PUNE: Cross border business-to-business (B2B) payments firm Payoneer is looking at tapping into three market segments as it seeks to grow its India business.
Rohit Kulkarni, country head, Payoneer India, told ET the company would target freelancers who work for international clients, exporters of goods and services and the IT & software segments in India.
"All these segments are present in a homogeneous format in India, unlike other markets where one segment typically tends to be dominant. We have signed up 5,000 freelancers and 1,000 sellers in the first year. Both these segments are growing at 4x and 5x times respectively and have a great deal of potential in India," said Kulkarni.
He estimates that there are over 15 million freelancers and 1.5 crore exporters, so the potential these segments present is huge. According to a Let's Talk Payments report, the B2B payments market in India is among the fastest growing globally, pegged at $20 billion in 2015.
The company said it has seen 87% volume growth and 45% growth in the number of customers in the past year with freelancers from towns like Jamalpur, Chhapi and Dubri using its services.
Payoneer has also been investing in educating potential customers, especially in tier-II and -III towns ranging from Udupi and Erode to Muradabad through lecture series, webinars and partnerships with trade organisations. It is also helping these sellers tap into newer market segments.
"We are telling them about Singles Day in China or Cherry Blossom Day in Japan and how they can use these to sell their products," said Kulkarni.
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NCAA Tournament South Region First Round: Place Your Bets
Pour yourself another Guinness and get your bookie on the phone. It's time to place your bets for the NCAA Tournament. Here's a quick rundown of the lines and my insider take on each game. Let the Madness begin!
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Radford
Spread: North Carolina -26.5
Backcourt Advantage: North Carolina
Frontcourt Advantage: North Carolina
Momentum: North Carolina
Bottom Line: The Tar Heels will roll into the second round. The only concern for them to cover is how long their starters will play. Lawson will probably play very sparingly in this one as the Coach Roy Williams will get him as much rest as he can.
Shaun's Pick: Radford +26.5
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Butler
Spread: LSU -2.5
Backcourt Advantage: LSU
Frontcourt Advantage: Even
Momentum: Even
Bottom Line: Butler will give the Tigers fits and will probably even win this game. It will take a special effort from LSU senior Marcus Thornton for the Tigers to beat the Bulldogs. Butler is young, but they know the recipe for tourney success. They're patient, they play strong defense, and they shoot the three well.
Shaun's Pick: Butler +2.5
No. 5 Illinois vs. No. 12 Western Kentucky
Spread: Illinois -4.5
Backcourt Advantage: Even
Frontcourt Advantage: Illinois
Momentum: Western Kentucky
Bottom Line: The Hilltoppers will take this game to the buzzer and may even pull off this year's trendy 5-12 upset. With senior point guard Chester Frazier's injury, the inconsistent Illinois offense will sputter even more than usual. This game will be close to the end.
Shaun's Pick: Western Kentucky +4.5
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Akron
Spread: -12.0
Backcourt Advantage: Gonzaga
Frontcourt Advantage: Gonzaga
Momentum: Gonzaga
Bottom Line: This is one of Gonzaga's strongest teams in the past few years. They play solid defense and they can knock down three's. They should cruise into the Sweet 16 where they'll run into the buzzsaw that is UNC.
Shaun's Pick: Gonzaga -12.0
No. 6 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Temple
Spread: Arizona State -4.5
Backcourt Advantage: Arizona State
Frontcourt Advantage: Arizona State
Momentum: Even
Bottom Line: Temple always makes noise in this tournament, but James Harden will prove to be too much. With Pendergraph and Kuksiks controlling the interior, Harden should have no trouble scoring against the Owls, who need someone else to step up to help Dionte Christmas on offense. Christmas will be matching Harden shot-for-shot, but Harden has the better supporting cast.
Shaun's Pick: Arizona State -4.5
No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin
Spread: Syracuse -12.0
Backcourt Advantage: Syracuse
Frontcourt Advantage: Syracuse
Momentum: Syracuse
Bottom Line: Syracuse will be ready and rested for this one. Jonny Flynn leads a balanced scoring attack for the Orange, who will also be in their famous 2-3 zone on defense. The Orange will have no trouble advancing.
Shaun's Pick: Syracuse -12.0
No. 7 Clemson vs. No. 10 Michigan
Spread: Clemson -5.0
Backcourt Advantage: Michigan
Frontcourt Advantage: Clemson
Momentum: Michigan
Bottom Line: The Tigers' front line should be able to dominate the Wolverines, who will rely too much on outside shooting. Michigan has the potential to light it up from behind the arc, but only their forward Sims is shooting over 42 percent from the floor this season. Clemson is vulnerable against teams that can bully them inside, but Michigan is not that kind of team.
Shaun's Pick: Clemson -5.0
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Morgan State
Spread: Oklahoma -16.5
Backcourt Advantage: Oklahoma
Frontcourt Advantage: Oklahoma
Momentum: Morgan State
Bottom Line: The Sooners have a lot to prove to themselves and will come out in a blaze. Morgan State has won 13 of its last 14, but went 0-3 versus the RPI Top 50. They simply can't hang with Blake Griffin and the Sooners, who are looking to get back on track and on a roll after losing four of its last six. | {
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A lifestyle, fashion and beauty blog that champions individual style
Step into Spring in New Season Shoes
It’s not often that I’m restrained enough to worry about my ever-so-slight addiction to shoe shopping, but in the unfortunate case that I do consider my spending to be slightly out of hand, I just remind myself that my feet need some love too. After all, they have to carry me around all day.
Whilst a shoe addiction is troublesome enough in itself, the ever-changing nature of the high street doesn’t help either. As we’re transitioning into Spring, the usual suspects are cluttered with the new staple styles – I’ve seen pastel brogues, chunky pool sliders and patent bluchers everywhere. The only problem? The British weather is still rubbish! So if, like me, you’re finding it imperative to update your footwear collection but you strongly believe the ‘wet socks’ look isn’t about to be the next big thing, have a peek at the hottest new shoe styles you can grab in-store today.
(from l-r, top to bottom):
Heels: Kitten heels are back in a big way this Spring, so whether you love them or loathe them, expect to see them everywhere. I love animal print shoes, so these Calf Hair Heels from Aldo, £65, are the ones I’ll be wearing with an all black office outfit. Don’t worry if they’re not your thing, though, as barely-there heels like these Monochrome Sandals from Missguided, £25, aren’t going anywhere this season! If you need something daring but don’t want to stray too far out of your comfort zone, try a pair of Cleated Sandals like Miss Selfridge’s nude ones – they’re a steal at £39 and are as comfortable as they are cool.
Sandals: Topshop’s new line of ‘cut-out boot meets sandal’ offers everyday chic with comfort and style, and these Nude Sandals are stupidly-good value at £35. Another Topshop favourite of mine, the Colour-Block Midi Heels, at £68, will help you nail the ever-trending Parisian vibe and are designed to suit everyone. No post focusing on shoes would be right without including a pair of chunky platforms, and these Stacked Boots in White, £45 at Monki scream 90s style – the decade is definitely here to stay.
Flats: Brogues are the epitome of everyday dressing, and what better way to see them into Spring than by updating the colour palette with pastels? River Island lead the way with these Mint Green Lace-Up Brogues – £45 for real suede sounds good to us (just don’t wear these in the rain!) If you want to add a contemporary twist on traditional loafers, try a Metallic Leather Pair like Office’s £65 ones to revamp your work wardrobe. Finally, I had to include a pair of boots for those of you that can’t quite ditch your winter favourites, these Leather Ankle Boots, £90 at River Island, offer a warmer alternative to black. | {
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Researchers identify new compound to treat depression
There is new hope for people suffering from depression. Researchers have identified a compound, hydroxynorketamine (HNK), that may treat symptoms of depression just as effectively and rapidly as ketamine, without the unwanted side effects associated with the psychoactive drug, according to a study in the July issue of Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists® (ASA®). Interestingly, use of HNK may also serve as a future therapeutic approach for treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, the authors note.
“The clinical use of ketamine therapy for depression is limited because the drug is administered intravenously and may produce adverse effects such as hallucinations and sedation to the point of anesthesia,” said Irving Wainer, Ph.D., senior investigator with the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute on Aging, Baltimore. “We found that the HNK compound significantly contributes to the anti-depressive effects of ketamine in animals, but doesn’t produce the sedation or anesthesia, which makes HNK an attractive alternative as an antidepressant in humans.”
HNK is one of several different compounds produced when ketamine, an anesthesia medicine-turned-antidepressant, is broken down (metabolized) in the body. Using a rat model, researchers tested HNK to see if the compound alone could produce the same beneficial effects attributed to ketamine without ketamine’s unwanted side effects.
In the study, rats were given intravenous doses of ketamine, HNK and another compound produced by ketamine metabolism known as norketamine. The effect each had on stimulating certain cellular pathways of the rats’ brains was examined after 20, 30 and 60 minutes. Brain tissue from drug-free rats was used as a control.
Researchers found the compound HNK, like ketamine, not only produced potent and rapid antidepressant effects, but also stimulated neuro-regenerative pathways and initiated the regrowth of neurons in rats’ brains. HNK also appears to have several advantages over ketamine in that it is 1,000 times more potent, does not act as an anesthetic agent, and can be taken by mouth, the authors report.
Surprisingly, HNK was also found to reduce the production of D-serine, a chemical found in the body, overproduction of which is associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. HNK’s ability to reduce the production of D-serine, while stimulating the regeneration of neuron connections in the brain, may present a potential new therapeutic approach to the treatment of these disorders.
“HNK’s unique properties increase the possibility of the development of a self-administered, daily treatment that works quickly and can be taken at home for a variety of central nervous system diseases,” said Dr. Wainer. “This is a very exciting discovery and we hope that the results of this study will enable future investigations into this potentially therapeutic and important compound.”
Dr. Wainer and several of the study’s authors are listed as co-inventors on a patent application for the use of ketamine compounds in the treatment of bipolar disorder and major depression.
Thank You Industry Supporters
Whose contributions allow the American Society of Anesthesiologists® to create world-class education and resources to improve patient care and outcomes. | {
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Welcome to our first Education Buzz Carnival of the New Year. I initially resolved to have a clever New Year's Resolution Edition, but that resolution lastest about a nano-second because I was having trouble focusing and being witty–probably because of this whole weight loss thing. So let's just cut our losses (or the lack thereof) and call this edition the Numero Uno 2012 Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival and get cracking…
If you missed science guru Steve Spangler's video about how to open a can of Pringles, prepare frozen food and celebrate Tebow touchdowns, you need to watch his video. (It's hilarious especially the ending.)
Well that concludes our Numero Uno 2012 Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival. Join us here again on Wednesday, Feb. 1 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Sunday, Jan. 29 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions and please keep in mind our submission rules…
No spam
Must be education related
Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
Please remember to post and link back to the carnival.
If you would like to host a carnival, pah-leese let me know by emailing me at [email protected]. Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz.
As always…
“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”–Snow Patrol
Buy the book or the chicken gets it!
**************************Just a reminder that the opinions here are mine and mine alone…but hey, you probably already knew that. Oh, and one other thing, no clients, students, The Chicken, other rubber chickens or animals of any kind were harmed in the creation of this blog.
And don’t forget to check out my website…
Search This Blog
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My "proper mug"
This is the photo shot by my buddy Mike McLean. I originally had it as my profile photo but everytime I posted a comment, this rather large photo would follow along. I found that, well, rather annoying, and I hate it when I annoy myself. So now I'm posting with a bunch of monkeys which sadly is probably a bit more accurate. I have left this photo up only because Mike is such a fab-u-lous photographer and because he insists I need to have some sort of "proper mug" on my site. Apparently, the boa one and the monkey one don't qualify. Go figure. | {
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These Owner’s Suites with a Large Balcony are great for up to four guests. They include a living room, dining room and separate bedroom with king-size bed. Also features a walk in closet, luxury bath with whirlpool tub and an amazing balcony. Includes butler and concierge service. (Stateroom: 570 sq.ft., Balcony: 258 sq.ft.)
Mini-Suite with Balcony
Category MB
These Mini-Suites sleep up to four guests, include a sitting area, luxury bath with shower and two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, plus additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests. These suites also come with a private balcony and an unforgettable view. (Stateroom: 322-387 sq.ft., Balcony: 48-86 sq.ft.)
Guarantee Mini-Suite
Category MX
These Mini-Suites sleep up to four guests, include a sitting area, luxury bath with shower and two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, plus additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests. These suites also come with a private balcony and an unforgettable view. (Stateroom: 322 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Balcony Stateroom
Category BC
With room for up to four guests, these staterooms have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate up to two more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing view. (Stateroom: 198-235 sq.ft., Balcony: 48-85 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Penthouse with Balcony
Category SE
You will have an amazing getaway in these Penthouses that sleep up to four guests. Includes a bedroom with queen-size bed and luxury bath with shower, in addition to the living area, dining area, private balcony and additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests. Includes butler and concierge service. (Stateroom: 443 sq.ft., Balcony: 149 sq.ft.)
Aft -Facing Mini Suite
Category M1
These Mini-Suites sleep up to four guests and feature two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests, a sitting area and luxury bath with shower. Not to mention the amazing aft-facing view from your private balcony. (Stateroom: 332 sq.ft.)
Aft-Facing Balcony
Category B1
These Balcony Staterooms have room for up to three guests and have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed plus a pull out sofa to accommodate one more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing aft-facing view. (Stateroom: 198 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Family Balcony
Category B3
These staterooms are perfect if you want to bring the kids along. They sleep up to four guests and include a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate two more. Not to mention the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony for the whole family to enjoy. (Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Balcony Stateroom
Category BA
These mid-ship staterooms can accommodate up to five guests, with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and additional bedding to accommodate three more. Also includes a sitting area and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board. (Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Balcony Stateroom
Category BC
With room for up to four guests, these staterooms have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate up to two more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing view.(Stateroom: 198-235 sq.ft., Balcony: 48-85 sq.ft.)
Family Inside
Category I1
The Family Inside Staterooms are a great and affordable way for you to bring the whole family along. With room for up to five, you’ll have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and some staterooms have pull down beds to accommodate two more. Plus you’ll have a sitting area and access to all kinds of amenities, like room service and so much more. (172 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Inside
Category IA
Category IB
Great for up to five guests, these staterooms come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa bed. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board. (172 sq.ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category ID
Category IE
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Penthouse with Balcony
Category SE
Category SG
You will have an amazing getaway in these Penthouses that sleep up to four guests. Includes a bedroom with queen-size bed and luxury bath with shower, in addition to the living area, dining area, private balcony and additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests. Includes butler and concierge service. (Stateroom: 443 sq.ft., Balcony: 149 sq.ft.)
Aft -Facing Mini Suite
Category M1
These Mini-Suites sleep up to four guests and feature two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests, a sitting area and luxury bath with shower. Not to mention the amazing aft-facing view from your private balcony.(Stateroom: 332 sq.ft.)
Aft-Facing Balcony
Category B1
These Balcony Staterooms have room for up to three guests and have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed plus a pull out sofa to accommodate one more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing aft-facing view.(Stateroom: 198 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Family Balcony
Category B2
Category B3
These staterooms are perfect if you want to bring the kids along. They sleep up to four guests and include a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate two more. Not to mention the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony for the whole family to enjoy.(Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Balcony Stateroom
Category BA
These mid-ship staterooms can accommodate up to five guests, with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and additional bedding to accommodate three more. Also includes a sitting area and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board.(Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Balcony Stateroom
Category BD
With room for up to four guests, these staterooms have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate up to two more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing view.(Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Oceanview Picture Window
Category OA
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests and come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some staterooms to accommodate two more. You’ll also have a sitting area and big picture window to enjoy the amazing view. (145 - 170 sq.ft.)
Family Inside
Category I1
The Family Inside Staterooms are a great and affordable way for you to bring the whole family along. With room for up to five, you’ll have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and some staterooms have pull down beds to accommodate two more. Plus you’ll have a sitting area and access to all kinds of amenities, like room service and so much more.(172 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Inside
Category IA
Category IB
Great for up to five guests, these staterooms come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa bed. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board.(172 sq.ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category ID
Category IE
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board.(145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Penthouse with Balcony
Category SE
Category SF
Category SG
You will have an amazing getaway in these Penthouses that sleep up to four guests. Includes a bedroom with queen-size bed and luxury bath with shower, in addition to the living area, dining area, private balcony and additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests. Includes butler and concierge service.(Stateroom: 443 sq.ft., Balcony: 149 sq.ft.)
Aft -Facing Mini Suite
Category M1
These Mini-Suites sleep up to four guests and feature two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, additional bedding to accommodate two additional guests, a sitting area and luxury bath with shower. Not to mention the amazing aft-facing view from your private balcony.(Stateroom: 332 sq.ft.)
Aft-Facing Balcony
Category B1
These Balcony Staterooms have room for up to three guests and have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed plus a pull out sofa to accommodate one more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing aft-facing view.(Stateroom: 198 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Family Balcony
Category B2
Category B3
These staterooms are perfect if you want to bring the kids along. They sleep up to four guests and include a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate two more. Not to mention the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony for the whole family to enjoy.(Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Balcony
Category BB
These mid-ship staterooms can accommodate up to five guests, with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and additional bedding to accommodate three more. Also includes a sitting area and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board. (Stateroom: 221 sq.ft., Balcony: 48 sq.ft.)
Balcony Stateroom
Category BX
Category BD
With room for up to four guests, these staterooms have two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a pull out sofa to accommodate up to two more. Also features a sitting area, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a private balcony with an amazing view.(Stateroom: 198-235 sq.ft., Balcony: 48-85 sq.ft.)
Family Oceanview Picture Window
Category O1
A great way for the whole family to cruise, these staterooms can accommodate up to five guests. They include two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. They also feature a sitting area and a big picture window for you to admire the view. (170 sq.ft.)
Oceanview Picture Window
Category OA
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests and come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some staterooms to accommodate two more. You’ll also have a sitting area and big picture window to enjoy the amazing view.(145 - 170 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Inside
Category IC
Great for up to five guests, these staterooms come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa bed. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board. (172 sq.ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category ID
Category IE
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Oceanview Picture Window
Category OC
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests and come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some staterooms to accommodate two more. You'll also have a sitting area and big picture window to enjoy the amazing view. (145-170 sq. ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category IE
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Oceanview Picture Window
Category OD
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests and come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some staterooms to accommodate two more. You’ll also have a sitting area and big picture window to enjoy the amazing view. (145 - 170 sq. ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category IF
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Partially Obstructed Oceanview
Category OK
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests. Includes two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and additional bedding to sleep two more. They also feature a sitting area and a porthole to enjoy the view. (145-170 sq. ft.)
Guarantee Oceanview
Category OX
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests. Includes two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and additional bedding to sleep two more. They also feature a sitting area and a porthole to enjoy the view. (145-170 sq. ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Oceanview Picture Window
Category OE
These Oceanview Staterooms can accommodate up to four guests and come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some staterooms to accommodate two more. You’ll also have a sitting area and big picture window to enjoy the amazing view. (145 - 170 sq. ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category IF
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms
PrivaSea (partially enclosed) balcony
Mid-Ship Oceanview Porthole
Category OF
With room for up to three guests, these Oceanview Staterooms come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa to sleep one more, as well as a porthole that offers a great view and a sitting area. These are mid-ship staterooms, which means you’ll be right near all the exciting activities and delicious dining options on board. (145 sq.ft.)
Oceanview Porthole Window
Category OG
These Oceanview Staterooms have room for up to three guests, with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed and a convertible sofa in some to accommodate one more. You’ll also have a porthole to enjoy an amazing view.(145 sq.ft.)
Mid-Ship Inside
Category IC
Great for up to five guests, these staterooms come with two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa bed. Because these are mid-ship staterooms, you’ll have easy access to everything on board.(172 sq.ft.)
Inside Stateroom
Category ID
Category IF
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to four, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-191 sq.ft.)
Guarantee Inside Stateroom
Category IX
These Inside Staterooms are the most affordable way for you to cruise. With room for up to five, you’ll have a sitting area, two lower beds that convert into a queen-size bed, a pull down bed and a convertible sofa. And of course you’ll have access to room service and all kinds of other great amenities on board. (145-172 sq.ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with facilities for persons with disabilities
Stateroom equipped for hearing-impared
Third person occupancy available
Third and/or fourth person occupancy available
Third, fourth and/or fifth person occupancy available
Up to sixth person occupancy available
Up to eighth person occupancy available
Stateroom with double bed
Stateroom with queen-size bed
Stateroom with king-size bed
Connecting staterooms
Restroom
Elevator
Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms | {
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Conduit 2 poll
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Yeah! You're Cyn the Kyn Destructinator! You were the best at conduit 2 and could totally pwn everyone!
22.22% (6 votes)
6
Yes, I remember you. You're... That guy...
37.04% (10 votes)
10
Eh, it's kind of a blurry memory.
7.41% (2 votes)
2
No. Not really. But I remember somebody posting on this board.
7.41% (2 votes)
2
Nope. Not even a clue as to who you are.
7.41% (2 votes)
2
Are you a new guy?
7.41% (2 votes)
2
Yes! The strike rifle is my favorite weapon in conduit 2! How could it be otherwise?
11.11% (3 votes)
3
This poll is now closed.
Who ever shall remember me? It's weird when you don't post on this board for a while and then people's memory of you slowly disappear. It's like being a ghost, except nobody cares. Also this is me making a topic so I could get some attention. :) | {
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Frozen Peas- 02.28.06
Timing is everything, and products submissions follow that rule. I happen to be sitting here answering emails and phone calls, and in came Frozen Peas email about their new jewelry/wallet line… and while i’ve been veering away from featuring too much handmade/crafty wares, this dinosaur graphic grabbed the 5 year old within, and i had to put it up. Also these screened wooden two sided necklaces are so simple, yet adorable and perfect for that hippy/earthy style that is back this season. | {
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Tag Archives: #artsandcrafts
Everyone has heard the adage of buying presents for children only to find out they prefer the box. Well, from experience, it is true. So today, my good friends, I am here to tell you about one of the most cherished gifts your child will get from you: An item to bond with, to sleep with, a source of comfort, homemade with love. Yes, you will beam with pride when other parents ask you, “Where did you buy that?”
From me to you: Make a pillowcase!
Back in the day, I made a Teletubbies pillowcase for my son. He loved it – he treasured it for a couple of years. My other son was meanwhile enjoying the store bought 101 Dalmations bed set, just so you know he wasn’t neglected.
Go to your local store where materials are sold such as WalMart or JoAnns, and you will find a whole new world of options: Animals of all types (real and cartoony), holiday themed prints, fairies, princesses, flowers, specific sports teams, and copyrighted Disney characters. What did I find for my boys? Dinosaurs and construction equipment galore. Jackpot!
Worried about your sewing skills? Don’t be. I’m not an expert seamstress. Out of all the things one can sew, a pillowcase is probably one of the easiest, even if you don’t have a sewing machine. If your work is not up to par, your child probably won’t notice. But just in case, here is a handy tip from me to you: Don’t sew ALL the edges together or you will be left with a pillowcase malfunction. Handy tip #2 – buy a “travel pillow” – it is the perfect size for a toddler, and you’ll need even less material.
A yard of material is dirt cheap compared to your limited selection of pricey bed sets, and you can almost bank on the idea that toddlers don’t know that bedding should match, and really, why should it? Where is the fun in that? Live a little!
Alternatively, if you are “one of those people” and just can’t function without the matching set, you can take it a step further. I actually made (er, um, yeah) dinosaur blankets. Okay – I didn’t MAKE the blankets. I bought really cheap blankets and then covered one side with dinosaur material and used a plain blue cheapo material on the other side. In retrospect the plain blue material was more difficult to deal with since it was very stretchable. Tip #3: If sewing is not your thing – don’t buy anything too stretchy.
My dinosaur blankets each have a large seam running down the middle because often material is sold in smaller widths than can cover an adult sized blanket – did my kids notice? Nope! However, after a couple of weeks, one son complained of something pointy in the blanket. Oops – it turned out I had sewn in one of the pins I had used to keep the edges together. Tip # 4: (I think you get the point, yuk, yuk.)
That same young man is now an older teenager. Out of the numerous pillowcases I made for him, he still has (in his closet) what is now an old, raggedy pillow with the construction print pillowcase. He is not willing to part with it. It is a keepsake of his. Oh my gosh, how worth it is that?
So pick a print, apply your skills and give the gift of a pillowcase! Tip #5: Don’t forget to include a pillow.
Since you may not always be able to find what you are looking for at your local store, I am including some affiliate links for themed materials that are always available online:
I bought a Christmas tree. I placed it in the holder all by myself, and low and behold I could not get it straight. More importantly, I couldn’t get it steady. Perhaps older teenage boy that I purchased the tree from at the local grocery store did not cut the bottom correctly. I broke out the old camp saw and cut it again myself. If you want something done right. . . Long story short, the tree is still leaning, and still loose. It could fall over at any time. I may have uttered a few bad words.
So let’s reframe the situation. Instead of admitting defeat, I will name this year’s tree: The Leaning Tower of Tree. It is much easier to cope with the situation, and much more fun. I have to admit, I did think about strapping the tree to the wall with plumber’s tape. Have I mentioned that my husband, the old bald guy, is a plumber? The layperson might imagine that plumbers tape actually has a sticky side. No, it is a thin sheet metal strap with which you use screws to secure things to a wall or stud, such as a water heater in an earthquake prone environment. No, it is much more fun to deal with said tree in its current condition. It is what it is.
Thinking back to previous years, I recall the year of two trees. The kids couldn’t agree on which tree to buy, and of course they each favored a different one. Luckily I could afford and we bought them both. Then there was the year of “The tree of poverty.” I believe it was 2008 or 2009 when the economy took a terrible turn for the worse. I bought a tiny little table top tree on the cheap, almost Charlie Brown style but not quite as sad. We had a lot of fun making fun of that tree, and the savings made for more money for presents. Boy, how I miss the days of the dollar bin for the plastic airplane or car that the kids loved as much as they would love a brand new computer nowadays.
So buy a tree, or don’t. Draw a tree on cardboard and stand it up against the wall. Put together cutout hand prints of your children, tape them together, and tape it to the wall. Don’t be sad about it. Set the mood and make it fun! Oh, and don’t forget to name your tree.
Tonight I reminisce. I would like to tell you about the fun & scary game that somehow just came to be. It became a favorite Halloween tradition for our family. Spooky Time.
When my children were very young, I liked to set the mood for whatever holiday was present. I just happened to be shopping for Christmas items at a craft store when I noticed a 90% off deal for Halloween items. Lucky me. I bought numerous, numerous candle holders at 10 cents apiece. Skulls, jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, etc.
So come next Halloween, I put them on display. I also wanted to play some Halloween music, and all I could find was CD’s with songs such as The Purple People Eater. I used to light the candles in the spooky looking candle holders, as well as in the jack-o-lanterns we had carved. I would play the fun music and the kids would run around.
We turned out the lights so we could see how spooky the carved pumpkins and ghosts looked. Then we decided to play hide-n-seek. There were numerous candles everywhere so that every room was very well lit. We even left some of the lights on, but dimmed them. My boys were so cute. They would go to their bedroom for one minute to give us time to hide. Then, they would come out with big eyes, fake swords and plastic armor.
As the kids grew, I had to find scarier music. So I went online and found some great clips that I downloaded and put on CD’s: Werewolf howls, theme music from The Exorcist, theme music from the Halloween movies, music with people screaming on occasion, maniacal clown house music, the dreaded string sounds that you usually hear when someone is being attacked in a movie, etc.
The years continued to pass and we had to have less and less light as hiders were more easily found. By this time, the REALLY scary music was blasting, and the neighbor children came over for this great, fun, scary, Spooky Time. Sometimes the kids would hide with adults being the seekers, other times vice-versa. We discovered throwing items at or near a seeker could throw them off, and there was a lot of moving around so that hiders could go to a place where the seeker had already checked, leaving the seeker to believe no one was hiding there. One thing was very apparent – the jump scare never gets old!
Fast forward a couple of years. The lights were almost none existent. The music still blared on. So, yes, injuries started to occur. Hiders and seekers would run into each other. One night, I heard “Wendy, I’m bleeding!” We turned on the lights and our neighbor had a split in the center of his forehead. How very Halloween to have blood dripping down all over his face and onto the carpet. I thought he had crawled into an outside wall corner but it turns out he had just run straight into the flat surface of the wall. Head wounds bleed, um, a lot.
Boys and men are so funny. As my husband and I were working on the boy’s wound, my husband told him that someday women would be impressed with his scar, but that he needed a better story. Apparently, running into a wall doesn’t excite the ladies. All of the boys got to work. I was amazed by all of their fantastic stories as to how our neighbor had now suffered this injury. Great imaginations!
Being the only female present, I found it very interesting that there was no screaming or crying, but almost a proudness, a rite of passage if you will. I’m sure if some young girl had split her head open things would have been quite different.
I don’t think that was the last year of Spooky Time. I believe the next year the kids wore their karate gear, including headgear. We may have even gone one more year. But it was pretty much the end of an era. And that is why I reminisce. It was a lot of fun. Go ahead and give it a try, just remember to leave some lights on.
I love my Christmas Tree!! Many years ago when my husband and I were celebrating our first Christmases, we didn’t have much for the Christmas tree. We bought some ornaments from a neighbor kid for a school sales drive. We bought bright and shiny hanging balls and tinsel. We bought a unique ornament here and there, which of course would be horribly expensive if you bought enough in one season to fill up the tree. I’d have to say for the first several years of our marriage, our Christmas trees just had a manufactured feel. Memories of purchasing ornaments from K-mart just don’t warm the heart.
After my Grandmother passed away, I inherited all of her numerous ornaments which I LOVE!!! Most of them are handmade. The woman could sew. There are angels and stockings and snowflakes and Santas; all the typical ornaments you would think of for Christmas. I also have mice, geese, trains, drums, teddy bears and little wreaths. I recognized and remembered the felt angel I had made as a Camp Fire Girl with sequins and nylon material for the styrofoam head. And there are really unique ones, such as Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow, Raggedy Ann & Andy, items you wouldn’t associate with Christmas but they are adorable. I even have a Batman ornament and Robin ornament. There are so many – enough to fill up the whole tree.
As a youngster, my mom would always cook popcorn on the stovetop. Does anyone remember the labor that went into quickly moving the pot back and forth over the burner as the popcorn popped so it wouldn’t burn in the layer of oil? My mother gave my brother and me a needle and thread so we could make long strings of popcorn for the Christmas tree. I’m sure we ate more than we put on the string but it was great fun. We also made chains with links made out of cut up strips of colored construction paper. Cook that popcorn with your children, and link those links!
Since we have had our two boys, they have added to the collection. They made ornaments in school and at home. I still have a Kirby ornament made out of pipe cleaners, er um, chenelle sticks (they loved the Kirby Airride video game at the time). Yes they made paper chains. There are styrofoam balls they glued sequins and shiny glitter to, with unfolded paper clips as hangers. There is an ice cream cone with a glued on ball. There are simple ornaments that are paper cutouts that they drew on with crayons. They may not be the most artistic but since they are from my boys, they are the best and I hang them with pride!
So when the Christmas tree goes up, and I start hanging the ornaments, I am flooded with memories. My Grandmother made this with me as a little girl, here are the ones my sons made when they were young, and yes, my best friend bought this as a present for my first son and my first Christmas as a mother. Now the tree is not just a Christmas Tree, it is a Memory Tree, truly a Family Tree, full of history, each ornament with its own story. Make those ornaments, keep them, remember them, hang them, relive the memories and retell the stories.
About Canyon
An elegant, versatile and magazine style theme with easy customization options. It features a modern design, post excerpts with thumbnails, header, background, fixed-width, widget-ready and threaded comments. Canyon theme also comes with custom Menus support and other cool features. Tested with major browsers - Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari and Chrome. Check Canyon Official Page in case you need directions. | {
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Make Pineland Great Again Shirt
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Putting your best effort in helping the people of Pineland reach their highest level of greatness! Get your very own 'Make Pineland Great Again' shirt. Printed on athletic cut shirts that are so soft you'll want to wear it every time you're in the People's Republic. | {
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Scene In…
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Supervisor David Campos on the Google Bus Fracas: "There Is Common Ground Here"
Scott Lucas | Photo: Courtesy Wikimedia Commons | December 9, 2013
The supe strikes a judicious pose.
Supervisor David Campos
"I'm not surprised," said Supervisor David Campos, whose district includes the corner of 24th and Mission where a combustible Google Bus protest took place this morning. "It's San Francisco. There's always something happening."
Reached between meetings at City Hall, the progressive Supervisor, who is currently running for a seat in the Assembly, staked out a middle path between the protestors and the people they see as the enemy—tech workers. "Whatever your view is, the buses have become a symbol of gentrification," said Campos, before striking a note of conciliation. "I've done a lot of work on transportation policy, and it's good that people aren't driving. That's positive. But on the other side, there are issues that come up in obstruction, inconvenience, and fairness. We need to regulate them."
The protestors had called for the tech firms that use the shuttles to pay a penalty of $1 billion to the city's coffers. Is that something that Campos could get behind? "The MTA is putting together a proposal for the buses to be charged a fee. I think it's appropriate to charge for the benefit of using the stops, as well as additional costs from inconvenience, obstruction, and wear and tear to the streets. I don't know what that looks like exactly."
More broadly, Campos thinks that the protests reflect the growth of an underlying schism in the city between older and newer residents. It's a split that Campos understands, but is eager to bridge. "We want to reach out to these companies to say, look, you have a presence here, your workers are here. What can we do for you to become engaged and involved in the neighborhoods?"
There's a hint of an implicit threat there—what happens, exactly, if the tech workers and their firms say no? But Campos seems convinced that the gap is not as wide as partisans on either side may view it. "People come to these neighborhoods like the Mission because they share the values. They appreciate diversity, the cultural history, the arts, the food, the transit system, and the bicycle infrastructure. We have to make them understand there is a responsibility that goes along with that. There is common ground here." | {
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Rubio: No-Fly List ‘Shouldn’t Be Used As Tool To Impede 700K’ From Getting Guns
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) defended his Thursday vote against denying guns to those on the no-fly list because the federal database “has a significant number of errors.”
Rubio suggested on Sunday’s episode of “State Of The Union” that the no-fly list is impeding too many law-abiding citizens from purchasing a gun.
“They shouldn’t be used as a tool to impede 700,000 Americans or potential Americans — people on that list from having access to be able to fully utilize their Second Amendment rights,” Rubio told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“Because there are, the majority of people on the no-fly list are often times people that basically just have the same name as somebody else who don’t belong on the no-fly list,” Rubio said.
“That’s not a perfect database,” he added.
On the other hand, Ohio Gov. John Kasich said during the same broadcast that preventing people on watch-lists from getting a weapon is “common sense” and investigators should be able to “exploit all the information that we can possibly get.”
Then Kasich suggested that people tracked by federal databases shouldn’t be allowed to know they are on federal watch lists.
“Of course it makes common sense to say that if you’re on a terror watch list that you shouldn’t be able to go out and get a gun, although you will be able to get it illegally,” Kasich said. “But what we have to deal with is the fact that we don’t want to tip somebody off that they’re under review and that we could be gathering critical information to disrupt the plot.” | {
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The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances identifies substances that may and may not be used in organic crop and livestock production. It also lists the substances that may be used in or on processed organic products. In general, synthetic substances are prohibited unless specifically allowed and non-synthetic substances are allowed unless specifically prohibited. For example, a vaccine used to prevent pinkeye in livestock is an allowed synthetic substance and arsenic is an example of a prohibited natural substance. Some substances on the National List may only be used in specific situations, e.g. only for certain crops or up to a maximum amount. View National List.
Adding, Removing, or Changing a Listed Substance. Any individual or organization may submit a petition to amend the National List. The National Organic Standards Board, a Federal Advisory Committee, reviews all petitions and makes formal recommendations to USDA. These recommendations serve as the basis for rulemaking actions. Learn more.
Substance Review. The National Organic Standards Board must review every substance on the National List every five years to confirm that it continues to meet all required criteria. For this review, called the “sunset process,” the NOSB reviews the substance, public comments, and any new information concerning the substance. This could include, for example, reviewing any new information about the substance’s impact to human health or the environment, and any new proven, natural alternatives. As a result of this review, if the NOSB confirms that the substance no longer meets the OFPA criteria, the NOSB can make recommendations to remove the substance from the National List. If USDA agrees with the NOSB’s recommendation to remove, then it may remove the substance from the National List. Changing the National List requires USDA to complete rulemaking, a process which includes another public comment opportunity. View National List Sunset dates (PDF) | View National List criteria.
Petitioned Substances Database. Please use the drop-down box below to view an alphabetical list of National List materials and those petitioned for inclusion. Please note that substances on this site may not be used in organic production or handling unless the substance has been added to the National List through a final rule. | {
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It's a nice thought but I think a sportsperson will bear the torch. Probably one of our elder statesmen. an ex olympian most likely. it's just the nature of the event and the organisers. I could imagine davey T's grin being even more insanely huge though if he was picked. a head splitter grin.
It's a nice thought but I think a sportsperson will bear the torch. Probably one of our elder statesmen. an ex olympian most likely. it's just the nature of the event and the organisers. I could imagine davey T's grin being even more insanely huge though if he was picked. a head splitter grin.
Seb Coe is on the organizing committee or something isn't he? If so, that probably wouldn't be proper to be the one to actually light the torch, though he should probably be one of the final torch bearers. Perhaps Daley Thompson, 1984 Olympic decathlon champion.
i was thinking of someone older. a wrinkly crumbly. like maybe someone who was at the games in the 1950's. drag em out of their retirement home and shove them in a sponsored tracksuit and let them pretend to jog through the stadium while actually being manipulated via wires from above. and to distract from the wires a pageant of any other just about still breathing athletes with sporting pedigrees following on behind. while there are dancers in the centre wearing skimpy outfits. the whole RAH RAH GREAT BRITAIN!!!!!!! thing.
haha that sounds so cynical. it's not meant to be it's just a sort of sad recognition that britain isn't posessed of a very forward thinking sort of person where management is concerned. and I expect our ceremonies to be lacking the oomph the games need unless they employ someone like Saatchi and Saatchi to spice things up.
ok i'm back from Liverpool where i braved the ****ing rain to take some video of this thing on the moveI managed to get into a position where the thing was right above me and i almost got squished by one of the legs. just to bring you footage. and none of that cellphone camera rubbish either. my other half took some photos but he's inexperienced and they mostly came out shaky and blurred however there are a couple of stills. I shall be attempting to get the video uploaded somewhere over the weekend if I'm able. | {
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The Spinfresh unit has all the benefits of the Perfect Fryer - a self contained unit that doesn’t require a hood or external venting and fully automated features making the fryer accessible to any outlet, anywhere and allowing any staff member to operate safely and effectively.
The added features of the Spinfresh technology mean this unit is producing finished product with up to 37% less fat! | {
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(AURN) -- Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr, currently serves as the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ, INC. The C.O.G.I.C. is the largest African American Pentecostal denomination in the United States and the fourth largest protestant denomination in North America.
On April 6, 2009, in Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama selected Bishop Charles E. Blake to serve on his 25-person White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This one year appointment is a testament to his passion for the community and his desire to unite all people for the common good.
AURN.com spoke exclusively with Bishop Charles E.Blake Sr, about his role as bishop, the new voting rights laws and same-sex marriage. | {
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March 7, 2019
Tokyo’s most popular cruising spot for gay men is a seven-story building tucked off a back street near the Shinjuku business and shopping area.
On Friday night, a steady stream of salary-men files quietly inside the 24 Kaikan bathhouse, where pretty much anything goes.
Soak in the sauna then walk semi-naked through the dimmed communal sleeping areas, where futons await.
Sample the sights or lie back and wait for someone who likes you, instructs a guide. Signs posted throughout dictate the only constantly visible rule: “gentlemen who chew gum” will be evicted.
Gays in Japan have suffered less outright repression than in Britain or Ireland
Tokyo has a reputation for being one of the world’s more uptight capitals but it hosts one of its most diverse concentration of gay clubs and bars: Shinjuku’s 2-Chome, home to the 24-Kaikan.
The area has coexisted for decades side by side with the straight world beyond its borders.
Lack of activism
This arrangement is, in many ways, very Japanese: discreet, compartmentalized; fastidiously careful about order and details.
Live and let live as long as the outward appearance of things is maintained.
Though tormented by the familiar agonies of personal identity and secrecy, gays in Japan have suffered less outright repression than in Britain or Ireland.
When police there were arresting men in toilets and public parks, Japan didn’t even have an anti-sodomy law.
Nor did it have what Mark McLelland, author of Homosexuality in Modern Japan: Cultural Myths and Social Realities, calls the “anti-homosexual rage” of many Christian cultures, the lethal fuel for homophobia and the “hyper violence” of gay-bashing incidents.
But if Japan has been easier going about its sexual preferences, it also lacks the political and social activism that helped transform the lives of homosexuals elsewhere.
There are still just a tiny handful of openly gay lawmakers
Homosexuals are still not legally recognized in Japanese civil law, and civil unions are prohibited. Gayness is still largely seen as a personal lifestyle choice, not something to be flaunted or argued over on the streets and in parliament.
A group of people is now challenging that status quo.
Thirteen same-sex couples across Japan have gone to court to demand the right to marry. If they win, Japan will be the first Asian country to grant that right.
Suitably enough, they began their claim on Valentine’s Day.
They include a Japanese citizen, Ai Nakajima, who married her German partner, Tina Baumann, in Berlin.
The lack of legal status for their marriage in Japan makes life difficult, laments Baumann. For one thing, she said, if either one gets sick they may be blocked from hospital visits.
This legal fight is backed by a group of corporate lawyers who fear that Japan’s lack of sexual diversity while lagging behind the rest of the developed world, could also be bad for business.
“For the Japanese economy, it is very important to legalize the right (of gay people) to marry,” said Miki Sakakibara, president of the Japan In-House Lawyers Association.
“If you have a diversified environment it will be productive and competitive. This would be great for Japan.”
Public viewpoint
Signs of a shift in public perceptions are growing.
A small number of local governments across the country recognize same-sex partnerships. Last year the Tokyo government banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Yet, while most Japanese people support more LGBT rights, political representation is strikingly low.
There are still just a tiny handful of openly gay lawmakers.
Some politicians, meanwhile, seem stuck in the homophobic past.
Last year, Mio Sugita, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and considered close to prime minister Shinzo Abe, called LGBT people “unproductive” because they do not have children (apparently oblivious to Abe’s own childlessness).
Sugita questioned the use of taxes to support gay couples.
The backlash was swift, forcing the LDP to reprimand her.
Shincho 45, the magazine that published the article later apologized and ceased publication.
That suggests the popular tide has turned and that the 13 couples may win their legal fight.
“We’re not demanding anything special,” one of the plaintiffs, Kenji Aiba, told journalists at the launch of the lawsuit. “We just want to have a chance to stand at the same starting line in our lives.”
Yet, courts in Japan move slowly and have a reputation for quixotic judgments. In the meantime, says Sakakibara, Japan’s LGBT community will live in hope.
March 25, 2013
Every day, we read statistics, studies and reviews on topics regarding health and wellness. Seldom do they surprise or frighten me as much as this one about world sanitation, though: there are 1.5 billion people more in the world with access to cell phones than the number who have access to clean toilets.
According to the United Nations, right now, in 2013, there are 6 billion people who have cell phones and only 4.5 billion who are able to use clean, sanitary bathrooms. That leaves 2.5 billion people without access to basic sanitation which “perpetuates the vicious cycle of disease and entrenched poverty.”
A lack of proper sanitation can lead to contaminating the water supply, thus spreading diseases. In fact, 1,800 children die every day from diseases that could have been preventedby access to a clean toilet, with about a quarter of those kids being from India. In the huge city of Mumbai, its population of 100 million has a 70% rate of cell phone possession and 60% rate of in-home televisions. However, only half of families have toilets, often because sanitation costs more than a simple mobile phone.
“I am determined to energize action that will lead to results. I am calling on all actors – government, civil society, business and international organizations – to commit to measurable action and to mobilize the resources to rapidly increase access to basic sanitation.
“Let’s face it – this is a problem that people do not like to talk about. But it goes to the heart of ensuring good health, a clean environment and fundamental human dignity for billions of people – and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”
It’s easy to take our bathrooms for granted, to complain when a public facility is less-than-pristine or when our significant other forgets to wipe the counters. I know that when I make lists about things I’m grateful for, I include food, shelter and loved ones, among other things, but rarely remember bathroom despite those being a huge factor in keeping me healthy. It’s incredibly important to recognize the enormity of this issue, and to keep in mind those who are affected by this discrepancy on a daily basis.
October 28, 2012
Public saunas and bathhouses are definitely nothing new. For thousands of years, saunas have existed in one form or another as the perfect way to relax and unwind.
As homosexuality has become more tolerated, the emergence of gay saunas has flourished providing a safe meeting place for gay men. Without wanting to beat around the bush, gay men go to gay saunas for gay sex! It's as simple as that.
And what is wrong with that? It seems that the straight community find it hard to grapple with the idea of gay men visiting a sauna for a quick fondle with other guys. However, the fact remains that gay saunas are actually one of the safest places to have sex. Sauna policies regarding bareback sex are very strict, with many enforcing the use of condoms. With containers dotted around the saunas overflowing with condoms and lube, it is only the most reckless that decide to have unprotected sex.
London's gay saunas are as plentiful as any other major city worldwide. Generally operating a ‘members only' entry policy, saunas in London boast facilities ranging from shower rooms, Jacuzzis and swimming pools to gym rooms, TV lounges and coffee shops. 24 hour opening hours mean that you're never left in the lurch.
When it comes to the type of gay guy you can expect to meet in a London sauna, age does not seem to play a defining factor. On any given night, guys range from retired older Londoners to younger looking twinks. Whatever it is that you're in search of, you're bound to find it in one of London's gay saunas.
The most popular sauna company in London is Chariots Health Club. Chariots are located in six different London areas: Shoreditch, Waterloo, Limehouse, Streatham, Farringdon, and Vauxhall. Each location offers gyms, video lounges, cruising rooms, and much, much more to help you meet other guys. What's more, the saunas are conveniently located near major tube stations making them very easy to reach.
For London Gay Man's listings of saunas that you can visit today.
Contaminated drugs may be circulating in UK capital after death and collapses on gay scene. Plus another man collapses in gay Soho sauna on same night
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