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DNA is intended to carry data and replicate it without error. Therefore, it would seem to be the perfect storage medium. Researchers from the New York Genome Center and the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at Columbia wrote six different files into DNA. These were a computer operating system, an 1895 French film, "Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat", an image of the Pioneer plaque, a 1948 study by information theorist Claude Shannon, a computer virus, and a $50.00 Amazon gift card.
They compressed the files into a master file, and then split the data into short strings of binary code made up of ones and zeros. Using an erasure-correcting algorithm called fountain codes, they randomly packaged the strings into so-called droplets, and mapped the ones and zeros in each droplet to the four nucleotide bases in DNA—adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. The algorithm deleted letter combinations known to create errors, and added a barcode to each droplet to help reassemble the files later.
They then synthesized those organic molecules into DNA strands and stored the DNA in a test tube. To extract the information, they sequenced that DNA. DNA sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule.
DNA sequencing may be used to determine the arrangement of individual genes, clusters of genes, full chromosomes or entire genomes, of any organism. In fact, DNA sequencing has become a key technology in many areas of biology and other sciences, such as medicine, forensics or anthropology.
The result of the sequencing was a perfect copy of the original data. Since DNA is designed for storage, it turns out to be much better at it than anything we have invented.
DNA has some great advantages. It is much smaller than traditional media. Researchers found that they can reach a density of 215 petabytes per gram of DNA. Also, DNA lasts for a prolonged length of time—over 100,000 years—which is magnitudes more than traditional media. As an example, one petabyte is roughly 16,000 times the data that your 64GB iPhone can store. DNA can store 215 petabytes in just 0.035 ounces.
Another advantage of DNA is that it will never become obsolete. If you have cassette tapes of music, or vinyl records, CD's, DVDs, they will not be able to be played unless you have a compatible playback device. These devices are available now, but what about in future decades or even centuries? DNA has been around for billions of years, and humanity is unlikely to lose its ability to read these molecules.
Technology companies, like Facebook, routinely build sprawling data centers to store all the baby pictures, financial transactions, cat videos and email messages its users store.
But a new technique developed by University of Washington and Microsoft researchers could shrink the space needed to store digital data that today would fill a Walmart supercenter down to the size of a sugar cube.
All the data contained in our computer files, historic archives, movies, photo collections and the exploding volume of digital information collected by businesses worldwide is expected to hit 44 trillion gigabytes by 2020. This represents enough data to fill more than six stacks of computer tablets stretching to the moon. The world is producing data faster than the capacity to store it.
Now celebrating its centenary year, Technicolor's laboratories are at the cutting edge of the science of filmmaking, leading a worldwide revolution in immersive entertainment. The company's latest amazing innovation is the encoding of movies into artificial, "non-biological" DNA. DNA is almost unimaginably small—up to 90,000 molecules can fit into the width of one human hair—so even a large movie library is totally invisible to the human eye. All you can see is the water in a small test tube.
DNA is a long, coiled molecular "ladder"—the famous double helix structure—comprising the four chemical rungs, adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine, which team up in pairs. Technicolor digitized the 1902 movie, "A Trip to the Moon", into data in computing's binary code, and transcribed it into DNA code, which was then turned into molecules, using lab-dish chemicals. The contents are "read" by sequencing the DNA and turning it back into computer code. Converting movies into man-made DNA has huge advantages, as the archives of every Hollywood studio are currently taking up a huge amount of floor space. Now, their archives could fit into something the size of a domino.
So, how do you store a movie on DNA? The process of coding a film to DNA is complicated but I will try to simplify the method. Each digital film image is made up of pixels. The technician allocates each pixel a code made of zeros and ones, based on its color. The code is then converted into the DNA chemical bases adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine.
The audio is broken down into info-bytes, allotted a numerical code and then changed into DNA base pairs. Each DNA strand is labeled with a chemical index that communicates where the pixel or sound belongs in a movie. A computer program then organizes the millions of DNA strands representing all the pixels and sounds of the film so that the movie can be recreated.
Once the DNA strands are fabricated, many copies can be made. The DNA containing the movie will be smaller than a speck of dust. Then, the movie can be returned to its original form using a DNA sequencer, which works like a washing machine that spins and sorts the strands. The movie can then be read by a computer.
A practically unlimited number of copies of a movie could be created with this coding technique by multiplying the DNA sample through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and that those copies, and even copies of their copies could be recovered with no errors.
Currant data is kept on spools of magnetic tape in a data storage facility, which must be backed-up every four years or so. There is no digital data storage technology that will last for hundreds of years. We're essentially repurposing DNA to store digital data—pictures, videos, documents—in a manageable way for hundreds or even thousands of years. Don't look for your favorite movie to be stored on DNA anytime soon. Commercial DNA data storage won't be available for at least a decade.
For more information:
- https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~luisceze/publications/dnastorage-asplos16.pdf
Len Calderone – Contributing Editor
Len contributes to this publication on a regular basis. Past articles can be found with an Article Search and his profile on our Associates Page
He also writes short stores that always have a surprise ending. These can be found at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Megalen.


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Nature Photography – Suncadia Mountain Resort
Here are some photos from a weekend getaway to The Lodge at Suncadia, a gorgeous mountain resort out in Cle Elum, Washington. This trip reminded me that I need to get out and explore the PNW more often; the hiking trails and mountain views were absolutely beautiful. I definitely recommend visiting Suncadia if you need an outdoorsy retreat away from the city – which for me is always a great way recharge and clear my mind!

subset: commoncrawl


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Aug 14, 2017 11:25 AM
The East Hampton Library hosted its 13th annual Authors Night event on Saturday on Maidstone Lane in East Hampton Village. More than 2,000 people came out to meet and mingle with 100 authors, buy their books and have them personally inscribed at the cocktail party, with all proceeds benefitting the East Hampton Library. The evening's Founding Honorary Chair, Alec Baldwin, was joined by his wife Hilaria Baldwin, both of whom were signing their new books. Other participating authors include: Alan Alda, Ann Brashares, Robert A. Caro, Dick Cavett, Tom Clavin, Blanche Wiesen Cook, Elliott Erwitt, Laurie Gelman, Seter Marino, Kati Marton, Steve Miller, Malcolm Nance, Jessica Seinfeld, Jean Kennedy Smith, Stephen Kennedy Smith, Iris Smyles, Elizabeth Vargas, Marshall Watson, and Chris Whipple. RICHARD LEWIN PHOTOS


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Some might think it is funny that I am writing a blog on the importance of knowing how to use a calculator, but it is a very important task to know! A few months ago, I was used to using only scientific and business calculators. These calculators were pretty simple to learn. I didn't know there was any other kind of different calculator. That is until I started my internship and was required to use a 10-key. I didn't even know those still existed! I felt that it was sort of ancient to use a 10-key.
I went on my first day of my internship very prepared. I brought along with me my TA BA II Plus calculator that I have used since I started college. I figured it would be nice to use my own supplies. The first time I pulled it out to make a calculation, I heard laughter around me. I thought maybe they expect me to do the entire math in my head. My buddy who was another associate that was in charge of teaching me the ways of the company told me she would get me a 10-key the next day. I thought this was nice since I had noticed everyone else using the same brand of calculators and did not want to be laughed at again!
I arrive the next day without my trusty TI and attempted to make a calculation on the 10-key. My supervisor came to my desk and asked me to add up some deductions and then subtract them from the income. Easy enough, right? Nope. I could add up the numbers easily, but could not figure out how to subtract them. My manager stood over my shoulder watching me in desperation to simply subtract some numbers. She got frustrated and grabbed the calculator to do it herself. She got the number she needed and walked away. I was so ashamed that I couldn't even use a calculator! I was not making a very good first impression. I wish I had learned beforehand how to use a 10-key and avoid this embarrassment.
For those of you who have not used a 10-key, the calculations are like this: For a regular calculator, to calculate 6-2=4, you would enter 6, –, 2, ENTER and receive your answer. On a 10-key, typing in those keys would result in an answer of -4. The subtraction key "-" on a 10-key acts like a minus sign. You must type 6, +, 2, -, ENTER to get the correct result of 2. It took me a while to get a hold of the concept, but I learned how to adapt. If you plan to take a job or internship in accounting, I advise you to attempt to learn a 10-key in order to avoid the embarrassment that I had to go through!


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Study Material For Cisco Ccna Ccnp And Ccie Students
This appendix describes some study tips and options for you to consider while preparing for the CCIE Security written and lab examinations.
CCIE is regarded as the most sought-after certification in the industry today; more and more vendors are devising their own certification programs and trying to catch up to the industry-leading Cisco Systems. Working in the CCIE program for the past two years, I have seen many changes and challenges facing potential CCIEs every day. At the end of 2004, there were over 11,000 CCIEs, and the number is growing rapidly. Of all the CCIEs, over 500 hold more than one CCIE certification. The majority of CCIEs are located in Europe and North America. The number of Security CCIEs is over 400. To view the latest CCIE security numbers, visit http:// www.cisco.com/en/US/learning/le3/ccie/certified_ccies/worldwide.html.
Before you decide to take this step, you need to be aware of the challenges in front of you. You cannot hope to become a CCIE by simply buying a book or a series of books. Hands-on experience is required, and at least two years of internetworking experience is critical; even then, you must fully prepare for the difficult exams. The current five varieties of CCIE certification follow:
■ CCIE Routing and Switching (released 1993)
■ CCIE Security (released 2001)
■ CCIE Service Provider (released 2001; also renamed several times)
■ CCIE Storage Networking (released 2004)
■ CCIE Voice (released 2004)
A new CCIE Design lab is in the pipeline and will be a more innovative approach to testing by Cisco in the future.
This discussion concentrates on the CCIE Security certification. The CCIE Security exam is one that you should consider tackling, especially in today's climate of Internet firewall frailty and demand for security experts.
NOTE For more information on the Security track, see the following: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning/le3/ccie/security/index.html
Four CCIE tracks have been retired: ISP Dial, SNA, Design (will be re-released in a new format), and WAN Switching.
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A number of our repeat clients now appoint us to manage the entire development process and the design/project team from site acquisition through completion of site works and on to management of the provision of furniture, fitments and equipment. This provides them with one point of contact throughout the design and construction process with responsibility to plan, execute and close out the project on behalf of the client. The close professional relationships we develop with clients allows us to develop a deep understanding of their needs and allows us through this deep understanding to create clear and attainable project objectives, build the project requirements, effectively manage the project team and manage the constraints of the project management triangle of cost, time and quality within the ultimate goal of achieving client satisfaction.
Architecture. Conservation. Interior Design. Contact - Phone - 0141 425 2471 Email - firstname.lastname@example.com
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The purpose of this project is to identify effective irrigation and nutrient management best management practices and technologies and the barriers that prevent irrigators, producers, and other agricultural partners from adopting them in Otter Tail County. The primary goal is to reduce nitrate in areas where groundwater is susceptible to contamination as mapped by The Minnesota Department of Health by identifying effective BMPs and addressing the barriers to their adoption.
The purpose of this project is to improve understanding of primary productivity in the Red River and the diversity and population structure of the algal communities occurring along the river system. This will be accomplished through taxonomic identification of periphyton and phytoplankton assemblages necessary for characterizing responses to nutrient gradients along the Red River of the North.


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One Direction, the British boy band responsible for the massive "What Make You Beautiful," kicked off their first United States tour this week. To celebrate touching down in the U.S., the guys showed a little love for American culture with a cover of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme song. Watch the international pop stars showcase their beatboxing and rap skills for the Connecticut audience in the clip above.
[via Idolator]


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Following are moves you might have missed. Find out why shares of Biogen and Travelers popped while Chipotle dropped.
POPS (stocks that jumped higher)
Biogen popped 15%. The company was upgraded to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray, upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman Sachs.
UnitedHealthpopped 8%. The group's quarterly profit soared past estimates, fueled by growth across its health plans and continued benefits from Americans' moderate use of health care services.
Travelerspopped 4%. The insurer said first-quarter profit rose 30 percent on an increase in policy sales and lower catastrophe costs. The company lifted its quarterly dividend 14 percent to 41 cents a share.
DROPS (stocks that slid lower)
Chipotle dropped 4%.The Denver-based restaurant chain reported operating margin at the restaurant level in the first quarter was 25.2 percent, down about 0.9 percent from a year earlier.
BB&Tdropped 2%. The company had disappointing revenue figures after its earnings report.
Got something to to say? Send us an e-mail at email@example.com and your comment might be posted on the Rapid Recap! If you'd prefer to make a comment but not have it published on our Web site send your e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Posted by GameDemon in Featured | 1 Comment
New content of Sora no Otoshimono's third season online
The Japanese publisher Kadokawa Shoten began airing a television commercial for the March issue of its Monthly Shōnen Ace magazine this past week, and a purported high-definition screenshot from the ad indicates that a third anime season of Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven's Lost Property) has been green-lit. The ad itself hints that the March issue will contain an "important announcement" for Sora no Otoshimono. The issue will go on sale on Thursday, January 26.
The two previous Sora no Otoshimono television anime seasons and film adapt Suu Minazuki's manga of the same name. The story follows a boy's life which is turned upside down by an angel falling from the skies. Crunchyroll streamed both of the television seasons outside Japan, and Funimation licensed both television anime series and the film for North America.
do you guys think the end is near?


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The 2014 Agora was hosted by the University of Melbourne in Australia from June sixteen to 27, 2014. To be trustworthy, with your expertise, you in all probability will not have a problem with a legislation college workload. It's unhealthy sufficient at the very best law colleges; it should be hell on the typical, to say nothing of the worst. Unconvinced, I had a have a look at Indiana Tech's choices ( ). Real property is proscribed to the single course Landlord Tenant Law. I will deal only with the Top 14 colleges in this put up, as a result of most of them provide a binding ED software possibility, and because exterior the T14, there isn't an entire lot of binding ED to be found.
I understand that Tavis/Felicia Epps is completely satisfied that her cesspit achieved the splendid goal of 4th best bar passage price within the state – for February 2016. In 1986, Attorney Meekins received his Juris Doctor Law diploma from Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. Also understand that you should go to the varsity and spend a while there before making your decision. Furthermore, the easy and virtually unlimited access to federal credit within the form of scholar loans has allowed regulation colleges to wildly increase tuition. Yes, this law college/diploma mill is CLEARLY in nice monetary shape, proper?!?!
After a break for lunch, our second lecturer, a person nearing center age, balding a bit, with the beginnings of a paunch, set forth, in essence, Probably all your friends envy you for having gotten into law faculty. Nearly one in four (24 percent) children surveyed said it is not mandatory to study exhausting and finish school if you are successful at sports. In 2015, Avvo granted the Best Answer Award and he or she additionally obtained the Top Rating of 10 Award for private injury legal professional from Avvo. Attorney Epstein graduated in 2007 with a Juris Doctor Law diploma from Georgetown University Law Center.
I grew to become shut associates with the other office workers that summer, but I also made connections with many native attorneys of Liberty, Texas. The list was created by U.S. News, the writer of a carefully watched — and extremely criticized — annual list that purports to rank the highest regulation faculties Louisville was 68th in the most recent checklist of best faculties, up sharply from earlier years. I phoned up the school and I needed to give my details and as soon as I'd carried out that I signed up for my first driving lesson. So, if you're a high scholar with an abundance of A's at a college that does not consider in A+'s, do not fret!


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App-V is best used for applications that do run on the current or target OS but have conflict issues either will other applications or some installed files. MED-V is best used when the applications cannot be run on the OS and needs an older OS version.
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Tavi has nothing new to say and she is not a style rookie. She is a conspicuous consumer like all the other gals who read Vogue, Elle, Nylon, Dazed..blah blah blah.
She is a fashion rookie perhaps. Style is something entirely different from Fashion-Slave.
I'm sure she's a sweet little girl, but the media frenzy around her is just silly and rather exploitative and robbing her of her youth which is being spent being famous. Magazines like Teen Vogue and nitwits like Miley Cyrus are shoved at teen girls as role models and How-to manuals...How to be a Shopper! and be like everyone else while buying crap you don't need and don't want. That's the job of Mainstream Media...and the Mainstream but faux-indie Bloggerati.
She is 1000% mainstream. Nothing wrong with that, if that's her choice.
Just a few pages of reading her blog reveals these designer namedrops....Rei Kawakubo...Proenza Schouler...Miu Miu...Celine...Comme des Garcons...Marc Jacobs, and farther back..."Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, Vivienne Westwood, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, Tao Kurihara of Tao, Alexander McQueen, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf, Nozomi Ishiguro, Yohji Yamamoto, Maison Martin Margiela, Junya Watanabe, Luella Bartley of Luella, and Gareth Pugh, to name a few *ahem*, but I am always discovering new ones which I adore as well. Right now I'm very into Sandra Backlund, especially after happily receiving my Yokoo scarf. And of course, the fake Karl Lagerfield."
So GOOD Grief people! She LOOOOves designers. Just like millions of other girls/women. Nothing special there.
And now the designers send her stuff for free, so she blogs about those designers that send her stuff, and they send her stuff for free, so she blogs about those designers.......
detect a pattern here?
She talks about the same subjects all the other young fashion bloggers blog about, such as the Future of Digital Fashion Blogging, DIY mixed with HighEnd Fashion, Fat Models Are Good, Skinny Models Are Bad, pervy photographers, blah blah blah.
I liked her better when she first started ...when she dressed like characters which are more like her little girl personality,because she is ...NEWS FLASH... a little girl.
All children collect and begin to really develop a love for their hobbies at about age 10 -11. Her fashion Love is not unique and not weird either.
Her take on Thrift Store shopping is the same stuff all the other fashion bloggers are saying....and NO, Salvation Army,ST. Vincent de Paul and Goodwill are not in business to sell things cheap to poor people....SA, Vinnies, and Good are there primarily to sell things to middle class and lower middle class people to fund Do-Gooder programs that help poor people. BIG difference! I know this to be true because I read like, um, history. Now, of course, everyone shops the thrifts...Rich and not-so-rich alike because it's Trendy !!!!
But this recent online blurb about starting up Sassy the magazine again really gave me pause.....
Dazed Digital: What's your big ideaCity talk about?
Tavi: It's basically about what Sassy magazine would look like today. Because there aren't any counter cultures, so what would make it subversive?
DD: And what is that?
Tavi: It would be subversive not by latching onto a subversive band or clothing style, because those, you know, there isn't any counter culture. It would be subversive just in that it would be honest and tell teenage girls that, like, our opinions matter and to be ourselves and stuff. Other magazines, I feel, don't succeed in doing that. There's insincerity.
Yes, Tavi there are plenty of countercultures....People who eschew consumerism, homeschooling parents, folks who grow their own food, folks who work from home, people who bicycle/public transit to work when they don't have to, people who dumpster dive, people who make their way in the world without corporate jobs, artists and musicians.....
And, bottom line, you can't have it both ways: "...tell teenage girls that, like, our opinions matter and to be ourselves and stuff." AND be a slave to high-end Designer consumerism. Choose a side. That's the clever thing to do.


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Design Philosophy
Creating beautifully appointed interior spaces is my passion, one that is very personal and client based. There is no "cookie cutter " approach to my business. Each project reflects the client's personality and lifestyle. It might be a classically elegant living or dining space, a relaxing den or media room, a whimsical nursery, an edgy teen's bedroom, a modern loft space, game day unit or vacation home.
Each project has three elements to success: clear communication of the client's goals, a project plan which is executed in a timely manner and adherence to budget guidelines. My goal is exceed the client's expectations. Please read a few client comments under the Testimonials tab.
Designing residential and commercial spaces in Birmingham and the surrounding areas for the past 13 years has been an exciting and evolving environment. After graduating from the University of Alabama in 1988 with a major in Business and a concentration in Interior Design. I began a working career led by "God's direction".
Following a ten-year pharmaceutical career, I began to work in Real Estate Development 1998. I bought and sold properties in need of renovations. During this time I began assisting purchasers with their home and business interior decorating / building needs. Combining my education, real estate work experience and enthusiasm for bringing together beautiful interior and exterior living spaces.
Ellis Interiors was born from a natural talent and sincere desire to create unique, comfortable spaces that my clients thoroughly enjoy.
Sherri began assisting me with a bathroom addition and kitchen renovation. She worked on the layouts, color schemes, tile selection, accents, and furniture. After taking the addition and renovation from good to great, she assisted me with the rest of the house. My expectations were exceeded in every way. I even had her work her magic on my lake house at Lake Martin.
Having Sherri offer her suggestions and expertise was the best decision I have ever made in enhancing the look, value and enjoyment of my homes. Her attention to detail is extraordinary.
-Roger K. Fuston
We have worked with Sherri for the past eight years. She has done both large and small scale work for us, from finishing our basement -both the design and decorating – to simply pulling rooms "together." Her creative vision is first-class and I am always amazed at her great ideas and suggestions. She is extremely efficient, professional and dependable! Most importantly, Sherri is a great listener, which is integral when working with an interior designer. She is a pleasure to work with, and I am always proud to recommend her to friends because I know she will do what it takes to help them achieve their decorating goals.
-Betsy Hewett
I have worked with Sherri on 2 large projects, renovating our last home and again when we built our current home. I LOVE working with Sherri!!! She is so fun and easy to work with. I completely trust her judgment and her ideas. She quickly grasped my taste which made things much less stressful! I would highly recommend her for any decorating job and will use her for any decorating needs I may have in the future!!
-Buffie Hymer
Sherri Ellis' decorating is absolutely fantastic. Her taste is impeccable. Sherri works with a great sense of urgency, and I never had to remind her or follow up about anything. She was easy to work with, yet she was also very comfortable making suggestions when I made choices that she thought weren't the best. Sherri was very mindful when it came to money. She spent my money as if it were her own. I was so fortunate to have found her, and anybody who knows me will know, I don't say things to "Be nice."
-Mark Frohlich


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Fulfilling the essential demands of the foot in order to keep the freshness alive for a longer period of time is one of the most productive practices. There are a lot of people out there who usually ignore these practices and keep their feet away from the proper care that they require. Hence, they end up with a lot of undesired complications, which, with the passage of time becomes the root cause of many diseases. What you need is a food cream. One example is O'Keeffes healthy cream. But we'll get to it in a bit.
In this modern world, giving balanced (and required) nourishment to your feet is not an easy task, especially when you try to gather the essential ingredients by yourself for keeping your foot skin soft and smooth.
Click Here to See Ratings & Reviews on Amazon!
Several factors usually make things more difficult for you in getting the desired mixture that is effective enough to regain what you have lost just because of continuous ignorance of your feet. Most of the time, unavailability of essential ingredients usually make it impossible for the user to gain what they desires for keeping the freshness of the feet alive.
You might end up reading a lot of foot care tips online but none of that can help you if you aren't able to find the ingredients that are required to create the foot mask or the cream the DIY health expert wants you to try out.
Hence at this stage, there are very few options left in order to achieve the desired results of soft and smooth skin.Here you must understand that you need to get a special mixture that can do the things effectively in bringing back the freshness of your foot skin.
Making it yourself can sometimes get you the results but the amount of time, struggle, and money which you have invested in it is far more precious and can be saved by considering some of the awesome foot care creams that are available for you.
These foot care creams are the best alternatives and provide the same level of nourishment which you want your feet to have. The presence of special ingredients and the quality of these foot care creams usually make the user at ease by providing them an instant and effective source of regaining the freshness at an affordable price.
The Many Benefits of Foot Creams
Without any doubt, it can be said that the availability of these best and distinguished foot care creams has made it very easy for people who always want their feet to be well treated and without much of an effort.
Several pros have made these foot care creams the demanded entity of the modern world, and the level of care which these creams are offering is really appreciable. Moreover, getting such excellent foot care creams at an affordable price makes them one of the best options you can go for.
- Unmatched nourishment
One of the main advantages of using foot care creams is that it provides the demanded nourishment which your feet require. This nourishment allows your feet to not experience dry skin and scales.
- Risk-free treatment
These creams are one of the best and most suitable options for regaining control over damaged skin and preventing the risk that rise due to feet that have little cuts due to dry skin.The natural ingredients in these creams allow them to be used without you having to worry about any side effects.
- Unmatched smoothness and softness
Attaining smoother and soft skin is one of the main goals of people who are concerned with keeping their bodies looking healthy. Reliable foot creams provide the essential oils to the skin that are the backbone when it comes to strengthening the skin and enhancing its smoothness as well as softness.
- Dermatologically recommended
One can say that these foot care creams are the complete package for the people whose desire of attaining soft foot skin is ever present. Most of these best foot care creams are recommended by dermatologists that have tremendous experience when it comes to ensuring that the human feet are looked after.
Enjoying the proficient results of using the best foot care creams is one of the best things about this product. The many pros of risk-free foot care creams have made them some of the most demanded and highly recommended items to go for to get rid of foot problems.
But here you must understand that these creams are not the only solution to every bad consequence which has forced you to suffer from skin damage and pain. When applying these creams you should refer to your dermatologist if you happen to have overly sensitive skin.
Even if you're using a cream made of natural ingredients, problems can arise due to skin sensitivity. Some ingredients might end up giving rise to redness or itchiness after application. So, make sure you have your dermatologist's advice before using foot creams. Also, if a cream ends up giving rise to side effects, stop using it immediately.
Some Precautions
Keep foot creams out of direct sunlight. Too much heat and mess the chemical composition of the cream and render it inactive. The same holds true if it is placed in an area with too much moisture.
Some low-quality foot care creams are also available in the market and they claim to offer the best results. The presence of hazardous chemicals that are involved in the manufacturing of such creams enhances the risk of ruining your skin. There are many cases which involve a person's skin burning due to using low quality creams.
Some Useful Foot Care Tips
There are abundant tips and tricks for foot care which can help you in gaining the results you want. Some of the things you should keep in mind are:
- You need to wash your feet on a regular basis. You must understand that keeping your feet away from washing can drastically increase the chances of possible bacterial attack that can impart a damaging impact on your foot skin.
- After washing your feet and dry them well. You must not forget to dry between the toes in order to avoid any fungal infection.
- You need to keep your skin moisturized by applying a quality moisturizing cream. Keep this thing in your mind that you need to apply the moisturizer between the toes as well.
- You also need to keep an eye on your toenails. Trimming your toenails is one of the healthy practices to ensure good feet health.
- Only wear comfortable shoes. You must not wear shoes that are not capable of providing sufficient balance. Wearing such shoes puts too much pressure on your feet and can give rise to blisters and calluses.
O'Keeffes Healthy Cream
You need to consider O'Keeffes Healthy Cream for attaining the desired results of healthy feet skin. TheO'Keeffes Healthy Cream is capable of regaining control and doing away with any damaging effect that is harming the skin on your feet.
- The O'Keeffes Healthy Cream is also capable of healing and repairing dry feet.
- It helps in creating a protective layer that boosts the moisture level and prevents its escape.
- O'Keeffes Healthy Cream shows instant results due to its capability of working very fast.
- This cream consummates increased level of Allantoin which is one of the prime ingredients that can penetrate completely in hard and dry skin.
- This cream, when applied at bedtime, displays the most effective results.
How does O'Keeffes Healthy Cream work?
The presence of the essential oils and the Allantoin assures the complete penetration of the cream into dry and rough skin present under your feet. This distinguished quality of the cream assures effective care by reaching all the parts.
This cream contains non-greasy ingredients which mean there is little risk of any side effects. The high level of glycerin assures the smoothness and boosts the moisture level for an elongated period of time. This cream also puts up barriers that can help in preventing the loss of moisture from the feet.
Even if you don't have the time or funds to go and visit a spa for taking care of your feet, you can use this reliable cream. As mentioned, the natural non-greasy ingredients are a great way for you to nourish your feet and treat dry skin and scales.
- Acts as a moisturizer
- Treats dry skin and scales
- Natural ingredients
- Absorbs into the skin
- Portable packaging
- Some people might not like the smell.
Final Verdict
You need to use a reliable foot cream if you want to properly take care of your feet. A good thing for you would be to choose a natural product, like the O'Keeffes healthy cream. By selecting such an item you will lower the chances of experiencing side effects.
Click Here to See Ratings & Reviews on Amazon!
Dry skin and scales under your feet can lead to minor cuts which can make walking painful. That is why treating your foot before such problems arise is important. Furthermore, using a reliable foot cream can also help get rid of the dry skin and minor cuts that are making your experience pain and discomfort.


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Jaune de Chrome French craftsman Christian LePage has perfected the ages old reactive glazing technique to achieve via alchemy a pattern uniquely his to each piece that is individual, never identical but residing in harmony. The secrets to this process he holds to himself but shares in limited production his magic for generations to come.
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The branch of physics dealing with the properties and behaviour of light is called Optics. Light is a form of energy which helps us to see the objects. Have you ever wondered why we are able to see the different objects around us, their images in a mirror, in a pond? This is simply due to reflection of light .
When light travels obliquely from one transparent medium into another it gets bent. e.g. This bending of light is called refraction of light. The straw appears to break at the surface of the water due to refraction of light. As light passes from air to water, its speed slows down and the light rays are bent.
Speed of light is different in different optical mediums. Refractive Index is a characteristic property of a medium. The refracting ability of a medium is measured by its refractive index. Those with higher values of refractive index are optically denser than those with lower values of refractive index. e.g. water is optically denser than air but optically rarer than glass.
Learn about lenses - concave and convex and their image formation.
Lens formula - 1/v - 1/u = 1/f
Solve the problems related to lens, their image formation and refraction.
Learn the dispersion of white light through a prism and how a spectrum is formed. The phenomenon of splitting of white light by a prism into its constituent colours is known as dispersion. The band of colours obtained on a screen on passing white light through a prism ,is called spectrum. Do you know why we cannot see the whole spectrum ? Learn such interesting facts and different radiations, their properties forming electromagnetic spectrum.
Refraction through a lens
Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces


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It is also employed when a product is suspected of causing electromagnetic energy, therefore blocking the waves it creates from affecting outside equipment. Electromagnetic interference is caused by the interaction of two separate magnetic fields produced by different electrical currents.
The shielding of wires and cables to limit electromagnetic interference is particularly important because they are abundant in industrial, office, commercial and home environments. As both a receiver and source of electromagnetic interference, insulating wires is necessary to keep EMI at a minimum.
Like most electromagnetic shielding products, such as gaskets and filters, wire shielding is made from a variety of metal substances. Among those commonly used is aluminum, nickel, copper and steel. All of the mentioned metals have a high magnetic permeability.
Alloys like Mu Metal, which is a trademarked combination of copper, nickel, molybdenum and iron are also often found surrounding wires. Shields for wires may come in a number of different forms. Braided wires can create a mesh coat that wraps around a wire, or a smooth surface jacket can be used to coat the wire instead.
Sometimes numerous types of wire shielding are utilized at once to thoroughly deflect electromagnetic interference.
Wire may be bought with shielding already in place, or wire shielding kits may be purchased to cover and protect already installed bare wires. The type of shielding chosen depends on many factors, including the wire diameters and the amount necessary to cover all the wires in an environment.
The shielding works by way of deflection, or by conducting the energy into the ground rather then into the wire it is protecting. Other forms of EMI shielding also work in this fashion, although the shape may be vastly different.
For example, EMI coating is a spray on liquid that hardens on the surface it is applied to, then acting as a deflector of EMI as well as RFI energy. RFI, or radio frequency interference, is extremely similar to EMI, except that it moves in free space instead of through electrical wire.
Wire shielding protects the mechanical wire source from RFI waves as well as the EMI. Products that require the safety of wire shielding include televisions, telephones, industrial machinery run by way of electricity, computers, light sources and many more products. These are utilized in virtually every industry, therefore making wire shielding a common necessity.


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Evidence For vs. Proof Of
by Luke Nix
In my discussions with nonbelievers when I offer an argument that supports Christianity, they will sometimes tell that "that doesn't prove anything". I also hear claims that "there is no evidence for Christianity". I could understand the first statement, but the second normally caused me to make some weird faces, as I'm trying to figure out how such a claim could be made.
Not too long ago, the distinction between proof and evidence was offered to me. Evidence being a series of arguments that, if sound, point towards the truth of Christianity. Evidence has an objective sense about it. Arguments that are sound do provide evidence of their conclusion. However, a lot of the time, the conclusion offered is not exclusive.
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Proof is the more subjective cousin of evidence. Proof may consist of evidence, it may not. Proof is what convinces people of the truth of a claim. Many people are convinced of the truth of things without any evidence, while others have lots of evidence. Either way, the truth of that something has been proven to them.
When a person claims that an argument "doesn't prove anything," they are typically saying that that particular argument is not persuasive to them. Unfortunately, we tend to interpret that same statement as the person saying that there is no evidence for the conclusion. I discovered this mistake when I attempted to show the logical path to the conclusion…
Faithful Thinkers: Evidence For vs. Proof Of
Contending with Christianity's Critics: Answering New Atheists and Other Objectors
When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences


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African Blue Rentals – Offers a small selection of apartments in Camps Bay.
Avis Car Rental – the leading South African Car Rental Company.
Camps Bay Accommodation – A selection of Guest Houses, Apartments and Villas in popular Camps Bay, Cape Town.
Cape Gateway – Cape Gateway is a single point of access to government information and services for the citizens of the Western Cape.
Cape Town Lion Park – Located on the world famous Stellenbosch Wine Route, CAPE TOWN LION PARK offers you the amazing experience of seeing the majestic lions up close.
Cape Point – The beautiful cliff of South Africa.
Castle of Good Hope – The oldest bulding in South Africa.
Car Rental South Africa – Hire Cars in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit almost anywhere in South Africa.
District Six Museum – memories of the experiences in District Six and with the history of forced removals.
EzSearch.co.za – Find us and many other business listings on EzSearch.co.za
Moto Stars – celebrate the fun, style, audacity and beauty of the old king of the streets.
Motor Classic – A selection of classic vehicles for sale & hire in Cape Town.
Restaurants South Africa – A restaurant directory to find a restaurant in South Africa. Find specials, news, events and has a mail service to ask for advice or ideas on where to eat.
Self catering apartments in Cape Town – A Whale of a Time offers self catering apartments overlooking the sea, only 5 minutes from the beach, shopping and restaurants in Fish Hoek, Cape Town.
Shark Breaching – Shark breaching tours in Simonstown, Cape Town, South Africa.
South Africa Car Hire – Action Car Hire offers South Africa Car Hire and rentals nationwide.
SANParks – selection of National Parks all over South Africa.
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve – Situated at the foot of the towering Warmwaterberg Mountains in the heart of the Little Karoo.
Sandboarding in Cape Town – The great experience of sand boarding near Cape Town.
Theatre on the Bay – beautiful theatre with home-class-entertainment.
Travel Tourism Directory – Looking for a tour or a destination we cant offer? Why don't you try finding a Tour Operator or agent on the Travel Tourism Directory. They list only the best businesses on their site.
V&A Waterfront – the most popular sight of Cape Town.
White Shark diving – and viewing offered by Shark Bookings. Tours offered in Gansbaai, South Africa.
What's Happening in South Africa
Rovos Rail Vs. The Blue Train
South Africa has two luxury trains: Rovos Rail and The Blue Train. Both offer a very relaxing way of crossing the landscape of South Africa and both will give you an unforgettable experience. The Blue
Kruger National Park vs Greater Kruger Park
The Greater Kruger Park (GKP) refers to over 20 private game reserves, whilst the Kruger National Park (KNP) is a 20,000 km2 area right next to it. Greater Kruger Park The term Greater Kruger
Interested in our Safaris?
4 Day Zululand Lodge Safari
Durban Safaris
Safari Description Situated in the Zululand region of South Africa, this multiple award-winning, Big 5 family-run safari lodge set within
3 Day Zululand Lodge Safari
Durban Safaris
Safari Description Situated in the Zululand region of South Africa, this multiple award-winning, Big 5 family-run safari lodge set within
Interested in our Tours?
White Shark Diving Tour
Cape Town Scheduled Tours
Tour Description Swimming with Great White Sharks could sound like a crazy idea, but surrounded by a solid
Private Port Elizabeth Township tour
Port Elizabeth Tours
Tour Description Townships are the heart of urban African life. They're a repository of history, culture and life


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The planet is gradually moving towards a power crisis. The persistent utilization of non-renewable sources 's the reason, and they're certain to not survived. The significance of reducing our reliance upon these non-renewable sources is apparent. Fortunately, there's an increasing "military" of people in lots of nations around the world who understand the significance of altering to natural energy assets. They are individuals who're living from the power grid.
We briefly consider here what natural energy assets are for sale to help individual homeowners use present day technology to become living from the power grid.
Natural energy assets are individuals which keep creating free household current next day of day without tiring their supply.
Three kinds of natural energy assets fall under the course of alternative energy solutions: solar power, wind energy and electromagnetic energy.
Solar power: The sun's rays creates probably the most abundant energy available on the planet. Take advantage of the way to obtain free household current to use photo voltaic energy in your house. Using the growth of technology, the sun's energy could be transformed into electricity.
Getting your personal electricity supply means living from the power grid. You'll reduce your energy bill as well as strengthen your contribution towards the atmosphere. Photo voltaic energy may be used to operate cookers, heating systems, lighting systems, dish washers, automatic washers, and hairdryers. Anything you want to operate on electricity…
A solar power system has numerous advantages. It's cost-effective and eco-friendly, because it means living from the power grid, and it is have less maintenance. Families setting up solar power systems within their houses find they take advantage of a fast return of investment and from regular obligations in the energy supply companies for that free household current produced.
Wind energy: Windmills happen to be around in excess of two 1000 years. Once, they assisted to tow motorboats and also to pump water. Following the industrial revolution, these were accustomed to generate electricity. Wind energy is among individuals excellent natural energy assets to make use of to produce free household current.
When built for a person home, location and atmosphere being evaluated as appropriate, a homemade wind generator will go a lengthy means by assisting you be independent and revel in living from the power grid. The wind generator could be a helpful cause of utilizing natural energy assets from the moving air.
Electromagnetic energy: Magnetic machines use effective magnets to supply electricity. The special property of polarity which magnets posses, produces a pressure able to turning a turbine to ensure that electricity is created being an Alternate Current (AC). A house made magnetic generator may have batteries to keep the disposable household current when it's not running. A house made magnetic generator may be the best alternative of either or photo voltaic or wind energy as it isn't just cheaper being produced but additionally cheaper in the maintenance.
Free household current is indeed a possibility with your personal homemade solar power panels, homemade wind generator or perhaps a free electric device, which could include your own house made magnetic generator.


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Went there in the morning to get the car checked. Mechanic told me that the weird sound I've been hearing the past few days was due to the malfunctioning waterpump and the only way to fix it was to replace that unit. So, I told the Mechanic to proceed with ordering a new set and change it as soon as it arrives. It took more than an hour to get the spare part, and when the first one (yes there are 2 of them! and you'll know why! Grrr!) arrived, it wasn't the right fit! Then, only I realized that mum's car can't handle compatible parts because they don't fit. So, we had to order another one (returning the first one, of course, at no charge). Second one arrived and thank goodness, it was a match!
There was a loud squeaky sound coming from this part!
In the midst of replacing the water pump, the Mechanic found that the timing belt needed to be changed as well. I was like "OK, get it changed then" and what the Mechanic said next was really bothersome. "Well, we'll need to place an order for that, because your car needs the original spare parts, and we don't have it have it here." I was about to flip the tables, but I calmed myself down and told the Mechanic to proceed with it. It wasn't the Mechanic's fault anyway.
The delivery of the timing belt was VERY FRUSTRATING, waited another hour and half for it. Even the Mechanic was getting restless. The reason for the delay was that the delivery guy went to the wrong shop, at the other side of town. Pfft! "Use-lah GPS bro!" Dangnamit!
Thankfully, these two cats kept me entertained.
Their constant annoying-each-other act was funny!
It was past 4PM when the car was ready. Grrr. Wasted more than half the day at the workshop! Sigh.
Car, why you need only original parts?! =(


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The fourth meeting between the Lowell and Washington baseball teams unfolded like their previous three meetings, where runs were hard to come by.
In another one-run affair, Lowell not only evened the season series, it left AT&T Park as city champs Tuesday.
With runners on second and third and one out in the top of the eighth inning, junior Anthony Aguirre lined out to right fielder Michael Andrewjeski, but it was just deep enough for Lowell sophomore Matthew Schivo to tag from third base. Schivo beat Andrewjeski's throw to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.
Lowell junior Craig Colen — who relieved senior Max Read in the third inning — recorded the final out in the bottom of the inning by inducing Washington freshman Kai Moody into a pop-out back to the mound, clinching the 4-3 win and the Cardinals' second consecutive Academic Athletic Association-San Francisco Section championship.
Colen — who was the winning pitcher — was as good as advertised, as he threw six shutout innings and gave up only one hit, while striking out eight.
Due to throwing 111 pitches in last week's semifinal win over Balboa, Colen started at third base. However, once Washington went up 3-1, Lowell coach John Donohue summoned his ace.
"My coach pulled me aside yesterday and told me I better be ready to go, and I made sure I was completely ready," Colen said. "The second I stepped on that mound, I knew I was going to have a good time."
As for the moment of catching the final out to clinch Lowell's 13th championship under Donohue?
"That was probably the loudest I've shouted for a ball, and I just wanted to make absolutely sure that it would fall into my glove," Colen said. "I shouted at the top of my lungs and after that, I just felt a teammate hit me in the back. I absolutely loved it."
Making their 19th championship game appearance in the last 20 years, the heartbreaking loss for Washington marked the second consecutive season they came up short against their rival from the Sunset district.
Washington (12-15) led through most of the championship behind the strength of senior Sean Mathews. After Read walked Bakil Algaheim and Nick Wong, Mathews crushed a double to left field to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead in the second inning, and he later scored on Andrewjeski's groundout.
Despite giving up 11 hits, Eagles pitchers averted trouble throughout, stranding 11 Lowell runners on base. However Mathews — who went four innings after relieving Wong — couldn't pitch himself out of a jam in the eighth inning, as he had done in the previous three innings.
"We gave them opportunities and when [Colen] came in, we couldn't swing the bat," Washington coach Rob Fung said. "If you give Lowell, a good team, extra opportunities, they're going to make you pay. We had pressure on ourselves every inning, which is how we played all year. They didn't crumble, but Lowell deserves some credit. The Lowell kids earned this championship."
For Donohue, he said afterward that it "never gets old," to win a championship. In a whirlwind of a season, where he won his 700th career game as a coach, winning another championship left Donohue grinning ear-to-ear.
He insists that next season will be his last. It's a season that could net Lowell's third three-peat in the Donohue era.
"Yes, it's fun for me, but one more round for me. That's it. I'm 106 years old," joked Donohue. "Now it's OK for me to leave because the program [is in good hands]."


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You must be curious to know where I got those beautiful and elegant cupcakes paper liners from. They flew here all the way from USA. My step daughter, Erin bought them for me. Erin, your selection was superb and thank you for shipping them to me. I wish you are here to taste these delicious cupcakes.
Note: I am submitting this cupcake recipe to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) which hosted by Min of Min's Blog


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"CEOs make Good Coaches: What motivated me to get into coaching, and how it correlates to my former role and experiences as a CEO" By Aubrey Rebello (guest)
Sharing my professional career journey, prior to coaching
I was fortunate to have had Leadership roles in a variety of Business segments. Among the most challenging was functioning as the CEO of a large Financial Services Company - managing the business while also strategizing and handling a merger. There was a great deal of learning through the merger process, especially in all aspects of HR.
After my retirement I was asked to continue as a full time adviser, as the parent group was forming a new and larger Financial Services Company. I opted to setup the Learning and Development Function; I was given carte blanche to cover employees at all levels from frontline to Business Heads.
After getting involved with HR and L&D I started thinking, "After this, what do I do?"
I noticed over my career as a Business head / CEO, when you're at the top, it's lonely and you often feel the need to have someone as a sounding board, someone who will question your assumptions without you feeling threatened by it.
That is what made me decide to go into coaching. I felt that I had an advantage coming from Business, and having subsequently closely handled HR and L&D work.
Integrating and extending relevant experiences into developing my coaching practice
Having experienced of what it's like being a Business Head, I can empathize with and appreciate the issues and concerns that a CEO faces even if our contexts differs. High performing CEOs still may have questions like,
"Can I do something better?"
"What is the element of risk in this decision?"
"Am I getting the full picture or is there a blind spot – what am I still missing?"
Many of these concerns cannot be shared with internal stakeholders and they are typically better handled by an unbiased coach who has time to listen and understand you, and bring in newer/alternative perspectives.
Most of my Coaching assignments that come my way are because of my varied business experience, backed up with Coaching skills that I have developed.
What I have learnt from my long business experience is the need to be agile, energised, spot opportunities, manage and motivate teams, interact with key stakeholders especially customers and your own Team. You need to do all this under the pressure of delivering good business results and with limited time.
In my Coaching Practice I have found that if CEOs can prioritise and manage their time well, they are able to do everything that is required, give good business results AND still have a good work life balance. However, they need to develop skills to have those shorter business reviews, be better at delegation and monitoring, and escape mail box pressure and information overload.
The CEO therefore needs a Coach or Mentor; someone who listens and understands:
(a) you as a person,
(b) your role, and
(c) Business nuances.
Who better to discuss with & move forward than a Coach who has also been there!
I also realized that business is heavily dependent on who heads the business and the energy he/she puts into it and the new thinking he/she brings into it. No business is a one person show but the CEO's agility and perceptiveness decides where the business will finally go.
My practice in relation to the field
Mentoring and Coaching is still in its nascent stage in India but it is growing, with Indian corporates starting to see benefits of coaching and we can expect a 30% growth year on year for the next 3 years. Coaching fees for Corporates is in the range of USD $250 - $600 an hour. There is however a large untapped market for smaller companies and individuals at fees that may range in USD 100- 150 per hour.
From an accreditation standpoint, the course offered by ICF, which I have done, is the most recognised.
Most Coaches in India come from the HR Domain. Clients in India now feel the need for Coaches who have Business experience, have faced Profit Pressures and are still adequately grounded (not specialised) on the HR side.
These combinations are rare and there is a Gap needing to be filled.
CEOs/ Business Heads. This is your opportunity. You could be a Mentor/Coach to others though you may have sorely missed having one when you needed it the most. More than money, the difference you could make in the Clients performance is a reward in itself.
To connect with Aubrey:
Aubrey brings to the table over 40 years of rich & varied Corporate Experience as CEO, Director, and Business Head with Tatas & Bayer.
Aubrey has strategised & managed a major merger, was CEO of a large NBFC, & Profit Centre Head of a large Business. In all his assignments he has rapidly scaled up revenues & profits. In many areas he has also built up Structures & Processes from scratch.
Post retirement Aubrey continues as an Advisor to a Tata Company. Aubrey is also an Executive Coach to several Indian & Foreign Corporates He is also an expert in Family managed Businesses serving as a Business Consultant & Mentor to Business Families. Having had Leadership Roles in different work Areas & Industries Aubrey's expertise is in Financial Services , Automobile Industry, Mergers & Integration , Materials Management , & Learning & Development .
Aubrey is an Engineer from IIT Bombay & a First Rank Gold Medallist MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. He is also a Certified Executive Coach - International Coach Federation & NEWS Switzerland. He has several hundred hours of coaching experience at the MD & CXO levels.


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I sat down with writer, blogger, and fellow Hampshire alum Lydia Hadfield to talk about women in horror. You can read the full interview on her blog here. And, if you happen to live in the Brunswick area, quotes from me, local librarians, and local teenagers will appear in her article on the matter for The Brunswick Citizen.
Fantasy writer and banned books blogger Shannon Barnsley and I chatted by way of email interview. We talked about girls and the YA horror genre. Quotes from Shannon's responses will be appear in my "Girls' Guide to Horror" article along with input from Brunswick librarians and teenagers. The story will be published in The Brunswick Citizen newspaper this coming Thursday.
The Full, Unadulterated Shannon Barnsley Talks About Girls in YA Horror Interview is featured below!
Barnsley's work is published in Redhead Magazine. She also writes about the politics of banned comics, books and movies for Bound and Gagged.
HADFIELD: How would you define the horror genre?
BARNSLEY: Oh, man, this is a tough one. We often think of horror as a more modern genre, but we've been telling stories that frighten us around the fire since we've had a fire to keep the things that scare us at bay. There are elements of…
View original post 3,431 more words


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Furenexo's SoundSense is a simple, open-source gadget that helps deaf people stay aware of their surroundings
People with deafness have plenty of ways to navigate everyday situations as if they had no disability at all, but there are still situations that present dangers unique to them — not being able to hear a smoke alarm or gunshot, for instance. SoundSense is a small wearable device that listens for noises that might require immediate attention and alerts the user when it detects one.


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This group is open to all participants in the NASAMS 18th Annual Sentencing Advocacy Conference, March 5-7, 2011, in Buena Vista, Florida, for information, ongoing discussion, and exchange of materials.
Click on a Group listed below to access its FORUM
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By participating in the NLADA Forum, you agree that:
Your comment is not being posted for the purpose of generating commercial business for yourself or your organization; and
The content of your comment is not unlawful or discriminatory; and
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Content in the NLADA Forum is contributed by users. If you feel that any comment posted in the Forum is inappropriate, please report this by email to NLADA.
NLADA reserves the right to remove any comment posted to the NLADA website.


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neither here nor there
'12 December
'Tis the season to be JOLLY!
'12 November
Time, like any time really, for giving thanks.
'12 October
Back from the far away.
Aug 27-03
Sep 04-05
Sopron, Hungary
Sep 06-15
Sep 16-25
Prague and Brno
Sep 26-29
Sep 30-06
Dresden, Leipzig, Stadthagen, and Hanover
Oct 07-16
'12 July and August
Back from
and finally
Steamboat Springs
and leaving for Budapest-Vienna-Prague-Berlin in late August.
'12 June
My MEDICARE year! and Levitated Mass too.
'12 May
Home from
for a few weeks before it's Mazel Tov to Cynthia and Mike time.
'12 March
Welcome to the wisteria and my last month at home.
'12 February
The season of Hearts and Flowers.
'12 January
I'm home for the month. .and a Happy New Year!
Click HERE and all the pictures in this chapter will get big.
December 29
Windy came by with her New Phone, her first actual Smart Phone, and she's having f.u.n, although we were laughing a little too hard for the light in the room...
Angela sent this picture of the girls having finished the puzzle I gave Kaitlin at Christmas. At Kaitlin's school they have a huge map of the States painted on the playground and when I pick her up we usually take a few minutes to talk about who lives where or like last time she asked me 'is Pennsylvania next to Maine?'. Cool.
Instead of a many miles walk at Pepperdine and lunch at the Getty Villa it's underground parking to the completely covered Hammer Museum. A nice day anyway.
ancy came for dinner last night and gave me this string of flying pigs. Yay, flying pigs!
December 28
What Cynthia, Mike, and Kieran were up to over the holiday .. at Mike's brother's place in North Dakota where the temperature was mostly ZERO (-18c), +/- a few degrees. WOW is right. Thanks Cynth for the great selection of pictures from which to choose!
There are a few other shots of the dog who looks like an awesome ranch dog. There are cats too that I'm supposing they keep around the barn for their hunting skills.
December 27 evening
D&A went out for a date and this is what Kaitlin and Lilly and I made for dessert. Smiley Faces!
December 27
Two sets of sisters (friends from the new neighborhood), two dads, one mom, and a granny, and we're off for a crystal clear day at the Getty Center.
Finley, Kaitlin, Avery, Lilly
he tables where we ate the yummy picnic Angela made, looking out to the winter garden and the sea beyond.
Kaitlin, Lilly, Finley, Avery
very place upon which you cast your gaze demands a picture...
..even the random pot.
he day was unbelievably clear and clean from the recent off-and-on rains and the current winds.
ne of the turns in the Sepulveda Pass and a big-time construction site: The (ever dreaded) 405.
view from inside the Family Play Room.
mentioned it was clear.
That's the 405, then Century City and UCLA, then downtown, the set of buildings in the far distance at the upper left.
hese four did so nicely together. I thought they were like a bunch of cats, entirely happy to be playing with the box. Darryl pointed out they were actually playing with each other. So true.
Lilly, Avery, Kaitlin, Finley
t the tram station waiting to go down. Every place upon which you cast your gaze...
Here's the link to my
Getty Center Collection.
December 24-25
And a Merry Christmas to all!
ore fun than a barrel of monkeys! or as in the case of the girls' new slippers, more fun than a herd of unicorns.
anta brought Darryl this toy and this craft, the kids got piles of goodies, and all the adults got just want they asked for.
December 23
From Sharon, where she is for the holidays. In the snow. This is the place in Steamboat Springs we visited in the summer when it looked quite different.
It seems they've got so much snow even the heated driveway can't keep a clear path!
December 22
The Kings! Windy's eldest son Lucas and his adorable sweetheart family Betsy, Xander, and Anya.
This is the family that lives near Seattle and you'll find a bit of their life in my chapters on Seattle because those times are my best chances to visit with them.
And speaking of Windy, YES, the carpet went IN, and all the ceilings and walls and floors are done Done. Oh Happy Day. Lucas and Betsy - the guest room awaits!
(Holiday Greetings photo)
December 21 evening
Lona and Hartley decided to have a festive Christmas get-together before they left the next day for Hawaii.
Lona made our mother's Happy Birthday Baby Jesus Cake! Our mother made this cake for years and periodically one or the other of us will make it in respect of her. It's fun!
I should note that after our mother's passing I made the first one and I made it with Sara Lee Pound Cake (you make it the night before, slice the pound cake cross-wise into thin layers, add bananas and whipped cream between each layer, yum) instead of the homemade cake our mother produced. I just remembered! She made the two cakes (it ended up quite tall) in heart shaped pans and this was the pink plate she used.
But...everyone agrees the Sara Lee version is delicious!
artley is not so much into the cake so he got a bowl of whipped cream. L&H leave their dining room table always set for 14 because you never know .. like our mother .. always prepared to feed the British army just in case they happen to stop by.
This is Titi, Lona and Hartley's latest protégé and she is fabulous, a smart and an incredibly motivated, hard-working young woman from Eritrea.
Windy and Jeff were there too, and Geraldine, and me.
ona and Hartley are off to Hawaii to spend the holidays with their son Trevor and his dear family Beth, Christa, Caleb, and Charis all of whom I find utterly delightful with their entirely sincere and open-hearted kindness.
(Holiday Greetings photo)
December 21
Liz and I went for a grand tour at the Gamble House in Pasadena today.
It's a Greene and Greene Arts and Crafts masterpiece, the woodworking was simply stunning. We walked around slack-jawed. And GAGA for the stained glass.
(internet pix)
his is a watercolor by J Hill that I got off the internet because I think it has an especially good feeling for the place.
hen nearby is an area to catch some section of
the Los Angeles River
, one of my projects as you might remember. Click on the link for what I've got so far.
I do love the bridges.
ere we are in full-on cement mode.
ake the shadows when you can! That's us. You can see the Rose Bowl in the far upper right.
his small section is right along the Rose Bowl parking lots.
December 20
Well well Mr Squirrel, peering in my kitchen window.
hat it's been like these days. Cold and clear, and awesome.
(not my picture .. skimmed off the internet. Funny! it looks like the same one I picked in 2010 from the LA Times.)
December 19
No pictures of the kids but we had a big fun busy day. And speaking of spending time with kids .. this made me laugh.
December 17
It's the Monday Night Christmas Party, and everyone was there!
For many years now we've been doing this party at Alicia's with a
Thanksgiving Dinner menu. I Really like it. For one thing, Alicia cooks with the angels. She used to do everything but in recent years she passes out the recipes and assignments and people contribute some, but we all know it's Alicia's dinner. Oh we do have a good time.
Ljubica, me, Maxine, Marija, Ann, Alicia, Becky Marsha, Lourdes, Maryanne.
(Maxine's hor d'oeuvre tray; Alicia's rolls that everyone begs for all year, her always spectacular roast turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry-apple-marshmallow salad; Maryanne brought ingredients; Lourdes' cranberry sauce; Becky's thousand calorie mashed potatoes; Ann's sweet potato and pecan delight; Marija's green beans; Marsha's dessert; Ljubica's Martinellis; my 3 bottles of pretty tasty Prosecca that was well enjoyed especially since we usually drink one bottle of wine during a regular dinner!)
December 16
It's time for Knut and Brigitte's annual holiday slipper party and they are Not Here. This is their card. Nice, but not a party. They have retired and relocated to Belgium when the weather is nice there and to Portugal when it is not.
HEY you guys, come home, it's perfect weather here All The Time! (OK ok, so your family and many (but by no means all!) of your friends are in Europe, still...)
(Holiday Greetings photo)
December 15
Windy and Jeff's home in a great Santa Monica location, this > < close to finishing all the refurbishments of the ceilings, walls, windows, and floors. This > < close. Oh Happy Day.
How long have they been at it? For EVER. More forever than I can possibly imagine.
But This > < Close!
he view from the front porch.
December 12
Kaitlin and I took the pictures for her Christmas card and planned out how the card might look and what she'd like it to say.
All the pictures were her ideas and it was a Lot of fun to do. (I love those cutie little toes peeking out from the dresses - barefoot at the beach for Christmas.)
ere's Lilly's. She chose her own pictures too. The girls are holding their favorite ornaments, one of Kaitlin's many ideas.
ubble Bath! EVERYbody loves a bubble bath.
December 10
Becky was available to host Monday Night Potluck because look what happened December 7!
Becky's daughter birthed her third child and here we have the whole family: Matt and Kelly, Lana, Makaio, and baby Kamea. Mazel Tov!
December 9
I walked down to the beach today and back for the first time since I've been sick.
In between the walking Sharon and Nancy and I had lunch, strolled around the Promenade, and saw
Silver Linings Playbook
which was very sweet and happily-ever-after.
December 8
Maxine had her annual Christmas Party and it was wonderful as always, festive and delicious. All her kids were there, and Max was happy.
The kids (and the grandkids): Dirk; Shirley (Quan); Tiffany (Daeja, Jaedin, Jacob); James (Sydney, Kelsey, James)
December 7
Muriel came by for a walk and a dinner out. We snapped some shots...
..around my yard. What is it with all these December oranges?!
nd then we strolled through the neighborhood before enjoying a delicious night-before-the-first-night-of-Hanukkah dinner at Rustic Canyon.
This is the first day since November 14th that I haven't taken an allergy pill. I'm not sick .. I'm 92% well!
December 6
Ann and I had sushi for lunch. Ahhhh, ummmm. There is nothing nothing a person can eat for lunch that is as satisfying, as beautiful and entertaining, as splendid as a sushi lunch.
December 5
I spent the day shopping and watching all the episodes of The Neighbors. The Neighbors totally made me Laugh Out Loud. And shopping from the comfort of ones BED, what's to complain!
December 4
Mindy is home from Zambia for the holidays. She's going into her fifth year in Africa. By this time next year, or sooner, she'll have moved on and it's exciting to wonder where that will be.
Ken, me, Mindy, Bill (Mindy's
.. Daddy when she wants something that is...just Dad otherwise)
December 3
Burt, Wow, Solar Panels. It takes a lot of juice to cool a house in the summer in Simi Valley.
I wish I had taken a picture of those adorable, sweet and gentle grandboys that Burt and Charlene are raising. John is almost 13 and taller than I am, and Bradley is 10. My friends, I ask you to pause for a moment and imagine yourself in charge of all those raging hormones. You go B&C, you GO.
December 2
The Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN, opened in January 2011, this is my first visit.
(Which has reminded me of other local performing arts centers such as the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks Civic Art Plaza, Long Beach Performing Arts Center .. and so many more. Just check out LA Weekly Calendar at some point. Have a taste for some particular entertainment? It's here.)
hat's Ken picking up our tickets at Will Call, and me and my shadow.
..and out.
e came to hear the Colburn Orchestra and they were really quite wonderful.
Our first seats were assigned at Will Call in the exact center in the first row of the upper balcony. No one was sitting in front of us and the view was good but too far back to see any faces.
So after the intermission we moved to The most perfect seats as noted by the arrow.
It was a free concert - if tickets were for sale we would never have had the chance for The most perfect seats, so yay for free concerts!
December 1
The Century City Shopping Center, dressed up for Holiday Shopping. There are many more of these decorated reindeer around. That one with the hands is
. Nancy, Sharon, and I had a good lunch at Obika Mozzarella Bar in the Mall and then saw Life of Pi.
We saw it in 3-D and I am so done with 3-D. I'm not seeing any more 3-D if I can help it until there's another advance in technology. Maybe people with good eyes can enjoy it but not me.
That said it's pretty beautiful and veeery long. If you have the least doubt about 'getting it' as I did, you can read some analysis either before or after you see it. Now I'm a fan, at least of the story.
ancy went home and Sharon and I drove on, past the new sculpture along the Avenue of the Stars meridian. There are 22 of these works by Gwynn Murrill.
They'll be here until October 2013. I want them to stay forever.
(internet pix)
hen we went to the Annenberg Space for Photography - free to visit and $1 to park. Each show lasts 4-6-8 months and I try to catch them all since they are Wonderful.
entury City toward evening on a quite winter weekend.
Click HERE and all the pictures in this chapter will get big.
© 2012 • WhereTheHeckIsMom.com


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Bonding is an alternative to veneers, and can be used as a restorative procedure for teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misarranged.
How does it work?
The tooth is prepared for the procedure by lightly etching the surface and applying a bonding liquid. Once the liquid sets, a plastic resin is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.
The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. However, since the plastic resin used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it is more likely to stain, chip or break than natural teeth. Bonding typically lasts three to five years before need of repair.
Please call one of our convenient offices with any questions or to schedule an appointment.
South County Dental Group
10745 Sunset Hills Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63127
Phone: South County Office Phone Number 314-821-6800
St. Louis City Office
Chippewa Dental Group
6680 Chippewa Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63109
Phone: 314-353-8992
In case of a dental emergency , you may reach us 24 hours-a-day through our Emergency Exchange: 314-388-5509.
NOTE: Not all procedures are available at all locations.


text:
Editor's note: In the Spring 2015 issue of JAcL, we published an article by Michael Toupin titled "Characteristics of Major Donors for Bible Translation." That article reported research showing the relationship between giving and major donor categories based on age, education, marital status, and financial capacity. The most significant finding was that donors with the highest sense of involvement tended to give at the highest levels. Stated another way, those with the highest levels of giving reported the greatest levels of participation in the community of donors associated with the work of The Seed Company (an organization that supports major Bible translation work).
Because of the importance of development work, we invited two individuals who are heavily involved in fundraising to respond to Toupin's article: Lilya Wagner, Director of Philanthropic Service for Institutions, an internal consulting group committed to Seventh-day Adventist philanthropy; and Albert Reyes, President and CEO of Buckner International, a global Christian ministry that provides humanitarian aid. We were especially interested in adding to the understanding of what makes development work effective. Finally, we also asked Toupin to continue sharing his thinking on the rationale, nature and basic biblical grounding of philanthropic work.
Albert Reyes, Ph.D., is President of Buckner international in Dallas, Texas. Buckner is one of the oldest and most unique faith-based social service organizations of its kind, serving hundreds of thousands of people each year in the United States and around the world. his most recent book, The Jesus Agenda: Becoming An Agent of Redemption, empowers us with the knowledge that as Christ followers we must reconcile conviction with compassion, sanctification with service, and truth with love.
Dr. Michael Toupin has done an excellent job in sharing his story in fundraising and development. His story of the conversation with Jim and Barbara mirrors many of my experiences in fundraising at Buckner international and formerly at Baptist University of the Americas. I have found that when the passion of a donor intersects with the mission of the organization I lead, exciting stewardship emerges. By the same token, I have known very passionate Christian philanthropists with astounding resources that they could contribute to our ministry, but our mission and their passion did not intersect. Dr. Toupin describes a very nice intersection that produced financial resources and kingdom results for the ministry of the Seed company. The work of fundraising, also referred to as development, is a ministry as valid as any other. It requires a keen focus on building relationships and wise stewardship of those relationships for high impact. Several years ago, I was encouraging a young minister to consider this field of ministry. His response to my encouragement sort of surprised me. "No, I am not interested in that type of work," he said. "I don't want to become a professional beggar." I was disappointed that he viewed the work of development in this way. My view could not be further from this perspective. I see development work as stewardship. It is a sacred stewardship of the relationship with the donor and the potential financial resource, as well as the gifts, abilities, and time available from the donor. I see my role in development as solving the challenge of what to do with discretionary and excess resources. Many of the donors I work with see their gifts as "Kingdom investments" and they have an expectation of a return on their investment.
The writer of Ecclesiastes said, "For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it" (2:21, NIV). Wise donors know they must carefully choose how to invest excess resources for Kingdom purposes that may continue producing results after they have passed away. My role is to invite them to be a part of the Buckner international ministry to transform lives and change the world. Far from the idea of begging, I raise a challenge, perhaps even the notion of a calling, to collaborate with us to serve the needs of vulnerable children, orphans, and their families. We are on a mission and we invite generous people who are motivated by their faith to make a difference in the world.
Donors who contribute to Buckner tend to have a deep passion for the well- being of vulnerable children, orphans, and their families. They are compelled by their faith. Donors interested in funding foster care and adoption long to ensure that children who have suffered abuse, neglect, and abandonment have an opportunity to grow up in a healthy family. Donors who fund Family Pathways have a passion for mothers that suffer domestic abuse and violence or find themselves in difficult economic conditions and need a hand up. I have heard countless stories of domestic violence and mothers with very little hope for the future. These strong and brave women turn to Buckner for help, and within two years most graduate from the program with a sense of mission and purpose, an associate degree, and a way to maintain their family finances. Donors who fund families through Buckner Family hope centers have a passion to see the total redemptive potential of a family become reality. These programs fund case managers to plug the gaps in the lives of families to preserve the family unit and prevent the disintegration of the family. In turn, this protects thousands of children from entering the child Welfare System. These programs are found all over texas and in eight countries around the world. Donors joyfully give to these programs because they can see and read stories of redemptive transformation.
Exciting stewardship happens when the passion of the donor and the mission of the organization intersect in the context of a relationship of trust and confidence. Toupin underscored this truth in the Findings section of his article, under the heading "Alignment with Mission and Vision." Another factor to consider is the personhood of the leader of the ministry and the development leader. Donors tend to give to missional leaders they trust, respect, and in whom they have high confidence. They also give to a compelling vision. A leader who can articulate a clear and compelling vision of the future of the organization and the kingdom impact their ministry will make will usually have success in attracting needed resources. In this article, Dr. Toupin provides a compelling case for support for the Seed company. He clearly states the need, the history, and the future of the Seed company and why generous philanthropy is needed to support his mission.
Finally, one of the basic principles in development is that one tends to obtain the next gift from the same source from which they received the first gift. That is, donors may become repeat contributors if the results they expected are executed with a high level of excellence. At Buckner international, we ensure that our major donors receive a stewardship report annually. This report outlines the impact of their gift and is an opportunity to demonstrate our accountability to the donor; it also sets the stage for an additional request for funding. Additionally, I have found that many donors would support our ministry but have never been asked or invited to do so. Toupin documented the impact of a "Direct request" in his Findings section.
Toupin's study found an interesting factor referred to as "communities of Participation." he found this factor to be the single highest discriminant value between donor categories. he also found that when "communities of participation" and the factor of "leadership" were combined, these two factors became the most powerful discriminant between donor levels in this study.
My experience in development at Buckner international and at Baptist University of the Americas confirms this finding. At Buckner, we find that people who tend to financially support our ministry do so because they are compelled by their faith to make a difference in the world. When our donors spend their time with other donors on mission trips, shoe drives, or trips where they place shoes on the feet of children, a sense of unity develops among participants. Relationships develop as they get to know other people who share the same values, vision, and passion through our ministry. In the past 15 years, Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls has collected 3 million pairs of shoes and has shipped them to more than 80 countries to bless vulnerable children. Many of these shoes were carried by volunteers who put the shoes on the children themselves. Many lifelong relationships have been developed within the context of serving "the least of these."
About twice a year, I lead a group of prospective donors on a vision trip to one of the eight countries where Buckner serves in Africa or Latin America. Most recently, I led a group to Guatemala. I knew all of the prospective donors with the exception of one. however, they did not know each other. We visited Buckner work, government officials, Buckner staff, pastors, and local leaders as well as our clients. By midway through the week, members of this group became acquainted and built friendships.
Recently, I led a group of Buckner donors, friends, and prospective donors to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. global leaders from 130 countries and every state in the United States gathered as guests of the U.S. Congress and the President of the United States. Over a period of three days, we met several senators, members of Congress, chaplain (Admiral) Barry Black (62nd chaplain of the U.S. Senate), as well as ambassadors and government officials from around the world. I invited this group of Buckner friends to enjoy the National Prayer Breakfast but also to engage global leaders on behalf of Buckner during that week. In a matter of three intense days, members of this group became friends, like family. Why? they most likely formed friendships and a sense of community because we formed a community of participation around the mission of Buckner. Their commitment and passion for Buckner ministry grew dramatically in those few days. Several of the leaders who went to the National Prayer Breakfast as my guests made commitments to travel with me on future President's Vision trips this year, during which I will introduce them, as new prospective donors, to Buckner ministry.
Toupin's study is an encouraging and wise word to those who serve in development. Few experiences measure up to the joy of inviting donors to support work that makes a Kingdom impact. This is only surpassed by the joy of reporting excellent results and changed lives, and experiencing the joy of faithful stewards who share their resources to bring the Kingdom of God very near in the "here and now" as well as the "yet to be."