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Talk to your Personal Travel Expert
Call 0439 351587 or email
Bali Luxury - Alila Seminyak - 7 nights from $1,169 per person Twin Share
Alila Seminyak Bali ups the ante on tropical cool.
Be one of the first to experience this brand new Seminyak beach resort. Alila Seminyak has stunning infinity pools, 240 luscious and modern rooms and suites.
Rejuvenate, balance and relax your mind and body with unique and traditional treatments at Spa Alila. This contemporary resort invites you to make the most of the lifestyle facilities and refined spaces for chilling out in style.
Alila Seminyak is host to 'The Restaurant' which is fronted by ocean views and is set to be amongst Seminyak's top dining venues. The Beach Bar is a breezy spot for unwinding under the sun and stars with a cocktail and great company.
Enjoy an unrivalled beachfront setting along the sophisticated shores of Seminyak, close to the likes of Ku De Ta and Potato Head, this is Bali's upscale resort destination
Need an airfare with your package? Just ask your consultant for the best fare at the time of booking!
Nights: 7
Departs: Seminyak, Bali
Deal ends: 31 October 2019, unless sold out prior. Availability is limited.
Operator: Asia Escape Holidays
> 7 Nights in the comfort of a Studio Room at Alila Seminyak, Bali
> Daily Alila Breakfast - One of Seminyak's finest beachside breakfasts!
> FREE Upgrade from a Studio Room to a Deluxe Studio Room - save up to $230 per person!
> One sunset cocktail at The Beach Bar for two - one of Seminyak's hottest beachside locations
> One three-course lunch at Seasalt for two
> Revitalise with a 60-minute Reflexology treatment for two at Spa Alila
> Daily afternoon refreshment from 4pm - 5pm - tea or coffee plus some sweet treats!
> Morning yoga classes everyday from 7.30am - 8.30am
< FREE shuttle service to Seminyak Square in vintage VW Combi Vans
> Use of 24-hour gym
> Use of resort bicycles
> FREE Wi-Fi
> Deluxe Suite from $389pp - Receive a free upgrade to a Deluxe Terrace Suite!
> Deluxe Terrace Suite from $529pp - Receive a free upgrade to a Deluxe Ocean Suite!
Extra nights available
Dates & Departures
01 November - 25 December 2019
06 January – 31 May 2020
Blackout dates apply 11–14 Nov 19
Terms & Conditions
Offers subject to availability. Amounts payable to third parties not included. Please check all prices, availability and other information with your travel consultant before booking.
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The Placements Commission (PC) reports to the Synod Standing Committee. The Commission is responsible for:
Up to six members are selected for each Committee and Commission annually. These people elected , after seeking advice from the respective bodies, will be chosen to provide for a balance of age, gender, ethnicity, rural and urban, specialist knowledge and experience, and the need for the various specified ministries to be represented.
The Placements Commission membership appointed by Synod and Presbytery currently include:
The Placement Commission meets every second Tuesday of every second month at 3:30pm (until further notice). Please confirm with our Placements Administrator Amanda Badenhorst before attending a meeting.
Metro East, South West, Metro West, Metro Central, Metro-North and Great Eastern are currently vacant. If you are interested in becoming a regional pastor for one of these vacant regions, please contact Rev Mark Illingworth.
For special services such as Ordinations, Inductions, Commissionings, etc, visit our Events or E-Newsletters page. (The Liturgy Committee has carriage – Convener – Rev Steve Francis. Contact his Personal Assistant Justine Woodward at email@example.com).
Should you have any queries regarding stipends, allowances, relocation, travel and other ministry entitlements, please refer to the Ministry Handbook.
If you have any queries regarding your current placement and your status of applying to become a Minister of the Uniting Church, please contact Rev Mark Illingworth or Amanda Badenhorst.
Visit our Ministry Vacancy page to find out about current vacancies we might have.
If you would like to find out more about the Placements Commission or have a related enquiry, please contact:
Amanda Badenhorst
Presbytery Support Administrator
Phone: (08) 9260 9820
Email: email@example.com
Phone: (08) 9260 9800 or 1300 736 692
Postal Address: GPO Box M952, Perth WA 6843
Physical Address: 85-89 Edward St, Perth
Email: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Brokeback Mountain: A Quick Review
Watched Brokeback Mountain at the cinema last night…
It was one of the most thought provoking movies I have watched in ages. It is one of those movies that linger on in your mind, while you walk out of the cinema, and even when you wake up the next morning. The type of movies that you think about the details and discover things that you never appreciated until that very moment…
If Ang Lee's objective was to make people more aware of what gays truly go through and make us appreciate the fact that it's not their fault – they did not choose to be this way, but they are just this way… then, he definitely succeeded.Â
Well, to put it very briefly, the movie is about two gay cowboys. They met through a summer job, looking after sheep in Brokeback Mountain . They never knew they were gays till then. After that summer, they went separate ways… starting their own families – getting married and having kids. They rekindled their romance 4 years later, and continued their relationship over the next 20 years.
I will not go into too many details as I do not want to spoil it for those of you who are planning to watch it. For those of you who are thinking whether to catch it, all I can say is… it definitely deserve those 4 Golden Globe Awards.
Well, some people might find it difficult stomaching some of the intimate scenes… Jamie was trying to look anywhere but the screen at those moments. I can imagine why – it happened to me a couple of months ago, when we were on the bus home. There were two schoolgirls making out right in front of me and I was just squirming and trying to look somewhere else.
Anyway, apart from that… it's a fantastic and thought-provoking movie! So go and catch it if you can.
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Hi violet! Hope you had a nice weekend.
Anyways, ever since I saw Ang Lee's award winning "The Wedding Banquet" (have you seen it?), I've been a fan of his. Although I have yet to see "Brokeback Mountain" I am sure it's a masterpiece…
Funny thing though, while the main characters of the movie are guys, the movie is turning out to be a chic flick. With more women watching it than men. LOL!
Well if Ang Lee were to make a movie about two lesbians, I am sure the male to female turnout ratio will be roughly 99:1. Hehe …
Hiya Rudy!
Yeah – weekend was good! 🙂 How was yours?
Haha… are there really more women watching the show? Maybe men are just turned off by the intimate scenes. 🙂
Most Asian men I suppose aren't that inclined to watch a movie about 2 guys falling in love… unless they're dragged along by their gf's or wives.
That's just my observation….


text: [Risk No.1] Target. Asked the cashier how my kids and I could pray for her. She didn't give a specific request but by the time we had checked out, her response was an overwhelming: "I just have to give you a hug!" She reached over the counter with arms and smile wide. I love hugs. My kids and I prayed Jesus would continue moving wonderfully in and through Dee's life. Lord, thank you for Dee and for small beginning starting points.


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Placentophagy is the term used to describe the ingestion of the placenta after childbirth. This has been practiced by many cultures throughout the world, especially in China and the Far East for thousands of years. This practice in the form of capsules has seen a revival here in the US in recent years.
Why? Here are some benefits of Placentophagy:
~Increased Iron, Vitamin B, and energy levels
~Enhanced breastmilk production
~Stabilizes constantly fluctuating hormones post birth
~Decreases risk of "baby blues" or postpartum depression
~Offers natural pain relief from the labor and birth process via the hormone POEF (placenta opioid enhancing factor)
~May shorten postpartum bleeding
The very best thing about your placenta is that it is the perfect gift to the mother. Your amazing placenta contains your own natural hormones, perfectly made for you, by you! The role of the placenta does not stop at birth, so do not let your placenta go to waste....Encapsulate!
I have completed OSHA training with Biologix Solutions and obtained a food handler permit through the state of California to provide the safe processing of your amazing placenta.
TCM Encapsulation: (Traditional Chinese Medicine inspired) $200
This method of preparation involves gently steaming the placenta with lemon, ginger, and cayenne pepper. TCM is believed to have tonifying, healing and warming properties. After steaming, the placenta is dehydrated and ground into capsules. If you had meconium present at birth or your placenta has been frozen, this is always the method used.
Raw Encapsulation: $200
This method skips the steaming process and is dehydrated while still "raw". This process is only used within 48 hours after birth to ensure freshness. Raw food activists choose this method because they believe the cooking or steaming process destroys some of the nutrients. Using the RAW method provides a burst of energy up front . Indications for choosing the RAW method would be: long labor, postpartum hemorrhage or history of it, and desire to increase breast milk and energy immediately after birth.
Tincture: $25
Tinctures are great for returning menstrual cycles, menopause, and even puberty. The biological mother and daughter of the birthing mom can also benefit from the tincture as it has an indefinite shelf life. It can be used by babies older than 6 mo. for teething and transition. They are made with a small piece of raw placenta and 100 proof alcohol and then stored in a dropper bottle.
Salve: $25
Placenta salves are useful for C-section incisions after the wound is closed and helps lessen scarring, itching and discomfort. The salve can also be used as soon as 3 days postpartum for hemorrhoids, perineal tearing, burns, diaper rash, eczema, sunburns, and skin irritations. Salves are safe for babies with no skin allergies.


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The ring is accompanied by papers documenting its history within the author's family. It passed first to her sister Cassandra, who then gave it to her sister-in-law Eleanor Austen on her engagement to Jane and Cassandra's brother, the Reverend Henry Thomas Austen. It remained in the family until Clarkson bought it at auction." I guess the museam was able to raise enough funds to purchase it so it will remain in England as it should. It is said that the ring will now go on display at the museum in the New Year.
Jane Austen's Ring
Isn't it lovely! I wish I could see the rest of her jewelry. According to BBC News "Kelly Clarkson thwarted in bid to keep Jane Austen ring. The museum (that bid on the ring) already displays two other pieces of jewellery owned by the writer - a turquoise bracelet and a topaz cross.
The ring is accompanied by papers documenting its history within the author's family. It passed first to her sister Cassandra, who then gave it to her sister-in-law Eleanor Austen on her engagement to Jane and Cassandra's brother, the Reverend Henry Thomas Austen. It remained in the family until Clarkson bought it at auction." I guess the museam was able to raise enough funds to purchase it so it will remain in England as it should. It is said that the ring will now go on display at the museum in the New Year.
I finally finished the Pyewacket painting!!! And I have to say I went to town decorating the frame for him. But he deserves it I think. I had so much fun making the purple flower. And I came up with a great new way for sealing them.
I'm been making things like a mad woman lately. So i've been completely barricaded in my studio for at least a week now. I finally poked my head out so I could list this tiara. I call her Queen of the Conservatory.
The amazingness of Zac Posen
I do believe that if I owned this dress I would wear it everyday no matter what. Thank you Zac Posen for making such amazing garments.
My little tribute to Jules Verne
This is my little tribute to the genius of science fiction, and the hero of steampunk culture Jules Verne. I designed this pendant so that the frame would have the feel of a porthole on a submarine, complete with worn metal and rivets. The chains dangling from it would mimic octopus tentacles.
Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.
Foxes and human beings lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit, and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has—they may have as many as nine—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity.
It is widely agreed that many fox myths in Japan can be traced to China, Korea, or India. Chinese folk tales tell of fox spirits (called Huli-jing) that may have up to nine tails, or kumiho as they are known in Korea. Many of the earliest surviving stories are recorded in the Konjaku Monogatari, an 11th-century collection of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese narratives.[1]
There is debate whether the kitsune myths originated entirely from foreign sources or are in part an indigenous Japanese concept dating as far back as the fifth century BC. Japanese folklorist Kiyoshi Nozaki argues that the Japanese regarded kitsune positively as early as the 4th century A.D.; the only things imported from China or Korea were the kitsune's negative attributes.[2] He states that, according to a 16th-century book of records called theNihon Ryakki, foxes and human beings lived close together in ancient Japan, and he contends that indigenous legends about the creatures arose as a result.[3] Inari scholar Karen Smyers notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan.
Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence, long life, and magical powers. They are a type of yōkai, or spiritual entity,and the word kitsune is often translated as fox spirit. However, this does not mean that kitsune are ghosts, nor that theyare fundamentally different from regular foxes. Because the word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment, all long-lived foxes gain supernatural abilities[4]
There are two common classifications of kitsune. The zenko (善狐?, literally good foxes) are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the god Inari; they are sometimes simply called Inari foxes. On the other hand, the yako (野狐?, literally field foxes, also called nogitsune) tend to be mischievous or even malicious.[8] Local traditions add further types.[9] For example, a ninko is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only perceive when it possesses them. Another tradition classifies kitsune into one of thirteen types defined by which supernatural abilities the kitsune possesses.[10][11]
Physically, kitsune are noted for having as many as nine tails.[12] Generally, a greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful fox; in fact, some folktales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 100 years.[13] One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories.[14] When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold.[12] These kyūbi no kitsune (九尾の狐?, nine-tailed foxes) gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales attribute them infinite wisdom (omniscience). ( From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune )
Supernatural Japanese Parlour Game
Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai (百物語怪談会?, lit., A Gathering of One Hundred Supernatural Tales) was a popular parlour game during the Edo period in Japan.
The game was a simple one. In a room, as night fell, one hundred candles were lit. Guests and players gathered around the candles, taking turns telling kaidan. kaidan refers to any ghost or horror story, but it has an old-fashioned ring to it that carries the connotation of Edo period Japanese folktales (a person only usues that term if they want to give and old fashioned slant to what they are describing). After each kaidan, a single candle was extinguished, and the room slowly grew darker and darker. The process was an evocation, with the final candle believed to summon a supernatural entity.
The origin of the game is unknown. It is thought that it was first played amongst the samurai class as a test of courage, and later became fashionable amongst the townsmen.
A true popular phenomenon, the popularity of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai combined with new printing technology created aboom in the publication of kaidan-themed books collecting appropriate tales from every corner of Japan and China. Books in this genre often used the term Hyakumonogatari in the title, and in fact the published tale's popularity continued long after the fad for the game had faded. (From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakumonogatari_Kaidankai )
I have the best clients in the whole world. The amazing lady who bought the tiara in my last post just sent me a link of her wearing it. She is a cosplayer as well as a makeup artist. And this is a picture of her in the most amazing re-imaging of Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Doesn't she look STUNNING! And I love her little stuffed Flotsam or Jetsam eel that she has draped across her shoulders. So lovely and so very creative. Here is a link to her instagram page so you can see more of her amazing images ... http://instagram.com/dorkdujour
This little beauty is all packed up and ready to go to her new home. Thank you Los Angeles! Seems that her new owner has a special event to attend this week, and this tiara is all trembling with excitement. I hope they have an amazing time together.
Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan
I just caught Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan on TCM tonight. I WAS going to go to bed early, but noooooo TCM has to lure me in and hold my attention till 3 am with an ancient Japanese ghost story yet again. Thanks TCM! Thanks sooooo much! I liked it so much that I tried to find the movie on line to buy it. Of course it is unavailable, but in snooping around the net I found that this movie is based on a much older Kabuki story. This history of this play is really quite interesting. Below is some of what I learned.
"Yotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today. Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku IV as a kabuki play, the original title was Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan. It is now generally shortened, and loosely translates as Ghost Story of Yotsuya. First staged in July 1825, Yotsuya Kaidan appeared at the Nakamuraza theater as a double-feature with the immensely popular Kanadehon Chushingura. Normally, with a Kabuki double-feature, the first play is staged in its entirety, followed by the second play. However, in the case of Yotsuya Kaidan it was decided to interweave the two dramas, with a full staging on two days. The play was incredibly successful, and forced the producers to schedule extra out-of-season performances to meet demand. The story tapped into people's fears by bringing the ghosts of Japan out of the temples and aristocrats' mansions and into the home of common people, the exact type of people who were the audience of his theater.
Oiwa is an onryō, a ghost who seeks vengeance. Her strong passion for revenge allows her to bridge the gap back to Earth. She shares most of the common traits of this style of Japanese ghost, including the white dress representing the burial kimono she would have worn, the long, ragged hair and white/indigo face that marks a ghost in kabuki theater. There are specific traits to Oiwa that set her apart physically from other onryo. Most famous is her left eye, which droops down her face due to poison given her by Iemon. This feature is exaggerated in kabuki performances to give Oiwa a distinct appearance. She is often shown as partially bald, another effect of the poison. In a spectacular scene in the kabuki play, the living Oiwa sits before a mirror and combs her hair, which comes falling out due to the poison. This scene is a subversion of erotically-charged hair combing scenes in kabuki love plays. The hair piles up to tremendous heights, achieved by a stage hand who sits under the stage and pushes more and more hair
up through the floor while Oiwa is combing. Oiwa is supposedly buried at a temple, Myogyo-ji, in Sugamo, a neighborhood of Tokyo. The date of her death is listed as February 22, 1636. Several productions of Yotsuya Kaidan, including television and movie adaptations, have reported mysterious accidents, injuries and even deaths. Prior to staging an adaptation of Yotsuya Kaidan it is now a tradition for the principal actors and the director to make a pilgrimage to Oiwa's grave and ask her permission and blessing for their production. This is considered especially important of the actor assuming the role of Oiwa.
Sadako Yamamura from the film Ring is a clear homage to Oiwa. Her final appearance is a direct adaptation of Oiwa, including the cascading hair and drooping, malformed eye. Also in Ju-on when Hitomi is watching the television, the television presenter is morphed into a woman with one small eye and one large eye- possibly a reference to Oiwa. (From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yotsuya_Kaidan)
EJPcreations is a mad scientist of a woman specializing in creating tiaras, necklaces, and fascinators, with a noir, and gothic flair. All adornments have a hint of vampire elegance, a dash of Steampunk bravado, and plenty of Neo-Victorian sensibilities.
Here are some of the Pretties I make... Web Store
January 2019


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This year, we're doing Christmas streamlined. Partly from economics, partly due to the demands of a tiny new family member, and partly from a suffocating clutter surfeit. Mostly, though, it's the latter.
So, friends and family receive simple things . . . instead of goodie plates, friends and neighbors receive the joy of looking at this tiny face . . .
And, in the spirit of enough, I'd like you to go read a short post by one of my favorite writers.
A Loving, Blessed, and Merry Christmas, everyone . . .


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Headstrong Earlene (And Then Came Lola star, Ashleigh Sumner) meets the handsome and mysterious Bruno (Boys on Film star, Miles Szanto) at Venice Beach. These outsiders quickly become friends and when Bruno's latest scam goes wrong, it forces them to go on the run.On their journey, they meet a sexually confused carjacker, a pair of Scottish ex-strippers and a tap-dancing drag queen, all of whom settle into a little place deep within the Nevada desert. This gaggle of runaways and rebels teach Bruno and Earlene that it is not about the destination, but the getting there that counts. An exciting debut feature from queer filmmaker Simon Savory, Bruno & Earlene Go To Vegas is a road movie like never before.
|1 hour 30 minutes
|United States of America
|LGBTQ, Gay, Action and Adventure
|Not available in United States of America
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Open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Parking $8.
Gift shop.
Call 922-9201 or 922-9200 Ext. 120.
Coe Hall Mansion
offers daily guided tours which includes the second floor with family bedrooms and guest rooms.
Tours from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Fee $5 for adults; $8 car parking fee; additional.
Call 922-9210 for information.
Raynham Hall Museum
Located at 20 West Main Street, Oyster Bay
open Tuesday through Sunday—1 to 5 p.m.
Call 922-6808.
Admission $5 and $3 for seniors and students. Children under 6 are free.
Sagamore Hill
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays from September 4, 2001 to May 24, 2002.
$5 per person. Children under 16 are free.
The Old Orchard Museum and grounds are open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9 to 5 p.m. Call 516 922-4788.
Townsend Society Museum
The Townsend Society has a genealogy exhibit – "Everyone Has One: Discovering Your Family History."
The museum is at 107 East Main St., Oyster Bay.
Open Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Call 922-5434.
Earle-Wightman House
Oyster Bay Historical Society
Located at 20 Summit St., Oyster Bay
open Tuesday through Friday—10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays—9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays—1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Call 922-5032.
Admission, donation requested.


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Kids haircuts and be stressful. Especially a first haircut. Taking a toddler to any new place with unfamiliar sounds and people can be enough to want to pack a Target wine juice box with you in your diaper bag. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your child's next (or first) hair cut a breeze. 1. Pick a kid friendly location. The kids and I love Pigtails & Crewcuts. There is a train table and fun things to do while waiting, the kids pick their favorite movie to watch and choose their own car to sit in. Plus people who sign up to work at a kids salon usually are great with kids.
Plenty of 'grown up' salons also do kids haircuts but call ahead and book a stylist who is experienced and comfortable with kids. Pack a DVD player and favorite show, iPhone, sucker or whatever keeps your child relaxed and happy.
2. Have a plan. After you book the appointment, decide what hairstyle will work best for your child. Scroll through US Weekly and browse People.com for the celeb kids sections to get style ideas just like you would for yourself. If you have a boy, this can be simple - clean it up, buzz it for summer, etc. But if you have a girl it can include much more deliberation. Take an objective look at your daughter's hair to decide what style will be the easiest and cutest on her.
For fine, straight hair a chin length bob is darling, especially if her hair is easily tangled. If your daughter's hair seems to grow straight down and in her eyes, go for bangs. (bangs can take a while to grow out so make sure you love the idea before the stylist snips!) Minimal trimming will keep her looking stylish and from constantly brushing her hair out of her eyes.
For thick hair or wavy/curly hair, usually getting a trim while young to keep things even (and from an inadvertent mullet) is great. When the hair is long enough, getting layers cut in will help keep it easy to style and reduce tangles. Bangs may not lay nicely when there is wave/curl so the use of clips and bows to keep the hair out of her eyes might work best.
Our daughter, M, has fine, wispy hair that grows forward and was constantly in her eyes. She received her first hair cut at just before two that cleaned up the edges and added bangs for an easy to style, low maintenance chin length bob. And it's really cute.
3. Before you leave for the appointment ...
- Brush through your child's hair and eliminate all knots and tangles.
- Discuss with your boy/girl what will happen, your expectations of the child and treats/rewards for a job well done.
- Bring a comfort item from home - a favorite small stuffed animal or lovie will help keep your child calm.
- Check your diaper bag/purse to double check that you have your bribes - DVD player, candy, iPhone, etc.- and camera.
- TLSF reader Jessica W. suggests bringing a cousin or friend along to keep your child distracted. Maybe a polish change when the cuts are over as a fun treat?


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Circuit Training Routines for Ab, Butt, and Lower-Back Workouts
Circuit training is a great workout to develop strong abs, butt and lower back muscles. (And who doesn't want great abs, a nice tush, and a healthy lower back?) The following list is not anywhere near all-inclusive of ab, butt, and lower-back exercises, but it's a good start.
Setting up Pilates stations to work your core is an excellent circuit-training option. To get the full lowdown, pick up a copy of Pilates For Dummies by Ellie Herman (published by Wiley).
Basic crunch: Crunches primarily work the upper region of the abs. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your hands extended out toward your knees, across your chest, above your head, or behind your head so your thumbs are behind your ears — depending on what's comfortable for you. Don't lace your fingers together. Hold your elbows out to the sides but rounded slightly in. Tilt your chin slightly, leaving a few inches of space between your chin and your chest. Gently pull your abdominals inward. Curl up and forward so that your head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower slowly back down. Repeat.
Leg raises: Leg raises work primarily the lower portion of the abs. Lie on your back and place your hands, palms down, under the area where your pelvis and lower back meet. (Find a spot where your hands are comfortable.) Pull in your abdominals. Raise your legs (your knees can be slightly bent) about 12 inches off the floor and hold. Lower your legs to just barely above the floor, and then raise them again to 12 inches. Repeat.
Hanging abs: Hanging abs work the lower region of the abs. Using a pull-up bar or hanging-ab apparatus (ask about it at your gym), hang from the bar, pull in your abdominals, and then lift your knees toward your chest, tucking the pelvis under and causing your spine to round. Lower your legs slowly back to the hanging position. Repeat.
Obliques curls: These curls work the obliques, the sides of your core area midsection. Lie on your right side with your arms crossed in front of you. Bending sideways at your waist, lift your upper body off the ground a few inches. You may need to brace your feet under a bar or sturdy piece of furniture. Repeat. On your second circuit, lie on your left side.
Back extension: Back extensions are a great exercise for your lower back. Lie on your stomach, looking down at the floor, arms straight out in front of you, palms down, and legs straight out behind you. Pull your abs in, as if you're trying to create a small space between your stomach and the floor. Lift your left arm and right leg about one inch off the floor, and stretch out as much as you can. Hold this position for five slow counts and then lower your arm and leg back down. Repeat the same move with your right arm and left leg. Continue alternating sides until you complete the set.
Squat: Squats work your butt and upper legs. Either with your hands on your hips or holding dumbbells with your arms down at your sides (you can also hold your arms out in front of your torso or your fists in at your chest to create a counterbalance, or put them in the overhead position to challenge your posture), stand with your feet as wide apart as your hips and place your weight slightly back on your heels. Let your arms hang down at your sides. Pull your abdominals in and stand tall with square shoulders. Sit back and down, as if you're sitting into a chair. Lower as far as you can without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward. Don't lower any farther than the point at which you're parallel to the floor, and don't allow your knees to shoot out in front of your toes. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, straighten your legs and stand back up. Don't lock your knees at the top of the movement.
Lunge: Lunges are amazing for your butt, hips and upper legs. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a large step forward, and plant your foot on the ground. Keeping your front knee completely stable and your upper body perfectly vertical, lower your body straight down until your back knee nearly touches the ground. Raise your body straight up and repeat with another step. Keep repeating.
Don't allow your torso to lean forward and be sure to evenly distribute your body weight on both legs. Think of your torso as having a pole placed directly down the center, and go up and down, not back and forth. Also keep in mind that the farther you step out, the more emphasis is placed on the butt and hamstrings; the more shallow your step, the more emphasis is placed on the quads. Finally, when you're in the down position, both knees should form a 90-degree angle, and you should be able to see the tip of your shoe or toes.


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e-Commerce survey - prize draw terms & conditions
The prize draw is open to all residents of the UK and Republic of Ireland aged 18 or over except employees and their relations of Cloudberry Digital and their agents.
The winner will be the first entry drawn at random from all entries received.
One winner will be drawn each month while the survey is online.
Only one correct entry per email address will be included in each prize draw. The use of multiple email addresses is not allowed and we reserve the right to exclude such email addresses from prize draws.
The prize is one 12 month subscription to The Chocolate Treat Club.
The prize will be delivered in the form of a code, which can be redeemed by visiting www.chocolatetreatclub.com.
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The prize winner agrees to take part in photography or publicity associated with the draw.
These terms & conditions may change at any time without prior notice.


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One good thing you can say for fundamentalist education (now there's a phrase I don't use often) is that, in general, parents are very supportive of the schools. Statistically, this correlates well with academic success, and might go some way to explaining why some students from fundamentalist schools go on to excel academically, despite their deficient early education. It's also good for kids to be part of a community that's mutually supportive.
There you go, my first ever pro-fundamentalist education paragraph. Please don't stop following my blog.
Occasionally, I hear from parents who are going through a divorce or a custody battle, and one parent is fighting the other for the right to put children through ACE. That's a heartbreaking situation. Here is Cait McKnelly, who has bravely shared her experiences with us.
Cait first introduced herself via a comment:
My children, now 21 and 23, both attended an ACE school, sent there by their father after we divorced. He actually obtained a court order to force me to permit it when I protested.
My daughter dutifully attended until she graduated. Afterward, however, she attempted to go to a public college instead of a "lighthouse" university and washed out after her second semester due to the horrendous gaps in her education.
My son, aware of what a piece of crap education he was receiving, at age 16 deliberately and with malice aforethought got himself expelled so he could go to a public school. Even so, the people that ran the school, with full intention, did it in such a way that he had to sit out nearly an entire year of school before he could go back. This was their TRUE punishment of him for DARING to do such a thing. He tried to go to public school but thanks to what the ACE church school did to him, he was so far behind he couldn't keep up. He dropped out when he turned 18 and still hadn't graduated and, instead, studied for and passed the GED test solo. He's doing a little better than his sister and is on his second year of college.
I asked her to tell us more, and she sent me this:
My marriage broke up in 1997 and, although my ex-husband and I had joint custody of the kids, he had primary residential custody and they went to school from his home. I got them every other weekend and most of the summer. This actually started out as a good arrangement as I am a (now retired) registered nurse. I worked night shift for almost my entire career and, in terms of childcare, our custody arrangement was a good thing. That is until he went "crazy Christian" on me and married a woman who was just as batshit insane.
When he first approached me about sending the kids to his "church school", I didn't have a problem. Up to then, my only experience with religious schools were Catholic ones and, although there is a fair amount of religious instruction, overall, most Catholic schools offer a decent, quality education.
My first rumblings of the problems to come was when my children, on a routine weekend visit, handed me a form and told me I needed to sign it. It was a legal form, granting my permission for the school to use corporal punishment on my children. I went ballistic and sent the form back with a note to the school's director stating that, not only would I NOT give them permission to spank or hit my children, that if I got wind that they struck them in any way I would be contacting child protective services and consulting with my attorney. I didn't and never have physically punished my children by hitting them and I sure as HELL wasn't going to let total strangers do it. Because of my refusal to sign the permission form, there was actually some question as to whether they were going to admit the kids but then they decided to do it. (Despite this, there was at least one incident where the director of the school picked my son up by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him against a wall.)
I had remarried, myself, and my husband was, himself, an academic. Although the kids were not supposed to remove any ACE materials or PACEs from the school, with his encouragement, the kids began sneaking papers out to us of some of the lessons they were receiving. Some of them were innocuous and just outright stupid, much like your own examples. Others were very near scary. I particularly remember one that, didn't just teach Manifest Destiny, but SUPPORTED it. In her senior year at the school, prior to graduating, my daughter was REQUIRED to take a PACE for graduation on "How to be a Christian woman in a modern world". Given that I am a progressive feminist, you can pretty well guess how THAT went over.
Over the years they spent at that school, my husband and I provided some degree of balance to the kids, at least in view point. Despite that, they still didn't escape unscathed. My daughter, in particular, is having a rough time. Within the past year, she began having bad dreams, flashbacks and anxiety attacks related to both the church and the school. Six months ago she went into therapy with a trauma specialist and was diagnosed with PTSD related to it.
Bottom line, these schools don't just produce poorly educated people, they can and do produce damaged adults.
Thank Cait! Cait has also left a string of excellent comments on the blog. I especially agree with this one:
What ACE not only doesn't do but actively works AGAINST, is teaching students critical thinking skills. Without those skills, people are not able to make logical judgments They teach their anti-science, anti-gay, anti-woman, right wing propaganda by placing children in an echo chamber and NEVER allowing them to hear anything else. This article is a perfect illustration of that refusal to teach something that is, in reality, essential for a true adult.There is a word for this; brainwashing. In some countries this would be labeled torture.
More ACE survivor stories:
- Being made to feel like you don't exist (David Waldock)
- Putting the fundamental in fundamentalist ("Sheldon Cooper")
- ACE and the suppression of women (Lana Hope)


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Use the SEL-3373 PDC as part of your NERC PRC-002 disturbance monitoring system. The SEL-3373 connects to any IEEE C37.118 compliant phasor measurement unit (PMU) or client that adheres to the standard, such as the SEL-3555 RTAC with SVP library or SEL-5078-2 synchroWAVe Central Software.
Replacement product: SEL-3573 Station Phasor Data Concentrator
Data Concentration—Concentrate up to 40 IEEE C37.118-2005 phasor measurement units (PMUs) at rates up to 240 messages/second via 2 Ethernet and/or 16 serial ports. Configure up to six independent output streams to provide data to the ISO, neighbor utilities, or your own engineering and operations department, using applications like SEL-5078-2 synchroWAVe Central Software.
Data Archiving—Archive data locally on the optional 60 GB or 120 GB solid-state drive (SSD). You can also configure the SEL-3373 Station PDC to continuously save data to a centralized backup archive. Archives can be continuously recorded or based on PMU trigger bits. Retrieve archived data in COMTRADE or CSV formats.
Reliable Operation in Substation Environments—Reduce your cost of ownership with years of reliable operation, even in harsh substation environments. The Station PDC is designed to operate over a wide temperature range of -20º to +60ºC (-4º to +140ºF) and has no vents or moving parts.
Secure Access—Obtain NERC CIP compliance support with individual user- and role-based account authentication, centralized user authentication using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), strong passwords, user access logs, and port control.
Disturbance Recording—Implement the SEL-3373 as part of your NERC PRC-002-2 Disturbance Monitoring and Reporting solution. Meet the dynamic disturbance recording requirement by archiving PMU data at 30 messages/second.
Substation Data Concentration—Integrate the SEL-3373 Station PDC as part of a wide-area synchrophasor system. Including an archiving PDC in each substation improves system security, reduces the communications bandwidth required to send PMU data, eliminates settings changes at the PMU, and guards against lost PMU data if the communications link with the substation is impacted by an event. Applications like wide-area situational awareness, angle monitoring, system stability assessment, modal analysis, disturbance recording, and more use synchrophasor data provided by SEL-3373 Station PDCs located throughout the power system.


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SevOne Enhances Critical Infrastructure Insights with New End User Experience Appliance
BOSTON―April 5, 2016―SevOne, the leading global provider of digital infrastructure management solutions, today extends its leadership position with the release of the SevOne End User Experience Appliance. As part of the SevOne Digital Infrastructure Management Platform, the End User Experience Appliance actively monitors application and network performance across enterprise, cloud and communication service provider infrastructures. The SevOne platform is the only solution that can correlate infrastructure performance data, in the form of metrics, flows and logs, with end-user experience data. With this new functionality, IT and Operations teams can leverage critical business insights on what is happening, whom it is happening to, why it happened and how users experienced it.
Every business today is relying on next-generation digital infrastructures, software and applications, including private and public cloud deployments, to deliver unmatched user experiences and a competitive edge. However, next-generation digital infrastructures are infinitely complex and difficult to scale, support and maintain. In order to do so, management systems must be able to collect, analyze and provide operational insight on the experience from the user perspective—no matter where the users are—and be able to correlate it with infrastructure performance data.
"Applications and services, along with the infrastructure they run on, are the lifeblood of every business. Problems with these systems can severely impact users, revenue, or productivity," said Jack Sweeney, SevOne CEO. "As a result, being able to understand how well end users are experiencing a service or application has become a business-critical requirement—whether it's hosted on premise, across a WAN infrastructure, in a hybrid cloud or delivered by a provider."
The SevOne End User Experience Appliance provides companies with the ability to:
- Monitor Applications and Networks Continuously: Offers always-on monitoring of the end-user experience for any application and any network, including public cloud providers. Delivers up to one-minute granularity on latency, data loss and jitter along with the ability to compare insights on actual versus provisioned capacity to assess performance in real time.
- Correlate Application and Network Performance: Enables companies to compare a continuous stream of network performance insights against specific SLAs, so they know when and how network issues impact application performance.
- Identify and Remediate Issues on Any Digital Infrastructure: Provides application testing functionality to troubleshoot and pinpoint issues across the entire application pathway including user, network, server and databases.
- Measure Critical SaaS Solutions Performance: Measures performance from the end-user perspective of critical SaaS solutions including Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps. The appliance also enables companies to view individual transactions across applications and identify trends against a year of historical data. Additional workflows are available to measure performance of custom applications, correlating up to 20 commands to elicit more detailed measurements.
- Flexible Deployment: Deployable to any end-user location, functional beyond corporate firewalls. Data agnostic across multiple appliances to identify trends and isolate problems—from global slowness to congestion at a single location.
Visit SevOne.com to learn more about the SevOne End User Experience Appliance.
About SevOne
SevOne provides the leading digital infrastructure management platform for companies delivering on the "promise of now" for today's connected, mobile world. Many of the world's largest enterprises and service providers rely on the SevOne Cluster™ technology to monitor, analyze, and optimize their massive, dynamic, and infinitely complex digital infrastructure -- including components such as network, compute, storage, power and cooling. By enabling companies to harness the power of their digital infrastructure, SevOne provides real-time insights for any scale environment. For more information, visit www.sevone.com.
Media Contacts:
For SevOne
Corporate Communications
Weber Shandwick
Jill St. George
Steve Bosk


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By Staff Sgt. Bernardo FullerJanuary 23, 2013
Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal discusses the future of the Army with Soldiers stationed at Camp Humphreys, 17 Jan. 2013, Republic of South Korea (ROK). Westphal met with the Soldiers to recognize their contributions to the longstanding ROK-U.S. Alliance, and discuss their critical role as the Army rebalances to the Asia Pacific region. Westphal visited Camp Humphreys during his Pacific AOR tour of Army units in Hawaii, Korea and Alaska. Under Secretary Westphal's visit to Korea underscores the strength of the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the U.S. Army's commitment to sustain land power in the Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bernardo Fuller)


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MCHS grad Maddy Jourgensen enjoys success in freshman year
Most freshmen collegiate athletes don't see much action in their first year.
But, that wasn't the case for Maddy Jourgensen, a 2011 Moffat County High School graduate.
Jourgensen competed in her first season as a member of the Augustana College women's cross-country team in South Dakota.
On Saturday, Jourgensen ran in the NCAA Division II women's national championship cross-country race in Spokane, Wash., a meet in which her team finished first and was crowned national champions.
"Our coach ran up to us bawling and told us we won and all of us girls instantly started crying," Jourgensen said. "We were all super excited and started hugging everyone around us."
Jourgensen finished 108th out of 186 runners in the 6,000-meter race, clocking in at 23 minutes and 23.49.9 seconds.
On Nov. 5 in Denver, the Vikings took third as a team in the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships, finishing behind Western State College and Adams State College.
On Saturday, Augustana nudged Western State out of the lead by four points.
Jourgensen also improved her Central Region meet time — 24:50 — by more than a minute.
Getting a chance to compete on a national stage in her freshman year, Jourgensen said, was a great experience.
"When I began the year, it started a little rough and I felt tired," she said. "I got to run as the only freshman in the top 7 on the team, and it felt great to win it all and do that with my team."
Jourgensen said the first difference she noticed between high school and collegiate running was the pace and workload of practices and workouts.
"The practice regimen includes a lot more miles," she said. "We do a lot of similar stuff that we did in high school, but it was higher volume and you had to go faster.
"It took awhile for me to get into the workouts, but I got more eager to do the work and I love my teammates and they made it fun to run."
While high school competitions were on a 5,000-meter course, most of the Vikings' meets were on 6,000-meter courses this season.
The difference, Jourgensen said, is less than a mile and she adjusted in stride.
"We have girls on the team from Minnesota who ran (4,000-meters) in high school, so it was harder for them," she said. "I didn't really notice the difference and just ran through until the end."
The Augustana team this season included four freshmen.
Jourgensen said the team bonded after getting to know each other.
As for the first meet, the competition level was a big transition, she said, and not being in front like she was in high school was different.
"Most of my races, the girls were all packed up and I was in the middle of the pack," she said. "The competition level is definitely going to be tougher in college and I expected to have to work to compete."
In her junior season, Jourgensen said the national championship meet would be back in Spokane, so she will have the experience of that course if she qualifies again.
In the short term, the MCHS grad said she is going to take two weeks off before getting ready for indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring.
"I really love running and I always looked forward to cross-country and track because it was my favorite time of the year," she said. "There will be some highs and lows running year-round, but it will be exciting."
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