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This makes me crazy: some recruiting leaders determine totally ad-hoc productivity targets for sourcers, often, without understanding what the business really needs and what can be a realistic requirement. Ridicule! It looks like sourcing is only a number game and these leaders love to hear those (usually super rare) stories when sourcers make 20 (or even more) qualified, interested and available candidates (QCV) on each and every week. Read the rest of this entry »
How many CVs does your Sourcer [really] need to make?Posted: 03/05/2016 in Uncategorized
#thebalazswins – the absolute sourcing duel with @jimstroudPosted: 10/13/2015 in jimstroud, sourcing
Sourcers have to develop new skills every day. Searching, stalking, cracking, little coding, becoming a marketer and a sweet negotiator – and it is all not enough anymore…
…they have to be cool actors, too! 😀
Watch the below and share the love of sourcing – and certainly, don't forget to use the right hashtag: #thebalazswins
My Ever First #SourceCon ExperiencePosted: 09/21/2015 in metrics, sourcecon, sourcing, sourcing efficiency
It all starts with that super-long journey: taking those pretty uncomfortable extra miles on planes, in taxis, queuing here and there sometimes for hours, those thousands of foreign faces you randomly meet while getting lost in time zones, languages and emotions. The feeling of cold and hot in the same time. And then… welcome to Dallas!
This all puts your excitement on fire. You are super exhausted but extremely excited to see all the things that will be happening with and around you the next days.
You do it for a purpose: you need to live through that experience, to try and immerse into the deepest life of a SourceConer. You know that lifestyle exists but don't know yet what is that all about.
The very first thing you realize: these are probably the most warmhearted and open-minded people
living on the planet. You are immediately welcomed, you are IN and with your badge you have got your life-long ID to this large, crazy but lovely family. Your secret Twitter list containing those very best sourcing and recruiting legends here suddenly goes live.
Sourcers must be the greatest liberalists on Earth.
And then you join the conversation. SourceCon is not anymore the forum of geeks only. This is probably the widest range of all-type practitioners: researchers, sourcers, recruiters, leaders and so on. Buyers and providers. Everyone is involved; everyone has got to do something with sourcing. Sourcing is the reality of recruiting.
You are amazed by the diversity of the definition of sourcing. No one agrees. Not even clear what we mean under the word 'sourcer'. This can be a lead-generator, or someone that runs engagement, too, working only with 'passive candidates' (does that exist at all?) or to manage the entire candidate generation funnel, all channels… There is no one receipt. But there are success stories (and challenges) on all sides.
Hey! this is the best in all of it: this kicks off passionate discussions, warms up arguments, widens your thinking horizon, challenges your "written-in-stone" statements, your beliefs. This is an evolutionary thing and we are, I think, somewhere in the middle. No need yet to agree but we all do it, I believe, to get closer to a universally accepted definition. Time will come.
Sourcing is still a new profession and this is how we all form the content of that. Every contribution (even the smallest one) counts. For me, this is the very mission of SourceCon: it makes the community build and define and set up the basis (the ultimately agreed basis) of this new profession.
By listening to the great Shannon, you understand that sourcing is not that complicated. Basically, sourcing is simple. No, I would not say easy but sourcing is something you can learn and develop into. Do not only focus on tools but sharpen your logic, make the necessary shift in your mindset, get the approach – or hire good sourcers!
But who is a good sourcer? Well, this is what I think about it, but you'd rather first ask the question from yourself: what do you want them to achieve? What do you want them to be accountable for?
It's been a recurring theme on SourceCon this year that how we should measure sourcers. Certainly (see above) there is no one solid solution but probably the most important take away is that be most consistent. If you make your sourcer generate only prospects you may not want to measure them against making hires. Understand the sourcer's input in the entire recruiting value chain and build the right expectations and measurement around his deliverable.
Your lead-generator sourcer's only deliverable is making highly qualified leads. Nothing more but nothing less. If then the one who will convert these leads into candidates is happy with the quality of leads that's where and what your sourcer should be credited for. Do not try and make them become responsible for anything else as they have got zero control over the rest of the procedure.
Understand that recruiting is a chain of constant decision making activities and the one that makes that particular decision in the process can only control and be accountable for that step. Otherwise, you set your sourcing team for ultimate failure. And based on many of us experience, this failure is coming on longer term – you won't probably spot it right at the beginning. Listen to us!
No, you want your sourcers to be accountable for hires, right?
Well, then build the set around them to be able to control that. Give them every candidate (including applicants, referrals and those directly sourced ones, too) to manage so that no one else but they will be making the only decision around which candidate will be moved into the funnel. This is the only way to build hiring-close responsibility to your sourcers – think about it! Is it what you want to achieve? You make that decision.
Interestingly, and this is my final reflection from SourceCon this year, there is still little discussion around how to improve the sourcing delivery. The conversations I joined were trying to get to this point from a recruiting perspective by placing the sourcing delivery into the end-to-end selection procedure as one action, one process step.
This is somewhat understandable but bear in mind that you've got to understand all the sub- and micro-steps and actions your sourcers are doing during their very own procedure. That is the only place where you will find the key to bring in efficiency and improvements to sourcing: are they mastering at searching? can they engage well? using the right messaging? is there a need to bring in new technology, training? etc. As long as you only see the numbers at the two ends of the funnel (# of candidates added to the long-list and # of recruiter interviews) you will have little insight on what to change in the sourcing engine.
It is gold and, I think, the only logical next step to evolve our profession. Spend quality time with your sourcers to understand the nuances of their sourcing procedure. This is how you will be able to not only manage but lead your sourcing team.
This is how you will most integrate sourcing into the end-to-end recruiting cycle. And how you will get there to see the extremely best impact sourcing can make in your business.
Long live to SourceCon and all the ones around! Thanks for this superb experience!
5 things I learnt while building #rsrsrc, one of the best sourcing centres in EuropePosted: 07/03/2015 in direct sourcing, metrics, sourcing
to @tweetbergh, for everything
Two-and-a-half years ago I joined Randstad Sourceright to build a world-class sourcing centre to cover the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. That time, early 2013, we had nothing yet in place but a strong ambition to build a brand new, unique and highly value-add service line, the so-called Centre of EMEA Sourcing Expertise (aka #rsrsrc), and to bring in and spread the love of all things of sourcing within Randstad and its clientele.
As per these days, I am joining a new role within my company and leaving the centre with a well-established, high-size and super professional sourcing regiment that is ready to rule the world – or least the region. Read the rest of this entry »
The Facebook #Sourcing Tutorial Part 2.Posted: 12/30/2014 in cracking, direct sourcing, facebook
Facebook is changing the graph and introducing a new, keyword-based search engine. This may result a way to run more complex Boolean syntaxes in the future, however, as an immediate effect, has blocked the old-way graph search possibilities. Remember the story when we asked questions like 'people who studied at xyz'? Yep, that has totally gone with the new search engine…
This change has created the need to summarize the old-way graph search method as that is still running – but in the back-end. You though have to memorize and use the below commands to retrieve the results but hey! that is not a rocket science just bear with me for some time. Read the rest of this entry »
What Is Sourcing? My Reply To @GlenCatheyPosted: 02/19/2014 in direct sourcing, sourcing
Nothing shows better the infancy of a profession (professional field or domain) than the lack of in-depth discussion and argument around its basics. Think about all the new recruiting sciences such as big data, candidate experience or so: thousands of practitioners are echoing each others' thoughts without providing less than little value and real expertise on the bottom line.
This is of course the case with sourcing, still, today. Too few experts really understand what and what not sourcing is.
A giant though, Glen Cathey, has recently proposed a new universal definition of sourcing, and while sourcing is certainly a big mess in the minds, no one took the time (or got the inspiration?) to argue with that. Is it because we all think Glen is ultimately right? There is nothing to add to that? Does that definition describe what you (yes, you, Sourcer-Reader) do day by day? Are you happy with that? Are you happy with the limitations of that definition? Does that make you successful? You feel good? Nothing else you want to achieve? Read the rest of this entry »
The Facebook #Sourcing Tutorial Part1Posted: 08/11/2013 in cracking, facebook
Dedicated to my old/new friends, Irina, Stacy and Jim who inspired me to complete this tutorial
START HERE! Boy, this is a little bit advanced stuff on how to crack Facebook Graph Search. If you are a newbie in leveraging Graph Search please first go watch Johnny Campbell's video or read Glen's posts or these posts on SourceCon. Once you have got the go and love into it I bet you will so much enjoy my tutorial.
(NB1: If you still do not have Graph Search please give a read to James' recent post. That is a simple and genius way to get the access.) (NB2: To see most of the sample links added to this post you have to sign into Facebook first.)
But OK then! You should be ready for this journey by now. Sit tight and fasten your seat belt and I am showing you all the secret ways how to make Graph Search totally serve all of your sourcing need. Read the rest of this entry »


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OTTAWA - A Canadian has been caught at the US-Canada border with 51 live turtles stuffed in his pants in what American authorities claimed was an elaborate reptile smuggling operation.
Eastern Box Turtle. Credit: Getty Creative
The scheme was uncovered last month but was only revealed this week in US federal court documents cited in a Friday report by the Toronto Globe and Mail.
According to the newspaper, Canadian border officials arrested Kai Xu as he tried to cross into Windsor, Ontario from Detroit, Michigan, in August, and handed him over to US authorities.
"Xu was found to have 51 live turtles taped to his person," a US Fish and Wildlife Service said in an affidavit cited by the Globe and Mail.
The seized turtles were North American varieties including eastern box turtles, red-eared sliders and diamondback terrapins that sell for as much as $800.
A second Canadian, Lihua Lin, was arrested on Wednesday at the Detroit airport, bound for Shanghai with more than 200 North American pond turtles in his checked luggage. He had been dropped off at the airport by Xu.
Xu and Lin have been charged with smuggling and other related offenses, and face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
MORE ON PAWNATION: Groundhog's Death Laid at NY Mayor's Feet

subset: commoncrawl


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Come visit our boutique in Noe Valley. Sample our products, try on some jewelry, treat yourself beautifully.
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By: James M. Reid
In Cummings v Cummings (an unpublished decision dated May 19, 2015), the Michigan Court of Appeals confirmed that binding mediation agreements are enforceable since the concept is equivalent to arbitration. Binding mediation, like arbitration, allows disputes to be resolved without having to follow the formal court rules and procedures.
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution where a third party mediator acts as a neutral person to assist the parties in resolving disputes. Traditionally, mediation is a non-binding process that creates a forum for the parties to engage in good faith settlement negotiations. The mediator helps narrow the issues and explores settlement opportunities. If the matter is not resolved at mediation, the parties are free to file a lawsuit. However, there is growing trend to make mediation binding in effort to avoid the costs, uncertainties, and delays of litigation.
The benefits of binding mediation over litigation may include, without limitation, being: (1) private (pleadings will not be required to be filed in Court and made available to the public); (2) cheaper, (3) faster; (4) less formal (you are not required to follow the rules of evidence); and (5) more flexible.
The cons of this process may include, without limitation: (1) the mediator tends to assign "some" value to the matter, which could be costly for employers; (2) there is a limited ability to appeal a decision; (3) there is reduced ability to engage discovery (unless the mediation agreement states otherwise); and (4) there is often a lack of transparency (the mediator is not usually required to provide an analysis regarding its findings). In addition, this process may be seen as a negative from the perspective of employees since the binding mediation provisions are typically drafted by the employer and are not open to negotiation. In summary, binding mediation is nearly equivalent to arbitration. The main difference is that a mediator acts more like a neutral person to resolve a matter instead of solely taking on the role of a judge like an arbitrator.
Although this case relates to a divorce proceeding, a binding mediation agreement could be prepared in the employment context. Employers should seek legal advice of counsel before preparing/implementing binding mediation agreements. By way of example, failing to include a provision in the binding mediation agreement that prohibits ex parte (meaning without the presence of all parties) communications with the mediator could make the process appear biased. Likewise, the agreement should identify the process to select a neutral mediator and identify the rules and procedures to be followed.
Lastly, there are benefits to making the mediation process non-binding that should be discussed with counsel. Non-binding mediation are often used to resolve disputes and allow the parties to discuss the facts and narrow the issues without having to incur the expense of going through extensive discovery.
Since a jury rarely consists of a majority of business owners, I expect employers to continue the trend of implementing mediation and/or arbitration agreements.
This article was written by JAMES M. REID, a member of the Legal Affairs Committee of Detroit SHRM, a Resource Partner Director of MISHRM, and a shareholder of the law firm of Maddin Hauser Roth & Heller PC located in Southfield, Michigan. He can be reached at (248) 351-7060 or email@example.com.
Detroit SHRM encourages members to share these articles with others, inside and outside their organization, as long as its name and logo, and the author's information, is included in the re-post of the article. May 2015.


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Children in third grade through fifth grade thrive in an intellectually stimulating environment allowing them to safely extend their intellectual and emotional boundaries. At Pathfinder, the Intermediate program provides children the opportunity to explore their widening concept of the world through unique projects, performances, field trips and developing portfolios that demonstrate their understanding. Students practice researching and constructing knowledge on a wide range of topics, often combining subjects in interdisciplinary ways. The Intermediate School provides a nurturing supportive environment in which children learn how to learn.
|Grade 3
|Grade 4
|Grade 5


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You thought I bought a van and disapeared somewhere in the World? Or was eaten by a Whale? Nope, here Iam alive and happy :)
It's hard to believe that is been almost f-i-v-e months since my last blog post here. I didn't mean to be silent for so long but life happens! Since I opened a portuguese blog that I debate what to do, because doesn't make much sense to keep with two blogs about the same subjects, even though one is in english and the other is portuguese. Translating every single text wasn't a solution since it's super time consuming - sometimes it takes 3 hours to finish a single blog post. But I found out a handy google translator tool that is now in the side bar of Shanti Free Bird blog and will be soon another one in my portuguese blog so you can also follow me there. Do you read portuguese and haven't followed my Viver a Viajar blog yet?! Still on time, I swear I don't take it personally :D
If you are around for a while you know that when I take ages to update the blog, I will make a "What I've been up to" post, so here we go.
After the scam I was evolved, Ana showed up and we had a beautiful and peaceful trip. We managed to visit Angkor Wat for 3 full days, celebrate my birthday in the paradise, sleep in a Buddhist Monastery with a monk in Myanmar and crush a burmese wedding.
Back in Portugal in the beggining of March, I applied for the Photography Course and started it in April :) I actually finished it already few days ago and I can say it was full of surprises, learned a lot, made great friends and now need to practice like TONS. This picture was taken from our first project which had the theme "praxis" and we had to photograph in black and white film. Analog is love Y
In the end of March I was accepted to work with Worldpackers, a platform online that find volunteers for hostels around the World. So me, right? Because of this job I've been visiting wonderful hostels in Lisbon and meeting awesome hostels managers and owners,
like this one who kindly drove me back home. I can make a visit of 40 minutes or 4 hours!! READ MORE IN PORTUGUESE HERE.
In March I started doing volunteer work in the Refood close to my house. Refood is spread around the World and our aim is to use the leftovers from restaurants + bakeries + coffee shops and also the products that are almost expiring in the supermarkets and give away food to families economically in need. It's been such a positive experience and I love my refood fellows who work with me.
During the two months Photography Course I had to photograph a lot, my teacher was sending homework every two days or so. I understand that we had to practice and show him results so he could tell us where to improve but I had a phase of completly burnout and started not enjoying photography anymore. This made me think, Am I will ever be able to be a professional photographer? To take pictures WHEN I HAVE TO, accept to do works I DISLIKE, or do I want to keep it as an hobby and love each bit of it? Still figuring out.
Well, these pics were taken in the Bollywood Holi here in Lisbon, it was super fun and I was proud of my final photography results. Again, I was taking pics of something I truly adore. That's awesome when you have homeworks like this :D
Been in a bunch of fairs and markets and finding great organic beauty products and cheap second hand goodies. This one is called Feira Intendente and actually last weekend me and Bruno had a stall with our Around the World ethnic products plus clothes, books and sunglasses. I was missing so much the interaction between vendors and the art of bargaining. Hopefully will attend some more during the Summer.
I said I would go to my hometown every two months but I'm going every 2 weeks :) First Ana came as a surprise, then it was Su's Baby Shower, then her baby born and I had to meet his pretty face. Soon I'll be there again. My 2016 plan of visiting more often my family is going pretty well.
First weekend of June was Bloggers Camp! It's one of the most exciting events of the year and it was so cool to meet up more of the bloggers I follow. Also it was a great surprise that in 40 bloggers, 4 were travel bloggers, we are growing in Portugal and I couldn't be happier :D
Last month Cat from Joan of July sent me a special invitation to colaborate in a portuguese online magazine about photography! May was a super busy month and I almost denied but in the end I said yes and I'm so happy to be part of such beautiful creation. Can't wait to see our baby Blume growing up.
Guys I think this post is getting way too long. I'd like to know what's up in your lives and thank you for all the messages and emails asking to come back, YOU RULE!
Keep following me in Viver a Viajar, facebook, instagram, twitter, or email me martachantrips(at)gmail(dot)com Let's keep in touch :)


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After over a decade of traveling around the world and going trekking on six continents, what are some of our favorite treks and hikes? This Offbeat Trekking Guide includes 13 of our recommended unknown or lesser-known treks — some multi-day, others daylong — that you might not be considering, but should. These treks and hikes are worth a look if you are interested in unusual and immersive experiences, both in nature and local culture.
I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. — John Muir
When we first set out on our journey years ago, trekking — especially of the long, multi-day trek variety — weren't a priority on our activity list. Sure, we enjoyed day hikes and walks, but trekking wasn't something we actively sought out. Over the years, however, we've found ourselves increasingly drawn to long hikes in the mountains that allow us to disconnect from the busy world while connecting more with nature and ultimately ourselves. These days, we make an effort to take at least one long trek annually as a way to recharge and refresh.
We don't always wish to disconnect entirely from humanity when we go trekking. Instead, we are often attracted to treks or hikes that feature a cultural component, one where we encounter and engage with local people, often through homestays. This type of trekking not only challenge us physically by pushing us to do more than the usual, but they often stir us emotionally by forcing us to widen the cultural lens through which we view the region and our world.
Finally, this approach provides us the opportunity to contribute to the local economy and community by staying with local families.
Having finished quite a few multi-day treks over the last decade of our travels around the world, we've been fielding questions about treks or hikes that we'd recommend, especially as we tend to choose ones that are lesser known, sometimes in unusual destinations.
Without further delay, here is our Offbeat Trekking Guide with 13 of our favorite offbeat treks from around the world!
Note: This post was originally published on July 27, 2015 and updated on December 27, 2018 with a few new treks.
Peaks of the Balkans: Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro
Days: 12
Distance: 200 km / 124 miles
Why: To experience challenging climbs and stunning views from peaks in a relatively unknown part of Europe, while staying with local families in their farmhouses and shepherd huts along the way.
This trek through the Accursed Mountains (sometimes referred to as the Albanian Alps) reminds us that sometimes the areas with the most beautiful landscapes are also the ones most difficult ones to live in. The Peaks of the Balkans, a relatively new concept trail, allows you to venture into areas and across borders that had previously been no-go zones for decades. The abandoned bunkers and border guard towers you'll find along your way stand testament to this.
Update: We have just published the Peaks of the Balkans Beginner's Guide with all you need to know regarding itineraries, recommended routes, packing, accommodation, and other practical details for this trek.
How we did this trek:
We booked our Peaks of the Balkans trek and guide with Zbulo! Discover Albania.
Gheralta Mountains: Tigray Province, Ethiopia
Days: 1-2
Distance: 10-15 km / 6-9 miles, but the challenge is more in the free climbing
Why: To see 1,000-year old Ethiopian Orthodox churches carved high into the cliffs in a landscape reminiscent of the red rock deserts of Arizona and Utah. In order to reach those churches you must do some free-form rock climbing. The experience includes a few sheer drops that might send those with vertigo into a temporary, protective fetal position (We speak from experience, by the way).
However, there are rewards. In addition to the stunning views throughout the climb, you'll have the opportunity to go inside remote cliff-side churches whose interiors are covered with 600-800 year old frescos – all with a monk or priest in as your guide. Although there are several treks in this area, the two we opted for were those up to the Daniel Korkor and Maryam Korkor churches. We suggest climbing them in that order, since tackling the former will help prepare you for the latter.
How we did this trek:
We did this trek as part of our G Adventures tour in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, the tour itinerary has changed and no longer includes these treks. However, you could work with the local tour company to add trekking in the Gheralta Mountains onto the other tour. It's so worth it.
Read more:
- In Ethiopia, an Adrenaline-Filled Act of Faith
- Travel to Ethiopia: First Impressions
- Photo Essay: Trekking in Ethiopia's Gheralta Mountains
Lost City Trek: Sierra Nevada Mountains, Colombia
Days: 4 (5-6 day treks are also available)
Distance: 46 km / 28 miles
Why: To trek through the jungles of Colombia's Sierra Nevada Mountains to reach Teyuna, the capital of the ancient Tayrona civilization. When travelers consider trekking in South America, their thoughts most often go to Machu Picchu and Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. While we can recommend both of these treks, we suggest the Lost City trek if you seek an experience of the sort that is a little less developed, a little less known. Our Wiwa indigenous guide also shared stories with us that were passed on to him by the shaman (holy men) about the ancient Tayrona civilization and the city of Teyuna. This combined cultural and historical context added to the entire experience.
How we did this trek:
Lost City Trek with G Adventures
Read more:
- The Lost City Trek: All You Need to Know
- Trekking the Lost City with an Indigenous Guide
- Colombia Travel: First Impressions
- Photo Essay: Lost City Trek
Heights of Alay Trek: Kyrgyzstan
Days: 3 nights/4 days
Distance: 48 km/30 miles
Why: To feel as if you've landed on a different planet. The landscapes on the Heights of Alay trek in southern Kyrgyzstan, especially on day one while crossing Sary Mogul Pass (4,303 meters/14,120 feet), are truly otherworldly. And you have incredible views over Peak Lenin (7,134 meters / 23,406 feet) and the Pamir Mountain range along the way. You also have the local cultural experience of engaging with local shepherds along the way and have the option of eating at shepherd's home for breakfast or dinner.
There is also a longer variation of the Heights of Alay Trek that is 5 nights/6 days (87km) that takes you over Jiptick Pass (4,185 meters) and ends in Sary Mogul village. And, if you have limited time consider the Koshkol Lakes day hike near Sary Mogul.
How we did this trek:
We did this trek with Visit Alay and recommend choosing them for quality guides, gear and experience. In addition, this is part of the Community Based Tourism network in Kyrgyzstan where a portion of the profits goes back into community development. Talant Toksonbaev in Osh can help you with anything you might need to organize a trek in the Alay Mountains. You can check out all the details in this Trekking in the Alay Mountains: The Ultimate Guide.
Other recommended treks in Kyrgyzstan include the Boz-Uchuk Lakes Trek in Jyrgalan Valley organized by Destination Jyrgalan outside of Karakol. If you're interested in a horse trek take a look at the 2 night/3 day horseback riding out to Song Kul Lake, but we hear that has become more popular and crowded over the last few years.
Read more:
- Kyrgyzstan Experiential Travel Guide: 27 Experiences to Get You Started
- Trekking in the Alay Mountains, Kyrgyzstan: The Ultimate Guide
- An Experiential Travel Guide to Osh, Kyrgyzstan: 20 Ideas to Get You Started
- A Goat and Five Fingers: Our Ramadan Experience at Song Kul Lake
Markha Valley Trek: Ladakh, India
Days: 7
Distance: 75 km / 47 miles
Why: To challenge yourself in the high deserts of the Indian Himalayas by crossing 5,000 meter (16,400 foot) mountain passes, all while learning about traditional Ladakhi Buddhist culture through your local guide and host families. Ladakh features some of the most stunning scenery we have ever encountered. We include this trek here as most travelers think "Nepal" when they consider trekking in the Himalayas, and rightly so, as the Annapurna Circuit trek we did there remains one of our top experiences of all times. However, Ladakh offers a more remote, less explored trekking alternative. It's also important to note that several trails and treks outside of the than Markha Valley are available if you are seek something even more far-flung and unusual.
How we did this trek:
We booked our Markha Valley trek and guide with Ecological Footprint Ladakh in Leh.
Read more:
- Ladakh Trekking: A Beginner's Guide
- Simple Ways to Travel Responsibly in Ladakh
- Ladakh: India's Hidden Himalayas
- Ladakh: 9 Memories
- Finding the Good Way: How to Meditate at 15,000 Feet
- Photo Essay: Markha Valley Trek in Ladakh
Cordillera Huayhuash Trek, Peru
Days: 10
Distance: 113 km / 70 miles
Why: To immerse yourself in one of the most stunning and dramatic mountain ranges in the world, the Cordillera Huayhuash in central Peru. Each day of this trek takes you over 4,800 meter (15,750 feet) to 5,100 meter (16,400 feet) mountain passes with snow-covered peaks up to 6,200 meter (20,340 feet) all around you. You pass by several turquoise alpine lakes each day while condors soar above. It's truly a beautiful part of this world.
Although the altitudes on this trek are high, don't be discouraged as the ascents are not technical — you just need togo slow and steady, one foot in front of the other.
How we did this trek:
We did this 10-day Huayhuash Trek with Quechuandes in Huaraz, Peru. The support on this trek was phenomenal and included an experienced trekking guide, cook and all food, donkeys to carry our gear, tents, support staff, and more. And, the price is very reasonable given the quality of the service.
Read more:
- The Salkantay Trek: From Glaciers to Machu Picchu
- Keep Peru on Your Bucket List: Here's Why
- Peruvian Food: More than Just Ceviche
Svaneti: High Caucasus Mountains, Republic of Georgia — Mestia (Zhibeshi) to Ushguli
Days: 3
Distance: 45 km / 28 miles
Why: To trek through the High Caucasus Mountains to Ushguli, purportedly the highest inhabited village in Europe at 2,100m / 6,900ft, and stay with local Svan families along the way. Our trek in Svaneti was our first multi-day, home stay trek that enlightened us as to how trekking could not only be an immersive experience in nature, but also in local culture. We were hooked.
To say that local Svan people, who view themselves as the protectors of these mountains, are intense is perhaps an understatement. You'll find the people of Svaneti welcoming — just as fierce in their present-day hospitality as they are in their historical resistance to outsiders. Just beware of your liver, as the endless toasts each night with local wine and firewater can add up.
Read more:
- Svaneti: Why and How to Go
- Blue Eyes, Gold Teeth: The Fabled Land of the Svans
- Europe's Fierce Fabled Villages
- Photo Essay: Trekking in Svaneti, Georgia
Xela to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Days: 3 days
Distance: 37 km / 23 miles
Why: To trek through mountains and hill villages between two of Guatemala's most popular tourist destinations — Xela and Lake Atitlan — and to finish with a beautiful sunrise view of the lake from above. We were told that this trail was developed by a veteran of the Guatemalan civil war (ended in 1996) as a means of stealthily moving about the region.
Along the way up and down the volcanic mountains and into the valleys, you stay in simple guest houses (sometimes schools or community buildings) or with families, including one that allows you to try their traditional Mayan sauna. On the final morning, you'll enjoy breakfast at sunrise from above Lake Atitlan. This trek might afford you a new appreciation for both the town and the lake after making the effort to trek the highlands between the two.
How we did this trek:
Xela to Lago Atitlan Trek with Quetzal Trekkers.
Lake Khecheopalri to Yuksom: Sikkim, India
Distance: 20-25 km / 12 – 15 miles
Days: 3
Why: To get a taste of Nepali and Bhutanese culture while still in India, and to appreciate a view of majestic Mount Khangchendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world (8,586 m /28,169 ft). When we first decided to visit Sikkim, a semi-autonomous region in northwestern India that borders Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet (China), our plan did not include trekking. Only after seeing the mountains and hearing that the trails were easy to follow, did we set off with a daypack to explore the area around Lake Khecheopalri and Yuksom. We stayed in family guesthouses and enjoyed all the interactions and tea stops in villages along the way.
Note: If you are interested in a more strenuous journey in this region, consider the route to Goecha La (4,940 meters) from which the best views of Mount Khangchendzonga are reportedly had.
Trek to Big Almaty Lake: Tian Shan Mountains, Kazakhstan
Distance: 20 km / 12 miles (one way)
Days: 2
Why: To get a quick look into the Tian Shan Mountains, reach the turquoise waters of Big Almaty Lake and spend the night at a funky, former Soviet astronomical observatory. While the lake is beautiful and the hike up is pleasant enough, the highlight of this trek was the surreal experience of spending the night at the Tian Shan Astronomical Observatory. During our visit, we felt as though we'd landed on a movie set, a time-frozen remnant, wild west outpost of the Soviet Union. Scientists still live and work up there, however, and they keep the high-powered telescopes going. If you pay $5-10, one of them will open the telescope and show you the stars.
Please do not do what we did on our second day and use a Lonely Planet guidebook map to guide your return to Almaty over the mountain pass and down through one of the river beds. The route to Kosmostancia, another bizarre scientific outpost up the mountain from the observatory, is easy. After that, however, we lost the trail and almost didn't make it out of the mountains at all (here's that full story). So, words to the wise: learn from our mistake. Return down the mountain to Almaty the same way you came. Otherwise, carry a usable trekking map, use a map app with trekking route overlays able, or hire a guide so you can enjoy yourself and return without unnecessary drama.
Read more:
- Big Almaty Lake and Kosmostancia: The Trek
- Taking the Wrong Path in the Tian Shan Mountains
- Photo Essay: Trekking in the Tian Shan Mountains outside Almaty
Pic la Selle and Parc National la Visite: Haiti
Distance: 25-35 km / 15-29 miles
Days: 3
Why: To experience Haiti's endless layers of mountains (the country's name means "land of mountains" in the local indigenous Taino language) and its unexpected natural beauty while having the chance to meet and engage with people all along the way. You'll meet school children on their way home, women carrying goods on their heads to market, and farmers plowing the fields. Haiti's cities can be busy and frenetic, so spending a few days in the hills of Parc National La Visite with a walk down local paths towards Port-au-Prince provides a chance to slow it all down and absorb this fascinating yet complicated destination in a different way. Not to mention, spending the cool evenings in the hills drinking Haitian hot chocolate and listening to konpa music is something we'll never forget.
How we did this trek:
We booked our Haiti trek and guide with Tour Haiti after our Haiti tour with G Adventures.
Read more:
- Haiti Trekking: A Beginner's Guide
- Travel in Haiti: First Impressions
- Photo Essay: Trekking in Haiti
Kalaw to Inle Lake: Myanmar (Burma)
Distance: 61 km / 38 miles
Days: 3
Why: To trek through the hills of Myanmar's Shan State between the town of Kalaw and the popular tourist destination of Inle Lake, and get a feel for rural life in Myanmar by staying with families and in a local monastery. What made this trek stand out for us was the interaction and engagement with people along the way, from the grandmother harvesting ginger roots to the ethnic Pao girls who wanted our water bottles so they had something to drink from while working the fields. Walking to Inle Lake makes you appreciate the work of hill village locals who carry their their goods several times a week to the lakeside weekly markets.
Read more:
- Burma's Golden Kite: Top 4 Sights
- The Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek (on Travelfish)
- Photo Essay: Trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake, Myanmar (Burma)
Sawtooth Mountains: Idaho, United States
Distance: 10 – 24 miles
Days: day hikes
Why: To be surprised by the beauty and diversity of landscapes and alpine lakes of the Sawtooth Mountains. Who knew Idaho was this beautiful?! Each day trek we did, including the Pettit and Toxaway Lakes Loop (20+ miles), Sawtooth Lakes Hike and Bench Lakes (be sure to continue to the 4th lake), just blew us away for the vistas and contours. We also timed our visit for the shoulder season at the end of September and early October so as to avoid the crowds. As a result, we had the trails to ourselves and were able to enjoy the small town Stanley and its hot springs without a lot of other travelers around.
What have we missed? Is there an offbeat trek you'd add to this list? Please let us know in the comments! We – and our readers always appreciate more trekking inspiration.


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Nintendo Wii Games Starting with Aa to Zz
Dead Space Extraction
Bringing Dead Space to the Wii was no easy task, and it was clear from the beginning that it couldn't just be a port of Visceral's amazing game. Teaming up with Eurocom, the two developers brought us one of the scariest, and most fun on-rails shooters on the Wii.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
While you watch your 1-Up supply plummet to zero, at least you'll have some gorgeous set pieces — jungles, beaches and temples — to take in, peppered with the mine carts, barrels and bananas of Donkey Kong Country's past. Like New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Returns' retro gameplay with a modern makeover proves to be a recipe for success.
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
No Nintendo console has ever launched with a Zelda game until Wii. Drawing inspiration from one of the greatest games ever made, Ocarina of Time, this latest console-based adventure finally gave us the realistic take on Link's world that we'd all been craving.
Little Mac's Nintendo career may not be as strong as some of the company's more noteworthy characters, but he's one tough cookie and the Wii game makes a return to his early days in the ring. The NES classic has been given new life on the current generation console with the same pattern-focused boxing action that made the series a hit on the 8-bit system.
Mario Kart
Mario Kart is always a highlight of a Nintendo's console lifespan, and Wii is no exception. Mario Kart Wii is a strong entry in the series, and finally took the kart racer online on a home console. The addition of bikes and tricks kept the game fresh, adding new gameplay mechanics to a series that is built largely on staying the same.
Metroid Prime Trilogy
The Metroid Prime Trilogy is more than just three great games on a single disc. Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes have been upgraded with widescreen presentation, an achievement system and, perhaps most importantly, excellent Wii pointer controls, bringing them up to date with Metroid Prime 3.
Monster Hunter Tri
Monster Hunter Tri is not only one of the best looking games on Wii, it's one of the deepest. Not even counting online content, there is so much to do, explore and battle in the latest edition of this monumentally popular JRPG that you could find yourself busy for hundreds of hours. The game rewards players those who are patient, who want to explore, battle, upgrade and prepare to confront truly epic monsters.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
According to the very few who have actually played this sleeper game, Muramasa: The Demon Blade is as much a piece of art as it is a video game. This Marvelous Entertainment developed experience is one part role-playing game and one part old-school brawler, but most importantly it's one of the most visually creative games to be released in Wii's lifetime.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
It's tough to pinpoint exactly why the No More Heroes series of games are such a blast to play, but it's probably because the simple joy of leaping in to the air and decapitating your foes with the Wii remote just never gets old. Throw in a few clever nods to '80s era Nintendo games and you've got yourself one of the most clever and imaginative games on the Wii.
New Super Mario Bros
Believe it or not, there's a world of gamers out there who never experienced the brilliance of the original Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is Nintendo's attempt at bringing back some of the greatest old-school experiences of its history, embracing the fun and simplicity while building on them with elements that just weren't possible 20 years ago.
Red Steel 2
Red Steel 2 is everything the first Red Steel wasn't. It takes place in a cool cel-shaded western world where people solve their problems with guns and swords instead of talking. It was one of the first third party games to show off the Wii Motion Plus technology, allowing players to swipe their sword in nearly 1:1 motion. The game is full of style, and a healthy amount of violence.
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
If Resident Evil 4 hadn't previously appeared on GameCube, it could easily have topped this list as a Wii exclusive. The upgraded controls in Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition are handled expertly, and detonating the heads of cultish near-zombies is probably the most satisfying shooting experience to be had on Wii. The addition of all the bonus content from all versions of RE 4 makes this the definitive version.
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
Star Successor is an intense and exciting game. Two kids fly through fantastic environments on other planets, shooting everything in their way and taking down giant boss monsters. It barrels along at a breakneck pace, barely giving you a chance to wipe the sweat off your Wii Remote. Developer Treasure is basically teaching a master class on how to make an on-rails shooter.
Sonic Colours
Sonic fans have been hurt so many times that more often than not, we're afraid to love again. There are only so many times Sonic can tell us that we're the only ones for him, only to get a Shadow the Hedgehog or Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 in return – to say nothing of were-hogs. With that in mind, it's even more shocking that Sonic Colors is a pretty magical platformer.
Super Paper Mario
Part platformer and part RPG, Super Paper Mario succeeds on both accounts. It controls tightly and uses the Wii remote in a smart manner without any waggle gimmicks. The most attractive feature, the ability to switch from 2D to 3D, is built around clever and surprisingly complex and impressive puzzles. Plus the lengthy 20+ hour adventure will keep you hooked until the end.
Super Mario Galaxy
The release of a Mario game is a monumental moment in the life of any Nintendo console. Super Mario Galaxy lived up to that reputation. It cleverly mixed physics and brilliant design to create a series of environments that always felt fresh and exciting. This is one of those incredible titles that anyone Wii owner or not should find time to play.
Super Paper Mario
Part platformer and part RPG, Super Paper Mario succeeds on both accounts. It controls tightly and uses the Wii remote in a smart manner without any waggle gimmicks. The most attractive feature, the ability to switch from 2D to 3D, is built around clever and surprisingly complex and impressive puzzles. Plus the lengthy 20+ hour adventure will keep you hooked until the end.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
A system like Wii might not seem the ideal home for an excellent and original fighting game, but that's just what we got in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Though half the cast would never be recognized by Americans, the energetic and accessible gameplay means anyone looking for a fun time won't care. Plus Mega Man is actually in this game, giving Capcom fans plenty of reason to rejoice.
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Zack & Wiki is an adventure puzzler that perfectly balances being both clever and stylish at the same time. The premise is simple enough: Help Zack and his monkey pal get treasure. Each level plays like a classic point and click adventure game, with players guiding Zack to use various items to overcome obstacles.


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Do you love wine but hate the stains it leaves behind on your teeth? Wine can play a role in a healthy diet and has even been associated with improved cardiovascular health. However, it can also be hard on teeth. Dr. Zadeh, our cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills, explains.
While some people switch to white wine to limit the stains, their strategy may not be as effective as they want it to be. Wine is acidic and can open the pores on your teeth, which leaves them more vulnerable not only to the tannins in wine but also the stains associated with other foods and beverages. Instead, taking some steps to prevent stains is the best option.
1. Brush before drinking.
If you are going to be drinking wine, brush your teeth beforehand to eliminate the plaque, which can show significant discoloration after wine-drinking.
2. Eat cheese.
Cheese can coat your teeth and make them more resistant to stains. It also contains enamel-hardening calcium, which can protect your teeth against the acids in wine.
3. Use a wine straw.
A straw can minimize contact between wine and your teeth.
4. Use wine wipes.
These convenient wipes can be used to clear the stains and wine residue from your teeth immediately.
5. Do not brush right away.
Whether you have enjoyed a glass or two of wine or an entire meal, wait about half an hour before brushing to give your saliva an opportunity to neutralize the acids. Brushing too early can lead to enamel damage.
Contact our expert in teeth whitening in Beverly Hills today to learn more or to schedule your next appointment.


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Gonzales' Strides from Humble Texas Roots
Gonzales' Strides from Humble Texas Roots
Paul Burka of the magazine Texas Monthly talks with Alex Cohen about how Alberto Gonzales rose from a small town in Texas to become the nation's highest ranking Latino official.
ALEX COHEN, host:
Back now with DAY TO DAY. Before Alberto Gonzales was U.S. attorney general, he served as the secretary of state in Texas. He also sat on the Texas Supreme Court.
Paul Burka is the executive editor of Texas Monthly magazine and he's been tracking the career of Alberto Gonzales since his days in Texas. He joins us now. Welcome to the program, Mr. Burka.
Mr. PAUL BURKA (Texas Monthly Magazine): Thanks, Alex.
COHEN: Things aren't looking too good for the Texas crew. First, you have Karl Rove resigning, now Alberto Gonzales. How are our folks taking this in Texas?
Mr. BURKA: You have to understand that the president's popularity rating is only marginally higher here than it is in the rest of the country. That's an astonishing thing because when he was governor, he was in the 80 percent range. But I think the Texans as Democrats and Republicans alike are disappointed in the administration.
It hasn't been as effective as people who liked the president had hoped, and you know, it's just, I think Alberto is another case of someone who went up there and ultimately was not successful. And the same thing happened to Rove. There's a little more dancing on the grave with Rove. I don't think that's true with Alberto because he did represent somebody who had pretty much come out of nowhere. And he was sort of marked for a stardom and he got there and then I think the big problem that he had was excessive loyalty.
He couldn't ever get beyond his loyalty to Bush to stop and examine a problem on the merits or, you know, whether something was right or wrong. And I think that's been the case with all the Bushies; the loyalty came back to bite them.
COHEN: Mr. Gonzales has talked a lot about, you know, coming from this somewhat dysfunctional family and that he mentioned today in a brief press conference that, you know, he did better than his dad could have ever done. Do you think he feels like he owed the president for helping bring him to a bigger and better place?
Mr. BURKA: He certainly felt that way - he was bound to have felt this enormous loyalty to Bush, who picked him out and basically built a resume that was very, very good - and Alberto Gonzales was mentioned at one time, not just attorney general, but as an appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court. And that if there hadn't been a lot of the controversy, that might've come to pass.
COHEN: Doesn't look too likely now.
Mr. BURKA: No.
COHEN: But what do you think will happen with Mr. Gonzales? Do you think he might head back to Texas and seek a career in either the public or private sector there?
Mr. BURKA: I can see on the one hand that he would get offers and on the other hand that he would want to get as far away from Washington as he could and return to Texas and be a force here. I don't think that he has any future as an elected official in Texas, if that's what he wanted to do. And I don't think that's his inclination anyway. So it's hard to know. I think when you've been at the pinnacle of power, the way he has, and lose it the way he did, it's going to take a while to recover, just as it took the elder George Bush a while to recover. It's not an easy thing.
COHEN: Paul Burka is the executive editor of Texas Monthly magazine. Thank you so much.
Mr. BURKA: Thank you.
Copyright © 2007 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio record.


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Posted: Mar 10, 2018
Winston-Salem, NC-The Salem College lacrosse team lost a USA South game against Ferrum today 18-6. The game was tight throughout the 1st half before the Panthers pulled away. Madison McCarthy led the Spirits with 6 goals. Salem is now 1-8, while Ferrum improves to 3-4.
Ferrum and Salem battled back and forth and the Panthers were up 8-3 before they scored the final 4 goals of the first half. The Panthers only outscored Salem 6-3 in the 2nd half.
Collette Vladimery had 2 goals for Salem. Hannah Ostlund had 13 saves. Salem cleared 12 of their 20 attempts. They also forced 9 Ferrum turnovers. Ostlund led the Spirits with 3 ground balls.
The Spirits return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Pfeiffer.


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Remember when Fort Worth wasn't a very walkable city? It wasn't that long ago — maybe a decade or so ago — when there were very few options for lock-and-leave dwellings, urban townhomes, or properties in an area of Cowtown that were walkable.
Walkable? What am I talking about here?
You Dallas people know what I'm talking about. Areas in the city where it's safe and secure and possible to take a few steps out of your front door and within a few minutes on foot you can be at a local pub, shop, restaurant, or place of entertainment.
When this Bowtie Realtor moved to Fort Worth over 16 years ago, I specifically recall how there was nothing like I described. Even if you lived close to downtown Fort Worth or the University Park, area you had to get in your car and drive to a locale.


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Looking for the best self help books? These are my picks for the best motivational books of 2018! If your mojo is missing or your motivation took a leave of absence, these motivational books are going to turn your life around.
I'm still working my way through this list, but so far there's just so much awesome here, it cannot be contained. You need to read these books!
And if you can't get enough, I've got another great post here about the Best Personal Development Books!
Every year I load up my "to read" list and every year it sits untouched. In 2016 I wrote a post about my favorite personal development books. My list was a lot shorter that year, but this year I wanted to step up my game!
I am making this list of motivational books that I would love to read this year. Am I likely to finish all of them? Nope! But that's okay. I think that when it comes to motivational books, sometimes even a little bit is better than nothing at all. Do you agree?
We are 16 days in to the new year and my motivation is maaaajorly lacking. It took me THREE days to write this post. It isn't even a long post! So what's going on? Chances are you, like me, are suffering from a little post-holiday motivation.
It might even be a case of the winter blues. But if you're here looking for some of the best motivational books for the new year to get your booty in gear, then come sit by me, because I am driving the struggle bus and it needs to make a U-turn pronto.
Who's with me? Are you ready to get motivated?
These are my favorite picks for the best self-help books of 2018:
You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
You are a Badass at Making Money is the sequel to the equally creatively titled You are a Badass. The first book I read a couple years ago, and ever since I heard this one was coming out it's been on my list of books to read.
I love Jen Sincero's humor and optimism. She takes a topic that is normally very "woo-woo" in my mind-the whole concept of "manifesting and mindset". In this book, the focus obviously shifts from personal life to business. I just picked this one up and I can't wait to dive in!
I am That Girl by Alexis Jones
This book speaks to me as it promises to help us find our truth. What's our purpose in life? Who do we want to be?
My favorite principle of this book is the underlying theme that we are not broken and do not need "fixing", something refreshing in the self-help or personal development realm, which often seems to thrive on telling us the myriad of things wrong with our lives and selling us solutions on how to fix them.
This book claims to guide us to our true self and allow us to live un-apologetically without all the perfection that is demanded of us (whether by others or ourselves). All the glowing reviews on I am That Girl have helped solidify its place on my reading list.
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
The Miracle Morning is not a new book, but it's been one that has been swirling around in the back of my head for a couple years now. I first heard about it in a planner group of all places. Lots of people who bullet journal as a form of planner/art therapy use The Miracle Morning's strategies in their planner in and create Miracle Morning trackers to observe their progress.
This book is full of "best practices" that are "guaranteed" to transform your life. I've heard so many positive things about this book that I have been dying to read it for a while. My only reluctance is that I'm the antithesis of a morning person, so I wonder how beneficial it would be for me. But I think I might give it a go anyway!
Rise Sister Rise by Rebecca Campbell
One of my favorite personal development books of 2016 was Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell. If you haven't read that one, DO IT NOW. You might recognize a page from the book with a passage about how "you are not for everyone" that was often shared around Facebook with viral fervor.
That passage is from LITNB and the rest of the book is just as awesome. Rise Sister Rise looks to be just as awesome. Rebecca talks about healing our inherited fears and patters and teaching women how to trust their intuition.
Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
I'm not gonna lie, this one initially caught my eye simple because the title made me think "say what now?" But once I started reading the synopsis, I knew that Girl, Wash Your Face belonged on my 2018 reading list.
Rachel Hollis, the blogger behind The Chic Site gives us a peek into her mind and how she tackles the lies she once believed about herself that fostered a limiting mindset and crumbled her self-confidence. Rachel sounds like the "lift-you-up" girlfriend we all need in our lives. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one as well.
This is a brand new book, only released on January 2nd, 2018 and already it's a top seller on Amazon! Your Best Year Ever focuses on the big picture. Getting past the daily struggles and looking at your bigger goals.
If you don't have a 5 year plan, this is the book for you. And me.
Which is why it's on my reading list for 2018! When was the last time you had a BIG goal? When was the last time you took steps towards realizing those dreams? If the answer is "too long", you need to get your hands on this book.
If you roll your eyes at the usual self-love, feel-good motivational books, or if you are tired of being unsatisfied and wondering why all the bad stuff "ONLY" ever happens to you…you might need this book. Maybe It's You cuts the crap, and gives you that no-nonsense, tough-love talk you wish your friends would give you.
While this approach certainly isn't for everyone, if you find yourself looking for the answers in all the wrong places and are starting to wonder if in fact, Maybe It's You, then this might be the snap back to reality you're looking for. It may be harsh, but I feel like this has the potential to be one of the best motivational books I've read in a while!
For me, this reading list is ambitious. I struggle to find the time and motivation to read. Usually when I try to read, I struggle to focus and pay attention, mostly due to my ADHD, but when I do actually settle down with a book, I often tend to lean towards personal development books.
Nothing wrong with a good novel or fiction read every now and then, but with the new year already in full swing, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites for the best motivational books for 2018.
Have you read any of these? Which books do YOU think are the best motivational books? Which would you add to this list? I would love to hear about it below!
Related article: Best Personal Development Books


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Allow me to introduce myself: I am Greg Chan from the Department of English at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where I have taught academic writing and literature since 1995. Outside of the classroom, I am proud to serve as a board member and community outreach director for the KDocs Documentary Film Festival. I am also a member of KPU's Social Justice Centre.
More recently, I have taught ENGL 2350 and ENGL 4350, upper-level courses in film studies -- a field that has become not only the launchpad for my scholarly research, but also the central focus of my pedagogy. As a digital humanist in this interdisciplinary field, I have launched an open-access, peer-reviewed journal called Mise-en-scène: The Journal of Film and Visual Narration. As the journal's editor-in-chief, I run a corresponding internship program for KPU students.
Previous to Kwantlen, I was a sessional instructor in UBC's Department of English and a faculty associate at the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (formerly the Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth). When I am not teaching in the academic world, I have taught business writing courses for UBC's Writing Centre and done customized training for a variety of clients: the Sauder School of Business, the BC Safety Authority, HSBC, CGA Canada, Knight Piesold, Hatfield Consultants, Sanford Housing Society, MHPM Project Managers, and BC Hydro.


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"We're also big users of Google Calendar at the radio show. The desktop interface for that is good but the Google Calendar iPhone app is just fucking annoying and really should go to hell."
-Ira Glass in "I'm Ira Glass, Host of This American Life, and This Is How I Work"
Ira Glass is someone who inspires me. I've long been a fan of This American Life, but they've kicked it up a notch over the last few years with ambitious investigative pieces, like this one about Tylenol or this two-parter that came out of the five months their reporters spent in a Chicago high school. They've also taken up doing live shows, and Ira's always out on the road speaking. I saw him speak in Buffalo this past fall, and when you hear him talk about the process of putting together the show, it's impressive.
The newest thing Ira's done is he's decided to take on This American Life's distribution, which he keeps insisting is not such a big deal but is actually completely badass. Every time I think about it, I want to do something radical and awesome.
What I've done instead, though, is I've started using the to do list app Ira talks about in this Lifehacker interview I can't stop quoting. For many years, I have been using my patented Spiral Bound Notebook Organizational System™, but a few months ago, I realized this was no longer working in my new job* because I'm always looking so far ahead. Sometimes I have to write a thing down that I need to remember to do, say, two years from now. I write down things I want to remember to think about at some point. The present is important, but a lot of what I do is about the future and planning. Not so long after I got my job at HPL, I gave up my paper calendar and switched to iCal, which I mostly use on my iPad Mini, which worked out way better than I wanted it to (because I love my paper), so I decided that maybe the Mini was going to be the solution to my to do list issues and started using Reminders.
Reminders has been helping, but I don't like its display, which is a completely aesthetic response, but some of its functionality is likewise irritating–like if you want to put a lot of items on a list at once, that doesn't work smoothly. I keep fussing with the customization to try to like it better, but it hasn't helped. I fell in love with the app Ira uses, Wunderlist, as soon as I opened it. It's the pretend wood grain that hooked me, which is ridiculous–because shouldn't it look like paper?–but I find it easier to look at than Reminders. It turns out the functionality is better, too, at least for me. Adding new lists, editing, and adding multiple items to a list is more a one-click business than it is in Reminders.
Not that I'm giving up my spiral-bound notebook, my blank paper desk blotter, or my colored pencils. For me making plans and really thinking things through involves paper. (And Malcolm Gladwell says that's just as it should be, so it must be true.) Ira uses paper, too. He specifically mentions these notebooks and these pens, which how much do I want both those things now? Very, very much. But do you see how the notebooks are out of stock? I don't know how the universe expects me to endure this hardship. I guess I could use the legion of notebooks I already own, but that's not what Ira does.
And they do have a wide selection of other notebooks.
My choice here is clear.
*I celebrated my two-year anniversary on July 10. I'm not sure when I'm going to stop calling this my new job. Perhaps when I have a solid organizational system. Maybe never.


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Having driven both the Audi R8 and the Audi Q7, we have to say that although we enjoy driving both, Iron Man Director and Producer Jon Favreau goes a little over the top talking about these two beautiful babies. Yes indeed folks, the theatrical release of Iron Man is just days away and the marketing machine is kicking into full swing. Since Audi is a major sponsor of the film, we get to see two different videos where the men in charge of the movie blab on about how great the cars are. Well, great for driving, but perhaps not for filming because apparently they couldn't get the Q7 to lock its brakes or do a burnout. Oh — and they couldn't destroy the R8 in the way they'd initially wanted to. Destroy an R8 in a huge conflagration? Not a chance if Audi and their big check have anything to say about it. Only they can do that to the R8. Double video action below the fold, and possible ending or alternate ending spoilers.
Iron Man Producers Gives Audi Happy Ending After Destroying R8s


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Wow, I can't believe it. After (add later) years in the making, it is finally here. That's right, I'm talking about the newest entry in Nintendo's video game series The Legend of Zelda for the new video game system "the Switch". I got one, and I couldn't wait to play it. I am not lying. I really do have a Swinch, and I am playing it right now. Why would I lie? It's so great. I love video games, and I have played all of the Legend of Zelda games there are. My favorite is (add later). I love that game so much. I have so many fond memories of playing it when I was a child and talking about it with all of my friends at school instead of playing sports. I didn't play sports in school because I love video games is what I mean. Especially The Legend of Zelda!! 😀
"From the first minute I was given control of Zelda with the Nintendo Switch remote control, I knew I was in for a truly epic adventure that no other video game could provide." Image by big-ashb
Anyway, let's get back to the review. Breath of Wind is such a good game that I love to play. As soon as I put the disc into the Nintendo Switch I was having the time of my life. From the first minute I was given control of Zelda with the Nintendo Switch remote control, I knew I was in for a truly epic adventure that no other video game could provide. The first thing I did was pick up a sword and I hit a monster in the head with it just like I remember doing in the other Legend of Zelda games that I definitely played before. Waves of nostalgia washed over me as I watched my video game character run around when I pushed the button. Zelda was so powerful, and I love to control him. It is no wonder there are Legends told about him in this fictional world. No other game gives me such a sense of freedom and wonder. Nintendo has done it once again believe me, folks. When my Switch is revved up, I feel like I have been transported to another world, and my video game is the vehicle that lets me explore the terrain. A magical and mystical land where I'm not a dumb loser virgin asshole that sits around playing video games for babies all day. It brings a tear to my eye to think of all the wonderful adventures I have had running around as my favorite video man Zedla and all of the adventures I will soon have when I finish this review and return to the video game world called (add later).
"Nintendo has knocked another dinger right out of the park. How can the other video game companies even compete with such a powerful brand??" Image by Noa Kosanovic
Let's get down to the nitty gritty here. The graphics look very good. I have seen enough screenshots of other games to know a good graphic when I see one, and the powerful Swich is churning out some top quality pixels for me to look at on my Nintendo screen. Incredible. Video games have come a long way from Mario on the (add later). And the music. Wow. Those speakers are playing all of my favorite music I remember from the other Zelda games that I have played. I'm a hardcore Zeldahead, and I listen to that stuff all the time on YouTube. I cannot get enough of that good nostalgia I use to distract myself from how much of a failure I have become. When my mother comes into my room to give me a plate of fish sticks, she hears the music and smiles. She knows that I am having fun reliving my childhood over and over again instead of giving her the grandchildren she was hoping to someday have. She doesn't even ask me about that stuff anymore because she knows I'm having such a good time! Uh, let's see. What else? Uh. Well, there's lots of stuff to do in the Zelda game. You can climb trees I think. Ride a horse. So many fun activities that I enjoy and have never done in my real life. Now I never have to leave my house to experience the wonders of nature! Yes, Legendary Zelda the Breathe the Wind Is an incredible game that I will play time and time again until I exhale my final breath. I'm going to go ahead and give it a 10 out of 10. It is without a doubt the greatest game ever made. Ever. That's all there is to it. Nintendo has knocked another dinger right out of the park. How can the other video game companies even compete with such a powerful brand?? All Hail Nintendo :D~~


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Greek Pork Tenderloin with Fennel Romaine Salad
Do not overcook your pork! One of the most common misconceptions about pork is that it needs to be cooked well-done. For many years, that meant cooking it to an internal temperature of 160°F. Any sign of pink in a grilled pork chop or roasted pork loin was cause for alarm.
Unfortunately, that means that generations of people have grown up accustomed to eating overcooked pork. It's the only way they'd ever tasted it. And believe me, it doesn't matter what kind of sauce you serve with it — a pork loin roasted to 160°F is going to be tough and dry and thoroughly flavorless.
Eat This With That
This Pork Loin Roast so lean and tender. I usually make this dish when I want a filling but light and flavorful meal. It is great as a stand alone pork and salad dish or you can pair it with a carb such as a baked sweet potato, Coconut Sweet Potato Rounds, or baked winter squash.
Lighten It Up
The only way to lighten this already light light dish up is to use fat-free feta. I find that I love full fat cheese but with feta it seems to hold it's taste. Enjoy this delicious light and filling dish!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Yields: 8 Servings
- For the Roast:
- 3 pounds uncooked lean pork tenderloin roast
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- For the Salad:
- 1 large Fennel bulb, pulled apart and cut into rounds.
- 3 Romaine hearts, roughy chopped
- 1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds
- 3 ounces Feta Cheese
- For the Dressing:
- 1 Large lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Combine cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and olive oil to make the paste. Rub the Pork loin with the paste. Spread the chopped oregano and parsley in the baking pan. Roll the Roast through the herbs.
- Place the roast in a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes and serve over salad.
- Meanwhile, assemble the salad: Slice the white part of the fennel bulb into rounds, pull apart. Add romaine hearts and sliced cucumbers.
- Make the dressing: take one large lemon and slice into wedges. Leave on the rind and place in blender. Add the olive oil to the blender and blend unto fairly smooth. Strain the lemon dressing and drizzle over the salad. Top with the Feta cheese. Slice the roast and place on top of the salad.


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The blockchain technology came into the limelight after the massive surge of cryptocurrencies in 2017. With help from IBC Group, most developers started to explore ways through which they can develop applications on the blockchain network. Decentralized applications (DApps), allows .NET developers to code and build more secure and open source applications that run on the blockchain network.
What are decentralized applications
A decentralized app (DApp) is a program built on peer to peer network. It exists on the internet where applications are decentralized on the network. Different blocks made up of computers or machines known as nodes, exist within the network and new blocks are added as more data is recorded. The nodes act as servers whose work is computing and verifying transactions within that network. Each node is independent of the other which makes it difficult to breach data stored in the nodes or the block or the entire network. .NET developers can develop DApps on the blockchain network to benefit from integrity, security, and transparency.
Development of a decentralized application
As a .NET developer, you will need to understand how the blockchain technology works before you proceed to develop applications on the network. To get started, you will need to know that the application is open source which means that the code is publicly available to everyone on the network. Also, the nodes within the blockchain provide the needed code for your application. All applications on the decentralized network are stored in decentralized servers known as nodes where each node is managed or controlled by the users of the nodes.
Once data is recorded in the distributed ledger, it cannot be altered in any way or accessed by anyone else apart from the owner of that data. the nodes within a block or the network communicate on a regular basis. You will need to use a Microsoft product like Visual Studio, and Microsoft Azure, by installing it on your PC. From there, you can start the process of coding a smart contract.
Smart contracts
A smart contract is a program built on the blockchain or decentralized network on which a developer writes the logic of the application in order to communicate with the blockchain. When developing DApps, you will need to code a smart contract which will help to deploy the application on the blockchain network. It is thus true to say that smart contracts are part of the DApps. Smart contracts act as an API for web application development by providing the backend rules and logic of an application before being deployed on the blockchain.
DApps are deployed on the blockchain network which is also decentralized. It is what makes such applications secure as the applications are not stored in a centrally controlled server. The network is managed by the users instead of a firm. This makes the smart contract immutable once it is tested and deployed on the blockchain network.
Developers can address the limitations of a centrally managed server using the DApps network. It offers improved security, privacy, zero downtime, and transparency for applications.


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Unfortunately, nothing can change the fact you have had ovarian cancer. You can, however, change the ways you live the rest of your life. This can include making choices which help you stay as healthy as possible, giving your immune system the help it needs to rebuild. For many, a diagnosis of cancer can allow them to focus on their health in ways they have not formerly been able to do.
This could include eating healthier foods, getting more exercise on a regular basis, reducing the amount of alcohol you consume, or giving up tobacco. Even things like learning to keep your stress levels under control can help your overall sense of well-being. Stopping smoking can be difficult, particularly if you have smoked for a significant period of time. The American Cancer Society has a tobacco cessation and coaching service which can help you increase your chances of success.
Eating Healthy Foods
Eating healthier foods—and avoiding foods which offer little nutrition or are full of sugar—can be difficult at any time, but may be particularly difficult for those who have undergone cancer treatment. Some treatments for cancer can totally change a person's sense of taste. Further, nausea and little appetite can be a significant problem. Eating small portions of high-quality foods every two-three hours can help until you begin to feel better.
Getting Plenty of Exercise—and Rest
Fatigue is extremely common among those who have undergone cancer treatment. Fatigue is much more than a normal feeling of being tired, rather it is a "bone-weary" level of exhaustion that rarely gets better with rest. Many women will experience fatigue for a long time after their ovarian cancer treatment or treatments. Fatigue can make it much more difficult to get the healthy exercise your body needs, yet exercise can, conversely, actually help your fatigue levels. Not only can regular exercise help your fatigue, it can also help your emotional health as well. If you were very sick, therefore not very active, during your treatment for ovarian cancer, it can be harder to get back into being physically active, and you may have to start small, even if it is just taking short walks.
If your fatigue is overwhelming, you will have to balance your activity with rest—remember, you have gone through a life-changing event, and it is okay to rest when you need to. Regular exercise can improve your muscle strength, allow you get—and stay—at a healthy weight, improve your cardiovascular health, help reduce fatigue and give you more energy, lower levels of depression and anxiety and, overall, help you feel happier, and better about yourself.
Discontinue Use of Potentially Dangerous Products: Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer
The recent focus the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer has many women feeling extremely anxious about their health. It appears that the public are, once again, on the wrong side of a large corporation's concern about little other than their financial bottom line. After Johnson & Johnson came out on the losing end of the first three talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits—and considering they are facing as many as 1,200 additional talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits—some experts believe J & J should consider settling the talc lawsuits in order to avoid more major losses. The second talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuit cost J & J $72 million, and the third awarded the plaintiff $55 million. So far, Johnson & Johnson disagrees, vowing to appeal the verdicts and denying there is any link between ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder in the genital region.
In fact, a J & J spokesperson says the decisions by juries go against studies which support the safety of cosmetic talc. However, at one of the trials, documents surfaced which suggested J & J actually targeted women's use of talcum powder for feminine hygiene to boost talcum powder sales. Talc is found in both Baby Powder with Talc and in Shower to Shower.
Gloria Ristesund, the plaintiff in the third talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuit had proof of talc fibers in her ovarian tissues following her hysterectomy. While the battle continues, many women have questions regarding their risk of ovarian cancer after using talcum powder, and whether or not this product is safe.
The Legal Ramifications of Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer
If you have received a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, and you used talcum powder for feminine hygiene, you could benefit from speaking to a knowledgeable talcum powder ovarian cancer attorney. Your attorney can offer experienced talcum powder ovarian cancer legal help, which can potentially allow you to receive compensation for your injuries which were the result of the negligence of a large corporation. You may be entitled to damages which include lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. Punitive damages may also be possible, depending on the individual circumstances of your case.


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Christine and I like to talk about how we're on the same life path. We started out at Presentation High School together, singing in the jazz choir and doing theater. We spent one fateful weekend in Los Angeles together our summer of senior year drinking Long Island Iced Teas and hanging out with people we shouldn't have been hanging out with. ;) We both left San Jose for college in the Southern California Region.... and within months of each other, we met the man we were going to marry and they are both musicians. (Not to mention, we both fell in love with photography and somehow both ended up being wedding photographers! See Christine's beautiful work here.) It's uncanny, really. :) Here are some scans from some prints I had lying around .... high school days!
Well, Christine and Brian are tying the knot in Maui next month and, of course, being a wedding photographer I am booked on their date and will be able to attend- BUT I was more than thrilled to be able to do their engagement images. Brian and Christine met at Loyola Marymount so it was only fitting we started their session there! Onward!
I love you guys to pieces and wish you all the happiness in the world. And, Brian, I'm joining Christine's mom's fight to get you guys back to the bay area. :) Ice cream soon???


text: Little focus right here only that the software program, there are three significant software program systems to maximize the efficiency of impact to the car, electrical energy, fuel, air, and a short overview of the three soft automotive performance systems, a detailed description of the several parts, for car engine performance, is the engine Energy To enhance and cut down the Fuel consumption To decrease emissions to extend engine life. Spring is the fantastic time for owners of modest auto repair shops to overview their sales technique. Just after you obtain your quote, tell the repair shop what you would like performed to your automobile. Whether or not is is a massive or smaller challenge, the best Foundation Repair contractor can do the job for you in the quickest turn about period, and will assure to you that it is going to be repaired correctly. These actions will assistance you to deal with auto repair sales males and girls, assisting you to really feel confident as you get your car fixed. In this case you may perhaps require home leveling services in San Antonio to take care of this important issue.


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Transportation helps shape an area's economic health and quality of life. Not only does the transportation system provide for the mobility of people and goods, it also influences patterns of growth and economic activity through accessibility to land. Furthermore, the performance of the system affects such public policy concerns as air quality, environmental resource consumption, social equity, smart growth, economic development, safety, and security.
A metropolitan planning organization, or MPO, is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process.
In accordance with federal regulations, the MPO is required to carry out metropolitan transportation planning in cooperation with the state and with operators of publicly owned transit services. The MPO approves the transportation plan. Both the governor and the MPO approve the TIP. In nonattainment or maintenance areas for air quality, the MPO is responsible for coordinating transportation and air quality planning.
Most MPOs are not the actual implementing agencies for projects, but must provide an overall coordination role in planning and programming funds for projects and operations.
The MACC metropolitan area's designation as an air quality nonattainment area creates additional requirements for transportation planning. Most importantly, transportation plans, programs, and projects must conform to the state's air quality plan, known as the State Implementation Plan.
The MACC MACC Metropolitan Area Boundary (MAB) delineates the area included in its transportation program and planning activities.
Transportation planning recognizes the critical links between transportation and other societal goals. Transportation planning in metropolitan areas is a collaborative process, led by the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and other key stakeholders in the regional transportation system.
Metropolitan transportation planning is the process of examining travel and transportation issues and needs in metropolitan areas. It includes a demographic analysis of the community in question, as well as an examination of travel patterns and trends. The planning process includes an analysis of alternatives to meet projected future demands, and for providing a safe and efficient transportation system that meets mobility needs while not creating adverse impacts to the environment.
The transportation planning process is aided by the development of a 2040 Long Range Transporation Plan that looks at transportation activities for the next 20-30 years and helps to ensure a regionally integrated transportation system, a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) which covers transportation improvements over the next three years and the Unified Work Program (UWP) that details an annual list of tasks and planned expenditures.
The Unified Work Program (UWP) identifies transportation issues facing the urbanized area and indicates work items to be undertaken to address those issues. These issues have been identified through a joint planning effort of the MACC's members. The UWP has gone through public review and was approved by the MACC's Policy Board on June 3rd, 2019.
The Area Airport Authority Exploratory Committee, organized by the MACC, first convened on October 29, 2004. The Committee was charged with exploring the advisability and feasibility of forming a Michigan Community Airports Act airport authority to assume operation of Tulip City Airport from the City of Holland.
West Michigan Regional Airport, formerly Tulip City Airport, which began operations in 1940 as a strip of cleared earth amidst a north Allegan County cornfield, has blossomed into one of the state's premier general aviation airports. The runway was first paved in 1962. The airport was acquired by the City of Holland in 1986 from Prince Corporation and has grown steadily during the ensuing years as Holland/Zeeland's industrial employers have expanded operations locally and across the globe.
The current organizational structure at this airport excludes large segments of the area's leadership in planning, operating, and building a vital regional asset. An airport authority is the most flexible organizational structure for ownership and improvement of a community airport.
In a series of public meetings, the Exploratory Committee heard from employers, an aviation industry leader, representatives of two existing West Michigan airport authorities, and the general public as well as those responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the field and for managing the airport's finances and capital improvements.
The Community Benefits Assessment (CBA) found the airport's operations alone generated 358 direct and indirect jobs and $9.9 million annually for the Holland/Zeeland economy. The ripple effect of the airport, according to this state-sanctioned impact statement, was nearly $32 million in local output and $30 million in state output.
Local employers emphasized the importance of the airport to luring new business by bringing potential customers directly to Holland/Zeeland industrial plants. One employer credited 10 percent of its annual sales to the airport's close-in location, allowing it to efficiently ferry potential customers to its Holland Charter Township manufacturing site.
Based on the information gleaned during its informational gathering, the Committee considered, amended and unanimously approved a Resolution of Intent that calls for the MACC member governments to convene a committee to draft the formation documents for establishing an airport authority to operate the airport. A provision for other airports to come under the authority has been incorporated should such requests be made.
The formation of a regional airport authority is an opportunity to support a vital, community transportation asset. In the world economy of this 21st century, a strong West Michigan Regional Airport is essential to spurring job growth for our residents and sustaining the community's economic success for this and future generations.
macc airport presentation to view the Area Airport Authority Exploratory Committee Multi- Media Presentation about the Airport Authority.
Click here to view the complete Area Airport Authority Report.


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Methods used in the investigation of occupational lung diseases are described and evaluated in depth. The book is written for those conducting research in occupationally induced pulmonary problems and may also be used by physicians interested in specific evaluation techniques such as exercise testing and inhalation challenge testing.
Occupational Lung Diseases: Research Approaches and Methods.. Ann Intern Med. 1982;97:642. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-97-4-642_3
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Published: Ann Intern Med. 1982;97(4):642.
Copyright © 2019 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.
Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704
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