text:
Our History
Guangzhou Jinhan Metal Furniture Co., Ltd. was jointly established in 2014 by Guangzhou ZY Steel Office Equipment Co., Ltd. and Guangzhou Dagong Fine Equipment Co., Ltd. At the beginning of the establishment , The Chinese Internet of Things is developing rapidly, and lots of products burst out at that time such as smart parcel locker, smart mobile shelving and keys lockers etc. At the same time, The Local government also promote the products and applications of things on internet. As a company with more than ten years experience in steel ... [Details]


text:
Articles by Will Hazell
Will Hazell / January 17, 2013
Is Len McCluskey gearing up for a fight with Labour?
Will Hazell / July 27, 2012
If he knows what's good for him, George Osborne will skip the Games and head back to the office
Will Hazell / May 25, 2012
One should think carefully before accusing Boris Johnson of being "out of touch" with the British public.
Will Hazell / May 4, 2012
As results for the local elections continue to trickle in today, it is increasingly clear that the Conservatives did poorly. This should be to no one's surprise: you can tell a government is doing...
Will Hazell / March 27, 2012
Ken Livingstone wants his job back. In an exclusive interview, he tells Will Hazell why he deserves it.
Will Hazell / February 27, 2012
Last week the Right to Work campaign scored a big victory. The protest group, whose avowed mission is to "stop the cuts, defend public services and the welfare state, and fight for every job," forced...
Will Hazell / February 13, 2012
The current issue of Prospect reviews the taboos in British politics today—those orthodoxies which politicians are loathe to challenge because they think it will lose them elections. At the top of...
Will Hazell / February 1, 2012
Don't be alarmed if you heard a banging noise last night: that was the sound of Whitehall slamming the stable door five years after the horse bolted. On the advice of senior civil servants,...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thank you to staff for all you do for students, parents, and the community. Employees were honored by the School Board at a recognition ceremony on May 25.
Andrea Krueger was named Centennial's 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year.
District Office: 4707 North Road, Circle Pines, MN 55014 Tel: 763-792-6000 Office Hours: M-F 7:30am - 4:00pmServing the communities of Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Lexington and Lino Lakes in Minnesota
Centennial School District does not discriminate (School Board Policy #102)© 2012 - 2019. Centennial School ISD 12


text:
Many people often turn to alternative medicine when traditional treatments don't work as expected or become too costly to use. Alternative approaches like acupuncture and massage therapy have proven to help to relieve symptoms.
In a 2007 survey, 3.1 million adults reported using acupuncture in the previous 12 months, up from 2.1 million in a 2002 survey, according to the government's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a unit of the National Institutes of Health.
Proponents say that acupuncture, in addition to helping treat existing conditions, can also help prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Some devotees of acupuncture even say they believe treatments keep them healthy and out of the doctor's office, potentially saving them money.
Acupuncture is therapeutic method of treating ailments and illnesses by stimulating the body's own ability to heal itself. It's a natural, holistic approach to wellness that is often used in conjunction with other therapies and treatments.
Acupuncture is one of the most popular alternative medications for different conditions. You can find relief from pain-related problems on the back, shoulder, knees, and other body parts. Even cancer survivors see the acupuncturist. They look for treatment to relieve their pain and control their nausea after bouts of chemotherapy.
Acupuncture offers many benefits and treats far too many conditions to list. Some of the most common applications include:
- Reducing chronic and acute pain and inflammation
- Managing all manner of inflammatory conditions
- Relieving stress, anxiety, depression, and anxiety and mood disorders
- Stopping insomnia and promoting restorative sleep
- Addressing chronic and acute headaches (including migraines), neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain
- Lessening asthma and allergic conditions
- Easing digestive discomfort and disorders
- Reducing symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle, menopause, and hormone imbalances
- Remedying the effects of musculoskeletal problems
- Boosting immune function and accelerating healing after injury or surgery
- Increasing the efficacy and limiting the side effects of other treatments
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters that function as natural painkillers and provide other regulatory effects throughout the body. It also increases blood circulation and oxygenation, relaxes the body's inflammatory response, helps regulate the immune system's white blood cells, and has a stabilizing influence on blood pressure and glucose levels. Still, we've just scratched the surface of understanding all that goes on in the body during and after acupuncture therapy.
An acupuncture session in a clinic like Audubon, PA starts with a topical antimicrobial agent applied to your skin and sterile, disposable needles are inserted into acupoints around your body. The needles are thinner than those used for injections, typically between 0.006 and 0.018 inches in diameter. Needles of varying length are used in different locations; the depth of insertion, how long needles are left in place, and how they are manipulated vary.
Should You Try Acupuncture?
Although its basic techniques are straightforward, acupuncture is a highly personalized therapy. Your practitioner will discuss your symptoms and lifestyle, how you feel over the course of the day, how you respond to stressors, and other areas that help her arrive at diagnoses and develop treatment plans. The course of therapy is different for each person. Many people experience improvement with a single session. Many people swear by this treatment. Most people detect only a brief, minor prick upon insertion.
For most people, money is a consideration. Sessions with an acupuncturist run about $65 to $120, depending on where you live (and some leading acupuncturists charge as much as $300). Most ailments require at least three treatments, while some chronic issues like arthritis might require biweekly or monthly sessions, depending on the situation.
If you want to try acupuncture, but are concerned about the cost, here are some suggestions:
CHECK YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE: Call your insurer and ask whether your policy covers acupuncture. If it does, press for details.
Find out how many sessions a year it allows and whether a doctor's prescription is needed. Check whether it allows coverage for only certain conditions. Some policies, for instance, might cover acupuncture only for chronic pain.
TRY A SCHOOL: If you must pay yourself, consider discount treatment by an acupuncturist-in-training. Most acupuncture schools have clinics where you can be treated by supervised students at discounted rates of $40 or so for one to two hours. To find a school, go to the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine's Web site.
Research this alternative treatment and discuss it with your doctor to make sure you're safe to undergo the procedure. You may also go for an initial consultation in an acupuncture clinic to ask questions about the process. This way, you can explore different options for your condition, and decide if you'd like to continue.


text:
Elizabeth Taylor Miami Beach Getaway for Sale
The dearly departed Elizabeth Taylorused to frequent this Miami Beach, Florida residence back in the 1950's, with her fiancé's family. Now it's for sale -- or rent -- for a large price tag. For those looking to purchase, $13.9 million will get you this 6-bedroom, 7-bathroom. Worried about commitment? You can rent for $50,000 a month. And no worries -- your friends and hangers-on will also have a place to lounge in this waterfront property. The guest house helps take up some of the home's acre of land.
Thanks to our friends at Realtor.com,we can take you past the guarded gate and inside.
Read more at ShelterPop.
See Gallery
More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Get property tax help from our experts.


text:
8 Things I've Learned from Gossip Girl ...
Gossip Girl is one of my favorite shows. It may actually be one of my favorite shows since the original Beverly Hills 90210. You know something has to be good to live up to Kelly, Donna, Brandon, and Dylan! There is just something about the scandalous tales of the Upper East Side that keeps me tuned in to Gossip Girl every week. I can't resist its appeal! Plus, to be honest, it has many valuable life lessons to teach. Here are 8 things I've learned from Gossip Girl.
1. Don't Forget Your Cell Phone
Without your cell phone, you would be cut off from the entire world. You wouldn't know the latest scandal or gossip in the Gossip Girl world. Your cell phone is your most important possession. Keep it with you at all times.


text:
The plot: Four high-school boys who inherited superpowers from their parents uncover that there's a fifth powerful person who was thought to be long dead. Their powers come a the cost: each time they are used, the body of the warlock ages and [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Horror'
Review of "The Covenant" (2006) PG-13 97min
March 18th, 2008 · 2 Comments
Tags: Action · Adventure · DVD · Fantasy · Horror · Movies · Supernatural · USA
Review of "The Wicker Man" (2006) PG-13 102min
March 7th, 2008 · No Comments
The Wicker Man (2006)
This is a remake of 1973 British horror movie with the same title written and directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage.
The plot: a motorcycle cop Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage), traumatized by the road-side death of the occupants of [...]
Tags: DVD · Drama · Horror · Movies · Thrillers/Suspense
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) R 1h 57min
January 9th, 2008 · 2 Comments
Wow! What a movie! This is Tim Burton at his best. I could not think of a better director to make this screen adaptation of the Broadway musical.
The plot: After had been convicted for a crime he was innocent of and spending 15 [...]
Tags: Crime/Gangster · Dark comedy · Drama · Foreign · Horror · Movies · Musicals · Romance · UK · USA
Silent Hill (2006)
August 18th, 2007 · No Comments
Silent Hill (2006)
Based on video game, which I haven't played. Since I've seen other game-to-movie adaptation I didn't expect much. "Doom", for example, was a really bad movie. It's about a woman, Rose, has a sick daughter, Sharon, who has seizures and nightmarish dreams about a city of [...]
Tags: DVD · Drama · Horror · Movies · Supernatural


text:
This article will be permanently flagged as inappropriate and made unaccessible to everyone.
Are you certain this article is inappropriate?
Excessive Violence
Sexual Content
Political / Social
Email Address:
Article Id:
Reproduction Date:
The ALICE (All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) load bearing system, was adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973[1] to replace the M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE) and M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE). Although since superseded by MOLLE, ALICE gear is still in some limited use in the US Army in National Guard and training units, as well as by Navy and Air Force ground units. The Marines currently uses ALICE gear in training only.
The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment is the end result of the LINCLOE (Lightweight Individual Clothing And Equipment) program that began in 1965 and terminated with the adoption of the ALICE system on 17 January 1973. The goal of the individual equipment portion of the LINCLOE program was to develop a lightweight load-carrying system in an effort to lighten a combat soldier's overall load.
Based principally on the conclusions and recommendations of A Study To Reduce The Load Of The Infantry Combat Soldier, 1962[2] and A Study To Conserve Energy Of The Combat Infantryman, 1964,[3] the army established a Quantitative Material Requirement[4] (QMR) in 1965 calling for the development of LINCLOE.
Although the development of the LINCLOE load-carrying equipment did not officially start until after the United States Army Materiel Command Technical Committee (AMCTC) approved the project 27 April 1966, development of lightweight load-carrying equipment really began in 1961 with the development of the Lightweight Rucksack (FSN 8465-782-3248) made of nylon fabrics and an aluminum frame which weighed 3 pounds (1.4 kg) as compared to the 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) cotton canvas duck and steel item which it replaced.[5]
The development of this lightweight rucksack led to an informal inquiry by officers of the infantry community as to the possibility of reducing the weight of the M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE). As a result of this interest, the army produced a set of LCE in 1962, substituting available nylon materials for the cotton canvas duck. This set of nylon load-carrying equipment weighed slightly more than 3 pounds (1.4 kg) as opposed to 5 pounds (2.3 kg) for the cotton canvas duck items. These two items, the lightweight rucksack and the set of nylon LCE, formed the basis for that portion of the LINCLOE Quantitative Material Requirement dealing with load-carrying equipment. Annex A to the Quantitative Material Requirement set a goal of 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) for the individual load-carrying equipment and 3 pounds (1.4 kg) for the rucksack. Officials decided that the design of the new load-carrying equipment would follow that of the standard load-carrying equipment with material changes from cotton canvas duck to nylon duck and replacement of the brass and steel hardware with aluminum or plastic items.
The design effort went slowly, due to the concentration on the design and development of items to meet the requirement of the Vietnam War, although developers initiated projects investigating the feasibility of replacing much of the steel and brass hardware with aluminum or plastic items. On 15 March 1967, an Engineering Concept Review was held at Natick Laboratories.[6] The concept approved at the meeting was for an individual equipment belt to be supported by individual equipment suspenders, to which could be attached component items such as small arms ammunition cases, water canteen covers, entrenching tool carriers, field first aid dressing cases, etc. A field pack somewhat larger than the M-1961 cotton canvas duck field pack was proposed which could be attached for carrying either on the individual equipment belt at the small of the back, or on the shoulders attached to the individual equipment belt suspenders, or attached to a detachable field pack frame. The field pack frame with shoulder straps and a removable cargo shelf would be designed to be worn over the individual equipment belt and suspenders. The end result of this meeting was the adoption of the nylon M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE). The field pack design was rejected in the end and a nylon version of the M-1961 field pack was produced instead along with the nylon Tropical Rucksack (FSN 8465-935-6673).
Even after the adoption of the MLCE in 1967, developments continued under the LINCLOE program. The MLCE was envisioned for use strictly in tropical environments and the development of a standard load-carrying equipment system to replace all load-carrying equipment systems continued.
During 1968, the LINCLOE program continued to refine the lightweight load-carrying system. A prototype system was designed utilizing some of the existing MLCE components such as the water canteen cover, small arms ammunition cases, and field first aid dressing case. The individual equipment belt buckle was replaced with a plastic version of the Davis quick-release buckle and a new Vest, Combat was developed to replace the individual equipment belt suspenders. Teams developed both a small and large field pack utilizing the detachable field pack frame concept scrapped in 1967.
These prototype items were presented at a Design Characteristics Review And Prototype System Review held at Natick Laboratories 26 March 1968.[1] It was recommended that an Engineering/Service Test [ET/ST] be carried out on this new load-carrying system design with the understanding that any design changes required be accomplished prior to testing and without another design review.
In July 1969, test items presented at the 1968 Natick meeting and manufactured by the United States Army Support Center in Fort Clayton, Panama Canal Zone; United States Army Arctic Test Center (USAATC), Fort Greely, Alaska; and the General Equipment Test Activity (GETA), Fort Lee, Virginia. Some of the test items differed significantly from those presented at the 1968 meeting. The major changes were as follows:[1]
Testing of this new load-carrying system, known as the LINCLOE Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE), began in July 1969 at Fort Benning; September 1969 at Fort Clayton; October 1969 at Fort Greely; and November 1969 at Fort Lee.[1]
On 19 July 1969, the Infantry Team (composed of the Commanding General, Fort Benning; Commanding General of the Infantry School; Commanding Officer of the Combat Developments Command Infantry Agency; and the Commanding Officer of the Infantry Board) met at Fort Benning to discuss improvement of infantry items of individual clothing and equipment.[7] They invited the LINCLOE LCE Project Officer from Natick Laboratories to attend this meeting and present the status of load-carrying equipment items. The Commanding General at Fort Benning was unaware of the effort underway to improve the load-carrying equipment as well as other items of individual clothing and equipment. As a result of the LINCLOE LCE Project Officer's attendance at this meeting, the group established a Non-commissioned Officers (NCO) Board to suggest improvements to load-carrying equipment items.[1]
The NCO Board reviewed the LINCLOE LCE under test as well as the MLCE being provided to troops in Vietnam and arrived at characteristics which they considered desirable. As testing of the LINCLOE LCE continued a number of failures began to occur mostly to do with closure devices; plastic snap fasteners were still being utilized like those initially utilized on MLCE items. By December 1969, all testing stopped for re-evaluation of the components of the new load-carrying system.
In January 1970, the Infantry Board completed the evaluation of the load-carrying equipment, and on 17 March 1970, they held a conference at Fort Benning to review the results of the evaluation. They discussed each item evaluated, and agreed as to the acceptable changes to each load-carrying equipment item. They also agreed that the test of the first-generation LINCLOE LCE should be stopped and new items be designed to reflect the characteristics developed as a result of the evaluations by the NCO Board and Infantry Team.
In a letter to United States Army Materiel Command dated 15 April 1970, United States Army Combat Developments Command described the next generation of LINCLOE LCE for service testing based on the agreements of the 17 March 1970 meeting.[8] The following items were recommended when modified as indicated:
Also proposed in the letter were improved versions of the small and large field pack and field pack frame.
During April and June 1970, teams fabricated a prototype system of load-carrying equipment as described in the 15 April 1970 letter. They presented this set of load-carrying equipment to the NCO Board and Infantry Team for review at Fort Benning on 18–19 June 1970. On 29 July 1970, representatives from the United States Army Combat Developments Command and the LINCLOE LCE Project Officer met at Natick Laboratories and drafted a revision of the LINCLOE LCE Quantitative Material Requirement as it pertained to load-carrying equipment including the characteristics for each individual item. This was based primarily on the outcome of the 17 March 1970 meeting with one major exception. The LINCLOE LCE Project Officer a third field pack to the system. This was the medium field pack with a bag made from the nylon tropical rucksack, modified to meet the NCO Board requirements for a small field pack by adapting it to be worn on the back with or without a field pack frame.
On 5 October 1970, a Design Characteristics Review And Prototype System Review was held at Natick Laboratories concerning the new LINCLOE LCE. The group approved Quantitative Material Requirement for the new second-generation LINCLOE LCE with minor changes.
Natick Laboratories fabricated fifteen sets of the second-generation LINCLOE LCE and shipped them to Army European Headquarters (USAREUR) 17 November 1970 for evaluation. In December 1970, the United States Army Support Center, Virginia fabricated an additional 300 sets of the second-generation LINCLOE LCE and sent them to Natick Laboratories for assembly and shipment to test sites.
In August 1971, the test sets were sent to Fort Benning, Fort Greely, Fort Devens, and, as requested, to the Marine Corps at Quantico. Pre-test inspections uncovered a number of deficiencies with the field packs which were returned to Natick Laboratories for modification. The modified items went back to the test sites in November 1971 and the service test began.
By March 1972, so many deficiencies and shortcomings had developed in the load-carrying equipment that the United States Army Test And Evaluation Command requested that the test at Fort Benning be suspended until test items could be repaired or replaced. Officials held a meeting at Fort Benning on 6 April 1972 to discuss the failures.[9] In their discussions, they agreed that Natick Laboratories would take action to correct the problems so the tests could resume 9 June 1972.
Most deficiencies were found in field packs, users asked that the inner flaps on the small arms ammunition cases be removed as they impeded the rapid removal of cartridge magazines. Developers replaced these with simple strips of nylon fabric to divide the cartridge magazines. At some point during 1971 the Marine Corps found that the small arms ammunition case with the divider flaps was acceptable and initiated acceptance procedures. On 31 January 1972, the army issued military specification MIL-C-28981(MC) and these small arms ammunition cases were type classified and assigned the Federal Stock Number 8465-464-2084. The Defense Support Agency (DSA) issued contracts for the item for fiscal year 1973.
Natick Laboratories completed the modifications of the test items and military aircraft transported them to Fort Benning 1 June 1972, but testing did not resume until 3 July 1972. Testing finished 18 August 1972 and the final report was received on 24 November 1972.[10] As a result of the test, the Infantry Board recommended that no further development effort be expended on the load-carrying equipment as a system. On 31 October 1972, representatives from Natick Laboratories visited Fort Benning to discuss the problems which appeared during the testing of each item and to arrive at a decision whether to continue development of each item.[11] Prior to these final meetings the LINCLOE LCE components had been type classified and assigned Federal Stock Numbers as follows:
The three field packs were also type classified and assigned Federal Stock Numbers:
After the final meetings, the group proposed the following changes prior to manufacture:
The group accepted the medium and large field packs with minor modifications but rejected the small field pack as unnecessary. Retesting of the modified medium and large field packs were conducted at Fort Benning during 27 November through 18 December 1972. The tests showed that the deficiencies and shortcomings of the field packs previously reported had been corrected.[12]
The formal Development Acceptance (DEVA) review on the LINCLOE LCE occurred at Natick Laboratories 17 January 1973.[13] The panel members agreed, by consensus, that the components be type classified as Standard A. After acceptance, the individual equipment system was given the designation M-1972 Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment (LLCE). The Defense Support Agency (DSA) began issuing contracts for the components of the new individual equipment system for fiscal year 1974, which began 1 July 1973. After the DSA issued the initial contracts, the individual equipment system was re-designated All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) and the use of year-model designations officially ceased.[14]
The ALICE system has been phased-out of all Active and Reserve Component (USAR and Army National Guard) units in the Army. Basic and Advanced Individual Training units, to include OCS, ROTC, and USMA, use the current MOLLE equipment in the digital Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP). ALICE was succeeded by Generation I MOLLE equipment. MOLLE I was then replaced by MOLLE II which, unlike MOLLE I, is strictly for the Army's Army Combat Uniform (ACU) instead of the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) and Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU).
The Navy and USAF use ALICE gear for ground personnel as well, although the USAF is phasing out ALICE in favor of MOLLE.
The Marines use ALICE for training, deployed units use new MOLLE and Improved Load Bearing Equipment (ILBE) systems.
Small maneuver elements which rely on lightweight pack design and durability still use ALICE packs today.[15]
The ALICE system retains the concept of separate fighting and existence loads that was refined in the mid-1950s during the development of the LCE. The most important point in the fighting and existence loads concept is that an infantry rifleman should carry only the items necessary to complete the immediate mission at hand. The load an infantry rifleman carries should not include any other item that can be carried another way. Because the type of mission, terrain, and environmental conditions will influence the clothing and individual equipment requirements, the unit commander may prescribe to the infantry rifleman the essential items. The prime purpose of the fighting and existence loads concept is to lighten an infantry rifleman's load.
The typical individual fighting load is made up of essential items of clothing, individual equipment, small arms, and small arms ammunition that are carried by, and are essential to, the effectiveness of the combat infantry rifleman and the accomplishment of the immediate mission of the unit when the infantry rifleman is on foot. Normally these items are carried on the individual equipment belt and individual equipment belt suspenders.
The typical individual existence load consists of items other than those in the individual fighting load which are required to sustain or protect the infantry rifleman, which may be necessary for the infantry rifleman's increased personal and environmental protection, and which the infantry rifleman normally would not carry. When possible, the individual existence load items are transported by means other than man-carry. Otherwise both the fighting and existence loads are carried by the infantry rifleman. Individual existence load items are usually carried in the field pack.
The ALICE system fighting load comprises the following components:
Belt, Individual Equipment - The individual equipment belt is constructed of Army Shade 7 olive drab nylon webbing with black chemical finish adjusting buckles, keepers, and a belt buckle. The medium size individual equipment belt (NSN 8465-00-001-6488) is for soldiers with waists measuring under 30 inches (76 cm) and size large (NSN 8465-00-001-6487) is for those with waists measuring 30 inches (76 cm) or over. The individual equipment belt is adjusted from each end by means of clamp-type buckles which slide on the individual equipment belt when open. The individual equipment items are attached by interlocking belt-strap keepers or are hooked through eyelets along the bottom of the individual equipment belt. The eyelets along the top of the individual equipment belt are for attaching the individual equipment belt suspenders.
In 1981 the new Belt, Individual Equipment, LC-2 is introduced with the green plastic quick-release buckle and is assigned the National Stock Number 8465-01-120-0674 (medium) and 8465-01-120-0675 (large).
Carrier, Entrenching Tool - The Entrenching tool carrier is molded of EVA and the top flap is secured by means of two metal snap fasteners. It attaches to the individual equipment belt by means of two belt-strap keepers with interlocking slides. The Entrenching tool carrier is designed to accommodate the lightweight collapsible Entrenching Tool, Hand (NSN 5120-00-878-5932).
Case, Field First Aid Dressing - The field first aid dressing case is constructed of Army Shade 106 olive green water repellent treated 7.25 ounces (206 g) nylon duck. It is 8 1⁄2 inches (22 cm) long with flap open; approximately 4 1⁄2 inches (11 cm) wide, and forms a 4 inches (10 cm) deep pocket. It has a metal snap-type fastener closure and is attached to the individual equipment belt or individual equipment belt suspenders by a belt-strap keeper with interlocking slide. The field first aid dressing case is designed to accommodate either the Dressing, First Aid, Field (NSN 6510-00-159-4883) or the Compass, Magnetic, Unmounted (NSN 6605-00-151-5337).
Case, Small Arms Ammunition - The small arms ammunition case is designed to accommodate three 30-round Magazine, Cartridge (NSN 1005-00-921-5004) used with the Rifle, 5.56 Millimeter, M16A1. It is constructed of nylon duck and webbing with polyester sheet stiffeners in the front, rear and lid of the small arms ammunition case. Each cartridge magazine is held in place by means of 3⁄4-inch (1.9 cm) wide webbing spacers which cross the top of the small arms ammunition case. The lid is closed by means of a plastic latch. Grenade carrying pockets are located on each side of the small arms ammunition case which are secured by means of a nylon web strap and metal snap fastener. A tab with a metal eyelet is located at the top back of the small arms ammunition case to which the individual equipment belt suspenders are attached. The small arms ammunition case is attached to the individual equipment belt by belt-strap keepers with interlocking slides.
Cover, Water Canteen - The water canteen cover is fabricated of nylon cloth and webbing and acrylic pile liner material. The two-flap closure is secured by means of metal snap fasteners. There is a small pocket on the front of the cover for carrying water purification tablets. The lid of this small pocket is secured by means of hook and pile fastener tape. The cover attaches to the individual equipment belt by means of two belt-strap keepers with interlocking slides. The water canteen cover is designed to accommodate the Canteen, Water (NSN 8465-00-889-3477). In 1975, the LC-1 designation for the water canteen cover is changed to LC-2 due to some minor design changes. The National Stock Number remains the same.
Suspenders, Individual Equipment Belt - The individual equipment belt suspenders are Y shaped with three adjusting straps, but four points of attachment to the individual equipment belt and small arms ammunition cases. The shoulder straps are padded with spacer cloth. Each shoulder strap has a web loop and a non-slip buckle on each of the straps in the front and one at the back through which the adjusting straps pass. There are rectangular wire loops located between the web loops and the buckles on the front of the straps. The 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide adjusting straps have side-retaining snap hooks at one end. The back adjusting strap has an inverted V of which each end has a side-retaining snaphook. Each of the adjusting straps has a loop around it made of 1-inch (2.5 cm) elastic material. In 1991, the individual equipment belt suspenders are redesignated LC-2 with no apparent modifications.
The ALICE system existence load comprises the following components:
Field Pack (medium) - The field pack is made of water repellent treated nylon duck and webbing, spacer fabric, and metal hardware. It can be used with or without the LC-1 Field Pack Frame. The main compartment closes by means of a drawstring secured by a plastic cord clamp. A radio pocket is located against the back on the inside. The size of the pack may be decreased for smaller loads by means of three para-cord ties, stitched to the inside bottom of the pack, and three metal D-rings located directly below the internal radio pocket. Three pockets on the outside, with strap and buckle adjustable closures and with snap fasteners for quick access, are provided for miscellaneous items. The top flap has a pocket with a hook and pile fastener tape sealed closure. Equipment hangers are located above each outside pocket and on each side. Drainage eyelets are provided in the bottom of the main compartment and the outside pockets. An envelope pocket is located at the top, back of the pack and padded with spacer cloth, into which the field pack frame is inserted when the field pack is used on the field pack frame. Buckles and straps at each side near the bottom are used for anchoring the field pack to the field pack frame. Two rectangular wire loops located at the top back of the field pack and D rings on each side at the bottom of the field pack are used to provide shoulder strap attachment when the field pack is carried without the field pack frame. A waterproof bag is supplied for the main compartment and each of the three outside pockets for keeping equipment dry.
Field Pack (large) - The construction and materials in the large field pack are similar to the medium field pack with the differences being: it is much larger in size; the center outside pocket is larger than the other two main outside pockets; and the addition of three small outside pockets above the larger pockets. The large field pack MUST be used with the LC-1 Field Pack Frame.
Frame, Field Pack - The field pack frame is used as a mount for either the medium field pack or the large field pack. The frame, when requisitioned, comes with all straps. The frame is of aluminum construction.
Shelf, Cargo Support - The cargo support shelf is used to support bulky loads such as water, gasoline, and ammunition cans, field rations, and radios. The shelf is of aluminum construction.
In 1977 the following existence load equipment items are introduced as replacements after modifications due to defects in the original equipment's design:
Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
United States Army, British Army, Afghanistan, Pouch Attachment Ladder System, All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment
United States Air Force, American Revolutionary War, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina
United States Army, United States Department of Defense, Alabama, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Military Academy
United States Army, Vietnam War, M1956 Load Bearing Equipment, Southeast Asia, All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment
United States Army, United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, American Revolutionary War, War of 1812
United States Army, Leather, Vietnam War, All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment, Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment
Molle, Uniforms of the United States Army, Awards and decorations of the United States Army, M1 Helmet, 75th Ranger Regiment (United States)
World War I, United States Marine Corps, Molle, World War II, Afghanistan
Molle, United States Military, 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps, Scalable Plate Carrier
United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, Molle


text:
Selections from the 2006 Religious Education Student Symposium
The Religious Education Student Symposium is a celebration of thoughtful student thinking and writing. Since its beginning in 1998, the symposium has involved hundreds of students and benefited thousands of lives. Professor Richard E. Bennett began the endeavor as a means of showcasing the finest writing and creative works of students on this campus.
This year's publication includes work from eleven remarkable student authors. Each piece represents excellent thought and expression. Each of those whose work is included was honored at an awards banquet held in February 2006. It is important to note that Religious Education is able to fund this contest through a generous endowment from an anonymous donor to whom we are greatly indebted.
- Out of Print
- Published in 2006


text:
Bank Like a Pro
Meet the Golfers Who Understand Quality and Dedication
Ally McDonald
Professional Golfer
Ally McDonald understands hard work — from competing in the men's high school golf division because her state didn't offer a women's division to taking a last-minute alternate spot in the U.S. Open two months after graduating college. Her commitment to being the best at what she does makes her relationship with Renasant Bank an obvious one.
McDonald posted eight top-10 finishes on the Symetra Tour in 2016, including four runners-up, and finished with the second highest earnings total ($110,359) in Tour history, a year after graduating from Mississippi State University. In her rookie year, she was the recipient of the player-decided Heather Wilbur Award and qualified for the Evian Championship, finishing tied for 30th in her rookie LPGA® season.Read More About Ally
Dominic Bozzelli
Professional Golfer
No matter the level of competition, Dominic Bozzelli is known for his consistent top-10 finishes — from the three consecutive wins that earned him NGA Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in 2014, to the two top-10 finishes during his rookie year on the PGA Tour®. Consistency and hard work are what make him an ideal fit to wear the Renasant Bank name on the golf course.
Bozzelli joined the PGA Tour® in 2017, making $818,301 in his first 17 PGA® events. Before qualifying for the PGA Tour®, Dominic played five Web.com Tour events, finishing in the top-10 twice before going on to pick up his first Web.com Tour win in 2016. Dominic played collegiate golf at Auburn University before going pro in 2013.Read More About Dominic


text:
Kuala Lumpur
Basic information
Sample name: Kuala Lumpur
Reference: S. Paramasvaran, R. A. Sani, . Krishnasamy, N. M. Amal, L. Hassan, S. N. Mohd Zain, I. Latifah, M. S. Rahmat, J. Jeffery, R. L. Santhana, and S. Selvanesan. 2013. Distribution and morphological measurements of wild and urban rodents from four habitats in the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Veterinary Research 4(2):1-12 [ER 928]
Country: Malaysia
Coordinate: 3° 10' 30" N, 101° 40' 30" E
Basis of coordinate: stated in text
Geography comments: four locations "not more than 15 km from Kuala Lumpur" including two "in the heart of Kuala Lumpur" (coordinate is the midpoint of those given for the locations)
Climate and habitat
Habitat: tropical/subtropical moist broadleaf forest
Altered habitat: urban
Substrate: ground surface
Habitat comments: "forest valley"
Life forms: rodents
Sampling methods: no design, baited, cage traps
Sample size: 97
Sampling comments: "Fruits, banana, coconut, sweet potatoes and dried fish were used as baits... rodents were trapped alive using specially made wire traps measuring 29×22×50 cm"
Sample: 1402
Contributor: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Created: 2015-02-26 10:26:21
Modified: 2015-02-26 10:26:21
Abundance distribution
3 species
1 singleton
total count 97
Fisher's α: 0.587
geometric series k: 0.1060
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.1440
Shannon's H: 0.3158
Good's u: 0.9897


text:
And here I thought I would have to get a mammogram in a year. Instead, I received a letter from the imaging center reminding me to book one. Soon.
So…this Wednesday I go in for both a mammogram and ultrasound. I told the staff that the family doctor had marked "mammogram" and not ultrasound, but she said the clinic automatically does an ultrasound as well. Ordered by doctor or not.
I have my prescription for Tylenol 4 so will take one prior to the visit. Those ultrasounds hurt so much! They are far worse than the mammogram. Tylenol 4 works to lessen all the pain, and I am grateful that my family doctor prescribed it.
Still losing hair from the Armidex, but I still have lots, so by no means am I balding, at least not yet.
I have had no issues with the Fosamax so far. I found out that the body can only absorb up to 500 mg of calcium at a time, so I take one calcium pill along with vitamin D at lunch, then the other calcium pill about two hours later, midafternoon.


text:
2019 News of the Year
Notre Dame on fire ...
Notre Dame on fire ...
Hall of Fame baseball player Frank Robinson was the first African American to manage a Major League Baseball team.
With U.S. troops in retreat in Syria, American aid groups step into the gap
A fortnight's news includes long-term concerns
Andrée Seu Peterson / Janie B. Cheaney / Joel Belz / Marvin Olasky / Mindy Belz / The Editors /
Sports / Religion / Lifestyle / History / Immigration / Medicine / Health / Law / Politics / Technology / Science / Business / Money
Metro Minute / Snapshots of China / Sophia's World / Whirled Views /
Music / Q&A / Children's Books / Books / Documentary / Movies
Quotables / Human Race / News / Quick Takes
Culture Movies
Anyone who's ever wished the cheesy, heavy metal videos of the '80s-those featuring strange Norse imagery, gray swampy settings, and a liberal smattering of goat skulls-could be expanded into a feature-length film is going to be very, very happy with Pathfinder. Anyone else who spends $8 to see this cesspool of carnage and chaos is going to be very, very sad.
Half a century before Columbus sailed the ocean blue, Vikings stumbled upon the shores of North America and proceeded to do what Vikings do best-kill, pillage, and create general mayhem. Then suddenly, they left. Pathfinder tries to provide an answer-albeit a bloody and ridiculous one-for where and why they went.
Rated R for graphic violence, the film rips off everyone from Rambo to Pocahontas to tell its story about a lost little Viking boy who becomes the hope of noble savages all across the New World. After refusing to slaughter Native-American children with the rest of his hairy brood, young Ghost (Karl Urban) is left behind to fend for himself. Luckily, a good-hearted Indian mother adopts him so that, 15 years later when the horned madmen return, he can become the champion to those he would not kill.
Thanks to the hunted-turning-tables-on-the-hunters motif, some critics have compared Pathfinder to last year's Apocalypto. But while it does seem to do some clumsy pilfering from that film as well, it has none of Apocalypto's energy or finesse. Where Apocalypto enabled us to identify with characters from strange cultures with strange tongues, Pathfinder goes the opposite direction. The main characters may speak English, but they seem as weird and distant as the ancient Mayan language.
Without a relatable or sympathetic character in its lineup, Pathfinder is a blunt object designed to beat the audience over the head with gore until even the most sensitive viewer is left yawning at the ugliness.


text:
Gold rises to highest level in 3 weeks
LONDON (Reuters) – Gold rose to its highest level in three weeks on Tuesday as stock markets affected by the fall in oil prices and growing concern about the future of Greece in the euro zone, which prompted investors to rush to buy the yellow metal.
Continued sell-off in European stocks after landing on Monday with energy stocks fell in light of falling oil prices to their lowest level in five and a half years.
And pay landing investors to buy low-risk assets such as US and German government bonds and the yen and gold, offsetting the negative impact of the rise of the dollar.
And contributed to the political uncertainty in Greece renewed fears of exit from the euro zone with the approaching elections in the country on 25 January.
He added gold in the spot market 0.4 percent to $ 1208.30 an ounce (an ounce) by 1244 GMT, having touched earlier to $ 1214.40, the highest level since Dec. 16. Gold rose 1.3 percent on Monday.
And stepped Gold futures in the United States delivered February of $ 4.40 to $ 1208.40 an ounce. The price of gold denominated in euros to its highest level since September 2013 at 1019.15 euros an ounce, benefiting from the euro 0.3 percent decline against the dollar.
Silver rose 0.1 percent to $ 16.15 an ounce, while platinum rose 0.5 percent to $ 1211.25 an ounce and palladium rose 0.8 percent to $ 795.90 an ounce


text:
Barack Obama offers flawed comparison between teens' ease in obtaining Glocks vs. books
President Barack Obama attracted attention for a bold assertion about how easy it is to obtain a gun during his speech at an interfaith memorial service for five officers slain by a sniper in Dallas, Texas.
"As a society, we choose to underinvest in decent schools," he said. "We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment. We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs. We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book, and then we tell the police, 'You're a social worker, you're the parent, you're the teacher, you're the drug counselor.'"
Critics pounced on the Glock remark, saying Obama was making a misleading — or even outright false — comparison. But the White House said it had evidence to back up Obama's line.
So we decided to take our own look.
What the White House says
The White House offered PolitiFact several news reports to back up Obama's case.
The gist of these reports was that there are lots of guns to be found in low-income urban areas, but comparatively few books and relatively little access to the Internet.
However, much of the evidence these articles provided was anecdotal, and none of the articles directly compared guns to computers or books --- not to mention Glocks, the specific make of handgun Obama cited.
And none of the articles offered a rigorous academic comparison of the specific claim Obama made.
For example:
• One study by New York University researchers found a scarcity of children's books in low-income areas of Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington. But the study looked at stores that sold books without taking into account public libraries or school libraries, which make obtaining books easier. More importantly, the study didn't compare the availability of guns.
• Several articles offered quotes by people familiar with low-income communities that included observations similar to what Obama said in Dallas.
For instance, one Chicago resident told Al Jazeera America that getting a gun in her neighborhood is as easy as buying a pack of gum. "If you want a gun, you can just go get a gun," she said. "You got the money? You can get a gun."
And D. Watkins, a young, African-American writer from Baltimore who wrote The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America, told public radio host Terry Gross that he bought his first gun "from some dudes in the neighborhood that sold guns. It was simple. ... (It was) Business as usual. And it's still like that."
None of these accounts offered a direct comparison of guns' availability compared with books or Internet access.
• One link referenced an academic study about a lack of access to food in low-income areas, but it did not address either guns or books.
• A news report cited research about the relative lack of Internet access in low-income households. But another article the White House provided said that while teens in families making less than $50,000 a year are less likely to have access to a desktop or a laptop computer than teens in higher income groups, the rate even for the lower-income group is still pretty high: All told, eight of every 10 of these lower-income teens had access to a computer.
In all, we find the White House's evidence unpersuasive on Obama's specific claim. There's no hard data making his comparison. And on the question of access to computers, we found data showing a relatively high rate of Internet access even among lower-income teens.
Problems with the comparisons
We considered the meaning of Obama's remark a few different ways — but none provide a slam dunk for his argument.
He said it was easier for a teen to obtain a Glock over a book or a computer.
It might be easier for some people in some places, but it's still against the law.
"It is already against federal law for someone under the age of 21 to buy a handgun, such as a Glock, from a licensed firearms dealer," said John R. Lott, Jr., president of the generally pro-gun Crime Prevention Research Center. And federal law on handguns also makes it unlawful for anyone "to sell, deliver, or otherwise transfer (a handgun) to a person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a juvenile" — that is, under 18.
That means that any teen would have to break the law to make such a purchase. Alternately, they could barter for a handgun or steal one, which might be practical but would also be against the law.
So let's now consider the case of teens who are willing to break the law.
One interpretation is whether a gun is cheaper to get than a book. Experts said the price of a "street" handgun can range between $50 and $500, depending on the local vagaries of supply and demand.
Glocks in particular "are very expensive," said Alan Lizotte, a criminal justice professor at the University at Albany. Street Glocks without a criminal history would be especially tough, he said.
That would make them easily more expensive than books purchased at a store, and certainly more expensive than books borrowed for free from a library.
"There are 80 public libraries in Chicago and 95 public high schools and 92 private high schools in the city," Lott said.
The second interpretation of Obama's remark is the ease, or accessibility, of locating a gun. This is perhaps the most favorable interpretation for Obama, since credible research shows that there's both a relative shortage of books and a relative surplus of guns in low-income neighborhoods.
But it's worth remembering that there don't appear to be any studies that compare books and guns directly. In addition, there's a lot of variation, neighborhood by neighborhood, across the country.
"If there's lots of street-gang activity where you live, you may know someone who can get you a gun," said James Alan Fox, interim director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University. "If you live in a middle- or upper-middle class suburb, a gun may not be as accessible for a teenager. I wouldn't know who to ask to buy a street gun."
Some points for Obama
Experts acknowledged, though, that Obama had a point with his remark, even if he made an imperfect comparison.
"It is pretty easy for a teen to get a handgun at little cost and very quickly, at least in some places, including urban places," Lizotte said.
That said, Jay Corzine, a sociologist and gun-policy expert at the University of Central Florida, called Obama's framing "weird."
"The most credit I can give the president is that the statement may be true in a very small number of cases that are dependent on the context -- location, day of the week, time of the day, cash in hand," Corzine said.
Our ruling
Obama said, "We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book."
There's little doubt that in some lower-income and high-crime neighborhoods, it is strikingly easy for even teens to acquire a handgun. On this, there is ample anecdotal evidence.
But buying a gun is not likely to be cheaper than buying -- or borrowing -- a book or securing access to a computer, even for teens in poor neighborhoods.
On multiple levels, Obama's comparison is flawed. We rate it Mostly False.https://www.sharethefacts.co/share/08198a52-ac06-472b-8b7e-c51e47432be3


text:
- vkimuyuAsked on June 15, 2012 at 03:55 PM
I selected the secure a form check box but it's not saving it.
- JotForm SupportabajanAnswered on June 15, 2012 at 04:35 PM
All of your forms have secure and non-secure versions at the outset. The purpose of checking that box is to change the various codes provided by the Embed Form Wizard to their secure equivalents so that you can copy and place them into your web pages (in the case of embed codes) or share the URL shown to the left of the said checkbox. So, there's nothing to save. In other words, if after checking the box you were to copy the URL to its left, paste it into your browser's address bar and hit [Enter], the secure version of the form (which had existed from the time the form was created and not when the box was checked) would load.
If you need further clarification, please let us know.


text:
Bharatanatyam is the manifestation of the ancient idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the beauty of the material body. Rajeswari Sainath epitomizes this wonderful art form in all its beauty. Her greatest strength is her versatility in handling both strictly traditional as well as modern presentation with equal dynamism.
Get an insight into what makes Rajeswari Sainath such a wonderful performer.
© 2009-10. Rajeswari Sainath All rights reserved Website design by


text:
Nov 26, 2010
Be it resolved, religion is a force for good in the world...
The Rise of China
In a world of globalization and rapid social change, does religion provide the common values and ethical foundations that diverse societies need to thrive in the 21st century? Or, do deeply held religious beliefs promote intolerance, exacerbate ethnic divisions, and impede social progress in developing and developed nations alike?
Vote Results
CON gains 13%. CON wins
The Debaters
Tony Blair
"Religious faith has a major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world, and can and should be a force for progress. "
Tony Blair became a Member of Parliament for Sedgefield in 1983 and leader of the Labour Party in 1994. He subsequently led Labour to a landslide victory in the 1997 general election, and served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from May 1997 to June 2007. At 43 years old, he became the youngest Prime Minister since 1812.
Since leaving Downing Street, Tony Blair has served as the Quartet Representative to the Middle East. He represents the USA, UN, Russia and the EU, working with the Palestinians to prepare for statehood as part of the international community's effort to secure peace.
In May 2008, Blair launched his Tony Blair Faith Foundation which promotes respect and understanding between the major religions and makes the case for faith as a force for good in the modern world. Faith is vitally important to hundreds of millions of people. But religious faith can also be used to divide. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is a response to these opportunities and challenges.
The Tony Blair Foundation's Faith and Globalisation Initiative partners with Yale University in the USA, Durham University in the UK and National University of Singapore in Asia to deliver a postgraduate programme.
His Africa Governance Initiative delivers projects in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Liberia, advising President Kagame, President Koroma and President Johnson-Sirleaf respectively on policy delivery and attracting investment, with a team of his staff working full time at the centre of all three governments.
As the first major head of government to bring climate change to the top of the international political agenda at the 2005 Gleneagles G8 summit, Tony Blair now leads the Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative, working with world leaders to build consensus on a new comprehensive international climate policy framework.
In recognition of his debt to the North East of England, he has launched the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, to increase opportunities for young people to participate in sport.
Christopher Hitchens
"If religious instruction were not allowed until the child had attained the age of reason, we would be living in a quite different world."
Christopher Hitchens is a British-American author, journalist and literary critic. Currently living in Washington, D.C., he has been a columnist at Vanity Fair, The Atlantic Monthly, The Nation, Slate, Free Inquiry, and a variety of other media outlets. He is visiting Professor of Liberal Studies at the New School in New York and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at the University of Stanford, California. Hitchens is also a political activist, whose best-selling books, flamboyance and erudition have made him a staple of talk shows and lecture circuits.
Hitchens is noted for his acerbic wit and his noisy departure from the Anglo-American political left. Formerly a Trotskyist and a fixture in the left wing publications of both the United Kingdom and United States, Hitchens departed from the consensus of the political left in 1989 after what he called the "tepid reaction" of the European left following Ayatollah Khomeini's issue of a fatwa against Salman Rushdie. The September 11, 2001 attacks strengthened his embrace of an interventionist foreign policy, and his vociferous criticism of what he calls "fascism with an Islamic face."
He is known for his ardent admiration of George Orwell and Thomas Jefferson, and for his excoriating critiques of Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger, and Bill Clinton. Always a polemicist, Hitchens has long been the object of both lavish praise and vehement denunciation.
An outspoken atheist and antitheist, Hitchens describes himself as a believer in the Enlightenment values of secularism, humanism and reason. His 2007 book God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything suggests that organized religion is "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children."
Log In


text:
In this class you'll master some of the cake decorating skills needed to acheive a perfect cake everytime. We'll share the secrets to layering cake and how to work with ganache for perfectly straight edges. If you struggle to acheive a smooth, round, level, flat cake, this is the class you need. Great for taking your cake skills to the next level. In this class you'll learn...
- Perfectly preparing a round cake using chocolate ganache.
- Our ganache recipe, which chocolate is best to use and why.
- How to cover the cake with sugarpaste for a completely flawless finish.
- Achieving beautiful and perfect sharp edges.
You'll take home your completed cake which is from sweet success. All equipment you use during the day is here ready and waiting for you. Full notes of the day are included. All you need to bring is an apron. This is a short class from 10-1.
* This class teaches the skills to get a flawless finish on your cakes. The more you practise, the better your result will be as you familiarise yourself with the techniqies*


text:
Chronic pain may originate from an initial injury, including a back sprain, or there could be a continuous cause, such as illness.
Nonetheless, there may also be no clear cause. Other health conditions, sleep disturbance, for example fatigue, decreased appetite, and mood changes, commonly accompany chronic pain.
Persistent pain could be merely inconvenient or excruciating, episodic or continuous, light or totally incapacitating.
With continual illness, signals of pain stay active in the nervous system for months or even years. This may take both a physical and psychological toll on a person. You can also check http://www.ampsych.com.au/ to consult with a professional psychologist who can guide you in the better way.
It is being treated by the first alternative for long-term pain alleviation with medications. There are many different kinds of medicines that can be utilized.
Over the counter drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are successful when the pain flares up. These medications include antidepressants, corticosteroids and muscle relaxants.
Pain will normally become less severe when the injury heals. Nevertheless, chronic pain is different from typical pain. With chronic pain, the body continues to send pain signals to the mind after an injury heals.
Persistent pain can limit your mobility and reduce your flexibility, strength, and endurance. This may allow it to be challenging to get through daily tasks and activities.
You can increase your mood and reduce pressure by participating in activities you like and socializing with friends. Chronic pain may make it challenging to do certain tasks.
But isolating yourself can give you a more negative outlook in your state and improve your sensitivity to pain.
This is really a good technique for illustrating how potently sensations can be altered by the mind in the body. Concentrate your attention on any specific non-distressing part of the body (hand, foot, etc.) and cause sensation-effect in that part of the body.
For instance, envision your hand warming up. This may take the head away from focusing on the source of your pain, such as your back pain.
Sensory carving includes breaking up the sensation (pain, burning, pins and needles) into different parts. You can watch this useful video to understand that chronic pain may also be caused by depression.
Mental anesthesia involves envisioning an injection of numbing anesthetic into the painful area, such as envisioning a numbing solution being injected into your lower back.
- Use your mind's eye to protect yourself forward or backwards in time to when you are pain-free or experiencing pain that is much less.
- See a symbol that signifies your chronic pain, such as a painfully bright light bulb or a loud, irritating noise.
- For the light dims, gradually reduce the irritating qualities of the symbol or decrease the loudness of the sound, thus cutting down the pain.
- Silent counting is a great way to manage painful incidents. You might count holes in an acoustic ceiling, count floor tiles, or just conjure up mental images or might count breaths.
There are so many psychologists that also offers chronic pain treatment, because sometimes chronic pain also caused by depression.


text:
Coshocton County has over 20 manufacturers employing over 2,000 employees. The manufacturers in Coshocton County use World Class processes including; Lean, Six Sigma, 5-S, Kaizen, TPM and VSM to ship low cost high-quality product around the world. The array of products produced in Coshocton County include metal castings, process meats, food additives, flags, fabrics, gloves, fabrications, weldments, medical components, corrugated paper products, commercial printed and bookbinding products, ethanol, electricity, buildings products, and precision scale components. The annual revenues of all manufacturing in Coshocton County exceed 500 million dollars.
The manufactures in Coshocton County for over 5 years have networked through quarterly meetings through an Industrial Committee as a key member of the Economic Development Task Force now known as the Community Development Committee. The sharing of processes and knowledge in these quarterly cross-functional meetings have furthered the ability of these companies to share World Class ideas and in many cases reduce costs by sharing ideas and in many cases do business with each other.


text:
On the 3rd day skiing, we decided to be a bit adventurous and try out a different mountain. On this day, in the Garmisch village the weather was absolutely miserable, then as soon as we got on the squashed, unsafe gondolier up the mountains it was clear blue sky. The snow was so white for miles and miles, so much that the sun was reflected off of it and blinding us. As you can see in the photos the views were absolutely stunning. This was the day that my Dad fractured his ankle.
2 Replies to "Zugspitze Mountain"
Pingback: i love u & the city – Emily May Thorne


text:
|Rebecca Hall
Photo by Michal Schwartz
Published 08/17/15
If you meet Rebecca Hall, she might ask you about your family history. "It's always something I do when I meet people," she says with a laugh. "Alright, tell me about your family, what's the deal?" Though she's just one in a household full of performers (her mother is an opera singer, her father a director, and her half-siblings scattered across a variety of theater and film disciplines), she's adamant that most families have as intriguing a story to tell as hers. (She concedes that hers is "more externally colorful.") She mentions Sarah Polley's recent documentaryStories We Tell by way of example—the film is premised on the idea that every family has its own story.
Her excitement about family narratives is part of a deeper cultural curiosity—she's also a self-professed music nerd (currently deciding whether she likes Chilly Gonzales's latest effort) and a consumer of films of all descriptions. She's hard-pressed to pick a favorite genre, even. "I'm a fan, at the end of the day," she says. "I'm a real geek in this department." She tosses out a list of what she watches regularly, from Golden Age American films to French cinema, to the latest blockbusters, comedies, and drama, foreign and domestic alike. Her openness to experience also defines her choices of roles. This year alone, she appears in the upcoming Steven Spielberg-directed adaptation of Roald Dahl's The BFG, theAntonio Campos biopic Christine about a young Floridian newscaster who committed suicide on live television, and Joel Edgerton's The Gift, a psychological thriller in the purest sense of the term.
The Gift follows Robyn and Simon, a young couple played by Hall and Jason Bateman, shortly after they move to a Chicago suburb. A chance encounter reunites them with Gordon (Edgerton), a schoolmate of Simon's who was known once as "Gordo the Weirdo." Gordo's overtures at friendship become increasingly aggressive, and while Simon refuses to discuss his past with Robyn, she senses something more at stake than rekindling a high school friendship. Hall approachedThe Gift with rigor—when Edgerton sent her the script, recommending her for Robyn, she returned to him and asked, "Is this just the wife who sits at home and then gets brutally victimized?"
"He wanted to make all three of those characters human and have faults and be complicated and real," she recalls. We caught up with her during a lull before she begins work on her next film, Codes of Conduct, to talk gothic horror and mental health—and the violent reactions some viewers have encountered during The Gift.
KATHERINE CUSUMANO: How are you doing?
REBECCA HALL: I'm doing good! I'm in L.A., so it's slightly earlier. I only got here a couple days ago—I'm slightly jetlagged, waking up today.
CUSUMANO: Where were you before then?
HALL: New York.
CUSUMANO: I feel like comparisons to the gothic thriller are pretty inevitable with this film, where the woman slowly starts to believe she's losing her mind because the men around her assure her that everything's fine.
CUSUMANO: It's very Yellow Wallpaper, in a way.
I have a question for you—did you hit yourself in the face? [laughs] I heard from several people who saw the film who had their hand up to their face for quite a lot of it because of the tension that we're talking about, and then in one scene in particular just whacked themselves in the eye. I heard of three people doing that.
HALL: No, not really. [Laughs] Sometimes you can incubate a character and that can take me a month just sitting on it imagining it, doing everything from sketching it to taking long walks, but sometimes you can see the character immediately. Robyn was just one of those, really. A lot of it is instinctive. Sometimes I can spend months doing things to make sure that my instincts work correctly, but ultimately it's still instinctive.
HALL: It usually falls into one of two categories. It's either a kind of film that I would like to see, and I don't understand how the films works. I'm curious about how you make a film like that and I want to watch the film. That incorporates directors that I want to work with, actors that I want to work with, all that kind of thing. The other choice would just be in a character—is it going to be a journey to understand this person? It's probably completely self-involved, but I think ultimately the further away a character is from myself, the more I end up finding out about myself by the end of it. It's always a sort of journey to go on.
Rebecca Hall / 'I was born in the wrong place and at the wrong time'


text:
Virtual CIOs are experienced IT professionals who work as independent contractors or through a staffing or temp agency, either for a finite period of time or on an ongoing basis (INC). A virtual CIO can help the CIO, IT director, or business owner evaluate new technology, translate between IT and the business units, motivate and mentor effectively, and keep the big picture in focus.
Many small businesses are just not big enough to justify hiring a full-time chief information officer. Is a virtual CIO the right choice for your company? The Data Evolution IT Expert Blog shared 7 small business benefits of the virtual CIO, which are shared below.
Minimize repairs and data recovery costs.
Network administration and daily monitoring is a necessity. Not only do you need to ensure that your network runs smoothly, you need to eliminate downtime. Virtual monitoring allows your contracted CIO service to catch network disasters before they happen, saving you from expensive repairs and lost work time. Eventual hardware problems are inevitable, but not unpredictable. Network monitoring shows slowdowns in data flow as they happen, allowing early diagnosis and repair around your schedule.
All the benefits of an on-site IT department without the steep price tag.
When you have staff on-site, you let them no of a problem and they start troubleshooting. The same is true with a virtual service. Simply notify your provider and they start working on the issue. Enjoy the same fast and reliable service through a virtual provider.
Comprehensive coverage at one affordable rate.
A virtual CIO service comes as a total package. No separate billing for different services. No hidden charges or by the hour services. When you buy a CIO contract, you get top of the line service at a steep discount.
Faster responses to trouble tickets and maintenance.
An in-house IT department can offer instant service, as long as they are only working on one or two problems at a time. Working with a virtual service gives you instant response times, all of the time. Remote monitoring and access allows your virtual team to start working on an issue from anywhere, at any time.
No more out of control costs. Did you know that an hour of downtime can cost an enterprise company $90,000 in expenses and lost revenue? A contracted service provider offers you the least amount of downtime at a flat rate. It becomes just another budget line along with rent or utilities.
Enjoy round the clock security and data protection.
When you staff an in-house IT department, they only work during regular working hours. What happens if your system is attacked late at night? A virtual service offers 24 hour security for your network. As part of the service, you may be asked to purchase certain hardware or software items to increase the security of your systems, but a one-time expense is minor compared to the damage a hacker can do. Plus, a good virtual CIO makes regular backups of your data, so if something happens to your equipment, your data is protected and ready for reinstall.
Get rid of spyware, viruses and malware.
Pop-ups and spyware slow down individual computers, and they also conceal viruses and malware which can install on your network.This slows down all of your employees. Security experts stay on top of potential vulnerabilities and keep your system running fast.
Working with a virtual CIO lets your small business have the security and peace of mind of a Fortune 500 company. Anything that extends your buying power and lowers your costs increases your profit margin. Contracting for virtual CIO services gives you quick access to expert technical help when you need it, without a full time price.
You can read the full article here.
For more information on virtual CIOs download Brittenford's, "A Guide to CIO Advisory Services". Or, read a case study where premier investment bank, KippsDeSanto, hired a virtual CIO.


text:
- Description
DetailsCool custom coupe hot rod by automotive artist Eric Brockmeyer is embroidered in white on a 98/2 cotton/spandex cap. With unique Flexfit styling, this budget-minded cap has incredible stretch and a silver contrast underbill completes its casual look.
Fabric: 98/2 cotton/spandex, Structure: Structured, Profile: Mid, Closure: Stretch fit
- Additional Information
Additional Information
Condition No
- Reviews


text:
In his innovative book, Paul Carpenter opens up to us six very different walking experiences. From the beautiful glens of Scotland's historic mountains, scenes of many a battle, to the wild scenery of the Adirondacks and Norway Paul finds much to interest the walker. No journey is complete without meeting the locals and learning the many fascinating legends in which every country is steeped and his travels to the rugged and challenging terrain of New Zealand and Australia are especially interesting.
Paul Carpenter proves that it is now possible for us to travel to almost anywhere in the world easily and cheaply which opens the door to those remote regions which hitherto have been the preserve of explorers and missionaries. All his expeditions are possible for the reasonably fit and the practical kit list is a useful reference, put together in the light of experience. The map list for each country is indispensable.
This book is a true antidote to boredom. Let it revitalise you. Who knows, it may tempt you out of your armchair!
Subjects: Adirondacks, Australia, legend, moutaineering, New Zealand, Norway


text:
Currently Our Application Period Is Closed.
Please check back at a later date for employment opportunities.
Applications available: CFD Administration Office 808 Virginia St. West or City Clerk's Office at City Hall 501 Virginia St. East or download:
The Charleston Fire Department is the largest fire department in the State of West Virginia with 169 uniformed personnel and 8 fire stations. Responsible for protecting a population of approximately 50,000 citizens within the City of Charleston, the Charleston Fire Department responds to 30,000 emergency incidents annually.Join Our Recruit List
Based on CFD Wage Progression Schedule, City Policy, & Duty Assignment.
$2400 / Annually | $3.00 / Hour Ambulance Assignment
Advanced Care Technician
$1200 / Annually | $2.00 / Hour Ambulance Assignment
EMT - Basic
$1.00 / Hour Ambulance Assignment


text:
Affordable Koi Pond Drum Filter
The Drum Filter from A19 Koi & Pond Supplies is an extremely affordable high quality drum filter.
What is a drum filter?
A drum filter is a very efficient (and now affordable) form of mechanical filtration and is therefore very effective at removing even fine particles and is particularly beneficial when installed prior to your biological filtration.
Drum filters in general are virtually maintenance free as they usually incorporate a self cleaning cycle. The Easy Drum Filter is no exception but whilst being virtually maintenance free, also offers the added benefit of incorporating a 40 watt Amalgam UVC which further enhances the unit's ability to maintain cleanliness.
Water first flows into the innermost part of the drum which is closed either end and can therefore only exit through the 70 micron stainless steel mesh, resulting in even the smallest of debris being removed. As the debris that is being removed builds up, the water level in the unit begins to rise as it takes longer to flow through the mesh net. Once the water reaches a pre-determined level, a sensor in the control box is activated causing the unit to go into 'clean' mode.
During the rinse process the drum revolves around whilst water is sprayed at high pressure from the jets in order to 'jet wash' the debris off the mesh, automatically cleaning the unit for you. The debris is flushed from the drum into a collecting tray inside the unit just below the cleaning nozzles before being discharged to waste.
Once clean, the unit will then revert back to 'filter' mode and the cycle begins again.
It is worth remembering that the Drum Filter from A19 Koi & Pond Supplies uses water from the pond during its cleaning cycle, therefore you may notice a slight fall in water level especially if the fine micron mesh is removing a considerable amount of debris and therefore the cleaning cycle is triggered more often.
Specification at a glance:
- Inlets: 2 x 110mm
- Outlet: 1 x 110mm
- Drum Diameter: 38cm x 40cm
- Screen: 70 micron stainless steel 316
- Unit Dimensions: 79cm x 48cm x 54cm (inc waste collector)
- 40 watt Amalgam UVC lamp
Drum Filter
- Brand: A19 Koi & Pond Supplies
- Product Code: a19_drum_filter
- Availability: In Stock
- Ex Tax: £831.67
Available Options
Tags: Drum Filter


text:
What is the cost of our ceaseless gasping, seeking, fumbling, and our unkept restlessness?
Do you know the sensation portrayed by the 1998 Werner Bros. movie, City of Angels, I mean specifically the ending moment where the angels commune with the sunrise in a melodic silence when they replay that scene at the end? I lived that experience one evening on the rocky coast in narrows of the Haro …
A tree in the wind The wind in a tree All in me. -Author Unknown
Fear is an emotional response that often causes confusion.
I am nobody: A red sinking autumn sun Took my name away. by Richard Wright from "Haiku: This Other World"


text:
Mothership 2000
September 10 - 16
Broughton Archipelago
Day One
Sunday December 10.
Our first BEAR sighting is made on the highway between Port McNeil and Port Hardy. However, the taxi driver tells us that that the bear is stuffed, and placed there by the local tourism authority. We believe him. I wonder if Captain Bill is still moonlighting as the guy in the bear suit for the Mothership cruises ...
Day Four
Day Two
Day Five
Day Three
Day Six
See some more photos Avg. photo size aprox. 100kb)
Back to Black Page


text:
Happy Halloween! Click on the photos to enlarge them, have a fun evening and stay safe!
P.S. We thought Zeus came in as Casper today hahaha.
After losing his parents, this 3 year old orangutan was so depressed he wouldn't eat and didn't respond to any medical treatments. The veterinarians thought he would surely die from sadness.
The zoo keepers found an old sick dog on the grounds in the park at the zoo where the orangutan lived and took the dog to the animal treatment center. The dog arrived at the same time the orangutan was there being treated.
The 2 lost souls met and have been inseparable ever since.
May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends who care.
Darn, that's a good one, a tearjerker if you will. :)


text:
Borgo Egnazia - Puglia, Italy
Borgo Egnazia is set amongst 20 hectares along the Puglian coast of Southern Italy, in the style of a traditional Apulian village. Created using traditional craftsmanship blended sympathetically with the local architecture and history that typifies the undiscovered Puglia region.
Design Holidays is a preferred travel partner for the Borgo Egnazia in Puglia Italy and will never be beaten on price when it comes to luxury holidays at this luxurious family destination, please feel free to put us to the test. Give us a call to find out more about our offers and don't forget to test our team's knowledge.
Design Holidays are pleased to support the dedicated website for the Borgo Egnazia
The Borgo Egnazia hotel is composed of several different areas with accommodation ranging from Superior rooms to enormous 1 and 2 bedroom suites, many of which are interconnecting. All rooms at the hotel have a contemporary, minimalist Mediterranean feel with neutral tones, white walls, traditional fabrics and spacious living. Many of this stunning Italian Luxury resort hotel rooms offer views of the Adriatic Sea nearby hills or the hotel's charming courtyard. The Vair Spa featuring a modern day interpretation of a Roman bath house is situated at the hotel along with3 large outdoor swimming pools (1 of which is heated), 1 heated indoor pool , restaurant and bar. The restaurant offers a rich bounty of sun-grown produce, experience the fresh ingredients and enticing flavours of Puglia, Italy.
Borgo Egnazia Villas
Borgo Egnazia has 28 Borgo Egnazia villas (spread across 7 separate buildings) all have 3 bedrooms. They represent the most luxurious and exclusive accommodation at this luxury Italian family resort. Outside, each villa features a terraced garden, private pool and wrap around balconies which make the most of the stunning views. For large families or groups it is also possible for the villas to interconnect.
Accommodation in the Borgo 'Italian Village', includes 1 or 2 bedroom townhouses with a small kitchenette, open plan with the sitting room and outdoor courtyard. There is also a traditional Apulian village square, further restaurants and a family friendly pool.
In total the hotel has 63 elegant guest rooms with locally quarried limestone walls and cream decor. Modern luxury influences the rooms, perfectly evident in the spa style bathrooms. All rooms boast balconies or rooftop terraces.
Luxury Family Friendly Hotel
Borgo Egnazia hotel in Pulia, Italy is a place for everybody. While parents enjoy some relaxing and intimate time, children find their oasis of fun. The resort's children's club looks after children from 8 months to 13 years.
A dedicated program of activities engages children and teenagers to meet new friends and discover new ways to play. Each activity on resort is designed to teach and improve the creativity of every child and teen and discover their inner desire to become artists, adventurers or chefs. Every day iof your luxury Italin family holiday is unique, every activity unforgettable.
Families are offered countless activities to choose from and that's why they choose to spend their holidays at this magnificent luxury family resort.
Trullalleri kids Club
On this fabulous Italian luxury holiday children's energies are left free to wonder. Guided and supervised by a staff of professionals. At the Trullalleri kid's clubs children are grouped by age to assure that both indoor and outdoor games are organized respecting each age.
There is a nursery, playrooms, a relaxation area with soft activities for children and a dedicated swimming pool area. The kid's club also features interesting areas where children learn how to manufacture jewelry, ceramics and paint baking. Trails with obstacles, treasure hunt, decorations and makeup and much more.
Fichi d'India teens Club
For the teenagers the hotel has many entertaining activities. In keeping with their age Wii, Playstation, PC and a multimedia area with wi-fi has been created specifically for teenagers. Tennis, golf clinics and many other fun activities, will spoil teenagers during their stay.
Babysitting is available but pre-booking is essential.
Borgo Egnazia Hotel Spa
Its name is VAIR, meaning "real" in local dialect.
The expert Spa team host you in an amazing spa environment. Every detail, every treatment revolves around Mediterranean and Apulia. Products, food, ethos, music, people: everything is Made in Italy.
Apulia is the starting point of your journey and the ideal destination. An authentic Apulia which tells of ancestral traditions, healthy and effective natural.
Golf at Borgo Egnazia Resort
Stretched between Puglia and the Adriatic sea lies the San Domenico 18 hole, par 72, championship golf course with stunning sea views at every tee.
Considered one of the top golf courses in Italy, San Domenico Golf is an 18 hole championship course bordering the crystal azures of the Adriatic Sea. The course is spread over 6.300 metres of lush land featuring undulating bermuda grass with sea views from every vantage point.
Against a backdrop of the cobalt blue sky and the sea, the Clubhouse is situated a few metres from the Adriatic Coast and the ancient Roman City of Egnazia.
Activities and sports are high on the agenda of the resort: a dip in one of three pools of crystal clear water, a thrilling match on the three tennis courts or golf course, adventure, spa, entertainment and culture. At Borgo Egnazia guests can enjoy cooking lessons and learn the secret of the Mediterranean cuisine, go horse riding, karting, sailing and windsurfing (10 mins shuttle to beach).
All year round Borgo Egnazia promises endless sports and interesting activities, and expert tuition in most sports.
The Restaurants on resort and in Puglia are surrounded by different and always evocative landscapes and atmospheres, offering high quality products and culinary experiences. The Executive Chef and his team create diverse menus based on local produce, mainly home-grown, and follow the philosophy of the Mediterranean Diet.
Restaurants on resort:
- "Due Camini" à la carte Restaurant, based on a refined and sophisticated taste. The most demanding diners are pampered with delicious dishes
- "La Frasca" Restaurant, comfortable and elegant. It is in harmony with Apulian traditional atmosphere
- "Trattoria Mia Cucina", with its rustic and friendly environment provides a wide range of gastronomy such as pasta, cakes, pizza, etc…
- "A Pizzerì" offering typical Apulian pizzas
- "Kids Restaurant Trullalleri" the restaurant for children
- "Bar del Portico" is perfect to regale precious relaxing moments tasting the typical sea breeze
- "Capanno" bar and "l'Angoletto" are the completing relaxing areas to spend near the pool side
Resorts In Italy
Holidays In Europe
Exclusive Offers
The Borgo Egnazia hotel is located in Puglia Southern Italy, 5 minutes from local fishing village of Savelletri. It is an ideal resort to explore the entire Puglian region from Lecce's unique baroque architecture to the UNESCO World heritage town of Alberobello, famous for the traditional trulli's.
How do I get to Puglia?
The flying time from the UK is approximately 2hrs 45mins flight time, to local airports are Brindisi or Bari Airports, followed by a 50 minute transfer from the Airport to the resort.
Featured Luxury Villas
Holidays in Hotel Puente Romano, Marbella
Holidays in Domes of Elounda Resort, Crete
Pine Cliffs Golf Suites & Suites


text:
Samsonite presents a unique capsule collection of two Cosmolite Limited Editions inspired by the art of René Magritte. As one of the leading creative figures of the 20th century, Magritte was known for his dreamlike, surrealist style. His work is instantly recognisable and continues to captivate the minds of people all over the world.
Cosmolite is our bestselling Curv® collection thanks to its iconic, award-winning design and immense lightness (weighing only 1.7 kg for the Spinner® 55) and strength. More than 2 million Cosmolite cases are travelling around the world today. And soon, some exclusive pieces of art will join them.
The Cosmolite Limited Editions pay homage to two of Magritte's most renowned paintings "The Son of Man" and "Sky Bird". The Magritte theme continues inside the suitcase revealing a beautifully customised interior showcasing another one of his masterpieces "The Curse".
Available as of November 2016.
*Exclusively available on the cabin size Spinner 55


text:
A few years back, inspired by a book she was reading, my wife began naming and counting the gifts. The book read that everything is Divinely gifted to us and it's easy to miss the extravagance of them, these gifts we're given. We miss them when we're distracted by the clanging cymbals of prime-time news outlets stirring up fear frenzies. We miss them when we're distracted by the rush of shared online calendars. We miss them when they're lost in the extraordinarily mundane. The book calls us to see differently, to see the beauty of this life, to identify the fingerprints of God on our everyday. My wife first began scribing her own Gratitude Journal during a cold winter; the entries looking beyond the dreary and calling out the red cardinals of her days. She dared me to do the same.
The call came on a calm evening. Our friend and his family were hit by a drunk driver. Some were okay. Others were in critical care. I drove to the hospital and hugged this big, burly, biker-man limping about the lobby, all frantic with concern and hope for his family. The kids were being evaluated. The wife was awaiting scans and reports to summarize the extent of her head injuries. My pastor friend and I joined biker-man in the elevator to check on his wife. And then grace happened. As biker-man recounted the horrific details of the crash, he thanked us for responding to his call for prayer and for our presence. And this, "The [drunk] driver... he's in bad shape too I think..." Biker-man continued, "Let's be sure to pray for him... and for his life leading up to the crash and what will be after." As this large man lumbered toward the ICU to hear the extent of his wife's inuries, he called us to pray for the man that caused the crash." This is grace, amazing.
As we entered the dark room with the monitors sounding cadence, biker-man's wife was responsive. They recalled the scene of the accident. She asked about the kids. She stammered through the pain medicine she was given to tell him, "I love you." He said, "I love you too, honey." The kids were discharged.
Control is such an illusion. We structure our worlds and our days to try and manufacture it, but it's always fleeting. As we said our goodbyes to leave the hospital, biker-guy reflected, "I am just so thankful. Wow. It's just like that... in an instant." And it's just like that. In an instant an unexpected event crashes into our comfortable lives, we are wrecked, and the fallacy of control is revealed.
And this morning on Facebook, I read this post from biker-man. "The man who hit us is in the SICU bed next to [my wife]. HIPAA laws prevent knowing anything about him, even his name at this point, but I hope to be able to pray for him and tell him he's forgiven in the morning. May he be as shocked at grace as I always am, and may he feel love instead of shame. May the miracle of Christmas be with us."
Ann Voskamp writes, "... Christmas can't be made, like people can't be self-made, like dreams can't be force-made. Everything is given from heaven. Everything is a gift. Your life becomes a masterpiece the moment you see it as a gift of grace to willingly receive." And that's the secret, yes? To be humbled to know that everything is a gift from heaven, to celebrate the extravagance of it all, and to share the miracle by jumping boldly into these puddles of grace so that they splash indiscriminately into the lives of others.
This morning I write, I name the gifts, and I count.
#4,466 My friend and his family were spared and cared for and safe after life turns on a dime and an accident changes everything
#4,467 The grace of Christ shining through my friend as he calls for his Facebook community to pray for this man who hit them.
It's two days until Christmas. I pray that above the noise loud, tragic crashing, questions unanswered, and hope hushed, we hear the still small voice of The Greatest Gift, whose light dispels all darkness and whose perfect love casts out all fear. I pray that grace splashes. And I pray for my friend, his family, and the man who hit them - that they'll each have a deeper understanding of the miracle of Christmas.


text:
Before I reveal to you my Samhain surprise, I wish you all a blessed and a happy Samhain!
Like I have mentioned in one of my previous articles (21/10/12), Ayslyn and I have prepared a surprise for our readers. And the surprise is:
Ayslyn and I decided, we shall create a blog award for all Wicca-, Witchcraft- and Paganism-orientated blogs out there, "The Witchy Blog Award". We both received a lot of blog awards, and that prompted us to create our own, Magical blog award. We both hope you will like it. 😉
The Rules:
♦ Post the award logo on your blog post.
♦ Thank the blogger who passed the award on to you.
♦ Answer the seven questions below.
♦ Nominate five Wiccan/Pagan bloggers. (If you don't know five other Wiccan bloggers, nominate as many as you can.)
♦ Give a short description of the blog/blogger, and why you nominated them.
♦ Stop by Ayslyn's Corner and the Book of Shadows to add your name on the list of bloggers awarded.
♦ You may change the questions, as long as they are still Wiccan- and Pagan-related.
Seven Questions:
I. How did you "discover" Wicca/Witchcraft? I was first introduced to Witchcraft as a child through a popular TV series, Charmed. I then discovered that there is a true earth-based religion out there — Wicca —, which immediately seemed somehow "fitting" to me, and I decided I shall follow it.
II. Do you grow herbs? Yes, I do. I love gardening, and growing herbs really is my passion. My three favourite herbs are: rosemary, lavender and melissa (lemon balm).
III. Are you "in the broom closet"? If not, share your "going out" experience. I am still "in the broom closet", and I am not planning to come out soon in the future.
IV. What tradition do you follow? I follow an Eclectic tradition. I am not following any particular Deities at the moment, as I am still waiting to get "a signal" from one.
V. Do you consider yourself a Witch, a Wiccan or a Pagan (or maybe something else)? I consider myself a Witch.
VI. How much of Witchcraft/Wicca are you able to incorporate into your everyday life? Unfortunately, not much. Being "in the broom closet" doesn't really enable you to be as "Witchy" as you would like to be in your everyday life.
VII. Do you have a Familiar? If you do, tell us how did you meet your Familiar, and how he or she takes a part of your practice (if at all :-)). I sadly don't have a Familiar. I really want to have a grey cat, and I will have one someday. 🙂
The five blogs I give "The Witchy Blog Award" to, are:
♦ The Life and Times of a Forever Witch — Sammi Witch provides her readers with high-quality content about Wicca, and from time to time shares photos of her latest travel with her readers (which I also love to do). She is the author of the Andromache Jones book series.
♦ KristenCoffin — On her blog, Byrony shares a lot of her experience and everyday events regarding Wicca. She also gives us some advice and details about her practice.
♦ Stay for a Spell — Neferet is a follower of Aset, and a Tameran Wiccan. She has the most amazing connection with her Deity I have ever encountered. Be sure to visit her blog! ♦ The Witch of Howling Creek — Tenaé is an amazing writer, the editor of Pagan Living magazine, and she releases The Witches' Compendium series for every Sabbat. Do read the Samhain edition; it's full of ideas for decoration, delicious recipes, and more.
♦ The Gratitude Journal of Ms. Lilypads — Ms. Lilypads is relatively new to the blogosphere, but her blog is one definitely worth to read. She often shares her personal experience and dreams.
And now, back to Samhain. 🙂 Today it is the last day of October, and when my mind goes to the coming November, I always remember the delicious marrons they sell on the streets, the barren trees (although some of them have plenty of leaves still on), the morning frost, and sometimes even the early snow. The November's ambient is the one I admire. This is the time when autumn slowly, but persistently, changes into winter. The days are shorter, and we sit inside, before a fireplace drinking a hot cup of home herbal tea. 🙂
This is the end of this special Samhain article. Have a blessed Sabbat of Death and remember the ones who have passed before us. I wish you a great Holiday. Below, there is a recipe for you, my dearest readers. I converted the units, so there are both, metrical and imperial, available for you. Happy baking!
Simple Sabbat Cakes
♦ 170 g (¾ cup) of butter
♦ 400 g (2 cups) of brown sugar
♦ 2 eggs
♦ 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of lemon juice
♦ 2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind
♦ 220 g (2¼ cups) of flour
♦ 160 g (5.5 oz) of ground walnuts (optional)
Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually, add the brown sugar and mix well. Add eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind. Mix until well-blended. Then, add flour and walnuts. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. When chilled, shape the dough into 2 cm (¾ in) balls and place them about 7 cm (2¾ in) apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 190 °C (375 °F) for 8 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.