text:
5 Principles of Cognitive Growth
In a 2011 Scientific American article, behavioral therapist Andrea Kuszewski reinforced a concept that continues to gain traction today--namely, that it's possible to improve one's native intelligence.
In the past, even respected scientists assumed that intelligence was purely genetic and unlikely to change over time.
Neuroscientists and cognitive therapists recognize that fluid intelligence (e.g., the capacity to learn and process new information) is the reality.
More importantly, people can boost their fluid intelligence by improving their working memory.
But how?
Five Principles to Boost Cognitive Function
According to Kuszewski, you don't have to be a genius to improve cognition.
Even those with low IQs can grow in fluid intelligence. To quote the author:
"What doesn't kill you (will make) you smarter."
So--in order to boost overall cognitive function--the brain requires:
- Novelty - Changing up the activity provides a surge of dopamine, fueling neuron growth in the brain. In this way, the brain becomes addicted to learning something new.
- Challenge - Challenging tasks increase cortical activity, effectively training the brain. But once the activity is no longer challenging, the growth stops. Time for a new task!
- Creative Thinking - By thinking 'on both sides of the brain,' learning is enhanced. This concept explains why many curriculum designers focus on a "universal design for learning" that addresses multiple ways of thinking and learning.
- Hard Tasks - If the brain becomes too efficient at any task, certain areas of the brain can begin to atrophy. As a result, problem-solving, logic, and other cognitive skills can take a nose dive.
- Networking - The brain requires social interactions with other human beings. But it also needs the insights that come from others. The networking concept also partly explains why teamwork is so critical to growth.
Novelty, challenge, creative thinking, hard tasks, and networking (or socialization) are all compelling principles for cognitive growth.
It's also not by accident that these principles factor so strongly into game-based learning models and EdTech curricula today.
Cognitive Takeaways
So what's the takeaway of these principles?
In a word: cross-training.
When athletes cross train, they constantly push both body and mind in new and challenging ways.
As a result, muscles strengthen and improve in function. By contrast, if the body becomes accustomed to a certain activity, it stops building new muscle, causing the overall gains to flatline, stagnate, or even decline.
Let's consider a typical student who uses Imagine Learning in the classroom...Are they only improving literacy or math-fact-fluency skills?
Based on the five principles explained above, the answer is a resounding no.
In point of fact, when students gain skills in one area (let's say reading skills) they will naturally transfer those skills to all other subject areas.
Similarly, once students are fluent in math facts, their brain is primed for more difficult tasks ahead, whether in algebra or in another subject.
In summary, remember:
The brain needs variety, challenge, and difficulty--even so-called failure--in order to thrive and grow. By raising the cognitive bar a little higher, you might be surprised at how well your brain will respond.
What doesn't kill you really can make you smarter.
Test it and see!


text:
A warning before you try drugs at uni: A story of addictionBy Sj.Cliff | Fri, 16 Jan 2015 11:02
University is a time where many people come into their own. This newly found independence leads to wild nights, good and bad times and serious decisions. Picture the setting, you've made...Read more

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Have you been experiencing tightness in your body, tiredness, headaches, sleep disturbances or digestive issues? You may be suffering from stress which impacts both our physical and mental health.
If you are up-against deadlines taking time out to relax may not be an option (do remember that however busy you are compromising on sleep is counter-productive as this directly impacts your productivity!) so ensure you are supporting your body in the best way possible by including the following supplements into your routine;
Vitamin C:
The body's main site for Vitamin C is the adrenals, home to hormones that are released during and immediately after stressful stimulation. During periods of intense and prolonged stress these stores can be depleted. As the production of adrenal and thyroid hormones also require Vitamin C, it is especially important that this vitamin is included into your diet.
As vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, your body cannot store is and reserves need to be replenished daily. The daily recommended allowance (RDAs) are 90mg for men, 75mg for women and 120mg for pregnant and breastfeeding women. You should not exceed 2000mg of vitamin C a day.
Stress can be a cause of magnesium deficiency and a lack of magnesium tends to magnify the stress reaction, worsening the problem. Protect yourself during stressful conditions (which require more magnesium use by the body and can lead to deficiency) by supplementing. You shouldn't be taking more than 350 mg/ day of magnesium.
Magnesium is most effective when taken with B6.
B Vitamins:
B vitamins can help with stress by working with brain chemistry and balancing neurotransmitters, therefor aiding us in achieving balance over stress. B vitamins are also excellent for energy and blood flow. Taking a B-complex vitamin, might be the best option to help reduce stress and can also help digestive metabolic processes which might be affected negatively during stressful periods.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an important role in metabolic and immune system functions. Evidence shows that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with sleep problems, particularly daytime sleepiness, and a lack of energy. Support yourself during the winter months with a daily Vitamin D supplement.


text:
Matt DeChamplain is a composer and a piano virtuoso, with a range that spans from delicate and intimate to energetic and powerful. A strong improviser and interpreter of the "great American jazz book," he is joined by his wife, vocalist Atla DeChamplain; Matt Dwonszyk, bass; and Ben Bilello, drums. Atla is "moving by leaps and bounds towards stardom as a jazz vocalist," according to the iconic vocalist Jon Hendricks, with whom she has appeared.
The trio last appeared in Pittsfield during 2015, as part of a sold-out centennial tribute to Billie Holiday and composer/pianist Billy Strayhorn. Often appearing as a duo, Matt and Atla appeared earlier this month at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, at Lincoln Center in New York. Located in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts about 40 miles from Albany, Pittsfield is the cultural center of the Berkshires.
The cabaret-style performance is part of Pittsfield's sixth annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival, during which cultural institutions present 10-themed programs, such as new 10-minute plays; readings of 10 poets; 10 days of play at the Berkshire Museum, etc. Berkshires Jazz' past 10x10 programming has featured either instrumental or vocal approaches: 10 decades of jazz piano; the works of 10 jazz composers, the styles of 10 jazz vocalists, etc. The Flavours program will feature both instrumental and vocal stylings, and will include an original by pianist Matt DeChamplain.
Information about other jazz programming, and tickets, can be found at Berkshires Jazz. Information about the 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival is available at Discover Pittsfield.
About Berkshires Jazz
Berkshires Jazz, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to present jazz events and encourage jazz education in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It was formed in 2008, as an outgrowth of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, which remains a signature event of the Fall Foliage season in western Massachusetts. Program updates and other information can be found at Berkshires Jazz.


text:
The focus of the report was not so much the danger posed by the fire to motorists but rather on the destruction not only of many birds that nested in the area but also their habitat. However, I know all about the danger that these seemingly innocuous grass fires can pose to motorists as well from first-hand experience.
It was late February or early March of the year 1985 and I was with my high school team in what was then known as the Southern Tagalog Regional Athletic Association or the STRAA. The event was being hosted by the City of Marikina but the Lipa City delegation was billeted in a public school compound in the neighbouring City of Cainta.


text:
It was a great occasion for all the staff & students of the Department of Botany to have two distinguished guests for the Association inauguration.
One was Prof. Sobhindran, a real nature lover & great environmentalist who practice what he preach.
The other person was a poor farmer, Mr. Thottooli Chinnan residing at Adivaram, near to our college, but rather unknown to most of us.
Eventhough he owns only 4.5 cents of land and a small house, he at his 70th age is cultivating 17 varieties of rice in about 10 acres of land all taken for lease from others. He has bagged Karshakashree and Best farmer awards several times.
He explained us the effort and the magic behind a single rice seed growing into a rice plant and producing hundreds of rice seeds again on it within 110 or 120 days. This means 100 or 500 times productivity (the magic) within a short span of 3 months, which an economist cannot compare with...!!
Interaction with both of these distinguished personalities helped all the audience to realize that there are several practical knowledge which books alone could not provide. The powerful and motivating words of these two 'gurus' filled us with that much energy and motivation to do selfless service for the society, to be environmental friendly in our deeds and to be hardworking till our last breath.


text:
Marbella city of celebrities and important personalities.
Departure from Malaga to Marbella from the different pick-up points on the Costa del Sol.
During the journey we will walk through the centre of Marbella while visiting the most typical places in this city and discover one of the most famous yachting ports in Spain, Puerto Banús.
- Meeting Point: Several pick-up points
- Duration: Approx. 6 hours (2 hours in Marbella and 2 hours free time in Puerto Banús).
Marbella guided tour includes the following services
- Multilingual local guide.
- Departure from pick up points and hotels of the Costa Del Sol.
- Departure to Marbella.
- Walking visit through the Alameda Park, Orange Square, old defense walls exterior of the Church and Hospital of Bazan
- Free time in Puerto Banus.
- Return to where we started this morning
- End of our services.
- During warm days we recommend cool clothes, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses.
- Note that this tour can have several pick-up stops.
- Lunch is optional.
Viajes Euroamerica (VDT) Policy
- You can show a printed confirmation or your mobile phone with the confirmation number at the meeting point. The confirmation will be sent to your email address after payment.
- Cancellations free of charge up to 1 day (s) before the starting time.
You may also like these excursions


text:
What fun! This necklace just screams vintage 1930's . It is made of brass, and turquoise glass beads. It is choker length, 15 1/2".
The necklace consists of five about 1 1/4" shiny brass leaves. There are cascading bunches of "grapes", made from the turquoise glass beads. The beads range in size from about 5 to 10 mm. The chain is also brass done in alternating rings and textured rectangle links. The clasp is a ring style.
The piece weighs 95.5 grams. I have not polished the brass and there are some darker spots, especially along the chain. These could possibly be polished, but I thought this added to the vintage flavor. There may be a few missing beads, but hard to tell as they are clustered. Just a fun piece to wear, especially in the warmer months.
Please Note: For any desired international shipments, advance approval is required before placement of orders. Out of country shipments, must be by express mail international. Please see my shop terms of sale which can be found on the right hand side of any page.
Thanks for looking.
Vintage Brass & Turquoise Glass Grapes & Leaves Necklace
5 other shoppers are interested in this item
since 2008


text:
NANAIMO, B.C. — The New Democrats are ramping up their campaign against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, taking their opposition to the trade deal to the airwaves and online with attack ads targeting both the governing Conservatives and the Liberals.
Tom Mulcair has already staked out political ground with his opposition to the agreement, telling supporters at rallies on Vancouver Island that voters need to ask themselves whether they trust Stephen Harper with a "secret" deal.
The text of the agreement hasn't been released, but Mulcair says they've seen enough in their briefings to predict that it will drive down Canadian wages and increase the cost of prescription drugs.
Justin Trudeau is singled out in the television ads, which started running Sunday, because the Liberals have yet to pass judgment on the accord and won't do so until they see the full text of the 12-nation agreement.
Mulcair brushed that aside on Sunday, saying Trudeau supports the deal.
Opposing the trade agreement could help the NDP arrest their slide in the polls by rallying traditional left-leaning supporters who might have been thinking of voting Liberal, and in particular it could help in tight three-way races in British Columbia.
The Canadian Press


text:
Dancing together and has a passionate life.
By Qi Lü:the president of Henan Dahe Boguang Sports Co, Ltd.
After the final competition, all the contestants, audience and judges entered the infield with Beautiful China as the background music. A party of over 3000 people was held at the stadium at Changge city. Everyone celebrated 2018 with dancing.
At December 30th, 2017, my team and I held a grand square dancing competition in 40 days with the support of the sports department of Henan Proving and draw a perfect ending for the 2017 Henan people's competition. The reason why I used the word grand is that I was touched by those who love dance and their insistence and passions during the competition.
From the beginning of the competition at November 20th, 2017 till the preliminary contest at December 15th, 187 teams applied which is nearly three times more than last years'. 368 cities and places voted online in five days, and the total votes were 647876. The offline specialists viewed the dances through living on the internet and the total living hours was 978 minutes.
After the preliminary contest at December 30th, 25 teams entered the final competition and met at Changge. We invited ten dancing specialists from Henan Province as the professional judges, 70 representatives from various Henan 's industries as public judges and 20 people of the national media and local media as media judges. This three parts judges had 100 people in total, and they decided who would win.
447 dancers danced at the final competition, and they express the true meaning of square dance which is health and beauty can combine. 2000 audiences from all over Henan province cheered for the executor of national fitness program at the auditorium. The show was both on and off the stage.
Different square dance with various styles.
The teams of Henan Province National Square Dance Competition were diversified. There were star teams like the Rainbow Artist Group of Zhengzhou Retired Cadre which had won many national champions and active in the national fitness program. There also were teams like Pingding Mountain Rising Calisthenics Team and Flying Elephant Team of Zhengzhou No.14 Middle School which were formed by students of the elementary school or middle school. The dance types were more various too, and there were fitness Yangko which was loved by everybody, aerobics, cheerleading and street dance which was popular among young people,
Comparing to the last time, Henan Province National Square Dance Competition had more various teams and songs this year. I was glad to see the change was more notable. I remember seeing all the elders dancing unitedly under the dim light when I pass the square in front of our community every night on my way to home from work, and I remember my son learning street dance out of interest at school, and he was thrilled to join a school competition. I was thinking that what we were trying to do was to give them a stage and let them show the beauty, hear the applause and be happy and satisfied.
One member of the media judges of the final competition ran towards me after finishing giving the scores and said, "who said that square dance is the specialty of elderly women? This year's square dance final competition shook my impression of square dance. There are so many various styles."
Truth to be told, from my perspective we always want to build a concept of general square dance. We should not stereotype square dance and think it as a specialty of senior women. We should encourage people to join activities that could allow them to express their pleas and beauty. Our original aim was to give everyone a stage.
Sports+ and explore what is after the plus.
Changge City is located in the center of Middle Yu Plain. This county of thousands of years of history was the homeland of the ancient emperor and God of Dance Getian. The ancient emperor Getian was not only the founder of Chinese dance culture but also the founder of ancient music. Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals: Ancient Music recorded that three people danced with the music while holding oxtail and sang eight songs.
Holding the final competition at Changge verified my understanding of sports and culture. Because of its musical and dancing influence, a show that sparkled and drew all the attention appeared. We also improve the popularity and influence of Changge's brand as the home of music and dance by using the power of competition and media.
We used Chinese Calligraphy Brush Pen to brightened the stadium and opened a bright future at the opening of the final competition at the stadium of Changge City which combined the cultural symbol of Changge as the hometown of Yaozhong who was the founder of regular Chinese scripts.
The final competition was equipped with high-quality light, loudspeaker boxes and stage. There were professional hosts and cameramen. They were devoted to making the annual square dance's final competition the Spring Festival Gala of square dance. On the one hand, they tried to create a strong festivity and lead the trend to do sports during holidays. On the other hand, they were trying to create an entertaining sports environment by dancing together and having fun together. This is a nice explore of adding sports and entertainment together.
The preliminary contest which amazed me, and the athletes who I admire.
This year's competition designed a preliminary contest and a final contest on the rules. The preliminary contest was divided into two parts which were voting on the internet and professional judgment. Two scores combined was the final score. Vote on the internet was to expand the attention of square dance further through the power of the athletes.
I was amazed since the beginning of signing up. In ten days, we expected eighty applications. But when we summed up, at last, 187 teams signed up, around 4600 people. One customer service received 400 calls one day. This is more popular than we anticipated. In five days, over 380 thousand people voted on the internet. The total was 650 thousand votes. According to our technical restriction, we can guarantee these votes were voted by real people. I think you can imagine how popular this was. I heard from a co-worker in my team said that one elderly lady's whole family voted included her son, daughter-in-law, grandson and niece. There is no reason for us not applauding for them.
Their insistence and passion are our models. Shouldn't we be aiming for the best during our job and life?
As a sportsman, I still keep researching and exploring. How many will fun things come out from using sport as a media?


text:
Hi All! Happy Monday! I hope you are getting some great deals. Just wanted to do a quick blog post on what our Cyber Monday Special is.
It has been about 10 years since I did a special like this (or even close to this) We have locked in a great venue in the beautiful Northern California town of Winters, California. A cute B&B that will be hosting our holiday sessions for us! I value our locations, and venue areas very much they have been and are so good to us. We have had the opportunity to lock in private ranches, hotels and now B&B! I'm excited! So with out further ado, here are the digs:
The sessions are limited to 30 minutes but trust me, we will get some great memories! It also includes
*Three poses
*(1) sheet of the pose of your choice (5×7 & set of wallets)
You also will get a private print viewing to purchase your prints.
Sounds too good to be true? Well it is. And its only going to happen this year! I'm sure I will have more great products and specials, but I don't know if I will have one like this. (remember, its been 10 years since my last big discount special) So contact me today (you have less than 10 hours left) and book your time slot. Have an awesome rest of your Monday… (psst, if your doing Cyber Monday at work, order your photography session with me and I wont tell a soul! lol)


text:
Advisors: Mrs. Rachel Smith, Mr. Farzad Saeidi, and Ms. Sarah Forbes (902-597-4250 for more info).
Practices: Mondays and Wednesdays right afterschool.
Cross country meets: Typically on a Wednesday when they occur.
21.1 Classification
Senior – under 19 years of age as of September 30 of the current school year.
Intermediate – under 16 years of age as of September 30 of the current school year.
Junior – under 14 years of age as of September 30 of the current school year.
21.2 Regional Representation
Top five (5) teams per Region/Classification and the remainder of any of the top fifteen (15) finishers. For greater clarity, no runner shall advance if not a member of a top five team or one of the top fifteen finishers.
21.3 Distances
Senior Boys 7k Senior Girls 5k
Intermediate Boys 5k Intermediate Girls 4k
Junior Boys 4k Junior Girls 3k
21.4 Awards
- Championship Banner to winning school in each classification.
- NSSAF Gold Medallions to runners and coach of each winning team.
- NSSAF Silver Medallions to runners and coach of each runner-up team.
- NSSAF Bronze Medallions to runners and coach of each 3rd place team.
- NSSAF Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finisher in each event.
21.5 Rules of Play
- International Amateur Athletic Federation rules will be used with the following modifications:
- Maximum number of runners for Provincial Final - seven on each team with first four finishers to count for Team Championship.
- Individual runners are eligible to compete.
21.6 A school may enter as many athletes as they want at the District and Regional level, but may only advance the top 7 runners to one team (per classification) to the NSSAF Championships.
21.7 A team which qualifies at the Regional level may not change its team members except in the event of injury, illness or other exceptional extenuating circumstances, which may occur between the Regional and the Provincial Meets. In such a case, the Regional Director must approve the change before the team may advance to the Provincial Championship.
21.8 Breaking of Tie
In the event of a tie, it shall be resolved in favour of the team whose last scoring member finishes nearer the first place.
21.9 NOTE: Schools hosting Cross Country Meets should ensure that runners are given ample opportunity to spread out at the start of the race.
21.10 Course design shall include as much natural terrain as possible, while preserving the safety of the participants.


text:
Happy Halloween to all.
Just a little end-of-month sewing. Too light-weight for now but I'll wear these in the spring.
Cutting Line Designs Pure & Simple shell, plus one-seams in tapered style.
Dark navy linen with a touch of sashiko
Next up? Coat? Jacket? Shirt? Pants? Small gifts? We'll see.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
October leaves; November remains
8 comments:
Great trim. You are better than me. I couldn't put it away without wearing it at least once!!ReplyDelete
Love the binding and hand stitching. You'll get lots of wear from these!ReplyDelete
love these and the hand stitching -enjoy wearing them in the springReplyDelete
The stitched trim looks great! You'll be wishing for spring - or a mid-winter beach trip!ReplyDelete
Well done!
yummy...did you machine stitch the binding and then sashiko over?ReplyDelete
This ensemble is so chic! I really love the little surprise of the contrast bias inside the neckline :)ReplyDelete
Beautiful minimalism Martha. It's simple and elegant. I'll bet you can wear your TMA jacket over these.ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
|PDF version
|Home > Accessing and Managing Symbols with armlink > Section-related symbols > Types of section-related symbols
The linker generates different types of section-related symbols for output and input sections.
The types of symbols are:
The linker sorts sections within an execution region first by attribute RO,
RW, or ZI, then by name. So, for example, all
sections are placed in one contiguous block. A contiguous block of sections with the same
attribute and name is known as a consolidated section.


text:
Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high-level meeting here today to review law and order situation in the province in detail. Preliminary report regarding the incident of Outfall Road blast was presented in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that necessary steps should be taken for the protection of life and property of the people and effective implementation of evolved security plan should be ensured.
He directed the concerned officials that entry and exit points of the province should be strictly monitored and proper checking of vehicles coming to Punjab and Lahore should be carried out.
He said that present circumstances require emergency measures as the enemy is trying to create instability in the country and therefore, concerned institutions and agencies should render their duties with devotion and dedication. We all have to work jointly to foil the nefarious designs of the enemy, he added.
He directed to carry out continued monitoring of security steps taken for the protection of life and property of the citizens.
Shahbaz Sharif said that incident of Outfall Road blast is very tragic and directed that a comprehensive report should be presented at the earliest by investigating the incident from all aspects and strict legal action be taken against the responsible persons along with their immediate arrest.
He said that best treatment facilities should be continuously provided to the injured and necessary facilities should also be provided to their attendants.
The Chief Minister inquired the concerned officers present in the meeting that despite of clear instructions, why did the truck stand not shifted to other place from Sagian? He ordered to shift the truck stand to some other place at the earliest and said that instead of waiting for his instructions, the concerned departments should automatically perform their responsibilities.
He expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the death of two persons and extended heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families. Prayers were also offered for the departed souls and early recovery of the injured in the meeting.
Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Ayub Ghadi, Jehangir Khanzada, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif MNA, Additional Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Inspector General of Police and concerned officers attended the meeting.


text:
Steam Railway has been the voice of the railway preservation movement for 35 years. It's 100% steam – there's no talk of diesels, electrics or High Speed 2 in this magazine, which is read and valued by managers and decision makers as well as enthusiasts. Whether it's happening on the main line or on preserved railways, this news, written by some of the most respected journalists in the industry, is backed up by stunning photography from equally well-respected lensmen.
Steam Railway Issue 487
Inside This Issue Of Steam Railway:
- 150 Restored: Will We Reach Barry 200?
- Minehead Revival – Major Shake-up At West Somerset
- "Scotsman" Sensation – £64k Nameplate Sale Sets Record
- Russekk's Aberglaslyn Return – Breakthrough For Welsh Highland Celebrity
- "Saint" & "Patriot" – 4-6-0s Are Back From The Dead
In stock


text:
A man, Kolawole Obafemi who was accused of causing immense psychological damage to a pregnant woman in Osun State after he raped her, plucked parts of her public hair and forced her to swallow it with a dry gin has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
The judge, Justice A. B. Abdulkareem of Osun State High Court in Ilesa, also ordered that the convict should be whipped aside the jail term for subjecting his victim to such a horrifying sex.
The life sentence handed out to Obafemi was made known yesterday by the Information Officer of the Osun State, Mr. Opeyemi Bello in a press statement made available to journalists.
The convict was standing trial for the offence of rape contrary to section 358 of the criminal Code Cap 34 vol. II, Laws of Osun State.
The statement reads in part: "The convict beat up the victim. It was in the process of beating her that he tore her clothes having overpowered her.
"He tore her pant and he then had carnal knowledge of her plucking out her pubic hair and putting it in her mouth to drink with dry gin. He also inserted a bottle opener into the victim's private part.
"The medical report obtained from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Osogbo also confirmed that she was raped and as at time of incident she was pregnant.
"The court held that the prosecutor, Mrs. Rachel Ojimi, a chief state counsel from ministry of Justice, State of Osun was able to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt."
The judge subsequently sentenced Obafemi to life imprisonment.


text:
Multi-Fansite Summer Celebration Party! -- June 22nd
Started by anthony, Jun 17 2013 11:45 PM
No replies to this topic
Posted 17 June 2013 - 11:45 PM
Have you ever wondered what it's like to work at a RuneScape Fansite? Have you been eager to meet the Staff personally and have in-depth conversations with them? Maybe you want to branch out and talk to other members from different fansites....
Well, we have the perfect opportunity for you!
Come join us as we kick-off summer with a massive Multi-Fansite Collaboration event!
We will be playing various mini-games (Stealing Creations, Soul Wars, Fist of Guthix and more!) down at the Gamer's Grotto, chilling out, and getting to know other members from different communities and fansites!
The details are as follows:
What: Multi-Fansite Collaboration Event!
When: June 22nd, 2013
Where: Gamer's Grotto, World 9
Time: 4pm CST / 5pm EST / 9pm GMT / 10pm UK. This is 7am on Sunday, June 23rd in Australia.
Fansites / Communities: RuneHQ; Tip.It; RuneZone; Sal's Realm; RuneSlayer
After we've had enough fun in the Gamer's Grotto, we will head to the Falador Party Room for a massive Drop Party with various goodies and prizes in the chest.
We hope to see everyone there!
~ RuneSlayer Staff
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
The Secret Soirée
The Secret Soirée reconvenes on Saturday March 29, 2014 at 8pm within the confines of the beautiful Empire Room in the Palmer House Hilton Hotel.
The Event
Conspire to celebrate at the classiest of conclaves.
Move mysteriously masked through the marvelous merriments with delectably designed drinks and brilliant bites, witnessing the wonderful wizardry of Dennis Watkins. All in support of The House Theatre of Chicago.
Tickets and Entries
Tickets are no longer available. We'll see you at the 2015 Secret Soiree!
The Prize Drawing
Escape to the sunny beaches of Manzanillo, Mexico!
Enjoy a one-week stay in a beautiful two-bedroom, two-bath condo in the coastal resort town of Manzanillo, Mexico. Steps from the golf course, and a few blocks from the beach club, this condo sleeps six comfortably. A full kitchen and common swimming pool make this a fantastic get-away!
Entries are just $25 or 5 for $100
And Second Prize...
Tickets for four to two of Chicago's hottest events: Baconfest and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Baconfest VIP Tickets to Dinner, Friday, April 25. At the sixth-annual Baconfest Chicago, ticket-holders gain access to a bacon-wonderland where the city's best chefs hand out amazing creative bacon snacks. The best mixologists and brewers hand out bacon-inspired cocktails, beer and wine. Baconfest Chicago is co-founded by House Company Member Michael Griggs.
See a live taping of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! the NPR news quiz, with host (and House Theatre Board Member) Peter Sagal! Good for any upcoming Chicago taping, Thursdaynights at the Chase Bank Auditorium.
Winner need not be present; enter here!
The Silent Auction
Six extraordinary and priceless packages will be on offer for Soiree guests.
#1 Take Me (and 15 of my closest friends) Out to the Ballgame!
This package includes a private box at Wrigley Field and travel to and from the game in a Chicago Trolley for your group! Root, root, root for the Cubbies as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday April 24, 1:20pm. Enjoy 16 tickets in the private box with catered food and beverages included, plus a visit from the dessert cart!
#2 It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Your Kid!
Turn that special someone into a superhero for a day, with memories to last a lifetime.
House artists collaborate to create a one-of-a-kind character for your youngster (or youngster at heart).
Chris Mathews creates a unique superhero and origin story, Melissa Torchia designs a custom costume, DC Comics artist Chris Burnham creates a framed sketch of your hero, and Nathan Allen directs a photo shoot at Chicago Flyhouse where, you guessed it, we fly your flippin' kid.
#3 Dinner on the Edge
Step out of your comfort zone and into a luxurious dinner for four on the glass ledge of the Skydeck at Willis Tower. You'll travel in style in a limo from Windy City Limousine. Then enjoy an overnight stay at Chicago's Westin Michigan Avenue with overnight accommodations for two couples. The next day, soak in rich culture with passes for four to the Art Institute of Chicago.
#4 Set Sail with Sting on 'The Last Ship'
This package includes four tickets to Broadway in Chicago's Opening Night of 'The Last Ship,' a new musical with an original score by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting. Inspired by Sting's own childhood experiences, this World Premiere production features direction by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Wicked), a book by Tony Award winner John Logan (Red) and Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal) and choreography by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once). End your night with a stay in two upgraded rooms at the historic Palmer House Hilton Hotel.
#5 A Day at the Track
A group of 25 will receive VIP passes, reserved seating in the Gold Cup Room, and trolley transportation to and from the Hawthorne Race Course. This package also includes a race named after the group or group honoree, Winner's Circle presentation & photograph (with a photo for each attendee), and a tour of the paddock area and race announcer's booth.
#6 CH Distillery Tasting and Tour for Ten
Ten guests take a tour of CH Distillery, Chicago's only grain-to-bottle vodka distillery, and only distillery cocktail bar!! Learn how CH turns Illinois grain into vodka, gin and other spirits and complete the experience by enjoying a tasty drink known as "The Tradition" in the comfort of their swanky cocktail bar.
Show Dates: Mar 29 2014 Location:
The Palmer House Hilton Hotel, 17 E. Monroe St, Chicago - More Info
Experience last year's Secret Soiree in anticipation of the biggest party of the year.


text:
Eight Long Years
Chairman's Blog
Eight Long Years
October 15, 2018
For eight very long years, those of us who love freedom; want a smaller, more responsive, more frugal government; believe in rule of law; care about a strong national defense, and understand the United States is special in the history of the world suffered under the "leadership" of Barack Obama and his Administration.
With President Obama, there always seemed to be a disconnect between what he said with words and what he said with action. We eventually learned his actions were louder, and far more worrisome, than his words.
Very often, he would say what most people wanted to hear, only to turn around and do the opposite. Point in fact: in speech after speech he said, "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your plan, you can keep your plan." He said it over and over, knowing full well it wasn't true. It was a blatant lie intended to lull Americans into a sense of passivity as he pushed for a federal take-over of health care.
In another case, he and Hillary — along with other top Obama officials — stated that the tragic deaths in Benghazi were the result of a rogue video by an American film maker. Again, they knew damn well it was a lie.
The point here is not necessarily to relive the despair we experienced under President Obama, but rather to contrast the behavior of us conservatives during that sad period vs. the behavior of Democrats during the first two years of the Trump presidency.
NOT once did we inconvenience the public by blocking traffic. We never attacked anyone who marched in favor of Obamacare, a smaller military, gun confiscation, or any other leftist policy. We didn't tear our clothes off and yell incoherently. We didn't beat up senior citizens (or anyone else) because their opinions differed from our's. We didn't destroy police cars, burn down university buildings, or smash windows.
We didn't harass his staff, advocate his impeachment, persecute his appointees, or suggest it would be the least bit humorous to see his head severed from his body.
I bring this up because of the utter lack of civility by the left. For the life of me, I can't imagine why the hysterics and heinous behavior— other than they hate Trump.
Could it be because they are paying lower taxes, watching their 401k balances skyrocket, seeing employment increase to historic levels among all workers, among, and especially minority families?
Or is it because peace is breaking out on the Korean Peninsula for the first time in 70 years? Is it that our military is better able to protect us from terrorists and other bad actors? Could it be because his re-negotiated NAFTA deal is creating fairer conditions for America's workers? Or is it because Americans held prisoners by foreign governments are being released without massive bounties paid by U.S. taxpayers?
Believe me, we conservatives know what it's like to feel threatened and repulsed by the occupant in the White House. To put it bluntly, Obama made our skin crawl.
But for most of us, Obama was our president — not because he was our choice, but because he was duly elected. We respected the office even when we didn't respect the man.
Oh sure we opposed his policies. We called talk shows, we put bumper stickers on our cars, we supported candidates we believed would protect us from his leftist socialist ideology. We even promised voters to turn around the damaging policies, regulations, and taxes Obama and his mob foisted on our people, our businesses, and our country. But we were civil about it.
The violence and malevolence of the left will only be tolerated for so long. You can't continue to destroy our property, throw drinks in our faces, chase us out of restaurants and theaters, beat up our seniors and kids, and believe we will continue to remain civil. We're reaching our threshold.
My message to Democrats is this: it's in your interests, and our's — not to mention our nation's future — that we find a way to talk together thoughtfully and neighborly. We don't expect you to sacrifice your principles, we won't sacrifice our's. But we do expect you to be considerate of our laws and the right of your fellow citizens to hold beliefs with which you disagree.
If you don't know how, then learn from us and how we behaved when our roles were reversed.
John Philip Sousa IV is an entrepreneur, political activist, author and accomplished business person. John has worked in the financial services industry for over 40 years, built a highly successful marketing company, ran for congress at age 24, and in 2016 created and led the successful movement to draft Dr Ben Carson into his candidacy for President of the United States. John is author of John Philip Sousa, A Patriot's Life in Words and Pictures and Ben Carson, RX for America.


text:
Lacquered pencils
Design your own lacquered-pencil from a large variety of possibilities with the › pencil configuration tool
Endless color variations
We can lacquer your pencil with any color you desire. Combined with lacquered cap or erasers there are almost endless possibilities to create your individual pencil – and there is definitely a perfect color combination for your target group
Have a look at our › gallery and see how to combine color, imprint and additional things such as eraser or lacquer cap.
(Examples for your individually designed pencils)
You can choose
- 26 standard colors or even more special and spot colors
- optional: lacquer cap and lacquer ring
- with eraser in many different colors
- round, triangular or hexagonal
- in different lengths (75 mm to 175 mm)
Any Questions? We are at your service!
Product information & printing areas
Product descriptions
Color overview
› Lacquer caps and lacquer rings
Express Products
› Lacquered pencils, hexagonal
› Lacquered pencils, triangular
Printing areas
All-round printing
› all-round printing, round pencil
Printing data requirements
Further information about our products together with proofs and printing areas for lacquered pencils can be found in the › download-section
Online configuration tool: design pencil quick and easy
You want to advertise in a cheap and useful way? Pencils are one of the most successful promotional products and guarantee a high contact rate and long service life. Design your individual promotional pencil with the › pencil configuration tool
1. configurate pencil: almost endless possibilities to choose from! Become a designer and create your individual pencil
2. calculate prices: article and prices are shown in real time so you can keep an eye on your budget
3. upload logo and text: your desired motif and text turn your pencil into an individual promotional messenger!
We do the design for you!
You would like to use a pencil as your promotional product, but you have no idea how that could look like? We are happy to send you an individual design proposal. Just use our › Free Graphic-Service:
1. choose pencil: choose your individual pencil.
2. send data: send us your desired motiv and your desired text.
3. receive a free design: our graphics team creates a free proof for you (normally you will receive the proof the same day).
Further information about lacquered pencils
Overview of our 26 standard colors
Ferrules in silver, black or gold
To fit with your pencil configuration you can choose one of our ferrule colors.
15 eraser standard colors
Combine your black colored pencils with ferrule and eraser in your desired color. All caoutchouc and plastic erasers are LATEX free and PVC free. Quality erasers guarantee a smooth and non-smeary use thanks to a balanced plastic mixture. See color overview of the eraser standard colors for download
lacquered caps, lacquered rings and end caps
Finish the black colored pencil with lacquer cap, lacquer ring or end cap. With that, there are much more possibilities to individualize your pencil and to make it match with your imprint. See color overview of lacquered caps, lacquered rings and end caps
Natural, environmentally & sustainable: pencils as promotional items
Pencils are made out of natural materials.
We solely use wood from renewable stocks – so you will
receive eco-friendly, sustainable and responsible promotional products!
Unlike fountain and ball pens, wooden writing utensils need re-sharpening from time to time.
To make sure that operation is easily done, all our pencils are made out of lime wood. It is
easy to sharpen pencils made of this wood, and furthermore it is a good combination of stability
and flexibility.
Our promotional pencils are Made in Europe, tested by TÜV and compliant with the toy-safety-order DIN EN 71/III.


text:
Thank you for your interest in the ministries of the CGGC. To the right you see a listing of our main Ministry Departments. Click on any to be taken to pages that contain fuller detail.
If you want to know about the Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC) you have come to the right place!
Here you can find resources for individual and church alike. Choose your subject and access it by clicking on one of the links in the menu on the right
This is where you can connect with a variety of tools, resources and communication media.
The Churches of God, General Conference began in 1825 as a result of the labors, revivals, and ideas of John Winebrenner, a German Reformed pastor who ministered in and around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
During the late 1820s, Winebrenner came to new theological conclusions about the nature and government of the Church, the importance of the regenerating experience of the new birth and the ordinances (Believer's Baptism by immersion, Lord's Supper and Feet Washing). He reaffirmed the belief that the Bible was the "only authoritative rule of faith and practice."
In 1830 he joined five other "teaching elders," or ministers, in central Pennsylvania in forming an "eldership" for the purpose of adopting a system of cooperation.
As Churches of God settlers moved west, they established new churches and elderships in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan. By 1900 the denomination had spread to Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Separate elderships had also been formed for churches in Maryland and West Virginia. The California Eldership began in 1948. Congregations from the Church of God chartered in Mississippi became the Mid-South Conference in 1983.
Churches of God once existing in Maine, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and other states have ceased to function.
A General Eldership was formed in 1845 to provide for cooperation between local elderships. Since the 1960s, the trend has been to call judicatories "conferences" rather than "elderships" in recognition that representation is no longer limited to "elders."
Churches of God periodicals, The Gospel Publisher (1835-1845) and The Church Advocate (1846-present), have played a key role in distributing information about and for the Churches of God and have provided a forum for the discussion of important issues. Two other publications have had a long and distinguished history, The Gem, a Sunday school paper, began in 1867. The Workman was first published as a monthly lesson booklet in 1879 and became a quarterly in 1890. The denomination maintained its own printing establishment, Central Publishing House, in Harrisburg from 1901 to 1979.
Foreign mission work was established at Uluberia, India, in 1898 and at Bogra (now Bangladesh) in 1905. Members of Slovak descent started mission churches in Eastern Europe in 1922, but communist governments have thwarted this effort. Project HELP was begun in Haiti in 1967 and a ministry to Navajos began in New Mexico in 1976.
Findlay College was incorporated in 1882 and opened for classes as a Churches of God college in 1886. Winebrenner Seminary began as a graduate department of theology in 1942 and was chartered as a separate institution in 1960. Barkeyville Academy (1881-1906) in Pennsylvania and Fort Scott Collegiate Institute (1902-1917) in Kansas are other educational institutions once supported by the denomination.
Church camping had its start in 1931 with the first of three annual General Eldership camps. Within a few years, several local elderships began to hold their own summer camping programs. Today most local elderships or conferences have camping programs. Many of them own and operate their own facilities, some on a year-round basis.
Three lay organizations have played an important part in the recent history of the denomination. The Churches of God Youth Advance (CGYA) was formed in 1947, the Women's Christian Service Council (WCSC) in 1953 and the Churches of God Winebrenner Brotherhood (CGWB) in 1967.
The name of the denomination has changed several times. It was first known as the Church of God, in keeping with Winebrenner's view that "there is but one true Church, namely: the Church of God." The phrase In North America was added by the first General Eldership in1845. In 1896 the name was made plural and became Churches of God in North America. In 1974 two changes were made. The phrase "In North America" was eliminated in recognition of the Churches of God members in India, Bangladesh, and Haiti. "General Eldership" was changed to "General Conference" in recognition that delegates were no longer limited to "elders." Thus, the correct name of the denomination today is Churches of God, General Conference.
The Churches of God, General Conference is a Pennsylvania corporation organized and existing under the act of April 18, 1867, P.L. 1295 and subsequent charter amendments.
The Administrative Office and operational headquarters of the Churches of God, General Conference is located at 700 East Melrose Avenue in Findlay, Ohio, in the Wilkin Center for Christian Ministries, constructed by the Churches of God in 1981.
New overtime regulations. Click this post for the full document.
Welcome Trent Grable, the newest staff addition to the Churches of God office. Trent is…
Click the title to open the document directly! Download for best print options.
To access a free online training resource based on Tod Bolsinger's Canoeing the Mountains, click…
The video of Monday's gathering contains the following presentations: Tod Bolsinger – beginning at the…
The following information was written by CGGC Treasurer Bob Stephenson and first printed in the…
Click this post to get the most recent application.
New Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan Option Churches who discontinued reimbursing medical insurance premiums and/or qualified…
The Here We Stand document was approved at the 2016 General Conference Sessions. You can…
In light of today's Supreme Court ruling regarding marriage, we re-post the following CGGC documents…
The updated "We Believe" document was approved in July 2013. Click here for a full copy…
Are you interested in serving the Lord for a significant amount of time, but you…


text: Zeta Vandyke 10,585 Posted September 6, 2018 By popular demand we opened a new AFK location, specialized in girls with extra's and feminine boys. Its a nice dark street themed setup with public AFK locations, red light rooms, a night club and also motel rooms for rent if you like to set up a permanent location. Visit us at Shemale Delight 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text: Exocraft.io puts players in a brutal fight where they must beat all ancient guardians and other defenses that are defending its precious resources. You need to construct an exclusive exocraft for yourself, then, try to increase your fleet of drones so you can defeat the enemies. Take control of your mining craft carefully, fly around in space to discover the entire strange planet as you attempt to scavenge the wreckages with crystal points. You need to mine a lot of resources from the wreckages and points. But you shouldn't focus on mining them much without protecting yourself. The aliens will try to stop you from collecting stuff, and they won't be hesitant to kill you. Pay attention to the surroundings as well as keep your craft safe all the time. You should sell your collected resources to earn money, then use the earning to improve your mining craft as well as brand new equipment.


text:
I got to the hospital shortly after noon. The visiting hours for the transplant Intensive Care Unit are from 11am – 9pm, though the resident doc told me last night that "after lunchtime" is a preferable time to arrive since rounds and shift changes are still going on until noon or so. Best to listen to the good doctors that are on the front line, I reckon.
I arrive to discover that Alex was awakened @ 8am this morning, and that she was feeling a goodly amount of pain. Essentially they doubled up her "pain management program", or her meds, if you will. They told me it was good to have me at Alex's side as my touch would be "better than drugs" for her. Wow…never would I have thought that I could trump morphine!
Turned out to be true. Alex was wide-eyed when she saw me. I did not know how foggy she might be so I spoke to her slowly, filling her in on all of your many kind wishes and regards. Her eyes were closed for a time as I stroked her head and talked to her, and she managed a smile on a number of occasions despite the tubes coming out of her nose and mouth. She couldn't speak, but her eyes smiled a huge happy smile when I let her know that Barack Obama was elected president of the USA last night.
She was breathing partly on her own, albeit with a great amount of struggle. The rest was up to the ventilator machine which works in tandem with her lungs. At this point she was "intubated" and very uncomfortable. She looked to me to be more than eager to get these tubes out of her throat and mouth. Until then, however, she was left to communicate via gestures, handwritten communication and through two of the clearest eyes I have seen in anyone in a long time, despite seeing through a cloud of very powerful painkillers. A very laborious process for the woman to get her ideas across. And ideas she has!
Once she got to writing she indicated that she wanted to be apprised of everything that's going on. Her frustration was palpable, since the greatest effort was required to simply write down the words "what time is it?". Imagine trying to convey something like" so where is my current level of oxygen saturation?" or "how long until these friggin' tubes come out of me?".
Alex was clearly worried, and wrote often of how she felt as if she was suffocating. She felt claustrophobic. And who wouldn't when one has something like ten or twelve tubes and stints sticking out of one's body? I just kept telling her that I am right there with her, and that she is in good hands with the staff in the ICU wing. She squeezed my hand and looked at me. A fantastic and constant squeeze. She wouldn't speak but mouthed the words "I love you". I was lucky enough to be able to tell her out loud that I love her too. Oh what a beautiful feeling sitting beside my darling and sharing a time like this. Felt like we were back on our wedding day exchanging our vows again. Like the beeping machines and gurgling tubes around us didn't even exist.
An orderly then came by and I was told by nurse Brenda to leave for a while, that they had to do some work on Alex to prepare her for her new private ICU room. Cool by me. Kiss on the forehead and back to a waiting room.
4pm – Transplant ICU
Got to meet nurses Evelyn & Georgia. They are on shift to take care of Alex for the afternoon and overnight. They take care of checking her blood gasses, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and myriad other stats. Each and every one of these stats is in the "great" zone, by the way. They also got the pain management team to get Alex hooked up to a dispensing machine. Essentially this is like a Pez dispenser, in that Alex simply has to push a button when she is feeling pain and the pain killer is delivered intravenously via one of the canals that are hooked up to her body. The highlight of this short visit is when a nurse comes to clear out Alex's lungs with a sort of suction device. The nurse pushed a tube down Alex's throat and got her to cough. The goal is to suck up any of the guck that is hanging around down there.
So cough #1. Breathe in aaaaaaaandddd COUGH! Nothing comes up.
Cough # 2. Same thing.
Cough #3. Nothing. Maybe a bit of clear saliva or something.
Alex and I looked at each other in disbelief. It's the NEW LUNGS! There was none of the nasty mucus that was basically killing Alex day by day. We'd grown so accustomed to thrice-daily rituals of rattling, wracking discomfiting coughing fits. My eyes filled with tears. Alex just lay there sort of stunned and wrote in a very scrawling script…"Am I dreaming?" I head back to good old Queen West for a stroll and some fresh air with a good old canine pal, wondering what Alex is going to make of the smell of rush hour traffic.
8:30 pm – Transplant ICU
I return to hospital from home, where I'd walked our faithful dog Henry and picked up some stuff for Alex. They wanted me to bring a house coat and slippers so that she can go for a walk tomorrow. Yep. They intend to get her moving as soon as possible. Alex is slowly but surely coming back to the world, regaining strength little by little. Her handwriting started looking less like that of a drunken sailor and more like…a slightly drunken sailor? After a time the team decided to get Alex freed up from the big tube down her mouth. A fair amount of ideas are exchanged regarding how this will be done. I emphasize to all how important it is to be careful of Alex's vocal cords. But I really don't have to tell them this again for the 100th time. They are probably getting exhausted of hearing me brag about my wife's God-given vocal talent. "She's not just a singer, I say…she's a performing and recording artist!" Probably don't have to say a thing, really. Just twenty minutes before this conversation the nurses were gathered around a computer telling me proudly "We're googling your wife". Not to mention the fact that Dr. Michael Hutcheon is a fanatical opera fan (and bona fide expert), and soon-to-be big fan of a revitalized Miss Alex. Maybe he'll even swing around to country music! So yes, care has been taken, and we're trusting that Alex will be singing in no time.
Then… Voila! The tube is removed.
As of November 5th, 10:30pm Alex is freely breathing on her on with two new lungs.


text:
Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa is meant to be the James Bond of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Black Panther movie. Creed and Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler is helming the highly-anticipated superhero film for Marvel Studios, based on a script he co-wrote with American Crime Story writer-producer Joe Robert Cole, with Boseman reprising his role as the superhero Black Panther from Anthony and Joe Russo's Captain America: Civil War.
Marvel has been experimenting with various genres and story types when it comes to their superhero movies in recent years. Their first attempt was with the Russo's Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, in which they developed a political thriller involving the Cold War. And then Peyton Reed's Ant-Man in 2015 was promoted as a comedy-heist movie, while Jon Watts' Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017 was conceived as a coming-of-age comedy. All three worked out quite well, and Marvel is now looking to dive into the spy genre.
Related: Black Panther Box Office May Top Spider-Man
In an interview with Total Film, Ryan Coogler explained that Marvel Studios was interested in making Black Panther their James Bond movie, with T'Challa, of course, embodying a superhero version of 007.
"When I first started talking to Marvel, one thing they were interested in was for Panther to be their version of James Bond, which I thought was incredibly interesting and exciting. It was a really outside-of-the-box way to look at T'Challa. There are some Bond films that I really, really like, and it gave me the opportunity to go watch some other ones."
While James Bond is the superspy, he's only as good as the team that supports him, most notably Q (Bond's Quartermaster). In regards to Black Panther, T'Challa's Q would be his sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), who's a master of science and the chief technologist of Wakanda. That's something that Wright fully supports, telling Total Film: "Yeah, why not? She's T'Challa's Q. She's by his side with the technology he needs. The way she helps him is really cool."
Anticipation is already running high for Black Panther, but Coogler's goals with T'Challa may elevate the film for those who may have been on contemplating seeing the movie. Of course, Marvel has delved into the spy world before when S.H.I.E.L.D. was still up-and-running on the big screen (it's still in operation on TV with ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). And considering the sheer number of gadgets and technology that Wakanda produces (possibly including Iron Man's armor in Avengers: Infinity War), it's not that difficult to believe that T'Challa could essentially be the MCU's James Bond.
More: Every Marvel Movie Coming In 2018
Source: Total Film
- Black Panther (2018) release date: Feb 16, 2018
- Avengers: Infinity War / The Avengers 3 (2018) release date: Apr 27, 2018
- Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019
- The Avengers 4 / Avengers: Endgame (2019) release date: Apr 26, 2019
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) release date: Jul 02, 2019
- Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018


text:
Harley-Davidson Pinball is a pinball machine produced by the Gods of motorcycles. Featuring chrome trim on the legs, side armour, lockdown bar and back-box hinges, The Harley-Davidson Second Edition features include chrome trim on the legs, side armour, lockdown bar and back-box hinge, making it an instant collector's item for anyone who loves to ride.
Harley-Davidson Pinball machine offers four multi-ball modes: Ball Lock, Motorcycle Multiball, Red Light Multi-ball, and Speedometer Multi-ball, each with its ridding trick moves.
As the song says: Get your motor running as you take off down the highway listening to rock n' roll classics. The Harley-Davidson/Second Edition pinball machine features 1/10 and 1/18 scale replicas of the 1999 FLST Fat Boy and the 2000 FLST Fat Boy.


text:
Product Description
Pictures are of our prototype, final product will be very similar but with improved fit and finish. This Rear Window Louver is CNC cut from .063" aluminum. The brackets will mount to the rear hatch with rivets and then the louvers will bolt on with the provided stainless steel machine screws. It is available in raw aluminum or black powder coating.
*Many of our products are in-stock. However, because all of our products are custom fabricated, they may not be immediately available. Products that are not currently stocked may take 3-4 weeks from when your order is placed to when they're available for shipping. If you want to know the availability of this item, please email email@example.com.
* If you do not see the "Group Buy" drop down option for a particular part that means that we are not currently running a group buy for that part. Instead we are trying to keep them in stock as well as produce them in batch quantities to keep prices low for our customers. Most of these products are in stock but if we happen to run out we will be in the process of making more and your order will ship as soon as the next run is complete.
What is the "Group Buy" in the drop down menu? The group buy option is added to help lower costs to car enthusiasts. There will be a new Group Buy for each product every month. There is no risk to sign up because if the Group Buy quantity is not met you will be refunded 100% of your money and are free to sign up again the next month if you would like. Please make sure you understand the Group Buy option before you check out. Please click the link for more info: Group Buy Info If you have more questions please feel free to contact us for clarification: Contact Us


text:
The seeds of the high school girls lacrosse rivalry between Shoreham-Wading River and Mount Sinai were sown earlier this century. It was during SWR's heyday, when the Wildcats were regularly winning state championships. SWR collected five state Class C titles — from 2007-10 and then again in 2012.
At the time, an envious Mount Sinai was paying close attention. (more…)


text:
Marine Exhaust Systems
Marine exhaust systems are the products with in line component applications design to reduce the sound level as much as possible. System starts from output of the engine exhaust and to the transom of the boat into the air. There are two types of marine exhaust systems. Dry and wet exhaust systems.
Dry Exhaust System:
Dry exhaust system is the oldest system used. Old technology allows manufacturers to produce noise reduction dry exhaust systems in their categories. They make quality standards which originated policy set up intentionally. At that time, mostly they used stainless steel material in their marine exhaust systems including; elbows, manifolds, clamps, tubing & hose systems attached to the system.
The exhaust gasses were transport to outside of the boat without any form of cooling. This was the handicap of dry exhaust system. Real handicap was the excessive heat generated by the diesel engines. Even though they are isolated well, due to the heat, noise level was high and still is for the ones who use old system.
Reduction of exhaust gas temperature by injecting water come down to 40 to 50 degrees centigrade is achieved. Wet exhaust systems are born. When they tried to replace exhaust components from stainless steel to flexible rubber or synthetic material results are getting better and better.
Wet Exhaust System:
When gas and water mixed in the new system, lots of new components have to be added in order to make the system safe and sound. Wet exhaust system is made up of different components to support the system as a whole. These are water lock, muffler, exhaust hose, gooseneck, exhaust connections and air went. In this system the only problem in the design was the water lock, which creates excessive back pressure to the engine, which might damage consequences for the engine parts.
To reduce the exhaust gas temperature of the engine wet exhaust systems are used in order to reduce the speed of sound, which gains fast speed with hottest environment. Another reason to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas is related with the sound level. As the speed of sound transmission reduces so the sound noise level, which human ear hears, reduces proportionately.
Wet exhaust systems are used wide range of yachts now a day. Flexible rubber materials used installing these systems onboard the yachts make easy to install and maintenance as well. Let me mention about wet system components in order to be understood well.
Water lock component:
Modern water lock components have two chambers, upper and lower. This structure creates dual stage construction. There is a tube in the center and two chambers rotate 360 degree individually in order to give flexibility to the system. Size of the chamber depends on the engine HP size. Two chambers water lock reduce the sound level to maximum level and give minimum back pressure to the engine. Upper chamber connected to the engine exhaust manifold while the lower chamber connected to the transom plate with flexible rubber hose systems. Same systems are combined with muffler as well as gooseneck to the water lock. This gives additional flexibility for usage of limited space like horizontal or vertical installment of the system in limited spaces in the yacht.
Muffler component:
Muffler creates additional water mixing to further reduce the sound level of the exhaust gasses. It mixes the water inside the exhaust line, which results in even better noise reduction. The connection of the muffler causes almost no resistance to the free flow of the exhaust gasses.
Gooseneck component:
Gooseneck prevents water back filling to the exhaust system. It is installed high points of the system and it gives curve to the system in order to make back filling impossible.
Air vent component:
If there is point the cooling water is injected into the exhaust system is less than 15 cm above the sea level, there is a risk that cooling water will siphon into the exhaust system and subsequently into the engine itself. Air vents are used on the highest elevated parts of the system to allow cooling water not to siphon back to the system.? They have self-contained anti siphon pressure valve. This creates more safety environment, however needs regular cleaning maintenance to get rid of sea salt crystals.
Transom Exhaust Connection component:
This is the last part of the system. It might be stainless steel as well as rubber material. There is a check valve to protect sea water go into the system when engine is stopped.
Rubber hose components:
These are high quality silicone based hose systems which display high resistance against the heat. Flexible material gives another ease in installation of the system.


text: The Dark Side Of Spring Walleye Fishing In-Fisherman - July 23, 2011 I used to kid my old buddy Art Moraski, alias "the Night Stalker" due to his penchant for fishing after sundown, that night fishing was for people who couldn't catch fish during the day. And do you know what? To some extent, that's still true. Because under certain conditions, daytime fishing for walleyes can turn so darn tough that it's hard to keep your spirits up and your lines down until the fish finally become active around sundown. At that point, the fishing can run anywhere from fair to good to absolutely phenomenal, making you wonder just what those walleyes were doing during the day, when you could have sworn the lake was empty of aquatic life.The point is, if environmental factors conspire to make early-spring walleye fishing a daytime drought, why not explore the options after dark? Take advantage of the bite when the bite's good even if it costs you a little sleep in the process.Only local investigation will reveal whether your local waters are good candidates for daytime aversion and nighttime conversion. Perhaps a little of both is in order. The surest tipoff is that when you fish hard, exploring all sorts of options in and around shallow rock spawning areas during the day and come up empty, something's gotta give. When the water temperature's between 40F and 50F, those walleyes have to be somewhere around classic spring spawning sites: rocky inlets, rock shorelines, shallow reefs, the riprap of dams and causeways, and rock shoals in rivers. So if you try logical presentations in likely adjacent areas and don't get bit under the midday sun, chances are it's not your fault. You're probably fishing in the right place and even with the right tackle, just at the wrong time of day.Don't give up. Just switch into nocturnal mode. Walleyes are notorious nighttime feeders and will generally feed at night in and around shallow spawning areas, even when spawning's more on their minds than scoring a tasty morsel. In some cases, night feeding at this time of year can prevail, to the virtual exclusion of daytime activity. Classic examples? Anytime the water is extremely clear and there's a lack of shallow cover, walleyes usually remain in deeper water adjacent to spawning sites during the day, moving quite shallow after sundown. During the day, they may or may not be willing to feed, but at night, the feedbag goes on in the shallows. Excessive boat traffic and fishing pressure can push fish activity into the twilight zone as well. Too many depthfinders pinging relentlessly overhead, and too many engines chugging and plugging away, and walleyes may drop tight to the bottom, especially if they're scattered across shallow flats with suitable weed or wood or rock cover to host fish during the day. They're there. They just refuse to respond. But after sundown, when most of the boaters go home and the aquatic world turns inky black and silent, the predators go on the prowl. Include yourself in that category. And when schools of big suspended walleyes move toward and into the shallows as the sun dips below the horizon, they become vulnerable to simple tactics in obvious places. No more searching for needles in the greater haystack, out in the vast beyond. Instead, they come to you, often right along shore. Be ready. THE NIGHT BITEThe easiest, most practical way to check sizeable spawning areas at night is by longline trolling a minnow-imitating crankbait through the shallows, typically about 3 to 6 feet deep, give or take. On a hundred feet of 10-pound-test monofilament line, a shallow runner should dip 1 to 2 feet below the surface, barely wiggling along under the influence of your electric trolling motor purring at low speed. Run roughly parallel to the shoreline, focusing on a general depth range, yet put a little left-right weave into the trolling path. This makes lures run alternately faster, then slower, without changing motor speed, which might alert the fish to your presence. It also makes your lures run through areas outside the path of the boat, further minimizing spooking. Successive trolling paths at slightly different depths may indicate a preferred level of activity, or tip you off to some form of cover, bottom content, or subtle depth change that draws fish to a limited area.Be sure to occasionally pump the rod forward, then quickly point it back, further instilling a surge and pause to the lure motion, first imitating a panicked attempt at fleeing, then sudden vulnerability. The pump-and-dump routine pays big dividends on triggering following fish that might otherwise veer off at the moment of truth. Once you've established a productive area, especially if said area is relatively small, consider a casting approach. Nothing's deadlier than reaching out into the darkness with a neutrally buoyant minnow-imitator, which is heavy enough to cast well on light line--especially superline--yet provides that slow, tempting, vulnerable wiggle, classic to minnow-imitators. Use a combination of slow pumps of the rod to the side, successively reeling up slack while pointing the rod back toward the lure. Repeat often. The lure sidles forward, then pauses, hovering, neither rising nor sinking, right in a fish's face--the ultimate in triggering capacity on calm nights when the fish can be spooked by unnatural sounds and wayward noises.Neutrally buoyant minnow-imitators work as well from shore as from a boat. Or try waders, stealthily easing your way through the shallows, guided by moonlight and the feel of rocks and sand beneath your feet. In either case, however, your mobility is much reduced from fishing in a boat. So you must put the odds in your favor by fishing in areas that draw the fish to you, rather than having to seek them out. Creek mouths, breakwalls, bridges, narrows, points, riprap--any likely concentration spot for walleyes drawn shallow by the twin urges of spawning and feeding--are potential shorecasting spots. Some are best with the wind pounding in, usually heightening walleye activity, but making it more difficult to cast offshore. Others continue to produce in calmer conditions, providing you're sneaky and don't tip the fish off to your presence. You can catch walleyes virtually between your wader boots as they follow an escaping lure toward shore, but only if you become one with the darkness. A quick click of the flashlight and dip of the landing net, and you're back in business for the next one. Need another option? A 1/4-ounce jig tipped with a 4-inch soft plastic shad body or curlytail grub provides a different triggering mechanism than a crankbait. Plop it in, let it drop to bottom, then work it back home with an alternating series of rod tip lifts interspersed with dipping the tip and taking up slack. Be sure to vary retrieves, trying lots of long pauses, fairly short pauses with brief swims, right up to steady swimming retrieves that make the lure wiggle and wobble. You never know what will work best until you try.AND FINALLYAnd finally, there's always the classic slipbobber approach, using a lighted bobber to suspend a leech or small minnow just off bottom, or slightly above the top of submerged cover like weeds or wood. Use either a 1/32-ounce jighead, or a baited hook with a split shot positioned 18 inches up the line from the bait, to pull line through the float until the bait settles at the preset depth, dipping and dangling and dancing in place. It's slow, precise, stealthy, and deadly, all rolled into one. Anchor the boat and drift a bait up onto and across a prime focal point like a shallow reef or weedbed. Let it float up near shoreline rocks, until the water becomes sufficiently shallow for the bait to come to rest on bottom.Or, when fishing from from shore, simply pitch out into the inky blackness, using a long 7- to 9-foot (or longer) spinning rod and light line to facilitate a long cast into a light wind. As the float drifts back in toward shore, or circles in a river eddy, or nears some form of visible emergent cover like reeds or wood, be ready. When the light goes out, fish on. Gently sweepset the long rod to bury the hook.OK, so night fishing not only works, but often excels, particularly at times when walleyes absolutely refuse to cooperate during the day. And it produces a disproportionate share of larger walleyes per hour of effort. So I therefore officially modify my original premise as far as night stalking is concerned. The night bite is indeed the right bite when the walleyes bite at night and refuse to bite during the day. The rest of the time, well, a little daytime action couldn't hurt--with the option to stay out a little while longer after the sun goes down. Just in case. Get Your Fish On. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here.


text:
|All Rights Reserved. No image or content may be reproduced without prior written consent. Copyright © 2015 Peony Acres.com
|Welcome to Peony Acres.
We are an American flower grower
specializing in wholesale florist, high quality long
stem, cut flower peonies.
Our harvest season is May through June.
Our farm has a rich history in the Midwest for
over 70 years.
Ask us about our farm to florist seasonal
discount program.


text:
Friday Funk Breaking
by David Bledsoe DVM
A recent shopping list from my phone:
Is this:
A) supplies for a swimming pool
B) a good weekend
Good morning from NOMV World Headquarters @ NOMV Plaza where today is "Give a Fuck Friday". Right now my give a shit factor is so low, it's moved down into "I don't give a fuck" territory.
Life is like that. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. The beauty is it doesn't stay that way forever. For those days when I'm the bug, I usually do one or more of the following to help get me out of my funk.
1. Write. Some of my best stuff has been written when I am depressed. I'm sure one of our really smart members can tell me why. Even humor can be stronger and more edgy when I am in a bad funk.
2. Listen to music. Something loud and fast and to which I can shamelessly sing along
3. Shower and get dressed. Seems like a little thing but your mind is conditioned to certain pathways when you follow that routine.
4. Go someplace where I can drink coffee or eat and people watch, especially outdoors.
I could say exercise but I would be lying. I don't enough. That's really next on my list.
So I want to hear yours. What do you do when you're in a funk? And remember, it's not always about pulling yourself out of it. It's about not letting yourself sink lower.
I'm off to take a shower. Bluetooth speaker will be playing Bob Seger.
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
Hello my friends.
Can you tell me three specific and timely things you are grateful for this week?
That's What Friends Are For
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
I was complaining to my admin friends that I felt under accomplished today. I had a busy clinic day- which is great for a growing business- but all of my other To Do items had fallen by the way side, including writing this blog and my run.
My good friend Melanie Goble, aka the angel admin, said and I quote "Carrie, get your ass in gear and start running!!!!"
If you know Melanie, this is shocking. She does not cuss. Cussing is really more David and my department. So, these words were extra motivating.
I could have easily slacked here, but now I was also going to be letting Melanie down, and I never want to let Melanie down. So I am proud to say my run is accomplished AND bonus, I wrote a blog article today. And now I have extra energy from my run to get some other stuff done.
So my friends, when you feel like you are failing on your goals or your self care- reach out. Ask your friends to help keep you accountable. If you can't find a person to work out with in person, share your goals with some friends and help motivate each other. You don't have to do this alone!
Some Days Just Suck
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
I want to be uplifting in this blog, but I got gut punched by my job today.
I know I don't have to explain this to you guys and for the sake of the family's privacy I will not go in to a lot of specifics.
But today I had one of those cases- young, cute dog- who was very very sick. He needed a lot of expensive diagnostics to even figure out what was wrong, and even then his prognosis was guarded. He was having progressive signs. His life was in danger. He was in pain.
I call this nice family to tell them this. I speak to a very polite young woman. She is understandably sad. Her mother gets on the phone and her mother is desperate. They have had some tough stuff happen to them, and this is just icing on the cake. This dog was their light in dark times. Comfort when the world had done them wrong.
They don't have the money for this. Their other troubles have drained their resources. I tell them with all the money in the world it may be that their dog is not fixable. I try to steer them gently to plan b, which at least gives the pup a chance and may work. We can treat for the most common diseases on my hunch and cross our fingers. And just as important it won't leave them in horrible debt if the pup is not indeed save-able. They don't know if they can even afford recheck exams and prescriptions. I tell them that this is a tough scenario, and I will do whatever they want, but euthanasia is also a reasonable choice.
They were polite. They were overwhelmed. They did not scream, nor cuss nor hurl insults like some others do when faced with this situation.
I know. I know I did everything I could. I know I gave them all the the options, and gave them my honest best advice. I know I'm not in charge of their finances. I know. I know that there is no other reasonable scenario for these people and its not kind to send them down a path that they cannot continue on. I know I cannot and should not do things for free, and that I offered them plans at every reasonable cost level.
So, why am I crying? Why do I feel like I just stripped hope and love away from a family who needs it so much.
Some days this job just fucking sucks.
No more veterinary medicine today. I'm going for a walk with my family.
Thankful Thursday
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
You know what day it is!
Let's hear them. What three specific and timely things can you be grateful for this week.
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
If you have not read it: Part 1
So, as the lights dimmed and we settled on to our mats, our yoga priestess started her spiel.
"There are new faces here, let's introduce ourselves"
Okay, this is standard. I say my name when it's my turn and try to focus on the other names. I am bad with people names (great with dog names though) so I have zero expectation of remembering them.
"So now that we all know each other, I think we should all just take a moment to appreciate that circumstance has brought us together in this space and time."
At this, she smiles a winning smile that could sell a thousand tubes of toothpaste. Okay... that's because the schedule said "Beginner Yoga", so I'm not entirely sold on the serendipity of us all being here together.
And then she started to talk about connection and the importance of it. And this I will consider serendipitous. I am studying the importance of connection and social groups in my Science of Happiness class right now. My ears perk up and I push snarky cynical Carrie back in to her room (which I envision as a dark place full of Nine Inch Nail posters and overly dramatic black eyeliner). And I'm rapt. My brain is buzzing with the science of social interactions merging with yoga and meditation.
"I was just reading the other day you see... about aliens." And everything comes crashing to a halt. Wait... are we talking politics, cause that's uunnncomfortable even in the rather homogenous political landscape I live in. "You see, scientist say that there just has to be life on other planets." I sternly school my face. I think a stray cynical eyebrow may have popped up against my better efforts. It's not that I actually even disagree with the mathematical possibilities of life on other planets, it's just not really where I thought this conversation was going. "We are definitely not alone, not even alone in our universe."
I will admit this derailed me a bit. I am trying, as a skeptical scientist, to be open to these new experiences. A yoga teacher waxing poetic about one day getting to meet space aliens exceeded my capability for open mindedness. I mean, sure, there is likely life but the chance of you meeting a sentient life that you could communicate with... astronomical odds. We can't even communicate fully with all the species on our own planet. My mind starts to race. This was deeply not the point of attending beginner yoga. Sigh. I decide: Okay, whatever- I'll just focus on the workout.
Then we began in earnest. Some breathing exercises helped quiet my head. And then there was some lead meditation. I have to hand it to my yoga priestess, she's got a good knack for led meditation. We were to envision a bowl in the middle of the room. With each exhaled breath we were to place a small piece of ourselves in this bowl, where it could connect with the others in the room. It's a nice image, and I play along.
And then that beautiful, sunny woman kicked my ass. I'm a person who works out, but I know that a new workout will always find a new muscle and a new challenge. I am deeply grateful to those nice older ladies who recommended all the extra equipment, because I am holding on to those yoga blocks like my life depends on it. The physicality is great though, it gets me out of my head even more. Hard to think about the statistical probabilities of space aliens when I am trying not to fall flat on my ass during chair pose.
And then its over. We sit on out mats. We close our eyes. And she leads us through the end of the meditation. Now that we have been in this space together, we breathe the parts of ourselves that have been mingling in the bowl back in to our bodies.
And it is a nice moment of reflection on connection. We have indeed shared this space in time. I have a small social connection with these people now, however small. I cannot say that I am deeply changed by the experience, but every experience you have builds you in to the person you are. I am amused and able to appreciate at least 80% of what my yoga priestess was selling. I'll be back to beginner yoga.... I just hope we don't talk about space aliens.
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
In my never ending quest to fit more vegetables in to my diet, I tend to swap out carbs for veggies. I have spent many an evening spiralizing carrots and zucchini to make fake noodles. But my 100% favorite thing to swap in is cauliflower.
I can't believe I ignored this vegetable for so long! I've made substitutes for mashed potatoes, rice (I *love* cauliflower fried "rice") and last night I made cauliflower "mac" and cheese.
How about you guys? Any favorite sneaky veggie tricks.
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." -Jimmy Dean
I've been thinking a lot about change and control recently. What we can control, and what we can change.
It is not a great world-changing revelation to say that we can only change ourselves. Trying to control or change other people rarely works out. We can do our best to control circumstances, but somethings will never be fully under our control. The only piece of control we truly have in a crazy world is to control how we react to the circumstances of our life.
I think that I like change as a person. I don't really need to feel settled. It's likely a part of why I like locum jobs so much. Always a new person, a new place. I like to feel like I'm learning new things and growing. But, I know that I really only feel this way when I'm taking care of myself.
I think the best example is my trip to Japan. I generally love to travel. I love trying new foods, and learning about a new culture. I enjoy getting lost in a city and seeing how people live in different corners of the globe. I typically really enjoy a change in scenery. However, when I went to Japan I was at the very bottom of my well. I had used every scrap of energy in every corner of my body both mentally and physically. I had not been eating right. I had not been exercising. I was unfocused and unhappy. I thought the trip would be resetting. That it would be a welcome break. That I could reset myself in a far away land.
Boy was I wrong. I was overwhelmed by Tokyo. An environment I would usually have found fascinating was cluttered, and too close. I couldn't seem to catch the rhythm of the city. I couldn't rest, and I was tense. And after a 20+ hour flight over the ocean, my back gave out. We had chosen very traditional lodgings too- which meant many things were on the floor. So I was mentally overwhelmed and in physical pain.
When I look back on this trip, I mourn it as a missed opportunity. I was miserable, and have a general distaste for Japan now that Japan likely doesn't deserve. But like all mistakes, I can learn from this.
Change is wonderful, and can bring you to a new and exciting place. But you have to be ready for change. Just wanting change is not enough. I also need to have the mental and physical reserves to be able to change. The hardest change I ever made- leaving a full time clinical job to start my company- came only after I let myself recover from the mistakes of how I used to practice. This recovery took far longer than was convenient, but in the end it allowed me to make one of the most important changes of my life.
by Carrie Jurney DVM DACVIM (Neuro)
A NOMV member recently posted a link to a new weighted blanket. Now I feel it's important to note that this particular blanket isn't on the market yet, but after reading through their marketing, I felt compelled to track down some of the science.
The theory of these blankets is this: the weight provides a proprioceptive input that increases production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin and increases parasympathetic tone.
The neurologist in me is interested! In looking, this seems to have come from a popular therapy used in autism and other behavioral disorders where weighted vest are used to increase attention and decrease other negative behaviors. I can say that when dealing with my own neurologic patients, many of them do better when placed in a snug blanket. Burrito wrapping a neurologically pacing/dysphoric animal is one of my better tricks to get them to settle down in the hospital. This helps me not resort to sedatives, which in intracranial patients can have unexpected results.
Looking at weighted blankets in people, the literature is a bit divided. Some studies show that this perceived improvement for sleep and attention tasks does not always hold up under scrutiny for total sleep time. Interestingly, they report while there was no objective benefit on their tests, parents and children preferred the weighted blanket. There do seem to be some behavioral improvements on attention tasks and reduction of self-stim & harming behaviors after using it in children with behavioral disorders. But what about adults? I mean truly, my interest lies in whether or not this blanket is going to help me sleep. A study in adults found 63% reported lower anxiety after use, and 78% preferred the weighted blanket as a calming modality. I also found this study in children which showed not only an improvement in attention, but also that the children asked to wear the vest. It should be noted that many of these studies had rather small sample sizes, so the quality of the data is not stellar.
So what does this mean to me? This might have some effect- maybe not every claim of the weighted blanket camp may be true- but people seem to like them and their anxiety decreases. For a therapy as harmless as weighted blankets, that's good enough for me.
Does anyone in the group use weighted blankets?
Screen-Free Saturday: Hang Ten
by Nora van Genugten Msc DVM MRCVS NVS
Hi everybody. This is my first blog post on here. Thanks for reading it! Well, so far. You may not know me, so let me introduce myself. I'm one of the admins on NOMV. My name is Nora. My professional interests are emergency medicine and exotics. I'm a Dutch transplant who lives in the North East of England.
I love contrasts. The differences between day and night, summer and winter, warm and cold. Between super busy and very serene. When I work, I don't mind working very, very hard. I love the adrenaline and the satisfaction of the ER. Caesareans, GDVs, blood and plasma transfusions, pneumothorax, intoxications, status epilepticus. You name it. If you find it stressful, I'll find it delightful. I love really being able to make a difference immediately. It's my niche and I don't mind working nights. I guess this turns me into a bat of sorts. Don't worry though. I don't transmit rabies. Often.
Just kidding. I like GP work too, but the pace and the challenging cases I see in the emergency setting are just my thing.
This can however lead to a fair amount of residual stress to spill over into my daily life if I let it. Sometimes it's easy to block out the stress and negativity, but sometimes it's very difficult. I am still trying to find the perfect way to keep work stresses away from my private life. If you've found the secret, please share it in the comments below.
Which brings me to what keeps me sane. SomethingI find exhilarating but which can also be very serene. I'm a water baby. I love being close to, on (skating, ice hockey) and in water. I live in a Cathedral city in the North East of England with a large river running through it. I live close to the North Sea with its long and beautiful coastline. I grew up in Utrecht, a beautiful medieval town in the Netherlands with lots of unique canals. Going to the beach has a calming effect on me. I love it.
The best thing about water for me is surfing. It's very difficult to master but it's also a totally awesome thing to do. This area may not be very well known for its surfing so please keep this between you and me, but it's actually great for surfing. There are some good beaches that are often quite empty, the people are nice and it's close to home.
Don't get me wrong. It's not quite Hawaii. To stay comfortable and warm I have to wear a 5 mm full length wetsuit, a hood, gloves and boots. To non-surfers I might look a *bit* odd. To me, it's my superwoman suit that sometimes takes a bit of a struggle to take off after a long day's surfing.
The reason I love surfing is that it puts everything in perspective for me. It's just you and the wave. Nothing else matters in that moment. And when you catch the wave and ride it, that's the best feeling in the world. It's addicting. I love that feeling. It makes all the negativity just melt away. Sometimes you can't catch the wave but that's a great metaphor for life. Just keep trying. If you give up, it'll never happen. And when you succeed again, it's pure bliss. You don't even have to catch waves if you don't want to. It's nice just to sit on your board in the sunshine, letting go off all the stress. I find water very spiritual.
Surfing is one of the things that keeps me going. To me, it makes all those cases that didn't quite go the way I'd wanted them to, the interactions with clients that really bug me well after the client has left the building and the sometimes gruelling caseload and sheer exhaustion all OK. It keeps me from burning out. It allows me to connect and form friendships with new people.
Surfing is a health sport, both for the body and the mind. You're forced to use your brain and your body in harmony. It's introduced me to yoga and forces me to focus more on healthy eating and other ways to stay fit, like running and going to the gym.
The other great thing about surfing is that you can keep doing it until you're pretty old. Way older than other sports by comparison. I'm not saying you can't get injured and you have to be aware of how to protect yourself during a wipe-out, but overall it's a low impact sport. It's easier on your cruciate ligaments and menisci than say snowboarding.
Anyway. I could keep talking about this for days but that's it for me for now. How about you? Do you like water too? Do you surf?
The Admin Team of NOMV is a group of veterinarians dedicated to improving veterinary mental health.
October 2019