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By Susan Hodges with Henci Goer
On February 26, 2004, Henci Goer and Susan
Hodges presented "Economic Disincentives for Mother-Friendly Care: How
economic considerations shape conventional obstetric care" at the 2nd
Mother-Friendly Childbirth Forum held by CIMS near Washington, D.C.
This article is based on that presentation.
When two Austin, TX hospitals both got rid of the nurse-midwives practicing there, a news quote caught my attention: "The
closings, although not related, are being done for a similar reason:
Midwife deliveries are not big moneymakers [my emphasis], people
associated with the programs said."
("Midwifery programs are closing,"
05/14/02 Austin American Statesman.)
When many studies have shown conclusively that
midwifery care is "cost effective,"
why are so many nurse-midwife practices being closed, and why were
midwives being called "not big
moneymakers" These questions prompted me to start
learning about the economics of health care, and especially of
The Maternity Care BusinessMaternity care is
big business in the U.S., especially for hospitals. Of total hospital
stays for women, 25% are for pregnancy and childbirth
("Care of Women in U.S. Hospitals,
2000" HCUP Fact Book No. 3). In 1999, delivery
accounted for about 270 hospitalizations for every 10,000 women
(Women's Health USA, 2002). Obstetricians are important
to a hospital's financial success for a number of
reasons, including the fact that they influence around 11%, or $30
million, of inpatient charges through referrals to other physicians
within the hospital (Hanold, K C, "OB/GYNs Offer a Rich
Source of Referrals" MHS Fall 2002). In other words,
obstetrical care is still a major marketing tool for hospitals; when a
woman needs hospitalization for herself or for a family member, she
will tend to stick with the hospital where she gave birth.
When we think about costs and "cost
effectiveness" we usually think about the cost to us,
the consumers (or to our insurance carrier or HMO). We can see that our
costs will vary by setting:
* includes a four-day hospital stay
(O'Mara, P. Having a Baby, Naturally. 2003. p. 322. Based on figures published in 1999.)
Consider that 99% of births occur in hospitals, of
which more than a quarter are cesarean sections, and that home birth
costs as little as one sixth the cost of an uncomplicated vaginal birth
in the hospital.
Hospitals, on the other hand, are thinking in terms of
their net income, of billings versus their costs. Every hospital needs
to at least break even, but if it is a "for
profit," there also are shareholders
expecting a profit on their investment.
A number of economic factors affect hospitals,
including some that are somewhat unique to hospitals compared to other
Illness, accidents and births are unpredictable, but a
hospital must always be prepared for these. If one can make any of
these events less random and more predictable, staffing can be more
efficient. Childbirth has the potential for being made more predictable
by manipulating labor (induction, active management of labor) or by
scheduling cesarean sections. From 1989-1997 births have become more
frequent on weekdays compared to weekends, and "Births
delivered by repeat cesarean and vaginal births that were induced are
especially likely to occur on weekdays." (Trends in
the Attendant, Place and Timing of Births and in the Use of Obstetric
Interventions, United States, 1989-97. Vol. 47, No. 27. 16. pp. (PHS)
Hospitals can increase their income by reducing their
fixed costs (equipment, buildings, staff) and/or by increasing
efficiency (more patients or billable events per unit of time). For
maternity care, decreasing the amount of time each patient is in the
hospital (hurrying labor along) and increasing the use of lab tests,
drugs and other billable treatments are ways of increasing income for
each birth. The more technology and the more tests and procedures that
can be performed (and billed for), the greater the differential between
costs to the hospital and what the hospital charges. In other words, as
care gets more complex, the costs increase but the profit margin goes
up even faster.
Hospitals compete for patients by marketing their
services, and having the "latest
technology" and services available around the clock is
great for marketing. However, once a hospital has invested in the
technology or must pay for specialized staff, there is a strong
incentive to make as much use of the technology as possible, so that
the fixed costs of having the technology or staff are offset by
billing. For example, hospitals want to offer epidural anesthesia, so
must incur the costs of having an anesthesiologist available around the
clock, creating an incentive for the hospital and the staff to
encourage "every" laboring woman to
have an epidural whether or not she wants one. This also holds true for
OBs who purchase expensive ultrasound equipment for their offices; the
way to make that equipment pay off is to perform, and bill for, as many
ultrasounds as possible, whether or not there is any medical need for
Obstetricians make the decisions about clinical care
– both hospital protocols and individual decisions for
each patient. Obstetricians need to maintain their hospital privileges,
and to some extent the "health" of the
hospital depends on clinical practices that result in maximum billing.
Obstetricians also have to pay for their liability insurance coverage,
and the rates have been increasing substantially in recent years. One
way obstetricians can make more money (to pay for insurance while
maintaining the standard of living to which they are accustomed) is to
see more patients in the same amount of time. How to accomplish this? A
planned cesarean section can be performed in 20 to 30 minutes,
scheduled conveniently around office hours. In contrast labor takes
hours or days and is unpredictable. There is no question that planned
cesarean sections are more profitable for both the obstetrician (in
most states OBs are reimbursed more for a cesarean section than for a
vaginal birth) and the hospital (more technology, drugs, lab work, etc.
can all be billed). In addition, scheduling cesarean sections makes it
possible for the obstetrician to have more patients, more births per
month, more income per month.
Health Insurance and Maximizing ReimbursementsHealth
insurance (including Medicaid) generally pays a
"global" fee to the hospital and to
the obstetrician for each normal birth. This means that for many
births, the doctor and the hospital are paid a set amount per birth,
regardless of the amount of time. The hospital, OB, anesthesiologist
and other departments (lab, radiology, NICU, etc.) each charge
separately. OBs generally are reimbursed more for cesarean sections and
for "high risk" patients, and can
"add on" for complications (the OB
decides what is a complication).
The fact that more cesarean sections are performed when
reimbursement is higher, shows that this intervention is done at least
some of the time for economic reasons. For example, in 2000 cesarean
sections were performed on 24.4% of patients covered by private
insurance (which reimburses at the highest rates), on 20% of patients
covered by Medicaid, and on 18.65% of women who were uninsured
("Care of Women in U.S. Hospitals,
2000" HCUP Fact Book No. 3).
According to a CNM who has practiced for many years, in
Georgia in 1987 the global fee for the OB for maternity care was about
$900. That amount increased quite dramatically to around $3700 in
1993-94, but Managed Care was successful in bringing down the costs
– by 1997 the global fee was down to about $1500, but
by 2003 this amount has dropped to $900 – the same as
in 1987 not counting inflation or changes in care. In the past it has
been common to set fees high enough to cover not only the costs for the
private patient, but to "cost share"
or take up the slack for patients on Medicaid or without insurance.
However, HMOs have essentially eliminated this kind of cost-sharing,
plus increasing numbers of people lack any insurance and Medicaid
insurance reimbursement rates have decreased. Thus many hospitals and
doctors are really feeling the squeeze. When insurance reimbursements
do not cover costs, hospitals and doctors are going to look at
increasing the number of patients they can
"process" per unit of time in order to
compensate. Some hospitals will simply close down or stop providing
certain services, which usually ends up decreasing access to care
disproportionately for low-income people.
Hospitals and OBs have found any number of ways to
maximize reimbursements. One way is to inappropriately designate
pregnant women as "high risk," based
on demographics (Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital used this tactic to
eliminate most pregnant women from being eligible for midwifery care at
delivery) or for other reasons. Terminology also can be a tool, one
example being the common use of the disease term
"gestational diabetes" which
"communicates the need for high-risk surveillance to
providers of third-party payments" (Gabbe SG.
Definition, detection, and management of gestational diabetes. Obstet
Gynecol 1986;67:121-125.).
Other Ways to Increase Hospital IncomeIncreasing
cesarean sections is another way to increase revenues, and performing
fewer cesareans loses money. In the 1980's, Mt. Sinai
hospital instituted a program that successfully cut the cesarean rate
from 17.5% to 11.5% in two years. However, "The drop in
cesarean sections cost the hospital and physicians approximately $1
million in lost revenues over the two-year program."
(Koska MT. Reducing cesareans a $1 million trade-off.
Hospitals 1989;63(5):26). According to one mother-friendly
obstetrician, who works to help her patients NOT end up with a cesarean
section, it is relatively easy for an OB to "set
up" a patient so she will end up with a cesarean
without even realizing she was set up.
Admitting babies to Neonatal Intensive Care Units
(NICUs) is a money-maker, especially if the babies are not very sick. A
Ross planning associate said: "We can do a better job
of budgeting our staff with these longer stays and increased numbers of
patients. ... And we're doing
procedures – highly technical procedures that cost a lot
and can generate higher revenue based on the same
occupancy." (Shearer MH. The economics of intensive
care for the full-term newborn. Birth 1980;7(4): 1980. p 235) In fact,
data on newborns in intensive care shows that primarily only very low
birth weight babies, about 3 to 4 percent of babies, actually benefit
from NICU admission; about 60 % of NICU admissions are low risk or
mildly ill and unlikely to benefit. In the 1990's in
one academic NICU unit newborns admitted for
"evaluation" accounted for 2% of work
hours in the unit, but for 7% of its revenues. (Perkins BB, The Medical
Delivery Business. Rutgers University Press, 2004. P 130).
Increasing the use of epidurals increases profits by
increasing billing, both for the procedure itself and for the increased
needs for tests and treatments due to complications from the epidural
Hospitals also work to increase market share. Having
the latest technology is a marketing tool, but once the technology is
in place, there is a strong incentives to use the technology as much as
possible in order to cover its costs.
Maximizing patient flow also helps profits. For
maternity care, this includes having prenatal visits of minimal length,
inducing labor, and scheduling cesarean sections. As Dr. J Caillouette
commented on a study of the merits of elective induction:
"It is no longer feasible for individual physicians who
have invested 12 years in training at a cost of hundreds of thousands
of dollars to dedicate extended periods to observing one normal woman
in labor." (Macer JA, Macer CL, and Chan LS. Elective
induction versus spontaneous labor: a retrospective study of
complications and outcome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1992:166:1690-7.)
Hospitals can also try to save money by reducing staff
costs. Induction of labor, epidural anesthesia and scheduled cesarean
sections can help. Electronic fetal monitoring, especially where one
staff can keep an eye on multiple monitors at a central location, also
reduces staffing needs. "Active management of
labor" calls for artificial rupture of membranes for
all women to speed up labor; oxytocin if progress is not at least
"average," and a cesarean section if
dilation is not complete within 10 hours of admission.
"The newfound ability to limit the duration of stay [on
the labor and delivery unit by using active management of labor] and
therefore to quantify the number of patient-hours to be serviced has
transformed the previously haphazard approach of planning for
labor." (Driscoll K and Meagher D.
Active Management of Labour 2nd ed. London: Bailliere Tindall, 1986. p
101) Recently, some hospitals have eliminated lactation consultants to
"save money."
Results and ConclusionsThe results of all these economic factors leaves us with the following anomalies and paradoxes:
Compared with women seeing only obstetricians, women
receiving hospital-based midwifery care spent less time in the
facility, experienced fewer cesarean sections, experienced fewer vacuum
or forceps assisted vaginal deliveries, had fewer episiotomies, were
less likely to be induced, and experienced less technical intervention.
(Jackson et al. "Outcomes, Safety, and Reource
Utilization in a Collaborative Care Birth Center Program Compared With
Traditional Pysician-Based Perinatal Care." Am J Pub
Health 2003; 93:999-1006.) Given these results, midwifery care clearly
would result in less income for the hospital which would lose billings
for epidurals, cesarean sections and other interventions, and would
have fewer babies going to NICU. Care that is "cost
effective" is less expensive for you, but almost
always hurts the hospital's bottom line.
Given these economic considerations, should it come as
any surprise, therefore, that some hospitals have: refused permission
for CNMs to attend births; counted CNM births as doctor-attended, then
argued that midwives didn't do enough births to make
the program cost-effective; or created hospital rules that made CNMs
"too expensive," such as requiring an
OB and anesthesiologist to be present at each CNM birth (doubling
professional charges)?
Hospitals and obstetricians are making clinical and
management decisions for economic reasons, which is neither honest nor
good medical care. When a pregnant woman in labor goes to a hospital
and is told she needs this procedure or that intervention, how is she
to know if the treatment is actually being recommended for real medical
reasons? Or for purely economic reasons? No agency or government
authority is asking any questions such as "Has the
increase in cesarean sections resulted in better outcomes for mothers
and babies?" There is an unspoken assumption that
physicians' decisions should not be questioned, so
there is no regulation by disinterested parties. There is virtually no
consumer pressure. There are no restraints on anti-competitive
practices. There are no meaningful consumer protections. There is no
accountability for the health and well-being of mothers and babies.
The end result is that women are being cut and drugged
and their babies harmed every day for economic and other non-medical
reasons. How much longer are we going to tolerate a health care system
that allows doctors to perform unnecessary cesarean sections and other
interventions for economic reasons, while withholding access to
preventive care (like midwives and lactation consultants) that improves
the health and well-being of mothers and babies???
Reprinted from Citizens for Midwifery News, Spring/Summer 2004. Permission to reprint with attribution. (Note: This version includes updated references and Internet links which have occurred since the original publication.)


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Grains finished sharply higher with corn and wheat leading the way. December corn finished 30 cents higher at $7.15 ¾, November soybeans up 17 ¾ at $13.79 ¾, and December wheat up 38 at $7.58 ¾.
A lot of new money seems to be flowing into grains. Corn appears to be trading a yield that is lower than last year's national average. Currently crop ratings are running at their 10 year averages for both corn and soybeans. Maybe the heat took more of a toll than what is expected, we will just have to wait to find out what yield ends up being. A private estimate from a "weather" service company lowered their expectations from 156.7 down to a 150 national average. We think this number is probably a little too aggressive at this point, especially since we are looking at crop ratings at their 10 year averages. We are very close to contract highs in December corn, and we made new settlement highs today. We wouldn't be surprised if they try to test the contract highs on the overnight session.
We can make the argument that this rally is completely based on yield and not just money coming into the market, but that doesn't explain why Sept wheat was up 47 cents today as well. Despite the stock market being sharply lower today, and the dollar sharply higher, they still wanted to take grains higher. Even crude oil couldn't hold support today.
The economic numbers haven't necessarily been supportive to demand. Exports have been running 3-4% lower from a year ago levels in Brazil over June/July. With a huge crop last year in Brazil, bad crush margins in China, and the Chinese government releasing stock piles, soybean demand is looking weaker. Chinese imports have been estimated to be all the way down to 51 MMTs, which was thought to be as high as 58 MMTs earlier this year.
For corn we are still seeing demand destruction at these levels. Ethanol numbers have stayed strong on the monthly S&D numbers, but running behind pace on the weekly numbers. We have seen a lot of wheat fed in place of corn, and situations of poor margins for feeding cattle. We can talk about the demand numbers all we want, but right now the market is 100% focused on supply, which is fine, at this time in the year that is to be expected. FC stone's private estimates came out today at a yield of 153.2 for corn and 42.4 for soybeans. We have heard other estimates running much lower than this for corn, and with analysts with guesses between 145-155 yields, that is all the market is going to care about at the moment. It is import to realize that we are trading $7 corn because the market is factoring in these yields. For the market to continue to rally from yield reductions we have to keep reducing the yields even lower. Another thing to consider is even if they do end up being that low at the end of the year, there is a real risk that the USDA August report comes out closer to 160, as they use count population and average test weight. Basically there is a potential for the August 11th report to disappoint the longs.
Until the market is more comfortable with what yield is, it doesn't seem to want to break. We want to remain in sustainable positions, and stay well hedged at these levels. Please call your broker if you need additional coverage or want to go over your current position. We have option strategies available that can cover a larger amount of bushels with a minimum bushel level of upside margin exposure.
Best Regards,
For a free trial of EHedger services including the morning automated phone call, daily afternoon market commentary, and/or a free consultation, please contact EHedger at 866-433-4371. You can also visit us at www.EHedger.com.
Trading commodity futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. The market information contained in this message has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as to its accuracy or completeness. Market information may not be consistent with current or future market positions of EHedger LLC, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, or agents.

subset: commoncrawl


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Abu Bashir says: When I asked Imam Jaffar Sadik:"O son of the Messenger of Allah (saas)! Who is the Qaim of your Ahl al-Bayt?" he replied: ... HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL (SPIRITUALLY) CONQUER THE WORLD, the Prophet Jesus (as) son of Mary will pray behind him. AT THAT TIME THE WORLD WILL BE ILLUMINATED BY THE LIGHT OF ALLAH, AND EVERYWHERE IN WHICH AND EVERYWHERE IN WHICH BEINGS OTHER THAN ALLAH ARE WORSHIPPED WILL BECOME PLACES WHERE ALLAH IS WORSHIPED; AND EVEN IF THE POLYTHEISTS DO NOT WISH IT, THE ONLY FAITH ON THAT DAY WILL BE THE RELIGION OF ALLAH."(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 51, p. 146)
The Prophet (saas) said to Hazrat Ali (ra): "YOU ARE THE FIRST, AND THE LAST IS HAZRAT MAHDI (AS), UPON WHOM ALLAH WILL BESTOW THE (SPIRITUAL) CONQUEST OF THE ENTIRE WORLD." (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 378)
HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL (SPIRITUALLY) CONQUER THE EAST AND WEST OF THE WORLD AND BRING ISLAM(Islamic moral values) TO RULE ACROSS THE WORLD… Almighty Allah will give people such a power that everyone will hear his voice from where they are, and HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL GIVE LIFE TO ISLAM…(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 279 and Vol. 53, p. 12; Sheikh al-Saduq, Kamal al-Din, Vol. 2, p. 367)
"Those who act in haste will be destroyed, those who say his [Hazrat Mahdi's (as)] coming is imminent will be saved, and this is rooted like the ramparts of a tower. A GREAT (SPIRITUAL) CONQUEST WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER SORROW."(Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 229)


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England v Australia, November 17
Flood queries 'pretty wingers' jibe
ESPN Staff
November 14, 2012
Toby Flood looks set to keep his fly-half shirt for the Australia clash © PA Photos
Toby Flood has laughed off Australian winger Digby Ioane's "pretty wingers" jibe and has called on his side to start the Test better than they did against Fiji.
Chris Ashton looks set to return to England's starting XV after Ugo Monye was released back to Harlequins for club duty. And Ioane said yesterday that he was relishing the chance to come up against England's "pretty wingers", a claim that Flood has questioned.
"I don't really know who he could be talking about," Flood laughed. "Is he talking about Charlie Sharples with his bean head or Chris Ashton with his see-through skin? I can see what he means about Ugo Monye, to be fair. He is an attractive man.
"The Aussies have got some lookers too. I have got my own scoring system, I will do it at home."
Flood is likely to retain his fly-half spot for Saturday's Test against the Wallabies and he is wary of the threat the Australians pose despite their heavy loss to France last weekend.
Flood is unsure whether the Paris result is an accurate reflection of the state of Australian rugby given the Wallabies drew 18-18 with New Zealand before they left for Europe. But he is certain that the best way for England to expose any cracks that do exist in the Australia camp is to hit them hard, right from the outset.
"Whether Australia are unstable or not as a side is an interesting one because I don't trust the result against France," Flood said. "The anomaly of France winning 33-6 is similar to Australia putting 50 points on the French two years ago. Both sides have the ability to do a lot of damage.
"I see them as a side that went 18-18 with New Zealand. Of course, they have had a few issues and the injuries will have had an impact on the continuity of the side. We will look to get an ascendancy in the first 20 minutes and drive home our advantage because if we can turn the screw in the first 20 minutes then it will make a big impact."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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You all have blown me away! Do you see that meter on the left? Take a look at it. This morning the goal was to raise $750. You blew that out of the water. You all raised enough money to feed an entire orphanage for a whole month! And you did this in less than 2 days. I can't thank you enough. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart. I am rejoicing for all of the children who will go to bed with full tummies because of what you have done. I am writing this through tears because I am so overwhelmed with your generosity and the enormity of it all.
But, somehow, I just can't seem to think that we are done. I'm raising the bar. Let's feed the entire orphanage for 2 months! I know that it is a lofty goal, but I know that together we can do it! Now the chip-in meter will have a goal of $1500. We have one month to do it. I KNOW you all will come through! I'm throwin' down the gauntlet. If you have thought about giving and haven't- it's not too late. If you've been thinking about giving and haven't because you can only spare a dollar- know that your dollar will feed a child for 4 days and that is HUGE! I can't tell you how much of an impact every single dollar makes. Please click the "chip-in" button and give what you can.
I have been so humbled at the people who have given money to help. Family have donated. Friends have donated. Complete strangers have donated. Families in the middle of their own adoptions have donated. Some have been big, some have been small. Every single dollar matters. I know that if people traveling to the orphanages before me hadn't done this exact same thing, that my son, my sweet precious baby would be hungry right now. My mother's heart can hardly stand to think about it. But hunger is a reality that 5 million orphans live with every single day.
When you think of 5 million orphans, it is daunting. But, you all, ONE of those children is mine. ONE of those children is my friend Jodi's. ONE of those children is my friend Chantal's. ONE of those children is my friend Jamey's. ONE of those children is my friend Amanda's. ONE of those children is my friend Debbie's. I could go on like this for pages and pages. The point is this: every single one of those children matters. They all deserve love. They all deserve a family. They all deserve to eat. They all deserve a chance.
Please keep helping. Please keep giving. Please keep sharing this challenge with friends in any way that you can. In changing the life of a child, you can change an entire family. And when you change an entire family, you can change an entire village. And when you change and entire village, you can change an entire country. Every single one of us has the power to do something amazing here. Will you do it? Will you help? I hope that you will.
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The wait is almost over.
Come Sunday, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" fans will finally learn the gender of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's baby.
"In the first episode," Khloe Kardashian Odom promised Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on Wednesday while chatting up the premiere of the show's eighth season on "Today."
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's road to baby
But Khloe revealed that quite some time actually elapsed before it was known whether Kim was having a boy or a girl.
"It was crazy because we went to three different doctor appointments and the baby kept sitting, like, Indian-style," she said. "So we couldn't tell the sex and it was frustrating, so we were so happy to finally find out."
Unfortunately, Kanye wasn't around when the moment of truth occurred.
"He was at all the previous ones where we couldn't find out the sex of the baby," Khloe said. "So that was just the one he wasn't at. But we were videotaping it on our iPhones and everything...I think he had a concert."
In other words, there's no trouble in paradise.
"They're great," assured Khloe. "He's in L.A. now with Kim and they're great."
Tune in to the season premiere of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on Sunday, June 2 at 9 p.m. on E!
PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian's baby bump pics
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


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The Insurance Consumer Advocate represents the public in a wide range of public forums that include: health care panels, public hearings, rate filings, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Working Groups, and statutorily appointed boards or task forces as identified below: (Dates of meetings and sub-committees are scheduled weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.)
Florida Workers' Compensation Joint Underwriting Association (FWCJUA) — Created in section 627.311(4), Florida Statutes, the FWCJUA provides workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance to applicants who are required by law to maintain workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance but who are unable to purchase this insurance through the admitted voluntary market.
Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) — Created in section 626.921, Florida Statutes, the FSLSO is a self-regulating organization whose purpose is promoting a stable, efficient and financially strong surplus lines insurance market in Florida.
Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology (FCHLPM) — Created in section 627.0628, Florida Statutes, the FCHLPM is a board of experts who provide the most actuarially sophisticated guidelines and standards for the projection of hurricane losses.
Florida Workers' Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association (FWCIGA) — Created in section 631.911, Florida Statutes, the FWCIGA provides a source of funds for insureds whose insurance companies become insolvent.
Florida Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (Appeals Board) — Created in section 627.291(2), Florida Statutes, the Appeals Board provides individuals an independent review of the employers' classification code assigned to them by an insurance company for the purpose of establishing their workers' compensation rate.


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Source Naturals Coenzymated™ B-6
In order for vitamins to be utilized by the body, they must first be converted into their active coenzyme forms. This more potent Coenzymated™ B-6 in its active form and ready to go work immediately. Pyridoxal-5''-Phosphate (PLP or P-5''-P) is the main metabolically active coenzyme form of vitamin B-6. It is primarily in the liver that P-5''-P is synthesized from pyridoxine, with the help of enzymes that require B-2, zinc and magnesium for their activity. P-5''-P activates over 100 enzymes, many of which are involved in the conversion of amino acids into the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. P-5''-P is also required for the synthesis of the hemoglobin molecule and plays an important role in regulating homocysteine levels.


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And then there's Noah...Noah has been relatively tame these last few weeks. But he came flying down the stairs the other day, really complaining of an ear ache. I immediately thought he must be getting an ear infection so I asked him if it hurt way down in his ear. He said, "No, it only hurts behind my ear on the outside." This sounded a little weird to me so I asked him what happened to his ear. And in true Noah fashion he replied, "Well, some very small animals climbed up to my ear and they drew triangles and rectangles on it and it hurt really bad! Have these small, shape drawing animals visited any one else lately? Not sure if we should call animal control or Ripley's Believe It Or Not to come in and take care of our small animal problem.
The same day I posted about Miles' shae butter lotion, we had a little incident. Okay- we had a BIG incident. Somehow Noah sneaked the container of cream from right under our noses. He grabbed the tub that was the Crisco like solid. Evidently he felt like the family that lives in our dollhouse needed a good lubing. As well as the floors of the dollhouse which even after repeated scrubbing are still so slick the dolls could ice skate on it. This poor man, his daughter and their dog may never recover. It looks like they got creamed by the Stay-Puffed Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters.
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Marketers are no longer asking if they should be active in social media. They understand that user-generated content such as ratings and reviews are required elements of a comprehensive location-based search program.
These days, it's a question of how to get the most impact out of a social media program.
With the right social media strategy, you can communicate directly with your customers, create engaging discussion topics, and help your marketing go viral.
Social media can also boost the prominence of your online brand-awareness and organically propel your business locations to the top of local search results.
The fast-evolving social media landscape can be a confusing place for marketers these days, however, as the array of choices grows almost daily: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Groupon, Flickr and Foursquare, just to name a few, and recently Facebook Deals and other new social networking ventures have joined the frenzy for local businesses' marketing dollars.
As interactive marketing options become increasingly complex, so do the criteria requirements for search engine optimization. Due to recent changes in Google algorithms, SEO is now aimed at delivering more relevant and personalized information to searchers.
Many marketers aren't exactly sure how and where to focus their online efforts. To achieve the highest ROI, they must keep up with a rapidly changing environment.
If you're responsible for marketing a national brand, you know how important it is to have your locations rank prominently in geo-specific searches. This is especially true for multi-location businesses such as restaurants, retail and hotel chains.
An active social media program will make your business locations more prominent in sources across the web, and prominence is a primary factor used by Google in local search rankings. Here are six tips that will help you achieve that goal:
- Build a fan base on Facebook. Forty percent of Facebook users also follow a brand. More than half of these Facebook users will move on to purchase that brand. Facebook 'likes' are a speed-marketing tool that virally spread brand awareness by delivering information to the news feeds of everyone befriended by your brand fans.
- Use Twitter to keep in touch with customers. One in four Twitter users follows a brand, and 67 percent of those brand-followers will end up purchasing that specific brand. Your Tweets should engage consumers by providing them with helpful information about your business and services. Special offers are a great way to grab the attention of Twitter followers.
- Encourage customers to rate and review your business. Yelp users wrote 6 million reviews in 2010, and the local search site is on track for 9 million in 2011, according to a Mashable report. Consumers love online reviews because they can see what others really think about a product or service before making a decision to buy. Reviews on socially interactive sites such as Yelp improve your search engine rankings and drive free web traffic.
- Leverage the power of YouTube in local search results. Embedded videos in Google Place Pages, websites, and social profile pages can showcase your products and services while putting a human face on your business.
- Use group-buying sites such as Groupon or LivingSocial. During hard economic times, subscription to coupon sites such as these have never been more prevalent. Promoting deals to these huge subscriber bases can be a fast and easy way to create buzz and spread the word about your business without advertising.
- Give customers promotional incentives to share information online. Branded "Share for Rewards" programs can encourage consumers to share offers with their friends via Facebook, IM, and other web channels in exchange for discounts on products or services.
By creating an engaging social media program, you can make it easy for your customers to find your local business and more importantly, talk about it online. The result will be incredible ROI that will amplify your web marketing, generate calls and appointments and boost long-term brand awareness. What are you waiting for?


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Sculpture park and leisure zone photos from Thenmala eco tourism project, Kerala/ India. What you can expect here is sculptures blended into the green extravaganza of the tropical tropical dense forest, in this small valley village of western ghats. The leisure zone and sculpture garden is beside the Thenmala dam, the Irrigation-hydro electric dam of Kollam district / Kerala. The main attractions of the leisure zone and sculpture park are, as the names implies sculptures and interesting resting points inside the forest outskirts of Schenthurinny wildlife sanctuary beside the dam.
Nature trails, board walks, hanging bridge across the river stream that continues from the dam spillway etc are other attractions. The sculptures of animals, cosmic flying men, depiction of ideas and thoughts, mythical characters like Vikramaditya and vethala, lord shiva, parasurama the Hindu avatar of God etc are arranged in various points of this sculpture park. We have to walk through the eco nature trail to have a sight of these sculptures and in the middle there are nicely designed, stepped resting platforms inside forest. The resting points are vast enough for a group of 50 to 60 tourists to be seated together and can have some leisurely activities in between your tour trip.
The signboard of leisure zone, showing deterioration with that missing 'i' in tourism. We visited the adventure zone before being here by 5:30pm of the day. It will be better to visit the adventure zone before leisure zone in-case you are here after 4 pm as adventure zone will be closing by 5:30 pm whereas leisure zone by 6:30pm.
Leisure zone is much near to the tourist facilitation centre from where you have to get the entry tickets and directions to various spots of this Kerala's eco tourism project area.
Nature Trails @ Sculpture park, Thenmala
This is the way you have to start your walk into the forest, don't be hesitated, various people and animals who can't move for their entire life waiting to see you there, if i missed the knack, was mentioning the sculptures. of sculpture garden. The bamboo like fencing of the pathway is made of concreate pillars. To blend in to the trees painted and shaped them to look alike bamboos. The walking path is designed like water ripples like concrete plastering for grip.
Various bamboo erected tourist information boards can also be seen around inside the forest. If you are a nature lover or nature tourist am sure you gonna read all those info boards. Interesting facts regarding our forests and birds are written in those boards for you. What happened with us was, we were in a hurry to finish our walk as it was already late and sunset is nearing. And before the park closes we had to walk and see the sculptures and other attractions, skipping all those nature info boards.
Cave Man sculpture @ leisure zone
The cave man peeping his visitors from his rock cave, a sculpture seen in the leisure park while walking along the nature trails. Don't know why is he, the sculpture given color red. The cave obviously is built artificially with rocks and cement.
Sculptures of Conferencing Men
Blue-men sculptures in a conference, lightened under a candle flame. Thoughts about the sculptures can be seen around in small metal planks. You can read them to know what the sculptor exactly meant with the castings after having your own thoughts about it.
Small elephant sculptures and a small pond built inside the forest of leisure zone in Thenmala. As it was getting late and we inside the forest trees its was getting darker around. Walking alone inside the sculpture park forests, won't be a good feeling unless you like loneliness, coz it can be so alone in there with much only trees and sculptures. Instead if you are a group of enthusiastic travelers or nature lovers you can get the most out of the place.
The photos inside forest came out a little dark and blurry, for ma cellphone's eyes are a little night blind. Low light shots often gives blurry snaps.
Meditating man in Forest
A meditating man with butterflies on his body. The sculpture has distant similarity to Lord Buddha. If you are checking out yourself there you may not find the word meditating anywhere around the sculpture, but something else in the sculpture info board. Meditation is what i felt seeing the sculpture. Deep Meditation may have made him unaware of those butterflies sitting in his body.
This man among the sculptures is placed somewhere lonely along the forest trail and sometime you may see it only when you reach very closer, especially if sunset is nearing. What stands out in this sculpture is those butterfly paintings that seemed glowing in the darkness.
Man and Woman sculptures
Sculpture of a woman and man seen inside the forest. They were appearing in green color, may be due to the moss gathered from heavy downpour these days in Kerala.
The sculpture of this man and woman is made in body size proportions of real humans. You can see sculptures of various sizes in this sculpture garden of this eco tour zone. From tree big sculptures to small dwarf ones in various shapes based on variety of ideas.
Vikramaditya and Vethala Big Sculpture
This is one of those big sculptures seen in the park of Thenmala. Covered by the tree shade it was looking as a part of the nature around. From the stories we may have heard in our childhood the idea of this sculpture is taken, the very characters of Vikramaditya and Vethala.
Other sculptures you may witness are Parashurama, lord Shiva, sculptures about nature, cosmic life and a series of dancing woman sculptures depicting various mudras of Mohiniyattom- the famous art form of Kerala. Another one was a father and son sitting by the forest bench watching the nature. You can sit with them and take some interesting photos if willing.
Ticket Rates and Working Times of Thenmala Eco tourism Leisure Zone
- Entry fee for Adults is INR 30/- and Child INR 20.
- Working Time of Leisure Zone is from 11am to 6:30 pm, alike the Adventure zone its also expected to be working on all days.
The leisure zone with sculpture garden, board walk, swaybridge, nature pathways, resting points etc is just 450 metres away from the tourist facilitation centre, where you have to get the entry tickets. Leisure zone is beside the Thenmala-Trivandrum route.
Dont have any idea about the sculpture maker who worked on these park sculptures. Guessing to be some commercial sculpture makers in Kerala. The famous sculpture of Kerala Kanai Kunjiraman, has his sculpture works like Yakshy, Malsya kanyaka (mermaid) etc placed in most prominent tourism spots of kerala like the Malampuzha Dam and Shankumukham. Various growing sculpturs are in and around Kerala and their works are seen in many parks and importanat tour spots of Kerala. The Beach of Kollam has a small sculpture park in front with a huge mermaid sculpture and various other small sculptures. Will be giving you those photos soon as possible.
Many hotels and tour operators of Kerala and of-course in Kollam district have this eco-tourism spot included in their tour packages. When we visited Varkala beaches all the beach hotels and resorts were having Thenmala listed along with the backwaters of Kollam in their tour package info.With another post will be winding up Thenmala eco tourism series by providing you, the eco tour project map. Hope to see you soon back here in this Kerala Tour photo blog, by pixelshots


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Grab Colorado's summer while you can
Summer has turned its corner.
Oh, sure, we'll have more hot days. Into the 90s this weekend and beyond. But they can't win. Just yesterday morning I pulled on a fleece jacket for my early-morning walk. Testing for dryness, I stuck fingers into dirt still cool and moist from a days-old rain. I've watched the sun slip behind the mountains' cloud banks earlier each time I drive home in the evening, and I know that soon, the farm-stand vendors will have to break out the woolen hats and gloves for their early-morning shifts.
And I'm only just now seeing red in my cherry tomato patch. Lots of little green marble-sized fruit, but the ripening has barely begun.
A Colorado summer always flies too fast for me, that mere handful of weeks between freezing and sweltering, between praying for rain, then dodging hail, then running outside at midnight to shield against the frost. It seems as though only the most vigorous things can outrun it — obstreperous zucchini, bounteous beans, blithe sunflowers — like this dark, sultry beauty a co-worker dropped at my desk. We don't even know its name or which seed packet spawned it.


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2405 N. Interstate 35e
Directions Waxahachie, TX 75165
Trucks and SUVs for Sale in Waxahachie
Here at Waxahachie Dodge Chrysler Jeep, our team members understand that the automotive tastes of our Waxahachie, DeSoto, Duncanville, Mansfield and Grand Prairie area customers vary greatly. That's why, when it comes to shopping with us, you can rely on our team to keep our showroom fully stocked with a multitude of cars, trucks and SUVs.
Whether you have your heart set on a rugged pickup, spacious family hauler or an all-American sports car, our team is here to get you in to the driver's seat of your absolute dream car. Fortunately, with such a selection of vehicles to choose from, finding the perfect vehicle for your needs is easier than ever.
Financing and Leasing Programs that Fit Within Your Needs
When it comes to financing, our team has got you covered. Our financing associates are as knowledgeable as they are friendly and are more than ready to put their number savviness to work for you. With a variety of lease and financing programs available, our team is here to ensure that the car of your choosing is well within your budget.
Ready to start shopping for your next car? Then stop by our showroom and explore our selection of new Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles. Conveniently located in Waxahachie, TX and just a short distance away from DeSoto, Duncanville, Mansfield and Grand Prairie, we look forward to welcoming you in to our showroom soon.
* MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle. It does not include any taxes, fees or other charges. Pricing and availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including options, dealer added accessories, specials, fees, and financing qualifications. Consult your dealer for actual price and complete details. Vehicles shown may have optional equipment at additional cost.
* The estimated selling price that appears after calculating dealer offers is for informational purposes, only. You may not qualify for the offers, incentives, discounts, or financing. Offers, incentives, discounts, or financing are subject to expiration and other restrictions. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.
* In transit means that vehicles have been built, but have not yet arrived at your dealer. Images shown may not necessarily represent identical vehicles in transit to your dealership. See your dealer for actual price, payments and complete details.


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Lincoln Road Runners Tuesday Night Run and Walk
Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Coffee Culture, Gerald St, Lincoln
Lincoln Road Runners Tuesday Night Run and Walk on Tuesday, 26 February 2019 is a weekly 3km or 6km fun run starting and finishing at Coffee Culture on Gerald St.
Registration is from 5.40pm and costs a gold coin donation; the first runners start at 6.00pm.
This is a great community event that provides locals with an opportunity to take part in a low key local race with like-minded others. Runners and walkers will be given a number and be timed around the course. Groups will leave in intervals depending on the distance being run and ability.
Tuesday Night Run
- Next in series (5 March 2019)
- Previous in series (19 February 2019)


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#private student loans bad credit
Private Loans for Graduates
The PNC Solution Loan is a private loan offering a convenient way to pay for college after you have exhausted your federal loan options.
Who It's For: Graduate or professional students who are enrolled at least half time in a degree or certificate program
- Choose your interest rate option: variable or fixed rate
- No application or origination fees
- Get 0.50% off your rate with automated payments from your checking or savings account 1
- A co-signer release option is available after 48 consecutive on-time monthly payments 2
- Variable rate loan interest rates range from 3.49% to 10.44%
(APRs from 3.40% to 10.44%) 3
(APRs from 6.19% to 12.99%) 3
You must:
- be a graduate or professional student in a degree program
- be enrolled at least half time as determined by your school
You and your co-signer, if any, must:
- be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- have lived in the U.S. for the previous two years
- meet the credit guidelines listed below
- meet debt-to-income requirements
Credit Guidelines
When applying as creditworthy or with a creditworthy co-signer, you or your co-signer need:
- two years of satisfactory credit history, and two years of continuous income and/or employment history
- proof of current income
- if self-employed, to have been in business for at least two years
Considering Applying With a Co-signer?
- Applying with a creditworthy co-signer may increase your chances of approval.
If you have any questions, please contact our customer service center to speak with a student loan specialist at 1-800-762-1001. Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm Eastern time.
1 Get 0.50% off your interest rate with automated payments from your checking or savings account when making scheduled payments that include both principal and interest. If automatic payment is discontinued, you will no longer receive an automatic payment discount. A federal regulation limits the number of transfers that may be made from a savings or money market account. Please contact your financial institution for more information on transfer limitations on savings accounts.
2 A request to release a co-signer requires that you have made forty-eight (48) consecutive timely payments with no periods of forbearance or deferment within the forty-eight (48) month timeframe. "Timely payment" means each payment is made no later than the 15th day after the scheduled due date of the payment. "Consecutive payment" means the regularly scheduled monthly payment must be made for forty-eight (48) months straight without any interruption. To qualify for a co-signer release, the borrower must submit a request, meet the consecutive, timely payment requirements, provide proof of income and pass a credit check.
3 View important disclosure and repayment information for the PNC Solution Loan for Graduate Students. Creditworthy borrowers – annual loan maximum: $65,000; maximum aggregate educational debt (including federal and private student loans): $225,000. 4 Interest will continue to accrue during periods of deferment. You will receive quarterly interest statements during this deferment period. Paying the interest as it accrues each quarter will save you money over the repayment term of the loan because any accrued interest that you do not pay will be added to the principal balance at the end of the deferment period.
PNC reserves the right to discontinue any or all terms of this program at any time without notice. Loans may be sold to other financial organizations; however, the interest rate and term of the loan will not change if a loan is sold. PNC Solution Loans are subject to credit approval.


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"Like many of menswear's great inventions, the button-down collar came from sports uniform (Polo, to be precise). These shirts will see you through to most appointments in your week, many of which are much more intense than riding a speeding horse with a club on your hand. It all makes sense, doesn't it?"
Slim fit business casual non-iron button-down lilac shirt
6 month quality guarantee


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It is one of Orlando's oldest tourist attractions but its appeal has never waned. Since 1949 Brits have come to Gatorland time and time again – even David Attenborough himself has filmed here – so this year, I made it my mission to find out why.
The visit was part of a few days' stay in Kissimmee, an area which offers the best of both worlds in Florida's Sunshine State and is located just south of Orlando and is another true holiday hotspot.
In 2015 more than 550,000 British holidaymakers stayed in this area in what has become the vacation home capital of the world, not least because it is surrounded by a never ending listing of things to see and do.
I started my trip with alligators and fellow thrill-seekers at Gatorland. Not only did I test my nerve on the Screamin' Gator Zip Line at 56ft high and along a 1,200ft ride reaching speeds of up to 35 mph over gator packed swamp – which alone is pretty impressive – I even came face to face with the beasts whose existence dates back 66 million years.
The giant alligator is alive and not moving and I'm assured he's not hungry, but the experience still has a frisson of fear as I look at those powerful jaws.
With thousands of alligators, crocodiles, birds including flamingos, deer, turtles and a giant tortoise as well as bobcats and panthers and many more species there is a lot to see here and keep you occupied. There is even a mini water park where youngsters can cool off safely distanced from any reptiles.
But what I most enjoyed about being there was the feeling of peace and quiet of natural Florida. I could have spent hours watching birds such as white ibis fly in and out to their nests as I wandered the walkways in my own time.
The 100-acre park will also open a new attraction this autumn – Gator Joe's Stompin' Gator Off-Road Adventure – where you can ride through the swamplands on a 12ft high monster truck to spot wildlife in its natural habitat. Checkout gatorland.com
From Kissimmee it's just a short drive to the Disney parks, although a longer ride to Universal and SeaWorld, and a convenient way to stay for families who have the comfort of a large self-catering home with three, four, five or even more bedrooms, a private pool and, in many cases, communal facilities to enjoy either before or after visiting the attractions.
I've stayed here several times and it's a great location, although traffic along its main route to the parks – the busy 192 – can get congested at peak times.
Some of the most luxurious of those vacation homes that wouldn't be out of place as celebrity pads in Los Angeles with their impossibly glamorous kitchens and dining rooms, private cinemas and themed bedrooms for all tastes are on offer from Jeeves Florida Rentals – see jeevesfloridarentals.com
The exquisite homes I looked around were so beautiful that it seemed a shame to mar their beauty with day to day living! But for the chance to take my grandchildren to a house with beds that look like boats and a Mickey Mouse-shaped swimming pool, I'd get over my qualms.
If Disney is your thing then visit Celebration, a little town created by Walt's company in 1994 to be the perfect place to live with gorgeous homes along manicured avenues with not a blade of grass out of place. No longer owned by Disney it is nevertheless still gorgeous and a really interesting place to visit. It has quirky boutique shops, not least The Woof Gang Bakery for pets (of course), a fifties-style cinema and great dining.
For family entertainment Kissimmee has a lot to offer, but I can recommend a really fun outing at Medieval Times, a dinner show that transports you back to the time of knights in armour, jousting and maidens needing to be rescued. Eat with your fingers, which children love, and cheer for your favourite hero as you are entertained in the action-packed arena – medievaltimes.com
Top of many visitors' list of typically Floridian things to do is to take an airboat ride in the Central Florida Everglades. It's fast, it's thrilling and you can once again get up close and personal with those gators and see wildlife as wonderful as eagles and turtles in their natural habitat.
A great place to do this is at Wild Florida, on the banks of Cypress Lake which also has a wildlife park where you can see emus, zebras, watusi cattle, water buffalo and many more creatures. One of the cutest and most in demand for petting is the sloth who quite happily posed for photographs for me on my visit – facebook.com/Wildfloridairboats
But an equally thrilling way to take a look at what Kissimmee has to offer is to take an hour's balloon ride over the countryside in pure peace and quiet finishing with a glass of bubbly to toast the occasion. It's an early morning start and always weather permitting, but an unforgettable experience to see the Florida landscape of lakes, swamps and parts of the Disney area from on high – orlandoballoonrides.com
Another very thrilling first time experience for me was a night-time helicopter flight over Walt Disney World to get a very different perspective on Epcot's spectacular firework extravaganza IllumiNations Reflections of Earth that wows visitors every night.
With a glass of bubbly in our hands a friend and I were snugly seated in the back of the Max Flight helicopter behind our pilot to fly as near as regulations allow to the show. To see Disney laid out below us in all its lit up glory at night was absolutely fabulous. If you love flying of all varieties as I do, it's one experience to save up for - stunning. Find out more at facebook.com/MaxFlightheli
Central and South America has been a huge influence on the cuisine in this part of the USA. One of the most prestigious and stunning is the Columbia Restaurant specialising in Cuban food. Owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generation of the same family the Columbia brand is Florida's oldest with the original restaurant in Ybor City, Tampa opening in 1905.
The menu in Celebration has the same Spanish/Cuban highlights – try the trademark 1905 salad or the paella a la Valenciana – columbiarestaurant.com/celebration. The whole experience with amazingly attentive staff fits with the exclusive feel of Celebration itself.
It is also, however, a good destination for all the family and an especially safe place to go for a bike ride around the lake and trails or even take an audio-guided Segway tour.
There is a gorgeous boutique hotel here, but if you like your Florida hotel to literally give you 'everything' then head for the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate. This is an area with plenty of shops and facilities right on the doorstep of the theme parks with a complimentary shuttle to Walt Disney World – music to my ears!
Children love the wave pool and the lazy river and there's a spa, miniature golf and championship level golf over 36 holes.
A particular delight of my stay was a deliciously authentic Chinese meal with seemingly endless dishes to try at the fine dining restaurant Zen where there's also a sushi bar. You can eat Italian dishes at Trevi's and at other more casual locations at the resort, including with cocktails by one of the many pools – omnihotels.com/hotels/orlando-championsgate
Another stunning location to eat is in the 4.5acre glass atrium of the nearby Gaylord Palms Resort, so spacious it has its own waterways and lush gardens. Take your time over a succulent breakfast or Sunday brunch from Vila De Flora's chef's table while you sit in awe of your surroundings. The hotel also now has a new waterslide complex and FlowRider surf simulator as part of a £40 million upgrade – marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/mcogp-gaylord-palms-resort-and-convention-center
Discovering more of what Kissimmee has to offer was an eye-opener for me – it definitely isn't just a place for families. Staying here gives you the best of both worlds – theme park thrills combined with natural experiences and adventure.
Roller coaster enthusiasts will love the new wooden rollercoaster expected at Fun Spot America's Kissimmee theme park – www.fun-spot.com
The coaster is the only wooden coaster in the Southeast United States to include a barrel roll. The track is 2,256 feet long, 82 feet high with a top speed of 48.5 mph, featuring 11 instances of air time.
Pandora –The World of AVATAR at Animal Kingdom is the latest attraction to open at Walt Disney World this year. Visitors will be able to enjoy a flight simulator-based banshee experience and a boat ride through the mind-blowing landscapes of Pandora. Find out more at www.disneyworld.co.uk
At Universal this year an exciting tropical island-themed water park Volcano Bay has opened its doors and is a welcome addition to the existing two parks Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, www.universalorlando.co.uk
Summer is in full swing at SeaWorld Parks and Resort Orlando. Race through underwater canyons and the deep, dark hunting grounds of a legendary sea monster on Kraken Unleashed, a virtual reality roller coaster now open. Dolphin Days will entertain and inspire, while educating families about dolphins and their importance to our natural world. See baby dolphins in the Dolphin Nursery.
LEGOLAND Florida Resort has added LEGO Ninjago World, bringing to life LEGO's popular Ninjago line of toys and it's Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu television series. Kids will train to think, move, and be ninjas alongside Kai and Nya.
Visitors who feel the need for speed now have the chance to experience Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, just opened. The attraction will feature electronic go-karting, indoor adventures, arcade gaming, bowling, racing simulators, laser tag, and a full-service bar and restaurant.
iFLY Orlando Indoor Skydiving has a new home on International Drive. The new single-story facility features two all-glass wind tunnels and allows spectators to watch flyers in action.
Find out lots more from Experience Kissimmee the official website for tourism at experiencekissimmee.com
Find out more about what Florida has to offer at visitflorida.com


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"The students love the Fujitsu tablets and they really have found it easier to prepare for exams, which brings better results. The devices are now at the heart of our educational program"
Patrick Vigneron, IT Manager, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is a boarding and co-educational High School dedicated to the primacy of the spiritual in education. Founded in 1920 in the remote prairielands of central Canada, it is committed to helping its 300 students become purposeful leaders with virtuous character and a global mind-set.
Notre Dame wanted to modernize its approach to teaching by incorporating cutting edge technology into the everyday life of the school. It wanted to equip every teacher and student with a flexible, robust device that would transform the educational experience.
The school looked at other educational institutions and saw that the most successful examples had one thing in common: Fujitsu. Following an extensive research program, Notre Dame equipped 24 faculty members and 300 students with the Fujitsu LIFEBOOK® T732 Tablet PC.
Read the full Athol Murray College of Notre Dame case study (174 KB/A4, 2 pages)
Dela med andra


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Past Performances
- Sun, Jun 8, 2014 6:30 pm
- Sun, Jun 8, 2014 1:00 pm
- Sat, Jun 7, 2014 8:00 pm
- Sat, Jun 7, 2014 2:00 pm
- Fri, Jun 6, 2014 8:00 pm
- Thu, Jun 5, 2014 7:30 pm
About The Show
TURN UP THAT DIAL... From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love.
Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves -- filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, MEMPHIS , which played pre-Broadway at the La Jolla Playhouse, features a Tony®-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony®-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys). Get ready to experience Broadway's most exciting new destination~ what AP calls "The very essence of what a Broadway musical should be."
Group Sales: Charlotte Walton 505-344-1779 or [email protected]
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The sport of gymnastics can provide children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) access to a differentiated approach, which potentially can create a model program to meet each child's individual needs in a unique and effective manner. Gymnastics is a sport that provides an enriching environment filled with opportunities for sharpening the mind by stimulating the brain, fostering social skills, and strengthening gross and fine motor skills, while providing children with ASD an alternative method for learning and developing new skills.
Concentration or focus is required in each skill that is executed in the sport of gymnastics. Learning to focus in the gym can allow for increased attention to tasks outside of the sport of gymnastics. Children with ASD have the opportunity to develop the vestibular system and increase spatial awareness through various connections that the brain is building when performing routines on different apparatus that involve using various gymnastic skills. The sport of gymnastics provides a highly structured and organized environment in which a child with ASD is able to learn at his/her own pace. In addition to skills that initiate brain development, it is important to nurture and reinforce positive mental qualities. Some of the ways that this can be performed is through modeling gymnastics elements, taking advantage of teachable moments, and providing positive reinforcement aligned with instruction.
As children with ASD continue to develop their social skills, they transition from home to school settings and other environments (e.g. gym) where they begin to experience a wide range of opportunities to communicate. All of these interactions will have a substantial impact on the language and speech development of each child with ASD. Interaction with other teammates and coaches allows for increased appropriate use of paralinguistic behaviors such as taking turns, listening and following directions, making verbal requests, and making eye contact with peers.
The sport of gymnastics provides a sensory-rich environment while simultaneously using physical exercise to develop fine and gross motor skills in children with ASD. Gross motor skills (i.e. running, climbing, jumping) and fine motor skills (i.e. manipulating a hula hoop) are developed through gymnastics skills such as running and jumping on the springboard into the foam pit, climbing a rope, and other related activities.
Gymnastics also provides a learning environment for children with ASD by providing creative approaches for teaching each child new skills. Gymnastics instructors can organize and shape each learning opportunity to correlate with each child's targeted learning goal(s) while allowing for additional exploratory time. In gymnastics, it is important to allow children time to feel comfortable with the skill before they attempt to execute it (i.e., one child may approach the end of the beam and jump cautiously, where another child may take quick steps with no hesitation when jumping). Each child is provided with a tailor-made learning environment which allows the instructor to adapt and modify the program based on the child's individual needs.
Gymnastics programs can potentially aid in providing a functional and invaluable learning environment for children with ASD. Therefore, it is advantageous for parents and professionals to collaborate in defining, planning, and implementing participation in recreational activities (Potvin, Prelock & Snider, 2008). Gymnastics gives children with ASD an opportunity to experience the joys of success through their individual achievements, or from the success of their teammates. Moving therapy to the gym could provide immeasurable opportunities for children with ASD, and promote generalization of learned skills to his/her natural environment.
Potvin, M.C., Prelock, P.A. & Snider, L. (2008). Collaborating to support meaningful participation in recreational activities of children with autism spectrum disorder. Topics in Language Disorders, 28(4), 365-374. Retrieved from: http://www.uvm.edu/~pprelock/articles/Potvin%20Prelock%20Snider%20Collab%20Support%20Recreational%20Activities%20Children%20ASD.pdf
Jourdan Saunders, M.S, CF-SLP, received her Master's degree at Loyola University in Maryland. She is currently completing her Clinicial Fellowship year in the Miami Dade County Public School System in Florida. She is the creator of the website, Futureslps.com and has a blog that is linked to her website. She created the website to provide resources, inspiration and motivation for individuals who have chosen to major in the field of Speech Language Pathology. Futureslps.com is directed towards students, but anyone can benefit from the resources provided on the site. Jourdan has a gymnastics background of 23 years, she is looking forward to developing gymnastics programs for children with special needs.


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Much to the chagrin of locals, Bourbon St and its associated partying and debauchery are often one of the first associations tourists have with the city. It's a common destination—perhaps all too common—and it can sometimes trump the plethora of other music and activities the city has to offer. One of those beloved local attractions is just past the edge of the French Quarter in the Marigny—Frenchmen St.
Frenchmen St is a strip of music venues, restaurants and bars that runs in a diagonal between Esplanade Ave (at the eastern edge of the French Quarter) and Elysian Fields Ave in the neighborhood known as the Faubourg Marigny. Considered an artsy district with more alternative-styled inhabitants than other neighborhoods in the city, the Marigny is the perfect setting for the crowds that frequent Frenchmen St.
Music venues are the main draw to this iconic New Orleans street, and Frenchmen St is home to some of the best music you'll find in the city. Looking for traditional jazz? Check out the small but intimate settings of the Three Muses or the Spotted Cat or the table-seated environment of SnugHarbor, a popular tourist destination. More interested in brass bands, funk or anything else you can dance to? Try the Blue Nile, Maison or Café Negril.
You'll find a great selection of food on Frenchmen as well. 13 Monaghan is a late-night hotspot that serves a variety of bar foods like sandwiches, pizzas, breakfast foods and their signature tater tachos—tater tots smothered in black beans, jalapenos and cheddar cheese. For a more upscale menu, you can visit the Marigny Brasserie for lunch and dinner. And of course, several of the music venues offer food choices as well, such as bar food at Maison and Mexican at Café Negril.
If you're looking for a more authentic NOLA experience—one that locals would highly recommend—visit Frenchmen St on your next trip.