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Ahead of Oscar Sunday, with reports of award show boycotts in response to President Trump's controversial new policies towards the transgender community, naturally, the conversation turned to politics almost immediately on Thursday evening inside Beverly Hills' Beverly Wilshire hotel, where Essence celebrated its 10th annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards.
"In this political time, I think it's important to seek out those that are like us and going through similar experiences so that we don't have to feel alone," said How to Get Away with Murder and The Birth of a Nation actress Aja Naomi King. "Events like this, nights like this, where we get to celebrate one another and hold on to each other, it reminds you that this is not the end."
King, visibly emotional, was being honored with the Lincoln Shining Star Award at the event, which also recognized the work of actress and musician Janelle Monáe (Breakthrough Award), Insecure creator and actress Issa Rae (Vanguard Award) and Yara Shahidi (Generation Next Award), known for her role as Zoey Johnson, the teenage daughter in ABC's Black-ish.
"I came to take a picture with you," grinned her TV mother and recent Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross. After dashing past reporters, Ross had made her way back to the event's red carpet to pose with the young actress. They hugged and exchanged murmurs.
"Did I have lipstick on my teeth that whole time?" Shahidi asked, addressing her publicist after the photo op. She raised her eyebrows then shrugged. "Because Tracee said I had lipstick in my teeth." Nothing like a television-induced maternal instinct.
If she did, few had noticed. "This is really surreal!" she exclaimed of the night's recognition before being pulled away for more photos.
But back to politics.
"Trans rights are women's rights," Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox could be heard saying further down the carpet.
Later, when asked about her boldness to speak out on transgender issues, she said, quoting Oprah: "I don't think I'm special, I've just answered the call of the dream. I understand that this is way bigger than me."
It's important for everybody to have a voice, chimed in Insecure's Yvonne Orji. "And not just because we have someone who's trying to keep immigrants out of the country," she added. "It only makes stories more rich. It's a melting pot, that's what the world looks like, not just what America looks like. It's important for those stories to be reflected on the big screen, small scene, in art all around.
"We have Hidden Figures, we have Moonlight, Fences," she continued, listing off Best Picture nominations. "I saw Loving and that was really good. I don't envy the voters."
The event's host, Gabrielle Union, made note of last year's #OscarsSoWhite backlash. "There's a billion of brown people and each person has a story to tell. The stories that make it to Hollywood should be reflective of the billions of people that are on this planet not just, you know, a few."
The award ceremony, presented by The Lincoln Motor Company and set to air on OWN, also brought out Viola Davis, up for Best Supporting Actress for Fences, as well as Common, Tyrese Gibson, and Pharrell Williams, who's up for an Oscar as a producer of Hidden Figures, the highest-grossing Best Picture nominee of the year with $140 million to date.
"It's breaking records," added Union before heading inside. "These are stories people want to see."
Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Amy Adams, and More Stars of the Year's Best Films Get Really, Really Into "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor


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Welcome to My Website
I'm Farin Powell, author of The Judge, Roxana's Revolution and Two Weddings and a Piece of Heaven.
About the AuthorFarin Powell practices law in Washington, D.C. In addition to many legal publications, she has published short stories and poems in various literary magazines and poetry anthologies. She is also the author of the book of poetry A Piece of Heaven and novels Two Weddings, Roxana's Revolution and The Judge
My newest novel The Judge is out. Please check it out on amazon.com.
The Judge has sold more than 10,000 copies during January-March 2017 period. It has received more than 218 reviews on amazon, and many on GoodRead.
About my newest book, The Judge
Three ex-convicts, whose lives have been ruined by harsh sentences of Judge Walter McNeil, conspire to seek revenge. Out for retribution, they kidnap, and then torture the Judge. The lead kidnapper who was involved in the disappearance of the judge's daughter four years earlier, also has another plan—to remove the Judge from presiding over the triple murder case where his nephew is a co-defendant. He constructs a plan hoping to get the judge convicted and sent to jail for a long time. This creates a twisted web that connects the lives of both the criminals and the judge himself. Amanda Perkins, a savvy criminal defense attorney and Aristo Manfredi, a crafty detective who has a crush on her team up to unravel the clues and free the Judge.
My novel Roxana's Revolution is out. Please check it out on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com
Has received Editor's Choice Award
"The writing is rich and literate in style, painting a fascinating word portrait...a humanist depth in the way the author portrays the title character's global journey...successfully engaging the reader's interest in wanting to know what will happen next."
—Judge, Writer's Digest's 21st Annual Self-Published Book Awards
"An ambitious novel of an Iranian woman's personal and professional struggles during a time of war and unrest…Powell does a good job of capturing the intense emotions of a very dramatic time…a captivating plot with a well-developed protagonist."
—Kirkus Reviews
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading Roxana's Revolution, a gripping story of individuals caught in events both inexplicable and out of control. We see the characters pulled between desire for something better for their beloved homeland and the growing knowledge that even worse is waiting for them, their friends, and their families. Eventually reality overwhelms, as it always does, even the most fervent hopes."
—John Limbert
"Few American readers are familiar with the Iranian side of the 1979 crisis, and this is an eye-opening look at a country in turmoil."
—Publishers Weekly
About my book, Roxana's Revolution
When the media frenzy over the hostage crisis of 1979 worsens and anti-Iranian sentiment surges all over the United States, Roxana, a Wall Street attorney, has no choice but to return to Iran. During a stop in Paris, she reunites with her two childhood friends and meets Steve Radcliff, an American reporter with a tenacious attraction to her. Back in Tehran, where circumstances are nothing less than volatile, Roxana learns that revolutions, while exciting and historic on the pages of a book are painful to endure. As one crisis after other spins out of control, the government imposes wearing of a mandatory veil. This harsh revolutionary rule and Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran diminish Roxana's hope to have a normal life. She rejects Steve's marriage proposal and refuses to leave Iran with him. But a near- death experience and loss of her freedom in a border- sealed Iran propel her to enter a marriage doomed from its inception.In this novel, an Iranian woman's life comes full circle as she takes a journey through Europe, and back to the United States, where she senses that the ghost of the hostage crisis still lingers. A dire situation leads Roxana back to Paris where a life-altering surprise is waiting for her.With her green card application now suspended, Roxana has no choice but to return to Iran with her two childhood friends, Lili and Nina. During a quick stop in Paris, Roxana meets Steve Radcliff, an American reporter with a tenacious attraction to her. She then continues on to Tehran, where circumstances are nothing less than volatile. As one crisis after other spins out of control, the government imposes a mandatory veil that diminishes Roxana's attempt to have a normal life. After she endures a near-death experience and loses her freedom in a border-sealed Iran, a desperate Roxana decides to enter into a marriage doomed from its inception.In this novel, an Iranian woman's life comes full circle as she takes a journey through Europe, Holland, and back to the United States, where she is offered a life-altering surprise.
About my book, Two Weddings
After she dies and arrives in Heaven, Catherine discovers that life is still a mystery and full of hidden surprises.
Catherine, a florist in San Francisco, and David, a doctor from New York City, both die of a heart attack on the same day in the same hospital. They meet in Heaven, and together befriend an angel named Oliver who occasionally allows them to observe certain events on Earth. Catherine is particularly worried about her daughter, Sarah, a wedding planner who seems to have lost her way. She asks Oliver to let her speak to Sarah in her dreams, hoping that the dreams will end Sarah's mourning.
Her new friend, David, has his own concerns about his son, Dan. After learning more about Dan, Catherine is convinced that she has found a perfect match for Sarah. Dan lives in New York City and is trying to extricate himself from a broken marriage, but Rachel, his actress wife, won't give him a divorce.
Catherine and David convince Oliver to arrange for their children to meet. After two failed attempts, Oliver finally succeeds and Sarah and Dan fall in love—but their road to happiness holds many obstacles yet.
A secret revealed to Catherine shatters her new world in Heaven. Only time will reveal whether there will be a happy ending for Catherine and Sarah.
Website Content ©2009 by Farin Powell | firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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If you've ever experienced the inconvenience of arriving at a subway platform only to find out that your train has been rerouted to another line or skipping stops – we've got some good news for you. Google announced today on its Lat Long Blog that Google Maps has been updated to display planned service alerts for the city's subways. This means that you no longer have to experience such inconveniences when taking the subway anymore.
All you have to do is tap on any of the 368 NYC subway stations labeled on Google Maps to see whether there are any planned changes that are expected to affect those stations at that time. These alerts will also appear in the step-by-step transit directions pointing you wherever you're going so you can factor in the extra time you need to get to your destination due to any additional transits you may have to take.
The feature is currently available on the Google Maps for Android app as well as maps.google.com. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Filed in Google, Google Maps and Maps.. Read more about


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Ok, I have a truckload of pictures, but I'm not the greatest photographer right now, as my setup has been taken down temporarily. So, knittinfiasco, please post pics you took also, that probably do more justice to your lovely handiwork!!!
We opened it as a family...sorry I'm kind of weird about putting my kiddo on the net, so her face will be blurred on all these...
Little Bean reaching into the bag that everything was in, we were under instructions that she get to pick first
Mr Bean trying on the lovely R2D2 beanie! I told him it's for me though
Little shirt for Little Bean, with Padawan on it
Mr Bean's reaction to his very own Jedi Robe? "That's SO COOL!"
Here are some more shots of the goods, thanks SO MUCH knittinfiasco!!
Box O Burger King Toys
I pinned this together so we could try to get a better picture of the Jedi Robe
Little Bean's shirt
Totally awesome fabric, and I WILL have a Star Wars skirt from this very soon!
The drawstring bag everything came in
The totally rockin R2D2 beanie that is forever and always mine
I am so spoiled, thank you miss knittinfiasco!!!!!!!


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This course is open to teachers Nation Wide who will be attending ANY Academic Camp/Workshop of their choosing throughout the year. Some examples of these types of camps and/or workshops are Math Camp, Science Camp, Language Arts Camp, PLC Workshop, Instructional Workshop, TAH Workshop, Gilder- Lehrman Workshop, NEH Workshop, etc. There are many National as well as local Academic camps/workshops available to teachers that focus on a variety of aspects related to the development of their particular subject matter and/or discipline.
Often these Academic Camps/Workshops have Professional Scholars lecturing on particular topics related to their discipline. Participants will have the opportunity to attend these lecture sessions and earn three (3) continuing education quarter credits or 30 Clock Hours/PDUs for attending an Academic Camp/Workshop of their choice.
|We advise you to review and download a summary of the course syllabus before registering.
Text cost depends on the book you choose: * Johnson, LouAnne , Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Your Students by Their Brains * Mackenzie, Robert J., Setting Limits in the Classroom, Revised: How to Move Beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classroom * Marzano, Robert J. Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollack, Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement * Mendler, Allen, Motivating Students Who Don't Care: Successful Techniques for Educators * Nelson, Jane, Lynn Lott, and H. Stephen Glenn, Positive Discipline in the Classroom
You Might Also Be Interested In
Course No. ED470b, ED570b
Tuition $120 ‑ $210
Are you planning to attend at least one Academic Camp or Professional Development Workshop this year? This course is for you. It's open to teachers Nation Wide attending ANY Academic Camp or Professional Development Workshops related to your professional assignment. You can attend these sessions and earn three (3) Continuing Education Quarter Credits or 30 Washington Clock Hours or Oregon PDUs. Attending more than one event during the year? Then contact the instructor.


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When you try to login to the OS Deployer Management Console with the correct username and password, the login fails
This issue is very common when you trial the OS Deployer product. One of the root cause for this issue is Management Agent. During the trial you may tend to install the Management Agent in the OS Deployer installed machine and you will not be able to login to the OS Deployer Management console, once the trial keys used for the installing this Management Agent got expired.
Check whether Management Agent is installed on the computer where OS Deployer is installed. If installed, un-install the Management Agent and try logging in. If problem persists, try renaming the server key in the registry as below:
If problem persists, contact firstname.lastname@example.com


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Allergies and allergens
Allergies are one of the most common reason people take their pet(s) to the vet. Some pets are allergic to just one or two things while others are allergic to just about everything.
Common types of allergies include:
- Insect bites
- Food allergies
- Contact allergies
- Inhalation allergies
- Drug reactions
Allergens are the things that can trigger off an allergic reaction e.g. pollen, bee stings, flea saliva.
Some pets can inhale allergens and break out in a skin rash. We call these pets atopic. If atopic, they are often also allergic to things they come directly in contact with e.g. grasses, weeds, house dust mites.
We don't often see asthma in dogs- it's usually the skin that "breaks out" following an allergic reaction. Cats can present with the classical "lung" asthma seen in people.
Have a look at these pages on allergens to gain an insight into how allergens cause allergic reactions.


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BBQ dinner in the leave Dubai is a total forsake involvement in itself. We offer our visitors a charming desert safari with supper in the betray camp alongside other leave safari attractions. The red sand hills of Dubai are among the best vacation spots in this forsake city and furthermore extraordinary compared to other things you can do while on an excursion.
Orchestra of the most remarkable and charming encounters, our leave safari with BBQ supper in the camp is ideal for a quiet and serene forsake encounter searchers.


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The Palm Beach Gardens Predators White U10 girls travel soccer team won the 5th Annual Wellington Soccer Shootout Tournament gold division championship. The competition was held Jan. 7-8 at Village Park.
The Predators went 4-0 during the competition and defeated the Boynton Beach Knights in the championship game.
U-10 White was one of seven Predators teams that competed in the tournament. The U10 Blue girls placed second in their division, while the U12 boys were third.
Other teams included the U12 girls, U11 boys, U8 boys and U9 girls.
"It's just great," Predators travel president Jim Martini said of the club's performance at the tournament. "We put a bunch of new teams together just recently. The whole program is really expanding. It's great to see that kind of success."


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Do you want so see two damn sexy latex girls? Watching two girls playing with each other while the shiny material nestles to our curves? You will definitely like this hot gallery with "http://honeyhair.net/">Honeyhair. I had the chance to play in front of the camera with the incredible beauty! It was the chance enjoying my latex passion with her. And we both enjoyed while we felt so hot! We wore sexy latex outfits from Simon O. and with the beaming colors we were an absolutely eye catcher. Have lot of fun with this extremely sexy gallery! *sweet kisses* SWAY
LADY WITCHBLADE yummyliciousJuly 23rd, 2017
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DCan So much touching between 2 beautiful women in latex.May 19th, 2018
Steffen Zwei hübsche Frauen in sexy Outfits!October 10th, 2018
Going shopping with a woman can surely be a challenge for men. We sample our favorites from a huge retail clothing collection, then we disappear with a slightly smaller assortment to the changing ... Story
This is my first session from Greece. I don't have so many latex dresses and only this sexy green dress which I wore at the first day for the photo shooting. With the right make-up and black latex ... Story
What do you need to whip up a strong, modern, stylish, and harder-edge look? If you ask me, there are two essential things needed. First of all, a well-stocked vanity case complete with many ... Story
Very often daddy has to make business trips, which frequently also lead to exquisite vacation locations. He gets never to see anything, but sometimes when I am allowed to accompany him on the travel ... Story


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Enlighten Designs has been a member of the Microsoft Partner Network since 2004. During this time Enlighten Designs has had numerous opportunities to work with their applications, platforms and methodologies.
Enlighten Designs currently possess several competencies and specialisations awarded by Microsoft that recognise our high level of technological excellence, marketplace impact and the satisfaction of our customers through using Microsoft products and services.
Enlighten Designs' Microsoft Partner competencies include:
- Gold Collaboration & Content
- Gold Application Development
- Gold Data Platform
- Gold Data Analytics
Gold competencies demonstrate our best-in-class expertise within Microsoft's marketplace. Earning a gold competency is evidence of the deepest, most consistent commitment to a specific, in-demand, business solution area, along with the distinction of being among only 1 percent of Microsoft partners worldwide that have attained this outstanding degree of proficiency.
Enlighten Designs are also known to be one of New Zealand's premier SharePoint providers having gained SharePoint Elite status and winning numerous awards for business productivity solutions utilising the SharePoint platform.


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Perfect for children aged 3 or older, the Brain Crunch's Take-A-Part collection features durable vehicles that your child will love to disassemble and put back together time and time again.
These colorful 3D puzzle challenge kids to develop their fine motor and hand-mind coordination skills; they will feel a great sense of accomplishment once they figure out on their own how to loosen and tighten the screws and bolts to disassemble and put back together their toy.
The Take-A-Part collection will without a doubt become one of their favorite toys! Collect them all!
Made from sturdy ABS plastic, all of Brain Crunch's toys are free of phtalates, lead and other heavy metals.


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Google Notches One Billion Unique Visitors Per Month
Google's websites had more than a billion unique visitors in May, the first time an Internet company has hit that benchmark, according to comScore data released Tuesday.
Over the past year, Google's unique visitors per month have increased 8.4% to just over one billion. During the same period, Microsoft maintained the No. 2 position with 905 million unique visitors in May, up around 15%, while Facebook's count surged by 30% to about 714 million visitors. In May, Yahoo saw 689 million visitors, up 10.8% over the past year, though it was surpassed by Facebook in October.
ComScore's estimates are based on its "global measurement panel" of two million Internet users, similar to how Nielsen measures television ratings. ComScore refines the estimates with…


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In November of 2004 I wrote a piece entitled "Sleepless in Seattle" which postulated that shares of Starbucks (SBUX) were trading at such a high valuation (forward P/E of 48) that even if the company grew handsomely over the following few years, the stock's performance was likely to be unimpressive. I projected an aggressive three-year average annual earnings growth rate of 20% and a P/E of 40 by 2007. I warned investors that even if those aggressive assumptions were attained, Starbucks stock would only gain 6% per year over that three year period.
The analysis proved quite accurate. Starbucks continued to grow its profits nicely, but the stock's valuation came back down to earth. After three years had passed, Starbucks stock was actually trading 12% lower than it was when I wrote the original piece.
Today, shares of online retailer Amazon.com (AMZN) remind me of Starbucks back in 2004. Despite a cratering stock market and weak retail market, Amazon stock has been quite resilient. After a strong fourth quarter earnings report (released yesterday after the close of trading), the stock is up $7 today to $57 per share. Profits at Amazon for 2008 came in at $1.49 per share, which gives the stock a P/E of 38, which is very high, even for a strong franchise like Amazon.
I decided to do the same exercise with Amazon. I wanted to make assumptions that were both reasonable but also fairly aggressive. I decided that an average earnings growth rate of 15% over the next five years fits that mold. Projecting the P/E in January of 2014 is not easy, but given that Amazon's growth rate should slow as the company gets larger, I think a 20 P/E ratio is reasonable given where other retailers trade (less than 15x). By 2014, Amazon's growth rate should be more in-line with other retailers similar in size, so I chose 20 to be higher than average, but not in nosebleed territory like the current 38 P/E.
After some simple number crunching, we can determine that Amazon would earn $3 per share in 2013 in this scenario. Twenty times that figure gets us a share price of $60, versus today's quote of $57. Even if the company hits these assumptions, shareholders will make a total return of 5% (only 1% per year!) over the next five years. I would be willing to bet the S&P 500 index far outpaces that rate over that time.
Obviously these assumptions could prove inaccurate, but I think this exercise is helpful in illustrating how hard it is for stocks that trade at lofty valuations to generate strong returns over the long term.
There is one interesting thing about Amazon's business that I think is worth pointing out. You may recall that one of the bullish arguments for an online retailer like Amazon was that they could have a lower cost structure by eliminating the expenses associated with renting and operating large brick and mortar storefronts. Having a 100% online presence was supposed to result in higher profit margins, and therefore investors could justify paying more for Amazon's stock.
It seems that argument has not been realized. Amazon's operating margins in 2008 were 4.3%. If we look at brick and mortar retailers that are similar in business line and/or size, we find that Amazon's margins are actually lower than their offline competitors. Here is a sample list: Kohls (KSS) 9.9%, JC Penney (JCP) 7.6%, Macy's (M) 7.2%, Target (TGT) 7.8%, and Best Buy (BBY) 4.6%.
Maybe online retailers have to spend more on research and development and call center staff than offline stores do, thereby cutting into the margin advantage. Amazon also offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more, which many say they could eliminate to boost profits. Maybe so, but sales would be affected to some degree if they did that, not to mention customer loyalty.
Nonetheless, to me these statistics help make the case that a 38 P/E for Amazon is way too high. As a result, returns to Amazon shareholders over the next several years could very well be unimpressive, just as was the case with Starbucks five years ago.
Full Disclosure: Peridot Capital was long Best Buy and Target at the time of writing, but positions may change at any time


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"NOT" Your Traditional Yoga!
Power Up Yoga workouts are designed to maximize your power, energy, and vitality. They are delivered through a series of heart-thumping, sweat-pumping workouts that will leave you trim, energized, and heart healthy.You will learn how to practice poise, balance and concentration at all times during practice. With Power Up Yoga you will learn not only the physical aspects but the music and atmosphere will enhance your learning experience.Power Up Yoga uses a fast flow practice called Vinyasa this links yoga postures using the breath together with a fluid movement that gives you a cardiovascular, muscle-building workout. This is, so effective will melt away fat, build firm muscles, speed up your circulation and strengthen your heart. It creates internal heat within your body, which gives you more flexibility and helps your body release toxins.
Check the Club's class schedule for class days and times.
For more info call Doreen Bills at: 214-280-2720 – email@example.com – www.powerupyoga.com


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How to Do Indian Meditation
Explore this Article Doing Vipassana Meditation Being Mindful with Anapanasati Trying Mantra Meditation Article Summary Questions & Answers Related Articles
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has over 61,621 views and 88% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Learn more...
Meditation is when a person trains the mind to be more self-aware, to look inward, or to reach an altered state of consciousness. It's an ancient practice with a rich history in India, where both Buddhist and Hindu traditions use it. Meditation has real benefits and can improve your quality of life, whether you do it to relax or for bigger spiritual reasons. Try some of these simple, effective techniques to get started.
Doing Vipassana Meditation
1Sit on the floor or in a chair. Find a place where you can sit comfortably for at least ten minutes. It could be indoors or outside. What matters most, however, is that it is quiet and free from distracting noise like music, television, or people talking.[1]
- Not all noise is bad in the Vipassana tradition. Ambient sound like cars or the ticking of a clock can actually be points for you to focus your mindfulness.
- Ideally, wear loose clothing and remove your shoes.
- Sit on the floor or on a pillow. You can take a number of postures like the half-lotus, full lotus, or cross-legged. Make sure that you are upright, with an unsupported and straight spine.
- If you have back pain, it is also OK to sit erect in a chair.[2]
- Your posture should be upright, but not too tense. You will want your mind and body to be relaxed, while the effort to remain upright should energize your meditation.[3]
2Put your hands on your lap. Now, place your hands one on top of the other on your lap, palms facing up. Traditionally, your right hand should rest on top of the left. It may also be helpful for beginners to close their eyes.[4]
- Try not to clench your hands or make fists.
- Closed eyes will help you concentrate. But concentration is not key to Vipassana meditation and you may find it best to open them if, as sometimes happens, you see disturbing images.
3Focus all your attention on breathing. Turn your attention to the rhythm of your inhalation and exhalation. Some people find it helpful to focus on the rise and fall of their abdomens, for example, an inch or two above the navel. Follow this motion with your mind, from beginning to end.[5]
- If you're having trouble following the rise and fall of your abdomen, place your hand atop it.
- You might also try focusing on the feeling of air as it passes through your nostrils and touches the skin on your upper lip. This practice is a bit more advanced.[6]
- "Sharpen your attention" to these movements. Be aware of the sensations involved from start to finish. Don't try to split the act into parts but experience it as one continuous motion.[7]
4Notice – and release – other sensations and thoughts. While you are meditating, focus on the "primary object" of your attention, i.e. your breathing. If your mind wanders to a "secondary object," though, like a thought, a sound, or a feeling, focus on that object for a moment.[8]
- Don't resist secondary objects. The idea instead is to let them move past you. Pause for a second or two and give them abstract mental notes. If you hear a barking dog, label it "hearing." If you feel an insect bite, label it "feeling."[9]
- Once you have noted an object, let it go and return to the primary object of your breathing. Noting thus allows you be aware of the surrounding world without being attached. The sensations should rise and pass over you.
- This detachment is supposed to help you appreciate the impermanence of the world, and the emptiness of self.
5Start slowly and increase your meditation. How long should you try to meditate? There's no right answer, except that some is better than none at all. However, aiming for 15 minutes a day at first is a doable goal. Work up from there.[10][11]
- Slowly lengthen the time you meditate by about 5 minutes per day each week, until you reach 45 minutes.
- There will be days when you're too busy to put in 45 minutes of meditation. That's OK. But try to set aside some time, however short.
Being Mindful with Anapanasati
1Find a good, quiet place. Like Vipassana meditation, Anapanasati is about quiet mindfulness. The first step, then, is to find a suitable location. The Buddha recommended three: the forest, the foot of a tree, or an isolated or empty spot.[12]
- Silence is essential to Anapanasati, especially for beginners. For you, a quiet room might be best. A secluded woods or beach might also work well.
- Silence will help you to develop concentration. If you cannot find complete silence, aim for somewhere that is quiet and private.
2Sit upright. People can meditate in several different postures, like standing, reclining, sitting, and walking. Sitting is the best for Anapanasati. Ideally, you should take a cross-legged position with both feet turned up and resting on your thighs, i.e. the lotus position.[13]
- Don't worry if you can't take the lotus position. It is also acceptable to sit half cross-legged, with one leg slightly bent.
- You should also sit erect. Your torso should be upright but not tense or rigid. Imagine that all the bones in your spine are linked together.
- As for your hands, they should lay gently on your lap. Like in Vipassana, the right hand is traditionally atop the left with the palms up.
- Your eyes can be closed, half-closed, or open – whichever is most comfortable – and your head should be tilted downward, your nose perpendicular to the navel.
3Focus on your breath. The focus of your mindfulness in Anapanasati will again be breathing. Turn your mind toward the rising and falling, the inhalation and exhalation of your breath. Follow the sensations involved and be aware of them.
- Be especially mindful of the place when the breath enters and leaves your nostrils. This will be a spot just under your nose or above your upper lip. Center on the spot where the breath touches the skin.
- Be aware: when you breathe in, recognize that you're breathing in. Likewise when you are breathing out. However, don't try to control or hold back your breathing. As your awareness of breathing increases, it will become less willful.[14]
4Begin with "counting." There are eight graduated steps in Anapanasati meditation, each one working up to nirvana. The basic and most rudimentary level is "counting." Counting is intended for those with no background in the technique. People with experience in meditation may not need it and can begin with the second level.[15]
- Fix your attention on the tip of your nose, as said. Now, count the movements of your breath. For example, you might count the first inhalation as "one, one" and the first exhalation as "two, two." Continue to the tenth breath ("ten, ten") before returning to "one, one."
- If you lose track, start again at "one, one."
- The counting itself is not meditation. It instead helps to calm the wandering mind, by making you aware when you become distracted and lose the count.
5Pursue further "steps" to develop your practice. In Anapanasati there are eight total steps. To get further in the technique, you will slowly be able to move into higher levels. "Following" comes next. Once you have calmed your mind with counting, you should be able to mentally track or "follow" the course of your breath without keeping track.
- Following just means to follow the breath with the mind. You do not deliberately breathe in or out, but only remain aware that it takes place. Try to see the beginning, the middle, and the end of each cycle of breaths. This practice is called "experiencing the whole body."
- "Contact" and "Fixing" come next. These both require stronger concentration and are harder to attain. People who reach this level may feel they have stopped breathing altogether, because they are so calm that it's hard to feel the action of the breath. They must keep focused on the spot under the nostrils. Many report calm, joy, or even powerful visions.
- Very few people make it to the upper steps of the technique. "Observing," "turning away," "purification," and "retrospection" will take you to higher paths of self-awareness.
- If you want to achieve these higher grades, you will most likely need to find a spiritual master to guide you. Consider attending a meditation retreat – monasteries and other centers around the world host such retreats, in many cases as a free service to the community.[16]
Trying Mantra Meditation
1Choose a mantra. Mantra meditation comes from the Hindu tradition and involves the meditative repetition of a single word or phrase. This is the "mantra." The purpose of the mantra is to give you a focus of attention, like breathing in the Vipassana and Anapanasati techniques. First thing, choose your mantra.[17]
- You might pick any word or one that inspires you. Simple is better!
- Some ancient mantras are "Om," "Om Mani Padne Hum," "Ham-sah," or "Namo Amitabah." Modern mantras might be "peace," "love," or "one."[18]
- Picking a non-English mantra might actually help, because you will have fewer connections to it. It will not distract you from your meditation.
2Pick a good time and location. Obviously, there is no right time or place to do your mediation. The choice is a personal one. However, some people find that mantra mediation has its best results if done first thing in the morning, after working, or during your low point in the afternoon at around 4 o'clock.[19]
- As for places, make sure to have a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed. For instance, try your bedroom, your backyard, or a quiet park, woodlot, or beach.
- The key is to minimize distractions. The quieter and fewer people, the better.
3Sit down and close your eyes. You don't have to sit cross-legged or in the lotus position for mantra meditation. Find someplace comfy to sit upright. If you'd like, support your back with a cushion or the wall or even sit in a chair.[20]
- Lying down is not recommended for this type of meditation – you can easily fall asleep.
- Close your eyes and sit still for a half a minute or so. Get accustomed to your environment and draw in several deep breaths.[21]
4Chant your mantra. After a few deep breaths, resume your normal breathing and start to chant your mantra. Some people are comfortable doing this aloud. Otherwise, repeat the word silently in your head without moving your tongue or lips.[22][23]
- Don't force things. The repetition of the mantra should be relaxed and gentle.
- You also don't need to worry about coordinating the mantra with your breath. Let both come as naturally as you can.
- Some people find it helps to imagine that the mantra is being whispered in their ear, rather than coming from their own mind.
- Stay fixed on the mantra and don't try to empty your mind. When your attention wanders, just bring it back to the mantra and your breathing. Don't worry if this happens – it's normal. What's more important is that you realize when you start to wander and refocus.[24][25]
5Start slowly and work your way to longer sessions. Try to repeat your mantra for 5 minutes at a time to start. Gradually, you should be able to go for up to 20 to 30 minutes, several times per week. Other people alternatively aim for a certain number of repetitions, traditionally 108 or 1008.[26]
- Some people use cellphone alarms as timers, while others sit with a clock in view. It really doesn't matter. Do whatever works best for you.
- When you wind down, stop saying the mantra and sit silently for a few more minutes to relax. Let yourself slowly re-enter your normal activities. Otherwise, you may feel groggy like you've gotten up from a nap.[27]
Community Q&A
QuestionHow do you breath out of one nostril at a time?Community AnswerPut your thumb against the outside of one of your nostrils to block the airflow.
QuestionHow to be good, when the other person is evil and keeps trying to hurt me?Community AnswerBeing good does not always mean being docile. It is very much possible to be good while being firm and just. If the other person is trying to hurt you, then to protect yourself is your first and foremost Dharma. Remember, you can always protect yourself without hating or harming others in turn.
QuestionIt says to close right nostril with right hand thumb. Inhale. Then close the left nostril and exhale. How am I meant to exhale -- through the mouth or the nose?Community AnswerBefore you close the left nostril, release the right and exhale. Alternate left and right nostrils.
QuestionCan this help with wet dreams?Shubham kumarCommunity AnswerYes, it will help a lot. It helps you focus your mind, which in turn helps you manage what you think.
QuestionDoes it help with sickness?Community AnswerYes, if you believe that it will help with sickness it will likely help with sickness.
- It is better to concentrate on your meditation technique rather than the results.
- At first you might not be able to concentrate easily, but the more you practice, the easier it should become as your mind learns to steady itself.
- Meditation is a process for achieving a healthier state of mind. Meditation should not be used simply because one feels restless, but because one wishes to hone her mental abilities.
- It is recommended that you meditate every day.
- ↑ http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#a
- ↑ http://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/
- ↑ http://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/
- ↑ http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#a
- ↑ http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#a
- ↑ http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
- ↑ http://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation/
- ↑ http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
- ↑ http://www.vipassanadhura.com/howto.htm#h
- ↑ http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda06.htm
- ↑ http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness/four/how-long-should-i-meditate-each-day
- ↑ http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.php
- ↑ http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.php
- ↑ http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/breathing-lessons/
- ↑ http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.php
- ↑ http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/things-to-do/meditation-and-yoga-in-india
- ↑ http://www.chopra.com/ccl/learn-to-meditate-in-6-easy-steps
- ↑ http://www.finerminds.com/spirituality/mantras-for-meditation/
- ↑ http://selfhelprobot.com/how-to-do-mantra-meditation-technique-at-home
- ↑ http://www.chopra.com/ccl/learn-to-meditate-in-6-easy-steps
- ↑ http://faculty.weber.edu/molpin/healthclasses/1110/meditationguidelines.htm
- ↑ http://selfhelprobot.com/how-to-do-mantra-meditation-technique-at-home
- ↑ http://www.chopra.com/ccl/learn-to-meditate-in-6-easy-steps
- ↑ http://faculty.weber.edu/molpin/healthclasses/1110/meditationguidelines.htm
- ↑ http://selfhelprobot.com/how-to-do-mantra-meditation-technique-at-home
- ↑ http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
- ↑ http://faculty.weber.edu/molpin/healthclasses/1110/meditationguidelines.htm
Article SummaryX
Begin your Indian meditation by finding a quiet place to sit and straightening your spine. Next, place your hands in your lap and close your eyes to block out distractions. Now, try to focus on your breathing by paying attention to the rise and fall of your belly. While you are meditating, notice any thoughts and distractions that enter your mind, and then let them go, returning to your breath. This technique helps you stay present in the moment and recognize that nothing is permanent. For more methods, such as mantra meditation, read on!
Article Info
Categories: Featured Articles | Meditation | Hinduism
In other languages:
Español: practicar la meditación india, Português: Fazer a Meditação Indiana, Italiano: Praticare la Meditazione Indiana


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December 17, 2010
Report of Human Infection with Swine Origin Influenza A (H3N2)
The December 17, 2010 FluView reported one human infection with swine origin influenza A (H3N2) virus in the state of Minnesota as part of U.S. surveillance and reporting of novel influenza A viruses. Test samples from one patient in Minnesota were confirmed at CDC as positive for swine origin triple-reassortant (tr) H3N2 influenza viruses—viruses that normally infect pigs. Although human infection with swine influenza viruses is rare, it can occur. This is most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and at livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. The patient in Minnesota with confirmed trH3N2 infection had exposure to pigs prior to illness onset. There is no documented human-to-human transmission of this virus or any evidence of community transmission at this time. An investigation of this case is ongoing. Cases of human infection with swine influenza viruses underscore the importance of ongoing human and animal influenza surveillance.
This case of human infection with swine origin influenza virus (SOIV) brings the total number of human infections with swine origin influenza viruses reported to CDC since 2005 to 19. Previously, five of these reports had been swine origin A (H3N2) viruses. The most recent Minnesota case brings the number of reports swine origin A (H3N2) infections in humans in the United States to six. Human infections with swine origin H3N2 virus infections have also been reported from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in October and November 2010, Minnesota in May 2010, Iowa in September 2009, and Kansas in August 2009.
Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses can result in high illness rates in pig herds, but generally cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among pigs throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months, similar to outbreaks in humans. There are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1. Most flu viruses circulating in pigs are referred to as "triple-reassortant" viruses because these flu viruses contain genes from human, swine and avian influenza viruses.
It's important to note that swine influenza viruses are not transmitted to humans by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.
In 2007 human infections with novel influenza viruses such as swine influenza became nationally notifiable. Previously, CDC has received reports of approximately one human infection with a swine influenza virus every one to two years, but in the past few years, about four cases have been reported per year.
These trH3N2 viruses are different from the 2009 H1N1 virus that has been circulating in the United States since late April 2009. They are also different from human seasonal influenza A (H3N2) viruses that typically circulate among people during the flu season. Swine trH3N2 viruses commonly circulate in pigs in North America, but human infections are rarely detected. These viruses are different from the swine classical H1N1 or swine trH1N1 influenza viruses that also circulate in pigs in North America because they have H3N2 surface antigens. TrH3N2 viruses first were detected in North American swine herds in the late 1990s. The H3 and N2 genes originated from human seasonal H3N2 influenza viruses that circulated globally among humans in the late 1990s. However, currently circulating swine H3 and N2 genes are now notably different from human influenza virus H3 and N2 genes.
Although the vast majority of instances of human infection with animal influenza viruses do not result in human-to-human transmission, each case should be fully investigated to be sure that such viruses are not spreading among humans and to limit further exposure of humans to infected animals if infected animals are identified. Surveillance for both seasonal and novel influenza viruses is conducted by CDC and its state and local health partners year round.
For more information about swine influenza, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/
Weekly U.S. surveillance updates are published in FluView and posted at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm
December 8, 2010
Maximizing the Promise of Breakthrough Tuberculosis Test
The Federal TB Task Force* is collaborating to help ensure patients in the United States and around the world have access to a test that can revolutionize tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment. Xpert MTB/RIF is an automated test that can provide earlier and improved tuberculosis (TB) case detection. In studies, it has been shown to be an accurate and reliable test for diagnosing TB that does not require extensive laboratory safety measures.
This new test can detect TB and rifampicin resistance, a proxy for multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB, in less than 2 hours from a sample of respiratory fluid coughed up by a patient. Current laboratory tests for TB are skill intensive and require a minimum of 17 days for liquid culture and over 30 days for solid culture; drug-susceptibility testing requires an average of 75 days to get results. During this lag time, patients continue to suffer and can spread TB infection to others. Having TB test results within hours is an important step in improving patient-centered care and early case detection.
Xpert MTB/RIF is especially important for HIV-infected persons who are at greatest risk for rapid progression of TB disease, and in whom this disease is a leading cause of death. It is also important for persons at increased risk for MDR TB to prevent prolonged delays in diagnosis and to ensure appropriate treatment.
In 2009, the Federal TB Task Force released the Plan to Combat Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5803a1.htm),calling for enhanced laboratory capacity and evaluation of rapid tests for the diagnosis of TB and the detection of drug resistance, both in the United States and worldwide. The Federal TB Task Force has also issued an international strategy for U.S. support for the Global Plan to Stop TB through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Health Initiative.
Action Steps Being Taken
The Federal TB Task Force is aware of the global significance of a rapid and accurate tuberculosis test, and have been eager to accept and review data that would support the safety and effectiveness of such a test. However, the use of Xpert MTB/RIF has only been studied in countries with high rates of TB; thus, additional testing is needed in U.S. populations that have a low TB rate in order to secure Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and develop appropriate guidance for its use in our country. Recognizing the commitment other government agencies and support groups have made in the global fight against tuberculosis as well as the need to support medical device innovation, FDA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently held a public workshop on tuberculosis. Additionally, the FDA has been working with Cepheid, the manufacturer of Xpert MTB/RIF, on the pathway forward for seeking approval of their assay in the United States. Uptake of the Xpert MTB/RIF rapid diagnostic test will help both U.S. and global partners meet goals in reducing TB death and disease.
* The Federal Tuberculosis (TB) Task Force is a coalition composed of the federal agencies involved in U.S. TB research and control efforts. Established in 1991, it facilitates coordination of activities among these federal agencies. It was established under the leadership of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (then William C. Roper, MD) to address the outbreaks of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB occurring during the 1985-1992 surge in TB cases.
For additional information
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2010/Pages/TBdiagnostic.aspx
- World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/tb/features_archive/new_rapid_test/en/index.html
November 19, 2010
Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Human Infection in Hong Kong
On November 17, 2010, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), Hong Kong, China, reported a new confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus to the World Health Organization (WHO). More information on the case is available in Communicable Diseases Watch, a publication of CHP DH, Hong Kong, China at http://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/cdw_v7_24.pdf and on the WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/don/2010_11_19/en/index.html.
This case occurs against a backdrop of endemic infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 viruses (HPAI) among poultry in Asia and other parts of the world and sporadic but fairly regular human infections with HPAI H5N1 viruses dating back to 2003. These viruses are "highly pathogenic" in birds. Most cases of human infection with HPAI H5N1 viruses have occurred following close contact with infected birds or being in a live poultry market. However, some limited human-to-human transmission of HPAI H5N1 has been documented.
The epizootic outbreak in Asia and other regions poses an important public health threat because if these HPAI H5N1 viruses gain the ability for efficient and sustained transmission between humans, an influenza pandemic could result because there is little preexisting natural immunity in the human population.
WHO tracks reports of human infections with H5N1viruses. To date, 508 such cases have been reported to WHO, with 302 of the patients dying. So far, a total of 21 human cases of HPAI H5N1 infection have been reported in Hong Kong SAR China, including 18 cases in 1997, two cases in 2003 and the current case in 2010.
The investigation into the case in Hong Kong is ongoing, however, according to the WHO report, "Evidence so far indicates a sporadic case of human influenza A (H5N1) infection without secondary spread."
There have been no reports of human infection with influenza A (H5N1) viruses in the United States, nor have there been any reports of highly pathogenic influenza A (H5N1) in U.S. birds or poultry.
CDC is monitoring the situation and remains in close contact with WHO and other international partners. More information about avian influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm.
Action Steps Being Taken
The U.S. Government CDC has issued a recommendation for enhanced domestic surveillance of avian influenza A (H5N1). This has been in effect since February 2004 and remains in effect to this day.
CDC has participated in trainings both internationally and at home to strengthen surveillance and laboratory testing techniques.
Pandemic preparedness plans and activities were tested in reality during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
HHS and CDC along with other partners such as WHO have implemented important initiatives that have improved influenza surveillance in Asia and other regions of the world.
There is a stockpile of 20 million doses of a vaccine against some strains of HPAI H5N1 viruses. Ongoing efforts to produce a broadly protective vaccine that would be effective against multiple influenza A H5N1 virus strains are under way.
There is a stockpile of antiviral medications to treat human infection with novel influenza viruses, including avian influenza A H5N1 in the Strategic National Stockpile.
November 15, 2010
Protecting Internationally Adopted Children from Lead Poisoning
Prospective parents adopting a child from overseas need information to safeguard the health of the child from lead poisoning, which can cause several health problems, including brain damage. The risk for lead exposure is much higher in many countries from which children are adopted than in the United States. Each country sets its own policies or regulations for environmental exposures, including lead, and some countries have stronger regulations than others. CDC has information on this topic for adoptive parents and health care providers.
November is National Adoption Month. The U.S. Department of State's Office of Children's Issues shows that from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009, a total of 12,753 internationally adopted children immigrated to the United States. The largest numbers of these children were originally from Ethiopia, mainland China, South Korea, and Russia.
Foreign-born adopted children tend to have higher levels of lead in their blood than children born in the United States. Readers can learn more about how internationally adopted children may have been exposed to lead before they came to the United States, and what they can do take to get the child proper diagnostic screenings and follow-up care if needed.
Important points to emphasize
Internationally adopted children can be exposed to lead from a number of sources including, cooking utensils and cosmetics, leaded gasoline, exhaust, drinking water from metal pipes or storage containers, exhaust and air pollution from nearby mining and smelting plants and industrial emissions.
Most children with elevated blood-lead levels do not have any symptom. Simple blood tests are the only way to determine if a child has an elevated blood lead level.
For more information about internation adoption, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/adoption.htm and http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/adoption/.
Other resources include http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips.htm and http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AdoptionHealth/.
November 12, 2010
Reports of Human Infections with Swine Origin Influenza A (H3N2)
The November 12, 2010 FluView reports two human infections with swine origin influenza A (H3N2) viruses in the United States. Test samples from two patients submitted by Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have been confirmed at CDC as positive for swine origin triple-reassortant (tr) H3N2 influenza viruses—viruses that normally infect pigs. While human infection with swine influenza viruses is rare, it can occur. This is most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Both of the patients with confirmed trH3N2 infection reported in FluView were in the vicinity of live pigs. Dates of illness onset in the two patients are more than six weeks apart and the viruses from the two patients have some genetic differences, confirming that these two cases are not linked. Ongoing investigations in both states have not shown any evidence of community transmission of these viruses. The most likely scenario at this point is that these are two isolated cases of human infection with swine influenza viruses that, while very rare, do occur from time to time. Both patients have fully recovered from their illnesses; however, these two cases do underscore the importance of human and animal surveillance for influenza.
These two cases reported in FluView bring the total number of human infections with swine origin influenza viruses reported to CDC since 2005 to 18. Previously, three of these reports had been swine origin A (H3N2) viruses. The Pennsylvania and Wisconsin cases bring the number of reports swine origin A (H3N2) infections in humans in the United States to five. The viruses identified in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are similar to viruses that infected a patient in Iowa in September 2009, a patient in Kansas in August 2009 and a patient in Minnesota in May 2010.
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. There are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. Most flu viruses circulating in pigs are referred to as "triple-reassortant" viruses because these flu viruses contain genes from human, swine and avian influenza viruses.
Most commonly, cases of human infection with swine-origin influenza viruses occur in people with direct exposure to pigs. The patient in Pennsylvania lives in an area where live pigs are farmed and the patient in Wisconsin became sick two days after attending a state fair where pigs were exhibited. It's important to note that swine influenza viruses are not transmitted to humans by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.
In the past, CDC received reports of approximately one human infection with a swine influenza virus every one to two years, but in the past few years, about three cases have been reported per year. Increased reporting of human infections with swine influenza could be the result of increased influenza testing capacity and capabilities in public health laboratories.
These trH3N2 viruses are different from the 2009 H1N1 virus that has been circulating in the United States since late April 2009. They are also different from human seasonal influenza A (H3N2) viruses that typically circulate among people during the flu season. Swine trH3N2 viruses commonly circulate in pigs in North America, but rarely infect humans. These viruses are different from the swine classical H1N1 or swine trH1N1 influenza viruses that also circulate in pigs in North America because they have H3N2 surface antigens. Tr H3N2 viruses first emerged in North American swine herds in the late 1990s. The H3 and N2 genes which first emerged in swine flu viruses originated from human seasonal H3N2 influenza viruses that circulated globally among humans in the late 1990s.
Although the vast majority of instances of human infection with animal influenza viruses do not result in human to human transmission, each case should be fully investigated to be sure that such viruses are not spreading among humans and to limit further exposure of humans to infected animals if infected animals are identified. Surveillance for both seasonal and novel influenza viruses is conducted by the CDC and its state and local health partners year round.
For more information about swine influenza, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/
Weekly U.S. surveillance updates are published in FluView and posted at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm
November 1, 2010
Every 24 hours more than 4,000 adults are diagnosed with diabetes and approximately 200 people die from diabetes. During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States, and this is a major factor, but not the only factor, in the increasing rate of newly diagnosed cases of diabetes. Population increases in diabetes have coincided with increases in obesity, and the type 2 diabetes epidemic is believed to be largely a result of the increase in obesity levels. Diagnosed diabetes has increased, particularly in overweight and obese individuals, and improvements in diabetes awareness and enhanced detection are occurring among the most obese.
October 25, 2010
For many people, autumn events like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats. These events are also opportunities to provide nutritious snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety. Find tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.
October 18, 2010
No two people with spina bifida are exactly alike. Most recent estimates indicate about 1,500 babies (1 out of every 2,500) are born with spina bifida each year in the United States. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect (NTD) and happens if the portion of the neural tube that forms the spinal cord does not close completely during the first month of pregnancy. Currently, there is no known way to prevent spina bifida, although steps can be taken to lower the risk. Studies have shown that the addition of the B vitamin folic acid to the diet of women who might become pregnant can greatly reduce the number of babies born with neural tube defects. Most children born with spina bifida live full lives, though they often have lifelong disabilities and need many operations.
October 14, 2010
For decades, scientific studies have shown that closeness and intimacy with another person is good for your health. Researchers at CDC found that people who experience violence from an intimate partner can have more chronic diseases. The study showed that those who experienced intimate partner violence—and an intimate partner can be a current or a former spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, someone you're dating—also reported a range of adverse outcomes and health risk behaviors.
September 27, 2010
On Tuesday, CDC will celebrate World Rabies Day, a global health observance that seeks to raise awareness about rabies and enhance prevention and control efforts, by hosting a symposium that will honor the life of Dr. George Martin Baer, a former head of the CDC Rabies Laboratory who has come to be known as the father of oral rabies vaccination. The symposium will feature presentations from current members of CDC's Rabies Team, who will discuss how the work of Dr. Baer has impacted current efforts to prevent and control rabies.
September 23, 2010
In the villages of rural western Kenya, in sub-Saharan Africa, traditional open fire pits are used in homes for cooking and heating. As is tradition, women often keep their young children nearby while cooking, and family members sometimes sleep in cooking rooms, which may not be vented to the outdoors. As a result, all breathe in particulate matter—carbon monoxide, greenhouse gases, and other pollutants.
To address the problem, CDC partnered with the World Health Organization, the Kenya Ministry of Health, the Safe Water and AIDS Project (a Kenyan non-governmental organization), and others to encourage the use of locally crafted, low-cost, clean-burning stoves (Jiko Kisasa stoves) in 10 Kenyan villages. Unlike the traditional fire pits, the clean-burning stoves contain the fire and help to prevent release of particulate matter into the air.
CDC also partners with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and the International Vaccine Access Center to reduce pneumonia risk worldwide by
- encouraging women to breastfeed their babies at least the first 6 months of life,
- providing measles, Haemophilus influenza b and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, and
- making sure children who become ill with pneumonia get the right medical treatment.
Among infants and children younger than 5 years, pneumonia causes more deaths than any other disease: nearly 1.6 million deaths every year. This means that about every 20 seconds a family loses a child to pneumonia. Children in developing countries suffer the most – half of all deaths from pneumonia occur in just five countries: India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
September 20, 2010
Get Smart on the Farm works to promote appropriate antibiotic use in veterinary medicine and animal agriculture. It follows the World Health Organization's definition of appropriate use of antibiotics as a use of antibiotics which maximizes therapeutic effect and minimizes the development of antimicrobial resistance. Get Smart on the Farm focuses on educational effects within the agricultural industry, promotes the appropriate use of antibiotics, funds state-based educational activities, and provides technical assistance to develop, implement, and evaluate these local campaigns and supports the development of veterinary medical school curriculua.
September 13, 2010
September is National Cholesterol Education Month and a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and take steps to lower it if it is high. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need, but more than 102 million American Adults (20 years or older) have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL. More than 35 million of these people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease. High cholesterol usually doesn't have any symptoms. As a result, many people do not know that their cholesterol levels are too high.
September 9, 2010
Dr. Jawad Ashgar, in Pakistan, visits a child who survived the flood waters for 12 hours before rescue.
When flood waters rose in Pakistan, one of the first calls for help went to the CDC-supported Pakistan Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP). The Pakistan Ministry of Health created a post-disaster infectious disease task force and asked the CDC Advisor to the FELTP, Dr. Jawad Ashgar, to be part of it. FELTP fellows (31 medical doctors trained in field epidemiology) are helping to manage public health threats in local communities. CDC-trained FELTP fellows are helping the camps monitor for outbreaks of diseases that can spread quickly in crowded settings.
The Federal Director General Health of Pakistan, Dr Rashid Jooma, said "The involvement of the Pakistan FELTP fellows is of paramount significance to our national public health response."
Before offering help on the post-disaster infectious disease task force, FELTP residents have taken field assignments at the national and sub-national levels. Examples of their work include the following:
- First human Avian influenza outbreak in Khyber Pakhtoon Kwah province,
- HIV/AIDS outbreak in Punjab,
- Polio vaccine coverage in District Lahore,
- Prevalence of diarrhea in children under 5 years of age in Murree,
- Thirty surveillance system evaluations,
- National surveillance of viral hepatitis,
- Surveillance of bacterial meningitis in Islamabad, and
- Measles surveillance in District Attock, North West Frontier Province.
September 6, 2010
CDC's National Center for Health Statistics reports that the suicide rate peaks in the spring and the fall, rather than in December and around holidays. This pattern has not changed in recent years. The holiday suicide myth supports misinformation about suicide that might ultimately hamper prevention efforts. The idea that suicides occur more frequently during the holiday season is a long perpetuated myth. Suicide remains a major public health problem, one that occurs throughout the year. It is the 11th leading cause of death for all Americans. Each year, more than 33,000 people take their own lives. In addition, more than 376,000 are treated in emergency departments for self-inflicted injuries.
September 1, 2010
The summer is almost over, but you still have a chance to enjoy the colorful tastes of the season! Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other nutrients that are important for good health. And compared to people who eat only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases including stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, so substituting them for high-calorie foods can be a calorie-reducing strategy.
July 19, 2010
Getting too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can't compensate for it and properly cool you off. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposure. Find out how to protect yourself.
July 7, 2010
Most adults are getting recommended breast and colorectal cancer screenings. Yet a new CDC report says more than 22 million adults have not had screening tests for colorectal cancer, and more than 7 million women have not had a recent mammogram to screen for breast cancer as recommended. This CDC report also points out why more people need to get tested for colorectal and breast cancer and what can be done to increase screening.
June 29, 2010
Vision loss resulting in disability is one of the top 10 disabilities among adults aged 18 years and older. However, vision loss caused by common eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, can be prevented through early detection and timely treatment. Other common problems, such as refractive errors, can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses. In the United States and worldwide, women are more affected by eye disease than men.
June 23, 2010
The Division of Cancer Prevention and Control has released a series of podcasts that provide health care professionals with the latest information about human papillomavirus (HPV), and how HPV testing has impacted cervical cancer screening guidelines and recommendations. Updated information on the natural history of HPV, screening, management, case studies, and caring for the underserved is provided through in-depth interviews with leading national subject matter experts in cervical cancer prevention. The nine podcasts can be downloaded easily to listen to at your convenience, and share with your colleagues and friends.
June 21, 2010
Whether you wander the trails as a park ranger, keep the children in line as a camp counselor or spend your days ten stories above ground working construction, you've all got something in common: you're working outside, exposed to varying different hazards. Outdoor workers are exposed to many types of hazards that depend on their type of work, geographic region, season, and duration of time they are outside. They may be exposed to physical hazards such as extreme heat, extreme cold, noise, lightning, and UV radiation, biological hazards including vector-borne diseases as well as venomous wildlife and insects and poisonous plants.
June 14, 2010
The average man lives to be 75.3 years. In contrast, the average woman lives to be 80.4 years. During Men's Health Week, try to make sure the men in your life live to their full potential. Make sure they have the basic information about prostate cancer, how to prevent heart disease, stay safe no matter what job they do and make smart choices about sex.
June 3, 2010
Did you know that more than 2.5 million high school students have participated in CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System since 1991? That's a lot of data. Now you can explore these data with the new, redesigned Youth Online database. The upgraded system allows you to view and analyze national, state, and local youth health-risk behavior data from 1991-2009. It provides quick access to data on the following health-risk behaviors: unintentional injuries and violence, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, dietary behaviors, and physical activity plus asthma and obesity.
May 5, 2010
Summer is just around the corner and millions of people are looking forward to the beginning of the swim season. Although swimming, the third most popular sports activity in the U.S., offers numerous health benefits, swimming in recreational water (for example, water from pools) can also spread germs that cause illness. Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are spread by ingesting, breathing in the mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in water parks, interactive fountains, water play areas, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, streams, and oceans. RWIs include diarrhea, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. To learn how to stay healthy while enjoying the water, visit CDC's newly redesigned website at www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming.
April 26, 2010
Each day, nearly 12,000 babies are born in the United States who will need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age two. Vaccine-preventable diseases are at an all-time low in the United States. But because of the success of vaccines in preventing disease in the U.S., parents are often unaware that their children are at risk for so many serious and life-threatening diseases. Celebrate National Infant Immunization Awareness week by finding out the latest recommendations from CDC.
April 7, 2010
It's National Public Health Week! Since 1995, when the first full week of April was declared as National Public Health Week (NPHW), communities across the country have celebrated NPHW to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the public's health. This year's theme is "A Healthier America: One Community at a Time." What are people doing in your communities to make American healthier?
March 29, 2010
While flu activity remains relatively low nationally, local and regional activity has been sustained in the Southeast over the past several weeks. According to the March 14-20, 2010 FluView, elevated visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) was seen in Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The elevated ILI is driven by continued ILI activity in the states of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. In addition, some states in the Southeast are reporting recent increases in flu-related hospitalizations. CDC is watching the situation closely and working in close collaboration with state and local health departments. CDC continues to recommend vaccination against 2009 H1N1, particularly in parts of the country where flu activity persists.
March 24, 2010
World TB Day is March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Among infectious diseases, TB remains a leading killer of adults in the world, with an estimated 2 million TB-related deaths worldwide each year.
March 15, 2010
Did you know the expression "Mad as a Hatter" refers to erratic behavior, tremors, and other symptoms of mercury poisoning associated with hat-makers' exposure to heated mercury solutions on the job in poorly ventilated rooms in the 19th century? The Hatter's erratic, agitated behavior in the classic story refers to a real industrial hazard in Lewis Carroll's Britain of 1865.
January 28, 2010
About 70 percent of high school students are not getting enough sleep on school nights. Students need sufficient sleep for physical and mental health. A recent study found that females slept fewer hours than males, and blacks slept fewer hours than Hispanics. Learn more about the study and find out how your teen can get the recommend hours of sleep here.
January 12, 2010
The Institute of Medicine recently released a report commissioned by CDC and other organizations to help raise visibility of the burden of viral hepatitis and to identify priorities for research, policy, and action. The IOM recommendations are clear -- the nation must recognize viral hepatitis as a severe health threat and a leading cause of liver cancer in the US. Most of the estimated 4.5 million Americans infected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C are unaware of their infection and not receiving the care they need.
January 05, 2010
Researchers in the U.K.recently conducted an analysis of CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)2005-2008 data on life satisfaction, released December 17, 2009. The researchers ranked some states happiest vs. unhappiest. CDC was not involved in this study and CDC does not rank states or cities. Find the latest CDC data on health-related quality of life trends in states at http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/HRQOL/. For general information on BRFSS, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/brfss.
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'John Day' director credits Bhatts for mentoring himAug 21, 2013 IANS
Mumbai, Aug 21 (IANS) Debutant director Ahishor Solomon, who is debuting as director with "John Day", says he is thankful to the Bhatts for mentoring him and exposing him to the process of filmmaking.
"I am very thankful to Pooja Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt, who gave me wide exposure to the process of filmmaking. I have assisted them in films, including 'Jism', 'Paap' and 'Rog'. I was involved with the projects right from the beginning. I do consider them as my mentor," Solomon told IANS.
He is a first-timer, but he succeeded in roping in a seasoned actor like Naseeruddin Shan to play the title role in "John Day". Solomon says the script did the trick.
"I didn't have to convince him. He is one actor who reads the script before meeting the people. He liked the script, which I had sent to him and then he said 'yes' to the film," said Solomon
The cast also features Randeep Hooda and Shernaz Patel, among others.
"As far as Randeep is concerned, I wanted to cast him right from the beginning. One fine day I went to watch 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai' (which starred Randeep) and the idea to cast him struck me," he added.
Click the Movie button below for more info:
John Day
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The valley spirit never dies.
Call it the mystery, the woman.
The mystery,
the Door of the Woman,
is the root
of earth and heaven.
Forever this endures, forever.
And all its uses are easy.
—Lao Tzu
Ursula K Le Guin's version
We are bound to the infinite. To eternity. To forever.
We live only briefly, but even still are bound within the great river of infinite flux that is existence.
Call it whatever you want.
I think of this often, and it's a comfort to me. To know that I'm an infinitesimal aspect of a larger, grander mechanism. That my life has little to no purpose or meaning. That life is not a test. That existence is far bigger and far beyond what I can even begin to imagine or conceptualize.
Minnesota is a desert of ice and snow this time of year. This day. And while it's painfully cold to be outside, there's a kind of beauty in this seasonal devastation. To go, in just a few months from impossible, vibrant greens, to the cascading autumnal moonsets, and then to fall into this barren oblivion:
I've lived many places, but this will always be my home. This place has shaped me. Made me. And it is a part of me. Maybe the biggest part, despite how little kinship I often feel to this place. This white Deathly season, caustically cold.
It's a foundation, root, and sky to my life.
And I would trade nothing for these Minnesota skies.


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With the festive season fast approaching, thoughts turn to dark nights, dinner parties and hot meals with a glass of bubbly.
Last Christmas it seemed as though Prosecco was the hot trend featuring in everyone's glasses. Here at mySupermarket, we were interested in understanding if our social perception of the move from Champagne Toasts to Prosecco Parties transferred beyond the social hype and across into shoppers online behaviour.
We were amazed to discover that whilst the volume of sparkling wine increased slightly over the past 4 years. The difference from 2014 to 2015 was 54.05%!
Where do these shoppers hail from? Our shopper profile data shows that the following locations are the 10 most popular areas for sparkling wine on mySupermarket.
What about the other Festive Food Trend that seemed to be everywhere in 2015? We were curious to know if the buzz around 'a bird in a bird in a bird' also led to changes in shopper behaviour.
Analysing data specifically taken from 1st November until 25th December over the past 4 years, it is understood that non-traditional poultry such as Duck, Goose & Fresh Game Birds rose at a faster rate than more traditional choices such as Chicken & Turkey which saw a slight decrease. However the traditional choices still maintain their position as the birds of choice for the Christmas Dinner Table.
Adding the finesse and finishing touches to the dinner table is the mySupermarket Vegetables Data. Are traditional brussel sprouts the leader holding the bulk of the market share during the festive period, or is another vegetable a surprising leader?
Breaking down the data it was discovered that the top 5 vegetables stays largely the same over the past 4 years, with not a brussel sprout in sight!
Interestingly Broccoli & Cauliflower entered the table as a high entry in 2015. Our curious analysts are wondering if this is due to the new trend in cauliflower rices and pizza bases. Rest assured, we'll be keeping a close eye on vegetable trends in early 2016.
Data analysed spans from January 2012 to December 2015 inclusive.
mySupermarket Business Solutions is a retail technology service that supports brands and categories in FMCG with a 360 degree real-time solution to make their brands shine online. We help you improve your digital knowledge to become a digital category champion.


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Reclaiming VAT on Mileage? New Advisory Fuel Rates effective from 1 March 2015
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 03 March 2015 15:54
- Written by Holly Masters
If you pay a mileage allowance to your employees for business journeys made in either their own vehicle or a company car, you can not only benefit from the tax allowable mileage expense, but you can also reclaim VAT on the fuel element of those mileage payments (assuming your business is VAT registered).
Mileage Allowance Expense Claim
The mileage allowance per HMRC for private cars is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile for additional business miles driven in the same tax year. These rates are deemed to include an element of reimbursement for the vehicle's other running costs. The mileage allowance for company cars is stated on the HMRC Advisory rates (below). For either situation, the good news is that the mileage allowance is a tax allowable expense.
Mileage VAT Reclaim
This is not the only tax relief businesses can obtain from a mileage claim - VAT registered businesses can reclaim a further amount from HMRC in input VAT on the fuel element of the vehicle.
To calculate the fuel only element, businesses should refer to the HMRC Advisory rates. The rates are renewed four times a year. You can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply. The new advisory rates are applicable from 1 March 2015 and are detailed below.


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But four British soldiers killed in action during the First World War were finally buried with full military honours today during an emotional service in northern France attended by their families.
Lieutenant John Pritchard, 31, and 28 year-old Private Christopher Elphick were re-interred along with two unidentified comrades from the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) after being killed during the Battle of Arras.
It is the first time that any fallen solider who served during the war in the regiment, the oldest regiment in the British Army, have been identified.
Their remains were found in 2009 by Didier Guerle, an elderly farmer who unearthed one of the soldier's gas canisters while using a metal detector to clear his fields of wartime ammunition.
Relatives of Lt Pritchard, a Battle of the Somme survivor, and Pte Elphick, travelled to Ecoust-St-Mein, near Arras, to pay their respects to the soldiers who died during a bloody German offensive on May 15, 1917.
They were joined by 300 people including Prince Michael of Kent, an HAC Royal Honorary Colonel.
Today's burial was held just two miles from the location of the second Battle of Bullecourt, next to the Hindenburg Line, where the soldiers fell after refusing to retreat despite more than 250 casualties in their company.
Lt Pritchard, a former head boy at St Paul's Cathedral school who sang during the coronation of Edward VII, was identified by a silver identity bracelet, and Pte Elphick, by a signet ring carrying his initials.
The two unidentified soldiers were re-interred as "HAC soldiers known unto God". It is understood DNA samples have been taken to enable any future positive identification.
The name of Lt Pritchard, the eldest of three boys in a family of seven appears on a plaque in St Paul's Cathedral honouring members of the choir killed in the war.
Lt Pritchard, from Wandsworth, south-west London, worked as an inspector at the Alliance Assurance Company before joining the HAC in 1909 as part of the first wave of British soldiers to be sent into action.
Injured in 1915, in which he was shot through the neck with the bullet narrowly missing his spine and major arterie, he declined a desk desk job in London to return to France as an acting Captain.
Having never married, he survived the horrors of the Somme in 1916 before being slain as he led his men into a battle, in which they were almost all killed.
Pte Elphick, an insurance clerk from Dulwich, south London, arrived in France three months after the birth of his son, Ronald Douglas, who was to serve in the HAC during Second World War.
Today, the soldiers were given full military honours, while their coffins were carried by regiment bearer parties and draped in the Union flag and topped with the regimental forage cap, belt, and wreath.
A military firing party fired a salute during the service while the families were presented with the flags and the soldiers' personal belongings.
Lt Pritchard's family were also given his officer's sword by an American collector who had come across the sword in the USA, and donated it back to his family.
He had the sword made in September 1915 while he was recuperating from injury in Britain.
Lt Pritchard's nephew John "Harold" Shell, 89, from Winchester, laid a wreath on behalf of the family, who only found out about the remains 18 months ago.
Mr Shell said: "It seems silly to say it but the feeling I had was that he is coming home. He isn't of course, but that was the feeling.
"I envisaged my mother who died some years ago standing there with me. It is a very strange feeling, even talking about it affects me now."
The soldier's great-niece, Janet Shell, 54, from Walton-on- Thames, Surrey, had searched the internet for his name last year, only to discover a web forum asking if any of his relatives had been found. It took three years in total for officials to trace any relatives.
Mr Douglas, who died in 2000, never knew his father, but kept his memory alive for his two sons, Christopher and Martin, who both attended the burial.
Martin, 61, who lives near Bath, Somerset, said the ceremony would have been the "closing of the circle" for his father and grandmother.
Chris Elphick, 64, from Cross In Hand in East Sussex, said: "We feel incredibly honoured about this; it's putting an end to a mystery that has been with our family for almost 100 years."
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII.


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2019 Course
ICDF has launched the Diploma in Dance Ministry, an online course provided alongside Unity College in Australia. As part of ICDF's vision to see all Christian dancers equipped and supported in their calling or vocation, the Diploma provides an opportunity to consider various aspects of dance ministry through academic reflection and practical application. The theory is undertaken online and the practical application in your church and community.
There are 3 trimesters a year starting in February, June and September and students can start at any one of them with one or more subjects. Trimesters are 12 weeks long.
Diploma Course
25 credits covering:
- Biblical foundation and history of dance in the Christian church and community (3 credits)
- Arts in Christian Ministry (3 credits)
- Dance in the worship service (3 credits)
- Working effectively with others (2 credits)
- Outreach and Christian Community (2 credits)
- Leading Workshops and Intercession (2 credits)
- Dance class and conditioning (2 credits)
- Spontaneous dance and composition (2 credits)
- Project (2 credits)
- Christian life elective (2 credits)
- Conference elective (1 credit)
- ICDF Network elective (1 credit)
Certificate Course
15 credits of your choice of Diploma course.
For course enquiries and to register, please email:


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Why has it been extra hard this year at the allotment? Some of it has been my fault, I'll grant you. Like daring to go on holiday without inspecting the sweet corn. Then discovering that they had rotted on their cobs. Damn! Then I had great hopes for my pumpkins, as previous years have been good. But no, three tiddly ones, and to rub it in the neighbours pumpkin sits there all fat and proud. Grrr!
So what can I do to console myself? Harvest my successes and arrange them dramatically on the potting bench. See now I'm happier.
I am pleased with the tomatoes, chilies, peppers, cucumbers, butternut squash and spinach. But feel rotten about the courgettes, parsnips that did not show, or carrots, or French beans, or potatoes, ugly cauliflowers, stringy mange tout and sweet peas that died a papery death.
I haven't given up hope on the broccoli, or leeks, then onions were OK, but strawberries weren't. It's had its ups and downs all right. Not to mention kids vandalizing behavior, aaagh!
The glut of tomatoes have been a treasure as I've discovered that slow roasting them with a dash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil has resulted in splendid tomato sauce. And last but not least cosmos, you beauty! Weeks of neglect and you still carry on blooming. My lovely succulents, the wreath, all gorgeous.
Phew, there is hope after all. (Had me going just then)
Pumpkin plan
It can't have escaped your notice that pretty soon we will all be carving pumpkins. But what shall I do with such sorry specimens? Hmm, I've been thinking and researching and have compiled a board on pintrest. And here they are, no carving but a planters instead.