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Gastro-intestinal manifestations in cystic fibrosis patients
Price: €10,00
|Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). This defective chloride channel, present in different organ systems such as respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system and sweat glands, disturbs the ion and water transport over the membranes leading to the well known CF symptoms. CF has outgrown paediatric care, as half of CF patients are currently adults. The CF gastrointestinal tract has its own particularities. Some gastrointestinal manifestations are the direct consequence of the CFTR defect whilst others are secondary to treatment. The gastrointestinal diseases are classified according to the way they usually present in symptoms at diagnosis, acute and chronic abdominal pain and silently evolving conditions. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2016, 79, 481-486). [Product Details...]
Gastroesophageal junction and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma : a short update
Price: €10,00
|Cancer of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), although rare, is now considered a separate entity with a distinct pathophysiological and molecular profile. Although much progress has been made over the past decades in delineating the multiple environmental and genetic pathways involved GEJ carcinoma, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression are still poorly understood. This is of paramount importance for the treating physician as the disease bears a poor therapeutic response. This review defines the GEJ and types of GEJ carcinoma, and provides useful insight in its pathophysiology. Future aspects include better understanding of GEJ oncogenesis, early detection of precursor lesions, the use of biomarkers and targeted therapy (through molecular profiling) so as to increase overall survival. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2016, 79, 471-479). [Product Details...]
Navajo Neurohepatopathy : A Case Report and Literature Review Emphasizing Clinicopathologic Diagnosis
Price: €10,00
|Navajo Neurohepatopathy (NNH) is a rare hepatocerebral mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome (MDS) with nonspecific clinical or pathologic features aside from Navajo ancestry. Because of the rarity of NNH, diagnosis rests on close clinicopathologic correlation and appropriate tissue triage for quantitative mtDNA analysis. We present a new case of NNH in which the clinical presentation and H&E liver biopsy histology indicated the need for NNH workup. Quantitative analysis of mtDNA in liver tissue was significantly reduced, and mutational analysis of the MPV17 gene confirmed homozygosity for the NNHassociated missense mutation, R50Q. The patient is now one year post liver transplant and continues to have normal liver function tests but suffers multiple immunosuppression-associated comorbidities. A comprehensive literature review is provided to assist in diagnosis and management of NNH. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2016, 79, 463-469). [Product Details...]
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Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica is indexed in NCBI/PubMed.
Printed by Universa Press, Wetteren, Belgium. ©vzw/asbl Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica
Printed by Universa Press, Wetteren, Belgium. ©vzw/asbl Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica


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Time to get serious and bring out the heavy artillery, the industrial-strength cleaners. Weed-wackers, START YOUR ENGINES!
It's going to take skill, patience, persistence and determination of steel...even a little muscle.
Oh, I'm not talking about my house or garden. (Although they do need work) No, I'm talking about...
During my first pregnancy I asked all my mommy friends (or any pregnant woman passing) to give me the low-down, the nitty-gritty, all the gory details of both the birthing experience and motherhood. I learned about possible tearing and hemorrhoids, engorged boobies and the like. So how come no one told me that it would take super-human strength to take a shower? Okay, so I exaggerate a little. But I used to shower EVERY DAY! I guess I could work harder at making this happen, but frankly there are days that it just seems like more work and I have enough to do (including now writing this blog).
Now you're probably thinking..."Ewww", but I do the basics. I don't stink. It's the maintenance...it's the "weed-wacking", the fine-tuning.
So I went in the bathroom, locked the door...and took some "me" time.
|Kind of hard to look sexy with this on your face.
|First painted toes of the year.
When's the last time you took a little "me" time?

subset: commoncrawl


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New Features: Speech Recognition and Synthesis for Private Courses in SuperMemo Mobile Apps
One of the biggest challenges for language learners is speaking properly, especially if they learn solo. Thanks to the development of speech technologies, you can now get instant feedback on your speaking and pronunciation skills while learning with private courses in SuperMemo mobile apps.
We have implemented speech synthesis for the question and answer texts so that you can listen to them and speech recognition for the answers, so you can respond by speaking, making sure that your pronunciation is understandable and correct. All of the languages available in the speech settings of your smartphone can be applied. You can use different languages for different MemoCards in the same course. You can even exclude parts of the text from synthesis and recognition by marking them with square brackets.
Benefits of using speech recognition for language learning
- Speech recognition can help you improve your pronunciation
- Talking to a mobile device is not intimidating. You won't be embarrassed if you make some mistakes. You can retry as many times as you wish, to achieve perfection
- Learning with an app provides flexibility. There is no need to schedule time with a teacher or conversation partner
- You save time – speaking is quicker and more convenient than typing
How to set the speech features in SuperMemo
- Enter any private course (or MemoCards) in your SuperMemo mobile app.
- Tap the gear icon in the upper menu and select "Speech Settings".
- In the new window switch the "play the question/answer" option on and pick the language/-s to be used to read the questions and/or answers in your course.
- Decide whether to apply the settings to just one card or the entire course, then confirm with Save.
- You can change these settings at any time.
- Note that, depending on the device, Internet access may be necessary in order to use the speech features.
How to use the speech features in SuperMemo
- Speech is generated automatically for MemoCards set as above.
- You can repeat the audio simply by tapping the text you want to hear.
- While in answer mode, tap the microphone icon to start recognizing your speech. The recording ends automatically after a moment of silence. The recognized text appears next to the microphone.
- You can remove the recognized text from the screen by moving it aside.
- If you would like to exclude part of the text from the speech synthesis or recognition, simply place it in square brackets.


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The longer I was in the UAE, the more I realised that this nation – a growing country and culture in its own right – had various facets which reminded me of different countries I had previously visited.
On the bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, the towns in between the two largest Emirates' of the country sat amidst the barren desert, spatially spread across the sand. The unforgiving sun and the dry air reminded me of Namibia, another country very much surrounded by desert. Driving from the capital of Windhoek towards the coast, towns along the way were also compound like – separated by beautiful, golden sand.
The markets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were nostalgic portals to my homeland of Singapore, where most of weekends were spent walking with my grandparents through wet, fish markets. The smells of freshly caught fish and ripe fruit made me feel right at home amidst the raucous conversation between vendors and customers.
The Old City – Bur Dubai – brought me back to the Chinese island of Hainan. The island similar to the outskirts of Dubai, is going through its own process of globalisation causing a tension between local life, and avenues to change. The buildings are old, and the roads bumpy and more chaotic. But there is a beautiful connection that exists to the nations past, built on the back of immigrants and a desire for something better.
However, the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi were like nothing I had ever seen. In almost every piece prior to this, I marvel at the incredible architecture and the seemingly unlimited riches on display. I always try to compare them to other cities, but I have come to the conclusion that there is just nowhere in the world like it.
As I strolled through Al Bastakiya, a homage to Dubai before its rise as a world power, I had a strong sense of melancholy.
The UAE, a nation following in the footsteps of South East Asian powers such as Singapore, desperate to become a country that was the envy of the world was to me, losing its identity.
And the crossroads the UAE has arrived at reminds me of one final country; Japan.
Japan, a nation characterised by technological advancement and capitalism, still maintains a deep connection with its past. Temples and shrines coexist with the new temples and shrines of global civilisation. This provides citizens with a point of connection much larger than themselves, defining progress as a collective movement rather than as an individual goal or target.
The vast abundance of riches in the UAE, so dramatically skewed to one side of the spectrum means that progress is no longer collective in nature. In pursuing a nation built on economic riches, the character of nation is defined by the way in which its citizens from all walks of life are treated.
Having spoken to labour workers and cab drivers on which the UAE has built itself upon, there is still a long way to go.
Ryan Cheng is the founder of The 88, and is passionate about telling stories surrounding travel, culture and identity.
Get in touch ~
Instagram: @chinkinthearmour


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Advances in Heat Transfer, Volume 2
1st Edition
Serial Editors: James Hartnett Thomas Irvine
eBook ISBN: 9780080575568
Imprint: Academic Press
Published Date: 1st January 1965
Page Count: 464
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Answered By: ACLD ASRef Last Updated: Nov 22, 2016 Views: 45
Answered By: ACLD ASRef
Last Updated: Nov 22, 2016 Views: 45
Many of the area parks offer access to freshwater springs. Visit the Florida State Parks to view the state-owned facilities. Blue Springs, Ginnie Springs, and Poe Springs are popular privately-owned parks in the area.
Interesting information: Ginnie Springs was named after Virginia, a black woman who did her laundry and cooked at the springs.
Manatees really do visit Manatee Springs, usually in late winter and early spring.
Poe Springs was unnamed on an 1846 map, but was surveyed in 1847. One of the rodmen (surveyors) was named Albert Poe.


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The one word that is redefining today's communications system is "data". Faced with a need to support a seemingly insatiable appetite for quantifiable data and enhanced experience, Communication Service Providers(CSPs) are caught in a quagmire in the face of declining revenue per bit of data transported.
Supporting subscriber demands in new technologies along with differentiated products in a cost effective manner has become the order of the day for Telecom Equipment Manufacturers (TEMs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and CSPs alike.
"According to Cisco's VNI forecast, Global Internet traffic is expected to reach 1 Zettabyte (I trillion Gigabytes) by 2015, of which more than 6.3 Exabytes of data traffic per month is expected to be mobile data"
What is challenging for the players is the balancing act they have to make between the limited available resources and new emerging technologies. To stay competitive, CSPs, ISVs and TEMs need to ride on the next wave that is the key to the future and mature/legacy products. Additionally, they need to ensure that both the current and future technologies interoperate seamlessly.
According to Deloitte, "No matter how thin new product cycle times get compressed, one thing doesn't change – the need for heavy-hitting R&D. Which takes time and a lot of money. Telecom equipment manufacturers are hamstrung by the need to meet short-term demands while engaging in longer-term R&D efforts"
With a focus on strategic 360 degree partnerships with our customers, we deliver value beyond traditional software engineering services - from creating a shared vision for offerings, through effectively launching and deploying products.
We have extensive experience of working with over 150 Communication Service Providers and 250 enterprises worldwide. We understand what our customer's customer looks for and can help TEMs and ISVs deliver these effectively.
We have over 15 years and millions of man-hours of experience in offering Product Engineering Services across most technologies in the communications domain. We work with all leading TEMs and emerging TEMs or ISVs. We offer flexible engagement models to meet the needs of customers of all sizes.
Our strategic partnerships across the complete communications value chain ranging from chipset vendors to ISV's to Test and Measurement vendors has helped us to quickly adopt and master new technologies with early access to platforms, software and development tools.
Our competencies in product engineering practice span across the entire network infrastructure - from devices and CPEs, through access, core and transport networks, to applications. We also offer services in other complementary domains such as Operating Support System (OSS) or Business Support System (BSS), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Information Technology (IT) services, and network applications.
Domain and Technology Expertise
Our technology expertise spans across both contemporary and legacy technologies in wireless, wireline, optical and voice networks.
We believe in strategic relationships with our customers, which extend well beyond traditional product engineering offerings aligned with the Product Life Cycle (PLC). Leveraging our insights from working with leading CSPs and enterprises, we engage with our customers much before the actual PLC to develop a shared vision, product and technology roadmap, as well as a concrete plan to take the offering to market. At the tail-end of the PLC, our Value Engineering services help TEMs reduce overall costs with hardware re-design and optimized sourcing of components. We also help our customers create customized offerings to address the needs of specific geographies and market segments.
As part of our core engineering offerings, we offer services for all stages of the product lifecycle, right from product design and development, through testing, deployment and sustenance. We invest significantly on in-house Centers of Excellence to build our expertise on latest technologies such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and methodologies such as Test Automation.
With state-of-the-art labs, facilities, and processes, our team ensures that customers' product is planned, designed, engineered and architected flexibly to meet frequent changes in market needs and requirements.
The client is a Tier 1 Communication Service Provider in US.
Operating in more than 170 countries, the customer is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services.
The client is a large European Communication Service Provider who provides security operations centre (SOC) services to major customers across the globe.
For further information please write to email@example.com


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Join us at the Herne Hill Christmas market on Saturday 13th December from 11am – 4pm. Find our marquee next to the Half Moon Pub where we'll be selling the work of some of our talented designers, putting on loads of fun festive activities and telling you all about the Blue Patch mission! Don't miss […]
All posts tagged with secret santa
Green Christmas at the Blue Patch Tent
in Blue Patch Business, Out and About Tags British chain oiling christmas crafts christmas decorations christmas fair christmas fayre christmas market gifts Green Santa handmade Herne Hill presents santa drawing secret santa stocking fillers sustainable resolutions


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Filthy swine
By B.J. Reyes
With the Internet abuzz over the outbreak of swine flu, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann issued a statement to address the matter:
"The federal government has documented 40 cases of swine flu nationally which are related to the initial outbreak of the virus in Mexico several days ago. The good news for Hawaii is that, as of today, no cases of swine flu have been identified in our State. In addition the strain of flu that has affected residents on the mainland is a milder form than that which is affecting patients in Mexico.
"The important thing for our residents is to not panic but instead take the time now to become informed about the effects of an influenza and think seriously about family disaster planning and preparedness. Treat this influenza outbreak as you would in preparation for any natural disaster, such as a hurricane or tsunami."
The Mayor's statement also provided a checklist of health guidance recommendations:
>> Wash your hands often (15-20 seconds) with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner which can be found at any drug store.
>> If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
>> Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
>> Most residents experiencing cold symptoms are experiencing just that, a simple cold. However if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms and have recently traveled to any of the affected areas you may want to consider consulting your health care provider (fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea).
The mayor's statement was released at 1:37 p.m., a little more than an hour after Gov. Linda Lingle's office announced she would hold a news conference at 2:45 p.m. with Department of Health officials to discuss what the state is doing to address the situation.
Lingle repeated that there have been no cases of swine flu in Hawaii, adding that the state has stepped up "passive surveillance" of airline passengers.
Look for a complete story on the state and city's efforts against swine flu in tomorrow's Star-Bulletin.


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You may think a shoebox-sized flat in central London costing more than £1m is an insane illustration of a property price bubble, but it could be the bargain of the century.
According to projections by one of the biggest investors in "prime" property in the capital, that average flat could fetch £36m by the middle of the century – if its predictions of 9%-a-year growth in prices become reality.
Casting aside concerns that Russian oligarchs will no longer be sheltering their billions in luxury mansions, London Central Portfolio has launched a £100m fund to buy one- and two-bed apartments in the capital's most exclusive districts.
It claims the property price inflation seen over the past four decades in London's prime property areas – which it defines as the areas surrounding Hyde Park, from Notting Hill to Pimlico – will continue for decades to come.
Hugh Best, LCP's investment director, said: "The average price in prime central London is now £1.5m, and has been growing at 9% a year, which we think is firmly sustainable. They have been growing at that level for 40 years and we see no reason for that to change."
At a 9% growth rate, the average £1.5m flat will fetch £6.3m by 2030 and £36m by 2050. In the shorter term, LCP, which has invested about £600m in London property, reckons speculators will earn even more – about 14% a year – over the next five years.
The Crimea crisis would not halt London property's inexorable rise, said Naomi Heaton, LCP's chief executive. "The Russians are only a part of the market and have been dwindling in number over the past few years … we could instead have the Ukrainians coming in with their money. London is the destination for the high net worth community of the world, and we are only just beginning to see the mainland Chinese. The loss of some Russian oligarchs is not a fundamental loss for the market."
The Labour party has promised it will stop new developments being sold overseas before local people have a chance to buy, amid widespread concern that the capital is being hollowed out by overseas property speculators, which in turn pushes up prices further out in the city and the south-east.
LCP claims that prime London and the rest of the UK should be seen as separate markets, and that prices paid for "trophy" properties have no effect on the mainstream market. "With only 6,000 units changing hands last year, central London is arguably the greatest capital city in the world with the lowest availability to buy." Units bought by foreigners represented only 0.3% of the total transactions in England and Wales last year, said LCP.
Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, said in January it would be "utterly nuts" to deter foreign investment in the housing market. But London assembly member Darren Johnson, who wrote the Crumbs for Londoners report, said encouraging investor-buyers had left residents renting expensive homes on insecure tenancies.
"Two-thirds of new homes in London are sold to investors. It doesn't matter whether they are from China or Kent, they are all driving up prices. Instead of encouraging this, the mayor should promote policies like land value taxation to reduce demand," he said.


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I was wondering if Jen could make some sushi with this guy, I sure hope they stay in Japan
Scientists Photograph Giant Squid in Wild
September 27, 2005 10:21 PM EDT
TOKYO - The giant squid can be found in books and in myths, but for the first time, a team of Japanese scientists has captured on film one of the most mysterious creatures of the deep-sea in its natural habitat.
The team led by Tsunemi Kubodera, from the National Science Museum in Tokyo, tracked the 26-foot long Architeuthis as it attacked prey nearly 3,000 feet deep off the coast of Japan's Bonin islands.
"We believe this is the first time a grown giant squid has been captured on camera in its natural habitat," said Kyoichi Mori, a marine researcher who co-authored a piece in Wednesday's issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
The camera was operated by remote control during research at the end of October 2004, Mori told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Mori said the giant squid, purplish red like its smaller brethren, attacked its quarry aggressively, calling into question the image of the animal as lethargic and slow moving.
"Contrary to belief that the giant squid is relatively inactive, the squid we captured on film actively used its enormous tentacles to go after prey," Mori said. "It went after some bait that we had on the end of the camera and became stuck, and left behind a tentacle" about six yards long, Mori said.
Kubodera, also reached by the AP, said researchers ran DNA tests on the tentacle and found it matched those of other giant squids found around Japan. "But other sightings were of smaller, or very injured squids washed toward the shore - or of parts of a giant squid," Kubodera said. "This is the first time a full-grown, healthy squid has been sighted in its natural environment in deep water."
Kubodera said the giant squid's tentacle would not grow back, but the squid's life was not in danger.
Jim Barry, a marine biologist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, has searched for giant squid on his own expeditions without luck. "It's the holy grail of deep sea animals," he said. "It's one that we have never seen alive, and now someone has video of one."
New Zealand's leading authority on the giant squid, marine biologist Steve O'Shea, praised the Japanese team's feat. "Through sheer ... determination the guy has gone on and done it," said O'Shea, chief marine scientist at the Auckland University of Technology, who is not linked to the Japanese research.
O'Shea said he hopes to capture juvenile giant squid and grow them in captivity. He captured 17 of them five years ago but they died in captivity. "Our reaction is one of tremendous relief that the so-called ... race (to film the giant squid) is over ... because the animal has consumed the last eight or nine years of my life," O'Shea said of the film.
Giant squid have long attracted human fascination, appearing in myths of the ancient Greeks, as well as Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Scientific interest in the animals has surged in recent years as more specimens have been caught in commercial fishing nets or found washed up on shores.
Kubodera would make no claims about the scientific significance of his team's work. "As for the impact our discovery will have on marine research, I'll leave to other researchers to decide," he said.
Other biologists saidi they expected the video would provide insight on the animal's behavior underwater. "Nobody has been able to observe a large giant squid where it lives," said Randy Kochevar, a deep sea biologist also with the Monterey aquarium. "There are people who said it would never be done."
Associated Press reporters Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand, and Terence Chea in San Francisco contributed to this report. Copyright 2005 Associated Press.
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Working papers
"Heterogeneous Passthrough from TFP to Wages," (with Sergio Salgado and Ming Xu) [Updated Draft Coming Soon]
Abstract: We use matched employer-employee data from Denmark to analyze the extent to which firms' productivity shocks are passed to workers' wages. The richness of our dataset allows us to separately study continuing and non-continuing workers, to correct for selection, and to investigate how the passthrough varies across narrow population groups. Our results show a much larger degree of passthrough from firms' shocks to workers' wages than reported in previous research. On average, an increase of one standard deviation in firm-level TFP commands an increase of 3.0% in annual wages ($1,500 USD for the average worker). Furthermore, we find that the effect of productivity shocks on wage growth for workers who switch firms is larger relative to workers that stay within the same firm. Finally, we find large differences in the passthrough for workers of different income levels, ages, industries, and firms of different productivity levels. In the second part of our paper, we estimate a stochastic process of income that captures the salient features the data. We then embed the estimated stochastic process into a life-cycle consumption savings model to evaluate the welfare and distributional implications of the passthrough from firms' TFP shocks to workers' wages.
"A Characterization of the Distribution of Firm Productivity Shocks," (with Sergio Salgado and Ming Xu) [Draft Coming Soon]
Abstract: In this paper, we characterize the distribution firm-level productivity shocks using a large employer-employee matched panel dataset for the entire Danish economy. Relative to other more standard methods, our estimation relies on a nonparametric structural model which we use to distinguish between persistent and transitory shocks. Furthermore, we use detailed individual-level data from the employer/employee matched panel to control for differences in workforce productivity within and across firms. Our estimates show that the distribution of productivity shocks largely differs from the standard Gaussian assumption, showing negative skewness and large kurtosis. Controlling for labor productivity dramatically reduces the variance of firm shocks and overall total factor productivity. We also unveil substantial differences across firm types defined by size, age, and productivity level. We then estimate a stochastic process that matches our main empirical results and we incorporate it to an otherwise standard model of firm dynamics.
"An Empirical Framework for Matching with Imperfect Competition," (with Kory Kroft and Ismael Mourifié) [Work in Progress]
"MPC Heterogeneity and Firm Level Shocks," (with Sergio Salgado and Ming Xu) [Work in Progress]
Abstract: In this paper we use firm-level shocks estimated using an employer-employee matched panel dataset from Denmark to provide new and precise estimates of the Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC). Firm productivity shocks – estimated using a structural model – are especially useful to study MPC as they are, by construction, unexpected from the perspective of the worker and generate sizable changes in workers' labor income. Using these firm shocks as instruments to control for the endogeneity of wages in the consumption decision, we find that an unexpected increase in wages of one dollar leads to an increase in consumption of 30 cents on average. We also find sizable variations in MPC for positive and negative income shocks and across the age and income distributions.
"How Substitutable Are Labor and Intermediates?" Job Market Paper [Draft (12/15/17)]
Abstract: Empirical models of production often impose input complementarity and rule out an extensive margin in the decision to "make or buy" inputs. This paper develops a simple model of production which generalizes the standard Cobb-Douglas approach and allows labor and intermediates of similar types (or "tasks") to be complements, substitutes, or (importantly) outsourced entirely. Modeling this "make or buy" decision directly allows me to correct for selection bias resulting from the endogenous outsourcing decision and to characterize the extensive margin of factor demand. I take the model to unique Danish data on task-level purchases of disaggregated labor (e.g. truck drivers), goods, and services (e.g. shipping) and find that labor and intermediates are gross substitutes. Estimated elasticities of substitution range from 1.5 to 4, with positive cross-price elasticities between 0 to 2 across inputs and industries. Aggregating across firms, I show that demand for labor is becoming increasingly price elastic over time, driven by growing outsourcing and specialization. To illustrate the importance of allowing for substitution, I examine the effect of an increase in minimum wages in the Danish manufacturing industry, finding that ignoring outsourcing underestimates disemployment by 40%. This also has important implications for estimating productivity. I estimate the effect of recent decreases in Danish import tariffs on firm productivity and show that controlling for substitution triples the results relative to benchmark models which only control for price effects.
"Trade, Occupation Sorting, and Inequality," (with Ming Xu) [Latest Draft]
Abstract: Firms react to changes in factor prices with intensive and extensive-margin employment adjustments at the occupational-level. We study the distributional and aggregate consequences of this make-or-buy dynamic by developing a novel network model of heterogeneous firm-to-firm trade where the boundary of each firm depends on factor prices and firm-occupation comparative advantage in input-production. We show that the model can be easily aggregated and taken to industry-level data, and use the calibrated model to examine recent trends in employment, wages and trade in the USA. We use public OES and CPS data to show empirical evidence that a significant fraction of the growth in wage inequality in the USA is due to changes in firm/industry specialization and occupation sorting. To understand and measure the underlying causes of these trends, we calibrate the model to occupation and industry data from the OES and input-output tables. The results suggest that 1/3rd of the increases in wage inequality stem from decreases in inter-industry trade frictions with the remaining 2/3rds stemming from changes in technology and labor supply. Falling trade frictions are also responsible for all of the increases in occupational sorting and concentration. Had trade frictions been held at their 2002 level, productivity growth would have led to an increase in vertical integration, rather than the decrease observed in the data.
"Allowing for Heterogeneous Preferences over Unobserved Quality in Random Coefficient Models," (with Amit Gandhi, Kyoo-il Kim and Amil Petrin) [Preliminary Draft]
Abstract: In this paper we study a class of random utility models that allows for horizontal product differentiation to enter an otherwise purely vertically differentiated market. The model generalizes the standard random coefficient model by allowing for consumer heterogeneity to interact with a product's unobserved attribute. We seek to establish three basic results concerning this model that is relevant for empirical work. First, the discrete choice demand literature to date allows for heterogeneous preferences on observed characteristics, but not on unobserved characteristics. This is potentially problematic, as in empirical settings much of demand loads on unobserved product quality. Allowing for heterogeneous preferences over this unobserved quality (which might represent reliability, marketing, style, or other unmeasured product characteristics) thus has an obvious economic interpretation which is useful for the purposes of measuring product quality and demand. Second, a key issue in generalizing the model in this way is that the standard computation method, following Berry (1994) and Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes (1995) (henceforth BLP), does not apply to this model, as the conditions under which the proposed mapping is a contraction are no longer generally satisfied. Third, we build on work by Berry et al. (2013) and Berry and Haile (2014) and establish conditions under which the generalized model is both identified and has a globally convergent solution method.
"The Impact of Research and Development on Quality, Productivity, and Welfare," (with Amil Petrin and Frederic Warzynski) [Draft Coming Soon]
Abstract: There is a large theoretical literature that shows there may be too little or too much research and development (R&D) from the perspective of maximizing long run growth. In this paper we provide a methodology for answering this question that jointly studies production and demand for multi-product firms using detailed firm-product level dataset from Denmark. We recover estimates of marginal cost by combining the proxy techniques of multi-product production function estimation (using insights from Dhyne et al. (2017) with a cost function that allows for quasi-fixed inputs. We use a discrete choice demand model that extends insights from Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes (1995). Having recovered estimates of firm-product level technical efficiency, quality, and marginal cost we get the implied markups. We estimate the relationship between quality (technical efficiency) and product (process) R&D. We then simulate the effect of a 1% increase in R&D expenditures on consumer and producer surplus. In most industries we find that too little R&D is being done from the perspective of society. In contrast, from the perspective of firms there is sufficient spending on R&D. Our findings are consistent with the theoretical story where competitors cannibalize the innovator's profits leading to underinvestment in R&D.


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God is Love: Photos by Epectase
Conceptual photos of individuals climbing and hugging the crosses found along the roads of France which takes the phrase "God is Love" literally. Although some might see this as hilarious, such as if you're a tourist who happen to walk by, others may see it as a desecration of Christ. According to the photographers, they found the reactions to the images mixed—some supporting them with enthusiasm while others took them for vandals.
Epectase are photographer Corentin Fohlen and performer Jérôme Von Zilw.


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This recipe is quick, easy and perfect for these hot days
1 large banana (the riper, the better)
1/4 cup of vanilla yoghurt
1 cup frozen blue berries
2 table spoons water
Place chunks of chopped banana in a food processor (or mash thoroughly by hand).
Add yoghurt and continue to process until smooth (or mix by hand).
In a separate bowl, add frozen blue berries and water - mash or process until desired consistency (if you do not like the "bits" in it, it can be strained and only the juices used, however this also removes the fibre)
You could freeze it in a small containers and swirl the blueberry mix through
Freeze for several hours.


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Fancy Dress, 70s and 80s Clothing
BFPO orders welcome
How to talk like a Pirate
70's Fashion
Fancy Dress Ideas
CARMEN MIRANDA Brazilian samba singer and actress most popular in the 1940s and 1950s.Miranda's enormous, fruit-laden hats are iconic visuals recognized around the world. Often spoofed, Carmen Miranda will always be remembered best for her outrageous outfits and ''bowl of fruit'' hat. Although she was Brazilian, Carmen was actually born in Portugal. Her family immigrated to Brazil when she was a child. costume includes: Brazilian Samba fancy dress - dress, belt, sleevelets and hat with fruit


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Werner Paddles believes advanced designs and fit are key ingredients for Ultimate Paddle Performance. As paddlers of all disciplines & experience levels hit the water, we're all after the same thing — fun with as little fatigue as possible. It starts with a great fit and with that comes more comfort and reduced fatigue on the water. Performance is at the core of our designs; focusing on light swing weight, a great catch, smooth strokes and ultimate balance. Werner Paddles, makes a promise that our pride and quality workmanship will be evident every time you pick up your paddle. You can see it in our unsurpassed attention to quality and feel it with every paddle stroke.
Look to Werner for your canoe paddle or guide stick for our combination of Bomber reliability and performance. Decades of experience on the water, in the R+D room and on the production floor has taught us how to built beautifully balanced, light swing weight paddles that do not compromise strength. So you create your paddling adventure, the steepest of creeks, the rowdiest of waves, with a loaded boat steady into a head wind or going hard for a personal best for you and your training partner. No matter where you paddle your canoe or guide your raft, we got you covered with Ultimate Paddle Performance.
Paddles that offer Standard Performance give you Werner's heritage and advanced design features at introductory prices. For those recreational paddlers, we still want you to experience the feel of a Werner Paddle on the water. These paddles may not have all the advanced designs features, materials and fit options but we will never give up our core philosophies of light swing weight, balance and smooth stable strokes. Our fiberglass reinforced nylon blades are quite sturdy, so although paying a penalty in swing weight they will be much stronger than lesser quality materials. Our shaft uses a carbon blend to combine light weight and strength. We also spend a lot of time testing flex. With each stroke you'll feel just the perfect amount of flex, making the paddle softer on your joints.
Paddles that offer Premium Performance give you the right combination of light weight, stiffness and durability. Swing weight equates to the effort it takes to move your paddle through out the stroke, and with our Premium line it is not much. Stiffness is a key element in blade performance, allowing for more efficiency as the blade fixes less under the load of moving you and your boat. Choose between fiberglass or carbon construction. Carbon gives you the lightest swing weight option and matches the strength, impact and wear resistance of fiberglass with a stealth black carbon look. Fiberglass is a great compromise for those looking for a better value. You still get identical strength and impact and wear resistance. Also, a variety of bright color options with a handcrafted translucent look. Our shaft uses a carbon blend to combine light weight and strength. We also spend a lot of time testing flex. With each stroke you'll feel just the perfect about of flex, making the paddle softer on your joints.
Our Ultimate performance brings together all of our most advanced designs. Paddles that offer Ultimate Performance have an exceptionally light, buoyant and quiet feel on the water. Our blades designed with more volume creates a blade profile that displaces more water for a significantly lighter, more buoyant feel on the water. The added buoyancy assists the blade from the water at the exit of the stroke. This allows you to use less energy on long paddle outings, creates a more stable brace, and enhances kayak rolls in aerated water. The smooth back profile increases paddle performance by allowing water to flow uninterrupted. This results in smooth, quiet, fluid strokes, in all directions. Our carbon shaft combines light weight with our reputation for strength, derived for the experience of handcrafting paddles for the most extreme users. We also spend quite a bit of time testing flex. With each stroke you feel just the perfect amount of flex, making the paddle softer on your joints. In your hands you feel balance, and our lightest swing weight paddles derive from a combination of our lightest weight carbon and fiberglass. Longer days on the water are ahead. Although our best paddling paddle, the Ultimate performance level does compromise impact resistance for light weight and performance. Strong for its intended use, paddlers should be mindful that these paddles should be used, but not abused.
In 1976 Werner Sr. created an new blade design with the objective to of eliminating fatigue caused by blades fluttering when stroked. This latest paddle design had complex 3 dimensional shape on the power face known as Dihedral. This dihedral shape was created to direct water to flow evenly off each side of the blade creating a smooth and stable stroke. Without dihedral water builds up on the power face, this water gets "confused" and in order to expel this build up the blade will flutter back and forth. Therefore, by adding a dihedral angle to our blade design, water is given direction to flow easily off the blade, minimizing flutter. This reduces the gripping effort needed to overcome the flutter and allows you to use a loose grip style of paddling, reducing fatigue and increasing your enjoyment on the water.
Our Standard performance fiberglass blades are both lighter and stiffer than our injection molded blades. While they do outweigh our premium blades, their fiberglass construction is the best choice for value while still giving the blade a great look and feel.
When every ounce counts, look to our Premium Carbon blades. As a stiffer material, you can use less carbon to achieve the same strength as fiberglass, allowing for a lighter weight.. All carbon materials with a foam reinforcement stick to provide rigidity.
Originally developed in the 70's and perfected for decades. Our Premium fiberglass blades in HD Graphics or Translucent colors look unlike any other. A true work of art, the perfection in hand craftsmanship can be seen by holding the blades up to the light. These full fiberglass blades provide light swing weight and stiffness for our mid-price point. A foam reinforcement stick provides rigidity.
The wide variety of strokes used by canoeists demands a do it all blade design. Our canoe touring line uses a 10 degree blade to shaft offset (the industry standard) to allow for smooth forward strokes as well as your repertoire of maneuvering strokes.
The "Catch" is where the blade initially enters the water and begins your forward stroke. Our innovative long, slender canoe touring blade shape allows for a less abrupt catch, meaning a softer feel on the body and longer days on the water. To increase speed, this shape allows for a higher cadence with ease. No matter looking to maintain a consistent pace with a loaded down boat, or setting a personal best with your training partner, our Algonquin and Churchill blade shape will feel great on the water.
Our scooped power face gives a more efficient forward stroke for river runners and slalom paddlers. Play boaters love the way it keeps them in control on their favorite feature.
Symmetrical shape allows for smooth forward paddling as well as prys and draws for more immediate and precise control.
Our custom fit palm grip is the most comfortable grip on the market today. You will find that you will be able to keep a loose grip, even in the toughest of conditions, while the width of the full palm grip enables more blade control. A loose grip reduces fatigue and wear and tear on your joints. Our ABS palm grips give the most impact resistance while carbon provides the lightest option.
At our highest level of straight shaft, we use 100% carbon materials. Our design team has ensured that this super light weight material is constructed to be strong, and with comfortable flex. Our craftsman hand assemble each to the level of excellence our customers have come to expect.
Designed and handcrafted with a significantly higher percentage of carbon materials keep the paddle light weight. The fiberglass mixture makes for a unique textured grip and added strength. Expertly engineered, these shafts will hold up to the rigors of paddling, while maintaining a comfortable flex.
Carefully sourcing the right materials and components is a key element of bringing UPP to our Standard performance paddles. Our comfortable wrapped fiberglass shaft keeps overall paddle weight down. "Wrapped" refers to the process in how these shafts are made, different from our upper end shafts but still meeting our expectations for strength and appropriate flex. We are able to bring these paddle options to you at a more modest price.
BOMBER = Reliable. Our legendary bomber reputation has given paddlers decades of confidence on the most extreme rivers across the world. With utmost attention to detail, design and craftsmanship, our shafts are all handmade at our production facility in Sultan WA, USA. We're able to place our choice of fiberglass and carbon materials exactly where it's needed. The result is an unmatched combination of flex, weight and of course strength. Look no further than Werner to see who the leaders in white water are. Pick up a Werner canoe paddle; our shafts have a unique feel. Notice the texture, the indexing. Designed to give you more comfort and control and to be able to feel the precision of every one of your strokes.
The three-piece breakdown is perfect for those looking for a back up paddle or the perfect travel paddler. The confidence of our Bomber paddles with reliable ferrule joints for easy assembly when you really need it most. Never have to hike out again because of a lost paddle. It easily fits behind the saddle in a C1, stowed aside float bags in an OC-1 or into a gear bag for flights.


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I have to agree that his first premise is valid, but I don't agree with the second premise and thus, his conclusion. I don't think that anyone can be "argued" into the Kingdom. For example, knowing that someone exists is different from wanting a loving relationship with them. Someone can believe that the Christian God exists, yet not want to have a personal relationship with Him. That person can recognize that the evidence points toward the Resurrection being a historical event, but not want to dedicate their life to that fact. A belief that is different from a belief in.
A belief that means you know that something is true. A belief in is a life-commitment to that truth (a conscious choice to change your actions to be consistent with that truth). See Psychology Class Series for more on this.
Having said that, a belief in something requires a belief that that something exists. If someone does not believe that something is true, why would they commit their life to it?
Apologetics is important because it helps people to take the first large step into the Kingdom. For many people, an apologetic approach is not necessary (they may not have philosophical, historical or scientific questions). They may simply have never understood the Gospel. In this case, no, we don't need to waste our time with philosophy. We don't want to create a stumbling block where one does not exist or is not realized by the person himself (1 Corithians 10:32-33).
I have to admit that I have focused so finely on the arguments that I fear I have created stumbling blocks where they weren't before. When to use apologetics and when to simply present the Gospel (or both) is something that I have to learn. I believe the caller above had a good point in showing a possible extreme, but he must recognize, though, that his side is also an extreme. Greg Koukl's book Tactics (My Review) is a great resource to start to help determine when to use which approach with a nonbeliever.
This reminds me of the value of the different parts of the Body of Christ. Granted, all Christians are called to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15), but there are some who have deeply studied specific challenges and their answers. Christians should never think of one "gift" as less valuable than another (1 Corinthians 12:24-26) because some day, they may need to swallow their pride and refer someone to a Christian whom God has given the answer to the question being asked of them.
As mentioned in the Psychology Class Series, emotions (the heart) is key to the acceptance or rejection of a belief. The Holy Spirit is who works on the heart of people to bring them to Christ. The Holy Spirit prepares the emotions (heart) to accept the evidence. Christ commanded his disciples to go make disciples. The Christian's duty in evangelism is to provide the evidence to the person, so that the emotions (the heart that the Holy Spirit has been working on) will accept it- thus changing a life. Those whom the Holy Spirit has been working on are drawn to Christ, but may need an intellectual reason to accept Him. Apologists can provide that intellectual reason. We need to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have".
Near the beginning of this post, I stated that no one can be argued into the Kingdom. The reason for this lies in the above paragraph. If the Holy Spirit has not prepared the emotions (heart) to accept the evidence, no number of arguments will convince them. They are emotionally attached to a non-Christian idea, and will satisfy themselves with all sorts of rationalizations and absurd philosophies to avoid acceptance.
As the Church, we need to learn to recognize our role in the Great Commission. It is not to convert; it is be a witness- provide evidence from experience, nature, and philosophy. We also need to recognize the role of the Holy Spirit. It is to soften the heart to allow for the recognition of and commitment to The Truth.
I remember my frustration when in my "earlier" years as an "apologist". I would always think that I've got the Truth and impenetrable arguments to support it. When one argument didn't cause a conversion, I would arrogantly whip out another (unwittingly, this probably cause more stumbling blocks). When someone still didn't accept it, it caused much frustration for me. I just didn't understand how or why someone just couldn't get it. When that happened, lots of ad-hominem attacks were having a party in the back of my head and were attempting to dance right out my mouth.
When I finally recognized this balance of duties with regard to The Great Commission, my frustration with people who "just don't get it" went down considerably. I had to swallow my pride. I am not that great. The salvation another a non-believer is not because of me. It is because of the Holy Spirit who worked in the life of the non-believer and myself (which is a result of the Holy Spirit working on my heart, which is the result of the Holy Spirit working on the heart of another, etc...). There is no need for me to get so frustrated or be arrogant. If an argument that I present helps a person come to Christ, I thank God that He allowed me to be an instrument in His orchestra. I am still in the process of being sanctified by Him, and at times, I will be out of tune and hit wrong notes. Because my choice is to worship Him with all my heart, soul, and mind, He can still use me to be an ambassador, while He prepares me for eternity with Him.
Here is another great post on this topic by Josh Fults: Can You Argue Someone Into Believing In God?


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The former co-stars looked so happy on their perfect wedding day.
Rose Leslie and Kit Harington had the most beautiful wedding on June 23, 2018. It was attended by their Games of Thrones co-stars, Hollywood pals, friends and family members, and fans of the couple who eagerly waited outside of the church for a glimpse of the bride and groom.
Here, all of the best photos of Leslie and Harington's wedding in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, from Sophie Turner's bright red mini-dress, to Emilia Clarke's pink ensemble:
From: Harper's BAZAAR US


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Circles of Life SERIES, Limited Edition.
Buy an original Limited Edition for the same price as a cheap, mass produced print!
This series started life as test ideas for backgrounds and elements for different compositions. I got sidetracked - as usual - and ending up producing a range that I think work in their own right - recently updated and now released as new editions. (CC)
Large Artwork will be shipped rolled in a secure tube.
NB: All Sizes are Digital Limited EditionsThis edition is also included in the 'Morphogenesis and 'New Beginnings' series with an abstract butterfly and skull motif representing death and re-birth. Only available on this site.
Original Artwork: Czar Catstick and The Emperor's New Clothes Collective via Big Fat Arts Gallery.
printed on Giclée Hahnemühle Photo Rag
Sick of Cream?Bored of Beige?Tired of Taupe?
Irritated by 'washed out' Chromophobic Interior Designers?Get some colour on your walls! Abstract Geometric Dotty Composition.
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Most sites about Belgrade and Serbia warn you to prepare yourself for horrifying quantities of meet lurking around every corner, three times a day.
This is, to a large extent, true and if you're into cheap and tasty street food or into greasy but oh so flavorsome Balkan specialties, you will have a time of your life here. But how about vegetarians and vegans, those categories of people whose preferences still raise many eyebrows here.
How difficult it really is to be a vegetarian tourist (or resident for that matter) in Belgrade? Can you relax knowing that you will eat well and sufficiently and enjoy the town or you will still have to be tense about what and where to eat?
Belgrade is not as harsh to its vegetarians as it once was. Though it would be hard to claim that there are many more vegetarians here than before, they are at least understood better. The biggest distinction to the times a decade ago however is that vegetarians needn't only go for self-catering but can indulge in having proper meals in specialized restaurants.
Of these, the best reviews are received by the vegetarian and macrobiotic restaurant Joy of the Heart, a small, unpretentious joint in a basement of Svetogorska St no. 18, close to the Parliament building.
Just around the corner, in Palmoticeva 5, is Indian-themed Mumbai Restaurant which caters mostly for business people during their lunchtime break so that it can get a bit disappointing in the evening.
If you're running with a larger crowd and get seated in a regular restaurant ask for a vegetarian platter (vegetarijanski tanjir) that is nowadays available in a good number of restaurants and even in some kafanas. Most of the restaurants also offer a variety of salads.
In a kafana (an olden days Serbian restaurants) the choices are narrower. Most of the vegetarians go for sopska salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and cottage cheese on top of it), or srpska (same as above, just hot peppers instead of cheese, which comes handy for vegans).
You shouldn't miss the local delicacies such as kajmak (midway between a cheese and a cream), ajvar (pepper, eggplant and garlic relish) or prebranac (casserole of beans and onion) that will do for a filling main meal. If you get to like kajmak, and most people do, go also for the lepinja s kajmakom, a sort of kajmak sandwich available at some fast food stalls.
As for the numerous pizzerias around, those that care about their reputation should have a choice of at least one or two vegetarian pizzas.
If you're eating a pie or a burek in one of Belgrade's ubiquitous bakeries try to inquire if it was baked on oil (na ulju) or on lard. That goes for many other pastries as well.
For those who intend to cook for themselves a visit to one of Belgrade's green markets is a must. From mid springtime to late autumn you will find there all the fresh fruit and veggies your heart desires at bargain prices; the choice is much more narrow, but not uninteresting, in winter.
The number of stores specialized for selling unconventional (for Serbia) food items, which include a variety of organic and whole food products, is also on the rise and there is one now in almost any neighborhood. These are called prodavnica zdrave hrane.
Before you start, don't forget to memorize the crucial phrase Ja sam vegetarijanac / vegan ("I am a vegetarian / vegan"). Now you can enjoy Belgrade the vegetarian way!


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Are Women Candidates Just Candidates After All?
"There was a time when just being a woman set you apart…Those days are gone."
– Pollster
In the November 2002 elections, 26 women filed for governor in 20 states, 10 women won their primaries and 4 were elect- ed. In 2003 and 2004, Louisiana Governor Blanco won an off-year election, and Lieutenant Governors Jodi Rell and Olene Walker filled vacant governor's seats, bringing the total to 9 women in office—the highest number of women governors to serve simultaneously in U.S. history.
As the numbers of women seeking and winning governorships increase, voters' presumptions about the significance or meaning of gender to a candidacy appear to be shifting. Our previous research identified a tendency among voters to believe that women candidates are more likely to be reformers and more likely to be honest.
The 2002 data suggest that when characterizing a woman's candidacy, voters are less likely to have these beneficial predispositions.
The more women compete for and win the top spot, the more opportunity voters have to see women repeat the patterns and rhythms of previous all-male elections. Or perhaps women candidates are outright adopting male behaviors and strategies. Whatever the reason, female candidates are not necessarily presumed to be a political "breath of fresh air."
Another predisposition we noted in the previous research, however, persists in the 2002 findings. Older blue-collar women, particularly those who choose their candidate late in the process, hold women candidates to a higher standard. They require more evidence that a woman candidate deserves their vote.
Women Have Achieved Parity in Fundraising
In this cycle, most women running for governor raised as much money as their male counterparts. In 1998 and 2000, female candidates faced greater personal and institutional hurdles in soliciting donations. Few candidates in 2002 were daunted by the challenges of raising the millions they needed to mount a competitive race. The 2002 candidates were more clinical and methodical; fundraising was a routine task for which they were well prepared.
Women Candidates Don't Necessarily Represent Change
In previous elections, when voters were looking to change the status quo, women had an advantage – they were, by definition, "different." At the turn of the millennium, New Yorkers elected a First Lady to the U.S. Senate, Democrats chose their first woman leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, California boasted a female majority in its 33 member Democratic delegation to the House, and more Republican women were elected to Congress and state legislatures than at any preceding point in history with 650 Republican women serving in state legislatures.
In 2002, outsider status signaled change to voters much more than a candidate's gender. Party affiliation, past leadership history and positions on issues all played into the calculation of which candidate would actually shake up the status quo. Gender was part of this calculation, but did not dominate it.
Male voters rarely say gender inherently represents change, but some women voters do. Women in the focus groups said, "She's a female, we need a change," and, "Put a woman in that position and it might open the door for change. Give her a try."
In 2002, voters were clearly ready for something new. A record number of governorships turned over, but focus group participants revealed that party affiliation drove the desire for change more than gender, and female gubernatorial candidates were less likely to be seen as symbols of reform. They were also less likely presumed to be running to "shake up the status quo".
Women May Not Automatically Have a Virtue Advantage
Prior to the 2002 elections, voters viewed women as above "politics as usual" and more honest than their male counterparts. This virtue advantage, however, was not as prevalent in 2002.
"Women were assumed to be a breath of fresh air, not part of the old boy network," said one pollster. "There was a time when just being a woman set you apart … Those days are gone."
In 2002, voters did not credit women candidates with being "above the fray," and in some cases – particularly with candidates who were closely aligned with a state's current administration – they considered the female candidates to be "insiders" with all the dark implications that title carries.
"I think her failure as a candidate came because she was too much tied into the political establishment."
And voters are more wary of a female insider than they are of a male insider.
"You can't deny she was an insider," said a focus group participant. "She should have discussed more specifically how she wasn't going to be behind the scenes wheeling and dealing."
Being tough enough to manage the system – whether it's a state bureaucracy or a partisan legislative caucus – but not become mired in it is still a challenge for women. However, the research shows that meeting that challenge and preserving one's "out- sider" credentials can be valuable at the ballot box.
Late-deciding Voters Wait for a Female Candidate to Prove Herself
Our research turned up a quirk in the decision-making patterns of some voters, particularly older, blue-collar women.
Many of these women, who initially appeared enthusiastic about a woman's candidacy, got nervous about voting for a woman toward the end of the campaign. They still wanted more proof that the female candidate deserved their vote. Some seized on a single gaffe or cited a lackluster debate performance. For these late deciders, the bar was set very high for women candidates.
For this reason, women candidates need to finish strong. In close races, late-deciders can hold the key to success, and campaign teams should chart a specific strategy for communicating with them.
A Woman's Family and Personal Life Matter More To Voters
In 2002, husbands became a target: their work, contracts and business relationships came under scrutiny. As in previous elections, voters were afraid that candidates with children would be distracted or that the children wouldn't get enough attention. If the candidate didn't have children, voters worried that she couldn't relate to family issues. However, voters didn't question whether a man could be both a good father and a good governor.
When the women candidate was childless or unmarried, integrating other family members into their campaigns helped, but whispers about unmarried women candidates persisted.
While more women candidates are winning high office and achieving parity in fundraising, some are losing their luster with voters. As voters become more accustomed to women running and winning high office, electoral advantages once associated with female candidates may be wearing off, and older women especially hold them to a higher standard.


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This is an excerpt from Tennis Drill Book-2nd Edition, The.
Thrust Launch Serve Technique
To take the basic flat serve to new levels by adding powerful lower-body technique to the mix.
While tossing the ball and shifting body weight forward, players step up to the baseline with the back foot and launch up and into the ball with both legs together. This action helps generate a tremendously powerful serve.
Players take a position at the baseline or the service line center (T) and start from the natural service ready position. They mirror the steps of the flat serve but after transferring body weight forward, they simultaneously step up with the back foot while tossing the ball, place the back foot next to the lead foot, bend both knees, and launch up and out with the legs together. This sequence produces tremendous power from the lower body. Players strike the ball at the peak of the toss for net clearance and control, and then land on the lead foot. They complete the follow-through and recover.
The accuracy of the toss is especially important when adding fancy footwork to the serve. After players toss the ball, it essentially stays stationary, but the body will be moving all over the place. Players must therefore place the toss in the same location every time. They must practice tossing the ball at least as much as they practice serving the ball, if not more. A great way to learn how to hit up on the serve is by sitting or kneeling on the baseline or service line next to the center (T). This type of positioning forces a player to really extend the racket head up and into the ball before swinging out to the service-court area. Players who crave more pace and depth on the serve should try exhaling to help prevent a choked stroke and to smoothly accelerate up and through the ball.
Learn more about Tennis Drill Book, Second Edition.


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Valentine's Day is just days away, I can not believe it almost here already. This year is going fast. I thought I would share this really cute Space Theme Valentine's Day Card printable with you. It is just so just so darn cute. This cute little astronaut Valentines who is ready to take off is a gender neutral Valentine's Day Card and is absolutely perfect for classmates.
There are 2 sets of cards for you to print. One set it a white background and the other has the same sayings but on a black background. No matter which set you choose, or a combination of both, the kids are going to love them.
To create these printable Valentine's Day cards is simple. You will need a color printer and either regular printer paper or card stock. I personally prefer card stock because it is thicker and they do not crumble as easily. They also feel more like Valentine's that you buy.
After you download the Free Printable Space Theme Valentine's Day Cards (White background, Black background) , all you have to do it cut them out and add the child's name.
Space Valentines White Background (set of 4)
Space Valentines Black Background (set of 4)
If you are looking for other free Valentine's Day Cards, here are some of my favorites that I have shared in the past.
If you want to create something sweet for your Valentine, try these Hugs and Kisses Valentine's Day Printables. It's so simple to make these cuties and who doesn't love a kiss. Give your Valentine a giggle this year with Printable Funny Valentine's Day Cards Go old school button candy and these Cute as a Button Printable Valentines. What kid doesn't love a sucker? Make these simple I'm a Sucker for You Printable Valentines for Kids.


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Some thoughts on working with CFCs remotely
Last night my boss pinged me with a few questions concerning ColdFusion Components (CFCs) and Flex. His questions led to a long discussion about working with remote CFCs (and to be clear, this would apply to Flex or Ajax) and what some of the best/recommended practices are. He also asked for a demo of what I was talking about so I whipped up some code this morning to illustrate the concepts. If any of this blog entry does not make sense, I'll be moderating an open chat room later today (4PM CST) on Connect:
Hop on in and we can talk about this blog entry, or anything else. Anyway, on with the discussion.
Let's begin with an example of a web site that includes CFCs meant to be called remotely. As I mentioned earlier, my boss was using Flex but in our case, I'm doing to everything with simple HTTP requests. No Flex, no Ajax, just all in the browser. Version 1 of my application has the following structure:
Forgive me for including those two "Copy of" files, pretend they don't exist. You can see I've got an Application.cfc, a model folder, and two CFCs. Let's begin by looking at art.cfc:
component {
writelog(file="application",text="art.cfc created");
remote string function helloWorld(string name="Nameless") {
return "Hello, #arguments.name#";
}
Nothing too crazy here. The CFC has one method, helloWorld. But note I included a writelog in the constructor area. What's the constructor area? Any code in a CFC that is not in a method will be executed whenever a CFC is created. Any code. That means code on top, bottom, and even code hiding between methods. Typically you would never put code outside of methods like that, but if you do, try to put it on top.
So the question is - what happens when I use this CFC? If I put this in my browser: http://localhost/remotecfcexample/v1/art.cfc?method=helloworld&returnformat=json I'll get the response ("Hello, Nameless") but I'll also get a line in my Application.log file. If I rerun this URL a few times, I'll get multiple log entries.
What this implies is that every time a remote client (again, it could be Flex, AJAX, mobile app using Flex or AJAX, simple HTTP request, magical unicorns) a new CFC instance is created. This becomes more important as we begin to add additional CFCs and make them use each other. This is actually what spurred my boss's initial question. How - from art.cfc, could he make use of util.cfc? Let's first look at util.cfc:
component {
writelog(file="application",text="util.cfc created");
public function simpleBold(required string s) {
return "" & arguments.s & "";
public function simpleItalics(required string s) {
return "" & arguments.s & "";
}
This CFC is - surprise surprise - a utility component. It's got a function for bolding and italicizing text. Very fancy. So how would art.cfc make use of it? In order to do so it needs to create an instance. For example:
component {
writelog(file="application",text="art.cfc created");
remote string function helloWorld(string name="Nameless") {
var util = new util();
return util.simpleBold("Hello, #arguments.name#");
}
Nothing terribly complex here. I just made an instance of util in my method and then used it to format my text. But let's look at our log file now after a few requests.
I've got four lines there representing two separate requests. Each and every time I execute my call to helloWorld, I've got not one but two requests going on. This is probably not going to matter for 99% of web applications. ColdFusion can create CFCs fast. Really fast. But obviously we could be leading ourselves down a scary path if we start creating more complex components.
So what did I recommend?
First, I suggested he put his core CFCs into the Application scope. This would allow him to create his CFCs one time only. It also allows him to use an initialization method to create an instance of util. The assumption being that more methods in the art.cfc will probably need it. Let's look at art.cfc first:
component {
writelog(file="application",text="art.cfc created");
public function init() {
variables.util= new util();
public string function helloWorld(string name="Nameless") {
return variables.util.simpleBold("Hello, #arguments.name#");
}
This version has two important changes. First note the use of the init method. ColdFusion will run this automatically when the CFC is created. I store the util component in the CFC's Variables scope. Then later on in my method, I can run the utility CFC's function. util.cfc didn't change at all. Let's look at my Application.cfc:
component {
public boolean function onApplicationStart() {
application.art = new model.art();
return true;
}
So this Application.cfc is rather simple, but you can see now that I use the onApplicationStart method to create an instance of my art component in the application scope. Done. Except… now the question is - how in the heck do we call that component method?? You can't run a CFC stored in a variable remotely. (Although see my notes below!) This is where a new CFC comes in. I'm going to create a "service" CFC that simply acts as a proxy to my Application components. Here is my application's new structure:
You can see my new folder, remote, with a component called artservice.cfc. I should point out that the names here are purely arbitrary. I named them "nicely" of course, but there is noting special about my folder being called remote. Let's look at the CFC now.
component {
writelog(file="application",text="artservice.cfc created");
remote function getHelloWorld(string name="Nameless") {
var result = application.art.helloWorld(arguments.name);
return result;
}
The component has one method, getHelloWorld, that wraps a call to the Application-scope art component. The method could do a bit more, additional logging, security, etc., but in this case it simply wraps the cached call. Notice too I've got my writelog here for testing. So now let's do a few hits and see what gets recorded.
On the very first hit, the one at 10:34:00, you can see art, util, and artservice are created. But notice the last entry. When I reloaded, only the artservice component was recreated. My core CFCs, the meat of my application, did not need to be recreated. This gives us some additional benefits as well. We can move our components out of the web root to be extra sure they are protected from unauthorized access. By creating a core "doorway" we can perform all kinds of other operations like I mentioned above - logging is a great one.
So that's the gist of it. I've got a few notes I want to share as well, but consider what follows as extra credit. I've included the source for this as an attachment to this blog entry.
- Experienced ColdFusion users will probably want me to bring up ColdSpring. ColdSpring is an excellent tool for managing CFCs and relationships, and can actually create remote proxies automatically. That's hot! But as I told my boss - baby steps.
- I mentioned above that when I instantiated art.cfc in the Application scope, it meant that folks could not run the CFC anymore. That's not 100% accurate. I still had the file under web root. Someone could run it. Now I did change the method access from remote to public, but what if I hadn't? If I ran the method it would try to make use of the Variables scoped util component created in init. But the init function is not run for remote requests! Therefore an error would occur. In general I'm a big believer in keeping everything possible out of web root. Only expose what you truly have to.


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What are Cauliflower Breadsticks? I'm glad you asked.
Cauliflower bread happens to be the healthiest bread ever. Made from just a few simple ingredients, including cauliflower, almond flour, eggs, and spices. The result is a light, springy "bread" that's so easy to make, you may vow to never buy a loaf of Ezekiel again. Now does it taste exactly like bread? No. Does it do the trick and make you feel like you're eating bread? Yes.
You could turn this into sandwich bread or dippable sticks. (Note that the bread is more soft than hard, so a softer, creamier dip works best, so you don't lose your stick in the bowl). You could also spread a topping right on it.
If a crisper bread is what your after, spread the batter thinner, cook it longer, or simply sear it on the stove top with a little oil in a hot pan after it's been cut.
You can also use this as a base for pizza, which I haven't tried yet, but am very much looking forward to.
|Prep Time
|15 minutes
|Cook Time
|40 minutes
- 1 head cauliflower stalk removed, chopped
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. pink salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 organic free-range eggs lightly beaten
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Break the cauliflower into florets and pulse in a high speed blender on low, or a food processor until fine. Steam in a steamer basket (about 7-10 min) and then remove and let cool. Once cooled, drain well by using paper towels to squeeze out excess moisture over the sink, or put on a towel.
- In a bowl, combine the cauliflower with the almond flour, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and eggs. Transfer to the center of the baking sheet and spread into a large rectangle. Try to keep it to no more than 1/2 inch thick. The thinner, the crispier, the thicker, the fluffier. Bake for 30 minutes, or longer for a crispier bread.
- Take it out of the oven, and slice into desired size and shape. Let cool completely before transferring to serving plate.
Maria Marlowe
Maria Marlowe is a holistic nutrition and wellness coach who uses real food to help her clients improve their health, weight, and skin. She offers a 28-day healthy eating meal plan that teaches you how to batch cook, as well as one to clear up acne. Her most popular program is EatSLIM, a 10-week online group glass that guides participants to develop healthy eating habits that stick – and lose weight, boost their metabolism, improve their digestion, and quit sugar.
She writes healthy and delicious plant-based recipes for her popular blog. She is also the author of the #1 New Release on Amazon, The Real Food Grocery Guide, the most practical guide to selecting the healthiest foods, without going broke, which has been praised by Dr. Oz and InStyle magazines. You can find her on instagram @mariamarlowe.
Share Your Thoughts
Maria, can we use chia seeds to make an egg like substance if vegan?
Does this freeze well?


text:
|Glenn Campbell
Family Court
Index |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23½ 24 | 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 Book 94 95 Book 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 |
This section was my workspace for philosophy essays between July 2006 and April 2008.
Issue #86, 5/5/2007
[Subject to active editing for the next day or two.]
How do you reconcile your current comfortable lifestyle with all the suffering of the rest of the world?
Beyond the bubble that we live in, the world is not a nice place. Most people on earth live very close to the edge, only a few inches away from starvation, trauma or violent death. Very few are achieving anywhere near their potential. They are wasted by their society and are forced to suffer needlessly for lack of the most basic resources.
We, on the other hand, may live in suburban bliss, awash in resources and frittering away our lives in shallow pursuits that anyone who is suffering would regard as trivial. Every once in a while we "give to the poor" to try to salve our conscience, but we have little idea where that money is going. We just write a check and assume that we have cleared ourselves by doing so.
There are two radically different environments on earth: the world of desperate need and the world of wasted resources. In one world, you are struggling just to keep your family alive. In the other world, you are buying a $100,000 pleasure boat and using it three weekends out of the year.
The disparity between rich and poor is obscene. Once people start gaining excess resources, they would rather waste them ostentatiously than give them to others in need. Why is this?
There are several answers. For one thing, people who have excess resources don't believe that they do. Their commercial society has set up impossible standards for them, so that things that others regard as luxuries they come to see as necessities. If all of your friends have mansions in Newport, then you think you need one, too.
Once an artificial racecourse has been created, people will run it, no matter how absurd it may be. If you live in a neighborhood surrounded by rich people, then you are going to start structuring your life according to their standards, not the standards of poor people who you never see. If, in your world, it is important to have a new luxury car every year, then that's what you are going to do, regardless of whether it makes sense. By and large, people let their society make their decisions for them, and if these social standards are wasteful or absurd, most people won't even notice.
Another reason that people would rather waste their resources is that it can be terribly complicated to give things away. Frankly, this is a real problem even for people who have billions to give and who are making a good faith effort to improve humanity.
If you pass a beggar in the street and you give him money, are you really helping him? Is he going to buy a meal with it, or is he going to buy alcohol? By giving him money, are you creating a dependency, so that he doesn't get a job or he pesters you for more money? Or his he really in desperate need and would die without your help. It is really hard to know.
Capitalism is simple: Services (or the perception of services) are exchanged for money. Capitalism is based on clear contracts and nice clean boundaries. Once you depart from this program and start giving things away, then the boundaries get fuzzy, and it is hard to know how to structure yourself.
At the border crossing in Tijuana, there is usually a long wait for cars to pass through U.S. Customs. As you are waiting in traffic, street venders will try to sell you things. These vendors include young children selling gum. "Chiclets, Chiclets!" they cry out.
I don't need any gum, but I have some extra pesos that I have no need for. Changing them back into dollars isn't worth the effort, so I give a peso bill to one of the children while declining his Chiclets. What happens next? Soon, I am mobbed with children! All of them are poor. All of them, I see, desperately need my help, and here am I, a comparatively rich American tourist with resources to burn but certainly not enough resources to serve the needs of all these children.
From my standpoint, it is a very distressing situation and one that I would never had had to face had I not given away that original bill. Any thoughtless act of charity like this runs the risk of tearing open the fabric that keeps rich and poor apart.
On their side of the border, life is desperate. On my side, life is relatively cushy—or at least it seems to be. I think that I live in a pleasant, rational world where life is good and tragedy is an anomaly. Once the boundary is breached, then my delusion starts to collapse. My pleasant world, I begin to see, is a facade. Real life is tragic and desperate, even on my side of the border, and most of my own activities are trivial and wasteful in comparison.
Instead of making you feel good, giving to others more often makes you feel bad, because it opens up a window into tragedy. No matter how much you give, it is never going to be enough.
Most people find it easier to not give to begin with, or to give in some antiseptic way that doesn't require actual interaction with the needy. It is much easier to write a check to a noble-sounding charity then to actually join them on the streets.
Once you start wasting resources, then barriers begin to arise between you and the less fortunate. When you move into a nice neighborhood, then you automatically become cut off from poorer neighborhoods. You start living a more trivial life based on the standards of your neighbors. The appearance of your lawn becomes important, and you stop connecting with the wider needs of humanity.
What is the solution? It is simple: Never waste resources.
There is nothing wrong with having resources; just don't waste any. There is no reason that a millionaire can't live in a modest apartment, driving the same car he had when he was struggling. The important thing is that the car runs and that the apartment serves his needs.
There is a funny thing about being rich. After a certain point, all the things you can buy with your extra money actually end up diminishing your quality of life rather than improving it. Compare a modest apartment to an extravagant mansion. The mansion can be a huge burden. There are so many systems that need to be maintained, but when it comes down to it, the big house isn't doing anything more for you than the apartment was.
The mansion also cuts you off from the rest of humanity. It is not just that you have resources in the bank, but you are displaying them openly, implicitly telling others that you are better than they are. Other people are going to treat you differently now. Either they will kiss up to you trying to get some of your resources, or they will avoid you altogether believing that you are unapproachable. There are many people who are imprisoned in their expensive real estate, with access to every comfort money can buy but lacking any connection with the real world.
There are standards in every culture for what is necessary and adequate for survival. In America, you can have an apartment, drive a modest car and shop at the local supermarket without seeming either ostentatious or ascetic. If you buy your clothes at Wal-Mart, then no one is going to notice your clothes one way or another. Perhaps this middle-of-the-road lifestyle is the most honorable and practical position no matter how much resources you have.
The important thing is social and practical mobility. You want to be able to relate just as well to a pauper in Calcutta as to a Wall Street executive. If you have resources, your shouldn't advertize them, because every adornment you add to your appearance is going to stand between you and everyone else. Your resources should be in the bank until you find the best way to use them;, not displayed in your wardrobe.
If you have resources, you have a responsibility to distribute them for the maximum good of humanity. This does not mean indiscriminate giving. It means getting as close as your can to the real tragedies of the world, understanding them thoroughly, then using your resources for a precise intervention that exactly matches the need.
Family Court
Index |
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©2005-07, Glenn Campbell
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I'm conducting a series of Q&A's with authors about Beta Readers and I am excited about this project. Today, this series start with Author Debbie Young and the next Q&A will be tomorrow. This is very insightful for many writers and I hope you all will come away with something through this post. Now I would like to introduce my guest today…..
Debbie Young writes short fiction and non-fiction across a range of genres, with a special interest in books for authors (Opening Up To Indie Authors, Sell Your Books!) and Type 1 Diabetes (Coming to Terms with Type 1 Diabetes). As the Commissioning Editor for the Alliance of Independent Authors' blog of self-publishing advice, she is at the cutting edge of the self-publishing revolution. Her latest book is a collection of flash fiction, Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformation. She is also an avid blogger via her lively Young By Name website, housed on her author blog http://www.authordebbieyoung.com, and also loves to read and review other authors' books. She lives and works in a Victorian cottage in a small English village community with her husband and their eleven-year-old daughter, when they are not away having adventures in their family motorhome. She is currently working on a travel memoir, Travels With My Camper Van. Follow her on Twitter at @DebbieYoungBN.
Stephanie: Do you use beta readers?
Debbie: Yes. So far I've self-published two books (Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformationand Coming To Terms With Type 1 Diabetes: One Family's Story of Life After Diagnosis) and had two books published by third parties (Opening Up To Indie Authors– co-authored with Dan Holloway and published by the Alliance of Independent Authors and Sell Your Books!published by SilverWood Books as part of its SilverWood Originals imprint). I know that ALLi had some beta readers go through Opening Up before publication (organised by Orna Ross who is series editor); I'm not sure whether SilverWood did, but I've certainly used them for both my self-published books. I've also published one short story as a stand-alone book, The Owl and the Turkey, which is a Christmas special. I didn't use beta readers for this because it had already appeared on my Young By Name blog, where it received lots of comments, and had been chosen for the advent calendar of the popular Mumsnet website, so I was confident enough to put it out there without the assurance of beta testing.
Stephanie: I know of a few authors who use beta readers for different phases of their manuscript. How many do you use and in what phase of your WIP do you require them?
Debbie: I've used them at the final draft stage, when I've got my ms to the stage where it's as good as it can be by my own efforts. Also at that stage I am so close to a ms that it's hard for me to be objective about it. At that point I know the book so well that I can practically recite it, and it's time to step back and distance myself from it. I only go out to beta readers once, and after that I implement what they've advised (if I agree with it!) and then hand my ms over to my editor for a final polish and proofread.
Stephanie: What is it that you look for in a beta reader? And what is the importance of them?
Debbie: I need them to be people whose judgment I respect and value, and who will understand what I'm trying to do with my book. It doesn't matter to me whether or not they are also writers, and I don't need them to be eagle-eyed proofreaders, but I do want them to be independent thinkers who are prepared to challenge my judgment or my writing. I want people who are sharp enough to spot inconsistencies and creative enough to make constructive suggestions for improvement.
Stephanie: How do you chose your beta readers?
Debbie: For Coming To Terms, which is a non-fiction book about Type 1 diabetes, I wanted a mixture: some people who were already living with Type 1 diabetes in their family so could see where I was coming from; some who knew nothing about diabetes (to make sure my book was comprehensible to those who don't know about it already); some medics and some laymen. That way I could be sure that my book was accessible to everyone – that I hadn't accidentally used unintelligible jargon or made any technical gaffes.I identified one or two people in each category and asked them straight out. For Quick Change, I was less specific – I just wanted any smart reader who was prepared to read and respond to 20 very short stories. I put a call out on a closed Facebook group that I belong to – the Alliance of Independent Authors, a fabulous forum offering mutual support for indie authors – and within a couple of days, I had about a dozen volunteers. I was on a tight schedule so only briefed the first half dozen, and the others I'm saving for volume two!
Stephanie: What has been your experiences with them?
Debbie: In both cases they have been extremely helpful. They've spotted a few inconsistencies of plot, some awkward phrasing, repetitive sections (particularly helpful for the diabetes book which started life as a series of blog posts), and even added some great ideas to add extra depth. Although I've told them not to bother about proofreading, some of them couldn't help themselves, and I really appreciated that too! I've been bowled over by the amount of detail that they've gone into, and the passion and enthusiasm with which they responded. Using them not only helped me improve the quality of my books, it also boosted my confidence in the nerve-wracking period between writing "The End" and launching the books. What I hadn't anticipated was that their feedback would also provide me with some great quotable quotes for marketing, pre-launch – the sort of quotes that I'd expected to have to glean from the first post-publication reviews, and that was a real bonus. Another surprise was that they came up with the occasional observation about patterns in my work that I hadn't noticed e.g. one pointed out that three of my 20 stories featured recycling bins as an important feature! I converted one of them into a bonfire as a result!
For the diabetes book, I already knew the betas very well; for the short stories, I only knew half of them well – the others were newish online acquaintances. I've since got to know some of them better, and I've offered to return the favour by beta reading for them, if they'd like me to.
Stephanie: How often do you take their advice and what is the impact they have had on your writing?
Debbie: For the most part, I've followed their advice, particularly when several of them raised the same point. Only once or twice have I disregarded their comments, in cases where I either disagreed with what they've said or where they were a sole voice objecting to something else that other betas had liked. Overall, the impact of the beta readers has undoubtedly been to make my writing better. I ended up with books that I could be proud of and confident in, when I finally hit the "publish" button.
Stephanie: Do you use them for every book you write?
Debbie: I certainly will in future! I think any indie author should do this, because it is a relatively easy way to enhance the quality of their work at no extra cost – all they need spend is time and effort. Far better to have any flaws picked up by beta reader's pre-publication than by reviewers, once your book is out there. I can't imagine writing a book that would not be improved by the input of beta readers – yet I suspect that many authors either don't realise that it's an option or are shy of asking. I think that's a great shame.
Stephanie: Thank you, Debbie! This discussion was very insightful and I appreciate you visiting Layered Pages and sharing your thoughts on Beta Readers.


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Daniel Cibulsky, M.D., joined Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates in 2016. After earning his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, he completed his residency at Stamford hospital in Stamford, CT. Dr. Cibulsky has conducted extensive research on the subjects of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and in vitro fertilization. He was recognized with the Hugh K. Miller Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Research Award in 2014. Dr. Cibulsky is devoted to providing highly individualized care and is currently accepting new patients.
Looking to schedule time with one of our physicians? Request an appointment online!
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Who we are:
The mustache is Brett and the woman behind the curtain is Ashley.
The tees:
Because our garments are made with the highest quality premium cotton, your first Handlebar Mustache tee will quickly become your favorite. Whether you're a hardcore racer, a club rider or a fixie commuter we hope to have something that helps you express your love for the sport.
How it began:
Handlebar Mustache was initiated on a cold winter day while driving a company minivan through the heart of nowhere and listening to an audio book about the liberty of making a living by doing what you love on your own terms. Cycling was the answer and after a conversation on the topic, we knew immediately that we could fuse cycling and fashion to introduce a product that people like us would dig.
What we believe:
We love to ride and we love a challenge! We like that feeling of being completely spent after an effort that could have been voiced over by Bob Roll. We have our favorite items we grab in our closet after we clean off the road grime tan, and we wanted to make more of these items for everyone. We believe that any of our tees will be worth the extra money you paid for a shirt you'll want to wear again and again….that's what premium means to us. We know about the thread count, craftsmanship and color palettes but what really matters is that you love the fit and feel.
At Handlebar Mustache we share a passion for these things. We love bicycles. We believe it is our moral obligation to help others. We are either all in or all out. We have to bring passion to what we do or we won't do it more than once. We bring our travels, experiences and our passion to the drawing board when we design each one of our tees.
Thanks for riding and for taking a stance, whatever it may be!