text:
Luther Vandross – This Is Christmas
Read Reviews, Buy the Album or Download the Album for free
Rather than a do a rehash of many of the obvious traditional tunes that fill special holiday albums by contemporary performers, maestro Luther Vandross opted for the task of creating no fewer than 7 of the 10 tracks included on his 1995 Christmas release. The result is an album that demonstrates why Vandross is still considered the preeminent black male vocalist of close to three decades: as on typical Vandross recordings, the production is crisp and strong and the vocals are flawless. As usual, he employs the cream of musicians and background vocalists (including the inimitable Cissy Houston and Darlene Love, who is featured on the Motown-like duet "I Listen to the Bells")–the perfect backdrop for Vandross's distinctive sound, exemplified on the standout title track. "The Mistle Toe Jam" has the party-like feel of Vandross sides like "Bad Boy" and the more recent "Nights in Harlem," while "Every Year, Every Christmas" (cowritten with Richard Marx) is a soulful slow jam. A surprising reading of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "My Favorite Things" shows that if Vandross ever chose to, he could easily do a fine album of jazz standards, while "O Come All Ye Faithful" (featuring an all-star choir that includes Valerie Simpson) is given the album's most traditional reading. Standouts include the gorgeous "Please Come Home for Christmas" and the almost funky "A Kiss for Christmas."
Easily one of the best Christmas albums around.
A1 With A Christmas Heart 4.04
A2 This Is Christmas 4.45
A3 The MistleTOE JAM (Everybody Kiss Somebody) 4.45
A4 Every Year, Every Christmas 5.06
A5 My Favorite Things 5.57
B1 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 5.07
B2 I Listen To The Bells 6.06
B3 Please Come Home For Christmas 3.37
B4 A Kiss For Christmas 4.12
B5 O' Come All Ye Faithful 4.19
In the mid-90s, it seemed that every high-profile R&B act was releasing Christmas albums for a quick buck, but this is truly one of the very best. With ten songs, seven are originals written by Luther, so it makes for a very memorable listen among a sea of generic albums with nearly identical tracklists. "This Is Christmas" does not explore the Christian side of Christmas (the only song that even mentions Christ is his performance of "O Come All Ye Faithful"), but songs are split between one of two types: the slow Christmas love ballads and the upbeat Christmas party tunes. Production is wonderful throughout, often simple and consisting of well-written piano parts. The songs are both well-written and often catchy, quite memorable, which in my mind are all great signs of a good Christmas song. Guests are minimal, only one duet exists among the tracklist. I highly recommend "This Is Christmas," one of my favorite Christmas albums.
The disc opens with "With a Christmas Heart," a slow and dramatic piece about the power of love at Christmas. He delivers a truly inspiring performance here. The title tune isn't quite as good but is another keeper, slow and thoughtful. You'll love "The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)," a fast and funky party-starter that reflects Luther at his best. "Every Year, Every Christmas" is a classic ballad about a man's Christmas feelings after a breakup, it's excellent. He sings his own upbeat interpretation of John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things," then moves into a wonderful version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." My favorite song on this album is "I Listen to the Bells," a cleverly written pop duet with Darlene Love. The two trade off lines over a fast, soaring track about a Christmas breakup. Clarence Clemons of E-Street Band fame makes an appearance on saxophone. "Please Come Home for Christmas" and "A Kiss for Christmas" don't stand out quite as much, but are both pretty good, and his performance of "O Come All Ye Faithful" is just short of stunning, with old-fashioned production.
This album gets non-stop rotation from me every year around Christmas, and it's a really fun holiday record. I highly recommend it to those Christians who love Luther and 90s R&B.
Buy the AlbumLuther Vandross – This Is Christmas
Free Download AlbumLuther Vandross – This Is Christmas
Conversation for album: Luther Vandross – This Is Christmas
11 Comments
StephphsPosted at 02:17h, 07 December 2012
That's now a month i'm stiking on your blog, thanks and thanks again
grzaPosted at 19:39h, 07 December 2012
just what I need 😀
thanks for this Xmas special.
PaulinePosted at 00:20h, 08 December 2012
I love this guy! Incredible! HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
FrankPosted at 11:57h, 09 December 2012
Rip Luther. Thank you for the music.
AnastasiaPosted at 00:09h, 11 December 2012
i just love Christmas season and the Christmas movies and everything about Christmas.
JerryPosted at 00:13h, 11 December 2012
Happy (early)Christmas from Ireland everyone 🙂
RenePosted at 23:36h, 11 December 2012
Christmas is the best seasons of all.
MorenaPosted at 23:44h, 11 December 2012
Merry Christmas everyone God Bless You All
AllenPosted at 23:51h, 12 December 2012
Wonderful. We miss Luther.
LunaPosted at 10:00h, 17 December 2012
Season Greetings yall.
MusiclvPosted at 11:55h, 12 February 2013
If you want some new music to listen to, you should check out my site http://www.musiclv.com


text:
CANBERRA OBSERVED Successful National Marriage Day celebrated in Canberra
NATIONAL AFFAIRS Nick Minchin tells ADM to try again for GrainCorp
UNITED KINGDOM Will Scotland's vote spell the end of the Union?
ILLICIT DRUGS Marijuana 'for medicinal purposes' a wolf in sheep's clothing
SOCIETY How Australia can combat prostitution and trafficking
NATIONAL MARRIAGE DAY Reflections on the revolution of 2004
NATIONAL AFFAIRS Mining tax repeal puts government back on track
EDUCATION The case for granting schools more autonomy
EDITORIAL No winners in escalating Ukraine conflict
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Downsized NATO no match for Putin's Russia
CINEMA The unlikely origins of heroism
BOOK REVIEW Historical myths demolished
BOOK REVIEW Ambassador to Hitler's Germany
IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
by Erik Larson
(Melbourne: Scribe Publications) Paperback: 466 pages ISBN: 9781921844799 Price: AUD$24.95 [available from Penguin Australia]
Reviewed by Jeffry Babb
Some time I ago I met David Kilgour, joint author of a report to the Canadian parliament on the Chinese government's grisly practice of involuntary organ-harvesting.
A lawyer by training, he has enjoyed a distinguished career as a crown prosecutor, a member of the Canadian House of Commons for 27 years, and a Cabinet minister. He retired from parliament in 2006.
The groundbreaking report that he and David Matas produced in July 2006, entitled Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China, is regarded as being the most authoritative investigation into this insidious practice.
Falun Gong is a form of beliefs and practices derived from traditional Buddhist and Taoist sources. In most countries of the world, including Australia, it is regarded as harmless. The communist regime in Beijing, however, regards it as being a threat to its survival as it does not recognise the ultimate power of the state.
No-one knows how many Falun Gong practitioners there are in China. Bearing in mind the barbaric means which the Communist Party has used to constrain the Falun Gong movement, the number of practitioners is uncertain, but it is likely to number in the millions.
In seeking to explain the nature of the Beijing regime, Mr Kilgour recently suggested that people should read award-winning American author Erik Larson's book, In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin.
It is about the career of William Dodd, who was appointed U.S. ambassador to Germany in 1933, the year Hitler came to power.
Dodd became ambassador almost by accident. A mild-mannered academic from Chicago, Dodd was a well-regarded, though somewhat obscure, academic. His lack of diplomatic experience hampered his effectiveness in dealing with his staff and the U.S. State Department, who refused to take him seriously.
Dodd and his family bore witness to a major turning-point in history. Dodd could see with his own eyes the violence of Hitler's new order, as could his grown-up daughter and son, who accompanied their parents to Berlin and mixed freely with both the "diplomatic set" and the locals.
Germany's degeneration towards barbarism alarmed the mild-mannered Dodd, who preferred to comment obliquely on the events of the day rather than to tackle the Nazi regime head on.
The United States Embassy was located in the vicinity of Berlin's largest park, the Tiergarten (literally the Garden of Beasts). Originally, it was established as a hunting reserve for the king, but it was gradually converted to public use. Its name, of course, was a fitting metaphor for the savage politics that were overrunning Germany, which until then was regarded as "the most civilised nation in Europe".
The bestial Nazi regime scarcely bothered to conceal its ultimate aims, which Hitler himself had outlined in copious detail. From the early 1920s onwards, he repeatedly expressed his desire to rid eastern Europe of its Slav populations in order to provide lebensraum ("living space") for Germany's expanding population.
Dodd did his best to convince his superiors of what was plainly evident to him — that the Nazis were intending to eliminate all opposition and that the situation of Germany's Jews was dire, and becoming worse.
But they wouldn't listen. Had he been more forceful, or a career diplomat, perhaps things might have been different.
Ambassadorial posts were usually held by members of America's wealthy elite, as it was assumed that entertainment expenses would come out of the ambassador's own pocket. Those without adequate private means, such as Dodd, were at a distinct disadvantage when it came to hosting the lavish banquets expected of a world power. The State Department was known amongst the older-style members of the U.S. Foreign Service as "a pretty good club".
On his return from Germany, Dodd campaigned to educate and warn the American public about the war, which he felt — quite correctly as it turned out — was inevitable. He was dismissed as being unduly alarmist. American sentiment in the 1930s harked back to Presidents Washington and Jefferson's wish for the country to stay free of "entangling alliances".
America, however, could not say, "Stop the world, we want to get off." The "doughboys" had sailed off to rescue Europe from its folly in World War I, and would do so again in World War II.
Larson's In the Garden of Beasts is a fine book, written in a style that is easy to digest without insulting the reader's intelligence. The characters depicted in the book are vividly brought to life.
Not everything turns out well for the Dodds. Daughter Martha was drawn to left-wing causes and started spying for the Soviet Union. In 1957, a U.S. court convicted both her and her husband of espionage, just after they had fled to Moscow.
If this excellent book has one lesson, it is this: evil regimes are not particularly worried about what the world thinks of them. They are self-evidently wicked, and their crimes against their own people are inevitably followed by crimes against other nations.
China may be more open than Hitler's Germany, but it is the relentless enemy of anyone who displeases it.
When we see well-organised demonstrations promoting Beijing's agenda, we should ask: who organised this? It is scarcely credible that protest groups, decked out with banners and holding aloft the flags of communist China and Australia, popped up overnight without some guiding hand.
Jeffry Babb is a Melbourne-based writer, who spent several years in China and has visited most of the country's provinces and major cities.
Join e-newsletter list
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Johnson to take UK out of the EU on January 31
VICTORIAN POLITICS Andrews hacks away at another way of life and source of jobs
COVER STORY A myriad transformations effected by one birth
CANBERRA OBSERVED Labor must own up to why it took the thrashing it got
THE QUEEN V PELL: A blight on the whole of the criminal justice system
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Hong Kong voters reject Beijing and its proxies
COVER STORY Wildfires: Lessons from the past not yet learnt

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Before the bills become law, the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquired into the bills and consulted with the public. Shine Lawyers made a submission to the Senate Committee urging the Government to implement a redress scheme without further delay. We also made suggestions for improvements to the proposed Redress Scheme, some of which are acknowledged and supported by the Senate Committee.
The Senate Committee report has 11 recommendations including that the bills be passed into law.
The proposed redress scheme will provide survivors of institutional child sexual abuse with:
- A monetary payment of up to $150,000
- Access to counselling and psychological services; and
- A direct personal response from the responsible institution.
Key elements of the scheme include:
- Survivors will be able to choose whether to accept one, two or all three of the components of redress.
- Eligibility for redress will be assessed on whether there was a reasonable likelihood the person suffered institutional sexual abuse as a child, and which occurred before the cut-off date of 1 July 2018.
- Non-sexual abuse in connection with the child sexual abuse will be taken into consideration as an aggravating factor.
- The amount of the redress payment will depend on the level of sexual abuse and related non-sexual abuse that a survivor suffered.
- Applications for redress are limited to one application per survivor. Survivors will be able to include multiple episodes of sexual abuse and related nonsexual abuse suffered in multiple institutions in the one application.
- A person who accepts an offer of redress must release the institution from civil liability for the abuse and related non-sexual abuse.
- Applicants must be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident, although the rules may provide for other persons to apply, such as former child migrants who no longer reside in Australia or children abused in Australian institutional settings outside Australia.
- Applicants will have access to legal advice services.
- Reviews of decisions made under the Redress Scheme are limited to internal review.
- Funding arrangements are based on the principle that the responsible entity pays.
- Any prior payments made by a participating institution in relation to the abuse suffered by a survivor that is within the scope of this Redress Scheme, will be deducted from the amount payable by that participating institution.
- The amount of the redress payment cannot be used to recover debts due to the Commonwealth and will not be subject to income tax.
- Redress Scheme Rules will set out additional requirements, and are proposed to include a bar on eligibility for persons convicted of sex offences, or
- sentenced to prison terms of five years or more for crimes such as serious drug, homicide or fraud offences.
Recommendations of the Senate Committee:
An Opt in Scheme
The scheme is voluntary for non-government institutions and State Governments to participate in. By making participation voluntary, culpable institutions may refuse to participate. The Committee outlined options available to Government to persuade non-government institutions to opt in. These include making funding for legal advice for civil litigation options for survivors available where the responsible institution has not elected to participate in the redress scheme. This would be an incentive for non-government institutions to participate in redress as an alternative to civil litigation. Another option is for governments to consider an institutions participation in the redress scheme when deciding whether an organisation is a childsafe organisation, particularly for those with historical child sexual abuse allegations. We support these proposals.
Delegated legislation
Consistent with the Senate Human Rights Committee, Shine was concerned that the proposed Redress Scheme will be government by Rules but that those Rules were not included in the bills or made publically available. There is evidence that the lack of clarity around the potential rules is one of the factors inhibiting some states and other institutions from opting in. The Senate Committee decided however that putting important parts of the Redress Scheme in Rules was important to the flexibility of the scheme and ensuring the Redress Scheme met its goals. The Committee says that the Department of Social Services will 'communicate early and openly with survivors and their advocates' about the Rules. We await this communication.
Standard of Proof
The test of 'reasonable likelihood' will be the standard applied to assess applications for redress. 'reasonable likelihood' means that the chance of an event occurring or not occurring is real – not fanciful or remote. Some institutions argued that a higher standard of proof should apply because insurance companies will not allow the institutions to recoup their losses if the threshold is as low as 'reasonable likelihood'. This concern was dismissed as irrelevant in the context of the overarching goal which is to provide a survivor-focused redress scheme to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
Definition of sexual abuse
In the Redress Bill, sexual abuse of a child is defined as including:
…any act which exposes the person to, or involves the person in, sexual processes beyond the person's understanding or contrary to accepted community standards (e.g. exposing a child to pornography).
Shine raised examples of abuse which we consider to be sexual in nature but which may or may not meet this definition. Individualised advice about whether abuse is sexual in nature should be obtained before making an application in order to avoid possible re-traumatisation.
Criminal convictions
The Government announced that people with certain criminal convictions would be excluded from Redress however we noticed that this exclusion was not included in the bill or accompanying material. The Department of Social Services admit that they plan to exclude those convicted of any sexual offence or another serious crime, such as a serious drug, homicide or fraud offence for which they received a custodial sentence of five or more years' even though the exclusion is not in the bills. The exclusion will be in the Rules which have still not been made publically available. The Department says excluding people with certain criminal convictions protects the integrity of the scheme, an assertion Shine strongly opposed. Excluding these survivors effectively punishes people twice for offences they have already been punished for and allows a culpable institution to avoid being held to account for the sexual abuse of children in their care.
In February 2018, the Minister for Social Services announced this issue had not yet been fully resolved so there is some hope it will be rectified.
Acceptance of offers of redress
The Royal Commission recommended that applicants have one year to decide whether to accept an offer of redress. The bills allow a successful applicant only 90 days to consider an offer. The Committee acknowledged concerns that 90 days was not long enough and indicated the Department would address this before the scheme begins.
Redress payments
The Senate Committee acknowledgement submissions that the maximum payment of $150,000 is lower than the Royal Commission recommended however did not recommend it be altered.
The amount a survivor will be offered as a reparation payment will be determined under an assessment matrix. The Department does not intend to make the assessment matrix publically available. The Senate Committee accepted the Government's excuse that keeping the matrix confidential would prevent fraudulent claims however supported the plan that a high-level version of the matrix being made public.
Prior payments made for abuse will be taken into account and deducted from any maximum payment amount offered to a survivor. The Senate Committee recommended that the amount as a payment for abuse in prior claims does not include medical care of counselling services and should not include legal costs. Shine calls on the Government to amend the bills to give effect to the Senate Committee recommendation.
Counselling services
The proposals about whether counselling would be provided for a survivor's lifetime or just for the 10 years the redress scheme operates have changed and has not yet been finally decided. The Senate Committee recommended that counselling should be available for life however it may not necessarily be delivered under the guide of the Redress Scheme.
Legal advice
The provision of good quality and independent legal advice will be provided free of charge to survivors at four key stages of the application process:
- Prior to application so survivors understand eligibility requirements and the application process of the Scheme;
- During the completion of an application
- After a survivor has received an offer of redress and elects to seen an internal review; and
- On the effect of signing the acceptance document, which contains the release of future civil liability for participating responsible institutions and its impact on the prospect of future litigation.
This advice is provided through our partner organisation knowmore. Survivors may choose to engage private lawyers and can contact Shine on email@example.com.
Deed of release
A person who accepts an offer of redress will be required to release responsible participating institutions from liability for the sexual abuse (and related non-sexual abuse) for which redress is being provided. However survivors who signed deeds of release when offered low payments from institutions in the past will have those deeds waived by participating institutions to allow these survivors to access a top up payment through redress.
Right of review
An applicant for redress may request an internal review of a decision they are not satisfied with. If the applicant is not satisfied with the decision of an internal review officer, there are no further appeal rights.
What happens next?
The proposed scheme is still set to commence on 1 July 2018 however the bills must first be passed into law.
The Commonwealth does not have the power to create a truly national scheme and can only create a scheme covering the Commonwealth, territories and non-government institutions within territories. New South wales and Victorian governments have announced that they will join the scheme. We await further information about the next steps Government will take to urge all states and non-government institutions to opt in to ensure access to justice for all survivors. We await the Government's response to the Senate Committee's Report.


text:
Marvel 15" Beverage Center
Stores up to four 12-packs in one slim footprint
Full-featured in a slim size, this 15″ beverage center stores up to four 12-packs with rapid cooling performance and temperature stability of Dynamic Cooling Technology™. A clever Close Door Assist feature and integrated controls with built-in alerts ensure the door is never accidentally left ajar.
- Dynamic Cooling Technology™ delivers the industry's best temperature stability and rapid cool down, tested and proven to cool nearly 2x faster than competitors
- Thermal-efficient cabinet ensures optimum food preservation and energy efficiency while maximizing capacity
- Argon-filled, UV-resistant tinted dual pane glass door protects contents from damaging ultra-violet light, while conserving energy
- Now even quieter operation thanks to exclusive design enhancements to buffer and minimize sound
- Certified to meet ENERGY STAR® requirements
- 2.7 cu. ft. capacity, stores (72) 12-oz cans and 3 wine bottles
- Black steel-framed shelves are cantilevered and fully adjustable
- Includes (1) 3-in-1 Convertible shelf™ featuring removable glass pane with wine rack option
- Store food, beverages, or wine
- Multifunction Marvel Intuit™ Integrated Controls allow you to select a precise cabinet temperature from 34°F to 42°F
- Vacation mode conserves energy during times when the unit is not in use
- Two-stage, arctic white theater-style LED lighting and midnight black interior
- Easy-to-install panel overlay option features soft-close integrated hinge for a truly flush fit with cabinetry
- Finish options: stainless steel, black or overlay (panel ready)
- Close Door Assist System™ gently and automatically draws door to a close, ensuring door is never accidentally left ajar
- Black toe kick adjustable to 4″ with leveling legs
- Filler kit available for 18″ wide opening, see Accessories page for details
- 1-year parts and labor warranty, 5-year sealed system parts warranty
|Downloadable PDF
|Storage Capacity
|(72) 12-oz cans and 3 wine bottles
|Storage Configuration
|Product Dimensions
|14-7/8″ W x 33-3/4″ minimum H x 25-21/32″ D (including handle)
|Indoor residential use only
|Finish/Door Options
Ordering Details
Model Number
|Stainless Frame Glass Door
|Right Hinge, Stainless Designer Handle
Left Hinge, Stainless Designer Handle
|Black Frame Glass Door
|Right Hinge, Stainless Designer Handle
Left Hinge, Stainless Designer Handle
|Panel-Ready Framed Glass Door
|Integrated Right Hinge (handle not included)*
Integrated Left Hinge (handle not included)*
|Panel-Ready Solid Overlay Door
|Integrated Right Hinge (handle not included)*
Integrated Left Hinge (handle not included)*
*Easy installation! No panel kit required. Consult your cabinet maker for overlay panel and handle options.


text:
Stay in Costa Rica Privacy and Security Policy
Legal Name: Ocean Dream CR LTDA.
At the Stay in Costa Rica ("SICR"), the privacy and confidentiality of user information is important. We are committed to maintaining the privacy and security of your user information.
We may update this policy from time to time, so please check here frequently. SICR will not disclose identifiable user information to any third party without consent. SICR is committed to safeguarding your privacy while visiting the SICR website, namely, http://www.stayincostarica.com (hereinafter referred to as the "Site").
Our goal is to provide you with an Internet experience that delivers the information, resources and services that are most relevant to you. To achieve this goal, part of the operation of the Site includes the gathering of certain types of information about Site users.
Because we understand that your privacy is important, we wish to explain the types of information we gather and the way in which we use it.
This Privacy Policy applies to the Site. This Privacy Policy covers two types of information gathered at the Site, personal and aggregated. The term "personal information" refers to data you voluntarily provide in connection with use of the Site that identifies you and/or the company on whose behalf you are accessing and using the Site. Personal information includes, e.g., data submitted in connection with our services, such as your name, e-mail address, phone number, company affiliation, physical address and/or certain other personal information.
The term "aggregated data" refers to general information regarding visitors and users of the Site that relates to use of the Site, e.g., traffic patterns, number of visits to certain pages, visits from other web sites or to third-party web sites linked to the Site, use of particular services and interest in services, information or features of the Site or other parties made available through or found at the Site.
We want our visitors to feel confident about using our Site to plan and purchase their accommodations, tours and activities so we are committed to protecting the information we collect. All personal information you provide is encrypted and secure.
If you decide to make an online reservation at the Site, you will be linked to a reservation interface ("Booking Engine"). We understand that security remains the primary concern of online consumers and have chosen the Booking Engine carefully.
We would like our Site visitors to feel confident about using the Site to plan and purchase their accommodations, so SICR is committed to protecting the information we collect. SICR has implemented a security program to keep information that is stored in our systems protected from unauthorized access. Our Site is hosted in a secure environment. The Site servers/systems are configured with data encryption, or scrambling technologies, and industry-standard firewalls. When you enter personal information during the reservation process, or during a customer email sign-up, your data is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to ensure safe transmission.
Only our home pages contain "cookies", which enable us to obtain and store the following information:
- The number of daily visitors to the site to know the language used by our most frequent visitors.
- The date and time of each visit, which enables us to make any necessary adjustment to facilitate access to the users at peak hours.
- The Domain Name Server, in order to determine the origin of the users that most frequently enter our site.
- The Internet address from which the hyperlink or link started and which has lead the user to our site, in order to determine which are the links that provide better results.
Our firm uses cryptographic methods to maintain all the personal information you provide us through our contact form, secure and confidential. Thus, this information cannot be read by third parties while it is traveling towards our system.
The data entered and sent voluntarily by the users through our contact form is stored in a data base which has no Internet access, and at all times it is treated in a strictly confidential manner in conformity to the regulations about professional secrecy in force in Costa Rica.
"Dream Host Secure Sever" secures the information you submit to us secure and private. We can accept credit card payments and provide you with the safety and comfort you demand when ordering on the Internet. Dream Host offers advantage of placing your order online using secure servers and encryption. Your purchases, credit card information, and personal data are encrypted and secured through a link to our commerce server. During the completion of your order, you will be linked from our web pages to customized screens on our secure server. Your information is encrypted during its trip across the Internet to prohibit viewing by a third party.


text:
Life is full of contradictions. As we get older, we're supposed to be getting wiser. Wisdom means learning new things, and yet we buy into the old excuse that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Well, my dear puppies, I'm here to tell you that you can.
Being that the New Year is on its way; and resolutions are flying everywhere, there's no time like the present to learn.
Forget that you "can't"
That's the only thing really holds us back; that we believe we can't do something. Whether it's situational ("the job takes up all my time"), relational ("the kids! the kids!") or motivational ("I just don't want to do that…") it all comes down to an excuse not to go after what we want. It seems easier not to do something now, but in the long run, it actually holds us back. Believing in "I can" is the first and most important step. The rest just becomes a matter of "how."
Forget everything you know now
The more set in our ways we become, the harder it is to learn. That's why children learn so much faster than us, because they're more open to everything that comes in. We mustn't let what-we-know get in the way of what-we-can-become.
Don't fight contradictions
There are multiple sides to everything in Life… and we only see it from one angle at a time. The opposite angle can really look like it negates the first angle. That's not true; both sides are true. It's how we look at it that makes the difference. By being open to the fact that contradictions exist, we won't get stuck on the narrow side.
Try it
Change happens by doing. We learn so much more by experiencing it first hand. Remember, we always have the option of not doing it again, or going back to our old way. Getting out of our comfort zone actually makes us stronger. Even if it's only a tiny toe out into the bigger world, stick your toe out!
But wait, there's more!
It took a long time for us to get the way we are. There was also a lot of other things that helped support our old tricks. Doing something new won't feel right, unless other things in our lives support them. Don't just try one new thing; try all the stuff that goes with it too. That's the only real way to make a new life for yourself in the new year.
Guru-cise it!
DON'T make a resolution …
Resolutions are just empty promises with built in escape clauses in February. Stay away from the generalized commitments like "going to the gym" or "eating right" but rather focus on a specific TASK or ACTIVITY that you want to add into your life. "Learn to ski" fits right into "getting more exercise" without being "exercise."It has a fun factor built into it, which makes it more likely to happen. It's easier to reach a task that a resolution, so this year focus on the thing itself!
A Life Without Judgment
the Grass Really is Greener
Ain't It
at Peace
Pieces of Peace


text:
CSTEP is actively involved in the development of models and simulation tools to analyse issues affecting national security including disaster management and cyber-security. Using emerging technology such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Agent Based Models (ABMs) and Gaming Engines with powerful computational and visualisation platforms, the team involved create artefacts and tools, and develop exercises and policies recommendations to enable effective and efficient handling of problems in this area.
Ongoing Projects
Developing a Platform for an Emergency Management System
To alleviate this problem and provide analysis, tools and exercises, CSTEP embarked on a project to:
• Develop a platform that would help model the scale of disasters
• Help refine procedures for institutional arrangements and asset management
This platform, termed the Living Lab, can be the central location for the Emergency Management System where all major decisions are made. The Living Lab platform consists of multiple, integrated sub-systems that are designed to analyse and handle different problems yet seamlessly fit together.
Analysis of Large Scale Emergency Incidents
CSTEP is developing tools to assist decision makers in simulating and assessing the extent of damage and identifying the vulnerable areas for large-scale incidents. Identification of the computation and modelling needs for such systems has been the focus of work so far. The prototypes developed are web-based and use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for analysis.
Effective Disaster Management in India
February 26, 2015


text:
I would like to perform long integer (~= polynomial) multiplication using the FFT or its direct analogue, but never leave integer rings.
Please excuse in advance all my mistakes in formulation and possible misunderstanding of concepts, since I am always having trouble with algebra. I would highly appreciate the simplest yet the fullest answer thereby.
I assume that the numbers I multiply have both the length $2^k$, so no problems with exact halving.
As far as I understand, I don't care about the algebraic structure I'm performing the FFT in, as long as I have found the primitive n-th root of unity $\omega$.
Question 1
Is it true? I was thinking about $GF$, of which I know nothing :-) except for the fact that they have primitive elements which cannot be computed quickly. But even if I compute it in advance, for some $GF(p)$ of big cardinality - will this allow me to quickly compute primitive $n-th$ roots of unity for arbitrary $n=2^k$? (perhaps with an obvious restriction $n<N$ for some big $N$)
Question 2
Is it true that if I have a primitive n-th root of unity, all the powers $\omega^0, \omega^1, ..., \omega^{n-1}$ ought to be different?
Question 3
Is this enough for the FFT? In Cormen's book the 'divide and conquer' approach relies on the fact that when you perform the division
$A(x) = A_{even}(x^2) + x A_{odd}(x^2)$
and compute the values of these two polynomials at points
$(\omega^0_n)^2, (\omega^1_n)^2, ..., (\omega^{n-1}_n)^2$,
the latter list consists of only $n/2$ distinct values, which are all $n/2$-th primitive roots of unity.
Question 4
Which algebraic structure can guarantee me this property?
Question 5
I also wanted to emphasize that I naturally want to multiply arbitrary numbers quickly (perhaps just bounded by some big value $N$) - anything just to keep the overall complexity of the multiplication in $O(n \log n)$.
So I won't be happy if the algebraic structure is such that for each number length $n=2^k$, I will have to search for a primitive n-th root of unity $\omega$, with a quadratic-or-bigger-complexity search algorithm. In other words, I want $\omega$ to be able to be computed 'fast'.
I will be so happy to get your recommendations as well as a good explanation for non-algebra folks... I also understand that all these questions may be dumb and originate from lacking of knowledge, but I hope for your understanding that I'm only a programmer, and perhaps not the best one :-) further questions may arise as it gets more clear, because for now, it's a big mess.
Thank you so much in advance!


text:
First Time User? Sign Up Now
First Time User? Enroll now.
Home > About Us > Human Resources > Employee Benefits > Other Employee Benefit Programs
UNC Health Care offers employees a variety of programs in which to participate. The programs listed below are all optional and intended to benefit the employee.
UNC Health Care employees are eligible to participate in a Employee Assistance Program. The program is optional and paid for by UNC Health Care.
Learn more about Employee Assistance Programs or contact 855-394-5547 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
UNC Health Care offers employees an annual recognition celebration and awards. These awards are based on length of service (5-year minimum) and are given at 5-year intervals.
Click here for more information.
UNC Medical Center
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
UNC Health Care Citrix
UNC Medical Center Intranet
Health Library
Copyright 2020 UNC Health Care. All rights reserved.


text:
HC Asset Management tailors segregated investment portfolios to satisfy each of its clients according to their specific conditions and requirements.
Mutual Funds' Certificates Price
Equity Portfolio: A portfolio that invests most of its assets in stocks of publicly traded companies. The portfolio earns returns from investing in stocks in the form of capital gains (the difference between buying and selling of these stocks) as well as dividends distributed by the invested companies. The objective of an equity portfolio is long-term growth through capital appreciation.
Fixed-Income Portfolio: A portfolio that invests primarily in bonds and other debt instruments. The exact type of debt the portfolio invests in will depend on the agreed upon strategy, but investments may include government and corporate bonds along with other debt securities. The objective of the portfolio is to generate steady income.
Cash Management Portfolio: A portfolio that invests in short-term debt obligations such as treasury bills. The objective of this portfolio is to provide daily liquidity and achieve higher returns than bank offerings through active management.
Balanced Portfolio: A portfolio that combines stocks, bonds and money market instruments in one single portfolio. The objective of a balanced portfolio is to provide both income and capital appreciation.
Islamic Portfolio (Ethical Portfolio): A portfolio that invests most of its assets in stocks that comply with the principles of Islamic Sharia.. The objective of an Islamic equity portfolio is long term growth through capital appreciation.
Capital Preservation Portfolio: A portfolio that invests mainly in Treasury Bills with a limited exposure to Equities. The portfolio aims to achieve rewarding returns while preserving capital utilizing a strict stop-loss policy.


text:
Interview with Ishine Gape
Your artist name, what does it mean?
Well, good question! I chose to take this name around ten years ago and it has several meanings in one. "Gape" is the short cut of Gabriel, the name my parents gave me, and "Ishine", when spoken, sounds like "eye shine", a connection that came mainly from my passion for photography. Often people misunderstand it as "I shine" as if I would shine, but to be honest it has nothing to do with me shining. As a photographer I was always fascinated by peoples eyes and the way they sparkle through their eyes when they are excited or in a state of bliss. In short please call me Gape!
When we talk about your friends, how would someone who knows you well describe you?
People know me as a sensitive, humorous and dedicated person. Someone who loves to seek the bright side of life. I don't really go for a long talk about the hot porridge (hehe excuse me this is a German saying…). We all know that life is not "only" made out of sugar and that there are risks involved once we become honest with ourselves. I would say my friends know me as someone who will always confront them about the depth and sincerity in their life but also as someone who is able to be there for them when shit hits the fan.
Where did you find your passion for acrobatics?
Somewhere around my first backpacking journey through Europe and south east Asia. Back then (2007) I was working as a massage therapist, while studying anatomy and alternative medicine therapies. I was around twenty years old and curious about what the world had to offer. I remember I had always been into movement as a child but never much into competitive sports. From a young age on I was very influenced by my mother's Yogic and Buddhist practices at home, which definitely set an organic foundation for my understanding of movement. Then, finally one day I decided to start travelling. During my stay in Barcelona, I found a bunch of acrobats balancing on top of each other in a park. At that time, I had no idea what Acrobatics was but my fascination and interest grew quickly. Thinking back, today I would have never thought Acrobatics could change my life in so many ways. Acro (short for Acrobatics) is so intimate and playful at the same time. Everyday I practice I learn something new about my body and the mentality of how I approach myself and others in life. To keep it simple I would describe Acrobatics as a dance that empowers, generates and releases energy. A practice which forces us to stay open, present and playful.
What exactly does barefootyoga represent for you?
When I share my view on what barefootyoga is I am trying to invite people to question their believes and world views over again. It is like a collective movement, a way of living and maybe even a lifestyle. In our trainings we are aiming for high quality engagement and to provide a practice which is adaptable in all life situations; meaning the practice goes beyond merely being on the mat. I believe that an experienced movement teacher understands what is needed to facilitate a bunch of grown ups becoming wild monkeys. Our goal is to challenge people in any way possible and teach them simultaneously how to stay together, share space and communicate their boundaries within the strong, dynamic play of Acro. It's only then that we expand our comfort zone, when we start learning about our true self! And that's what barefootyoga embodies.
How do you approach people who have no experience in Acro?
Over the past years, we have learned that in order to reform poor posture or movement habits we need to find new pathways of moving effortlessly. Every new learning experience requires you to let go of something old, meaning in order to learn we need to unlearn simultaneously. In our trainings we offer a wide spectrum of exercises, all of which encourage our participants to improve their own individual way of moving efficiently and without struggle. So far we have shared our philosophy with more than a thousand students and there has not been a single participant leaving without a smile on their face. I personally think it is because people who join us feel connected, light and grounded after a workshop. Seeing people moving out of their comfort zone and enjoying the ride has been the best feedback for us to keep on going and developing our concept.
What is your attitude to "learning" today?
My learning attitude has definitely changed over the past 10 years. I reckon my students are my best teachers and throughout the intimate contact with more then 500 participants a year, I seem to find answers to many of my own questions. As a facilitator I carry a lot of responsibility and I am forced to constantly evolve and refine my concepts on all levels. I feel grateful to have such a supportive community surrounding me, where we help each other to make our dreams come true. When it comes to learning I believe that at the end of the day it is all about being able to perceive this world through the eyes of a child.
About Ishine Gape:
Ishine Gape (founder of barefootyoga.me & ishine photography) is an acrobatic & yoga instructor, as well as a massage therapist with more than 10 years of experience. Originally from Austria, Gape loves to spend his time traveling, eating exotic foods and taking amazing pictures. With a heart full of humor and well sized arms to hug almost everything, he is facilitating a wide variety of workshops globally. Gape is well known for his unique and precise way of teaching. His passion for bodywork gives him the opportunity to embrace his students and encourage them to find freedom through movement and touch.
Find out more about Ishine Gape here:
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll5Fieqz44o
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ishine_gape
Homepage: www.barefootyoga.me


text:
Vodafone Smart Tab II 7
Read help info
You can save files such as pictures and video clips on the memory card. Follow these instructions to insert the memory card.
1. Remove the back cover
Turn the back of your device towards you.
Slide the back cover upwards and remove it.
Slide the back cover upwards and remove it.
2. Insert memory card
Turn the memory card as illustrated next to the memory card holder.
Slide the memory card into the card holder.
3. Replace the back cover
Place the back cover on your device and slide it downwards.
Email this article to your friend
Required information *


text:
chritty needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 81 designs submitted by 41 freelance designers.
I am a doctor, 47 years old and I will be selling products for the human health market. It is a 100% natural food supplement made out of different healthy mushrooms.
The products will be sold through Doctors, Homöopaths etc.
The logo should work on the international market, it should be high remarkable and recognizable. It should have a serious, may be a medicinal touch, because the products will be sold through professional medicinal people. I prefer more a colourful logo, than a dark, monotone logo.
I like special colours, feel free, to experiment with colours
The logo should be serious, but not too conservative
No esoterical touch
We have 2 tubs, one for 90 capsules and one for 250 g
I need all files, which are helpful for printing, flyers, websides, businesscards, businesspaper, advertisement, etc.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Cell phone repair: Where to go?
Cell phone repair arena is coming with a lot of options for you. Now repairing of your iPhone is not a hard task. YOU can find a repairer at every second corner of the street. Within the market, you can come up with number of shops labeling much highlighted as "mobile repairing services", "mobile repairing corners", "mobile repairing masters" and so on. The thing is, you can judge by the written words that either they are providing the same services as written or not. So, before giving your worthiest assets of your iPhone, you must search and find which is best for you. Here is a little guide about where you may go for your iPhone repair:
Get benefits of warranty:
While purchasing an iPhone, you get a "warranty card" as well. When you need any sort of iPhone repairing services, then also keep in mind of getting the warranty benefits instead of Cell phone repair. If your phone life will be under the warranty duration then you can fix the errors of your phone from the company with no fee. It is one of the biggest and most beneficial options for you.
Go to a mobile shop and look for a used phone:
Now here you will be searching why I am saying to look for the used phone though the topic is about phone repairs. Let me clear you! The used phone can attainable in about 40{5a717969143d193b35499047788d7da7ed649b59d82cee3509fc49561d28f08c} lower price than the new one. If the screen or the most major parts of your iPhone are broken and very significant files are there in, then you can simply pick a used phone and can replace your broken screen by this used iPhone screen.read more news from:http://wncn.com/2015/09/21/sprint-and-verizon-customers-report-problems-in-central-nc/
Let it fix at IPhone repair Orange County:
Yes, if you want to get the services in maximum benefit zone then you may go and get the services of iPhone repairing county. For sure, it will be repaired by the professional hands. Before going to the option of a shop you may look at the following factors like:
• Either the shop is reputed or not.
• What is its recent progress in the market and which sort of reviews it is getting form its customers
• Look authenticity of the shop as well
Go for some individual master:
Other than a company or a shop, you can also go for an individual option as well. You may look and stop a technical engineer who can and cannot be your buddy or relative. The benefit of going for an individual iPhone repair master will be, your phone will get a particular attention and you will be able to get your phone back immediately. These are all the advantages that you can get while giving your phone for repairing services to an individual master.
On the other hand, if you go for the opting of phone repairer professional in the Orange County then it will come with its own benefits. Iphone repair Orange County will let you to get the professional services; you will get a guaranteed recover and so on.


text:
Decor Ideas For Craftsman
The craftsman style style is more typically known as the American Craftsman style that originates from the American Arts and Crafts movement. The styles, whilst influenced by the ideals of the British movement, identified inspiration in especially American antecedents such as Shaker furnishings and the Mission Revival Style , and the Anglo-Japanese style Emphasis on the originality of the artist/craftsman led to the later design concepts of the 1930s Art Deco movement. Decorative birdhouses can be identified in practically each and every property decor and craft shop, but it is effortless to decorate an ordinary birdhouse in a quantity of inventive and colorful techniques.
A representative American Craftsman interior, with period-acceptable furnishings at the Ernest and Florence Halstead House in Los Angeles, California. Narrow lot style of the Bungalow does not normally let for a centrally-situated staircase like that in a colonial, cape or farmhouse. Like so a lot of other new house plans becoming developed in the US, the craftsman identified its property in California as effectively. Gustav Stickley, who began creating Arts and Crafts-style furniture and accessories in the late 19th century, has long represented the pinnacle of Craftsman design and style.
Before 1900, the philosophy of the Arts & Crafts Movement was just beginning to take hold in the US. Style and architecture incorporated A&C concepts from 1880 on as architects and artists have been influenced by social, financial, and political changes as properly as by their personal travels to other nations. A lot of new residences are now becoming made to mimic the craftsman style full with smaller footprints, dormers, porches supported with stocky tapered columns, wide overhangs, etc.
The very best colors tend to be earth tones would be the a lot more widespread browns, greens, maize and tans (the color of corn, wheat, oats, livestock and the landscape) with some all-natural reds and light blues thrown in for accent. Craftsman chandelier four) Candle Aromatherapy Diffusers: Also known as Aroma Lamps or Crucial Oil BurnersThese sorts of aromatherapy diffusers use a water dish and tea light candles for heat.
To state that the before" exterior paint colors and the front door sidelights are incorrect for the home's period is just factually incorrect. These had been just a modest part of the characteristics that you ought to know of when we are speaking about the craftsman style style. These seemingly minor differences can truly assist make it less complicated to spot the distinction in between arts and crafts property decor and mission house decor. In addition to furniture, adding period lighting will tie the decor in with the home style.


text:
As a cloud-based system, Fundly CRM is always available to you from anywhere via your web browser. Simple go to www.npez.net and log in with your username and password. There is no need to download or install any special software.
FAQ: How do I download Fundly CRM? (Version 2+)Follow
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.


text:
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
SCAD is proud to serve as the Georgia affiliate and program administrator for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the exceptional vision of our nation's youth, providing a singular opportunity for students to be recognized for their creative talents. Since its founding, the awards have identified the early promise of some of our nation's most exceptional visionaries. Notable award recipients include artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein and Cy Twombly; writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Joyce Carol Oates; photographer Richard Avedon; actors Frances Farmer, Robert Redford, Alan Arkin and John Lithgow; filmmakers Stan Brakhage, Ken Burns and Ned Vizzini; and many more.
The awards are structured so that student work is judged first at the regional level and then at the national level. All submitted works are reviewed by local professionals working in the visual and literary arts and receive Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards. Select award-winning works are also included in a regional exhibition.
Works that receive Gold Key recognition at the regional level are automatically included in the pool of nationally judged Gold Key work from across the country.
For more information on the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, visit artandwriting.org.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Georgia affiliate
SCAD admission department
Attn: Sean McCarthy
P.O. Box 2072
Savannah, GA 31402 USA
[email protected]


text:
Rees, Chris and Edwards, Tony (2003) HR's contribution to international mergers and acquisitions [CIPD Research Report]. (Project Report) London, U.K. : Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 44 p. ISBN 1843980312Full text not available from this archive.
Official URL: http://www.cipd.co.uk/Bookstore/_catalogue/Interna...
|Item Type:
|Monograph (Project Report)
|Physical Location:
|This book is held in stock at Kingston University Library
|Research Area:
|Business and management studies
|Faculty, School or Research Centre:
|Faculty of Business and Law (until 2017)
Faculty of Business and Law (until 2017) > Centre for Research in Employment, Skills and Society (CRESS)
|Depositing User:
|Christopher Rees
|Date Deposited:
|02 May 2008
|Last Modified:
|05 Aug 2010 10:47
Actions (Repository Editors)
|Item Control Page


text:
Schedule Maintenance & Auto Repairs Online Today
For everything from simple oil changes, tire rotations, brake service, and other quick vehicle maintenance, to more involved auto repairs, make our service center in Simsbury, Connecticut your number one destination. Looking for reliable collision repair and auto body services? The technicians in the body shop at Mitchell Volvo Cars of Simsbury are highly skilled when it comes to bringing your Volvo car back to life. And thanks to our convenient online auto service scheduler, booking auto service or repairs ahead of time is easy. Schedule service with us online now, or give our service department a call directly at 877-418-6464 and we'll see you soon!


text:
When I was on the way back from an annual trip to the south of France that I make with my family in our campervan I was thinking how things have changed. We made friends years ago with some French people just like us and we usually park up at their house for a few days before heading north again.
Well, actually they are not exactly like us…For example they eat outside most days of the year and seldom leave their home to go on holiday. They live in a small house which has been in their family for generations and they live off a lot of their own produce. The mother does her housework in her bikini because it is so hot, and she is fit from running and cycling.
But when we sit around the family table at breakfast, lunch and dinner with them, though we are restless from house moves and travelling the world, and slightly less fit, and reddened by the unaccustomed sunshine, our conversations are about the same values and the same challenges.
How much is it going to cost for grand Pere to go to a maison de retriait? What kind of experience did grand mere have when she went for respite? What can we do about the unmarried uncle who lives alone and won't either leave his house or accept outside help now that he has become very frail?
The conversations we used to have were much more varied. In the past they didn't want to talk about my work in the fields of nursing and dementia any more than I did on holiday. But now they are more interested than anyone would wish, because the need for information and advice in France is as great as anywhere else. Not least, the next generation, who sit with us at table listen to what we are saying.
Before long they will have the same challenges to take care of some of us. Many of them will have to leave home in order to find work and independence, and where will we all be then?
I suspect that the lady of the house will be in the same place at the age of ninety, still doing her housework in her bikini, in the house she has always known, eating her own produce. Her lifestyle is one that would reduce the symptoms of dementia, even if she gets Alzheimer disease.
Exercise, fresh vegetables and a proper Mediterranean diet, living in her own familiar surroundings , with a lot of socialising and some red wine…and a coffee In the morning. She will be there when I am worrying about where I live, and wishing I had lived a little bit more wisely. Now on the way back home, I'm writing my resolutions about a better way of living! For more ideas on how to stay well try here


text:
RA Awareness Week 2014
RAAW 2014 - Let's be vocal and make RA visible!
Thank you for helping raise the profile of RA and change the public perception of this condition.
Invisible Disease
We asked our members what the campaign theme should be for 2014 and they told us to focus on the 'Invisible Disease'. We used your experiences and ideas about how you have felt invisible with RA or times where people haven't understood the condition, and came up with three poster concepts. Our members Angie, Carla and Jake featured in the three images which portray situations where someone with RA feels their condition is not understood because it is hard to see the physical effects for those around them. We particularly focussed on pain, stiffness and fatigue, which is the basis of a new study we are published during the week.
Get vocal and make RA visible!
It's not too late to get the campaign posters in your local community and spread the word about the campaign. We asked supporters to find a place for their poster whether it's a GP surgery, pharmacy, community centre, supermarket, shopping centre or anywhere it will be seen by lots of people (don't forget to ask permission). Click on the images below to download the posters.
Invisible Disease: Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Fatigue Survey
To coincide with the launch of this year's RA Awareness Week and the theme of 'The Invisible Disease', NRAS conducted a survey of people with RA around the UK to explore the detailed impacts of chronic fatigue – one of the RA symptoms that is least understood by the public. We have now published our findings so please click here to read more and download the survey.
Put your best foot forward for The RAmble!
In 2014, we held our first walking event, called The RAmble, in the beautiful grounds of Spetchley Park in Worcester on Saturday 21st June! It was a fun way for all the family to raise awareness and make a joint effort for those living with RA. Thanks to all who took part!
Get social to make RA visible!
The easiest way you can help is to spread the word using social media to spread the message far and wide that RA is not invisible. You can still join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtags #LookDeeper #RAAW14.
As you can see in the photo below, the NRAS team pledged their support to make RA visible and we asked you to do the same. You can still send us your 'I am making RA visible' photos and use the hashtags #Lookdeeper #RAAW14 tagging us on Facebook or Twitter! If you don't use social media and want to get involved, simply send your photo to firstname.lastname@example.com and we can share it!
Celebrity and Political Support
We've are very grateful to Claire King, Jo Wiley, Craig Revel Horwood and Jenny Agutter who have all given their support to RA Awareness Week - click here to find out more.
Many thanks also go to the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP and the leader of the opposition, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP for giving their support which you can find here.
Media Enquiries
For all media enquires please contact us on 01628 823 524 or email@example.com
Thanks for helping us raise the profile of RA!
Sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb who had no influence over the content of the programme or these materials


text:
Hundreds of "faulty" and "missing" bolts ended up discovered during a planned outage at Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan, NY, and will keep a reactor shut down for several additional weeks.
A scheduled inspection at the Buchanan power plant of more than 2,000 bolts on the face of a removable insert liner in the plant's Unit 2 reactor "revealed issues" with about 11 percent of the bolts, or 220, plant operator, Entergy, officials said.
Pilgrim Starting Maintenance Program
Alabama Nuke Running after Refueling
Scram at WA Nuke
MI Nuke Down for Refueling, Maintenance
The issues found included "missing bolts" and "other degradation requiring replacement of the bolts," Entergy said.
The bolts, which are about 2 inches long and made of stainless steel, hold plate inserts together inside the reactor, Entergy said.
The newly discovered issues will add several weeks to the outage, Entergy said.
The issues found with the reactor's insert liner did not have any impact on public health or safety, Entergy said. The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), among other agencies, received notification.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has repeatedly criticized Indian Point's safety record and called for the closure of the aging plant, said the discovery of "hundreds of faulty bolts" raised "deep concerns.
"This is the latest in a long series of incidents that raise deep concerns about the management, maintenance and equipment standards at this plant," Cuomo said.
"While there is no immediate danger to public health and safety, this troubling news further validates the state's ongoing investigation into the operations of this aging power plant and our position that it should not be relicensed," he added.
Patricia Kakridas, a spokeswoman for Entergy, said the bolt problems were revealed during "a specialized, robust inspection" that went "beyond normal inspections performed during each refueling outage."
"We will not operate the plants, nor would the NRC allow us to continue operating, if we couldn't do so safely," she said.
The bolt issues ended up discovered during the Indian Point Unit 2's "Aging Management Program," which is implemented once every 10 years in connection with the plant's ongoing licensing renewal. The first inspection began on March 7 during a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage.
Engineers conducted more than 350 inspections to equipment during the planned maintenance, Entergy said, including testing and inspections of the reactor containment area, the reactor vessel, the control rod mechanism, coolant pump motors and steam generators.
Entergy said the comprehensive inspections show that critical components at Unit 2 continue to perform safely and as intended.
"Safety is always our first priority, and the hundreds of inspections performed over the last few weeks demonstrate these programs work as designed," said Larry Coyle, site vice president and Entergy's top official at Indian Point. "Safeguards and automatic detection equipment are in place to alert plant operators of impacts on safe operations."
Since 2007, Entergy has been seeking to extend its licenses for Indian Point's two reactors, Units 2 and 3, for 20 more years. The nuclear power plant can continue to operate until the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission decides on its application, which can take several years.


text:
Lauren Gauge interviews Paper Creatures Theatre ahead of their debut production, Flood by Tom Hartwell at the Tristan Bates Theatre.
Who are we? What's your name and where do you come from? I feel the melancholic love for Cilla Black's Blind Date delighting my brain as I chat to Nathan Coenen and Jon Tozzi, co-founders of Paper Creatures Theatre company, a company focusing on millennial stories and producing their first play about identity, success and belonging. Oh for the love of identity, growing up 'successfully' and the bittersweet nostalgia we leave in our ambition's wake. Fitting then that one is a London homeboy and one is from Austra-ya, both enticed by the sweet sweet smell of success and creating theatre in the capital…
Lauren Gauge: Nathan and Jon, you've recently set up a brand new theatre company. What do you want to make and say differently as Paper Creatures Theatre, that you think offers something unique to the theatrical landscape?
Jon Tozzi: Throwing us straight into the deep end there! Good question. When we set up Paper Creatures Theatre, we didn't want to lead with any gimmicks. Good theatre for us is simple, compelling and bold. We lead with the idea that 'the story is enough'. There are never too many voices within theatre and we hope that when audiences see our work they can find something even if it is a small moment that they can relate to. That's our USP.
LG: What has stuck with you from your previous theatre experiences that you are excited to bring and could share as a piece of advice to our readers?
Nathan Coenen: What's been interesting about this process, is having two hats: a producer one and an actor one. So learning when and how to wear the two has been important. It sounds a bit bland, but the main thing we've tried to bring on that we've learnt from past theatre projects is simply being super organised. Send those emails straight away, call that person ASAP, do everything earlier than scheduled, and you'll have a better chance to delve in as creatives for the rest of the day or when rehearsals begin.
JT: Also, it is about working as a duo, we are co-founders in this process so it's all about bouncing ideas off of each other, being pleasant people to work with and as a result of this when we meet new creatives, we build a good reputation as a theatre company.
LG: What is so interesting about millennials and making theatre about them or for them?
JT: Nathan and I go to the theatre often together (most people are starting to think we are a couple. Just for the record, we are just friends) and there are constantly millennials at the theatre. You see it all the time, especially at new writing venues such as Theatre 503, The Royal Court, Soho Theatre and The Bunker. This proves there is a need for theatre that speaks to this generation. We can only hope to be a positive contributor to this. The idea of telling stories that hold up a mirror to the millennial generation seemed perfect. Mainly because we are part of that demographic. It's similar to the saying 'write what you know' for us it is 'produce what you know'. Life still happens, millennials still grieve, feel pain, love and laugh. What makes it interesting for us is we want to dig deeper into millennials' emotions. We are more than the media portray us to be.
LG: For your debut production Paper Creatures are taking Flood by Tom Hartwell to the Off West End Tristan Bates Theatre for a one-week run. Can you tell us more about the play, spoilers excluded?
NC: There are many potential spoilers, but I'll try my best. It's set in a small Somerset village that has flooded the night before the play begins. We encounter five friends from secondary school who are now in their mid to late 20s. One of them, Adam, still lives in the village. The rest have left to move closer to the capital for a 'better life'. Before the play starts Adam's mum who was a big influence on all their lives has recently passed away. The action takes place over the day of the funeral, for which all the friends have returned. In the chaos and mess that occurs, it's amazing how many suppressed thoughts and feelings rise to the top...
LG: Identity and nostalgia are two terms that keep exposing themselves like an embarrassing disposable camera film, that captured your worst hair cuts and prize acne. What do you think Flood is trying to say in relation to those two terms?
NC: You've just reminded me, I need a haircut! What Tom Hartwell (our playwright) does so well with Flood is he hones in on these themes of identity and nostalgia in great detail. By focusing on a group of friends who have all moved on from their hometown apart from one character, we are able to explore underlying tension. In life, when you meet up with someone from your past, you begin to question your own identity and where you are heading in life. We've all been there, organising to meet up with a friend after a long time, you worry about how they may have changed. Then when the time comes you spend most of it reminiscing over past times than talking about present circumstances – nostalgia in a nutshell.
JT: What I love about Flood is there isn't a clear cut message; what it does do is create discussion. We meet five characters who are all faced with a choice of what to do next with their lives. All with different outlooks, strengths and weaknesses. So ultimately, each character represents someone in the audience.
LG: The millennial generation is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies. Do you have any desire to include these attributes as design features in your productions, or is that way too millennial for you two millennials?
NC: I think that, fortunately or unfortunately, you can't tell a millennial story without some kind of reference to our experience with technology: it just wouldn't be realistic. Even a modern 20 year old raised in the woods by wolfs is unique because of the absence of technology. However, we definitely want to veer away from the idea that we're social media obsessed, (dis)connected zombies stumbling around. What's great about Flood, is you see young adults going through very real emotions and problems that people have been experiencing all around the world for millennia (pun unintended).
LG: In your marketing it's quoted that 'Hartwell can be said to be a writer of our generation' – is being a 'writer of our generation' now, any different to previous generations, and what qualities are you looking for in writers to support and produce?
JT: There are of course generational differences. You only need to meet my grandmother to find that out! Theatre and plays are constantly evolving, even intervals are tending to be cut now. I feel being a playwright now is more exciting than ever as there is more opportunity. The fringe and the new writing revolution that is taking over London theatre is giving the opportunity for more voices and stories to be heard. It's thrilling! The diversity of London also gives us a chance to experience stories we would never have imagined being part of. What excites me is the potential of a Mike Bartlett or Lucy Prebble play being called 'a classic' in the years to come. We need theatre for future generations to learn, much like history. So we hope future writers that we work with can produce work that reflects society as it is now for the 'millennial generation'.
LG: The name Paper Creatures, brings to my mind origami dinosaurs and dragons, so in the spirit of dragons den, what are you plans for Paper Creatures, your 3 year plan if you will?
NC: At this point in time, we're purely focused on making Flood the best it can be. However, I think continuing to produce wonderful new writing, and working with all the awesome millennial creatives this country (and one day world?) has to offer is definitely part of our plan. Although, as an Aussie, I've never actually seen Dragon's Den. So maybe that should be first on the agenda?
JT: Our company name was birthed from a simple idea. Paper represents the script, where the story begins. Creatures represents the characters that come from these stories. Theatre is the wonderful place where we share them. So long as we keep telling stories, we'll be happy. But now I can't get an origami dragon out of my head.
LG: And finally, and this is just as serious a question: what's your opinion on the term 'Hipster'? Do you subscribe, or unsubscribe?
NC: I'd like to think I've unsubscribed. But then again, that's pretty hipster of me, isn't it?
JT: I, for one, have never heard of the term…
Check out Paper Creatures Theatre website www.papercreatures.net and follow them on social media
Twitter: paper_creatures
Instagram: paper_creatures
Facebook: @papercreaturestheatre
Flood runs at the Tristan Bates Theatre, 31st July – 5th August at 7:45pm. Tickets Ł10 Concessions Ł12 Adult.
Previous news articles
OffWestEnd.com is the London UK theatre information and bookings site that makes it easy to find great plays and performances in some of London's innovative theatres outside the West End. Buy tickets directly from these Off West End London theatres - with no fees and no commission ever being charged by us!
OffWestEnd.com - Browse our theatre list below for what's on:
Above the Stag Theatre |
Albany |
Almeida Theatre |
Arcola Theatre |
Arts Theatre |
artsdepot |
Barbican |
Barons Court Theatre |
Bloomsbury Theatre |
Blue Elephant Theatre |
Bridewell Theatre |
The Bush Theatre |
Camden People's Theatre |
Canal Cafe Theatre |
Chickenshed |
Cochrane Theatre |
Cock Tavern Theatre |
Cockpit Theatre |
Courtyard |
Drill Hall |
Donmar Warehouse |
Drill Hall |
Finborough Theatre |
Etcetera Theatre |
Gate Theatre |
The Globe Theatre |
Greenwich Playhouse |
Greenwich Theatre |
Hackney Empire |
Half Moon |
Hampstead Theatre |
Jacksons Lane |
Jermyn Street Theatre |
Jerwood Vanburgh Theatre |
King's Head Theatre |
Landor Theatre |
Leicester Square Theatre |
Lion & Unicorn Theatre |
Little Angel Theatre |
Lyric Hammersmith |
Menier Chocolate Factory |
National Theatre |
New End Theatre |
New Players Theatre |
Normansfield |
Old Red Lion Theatre |
The Old Vic |
Orange Tree Theatre |
Oval House Theatre |
People Show |
Pleasance Theatre |
Polka Theatre |
The Queen's Theatre |
Rich Mix |
Riverside Studios |
Rose Theatre |
Riverside Studios |
Roundhouse |
Rosemary Branch |
Royal Court Theatre |
Shaw Theatre |
Soho Theatre |
Southbank Centre |
Southwark Playhouse |
Tabard Theatre |
Tara Studio |
The Space |
Theatre Royal Stratford East |
Toynbee Studios |
Tricycle Theatre |
Unicorn Theatre |
Union Theatre |
Upstairs at the Gatehouse |
Warehouse Theatre |
Watermans |
Watford Palace Theatre |
White Bear |
Wilton's Music Hall |
Young Vic
OffWestEnd.com is a United Kingdom (UK) based company serving the international, the UK and London based theatres and theatre goers.
Write to Us at: OffWestEnd.com, Euclid Applications Ltd, 1/1 Jersey St, Manchester M4 6JA, United Kingdom
Registered office address: Euclid Applications Ltd, 1/1 Jersey St, Manchester M4 6JA, United Kingdom - Company Registration No. 07920048


text:
DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Bangladeshi gay rights activist and his friend were hacked to death Monday in what the police believe is the latest in a series of targeted killings by Islamist militants.
The activist, Julhas Mannan, had attracted the attention of extremist groups by helping to organize a march for gay and transgender youths that had been scheduled for the Bengali New Year on April 14. The Rainbow Rally, as it was called, drew threats of violence and police canceled the march, saying the event would offend religious sentiments.
Mr. Mannan, who also edited Bangladesh's only gay and transgender magazine, Roopbaan, had received "very vicious, murderous threats" from anonymous people who opposed the rally, said Sara Hossain, a friend. "The last few days were very frightening," she said.
Mr. Mannan had been working for the United States Agency for International Development, and had served as a protocol officer to two United States ambassadors, the police said.
Marcia Bernicat, the current American ambassador to Bangladesh, said in a statement that she was "devastated" by the death of a man she called "a dear friend."
On Monday, a group of five or six young men posing as couriers approached security guards at Mr. Mannan's apartment building in the capital, Dhaka, saying they were delivering a parcel, according to Mohammad Iqbal, the officer in charge at the local police station.
The parcel contained machetes, Mr. Iqbal said.
The group attacked a security guard and then entered Mr. Mannan's apartment, where they killed him and a friend who had accompanied him home from work. The assailants, also armed with guns, escaped the building through a narrow alley, opening fire on a policeman when he tried to stop them, Mr. Iqbal said.
Ms. Hossain, who had spoken frequently to Mr. Mannan about the threats he received, said she was certain he had been singled out for his activism on gay rights.
In the last two years, similar killings have taken place, targeting intellectuals, secular writers, members of religious minority groups and activists who had published views critical of Islam. Ms. Hossain said this was the first time extremists appeared to go after someone for his sexual identity.
"It's a new shift, a new turn," she said. "This is something different now."
Monirul Islam, the head of the counterterrorism unit for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, described the attack as a "planned killing."
On Saturday, a university professor, Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, was hacked to death and nearly beheaded when he was attacked near his home in the northwest city of Rajshai. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on the professor, according to a message posted on Twitter by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites.
Last year, unidentified men used machetes to attack four activists who published views critical of Sunni Islam, and two publishers who had published their works. The attacks took place in broad daylight, on crowded city streets, or in the victims' homes.
Since those attacks, extremists appeared to broaden their list of targets to include new categories of minorities. Shiite Muslims, Hindu priests and Christian priests were attacked, and two foreigners were shot, apparently at random. The killings resumed this month, with the hacking death of a student activist in Dhaka and the killing of the university professor.
The death of Mr. Mannan, a cousin of a former foreign minister, Dipu Moni, of the ruling Awami League party, sent shudders through Dhaka's close-knit diplomatic and government circles.
Associates described him as a "godfather" of the gay community, and one of the few activists willing to identify himself openly in the news media and online. An observant Muslim, Mr. Mannan would celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan by organizing traditional evening suppers for gay youths, one friend said.
Amnesty International, the human rights organization, released a statement calling on the Bangladeshi authorities to provide better protection to activists who have been threatened, and to push harder to prosecute the killers.
"There have been four deplorable killings so far this month alone," the statement said. "It is shocking that no one has been held to account for these attacks." The statement said that since the wave of killings began in 2015, no attacker has been prosecuted or sentenced.


text:
Technical literacy, community well-being and environmental sustainability are the priorities behind our CGI communities goal.
Check out announcements of how we collaborate with clients on their most strategic and visible investments, along with news on our business operations and performance.
June 14, 2019 -?CGI makes all cash offer for SCISYS, a leading provider of IT services in the UK and Germany.? Read the release.
June 13, 2019 -?CGI named first-ever Scaled Agile? Global Transformation Partner.? Read the release.
June 11, 2019 -?CGI announces intent to repurchase 5.16 million of its shares held by Caisse de dép?t et placement du Québec.? Read the release.
May 30, 2019 -?CGI welcomes Sophie Brochu to its Board of Directors.?Read the release.
May 28, 2019 -?The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Selects CGI to Optimize Cloud Environment, Enhance and Maintain Medicare Advantage and Part D Data Repository.?Read the release.


text:
The former commander of Royal Marine Alexander Blackman, whose battlefield murder conviction was quashed Wednesday, has claimed the jailed soldier's unit fell apart due to command failures.
Colonel Oliver Lee, the youngest marine colonel since WWII who resigned over the Blackman case, told the Guardian how command failures caused J Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, to descend into chaos.
Blackman, who killed an unarmed, wounded Afghan insurgent on camera in 2011, had his murder conviction reduced to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at his second appeal hearing.
He had originally been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the killing, during which he shot the prone insurgent in the chest. This was later reduced to eight years at an earlier appeal.
Lee explained how some marines in the unit posted to Command Post (CP) Omar had dehumanized the enemy completely and how J Company had been left "psychologically defeated, bereft of ideas, unpredictable and dangerous" by a lack of oversight from commanders."
"The leadership and oversight of Sgt. Blackman by his commanders Lt. Col. [Ewen] Murchison and Maj. [Aaron] Fisher was shockingly bad, and directly causal to Sgt. Blackman's conduct," Lee said.
In a statement to the court, which was not fully released, the former colonel said: "Sgt. Blackman was not an individual anomaly or a single rotten apple in the basket. Rather those senior to him failed him."
"His moral resources were depleted in a way that should not have occurred if his commanders had been looking after him better."Lee's original attempts to testify were rebuffed, he claims.
He also accused the Royal Marines' chain of command of trying to stop the truth exposing their failures.
"The motive must be to avoid bringing discredit upon the chain of command of the Royal Marines and for it to appear to the world that Sgt. Blackman acted in a vacuum," he said.
The soldiers were ordered to carry out careful counterinsurgency operations. However they gradually slid into chaos, resorted to high levels of violence, such as calling in mortar fire when minimum force was required.
Lee claimed he had been made aware of marines kicking an Afghan farmer following the death of popular comrades.
A reorganization saw Lee briefly command Blackman's J Company a week before the killing.
"Having been on operations many times in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan I class myself as operationally experienced and yet I had never seen anything as poor as J Company," Lee said.
One officer insisted on using the sniper rifle of a dead marine, an act which Lee said "speaks of an officer having a gung-ho focus on personally delivered violence rather than leadership and sophistication.
"To carry the weapon of a dead subordinate was, I judged, an emotive and provocative affectation that risked goading others more junior to avenge [the] death."
Lee said another 42 Commando officer warned that the marines had adopted "the heavy-handed Russian approach to Afghanistan in the 1980s bore little resemblance to what we were under orders to do in 2011."
Another officer, whom Lee cited, had visited the CP [command post] and said discipline among the troops there had collapsed to such an extent that the front gate was inadequately guarded.
He also said the base was strewn with litter and slovenly marines and that an antitank weapon had been graffitied with the words "F**k COIN" in reference to "counterinsurgency."
Lee's testimony has been contested and judges noted that he and Murchison appeared to clash in terms of approach.
They pointed to a "significant dispute between Lt. Col. Lee and Lt. Col. Murchison as to the level of support provided to CP Omar, the visits made and the adequacy of the command of Lt. Col. Murchison and Major Fisher."
Responding to Lee's claims the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told the Guardian that "The Royal Navy carried out a thorough internal review and we stand by the conduct of all commanders involved.
"We will study the findings of this case very carefully and will act upon any lessons identified."
Via RT. This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.


text:
I've never been a big fan of pre-packaged survival kits until I had a chance recently to visit with Dory Harrington, founder of Mombies* emergency kits. By the time we headed for lunch at Five Guys, I had purchased her Complete Kit!
Yes, it's that impressive.
The problem I've had with other ready-made kits is that they are one-size-fits all, they aren't geared toward women and families, and many of their contents aren't high quality.
My Mombies complete emergency is completely different.
Dory explains how she developed the kit:
"I went off by myself and began thinking through every possible emergency that could happen, crises in which I would be the one completely responsible for my kids. As I thought through each scenario, I began to list what items I would need in order to survive. That list became the start of my Mombies bags."
"I wanted everything in my bags to be colorful and cheery. If I'm in an emergency, having a pink water bottle, for example, just does something to my mood and that of my kids."
Sure enough, the cap on my Mombies water bottle is pink, the bandana is turquoise, and the mess kit is golden yellow and charcoal gray. The toiletry kit has a deep purple washcloth and the Fire Knife is orange. Oh, the frames on the safety goggle are bright pink!
Don't let the pretty colors fool you, though. Dory searched high and low and tested dozens of products before settling on the ones that met her high standards. For example, it took several months to find just the right emergency candle, "Candle in a Can."
"This emergency candle can endure the hot temperatures we have here in Phoenix, and it's a 20 hour candle," she explained.
"I also wanted every item to fit the hand size of the average woman, so I selected the items that I believed were essential and then began looking around for products that were scaled down to a smaller size. I also wanted as many items as possible to be dual-purpose."
The multi-tool is small but durable and those pink-framed safety goggles? They are tinted and can double as sunglasses!
The work gloves in my own emergency kit are sized for a man's hands, but Dory found a pair that is smaller and would be a much better fit for most women.
"Work gloves were the #1 most needed item after the Oklahoma tornadoes," Dory told me.
What about the military backpack?
The one item that isn't colorful is the actual backpack. It's a standard military khaki color, which is actually a much better choice than hot pink or bright red! The khaki color doesn't draw attention to itself, but the pack itself is awesome!
"I personally tested 15 packs before selecting this one, " Dory said. "It has breathable padding in the shoulder straps and waistband and has the Molle system for attaching additional items to the outside of the bag."
Just like all the other components of her kits, the backpack is scaled to fit a woman, not a man. It holds a lot but the waist band and shoulder straps are situated to fit the form of the average woman.
Organized just right
Dory hand-packs each bag, so most items are organized in smaller containers. In one small Zip-loc, you'll find a pad of paper and writing utensils. Another Zip-loc contains items for providing light and fire, including a tiny jar of lint from Dory's dryer! (She truly has thought of everything!)
By the way, that bag of items for light include:
- a Candle in a Can
- a lightstick
- high quality Cree flashlight (battery packed separately)
- waterproof matches in a bright orange container
- Tinder-on-a-Rope
- dryer lint
- a headlamp
Pretty darn complete!
The feminine hygiene pack contains tampons, pads, a box of 6 menstrual cups, feminine wipes, and GladRags reusable sanitary pads!
Does your husband's emergency kit contain those??
With individual see-through bags, you can more easily find what you need among the dozens and dozens of items in this complete kit. My one suggestion for improvement would be labeling the bags for easier identification.
Food and water
Great minds think alike, so I was thrilled, but not surprised, when I saw Dory's choice of water containers: mylar pouches.
I love these things! The mylar is heavy duty but the pouches are small enough for kids' emergency packs and you can pack several of them in a single Zip-loc. The Mombies Complete Kit contains a dozen.
Dory and her family sampled various emergency bars and settled on the New Millennium Energy Bar, cherry flavored. It's pretty tasty. Kind of like a rich coconutty-flavored shortbread cookie with a bit of cherry in the mix.
I'm not a big fan of packing a huge amount of food in a typical emergency kit because it takes up a lot of room and the more food you eat, the more water your body requires. And then of course, bathrooms become an issue.
Speaking of bathrooms, Dory has included a Zip-loc containing 2 pairs of pink plastic gloves for dealing with sanitation, a Go Anywhere toilet kit, Purell hand wipes, and a GoGirl, an ingenious device that, "allows women to urinate standing up."
Wow. Did I mention that Dory has thought of everything?
Everything but the kitchen sink
If only the backpack with a tad larger, a kitchen sink could be included!
As it is, here are just a few of the highlights of the complete kit:
- An enhanced First Aid Kit. Dory found a (bright red!) first aid kit but then enhanced it with a heat pack, a pair of scissors, packs of sunscreen, anti-itch cream, moleskin, and more.
- A toiletry kit that anyone would love! Dory wanted her kit to include products with familiar brand names that didn't contain strong perfumes. You'll find St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter moisturizer, basis bar soap, Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner, Crest toothpaste, Secret anti-perspirant, Johnson & Johnson baby powder, and so much more. I love the toiletry kit!
- A collapsible water container.
- A solar-powered/hand-crank AM/FM radio with a siren, cell phone charger,a and flashlight
- A small, collapsible shovel. This one comes in a camo colored case, something Dory said she'll change as soon as possible.
- You can see the complete list of contents here.
Special offers for Survival Mom readers
The Mombies Complete Kit is priced at $399, a high-ticket item, to be sure. It is so packed, so complete, and so well-planned, that the price is a very fair one.
However, through the month of October, Dory is offering 2 specials.
- When ordering the Complete Kit, get a $99 discount with coupon code MOM99 at check out. (This only applies to the Complete Kit.)
- Get free shipping with any of the Build-a-Mombies kits. Use coupon code MOMFREE at checkout. (These are the individual components that make up Dory's other kits.)
These offers expire October 31.
*Mombies is an official sponsor of The Survival Mom blog and The Survival Mom Radio Hour.
Latest posts by The Survival Mom (see all)
- Organize Your Emergency Evacuation in 5 Simple Steps - January 12, 2020
- 13 Survival Must-Haves You May Not Have Thought Of - January 5, 2020
- 13 Food Storage New Year's Resolutions - January 3, 2020
- Could You Survive TEOTWAWKI in Your State? Here are the 5 Best and Worst States for Survival - December 30, 2019
- A Survival Mom's Christmas Wish List - December 13, 2019


text:
I feel remiss in not having mentioned it here before, but it's still not quite too late to let my readers know about a terrific film now playing at the 4-Star Theatre: Johnny To's Sparrow. Like Robert Bresson's Pickpocket, it finds inspiration in the criminal art of sleight-of-hand to provide viewers with a pure cinema experience. Quite unlike that fifty-year-old film, however, Sparrow is full of brightness, color, and jaunty music- so much that it has been likened to a musical without singing. Let me quote from Peter Nellhaus's recent review:
Simon Yam almost dances his way out of his dump of an apartment in the film's first scene. The grand set piece could well be called "The Umbrellas of Hong Kong". Credit To for further undoing genre expectations by having the final confrontation between Yam and his gang against their rivals as a slow motion stroll in the rain. Replacing the bullet ballet is choreographed movement of umbrellas, hand movements, razors cutting cloth, and splashes of water.For my part, I think this is quite possibly Johnny To's best film of the dozen or so I've seen, certainly his best since 1998's a Hero Never Dies. It is down to only one 4:40 PM showing per day from now until Thursday January 22, but I can think of no better way to cinematically ring out the Year of the Rat than to watch these sneak thieves in action on the 4-Star screen.


text:
Few lots still available.Â
Flat and sunny plot of land.Â
Near services and stores.Â
Connected to water and electricity.
BNP Paribas International Buyers is the leading European specialist lender for international buyers of residential properties in France and Italy.
With more than 20 years of experience, BNP Paribas International Buyers is dedicated towards assisting its clients throughout the buying process, from the initial search for the best mortgage solution right up to the payment of the final installment.
BNP Paribas International Buyers can also help you with foreign exchange and international money transfer, home protection etc.
If you need assitance or would like to talk with and agent contact us and we will arrange a consultation with an agent.
Need help getting financial approval for your home. We can help you get the finance you need to seal the deal.
We are always glad to asssit please feel free to give us a ring or drop us an email and we will get back to you.


text:
Caving Equipment
The single most important piece of caving equipment is your light. Experts recommend that you bring three independent light sources. The most basic is the head-mounted lamp that straps securely onto a helmet. Other light sources could be handheld flashlights, glow sticks or small LED lights. You should carry a few extra bulbs and batteries for each light source.
Your helmet should meet the stringent safety standards of Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) or European Community (CE) certification. And make sure your headlamp fits tightly and securely on the helmet before you leave the house.
What you wear while caving depends on what kind of cave you're going to visit. A lot of caves are pretty cold -- in the 50s Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius) -- so you'll want to dress in layers. The National Speleological Society recommends synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester over cotton because synthetics tend to dry faster if they get wet and are more resistant to the scrapes and snags common to caving.
Find out everything you can about the cave you're going to explore. If there's a chance you'll get very wet, you'll want to bring a change of clothing. Some other clothing items you might want to consider are waterproof hiking boots, gloves, thermal underwear, and knee and elbow pads for extended crawls.
You'll need to bring enough food and water for the expected length of the trip and some extra, just in case. If you have a map of the cave, make copies and give one to everybody on the trip, even if you have a guide.
You'll want a small first-aid kit for cuts and bruises. Make sure that everyone brings any medication that he or she needs to take on a regular basis. You'll need enough large plastic garbage bags to hold any food waste and dirty clothing.
A general rule of cave conservation is not to leave anything -- including human waste -- in the cave, so everyone will need a plastic bottle for urine, toilet paper and a small, crush-proof plastic container for "number two."
Some other useful equipment for cave exploration is a camera with a flash (consider disposable models to avoid damaging expensive equipment), a magnifying glass, pen and paper, and the universal solution for any problem -- duct tape.
Now let's look at some important safety considerations when caving and the best techniques for protecting yourself and your group.