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- What does it take to cause an explosion?
- How did it come to the existing European ATEX Directive?
- What is the subject of EU Directive 1999/92/EC (ATEX 153)?
- What does Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX 114) say?
- How is the marking of explosion safe equipment built-up?
- What is the connection between equipment groups, ATEX categories and the EPL?
- Which are the most frequently applied protection methods against ignition?
- How are gases and dusty substances divided into gas and dust groups?
- What temperature class do I need for my equipment?
- What is the maximum allowable surface temperature in a dusty environment?
Explosion triangle
For an explosion to occur, the following three elements must be present:
- Combustible gas, vapour, mist or dust
- Oxygen
- Ignition source
Explosions can be prevented by removing or suppressing one of these three elements. The presence of combustible substances is often inherent to the operational processes and cannot be prevented. Because in the majority of cases people are also present, it is impractical to remove the oxygen; after all, people need to breathe oxygen. The most practical and more or less the only method is to remove or eliminate the ignition sources.
A combustible substance can only be ignited if it is present in the correct mix with oxygen. The Lower Explosion Level (LEL) and Upper Explosion Level (UEL) have been established for every combustible substance. Outside of these levels, the combustible substance cannot be ignited because the mix contains too little or too much of the substance. The "ignitability" of the mix describes a parabolic curve where precisely at the LEL or UEL points, the mix can just be ignited. The top of the parabola indicates the mix that is easiest to ignite and therefore the mix that only requires an extremely small amount of ignition energy to ignite. At this point, the highest explosion pressure occurs if the substance is ignited.
A distinction can be made in the principles that can be employed in explosion protection. Here we distinguish three groups, namely, primary, secondary and tertiary explosion protection.
Primary explosion protection (this takes preference):
- Measures that prevent an explosive mix arising, for instance by ensuring that there is an overpressure of clean air or an inert gas in a cabinet.
Secondary explosion protection:
- An explosive mix can still arise, but measures are taken to prevent the mix being ignited, for instance, by encapsulating the potential source of ignition or by limiting the electric potential to the source of ignition using Zener barriers.
Tertiary explosion protection (if there is absolutely no other way):
- These are measures that are aimed at limiting the result of an explosion to an acceptable level. This can be accomplished by, for instance, employing rupture discs, flame arrestors and/or explosion hatches.
In Europe, directives have been drawn up related to being able to work safely (ATEX 153) and the safe operation of supplied equipment (ATEX 114).
In the early 90's, the Council of Europe decided that the probability of an explosion should be as small as possible or should at least lie within acceptable limits. To achieve this, provisions have been drawn up that relate to actions in the workplace and the safe operation of supplied equipment. These provisions have been laid down in two directives and the member states of the European Union have committed to transfer the rules in these directives into their national legislation.
The European directives are therefore not directives for users or manufacturers but are intended to lay down the agreements between the Council and the national governments.
The first directive is ATEX 153 (1999/92/EC) that records the minimum requirements for protecting the health and safety of employees who could run a risk due to explosive atmospheres. The objective of the minimum requirements laid down in the directive is to raise the level in the member states that are below this minimum. The member states that are already above the minimum level are not expected to lower their requirements to the minimum level. The ATEX 153 directive is also called the social or installation directive. In the Netherlands, this directive is embedded in the Working Conditions legislation and regulations.
The ATEX 153 directive specifies, among other things, employer obligations:
- Prevention and protection from explosions (organisational measures, training, instructions)
- Risk assessment
- Classification and marking of explosion hazardous zones (0, 1, 2, 20, 21 and 22)
- Drawing up and maintaining an Explosion Protection Document (EPD)
Furthermore, criteria are proposed for the selection of equipment in accordance with the risk assessment and as recorded in the Explosion Protection Document. Here, equipment must be selected based on the categories mentioned in the ATEX 114 directive in relation to the zone in which the equipment will be used (see table below). As a result, the relationship between ATEX 153 (Working Conditions) and ATEX 114 (Equipment) and therefore also between the zones and the categories has been specified.
|2G or 1G
|3G, 2G or 1G
|2D or 1D
|3D, 2D or 1D
The second directive is ATEX 114 (2014/34/EU). This directive for "Equipment and protective systems, intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres", describes how to arrive at the statutory CE marking for explosion safe equipment. This directive is intended for manufacturers to promote free trade within Europe and is therefore also called a product directive or manufacturer directive. In the Netherlands, this directive is included in the Commodities Act.
The ATEX directive covers:
- All equipment (both electrical and non-electrical) and protective systems, intended for use in explosive locations
- Safety, control and regulation provisions intended for use outside of potentially explosive locations, but that are necessary for, or contribute to the safe operation of equipment and safety systems related to the explosion hazard.
The field of application of ATEX 114 extends to places where under atmospheric conditions an explosive environment can arise in which the combustion after ignition propagates to the entire non-combusted mix. The ATEX directive does not apply to systems on-board sea vessels and mobile offshore systems, as these are already covered by the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) treaty.
Ex marking
Specific requirements are placed on the type plate of explosion-proof equipment. For instance, the marking must show at least the following:
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Type indication of the product
- CE marking followed by the identification number of the notified body that audits the production location (category 1 and 2)
- Ex Marking
- The certificate number, can be recognised by the word ATEX
- Manufacturing or serial number (tracking & traceability)
- Year of manufacture
The data concerning the electrical connections and any non-conforming ambient temperatures, etc. will be shown as far as possible on the type plate. The majority of the aspects speak for themselves, however the Ex Marking requires further explanation. The various elements of the Ex Marking are explained based on an example.
As an example we take Ex Marking II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb. The Ex Marking consists of the following elements:
- Community mark 'Epsilon x in a hexagon'
- Equipment Group and Category ("II 2G")
- The Ex symbol
- Type of Protection against ignition ("ib"")
- Gas or Dust Group ("IIC")
- Temperature Class ("T4")
- Equipment Protection Level (EPL) ("Gb")
The various elements are explained below.
Equipment group and category
At the highest level, a distinction is made between two equipment groups where Equipment Group 1 concerns all underground (mining) systems and Equipment Group II all other surface (industrial) systems. The special treatment of equipment for underground systems relates closely to the extremely specific circumstances that need to be taken into account in mining operations. Rock that is rich in coal also contains methane and this gas is therefore omnipresent. Moreover, the risks underground are by definition high (long narrow tunnels, threat of collapse).
Annex ZY of EN 60079-0:2012 clearly shows the most recent classification:
|ATEX Directive
Equipment group
|ATEX Directive
Type of protection against ignition
Based on the zone in which the equipment will be used, the user determines in which category the equipment must fall. This means that he is certain of the correct protection level. In fact, the manufacturer of the equipment must determine which method to protect against ignition will achieve this level.
There are many protection methods possible. The most frequently used methods of protection against ignition are explained here.
- Flameproof enclosure Ex "d" (EN 60079-1)
A flameproof enclosure may contain components which could ignite an explosive gas mixture during normal usage, due to sparks, arcs or high temperatures.
A flameproof enclosure can breathe and the explosive gas mixture can therefore be present in the flameproof enclosure. The construction however is such that an explosion within the enclosure will not be transmitted to the outer atmosphere: the dynamic explosion pressure that occurs can be contained and the built-up explosion pressure will be discharged via the joint faces. The flame then cools down to below the ignition temperature of the ambient gas.
- Pressurized enclosure Ex "p" (EN 60079-2)
A pressurized enclosure may theoretically contain components which could ignite an explosive gas mixture during normal usage, due to sparks, arcs or high temperatures. In practise, this applies only in relation to the models classified as Ex px (zone 1) and Ex pz (zone 2).
With the Ex p protection method, the ambient explosive gas atmosphere cannot penetrate the enclosure because this is kept under the excess pressure by a protective gas. The protective gas may be an inert gas or clean dry instrument air. This means of protection is independent of the gas group.
- Increased safety Ex "e" (EN 60079-7)
Electrical equipment that is constructed on the basis of the Ex e means of protection against ignition must not contain any components which could ignite an explosive gas mixture during normal usage.
The explosive gas mixture may penetrate the electrical equipment. Ex e therefore provides a means of protection which will only work with standard non-sparking equipment.
- Intrinsic safety Ex "i" (EN 60079-11)
To render a circuit intrinsically safe, the energy content of the circuit must be limited in a way that sparks or thermal effects cannot lead to the ignition of an explosive gas mixture. The energy limitation of intrinsically safe circuits is realised by limiting both the voltage (U) and the current (I).
The construction requirements for limiting the energy apply both in regard to the intrinsically safe circuit and to the cables and associated components that are placed outside the danger area because parasitic capacitances (C) and self-induction (L) of for example long cables could play a role.
- Encapsulation Ex "m" (EN 60079-18)
Electrical components which could ignite an ambient atmosphere due to sparks or warming up can be rendered explosion safe by ensuring they are fully encapsulated in a moulding material. The moulding material must be electrically, thermally, mechanically and chemically durable.
Gas or dustgroup
Equipment Group II is subdivided into 3 Gas Groups (IIA, IIB and IIC) and into 3 Dust Groups (IIIA, IIIB en IIIC). The subdivision of the gases in the Gas Groups is based on the Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) with which an electrical spark can ignite the gas mix. Gases in Gas Group IIA have a rather high ignition energy (a large spark is required) and the gases in Gas Group IIC have the lowest ignition energy (a small spark is often sufficient). Representative gases or fluid vapours are:
|propane, butane, kerosene
ethylene, hydrogen sulphide, ethyl ether
hydrogen, acetylene, carbon disulphide
The effect of this classification can mainly be found in the permitted gap widths between parts of a pressure proof cover (MESG = Maximum Experimental Safety Gap) and the permitted energy for intrinsically safe circuits.
Because an increasing number of EN standards are based on IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee) standards, within Europe we must now also deal with the new Dust Groups IIIA, IIIB and IIIC. The classification is characterised as follows:
|combustible flyers (dust particles larger than 0.5 mm)
dusts (dust particles smaller than 0.5 mm)
conductive dusts (electrically conductive dust)
Temperature class
Every combustible substance - air mix has its own specific ignition temperature. This ignition temperature is defined as the minimum temperature at which the mix can be ignited. This can be the temperature of a hot object such as a heating element, electric motor, light bulb or an overheated mechanical drive. For mixes of various gases or dusts, the gas or dust having the lowest ignition temperature determines the ignition temperature, unless additional details prove differently. To prevent ignition, the highest prevailing surface temperature must therefore be lower than the ignition temperature of the combustible substance - air mix.
Gas explosion-proof equipment is classified in temperature classes or "T classes". Equipment that is classified in a certain temperature class can be used for gases with an ignition temperature that is higher than the temperature associated with the group.
|Maximum permissible
surface temperature
Dust explosion-proof equipment is not classified in temperature classes but for these the maximum surface temperature is stated (obligatorily) on the label or text plate of the equipment.
When selecting equipment for a dusty environment, not only the ignition temperature but also the smoulder temperature (glow temperature) must be taken into account. The ignition temperature is the temperature at which a swirling dust cloud will ignite, the glow temperature is the temperature at which a 5 mm dust layer on a hot surface will smoulder. The maximum permitted surface temperature Tmax for dust explosion-proof equipment must meet the following two criteria:
Tmax < smoulder temperature - 75 °C and Tmax < 2/3 x ignition temperature
Example: dust from sanding wood
|Smolder temperature = 310 ºC
Ignition temperature = 410 ºC
|Tmax = 310 - 75 = 235 ºC
Tmax = 2/3 * 410 = 273 ºC
The lowest value is the determining factor and therefore the maximum permitted surface temperature for dust from sanding wood is 235 °C.
Note: The smoulder temperature applies to a 5 mm thick dust layer. For thicker layers, the specified margin of 75 °C must be increased.


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Clare La Plante, May 15, 2015
Flight attendant Tina Costanzo of Kennedy Township, Pennsylvania, was working a routine flight from Pittsburgh to Indianapolis serving drinks and snacks to passengers when the plane ran into "clear turbulence"—swirling air masses that appear without visual cues such as clouds—and dropped suddenly and sharply. Gravity pulled Costanzo into the air.
She landed in a twisted position.
"I was trying to make sure the passengers were OK. I was cleaning up the mess," she says of her first reaction. "It wasn't until later in the evening, back in my hotel, that I realized that my back was injured." At first, she treated the pain like any other ache from her job: She iced the sore area and took Ibuprofen. The next morning, however, she realized her injury was significant enough to prevent her from getting back on the plane.
She filed a workers' compensation claim. After seeing a company-approved doctor who diagnosed a back sprain, she did the physical therapy prescribed. After that, she sought her own treatment, which was primarily massage therapy with local therapist Renee Swasey, owner of Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage, in Imperial, Pennsylvania. For the first time since she was injured, Costanzo found significant relief from her pain.
According to 2013 data collected by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics:
"What has changed over the years is sitting at the computer," says Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute (TRI) in Miami.
In fact, a survey by TRI of University of Miami School of Medicine employees showed neck, back and carpal tunnel syndrome among the most common workplace injuries. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, librarians, who were the most sedentary of the employees surveyed, reported the highest levels of pain.
Related: Low-Back Pain & Massage Therapy | 2.5 Credit Hours
Also, Beth Burgan, assistant professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University, in Bloomington, Minnesota, often reminds people: "We don't really listen to our bodies, no matter what we're doing, whether that's loading UPS trucks or sitting at desks. We don't have environments that are conducive to maintaining health. We have poor body mechanics. We don't have a lot of personal self care education."
Conventional medicine, such as surgery, medications and physical therapy, may not entirely address the complex physical, emotional and social aspects of workplace injuries, like loss of wages, feeling like you're no longer competent or good at what you do and, in many instances, the fear of getting injured again. Additionally, many workers need to be educated about ergonomics and self-care.
Enter massage therapy.
According to Field, one reason that massage therapy plays such an important role in the treatment of workplace injuries is because more and more studies are showing massage can help with the commonly injured areas—like the aforementioned neck, back and carpal tunnel. Also, massage therapy is effective in relieving some of the common side effects of on-the-job injuries, including anxiety, depression and disrupted sleep, for example.
Related: Massage Therapy for Depressed Clients | 2 Credit Hours
Field points out that massage also decreases substance P, which is a pain transmitter, and can impact sleep quality. In addition, a 2012 study by Crane shows that massage can actually help on a cellular level as well, by reducing inflammation (through production of inflammatory cytokins) and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis—or forming new mitochondria—in exercisedamaged muscle, which may make it a better candidate for muscle injuries than anti-inflammatory medications.
These benefits resonate with Costanzo, who said that in her experience, doctors often wanted to just give her medication for her pain. "This didn't solve the problem," she says.
Massage therapy might also have an advantage for injured workers in that therapists often spend more time with clients than other health practitioners, and often consider the body more holistically. "We have to treat the whole [system], and not just isolated symptoms," says Sebastopol, California-based massage therapist Tim Holt. "If I work on a client with forearm or hand issues, I am working the entire spine." In fact, he says, where the client feels pain is often not the problem area.
Burgan recently treated a man at her school's clinic, a self-employed welder who was largely unfamiliar with massage therapy and was about to be operated on for carpal tunnel syndrome.
"I asked him, 'What do you do every day?'" she recalls. "He described his routine of opening and shutting clamps." They did myofascial work on his wrist area to relieve the symptoms of overuse he was experiencing, and the clinic's chiropractor adjusted his wrist and elbow. The chiropractor gave him tips on what he could do differently at work, and the clinic offered him weekly massage. In the end, he was able to postpone surgery.
Massage therapy can also help with the emotional fallout of a workplace injury. A 2013 study by Lin suggests that anxiety can be one of the greatest hindrances to full recovery after job injuries. According to Mark Goulston, MD, author of PTSD for Dummies, getting injured on the job can be traumatic because you often disrupt what he calls the "Three Cs": competency, confidence and control. "You hum along. Then something throws you for a loop," he says. "This can be traumatic to our system."
Remember, too, that along with workplace injury comes the potential for unemployment—at least for a little while. Clients themselves often underestimate the significance of unemployment, and the impact being gone from work will have on their well-being.
According to Daniel Gouws, MD and a Vancouver-based occupational health physician, this may be one of the most overlooked factors. "When people are [seriously] injured on the job, they basically become unemployed," he says. Unemployment, regardless of injury or vocational field, can lead to co-morbidity factors, including depression, anxiety and loss of self-esteem, he adds. Injured workers have—sometimes overnight—lost their structure, support and wages. For many people, work serves as a social forum, a surrogate family system, of sorts.
Part of helping these clients deal with injury, both physically and emotionally, is helping them learn new ways to decrease the potential of reinjury. In other words, helping these clients better understand the importance of self-care.
You might, for example, educate clients on better ways to move or sit, depending on the demands of their workplace. Holt encouraged one of his clients who's an architect to consider using a standing desk, which proved helpful in relieving this client's low back pain.
For office workers who spend a great deal of time at a computer, consider discussing the benefits of ergonomic seating and keyboards. "At least you can point your clients to something that can help them, whether a different keyboard design, wrist support or chair," says Holt. "Sometimes, it's an easy fix."
Additionally, you can suggest self-care exercises to supplement the benefits of getting regular massage. A study by Furlan suggests that massage best benefits lower back pain if accompanied by exercises and education.
Holt, for example, gives his clients "homework" that includes stretches, or icing or heat instructions. For some clients, he follows up with an email to check on how they're doing with self-care, and what's working and what's not.
"You have to get on a protocol of self-care, or you won't recover," he says. In the TRI studies on neck and carpal tunnel pain, Field included simple self-massage techniques for participants to perform in between weekly massage sessions, which can be very effective when combined with regular massage.
Related: Self-Care for Massage Clients
Massage therapists should also be willing to be part of a larger referral network. "I send clients to osteopaths, chiropractors, yoga teachers and orthopedic surgeons," says Holt. He refers only to people he knows, has spoken with or come highly recommended.
Ultimately, when your clients leave your office, you want them to feel confident returning to their jobs, with clear ideas for self-care at work and at home—all of which can be a paradigm shift for some people. "We have a whole group of people being validated by the type of touch that massage therapists provide," says Burgan. "This [validation] allows them to be the author of their own bodies."
As for Costanzo, she now receives regular massage, which she considers essential to helping her prevent injury. She's seeing a shift elsewhere as well. Recently, she went to her doctor for a minor, non work related injury. The doctor said to her: "There's nothing I can do for you but give you an anti inflammatory, but if you know of a good massage therapist, I recommend you go do that."
Related: AMTA's FindaMassageTherapist.org
Massage for Computer Athletes
In Safe Hands: Massage & PTSD
Self-Massage for Knee Pain
"It's nice to know that I am part of an organization that is backing me 100 percent."
—Kristie W., AMTA member since 2011

subset: commoncrawl


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Travel Grants
Graduate Thesis Student Conference Travel Grant
Completed student travel grant applications MUST be received no later than ONE MONTH prior to the date of the conference at which you are presenting a paper or poster. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
Students must be registered at the time of their conference.
All students wishing to apply for a Conference Travel Grant must fill out and sign a Cheque Requisition Form and submit it with their Conference Travel Grant application. They can get a Cheque Requisition Form from their department or at Graduate Studies when they drop off their application.
- Graduate Thesis Student Conference Travel Grant—Guidelines & Application [PDF - 73kb]
- Travel Expense Claim Form [External Link] (to be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies within 30 days of travel)


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The Parrot ZIK cans are the first touch-controlled wireless Bluetooth NFC headphones. But they're great for more than just cutting-edge technology.
They look perfect, because they're from designer Robert Stark. They feel excellent, as they're comfortably cushioned, wireless and have active noise-cancelling. And they're even attentive with mics and a bone conduction sensor that lets you take calls with perfect mic and speaker levels.
But the kicker is their totally unique touch controls that let you swipe your finger on the earpiece to control volume and tracks. And to pause? Simply take them off, and putting them back on will resume play. On top of that they have NFC so all you need do is touch your device to the left ear and it'll be paried instantly. And if the 24 hour battery runs down simply plug in the supplied audio cable and listen the old fashioned way (minus active noise cancelling).
The Parrot ZIK headphones might be a steep £350, but as a new technology pioneer with serious quality sound and looks, it's not extortionate. Pick yours up from July.
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Viral of the week – world's fastest amphibious car


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Is your pool patio covered in mold? Did a previous contractor seal your pavers improperly? If you've been searching for paver restoration services, look no further than Tiger Paver Sealing Services. We were established five years ago with the goal of delivering top-notch paver mold cleaning services to home and business owners in the Ormond Beach, FL area.
We use commercial-grade pressure washing equipment to ensure your pavers are cleaned completely.
Get a free estimate on algae and mold paver restoration from Tiger Paver Sealing Services today.
Your mold-covered pavers are making the surroundings at your home or office look less than stellar. Turn to Tiger Paver Sealing Services in Ormond Beach, FL for restoration services. Resealing your pavers will:


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Print Folders from the command line
People have been printing folders on DOS for decades. And you can do it the same way, even on Windows 7 – just go to the command line, go to the folder you want and type the following:
dir > file.txt
start file.txt
That will open Notepad (or your default program) with a file list like this:
You can now print this file normally, or pass it around.
You can also use dir > lpt1 if your printer is already set for that port.
There are plenty of parameters for dir, too. /S is the most common and displays all sub-folders
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When I was little I would eat Spaghetti-Os as often as my parents would let me. I could eat them for lunch and dinner, it didn't really matter what time it was I loved Spaghetti-Os. I remember the orange stain it would leave in my school thermos, because I would eat them so much it would never come clean.
Of course, this was long before everyone started to become conscious of the ingredients in their foods and what they fed their kids. My mom still questions my almost all organic purchases and whole food ingredients when I make meals for the kids these days. She could be right because I would eat this stuff as much as I could and it didn't seem to harm me? ... or did it? :/
While shopping at our favorite local market that just happens to be Italian, I came across the Anellini pasta and immediately knew what I wanted to make with them…well, two things; first the Spaghetti O's and secondly I was going to make a chicken broth soup with these bad boys.
Did you know that these wonderful little circles of yumminess were first introduced back in 1965? And they were marketed to parents as "less messy" than spaghetti. More than 150 million cans of SpaghettiOs are sold each year! Just a quick glance at the ingredient list and it makes you wonder how this is called "food".
The great thing is that not only is this recipe easy to whip together but its made with items you have on hand in the pantry!
I hope you enjoy!
|Prep Time
|5 Minutes
|Cook Time
|20 Minutes
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts We like to use thin sliced as it cooks up quicker and evenly
- Salt
- ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 tbsp finely chopped shallot
- 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 4 tsp dried tarragon if you don't have this you can sub. oregano
- 1 can 28oz-dice tomatoes, drained you can use 8 ripe plum tomatoes cut into cubes if you prefer fresh
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup drained capers
- 1 cup dry white wine I always have 2-buck chuck on hand from Trader Joes :)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (optional)
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottom skillet. Add the chicken breasts and saute over medium-high heat, turning the pieces often until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the shallots and garlic around the chicken. Cook briefly; add the tarragon, tomatoes, vinegar, capers, wine and tomato paste. Stir to dissolve the brown particles adhering to the bottom of the skillet.
- Blend well, bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer for 9 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.


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See You By Seven!
Along with the American Association of Orthodontists, we recommend that a child receive their first orthodontic screening for early orthodontic treatment by the age 7. By starting treatment early, we are able to recognize potential problems early and correct them before they become more serious. This not only saves you and your child time, but also money.
Early interceptive orthodontic treatment has proven to be beneficial for the overall desired result. Because a young child's permanent teeth have not finished erupting, we are able to thoroughly evaluate the front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships and address any impending problems at its earliest stage. Critical oral skills children develop during these years – including speaking, chewing and swallowing – can be affected by emerging orthodontic issues, as well.
Your Child's First Visit
During your child's initial evaluation we will first determine if there are any problems that need to be addressed, such as potential crowding, open bite, overbite or gummy smiles. It is possible that immediate treatment is not necessary at the time or even at all. However, if treatment is indicated, we will create a personalized treatment plan for your child that will prove to be the most beneficial for his/her specific case.
Early orthodontic treatment varies between patients, but may include removable or fixed appliances that can provide more room for crowded, erupting teeth; preserve space for un-erupted teeth, create facial symmetry through manipulating jaw growth, reduce the possibility of tooth extraction; and reduce overall treatment time in braces.


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Berivan Kilic spent most of her life behind closed doors. Raised in southeastern Turkey during the height of a violent conflict, her parents pulled her from school when she was 11 to shield her from the gunshots and arson that were ravaging villages near their home. At 15 she married, like many other girls in her traditional village, and moved to her husband's house, which quickly turned into a prison.
"He tortured me," Kilic says. "Psychologically and physically from the very first day."
Often confined to her home, she had no friends to confide in when her husband -- a cousin -- began to beat her, so she suffered alone for 14 years until she summoned the courage to leave.
Kilic's divorce -- the first, she says, in her community -- was just the beginning of a trailblazing path that recently led to her election as the first female mayor of her district at the age of 33.
Turkey's new protest tactic: Standing aroundJune 18, 201300:49
Her victory, one of several historic wins for female candidates in local elections in March, has transformed her into a symbol of hope for women far beyond her farming village of Kocakoy.
"People believe me when I speak," Kilic says. "I don't just tell stories of abuse – I lived it."
Though men and women in Turkey have equal rights on paper, in practice, it's another thing. "In general there is this feudal mentality," Kilic says. "Men can do whatever they want but women can't."
According to government statistics, women account for just 30 percent of Turkey's workforce. Four in 10 Turkish women polled in a widely cited 2009 study, meanwhile, said they had been victims of domestic violence -- something that peeks out from behind the walls every now and then, when a story of marital murder or an honor killing makes the evening news.
"Men can do whatever they want but women can't."
For years Kilic submitted herself to the cultural codes that reign supreme in her deeply traditional corner of the country. She married, had children and tolerated her husband's violence without saying a word, although everyone in her community knew. Her mother, who arranged the marriage with the best intentions, watched on with a broken heart, hoping that time would cool her son-in-law's temper. Kilic turned to the Quran, searching for passages that could explain her suffering, before finally deciding to direct her own fate.
"If this makes me rebellious, then I'm rebellious," she says.
Her decision to leave her husband was not easy. While women in Turkey are free to pursue a legal divorce, Kilic says that women in her village adhere to strict cultural norms instead. "Here, a woman who wants to leave has two choices," she says. Marry another man, leaving any children with their ex-husband's family, or "fall into the streets."
She did neither. Her mother -- a 54-year-old, who has been married since she was 12 -- convinced her own husband to take their eldest daughter back in. "Her father was saying, this is your husband, you must work it out," Aisan Kilic says. "But I said, if it's not working, come home."
With her family's support, Kilic moved her two sons -- the eldest suffering from an undiagnosed disability that makes it difficult for him to walk and eat on his own -- into the modest two-room home where she grew up. To avoid becoming a financial burden on her family, she started her own hair cutting business and picked up her education from where she left off, studying a middle school curriculum at home -- endeavors that both scandalized and inspired people in her village who had never seen such a woman before.
Five years after her divorce, she decided to join the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party or BDP, a political party dominant in the southeast of the country where many Kurdish minorities live. The party was campaigning for more women to join and she felt intrigued enough to wander in one day to the dusty BDP office around the corner from her house.
She was honest with the men in the open room who asked about her background: She had no political experience, but was willing to learn; she had little education, but was studying; she was divorced, but it was an abusive marriage.
A week later, a man from the office called her back to ask if she would not only join the party, but run for district mayor. Three months later she won.
This year was the first time the BDP -- a party that touts gender equality as one of its core values -- extended a pioneering system, aimed at getting more women into politics to all levels of local government. Under the system, a male and female candidate were selected to run on a single ticket in participating districts and, if elected, serve together as co-mayors. Kilic, for example, ran and now serves with a man, Afullah Kar. The change brought more than 50 women into mayoral positions, according to Kader, a Turkish organization that campaigns to get more women into politics.
Zafer Berkal, chairwoman of Kader, says the BDP's new system should serve as an example to the country's larger and more influential parties. "This was not the women candidates' success," she says. "This was a decision coming from BDP's management and this model is ideal."
Under their system, about 40 percent of nominations went women, causing some controversy among critics -- both male and female -- who worried about women taking on such public roles. Kilic's own extended family implored her parents to stop her from running. "How will you allow her to shake hands with men?" they asked.
Yet voters interested in supporting the BDP were forced, in many districts, to vote for women – some running with men and others on their own – and by and large, they did.
The BDP dominated its Kurdish stronghold in the southeast, with victories going to the majority of women who ran on both single and shared tickets, according to Kader data.
Still, the party won just a fraction of votes nationwide, while dominant political parties added very few females to the mix. "Apparently we have more work to do," Berkal says.
Despite the long road ahead, women in Turkey have steadily, if slowly, been gaining political ground. During the last general election, for example, women's membership in Parliament jumped to 14 percent from 9 percent the previous term. Last October, the government also reversed a decades-long ban that prohibited women who wear headscarves -- the majority of women in the country -- from wearing the religious covering in civil service jobs. Though critics feared the government was less interested in fostering equality than pushing a religious agenda, rights groups largely backed the move, viewing it as an opportunity for more women to enter the workforce and run for office.
"Now women can come directly to me," Kilic says. "After the election this happens every day."
Kilic, who wears a headscarf, is not only taking advantage of the changed law, she is also challenging the much more influential cultural rules that dictate women's roles outside the home.
She explains that before she took office, women had to send male relatives to the male mayor on their behalf. "Now women can come directly to me," Kilic says. "After the election this happens every day."
Besides giving women a direct line to a government representative, Kilic is also using her difficult past to inform decisions that might help other victims of domestic abuse. One of her top priorities is finding women opportunities to work, which she says will be more effective than a women's shelter. She's already planning to open a market where women can sell handmade goods and is mulling ways for women who milk cows to find more buyers for their dairy products.
She's also trying to tackle a mountain of other needs – from starting a village garbage system to finding money for a few school soccer balls. She does all this, plus learning on the job, working toward a high school degree and using her new income to improve the life of her family.
"They always lent me their support," she says. "Now I will provide them the standards they deserve."


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Smooth like glass.
On the surface.
Underneath lies the truth.
You are unpredictable.
Ever changing.
Pure energy.
In your presence my eyes are open.
No more a life of black and white.
Dazzling colors fill my vision.
You make me feel alive.
You make me whole.
When I am away from you my heart aches.
Your pull is too strong.
I am tethered to you.
Being close to you.
Only then am I at peace.
I can't explain it.
We are connected.
You wash over me.
Wave upon wave.
Your rhythm.
It matches mine.
You are a force.
The power you hold.
Rushing over me.
Pounding against my aching skin.
Cleansing my soul.
I am washed clean.
Then I look at you.
I am ready to sin again.
© Katrina Storey 05/15/13


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Titanic is coming back to the big screen and its coming back in 3D. James Cameron's massive Blockbuster will get a complete 3D makeover before it hits theaters in April, 2012.
Cameron said:
"This is a film that many people have seen, obviously, sometimes multiple times, but there is a whole generation of people who haven't seen it in theaters."
Cameron and producer Jon Landau showed 18 minutes of 3D film at the huge screening room at Paramount Studios.
Cameron said:
"I love the 3D, I think it's spectacular. If I had had 3D cameras at the time, if there had been 3D theatres at the time, I would certainly have shot the film in 3D."
According to Sky News, Titanic is the second highest grossing film of all-time (Avatar, another Cameron film, is number one). The movie, which stars Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet, won 11 Oscars in 1997, including Best Picture and a Best Director for Cameron.
Cameron hasn't announced any plans yet, but the director did say that there are several classic films that could benefit from a 3D makeover. Could the Terminator get the 3D treatment?
"I do believe that there is an array of 10 or 20 movies – think of the best movies of all times – that should be converted in 3D, but it has to be done right. I firmly believe that 3D is an enhancement even for just normal, narrative scenes, not necessarily the action scenes. That feeling that you're right there, actually with characters, enhances the emotional interaction between the audience and the film."
Do you think Titanic will be better in 3D?


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Simple trick helping Maroons stick together year-round
LOYALTY? It's dead. Or it's alive. Or something.
Whichever it is, it's a word often thrown around in the black and white print of your sports pages.
And the myth was confirmed - or busted - when Queensland made a whopping seven changes to the side that lost Origin I at Suncorp Stadium three weeks ago.
But if you thought the axed players would be dead to the rest of the Maroons group, you would be wrong. Dead wrong.
In fact, such is the bond of the Queensland representatives - current and past - they've got a running group chat tying the players together year-round.
Dane Gagai - a relative rookie compared to the likes of Maroons teammate and captain Cameron Smith - revealed the simple bonding medium ahead of his sixth appearance for the state.
"It's funny, we've got a big group chat," Gagai said.
"Once the series was done last year after game three everyone keeps chatting all the way through until game one this year.
"Everyone stays in contact and that's the best thing about this place. You come back in and it's like you haven't left."
It's a simple but effective method designed to make the Queensland team actually feel like a team.
It's the key to the Maroons winning 10 of the past 11 Origin series.
And while it may help their football, rugby league isn't the focus of their group conversations.
"Just everything and anything," Gagai said when asked the main topic of conversation.
"There's boys in this team that have been together for over 10 years, I'm one of the new guys that has come in but they make you feel welcome.
"The best thing about this team - I've only been a part of it for two years - just the way everyone is; not just the players, the families and wives and partners.
"I can only assume that Mal (Meninga) was a big instigator in all that. It's a really family oriented place, everyone still talks."
The Maroons old boys who have been dropped for Origin II - Sam Thaiday, Nate Myles, Jacob Lillyman et cetera - will remain in the group chat.
And the newcomers - Coen Hess, Tim Glasby, Val Holmes, Jarrod Wallace - will immediately be added to the conversation.
And when you're in, you're in.
"Anyone that comes in, once you're in the team you're in," Gagai said.
"That's the best thing about it ... when I was coming in and playing with guys who had played 10 years of Origin it was pretty daunting at first."
"A few of the senior boys said to me I deserve to be there, and once you're there you're no different to anyone else.
"Smithy (Cameron Smith), all the boys, are really good at making you feel that nobody is bigger than the jersey."


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Hector wrote:Gezza wrote:Hector wrote:I don't remeber playing the online game that often but now that its gone (I hope not for too long), I kind of regret it.
i got hooked on it and was playing it all the time, but i regret doing that, I SHOULD OF PLAYED IT LONGER!!!!
Lol! I think you played it alot anyway. But yeah, I wish Iplayed more because once I started....I just didn't have the time
Nope! i didnt play enough, my one goal was to kill Kartoon who had killed me numerous times (alot!), but i never got to achieve it because this Hack!!


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Successfully sent!
Your request has been successfully sent. Our customer expert will get back to you.
|New Delhi, 1st November, 2012
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited sold a total of 103,108 units in October 2012. This includes 7,106 units for export. The Company had sold a total of 55,595 units in October 2011.
The sales figures for October 2012 are given below:
|* Ertiga launched in April 2012.


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#body #faces #sculpture
Mind-bending Sculptures by Bhac Ji-Ho
Continuing a parade of Korean artists featured on Colossal since last week, behold the sculptural work of Bhac Ji-Ho. Like some of the others, information about this sculptor is extremely scare, and what I can find seems almost incomprehensible to me when using Google translate. Ji-Ho created these sculptures out of a unique synthetic resin that results in a smooth, almost plastic texture.


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Neil Aspin was unable to do his former side a favour as Gateshead lost 1-0 at home to Southport in the National League on Tuesday night.
The result means FC Halifax Town are now seven points adrift of safety after Southport moved out of the relegation zone thanks to Louis Almond's 56th minute winner.
The game leaves Aspin's Gateshead five points short of the play-offs, and was his first defeat as manager after previous wins over Chester and Kidderminster.


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Go Back
Go To Articles Directory Home Page
To get the current article, - See Below (at the bottom of the page) -.
For top news titles, see below.
Web sites and videos listed in this page are frequently updated.
If you find that this page is useful (quality of web sites, images and videos, ...), you can add it to your favorites.
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Christmas decorating ideas
Winter holiday time is a very special time of the year for me. My mother had wonderful Christmas decorating ideas that she used to make this time magical for us. I have tried to follow her lead in using Christmas decorating ideas to help my family enjoy the holiday season.
About the Author: David is a contributing writer at All About Christmas, the BEST site for finding information on Christmas decorating ideas.


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Dec 2011: DECEMBER | "At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year"
Dec 2011: "All I want for Christmas is you"
Nov 2011: NOVEMBER | "Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs." | Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Oct 2011: OCTOBER
Oct 2011: HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Sep 2011: SEPTEMBER | "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" | Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Aug 2011: AUGUST | "You never know when you're making a memory"
Jul 2011: JULY
Jul 2011: "There is only one happiness in this life; to love and be loved"
Jun 2011: JUNE
Jun 2011: Summer Time!
May 2011: MAY
May 2011: "If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything"
Apr 2011: APRIL
Apr 2011: "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years"
Mar 2011: MARCH
Mar 2011: "The friends we meet on the path of life make the trip worth while."
Feb 2011: FEBRUARY
Feb 2011: "Love is just a word, until someone comes along and gives it meaning"
Jan 2011: JANUARY
Jan 2011: "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right"
FC: 2011 | A Year to Remember


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Flat foil lycra dress with lined multicolor sequin spandex bodice and mesh inset. Net skirt over spandex leotard. Attached rhinestone buckle. Sequin headband included.
Shown: 27 Fuchsia, 58 Turquoise, 63 Kelly
All Clearance sales are final, not returnable or exchangeable, and are not eligible for any additional discounts unless specifically stated in promotion.
Access online ordering and the latest info on products and promotions.


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The Arctic fox is heading for a good year, from Sylane to Saltfjellet. The populations in the far north and south of our long and narrow country have struggled to reproduce. The access to lemmings and rodents is essential for this critically endangered mammal.
As of 19th August, the national surveillance programme for Arctic foxes has registered 34 litters, distributed from Finse in the south to the inner part of Troms in the north. In total the litters consist of a minimum of 178 puppies. Two thirds of the litters have been born in North Trøndelag (11) and Nordland (12), and 116 puppies have been documented in these counties.
"The Arctic fox subsists in the main on lemmings and rodents. A combination of good access to these types of prey and additional feeding over several years explains why the Arctic fox has been successful in rearing puppies in these counties. In total, 2015 therefore looks to be a productive year for the Arctic fox," says Department Manager Yngve Svarte of the Norwegian Environment Agency.
When there are lots of lemmings and rodents the Arctic fox has large litters (8-16), and similarly few or no litters when access to this source of nutrition is poor. This year the stocks of prey have been low or non-existent in most of the mountain areas of Southern Norway, and from Dovre southward only 5 litters have been registered so far. Despite relatively many rodents in Troms and Finnmark, there are only two litters of Arctic foxes registered in the inner area of Troms and none in Finnmark.
"The situation in Troms and Finnmark is a cause for concern. There have been very few litters in these areas in recent years. This is linked to low stocks of Arctic foxes in these two counties, and at the same time small numbers of lemmings in these areas this year," says Svarte.
The number of Arctic foxes in Norway fell dramatically around 1900 due to hunting. The Arctic fox became a protected species in 1930, but the population did not increase. The reason is complex, but the climatic change appears to influence the cycles of lemming and rodent stocks in several mountain areas. Small and sporadic animal stocks are vulnerable in cases of unstable access to food, and in addition the red fox has been observed further into the high mountains than previously.
In an attempt to rescue the Arctic fox, the breeding programme for Arctic foxes was established, including a breeding station at Oppdal. Through this breeding programme, puppies were released over several years at Dovrefjell, Finse and in the southern area of Hardengervidda, where the Arctic fox was extinct. Along with additional feeding, this has lead to the Arctic fox establishing itself again in these areas.
This year it is only Finse that has produced well in the south, even though the litters are small. This is due to a local increase of rodents and lemmings in this area. Arctic foxes have also been released in Junkeren in the municipality of Rana, including the provision of automatic feeding stations over several years. This has led to a strengthening of the animal stocks at Saltfjell.
"We observe larger and more litters at Saltfjell, and the population has gone from being critically low to becoming more robust during the last few years. This shows that feeding is a very important supplement to ensure that the puppies and adult animals survive during years with low or moderate numbers of lemming and rodents, " says Svarte.
Through the Interreg project Felles Fjellrev (Shared Arctic Foxes), the feeding of Arctic foxes and culling of red foxes commenced in central Norway and Sweden, in order to re-establish the stocks of Arctic foxes in these areas. Combined with good access to rodents and lemmings, these measures have resulted in record levels of litters in many places this year. Tydal and Lierne are good examples.
The Norwegian Environment Agency's goal is to ensure the survival of the Arctic fox in the long term. This means we wish to generate a viable animal population, where there is a regular exchange of Arctic foxes between the different mountain areas.
"The breeding programme for Arctic foxes and the Interreg project Felles Fjellrev, as well as the measures that are carried out through these projects, are essential in order to reach our goal. It will be natural to stop the measures in areas where the Arctic fox has been re-established and to start other measures in other areas, until the population in Norway is viable," says Yngve Svarte.
Carrying out the surveillance programme for Arctic foxes and measures to increase the population demands an extensive apparatus. It consists of the Norwegian Environment Agency field apparatus, the Directorate for Nature Management (SNO) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), together with community owned common land administration, local administration committees for user rights and the land use management authorities. The efforts of these are essential in following-up the individual measures and the project.
Jan Paul Bolstadsenior adviser at the wildlife divisionphone no.: +47 950 60 608


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ubuntu 10.10 user upgraded to 12.04 LTS.
Gnome 3.2.1 with fallback experience.
opening a FTP (not ssh or sftp, just FTP) from places drop down will open ftp in firefox (which isn't even the default browser on my computer). This is not an issue within nautilus side bar, it works correctly there. Only from the places dropdown is there an issue.
I see in Arch forums they have a bug for it FS#23564, wondering if we do? or, if there is some settings i'm missing? new to gnome 3.


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On September 30, the Trump administration announced a deal with Canada to complete a trilateral update of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new agreement is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The announcement followed a month of hectic negotiations designed to bring Canada into a bilateral trade pact that had been announced on August 31. The Administration has been pushing for a deal so it could argue it is complying with the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) timetable and still sign the deal before December 1. (Under TPA, the administration must notify Congress at least 90 days before signing the deal. Moreover, the Administration must release the text of the agreement no later than 60 days before it signs the deal.) Because the Administration wanted to sign the deal before the current Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto leaves office on November 30, the original deal had to be notified in late August and the text had to be released when it did.
The new USMCA is not yet in effect as Congress must approve the USMCA first. While Congress could in theory vote on the agreement in December in a "lame duck" session, the vote will likely occur sometime in 2019.
The new USMCA is a comprehensive agreement that largely keeps much of the original NAFTA while pulling in a number of new provisions from the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement that was negotiated among 12 parties, including the United States, but withdrawn at the beginning of the Trump Administration. The TPP provisions in areas such as digital trade, regulatory reform and intellectual property are positive provisions that update the NAFTA, which was negotiated more than 23 years ago.
The agreement terms will not come into effect until action by the legislatures of all three countries. In theory, the TPA timetable suggests that the US Congress will not be able to consider the deal until late in the first quarter of 2019 (at the earliest). This delay is because the U.S. International Trade Commission has up to 105 days after the deal is signed to analyze the agreement. However, the Administration may try to accelerate or even abandon the TPA timetable in an effort to secure passage of the agreement faster than that.
There is not much direct impact from a Canada/Mexico point of view, but this is the first time the dietary supplement sector has been specifically referenced in a U.S. trade agreement. Hopefully it will be a template for future FTAs with countries where there are more restrictive regimes on direct selling.
Shortly after announcing the USMCA, the Administration publicly released the text of the deal, which can be found here. The text is divided into more than 30 chapters (on such diverse topics as trade remedies, rules of origin, customs, government procurement, and market access) as well as about half a dozen annexes.
Other points:
- Inclusion of commitments from the Trade Facilitation Agreement into the Customs text; and
- Inclusion of a 16-year term for the agreement, reviewable and renewable after 6 years.
- On the rules of origin issues for 2106.90 (supplements manufacturing), we did get the increased de minimis from 7% to 10% making it easier to use some imports (from outside USMCA countries) while maintaining USMCA benefits. There is also modification to the Surface Active Agents / 3402.20.
- Regard members engaged in the 'direct selling model,' there is new language in the Cross-Border Trade in Services chapter, Article 15.10, footnote 7 to provision 1. https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/agreements/FTA/USMCA/15%20Cross%20Border%20Trade%20in%20Services.pdf
USMCA Impact on Trade in Natural Products
While industry groups, including NPA, are continuing to analyze the massive new agreement, there are a number of provisions that provide specific new opportunities and challenges for trade in natural products.
Whey Powder: Chapter 4 in the new USMCA included provisions on dairy ingredients like whey. Under the first year of the agreement, the quota for US whey powder will increase to 689 MT; in year two, 1,378; in year three, 2,068; the fourth 2,757; then 3,446 in the fifth year and 4,135 MT in the sixth year. Import quotas on certain US whey powders will be eliminated by year 10.
Dairy and Products of Natural Milk Constituents: Under the first year of the agreement, the quota for imports of US natural milk constituents will increase to 460 MT; in year two, 920; in year three, 1,380; the fourth 1,840; then 2,300 in the fifth year and 2,760 MT in the sixth year.
De Minimis for customs duties purposes: the agreement includes a provision that establishes an increased de minimis exemption from customs duties among the three countries ($100 for Mexico; $150 for Canada and $800 for US). For example, as enforced by US customs, up to $800 per day to one customer can enter duty free (and similarly for US export to Mexico at $100 and Canada at $150) can be used for e-commerce fulfillment.
US food industry sees improved access: US dairy, poultry and pork industries see incremental improved access for exports to Canada with expansion of quotas and reduced tariffs.
US cosmetics industry pleased with regulatory annex: The USMCA includes a high standard Cosmetics Annex, which commits all three countries to good regulatory practices for the sector. The US-Canada Appendix to the Annex uniquely recognizes the importance of regulatory alignment for OTC-like products and will have a significant commercial benefit for cosmetics trade.
Rules of origin: Outside the auto sector, the USMCA includes positive changes to rules of origin making them in some cases more flexible. On the rules of origin issues for 2106.90 (supplements manufacturing), there is increased de minimis from 7% to 10% making it easier to use some imports (from outside USMCA countries) while maintaining USMCA benefits.
Intellectual Property: The USMCA strengthens intellectual property protections and is viewed as positive by the US innovative sectors. A new intellectual property chapter largely resembles the provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that the U.S. abandoned in early 2016. The new provisions strengthen key copyright and patent protections, including giving biologic drugs ten years of data exclusivity protection (Canada's domestic law currently only protects biologics for eight years), and lengthening the protection on copyright to the term of the author's life plus 70 years (Canada's copyright law is currently only the life of the author plus 50 years). The Chapter also strengthens provisions for protecting trademarks, such as well-known marks. On trade secrets, the strengthened provisions are based on the U.S.-passed Defend Trade Secrets Act on civil and criminal procedures to tackle trade secret theft. The agreement also strengthens requirements for government officials to protect confidential business information collected during regulatory practices.
Click here for NPA's presentation on the Classification of Products Mexico 2018.
Click here for the Notice by the International Trade Commission.


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B&B Networks is happy to announce that as of August 2016 we now offer our complete line of IT and Telephony services in the Nashville metropolitan area!
Office 365 has a plan to fit your business whether you are a small, midsize, or enterprise organization.
B&B Networks, Inc. provides financing options through NEC Financial Services.


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'XAT would be similar to CAT in terms of difficulty'
In two online chats with readers on November 25 and December 2, ARKS Srinivas, ex-director of T.I.M.E. addressed reader queries on cracking NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test), XAT (Xaviers Aptitude Test) or SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test).
While the NMAT exam is on till January 06, 2011, the SNAP is scheduled on December 18, 2011 and XAT will be held on January 08, 2011.
For those who missed the live chats, read on for the transcript.
ARKS Srinivas says, Hi Folks, I am back again to answer questions! Arks Srinivas
anushak asked, hello sir, could you pls share some tips to crack NMAT exam tomorrow? also tell me what is the right way to approach the exam so that i get a good percentile
ARKS Srinivas answers, at 2011-11-25 16:03:24Dear Anusha, NMAT will have 3 sections with 120 questions and 2 hours to solve them in. Unlike CAT, these questions will be at a much lower level of difficulty. Please allocate time to each of the sections something like - 25, 50, 35 for the Language, Quant and Logic sections There will be another buffer of 10 minutes that you can use depending on how you have done any set
sushant asked, is cat right for me i am planning on giving it next year . i have low scores in b.com graduation above 60 percent though . good scores about 93 in both 10th and 12th . due to focus on c.a. exams i have not been able to score well in graduation but i have interest in maths and English with good or average aptitude . i don't want to ca .
ARKS Srinivas answers, YES. If you want to be a Manager/Business Leader.
red asked, anushak if u wanna crack exam, then just stop studyin here itself man n just crack the paper man like in hw u crack to go in ... u knw
ARKS Srinivas answers, I am surprised that you are giving such good advise to others but not taking it yourself. I am not sure red that you should be wasting time on this if you have all the answers!
cyber asked, do graduation scores matter for admission to MBA colleges ?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Yes they do. partially. However, the main hurdle would be the written test.
nottyn asked, sir, kindly share some dos and donts for NMAT, XAT and SNAP. which of these have negative markings and how much must one score to get an admission call from these institutes?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Both XAT and SNAP have negative marks. NMAT doesn't (But, I would like you to please do a check on this). XAT would be similar to CAT of yester years in terms of difficulty. SNAP and NMAT are expected to be of lesser level of difficulty. The approach in all exams would be broadly same. Divide the time available and then try to maximise attempts in each section.
himanshu asked, please give some useful tips to crack snap with such less time left for snap which is on 18 december.
ARKS Srinivas answers, Frankly, the advice can only be in terms of strategy and not preparation. SNAP has a Logical section which requires more time as there are more marks available in that. You ideally should not spend more than 10 minutes on GK section so that you can utilise the max time on the sections where you can get marks. Logic, VA and QA (probably in that order too). Take it with a caveat here - true for most but not for all.
divyan asked, how many questions should one attempt in each of these exams and how many correct responses?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Divya, This frankly is dependent on one's ability. You wouln't want to get any mistakes. But in all your MOCKS, you would have been getting certain strike rates. My bet is, even in the actual exam, you will get the same. And hence, the idea is to increase the attempts (not guess) to an extent wherein you have a chance of getting around 40% to 50% net scores in each sections.
mAN asked, NMAT has timed sections....Mr. Arks Srinivas
ARKS Srinivas answers, Thanks MAN for the information. All students, please do note. That would actually make the exam that much more easier. However, the timing within a section (t ensure that you don't spend too much time on a question) will be as important always.
sdfasd asked, i have score of 59 percent in 12th board due to state board and i have experience of 2 years in It and currently i am working with CMM lelevel 5 mnc with good salary package but management interset me.Should i have to go for MBA as i am preparing to be in IIM but my colleague say i am mad.Does i have to for the MBA and what would be packege if i passed from TOP IIM in field of marketting and finance.
ARKS Srinivas answers, There are two questions. a) Can you go for an MBA given your background - Answer is YES. b) What would be your package post IIM? Assuming that you get in and complete two years, you can get on an average anything between 8 lacs p.a to 15 lacs p.a adjusted to market conditions. You can also get less or more depending on how bad or good (academically) you are in those two years of MBA.
The interviewer will ask you 'Why MBA' and grill you about your work-ex
erroks asked, is undergraduation degree is necessary to do mba? directly after my 12th ....cant i join a mba course?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Degree (Undergraduation) is mandatory for all recognised colleges in this country.
ChaturNar asked, i have an experience of almost four years, which institutes offer Exec MBA in Mumbai?
ARKS Srinivas answers, JBIMS, NMIMS, Welingkar
bimbom asked, Hi, appearing for IIFT what should be the strategy to score in that
ARKS Srinivas answers, Very difficult to predict the paper itself for IIFT. They have changed it every year. Spend the first five minutes to analyse the paper and the allocate times accodingly.
bimbom asked, Hi, What do yout think will be the expected cut off marks to get arnd 95 percentile inn CAT
ARKS Srinivas answers, in each section, if you can get around 35% of net marks, you should get 95%ile overall
sfsf asked, i have close to 6years esperience in IT. Planning to write XAT and opt for XLRI 2 year mbaIs it good?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Ideally no. But in India, IIMs, XLRI, FMS, SPJain, will still give great value with your experience. You should simultaneously look for a One year MBA from ISB or other institutes.
bimbom asked, what was the sectional cut off For IIFT?
ARKS Srinivas answers, If there are cutoffs, they will be very low.
bimbom asked, arnd single digit numbers?
ARKS Srinivas answers, YES.
sfsf asked, what are the options available for executive mba?
ARKS Srinivas answers, ISB, GLIM, SPJAIN, PGP-EX programmes of IIMA, B, XL, Indore - In India. A host of them in Europe, Asia and some of them in US
bimbom asked, Quant section in IIFT is tough as comapred to other entrance exams?do you think it is the best section to start with?
ARKS Srinivas answers, I don't think so. Better start with Verbal where even if you get or not get, you won't know the getting part! But with quant, you will know for sure that you are solving it or not and hence can be depressing to start with.
sfsf asked, will it be disadvantage during the interviews if i have a 6yr experience and interviewd for 2 yr mba . Please comment
ARKS Srinivas answers, Probably not. It could be an advantage too as the panelists are going to treat you much better. And if you can explain what you have been doing for the 6 years of work as well as why you want to do MBA (for 2 years), you will be home and dry. Your interview will revolve only on two questions (I am sticking my neck out to tell this). a) Why MBA for 2 years , why not 1 year. b) work-ex grilling.
bimbom asked, whose brand value greater IIFT delhi IIFT kolkota?
ARKS Srinivas answers, Delhi.
'Do not get stuck on one question, move on'
superone asked, One more question, do SNAP/SIBM have any sectional cut offs? (I am still scared of GK)
arkss answers, SIBM very likely would be having, for the others, even if they keep would be lower.
lallu asked, what different things one needs to practice when it comes to XAT ( difference w.r.t. CAT )
arkss answers, higher level quant questions are there, so it is advisable to revise the basics of the same. i.e. trigo, co-ordinate, calculus, functions, graphs etc.
hello asked, I have attempted all the questions. I am confident of 12 right answers in section I and 27 right answers in section 2. What r my chances?
arkss answers, hi hello. 2nd section 27 correct answers would be fantastic. however, 1st section seems a little on the lower side. suggest u look at ur last 5-6 aimcats to get a rough idea.
super asked, Hi Sir, please give us some tips on how to handle GK for SNAP. Maybe some good sources as well.
arkss answers, hi super. gk is something which cannot be developed overnight, but continual reading of current affairs. to get an idea what to read, look at past snap papers.
hello asked, Hi, What would be the proposed cut-off in CAT sectionwise this year?
arkss answers, hi hello. i did not quite get ur question. different institutes will have different cutoffs.
Sarvesh asked, hello sir, how can one strategise differently for NMAT and XAT? Isn't XAT difficult compared to NMAT?
arkss answers, level of difficulty in xat is higher than nmat, yes. but ur relative performance should be more or less the same. nmat is more of a speed game.
hello asked, "Hope for the best to happen and be prepared to face the worst" I believe in tha brave quote
arkss answers, thats the true spirit!!!!
sat asked, hello sir. Give some XAT specific verbal/quant tips.
arkss answers, In case of verbal, more or less the same approach would be applicable. since the accuracy level is expected to be low, answering more questions would help to clear the cutoff. for quant and di, there is no magic formula. practise and revise as much as u can. and if u r comfortable with higher maths, it's an added advantage.
superone asked, @Arks : Thanks again Sir, any last moment tips you want to give us for SNAP? @CrackJack : Thanks for suggestion mate
arkss answers, Revise all the concepts u have learnt so far. do not get stuck in one question, move on. there will be enuf questions for u to answer. all the best! i am sure u will do well.
MAX asked, ur view on GMAT and its usefulness in INDIA
arkss answers, Exclusively accepted by ISB, accepted by other institutes along with other exams.
kareena asked, i hav got 53 in iift this year with a negative score in rc. What can i expect out of it?
arkss answers, hi. overall score is good but RC is an area of concern. lets hope for the best.
MAX asked, i am trying for uk or ISB wat other exams do u think are simmilar to GMAT
arkss answers, all the indian management entrance test like CAT have a similarity with GMAT, but there are differences too.
Ghanshyam asked, Are you sure about the fact thet SIBM might have Section cut-off for GK because i attendedd the cofee with SIBM session and there they did not mention about any cut-off
arkss answers, that's exactly the point. they have not mentioned that will have sectional cutoffs. neither did they mention that they will not have sectional cutoffs. best bet would be to show competency in all sections.
MAX asked, Thanks mr.Srinivas. I have not been that good at quick math but i hope i will find out a way to crack it.
arkss answers, there is no magic. just practise enough constantly. those who are good with calculations have developed it, not born with it.
Ayush asked, Hi, I am facing lot of problems in GK section and it showed in IIFT as well.With Snap on 18th dec and considering 40 questions from GK ,we just cant ignore it also.Please provide some useful tips for the same. Thanks
arkss answers, hi. as suggested by one of our friends, with whom i agree, TOI daily , TIMES now would be helpful. also look at past snap paers to get an idea as to what should be read.
kk asked, i had completed my Graduation BSc IT from DIstatnt learning and also appeared in to CAT 2011 can some body help me if i hv good CAT score may i join good MBA college??Any obtacle due to my distant learning degree??
arkss answers, no, it is not an obstacle. u need to have 50 percent in graduation, thats it. ur cat score, gd/essay, interview, work ex, biodata will be taken into account for ur selection. if u have a good cat score, have given a good gd and pi, u should make it to a good b school.
crackjack asked, @ superone, TOI daily and watching Times Now 9 O'clock show with zeal should help ur GK at least on current affairs. Start dong that. Just a suggestion
arkss answers, agreed !!!
SHASHANK asked, sir... my cat exam was good but i seemed to have lost interest now....please help.
arkss answers, why? is this the only thing in life? its just a hurdle. shrug off everything and concentrate on snap xat.
MAX asked, sir wat is the best way to start up for gmat studies if one is a working professional. i mean the daily schedule time for each section
arkss answers, min 2 hrs overall with more emphasis on the weaker section, apart from reading newspapers and magazines.


text:
As we begin the 2014 postseason, the Penguins find themselves in somewhat unfamiliar territory. For the first time in several years, not many consider Pittsburgh one of the true favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup at season's end. Indeed, question marks about goaltending, depth and injuries combined with uninspired play down the stretch, producing no shortage of doubters. Whether the Pens struggled as a result of a plethora of injuries that finally caught up to them, fatigue or a lack of meaningful contests late in the campaign, the sputtering squad's recent play has produced lower than normal expectations for a fan base thirsting for another championship.
One reason for optimism, however, comes as a result of the team returning to health at just the right time. With Evgeni Malkin and Joe Vitale back on the ice, the forward unit finds itself virtually as healthy as it's going to get. And, while that will certainly serve to make this Pittsburgh team more dangerous, it's the recent return of Kris Letang along the blue line that may provide the biggest impact.
Consider the following:
The Transition GameWhen executed properly, Dan Bylsma's system utilizes the speed, precision and skill of one of the league's most talented teams. It's designed to get the puck out of the Pittsburgh end quickly, with blue liners ideally finding the club's skilled forwards streaking out of the zone with speed. Love it or hate it, the system brings with it the potential to play to the strengths of the some of the game's most talented players.
When both Paul Martin and Kris Letang found themselves out of the lineup, though, the squad suffered mightily. Without the gifted puck moving defensemen on the ice, the Pens' transition game struggled. The squad frequently found itself hemmed in its own end, helpless to break out in an effort to turn defense into offense.
With Letang (and Martin) back in the fold, however, the Pens' transition game becomes much more lethal. The former-Norris finalist's skating ability makes his puck retrieval second to none, while his vision and puck moving skills allow him to hit speeding teammates in stride as they move up ice. What's more, if there's no real play available, he's more than capable of skating the puck out of danger.
Is he occasionally guilty of turning the puck over? Absolutely. But he also makes life a lot easier for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the Pittsburgh forwards. And, if life becomes easier for them, it follows that life gets better for the Penguins.
Offensive ProductionIt's no secret that one of the Penguins' greatest weaknesses results from their lack of forward depth. While the club boasts two of the most explosive lines in hockey, it also employs a bottom-six that struggles to produce offense.
As a result, it's crucial that defensemen chip in an effort to supplement offensive production. And, while Matt Niskanen admirably produced a career high in goals (10), assists (36) and points (46) while anchoring a depleted unit for much of the year, it's the dynamic Letang who provides the Pens' greatest offensive punch from the blue line.
Whether it's his propensity for jump starting the transition game, his ability to join the rush or his acumen for lighting the lamp in crucial situations, Letang provides a vital offensive presence from the back end.
Perhaps that's why, despite only playing in 37 games this year, he led all Pittsburgh defensemen with 11 tallies. It's why, after missing two and a half months and returning for the final three contests of the year, he recorded a goal and three assists. Sure, it's a small sample size but it serves to illustrate just how lethal Letang can be with the puck.
If he can add even close to that kind of production in the POSTSEASON, it could help mask one of Pittsburgh's most glaring deficiencies.
Eating the Big MinutesOne of Letang's greatest qualities comes in the form of his ability to log so many minutes. His incredible work ethic and freakish stamina allow him to seemingly remain on the ice all night. Even after suffering the stroke that cost him 26 games, Letang returned to action without a hitch.
"At one point in the game I looked at him and he didn't have a drop of sweat on him. He's got a unique and rare condition and skating ability. He's been out a long time, he's been out a couple months and he looked pretty darn good out there defending, defending against good players and playing hard. He made some good plays and made a difference in the game." - Dan Bylsma, on Letang's impressive return to the lineupWhen healthy, "Tanger" (24:14) is second only to Paul Martin (24:34) in average ice time amongst Pittsburgh skaters. He plays in all situation, provides a bit of a nasty streak and relies on his nearly unmatched skating ability to matchup against the NHL's elite.
"You see it offensively, but even defensively, being able to skate and match up against other team's good skill players with their speed, it's unique and it's a spectacle." - Dan Bylsma, on the importance of Letang's skating abilityNot only does eating up all those minutes and playing against the best the NHL has to offer provide the Pens with a defenseman who serves to help control a game, it creates a trickle down effect that simultaneously benefits the rest of the defensive unit. Because, while the defense performed admirably for much of the season, it was clear that the group started to wear down as the campaign marched on. With Letang and Martin back to perform the heavy lifting, though, fellow blue liners will benefit from an opportunity to finally spread the minutes around, to escape the weight of replacing the club's top puck moving defensemen. As a result, the Penguins may find themselves with a sharper, more efficient group in front of Marc-Andre Fleury.
And, if that proves to hold true, the Pens may find more postseason success than many anticipate.


text:
What I learned about self-publishing with Xlibris:
The author must have nerves of steel
People write for many reasons, and some take the next step and publish what they have written. I like to write children's stories, and those close to me convinced me to publish them. It is nice to hold a printed book and see vibrant illustrations. The characters finally come to life!
All authors have the desire that readers will like their book and hold the hope that they will fly off bookshelves like hotcakes. I am not that naïve; I know the limits of self-publishing.
Self-publishing companies come to the rescue of authors who want to see their work published. They promise to publish books in a few months, and it sounds realistic and believable. After all, how long could it possibly take to make a decent children's book with a dozen illustrations? Not that long, I was told when I originally researched self-publishing companies.
I read some negative reviews too. I thought these bad reviews were written by disgruntled people, authors who didn't want to be involved in their projects. Publishers are not mind readers, and the authors must tell them how they envision their book. Little did I know that I would become one of those people—an author who would write an article, this article, because of a bad experience with a self-publishing company.
I've never considered myself a complainer, nor am I a quitter. I thought I could handle anything, until I started working with Xlibris' representatives.
In January 2011, I decided to publish some of my stories, and after researching self-publishing companies, I contacted Xlibris. Their representative, who was a very good salesperson, convinced me to try Xlibris. Everything he said sounded promising, and after more research, I agreed and submitted my two manuscripts.
The first representative spoke with knowledge and confidence. I asked him to read my stories and give me an idea which package would be the most helpful. They were my first books, and as a beginner in the book business, I needed all the help I could get. In my wildest dreams, I would never have believed a self-publishing company could cause such nightmares and leave such a bad taste about publishing that I must share my experience with the public.
All my life I've run businesses, including my own, and for many years I've worked with the public. I am all business when it comes to making a good product. I think any self-respecting businessman or woman would do the same. The rules are the same—you give your customers satisfactory service and they come back for more. Business is business, and no matter what kind of customers you serve, you want the same result: to keep your customers happy. If you are lucky, they will spread the word about the quality services you provide, and with that comes success and recognition. It is as simple as that.
I am not sure if Xlibris' representative read my stories, but he advised me to buy one of their most expensive packages, which he said would cover all my needs. I took his advice under consideration, and in January 2011 I purchased their Executive package for two children's books of 44 pages each, including illustrations and marketing services, for $ 9,300.00.
In the beginning I felt broke but relieved. I naively thought the publishing process would be taken care of. I was dealing with professionals! That was when I learned that money does not buy happiness. The Executive package was to cover all services: editing my manuscript, creating illustrations, then marketing would kick in, and everything would run smoothly and peacefully. At that time, it sounded promising and encouraging. I could take off my shoes, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
By nature, I am a businessperson. I always take care of things and oversee the products I make. I pay attention to details that are important to customers and me, especially when it comes to children. I would never cheat little customers. My final product must look like one I would buy for myself. If I am not attracted to my product, then why should anyone else buy it?
Shortly thereafter, my manuscripts were edited. When I received the manuscripts back, I found notes with a few corrections and a release form attached.
"A few commas, a few wrong words, and so few suggestions. Not bad for a foreigner," I thought proudly. English is one of the few languages I speak, and I relied heavily on the professional team to help me with editing.
"That's how a manuscript should look?" I asked my representative.
"We have the best people in the publishing field. If you sign a release form, the manuscript will be ready for the next stage, and we will quickly move to layout," he replied.
One day my daughter, who is a math teacher, read my edited manuscripts and found many grammar mistakes that had been missed. I quickly realized how poorly my manuscript had been edited and how many mistakes had been overlooked.
"A math teacher against a professional team? Unfair! Not an even battle," I thought. I wrote a complaint, and their representative promised me they would correct the grammar mistakes that their editor had missed.
I honestly believed they would correct their errors, and I concentrated on the illustrations. Things became progressively worse when I received the first sketches for the characters in my book. They were done horribly, as if a small child had drawn them. I kindly explained to the representative that they should come up with better choices for illustrations. They did, but they still looked immature, and none of them presented my story accurately.
I rolled up my sleeves and went on the Internet. For weeks, I searched for art samples and pictures, spending many hours emailing, describing how I envisioned the mouse that was the main character of my book. I sent many instructions on how to draw his face, his clothes, his whiskers, but the artists still missed his whiskers on a few illustrations.
"To heck with whiskers," I thought. "Children wouldn't notice them anyway." I tossed in bed night after night. I could not sleep for months.
"A mouse without whiskers? Insane!" I changed my mind.
In the end, Carlo the mouse came out really cute … after many sleepless nights, after searching for samples, pictures, drawings, sketches, and after switching illustrators and representatives. I finally complained to customer service and threatened to withdraw my projects.
When illustrator Juli Hasegawa came in to the picture and saved my illustrations, she was by far the best illustrator I'd worked with and came closest to what I had envisioned for my book.
My first book, Carlo the Mouse on Vacation, slowly moved ahead. The illustrations were colored and the book went to the production stage. As I mentioned previously, I am a foreigner, and I heavily relied on the competence of Xlibris' professional team. That was why I bought a complete package. Correcting English grammar is not my cup of tea.
After Xlibris sent me a galley to look at and approve, I found that the production team had made more mistakes than I could imagine. After layout, their correction team did not bother to check pages or text. Illustrations were cut on each side, and words were smashed or ran into each other. I made note of the corrections and sent them back to Xlibris, but in the process of their corrections on the galley, they made more mistakes. The galley went back and forth for months, but the correction team apparently never reread what they corrected and sent the galley back with additional mistakes.
After months of struggling to get a clean, corrected galley, I wrote another complaint, but there was no answer. Customer service at Xlibris never took the time to call or had the courtesy to answer my concerns. I wrote a letter to the CEO, Kevin Weiss, but it seems he ignored my problems as well.
In the fall, we eventually reached the final galley stage, but after a math teacher had found so many mistakes in the galley, I did not trust Xlibris with grammar, and asked to check the manuscript once more time. They said they would.
Before I signed the release form, I noticed additional mistakes they had made, ones which I had previously directed them to correct. I asked the production team to be sure there would be no grammar mistakes in the galley and to be certain they used the final galley for printing. The representative promised there would be no problem with the galley.
After reading my story so many times, I had it memorized and could see it in my dreams. At that point, I should have given up, but I was determined to finish this project. Xlibris would not break my will and cause me to quit. I was almost there. I could smell my printed book. I wanted the adorable Carlo the mouse to see the world. I had created that funny mouse and I wanted children to meet him. Let the children judge and decide whether Carlo would live or not. I signed the release form and got congratulations from my Xlibris representative.
Finally, my first book was going to see the world. My picture was printed on the back of the book, just as I had dreamed. Great! I'm officially an author! Who would have believed it? I wrote the book in English! Carlo the mouse will meet the kids!
The holidays arrived … too soon. Santa wasn't ready. Holding my first book, I suddenly noticed sticky tape on each corner. I quickly flipped through the book and found that the production team never took off the tape that held the pages. They printed my first book with tape on each page corner.
Angry, I wrote another book about Carlo the mouse struggling to survive a publishing company. This time the tape marks fit, because the poor animals had to create the book themselves after their struggles with Xlibris. Maybe Xlibris would be interested in publishing this book for free, but for now I decided to concentrate on my first two books and let them finish my projects.
All my pride and glory vanished when I saw that the illustrations were cut on each side again and appeared too large. Someone in the design department had messed up the size of the book, which should have been 8.5 by 11 inches. The pages were uneven and not centered. I was stunned at how sloppily the book was printed, fuzzy and unclear. The grammar mistakes that they had promised to fix had not been corrected. The design team had messed up the galley and let it go to printing without additional checking. After complaining, I received an explanation from my representative: "You owe us money to fix the tape marks."
I stopped breathing and turned blue! Previously, many times on the phone, I had reminded the Xlibris representative to remove these tape marks.
"We would never print the book with the tape marks," they reassured me.
If I could cry, I would, but I was in such a state of shock that I had forgotten how to do so. I wanted to howl like a wolf during the full moon…
"Did I place them there?" I asked.
"You signed a release form," was their answer.
Once again, Carlo the mouse was in jeopardy. I happened to like my adventurous mouse and did not want him to disappear forever. I swallowed my pride and wrote another complaint. Carlo the Mouse on Vacation was my first book. I had worked so hard to give life to this funny, adorable mouse.
I contacted top management and the book was sent back to the production team, but I had lost my trust in Xlibris and hired my own editor, who did a great job by editing a new galley. Xlibris removed the tape and did a new layout for an additional $300.00.
Meanwhile, the marketing team lunched press and newswire releases, but the book was not available for sale. What was the point of advertising something that wasn't available for sale? What a waste of money and time. The website wasn't created either, and links that had been advertised went nowhere. Oh, Xlibris!
The marketing team had little knowledge of how the technical side of the Internet works. I hired my own website expert to deal with the Xlibris Internet marketing team, and for months, he directed them how to create a simple website, while he was working on my own website.
I don't blame the representative. I didn't know much about the Internet myself. The difference is that I don't work for Xlibris! That's why I bought an Executive package for almost $10,000.00. What is Xlibris' excuse? They claim to be professionals, but have so little to offer. It took over two months and many emails to get a new galley redone.
After more than a year of working with Xlibris on my book Carlo the Mouse on Vacation, my adventure with Xlibris is finally over. The end of my suffering … Carlo the mouse will live! Now I can celebrate my first published book, Carlo the Mouse on Vacation, which by the way looks amazing, bursting with color and fun. My nieces and nephews love Carlo! They inspired me to write a series of ten adventures of Carlo the mouse inside the hospital.
The first version of Carlo the Mouse on Vacation is available in print on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and on most e-devices. I did not trust Xlibris with the e-book, which they had promised to convert for free, and had it done by EbookIt, which turned out to be an excellent company.
Hooray for Carlo the Mouse on Vacation! I hope my little readers will like this tricky little mouse. One thing I can promise Xlibris: Carlo the mouse will live and travel the world. I will make sure, because he deserves to be heard and seen.
After a year of fighting for cute Carlo the mouse, I have grown a very thick skin and have fought hard for my second book, The Trees Have Hearts, which has a special place in my heart. While working on TheTrees Have Hearts, I oversaw every word and every stroke in each illustration. No more mistakes!
For many months, I worked hard, but Xlibris was the best school I have ever attended. The experience I had with Xlibris taught me a great lesson: I learned how to make good books.
Now Xlibris has finally published my second book, The Trees Have Hearts, which looks amazing, bursting with vibrant colors and printed on quality paper. Once again, special thanks to Juli Hasegawa, a talented Filipina artist, who saved my two books.
I have been more than patient over the last year, but after struggling with Xlibris, I had no other option than to write this blog post and explain everything that has happened in my interactions with this company. If I can help at least one author to avoid my mistakes, it was well worth it to write this post. I am right here, one e-mail away.
Although I was exasperated, I would not give up before my project was completed to my satisfaction. I am not a nightmare—I do not go away.
What have I learned about the publishing process with Xlibris?
1. I wrote another children's book.
2. Xlibris taught me how to make my own book.
3. Xlibris can hire me as a consultant if they wish.
4. Now I know what not to do and can help others.
Authors are not mean people. They write books, and most of the time they are harmless and depend too much on self-publishing companies, which promise to help and to create a good product. Authors pay them for their services and have the right to expect professionals who care.
I would like the folks at Xlibris to open their eyes and see what's happening. They can compete with other book publishing companies if they are willing to pay attention, listen to customers, and learn from their mistakes. They produced two great books for me, Carlo the Mouse on Vacation and The Trees Have Hearts, which can easily compete with any publishing house. Our names are written next to each other, and now we can both be proud of the product we created. I am not a complainer, or God forbid, a quitter. I just like to write children's stories and quality books.
Here is what I learned after working with Xlibris for almost a year:
1) Xlibris could be a capable company if its teams learn how to communicate with each other and the writer.
2) Xlibris could do much better if it hired qualified, well-trained, caring professional workers.
3) Xlibris has talented people, but they are lost between representatives and authors.
4) Xlibris could provide a higher quality product if it did not use cheap labor.
5) Xlibris could print vibrant books if it used good printing subcontractors.
6) Xlibris could stand up to any publisher if it provided the services it promises.
7) Xlibris must learn to provide help for the author, not the other way around.
8) Xlibris must take an interest in selling books and have a better marketing department.
9) Xlibris must learn how to direct authors, not make them do all the work for their representatives.
10) Xlibris could produce the best books if it reads its bad reviews and learns from them.
Authors, take note! Never give up, do your homework, and don't be afraid to stand up to your publisher. Remember, they work for you. You pay them your hard-earned money. I am a beginning author, but I am not a beginner in business. People shop with their eyes. The product that looks the best sells the best, and both parties benefit.
But what do I know? I am just another author.


text: I live a healthy lifestyle and I crave healthy food. I love porridge - I have bizarre cravings for it. I love it with brown sugar and bananas, and I'm a huge fan of cinnamon - I put cinnamon on everything. I also have a sweet tooth and I don't like to deprive myself. I think everything in moderation is the key.