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Madrid: Two-time defending champions Spain finished their Euro 2016 preparations in the worst possible way, suffering a shock defeat, losing 1-0 at home to Georgia in their final warm-up friendly in Madrid on Tuesday, before heading to France.
Georgia, ranked 137 in the world, hadn't won a game since defeating minnows Gibraltar in Euro qualifying in October, while Tuesday's defeat was Spain's first since March 2015. However, the visitors defended resolutely and took full advantage of their one real attack, when Tornike Okriashvili tapped home at the far post six minutes before half-time.
Spain begin their quest for a third consecutive European Championship against the Czech Republic on 13 June in Toulouse. "We have to accept it and lift ourselves for what is to come," said Spain boss Vicente del Bosque. "This result shouldn't make us in any way face the Euros with a sense of fear."
Del Bosque had named a stronger side than for Spain's comfortable wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Korea in the past week, with the Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contingent returning after their duties in the Champions League final.
The hosts were camped in the Georgia half for almost the entire match, but paid for a lack of creativity in breaking down the visitors' mass ranks of defence and were caught out on the counter-attack just before the break.
"We wanted to build on our confidence and create a good atmosphere, but it wasn't to be and it has been a disappointment," del Bosque said. "We didn't play terribly badly because they scored a goal on the counter-attack. We were unable to break down a very well-organised defence and were lacking in the final third."
However, del Bosque rejected suggestions that the Czechs and Spain's other Group D opponents Turkey and Croatia can learn from Georgia's gameplan. "I would like us to always play in the opposition's half," he said. "Hopefully in our three (group) games, it will be like this."
Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez impressed early on as he made his international debut, and from his cross Aritz Aduriz was inches away from opening the scoring with a bullet header that flew just wide. Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara then struck the post from outside the box as Spain continued to press.
However, they were caught out when captain for the evening Sergio Ramos was slow to react to Jordi Alba's pass to spring a Georgia break from which Valeri Kazaishvili's low cross was turned home by Okriashvili.
Del Bosque reacted by making four changes at the break with Barcelona's Andres Iniesta among those introduced. David Silva then replaced Vazquez on the hour mark and the hosts created far more with their two principal playmakers on the field.
Iniesta and Nolito fired just wide before Jordi Alba mishit his effort from close range straight into the midriff of substitute Georgian goalkeeper Roini Kvaskhvadze. Yet, despite seven minutes of stoppage time being added on by Icelandic referee Vilhjalmur Thorarinsson, Spain's search for an equaliser petered out as they suffered defeat for the first time in 12 matches.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
Updated Date: Jun 10, 2016 18:08:55 IST


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Now I am about to do something I never, ever in a million years thought I would do...
Monday, March 28, 2011
156, and yes, I hear you, Bob!
Now I am about to do something I never, ever in a million years thought I would do...
Posted by Unknown at 10:44 AM
9 comments:
- HappyascanB said...
Good for you, girl! You can TOTALLY rock that weight loss! Praying for you!
- March 28, 2011 at 10:48 AM
- Kristin said...
I know you are going to do this!! I have been so bummed about getting pregnant, only because I am so overweight right now. 156 would be my first goal to get to at this point! But, of course there is nothing I can do but just eat as healthy as I can and try my best not to gain a lot. I will look forward to following along with your journey. Did you know Kelly from Sufficient Grace is doing Made to Crave as her book club book this time? You might have fun following with her posts.
- March 28, 2011 at 10:56 AM
- Lauren said...
you have me totally motivated right now! :) I love to exercise and definitely think that eating healthy is the hardest part. Of course, the two must go together and I have found the 3 week rule to work. If you can stick with something (exercise, healthy eating habits) for 3 weeks then it becomes habit and you're less likely to quit! :) Also, I found that after about a month of SUPER healthy eating (I had to go on a crazy strict diet once for medical reasons) the junk food wasn't even appealing anymore and I didn't like the taste of it. Praying for you!! :)
- March 28, 2011 at 1:08 PM
- Alison said...
So excited for you, girl! And I have got to start reading that book! It's still sitting on the shelf! Going to start it this week...
- March 28, 2011 at 2:31 PM
- Mommy B said...
Oh Kate, you are definitely inspiring, good for you! I totally know the feeling about eating while watching Biggest Loser, Eric & I end up eating ice cream while sitting on the couch watching all those people bust their butts, and we feel guilty afterward! You can totally do this though!!
- March 28, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- Kelly @ Sufficient Grace Ministries said...
Hi Kate! I'm so glad you are reading Made to Crave, too. This post was awesome and honest...real and encouraging. We can so do this...and when we are doing it for the right reasons...with the right attitudes...focusing on the Lord and looking to Him...I believe it will be a real and lasting change for good. I am loving reading this book. Hopefully others with join in and read with us! =) If anyone is interested, we are talking about our journey through the book Made to Crave on the Sufficient Grace blog each Monday. (http://sufficientgrace-kelly.blogspot.com)
Go Kate!!
- March 28, 2011 at 3:52 PM
- He & Me + 3 said...
Good for you Kate. I can tell that you are motivated and serious about your healthy You! That is awesome. I need to get on that train too. I want to be that healthy person again. I am turning the big 40 in July! Yikes.
- March 28, 2011 at 6:51 PM
- Unknown said...
Thanks for being so honest! Im gonna start this book hopefully w/ Kelly!
- March 29, 2011 at 11:38 AM
- Steph T. said...
I am so with you friend. That book is amazing!!! Pray for me...I will pray for you! It is a total obedience issue for me & food. I absolutely get you on this!!
- March 30, 2011 at 10:24 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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Herod's Royal Winery at Herodion
With Clyde Billington
Once again we're reviewing the latest news stories about biblical archaeology that have appeared in the digest of the most recent issue of ARTIFAX magazine but haven't been discussed on the air yet. There are three items in this review. The first involves excavations in the honeycomb of tunnels beneath Herod's mountain-top fortress/palace at Herodion. Among other things, archaeologists have discovered the remains of Herod's winery, including wine jars (amphorae) that were imported from Italy. We also discuss the Akra Fortress, on a hilltop that no longer exists just southeast of the Temple Mount. Who leveled the hilltop? Dr. Billington, in his article in ARTIFAX, suggests it was Herod. And finally, the latest news from the renovations in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem a year ago last October, when researchers got their first look at the traditional tomb of Jesus in 500 years. According to analysis of the mortar samples from the site, the oldest construction dates to A.D. 325, exactly when tradition says the Emperor Constantine had the church built.
tags: Temple Mount wine Herodion Akra Fortress Holy Sepulcher
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
With John DeLancey
This Easter, the Church that marks the traditional location of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is coming out of a 4 million dollar renovation. John DeLancey, co-leader of our Israel tour next year, is just back from another visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and discusses the newly renovated edicule in its rotunda. The edicule, a small structure that covers the tomb of Jesus, has been rebuilt and strengthened against collapse. In addition, we review news coverage of a recent open house at the Israel Antiquities Authority warehouse where relics from the time of Jesus are displayed for reporters.
tags: Jerusalem Jesus Church of the Holy Sepulcher Tomb of Jesus
Jesus & the Remains of His Day, part 3
With Craig Evans
More on Jesus and the archaeology that illumines his three year ministry, including more on what may be his family home in Israel, the ossuaries that are known (suspected at least) of his contemporaries, and one archaeologist whose attempt to connect a tomb to Jesus went way off base.
tags: Caiaphas Nazareth Ossuaries James the Brother of Jesus Alexander son of Simon of Cyrene
Top 10 Biblical Archaeology Stories of 2016
With Clyde Billington
Every year we draw attention to all of the interesting excavations in Biblical Archaeology by highlighting ten of the most exciting discoveries or announcements of the previous year. This year the top discovery on the list goes right to the heart of the Christian faith, the opening up of the traditional tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. There are nine more on the list, one all the way at the other end of the Roman Empire.
tags: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
With Darrell Bock
Archaeologists and conservators in Jerusalem are repairing the edicule, a small structure that covers the traditional location of the tomb of Jesus in the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. During a 60-hour period they were able to remove the marble covering of the stone tomb and observe for the first time in four and a half centuries the actual stone bench on which the body of Jesus is believed to have lain. But could this actually be the Tomb of Jesus? There are questions about which site is right so we went to Darrell Bock, Research Professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary to seek some answers.
tags: Jesus Holy Sepulchre Tomb


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6 years ! Wow! I remember the time when Batool was born, her tiny preemie body and I used to pacify myself with thoughts that one day she will go to school and be big and healthy.
The dreams never end, but as she grows older the only dream I have for her is to be a great human being, who is just , patient and responsible. Just want her to be the best version of herself so that more than anyone else in the world she should be proud of herself.
As her mother all I can do is pray, and work towards this goal with every hopeful opportunity I get, and hustle.
I got her three presents this year, a book (Fun on the farm) , a puzzle ( All the 7 days) and a framed pic of me and her so every time she misses me she can simply see the pic.
Patience and tests of human beings require the most endurance. I have realised that a relationship with God is the only relationship that is needed to save any relationship on earth. Been a mother for six years and am proud to be one for the rest of my life to this amazing girl who has served as a means for me to get closer to Allah swt. And continues to do so with patience and inspiration.


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Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing before on behalf of the food regulator, did not insist on an immediate stay on the Bombay High Courts' judgement of lifting the ban on the noodle which was banned for allegedly having lead beyond permissible limit, flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate and mislabelling in June.
Rohatgi said that he wanted to draw the attention of the court towards the challenges being faced by the FSSAI in view of the Bombay court's order. A bench led by Justice Dipak Misra agreed to examine the plea. Nestle India's counsel Harish Salve will submit the response in January 5, 2016.
The FSSAI, in its petition, has questioned the "sanctity" of the samples provided to the government-approved labs for the re-test, contending that the High Court had asked Nestle to provide samples whereas it should have been picked up randomly from the market. The petition also claimed that the High Court allowed substantial changes in its order when Nestle filed a plea for correction of the original order on grounds of typographical errors.
After the judgement of the Bombay High Court and subsequent testing of Maggi which gave it a clean chit, Nestle had relaunched its two minute instant noodle early November.
Salve also asked for a stay on the proceedings of the consumer forum, which is hearing a class action suit by the government against Nestlé India and has ordered testing of fresh samples of Maggi. He said that if not stayed, those orders will have to be challenged in the apex court.


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The Cuba Investment Forum To Take Place In Miami On May 12, 2016
Cuba receives over three millions tourists per year. Once American citizens can visit en masse, that figure will double in short time. The injection of hard currency into Cuba's economy will set in motion waves of investment by both private and public investors, keen to upgrade the island's infrastructure including new roads, port modernization, fixed and wireless telephony, an expanded power grid, and more efficient payment infrastructure.
The Cuba Investment Forum (www.cubainvestmentforum.com) will take place in Miami, Florida on May 12, 2016 and will bring together internationally recognized industry speakers, investors, government officials, and C level executives from the finance, tourism, energy, infrastructure, and telecommunications industries. The geographic scope for the event will cover Cuba with a focus on the business opportunities for companies in Miami, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The forum's aim is three fold:
I. Inform participants of the most relevant and up-to-date facts on the ground in Cuba, intelligence provided by informed and seasoned experts who work inside the country.
II. Provide essential guidance to investors on the political and legal process being shaped in Washington that will govern how US companies engage with Cuba.
III. Share the best practices and lessons learned of foreign investors and exporters who have succeeded with their business ventures in Cuba.
For additional information on how to register as a delegate, send an email to email@example.com or visit the website: www.cubainvestmentforum.comOlder postNewer post


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amavat Europe have put together a separate document which highlights all the necessary requirements which we would require to register your business for VAT in either one, or all seven countries we have operating offices. Please contact our country experts.
What information do you require to register my business for VAT?S'abonner
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That's Audacious!Posted on
Not too long ago, a couple of friends of mine asked me for my input. The two guys were identical twins and I'd known them since High School where they had fooled and frustrated teachers and fellow students alike by switching classes, sports teams and even at one stage girlfriends!
They had decided to compete in the Noosa triathlon, which was a tall order considering their state of fitness. They had asked me about putting together individual training programs to give them a chance of finishing the event.
So, I introduced them to S.M.A.R.T goals (from the Leadership and Management Diploma course I was training), emphasising the importance of establishing their own training regimes with the acronym front of mind. I told them to go away and separately set a training plan and goals that were: –
Specific – not 'to get fit' but to set exact goals for their program – eg run 30kms a week
Measurable – make sure that the goals they set would be, without doubt, measured to have been achieved or not achieved – eg to be able to run 5kms in under 35 minutes
Achievable – ensure the goals they set were achievable (not impossible) – eg not to run 5kms in under 15 minutes
Relevant – set goals that were directly relevant to the objective – e.g. reading books on the history of the Noosa triathlon would not help them compete in the race
Time-bound – remember the timeframe they were working in – the triathlon was in November and when they committed to competing in June
One week later, I reconvened with them separately, to see what they had come up with.
The first identical twin had committed to exercise for 1 ½ hours, four times a week, every week until the triathlon.
The second twin had committed to exercise for 3 hours, every day of the week, every week until the triathlon.
I congratulated both on coming up with S.M.A.R.T goals (although they could have been more specific) and wished them luck.
A couple of days before the triathlon I contacted them and asked how they had gone with their goals?
The first twin proudly told me he had achieved his goal of exercise for 1 ½ hours, four times a week, every week.
The second twin, a little sheepishly, informed me he had 'failed' in his exercise regime and had only averaged 2 ½ hours, six times a week, each week.
Q Which twin did better in the Noosa Triathlon?
The second twin finished much faster than his identical brother. Even though he had not achieved his audacious training goal, whereas his brother had completed his achievable goal. Simply put, he had done more exercise and was fitter.
The interesting question in Leadership and Management is, should the A in S.M.A.R.T be A=Achievable or A=Audacious?
There is a school of thought that we should set extremely high targets or goals for ourselves, in order to grow and stretch. These are sometimes referred to as Audacious goals and they work well for some. Whilst it is important to grow and stretch, if we set goals that aren't doable, we may get discouraged and stop trying. The really high achievers in the world understand the delicate balance of setting goals that they know are challenging yet they can reach, with a little stretching. And when they get there, they set another goal they know they can just reach. They climb the mountain in as big a steps as they can but one step at a time.
It's good to think big (audaciously), but it's also important that you don't set a goal that is too big. A goal that's achievable for you is one that you believe you can reach and have the means necessary in order to achieve. So if you plan to work out with a personal trainer but don't have the discretionary dollars in your budget, that goal wouldn't be achievable for you.
To determine whether your goal is achievable, ask yourself honestly if you believe you can achieve it and have all the resources (including time) available to make it happen. Do you have (or will you be able to obtain) all the support, equipment, knowledge and resources needed to put your goals into action? Does this goal fall in line with your other priorities in your work or personal life? If not, how can you revise your goal to make it more realistic?
Australis College provides a variety of business and management programs aimed at providing individuals and businesses with the knowledge, skills and tools to make a positive impact in their job roles, careers and personal lives. The information in this article is from the BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management. For more information on Australis and our programs please visit our website by clicking here for more information and to get started today.


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With the springtime falling of rain, our yard washed over with dandelions. As each came into its own puffy fluffy fullness, Lucas would find it. Each newly-found dandelion was a discovery, a delight, a cause for celebration. And after each celebration there was a pause, while he considered to what use he should put this particular wish. Then his lips would pucker like a kiss, and with a whoosh the seeds would sail into the air, off on their own adventures and (I suspect) eventually coming back round to our own weed-riddled grass, to sprout and to grow and to flower again. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: April 2014
What flowers grow
The boys have been intent on reminding me this week that THOSE ARE NOT WEEDS! They are FLOWERS! Their insistence comes after I went on a bit of a rampage clearing out a flower bed and into the green bin went a heap of their beloved sour grass. But they are not alone in their enthusiasm; at our market this past Saturday I met a farmer whose entire acreage is given over to what grows there of its own volition. She had strawberries for sale, tiny red ones. In big buckets were curvy-stemmed, three-foot-tall gaggles of weeds. Or flowers, if you'd like. With thoughts of my guys, I brought home a bunch. Continue reading
A nudge
There are many brands of maternal guilt that can swamp us. The version I'm currently swimming through involves failing to notice, despite three days worth of complaints about "itchy" hands, that my son was having a life-threatening allergic reaction to an antibiotic. I did notice, eventually – right around the moment he woke up covered in head-to-toe, blistering welts, his eyes swollen to bloodshot slits. Continue reading


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They will emerge sometime Sunday from the New York Marriott Marquis, a committee of 10, having concluded more than 96 hours of deliberations to fill the 68-team bracket for the N.C.A.A. tournament. They will have tallied each team's Quadrant 1 victories, parsed their R.P.I. rankings and agonized over their "body of work."
What will not have been discussed is which programs bought their players, and for how much, or the federal investigation underway to determine who, exactly, the bad guys are in college basketball. The selection committee's chairman, Bruce Rasmussen, promised.
"Our committee is intensely focused on selecting and seeding and bracketing the right 68 teams," Rasmussen, the athletic director at Creighton, said on Wednesday before going into seclusion with his colleagues. "We're not going to pay any attention to that because it's not in the purview of our committee."
What about the cloud hanging over this tournament? What about — dare I ask — the integrity of the game?
"There are issues with men's basketball at this time," Rasmussen conceded. "It's not perfect. It never has been perfect. It never will be perfect. But there are a lot of great things that are happening with Division I men's basketball."
But what if Louisville, or Southern California, or Oklahoma State — all implicated by the feds in their investigation — goes from an N.C.A.A. bubble team to the National Invitation Tournament? Will its fans believe the committee really did keep its blinders on?
We'll know by the end of Sunday, but what we know now (and always) is that the N.C.A.A. has a billion reasons to look the other way. The organization clocked $1.06 billion in revenue and a $105 million in profit for its 2017 fiscal year, according to a financial statement released recently.
Television rights packages with CBS and Turner accounted for more than $800 million of its revenue, so do not expect Jim Nantz, Charles Barkley or their broadcast colleagues dispatched to the tournament sites over the next three weeks to harp on how college basketball isn't perfect. The networks have agreed to pay $8.8 billion to be the mouthpiece of the Division I men's basketball tournament through 2032.
Money like that buys an awful lot of silence.
"Unless your coach and program are dealing with it, nobody cares," said Jay Bilas, an ESPN analyst and frequent critic of the N.C.A.A. "They want the games. They want to fill out their brackets. It's like steroids in baseball. We've been paying players in basketball and football, and the N.C.A.A. continues to fiddle."
As evidence, Bilas cited the herculean effort the organization put in to clear players in record time when the pay-to-play investigation indicated that some of them were from the country's most prominent programs, including Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Michigan State. According to documents uncovered by investigators, dozens of top players received financial and other benefits that could violate N.C.A.A. rules.
"They got it done in a day because the tournament was coming," Bilas said of sorting the players' eligibility. "They've never done anything in a day but sign contracts."
So if broadcasters are not going to talk about the ills of the college game, can they at least refrain from the big wet kisses they shower on the coaches?
Often, those coaches are the highest-paid people on the court, sometimes the highest on their state's payroll. They are crowned as geniuses, talked up as role models, about how they do things "the right way."
If you drank a shot of whiskey every time you heard a broadcaster or analyst extol the virtues of a coach, you wouldn't make it to the night session of Thursday's first-round games.
What is never said, however, is that the "right way" increasingly means runners and shoe representatives and envelopes stuffed with cash. It means no-show classes for the one-and-dones, who quit going to class in January anyway, knowing that they will leave campus shortly after their final tournament game.
Maybe Bilas is right. Maybe no one cares about anything but the games and picking brackets. Maybe the N.C.A.A. tournament is nothing more than a basketball version of "The Bachelor" — a few weeks of outrage and heartbreak, with a sappy theme song.
The tournament certainly never lacks for drama. But what if this year's edition gives the recent finale of "The Bachelor" a run for its money? What if the programs at the center of the federal investigation — Louisville, Arizona, Auburn and Oklahoma State — all make it to the Final Four in San Antonio?
That would be the "One Shining Moment" that college basketball deserves.


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I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, at a time of political turmoil. Getting in and out of the Hospital Universitario meant ducking and running as leftists students were protesting the newly minted democratic and pro American government. Tear gas and stones filled the air as my mother screamed in pain to get me out into this wonderful world.
After all these decades students are still protesting and more stones, plastic bullets and tear gas still fill the smoggy air over Caracas. The only difference is that now the students are pro democracy and the government is leftist. Things don't change much; we just see new variations on the old theme.
I grew up attending catholic schools and despite the horror stories about nuns and priests from hell, I have nothing but praise for my teachers, starting with the humble Colombian sisters who lived in poverty and ran their elementary school with love and dedication, and ending with the overqualified Salesian priests of my high school. Among these priests I had Spaniards, Italians, Germans, Polish, and Venezuelan men of letters and science, and to them I owe them the little I know now.
Yes, I was lucky to have been exposed to such men and women. I have never again seen such an openness of mind and heart within any institution. Those times were a renaissance encapsulated inside the walls of a high school where hills with eucalyptus trees stood watch over soccer and baseball fields. Of course, such utopias are unnatural and soon get trampled by reality.
After graduation I joined the Military School of Aviation in Maracay. The school was at the foot of the coastal mountain range. Green, humid and hot, no need for water heaters, but not so hot that air conditioning was a necessity. Utopia succumbed to harsh discipline and my 18th birthday found me standing night watch with an automatic rifle slung over my shoulder and a steel helmet pressing on my shaved head. It was shocking, but also and eye opener to realize that the world was a mixture of outstanding people and assholes, all looking the same until you got to know them or they showed their true colors. That initial knowledge of reality that I gathered in those days has not changed. The ratio of good people to assholes is always debatable but my belief on the existence of those well defined groups is unshakeable.
Of course, we are mixture of good and bad. The ratio of that mixture determines who is an outstanding character or not. I think the ratio can change from day to day, from situation to situation, but at the end there is an average that points to a particular propensity of character. I find that the most interesting people seem to be those with an even score, those who shift between both grades and who surprise us with the unexpected. That may explain why I write about ugly people and imperfect personalities. Writing about the extremes of good and bad would be too easy.
I left the military life after two years, tired of the constant hazing and the fact that military life means not always being able to get away from assholes. Confined to a base, to a trench or to sharing a pup tent meant getting to know people that sometimes one really didn't want to know that well; there was no going home at night for some rest and privacy.
After my brief military life, I came to the U.S. to become a pilot and to learn English; I'm still at it, I mean, learning English. After arriving I decided that aeronautical engineering would be better than being an airplane driver. At nineteen I wasn't too sure about what to do. Even at this old age I'm still doubtful. Looking at the shape of the airline industry nowadays, I would probably be smuggling arms to Iran now if I had become a professional pilot. Instead, I lead a quite life of desperation working as an engineer. Steady job, mortgage, a wife, dogs, a car loan, the whole American dream in easy payments.
Along the way I became a skydiver, a private pilot, a mountain biker, a downhiller, and now a BMX racer. For a man my age, I should be having an affair with a younger woman, riding a Harley, getting tattoos and body piercings; instead, I'm and old man riding little bikes over piles of dirt and mountain biking on snowy Colorado trails. I have never claimed to be a smart person. If you read my stuff looking for good advice or enlightenment then perhaps you should try other books.
Why do I write? Because I have to, the same reason why I get back on the bike after I crash and get over the concussion. There is no good reason, it is not even advisable, but I cannot help myself.Return to main page.
Send me an email if you so desire.


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Both the hiker's scourge and the wild forager's prize, nettle is found throughout PNW forests. Luckily these dangly leaf earrings don't sting as they are are cut, textured, and formed from copper and a sterling silver shepherd's hook attached. Each leaf features light, hand engraved veins.
A dark patina accentuates the design. These earrings were created completely by hand from copper sheet and sterling silver wire using traditional silversmithing techniques.
• Total Length: 1 7/8"
• Width: 3/4"
• Material(s): Copper, Sterling Silver
All copper pieces are sealed with ProtectaClear to impede tarnishing.
Your treasure will arrive tucked in a natural fabric pouch and carefully packed with recycled shipping materials. Two plastic ear nuts for security while wearing are included.
This item is:
• not a toy.
• not recommended for children.
• from a tobacco free, one dog home.
Feel free to contact me with any questions —
thanks for looking!
I accept credit and debit card payments as well as Etsy gift cards. If you decide to cancel your order, you may do so before the item has shipped and I'll refund your complete payment to you. However, think carefully before you buy, as once it's shipped it's yours!
All of my items ship from Tacoma, WA. I package everything carefully with love and a mixture of recycled and new materials.
My plastic use is purposefully minimal, however jewelry over $50 ships in a small plastic cube. Please include a note with your order if you prefer a plastic free experience!
Request a cancellation within: 24 hours of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
In the sad, sad event your item arrives damaged, please let me know as soon as you receive it, send me photos and I'll see what I can do.
I try to describe all items as thoroughly and accurately as possible. Please note that due to monitor calibration colors may appear different to the human eye in person.
Once you've received your item it's your treasure to keep forever! This means no returns.
I do my best to right any wrongs that may occur and keep the world a loving and fair place for everyone- please return the favor! :)
All made to order listings require at least 2 to 3 weeks for production time, however there is a 10% rush fee if you need to expedite an order.
Please contact me directly before placing an expedited order to make arrangements. I create all of my work by hand, from scratch and it is a time consuming process, therefore not all orders are eligible to be rushed.


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BBC News
- Coronavirus: UK to monitor flights from China as precaution
- New 'transformational' code to protect children's privacy online
- Kate launches childhood survey to help under-fives
- Battersea fatal shooting: Man arrested after Flamur Beqiri died
- Sainsbury's boss Mike Coupe to quit after six years
- 'Lost' LS Lowry painting fetches £2.65m at auction
- Space mission to reveal 'Truths' about climate change
- Christmas magic vanishes for the UK toy industry
- Guildford pub bomb police face High Court threat over files
- Super-rich elites making London 'off-limits'
- Veterans railcard for cheaper train fares to launch on Armistice Day
- Warning over youth career aspiration-reality disconnect
- Beyond Veganuary: Is going plant-based a smart way to lose weight?
- Rough sex murder defence: Why campaigners want it banned
- The writers breathing life into black British history
- Mental health at work: 'My boss let me go over my condition'
- Burnout: 'Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired'
- Cardiff hospital trials cooling patients after cardiac arrest
- New UK housing 'dominated by roads'
- Amelia Roberts: Charity boost after funeral order of service find
- RMS Titanic wreck to be protected under UK and US agreement
- 'Being segregated as a youth offender made me want to hurt people'
- 'I used gender transition as a form of escape'
- Mental health: How to spot if you are suffering 'burnout'
- Prince Harry and Meghan: Black British women on Meghan
- Windrush scandal: 'A billion pounds can't buy back my happiness'
- Mental health: 'Combine peak performance with moments of rest'
- Prince Harry: Five takeaways from his speech
- Newspaper headlines: Ozzy Osbourne's diagnosis and Trump climate row
- Sian Green-Lord has prosthetic leg made from Louis Vuitton bag
- Tesco Bank to create 100 tech jobs at Edinburgh base
- NI Assembly members to get 'unjustifiable' pay rise - Michelle O'Neill
- Ross England: Vale of Glamorgan Tories 'in limbo' over candidacy
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Larkin first Red Wings rookie to score 20 goals since Zetterberg
When the Detroit Red Wings decided to keep Dylan Larkin with the NHL club following training camp, it was clear they thought the world of the 19-year-old. After all, he was the first teenager to crack Detroit's opening night lineup since defenseman Jiri Fischer in the 1999-2000 season.
Larkin has every bit lived up to the Red Wings' expectations and on Thursday. he became the first Detroit rookie to reach the 20-goal mark since Henrik Zetterberg scored 22 in 2002-03.
Perhaps fittingly, Zetterberg drew an assist on Larkin's milestone-tying marker in the second period of Detroit's 3–2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
Larkin, who reached 20 goals in his 65th game of the season, has 15 more games to equal Zetterberg's rookie goal-scoring mark. Zetterberg finished his rookie season with 22 goals and 22 assists as a 22-year-old.
Larkin won't turn 20 until July 30.
Larkin is now tied with Buffalo's Jack Eichel for second place in rookie goal scoring this season, trailing Chicago's Artemi Panarin, who has recorded 25.


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father of modern lighting design, wrote the seminal
A Method of Lighting the Stage, published in 1932.
He devised a means of dividing the stage into volumes
by means of varying its intensity, colour, distribution
and control, not just for visibility's sake but also to
manipulate mood. His method boils down to dividing
the stage into locales, each with its own background
lighting but also front-lit by two sources to the left
and right of the actors and at 45-degree angles.
These are focused horizontally on their actors' faces,
not the stage, giving them depth but avoiding ugly
shadows. McCandless also used sources with different
colour temperatures.
Lighting two sides of an actor's face with subtly
different hues reveals its form in a clearer way and
one that is communicable over a greater distance than
using a single colour. This method was so successful
that it can still be experienced today, in the work of
lighting designer Michael Hulls, among others. Hulls
produces stunning effects to create volumes, such as
backlighting with a cool light while using a warmer
light from the side, creating an interplay between
soft and hard light or playing with the way that the
same light can appear to warm or cool an object. It
is easy to see how a similar technique might be used
in architectural lighting to transform detail or texture
rather than changing a whole room.
But if theatrical lighting is about space it is also about
time. Control is the use of layers of light to create
a variety of effects. Often large numbers of lighting
units are used in blocks, mixing them together much as
you would combine ingredients in food. Lighting plans
are frequently huge and complex. If you were lighting
a restaurant and were to create eight lighting scenes
for a 24-hour period, you would be doing well but in a
typical three-hour show you might create 150 scenes,
all of which would have to be triggered precisely.
An audience can discern changes of one tenth ofa second in some instances. A half a second lag betweenthe music and the lighting, for example, will make thedifference between timing it right and getting it wrong,maybe, even between a hit and a flop. Yet, if you wereto take half a minute to fade between lighting scenesin a bar, people would notice it because that is too fast.I believe that when theatrical lighting designers moveinto architectural lighting they bring with them athat theatre lighting designers will havecreated gives them a huge visual libraryin the architectural lighting field'
Previous page: Howard Harrison lit the English National Ballet's
Swan Lake, seen here at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 2016
Opposite: in Heisenburg: The Uncertainty Principle, London, 2017,
lit by Paule Constable, the lighting becomes scenery, evoking light
art installations by James Turrell


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Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler Review: A Perfect Addition to a Romantic Date Night
Are you planning a romantic dinner with your loved one? What better way to take it to the next level than pairing your meal with a premium quality bottle of wine? Wine connoisseurs from all over the world would agree that in order to serve wine properly, you would also need to invest in a good wine cooler.
Fortunately for you, we found one of the best wine coolers available on the market today—the Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler by Vacu Vin. Since 1986, this brand has been well-known in the food and beverage industry as an international distributor of unique, practical, and innovative products for both professional and home use.
The Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler is an intelligently designed product that boasts a long list of features that are guaranteed to make you and your loved one feel like you are dining out in a world-class restaurant. This wine cooler is the perfect centerpiece to add life to any party.
Product Features
Finding the best wine cooler can sometimes be too overwhelming because of the vast selection that can be found online and in local stores. To help you get started on your search, take a look at what the Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler can offer below.
Intelligent Construction and Elegant Design
This wine cooler has a simple yet sophisticated look that will certainly add class to your planned romantic dinner. It has been remarkably constructed to make a bottle of wine cold without the use of ice or water.
The stainless-steel body ensures a durable wine cooler that can last for many years.
Fast Cooling Service
The Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler is equipped with an ice cooling element that can chill an entire bottle of wine in just five minutes. This is another reason why this wine cooler is a great choice for both home and professional use.
Long-Lasting Cooling Effect
Long after you are done with your meal, you can rest assured that your wine stays cool for after-dinner conversations. This wine cooler will keep your drink chilled and at the perfect drinking temperature for up to four hours.
Just the Right Size
With dimensions measuring eight inches by six inches by inches, this wine cooler can fit most bottles of wine. Moreover, you can place it on the table while you are having dinner as it does not take too much space.
- Does not use ice or water, so the bottle stays dry
- Works best with an already chilled bottle of wine
- Very easy to use and wipe clean
- Does not require electricity to function
- Lightweight and easy to carry around and store
- Only works on regular-sized wine bottles and not on bell-shaped ones
- Takes a long time to cool wine bottles that are at room temperature
Summary of the Features
For those looking for a sturdy and reliable wine cooler, the Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler by Vacu Vin is definitely a great find. It has a very stylish design that complements most décor. The stainless-steel body also gives this wine cooler a neat look.
With dimensions of eight by six by six inches, you can place it on the table or bar without it taking too much space. This product works best with already chilled bottles of wine, and it will make sure that it stays cool for up to four hours.
You can also use it on wine bottles at room temperature and wait for a few minutes for it to cool it to the desired drinking temperature.
Another great feature of this wine cooler is that it does not require the use of water or ice. All you need to do is freeze the ice pack that comes with it, and put it back into the wine cooler when you need it.
This method of cooling will keep the bottle dry and free from condensation.
Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler vs. Other Models
Another product that has quite the same set of features as the one from Vacu Vin is the Stay Cool Wine Cooler and Chiller. In just a couple of minutes, it can chill a bottle of wine and keep it at the best drinking temperature for up to four to five hours. It can fit almost all regular-sized bottles of whites and reds.
With its sleek and compact design, this wine cooler from Stay Cooler is definitely a must-have for house parties, picnics, and after-dinner conversations by the patio. It is also the perfect way to serve wine at restaurants, or you can have it as a gift for your wine-loving friend.
The Stay Cool Wine Cooler and Chiller has a very sturdy polycarbonate body with a high-quality, non-toxic cooling gel inside. It is very easy to use, as well. You only need to put it in the freezer for an hour, and you can enjoy a chilled bottle of your favorite wine for hours without any condensation.
If you have a slightly larger than regular-sized wine bottles, all you need to do is remove the incase and you can fit it inside this wine cooler.
The Verdict
There are times that it can be a challenge to choose from several products that have a very similar set of features. We can see this problem clearly when choosing the right wine cooler because, most of the time, they all offer the same functions.
When asked to choose between the Stay Cool and Vacu Vin Prestige Wine Cooler, we can confidently say that we will be glad to put our money on the latter. Vacu Vin is among the market leaders when it comes to designing useful, reliable, and long-lasting food and beverage products.
Their Prestige Wine Cooler, with its simple yet elegant design, combined with the technology to keep wine bottles cool for hours while keeping it dry, would be a great addition to any home. It has all the right features that anybody would want from a quality wine cooler.
Moreover, it is a very interesting conversation piece that you can boast of to your family and friends.


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Do you feel safer because George Bush has decided that he can lock up anybody he says is an "enemy combatant?"
That question, as well as others of a more legalistic kind, were argued before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, April 20. Before the court was a case concerning the hundreds of prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay, the military base in Cuba that the US has illegally occupied for over a century.
The prisoners there have been grabbed from the war-torn countries of Afghanistan or Pakistan, or so we are told. Actually, we don't really know where they came from, since they are being held incommunicado, without any right to contact with anyone, including lawyers or family.
Bush claims that he is a war-time prez, that he has the sole right to determine who is fighting on the other side, and that he gets to decide whether or not the Constitution or international law applies to their incarceration. Opponents of Bush's policy claim the prison camp in Guantanamo is a legal "black hole," and that the prisoners there must be afforded at least some kind of recourse to some kind of legal system.
If you read the San Francisco Chronicle's April 21 article on the hearing (actually an abridged reprint from the Los Angeles Times), you might think that the Supreme Court will take care of this little problem for us: "…a majority of the justices sounded skeptical of the administration's claim that the president alone has control over the fate of these men."
But missing from the article, in either the SF or the LA version, was any mention of the fact that this is the very same Supreme Court that selected Bush as president. Their ruling in 2000 threw thousands of Florida ballots in the trash, based on a preposterous claim that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution required them to do so. The five justices who made this ruling — William Rehnquist, Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Arthur Kennedy and Clarence Thomas — have in some quarters been dubbed the Felonious Five.
If these guardians of the law felt free to dump the ballots of Florida citizens, just why should we be so sanguine about their commitment to upholding the rights of foreign prisoners in Guantanamo? Indeed, none of the Felonious Five are quoted in the article as making any kind of particularly critical comments about the government's position.
Also missing from the article was any mention of the fact that there was a popular mobilization against the Bush administration's position on Guantanamo. According to Free Speech Radio News, over 100 people demonstrated outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday. About 40 people demonstrated at the Federal Building here in San Francisco. These demonstrations were called by a number of organizations, including the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, the Blue Triangle Network, the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Lawyers Guild, Not in Our Name, United for Peace and Justice, and several Arab and Muslim organizations.
One of the speakers at the SF rally, Grace Shimizu, a Japanese American community organizer, drew a parallel between the prison camp in Guantanamo and the internment camps the US set up for tens of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II. This is another piece of history that was missing from the Chronicle/Times article. The imprisonment of Japanese Americans, including both citizens and non-citizens, also made it to the Supreme Court, which ruled in Korematsu v. United States that locking up Japanese Americans was just fine. That legal decision stands to this day, although a few years ago Congress, after decades of struggle by the Japanese American community and their allies, saw fit to offer an apology to most (but not all) of the prisoners.
The Supreme Court, however, has not yet apologized for the Korematsu decision. Indeed, as noted attorney and legal scholar David Cole has said, "The Guantanamo case may go down in history as Korematsu II."
Missing also from the Chronicle/Times article is mention that the US is holding other prisoners in the so-called "war on terror" in secret detention facilities in unnamed countries around the world, or that thousands of prisoners are being held under similar conditions in Iraq today.
But the article does mention that next week the Supreme Court will be hearing the cases of two US citizens — Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi — whom Bush has also designated "enemy combatants," and who are being held virtually incommunicado in a Navy brig stateside. Don't you feel safer now?
Give three cheers for the rule of law.
Marc Norton, among other things, is a bellman at a small hotel in San Francisco. He can reached at


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This week over at Anglotees.com we have three brand new designs for you to buy. We have a new Downton Abbey tribute called Carson's Butler Service. We have a new tribute to Great British Slang that's a re-imagining of a popular past design. And finally we have a tribute to iconic guards that guard the Queen.
You are here: Home / Anglotees / London Alert: New Designs LIVE! New Downton Tribute, Great British Slang and Royal Guard
About jonathan
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.


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An ancient cheese that has been around since early Roman times and has probably changed very little over the centuries. Named after the caves of Val Taleggio where it was traditionally made, this smear-ripened cheese balances a pungent aroma against a mild taste with an unusual fruity tang and a relatively high fat content.
The cheese has been granted a European Union PDO designation to ensure its traditions are protected and maintained.
Made from pasteurised cows' milk that has been acidified, it is stored on wooden shelves in chambers or caves and allowed to mature for around 6-10 weeks. Throughout the process, the cheese is washed with a seawater sponge once a week to stop mould infestation and prevent the cheese forming an orange or rose crust. In recent times, some cheesemakers have begun to add spices, raisins, nuts and even lemons to create a 'brighter' flavour profile.
It's a wonderfully rustic cheese that also melts well and tastes brilliant grated onto radicchio and rucola salads.
Because it is such a strong smelling cheese, try to buy Taleggio only in small quantities that you can use straight away. Washed rind cheeses tend to dry out and crack and even if carefully wrapped in waxy paper and sealed in an airtight container, the smell can permeate your fridge.


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Lebanese officials stand in a moment of silence prior to a May 16, 2018, Cabinet session at Baabda Palace. (The Daily Star/Hasan Shaaban)
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While consultations and negotiations to form a new government are underway, there are hopes the upcoming Cabinet will witness a boost in the number of women appointed to ministerial positions.Women's presence in Parliament did not see much of an increase in the recent general elections – only six female candidates gained seats out of the 86 who ran.While most parties have expressed their support for seeing a greater share of women in the new government, there have been no serious moves to implement a quota for female members of Parliament or of the Cabinet.Similarly, the Free Patriotic Movement voiced its support for women's participation and confirmed the party would most likely nominate female members to the new Cabinet.An FPM source said the head of the party's Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc Gebran Bassil has not yet discussed or revealed names of women who will be nominated by the party for ministerial seats, as the matter depends on the portfolios that will be granted to the party.
LF-FPM breakthrough 'hard to achieve'
Cabinet formation unlikely anytime soon
Private schools to close over funding shortfall


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Our Mobile App will empower patients to take control of their own physiotherapy with remote assistance from a health professional.
This is an ongoing development which is being integrated with our FRAME project.
Join Our Community to keep updated about all of our latest developments including our MIRROR Facial Rehabilitation App or contact our partners Emteq.
Who does facial paralysis affect?
There are over 30 different causes of facial paralysis with Bell's palsy being the most common cause. Over 100,000 people are estimated to be living with facial palsy in the UK. Anyone, young or old, at any time can be affected. A person can literally lose their smile overnight.
About Bell's palsy
We take for granted our ability to smile, blink, eat, drink and express how we're feeling. Such natural facial movements can be lost overnight and occurs in up to 20,000 people per year in the UK due to Bell's palsy.
Large-scale studies have shown that up to the third of patients who develop Bell's palsy will be left with ongoing facial weakness or asymmetry.
Many will have a condition called synkinesis which means that the facial muscles move in an uncoordinated fashion. Smiling or eating may cause the eye to involuntarily close, impairing quality of life.
Treating facial synkinesis is difficult and the majority of patients do not have access to treatment. Clinical trials have shown that mirror biofeedback is effective to help patients regain facial control and symmetry. An alternative to mirror bio feedback is injections of botulinum toxin into the face every 3 to 5 months, which costs approximately £300-£400 per session.
Patients tell us that one of their biggest challenges is to keep motivated to do their facial exercises as changes happen slowly and it is difficult to measure changes over time using a mirror. They also sometimes feel uncomfortable when looking at themselves now given their altered appearance.
It is particularly difficult for children to engage in facial exercises unless there is some obvious reward.
As a patient, what will the MIRROR App mean for you?
We are developing an app that turns your iPad into a facial feedback mirror. The iPad's camera acts as a facial scanner and will automatically locate specific landmarks, and documents the movement over time. Importantly your improvement in symmetry is tracked over time and your progress can be visualised on a graph.
For those uncomfortable with looking at themselves in the mirror your face can be changed into a character or animation which still allows you to have mirror feedback.
The feedback process can be turned into a game which is particularly helpful for children and encourages them to participate and stay involved by earning points and rewards.
Rather than feeling isolated with facial palsy, you can connect with other people who are either in your area or worldwide and track progress with others in the same way that people track their weight through weight loss clubs or their fitness through wearable devices.
Patients will also have the option of sending updates to their doctor or facial therapist so that they can track your progress between appointments. This may provide an early warning system if you are becoming de-motivated, or if there is concern about the rate of recovery and worsening of your condition.
Don't forget to Join Our Community to keep updated about all of our latest developments regarding the MIRROR Facial Rehabilitation App.
Last reviewed: 26-06-2017 || Next review due: 26-06-2018


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Unique Value Proposition Explained
UVP – level 3 is an approach created by one of our clients as a way to define and manage the value they deliver to customers. Learn about this approach and how it can help you.
Product features are irrelevant: only Customer Experience counts!
In the digital world, any successful product feature will be copied swiftly by competitors. The only way to maintain a competitive advantage is through the customer experience you provide…
10 tips to close the revenue gap
Have you ever faced a demand from the big boss to help close a short-term revenue gap?
When this happens, what do you do?
Do sales let you down?
Do you get frustrated when your sales people don't deliver what they forecast.
Yes? So what can you do to get them back on track…
Power to the proposition!
As a product manager you can't do everything you'd like.
Getting out and talking to customers is always a good thing however make sure you set expectations correctly (see our cartoon).


text: Happy Friday... These images come from the book Posters by Members of the Alliance Graphique Internationale 1960-1985, edited by Rudolph de Harak and published in '86. The AGI, of which countless international design legends were members, is still active and even has its own Flickr stream. You can head over to MY Flickr for some additional images (and these are only a fraction of this book) and credits for the designers.


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In Pursuit of SOA General Insurance FSA
Gennady Stolyarov II, ASA, is in the final stages to attain the FSA General Insurance credential. Stolyarov is the Lead Property/Casualty Actuary for the Nevada Division of Insurance, where he reviews property/casualty insurers' rates and form filings, predictive models, captive insurer applications and insurers' proposals for business-plan changes. He also frequently responds to inquiries regarding Nevada insurance statutes and regulations and assists with monitoring Nevada's domestic companies' financial condition.
Stolyarov has developed reports for the Nevada Legislature and informational materials for consumers, and spearheaded the first initiative in the United States to publicly post insurers' home and private passenger automobile policy forms on a State website. At various times, Stolyarov actively participated on NAIC Task Forces, such as the Surplus Lines Task Force, the Reinsurance Task Force, and the Workers' Compensation Task Force.
What led you to becoming an actuary?
The actuarial field was attractive to me due to the merit-based, self-study-oriented examination system, as well as the ability to "earn while you learn" – to simultaneously invest in one's education while maintaining a high standard of living and avoiding educational debt.
When I was a student at Hillsdale College in Michigan, I completed a triple major in Economics, Mathematics, and German, but by my second year, it was apparent to me that the opportunity costs of graduate school would be too high. At the same time, I discovered that, for less than the cost of a semester's tuition at many universities and professional schools, one can sign up for all of the actuarial exams, modules, and courses (and could often even receive employer support with regard to these costs). Thereafter, you are able to progress at your chosen pace, and the outcome depends on your dedication and effort at mastering the exam and course material – a situation that rewards and enables individual initiative, autonomy, and auto didacticism.
The work of an actuary intersects with a vast array of fields – from theoretical mathematics and statistics to law, economics, political science, and even philosophy (as a good actuary will also strive to carefully observe human beings, their motivations, and the incentives affecting behaviors that could raise or lower the probabilities of losses occurring). At the same time, the actuarial field is conducive to my preference for intellectually stimulating, idea-oriented, computer-based work with prominent real-world impacts, as well as an ability to deploy my creativity, versatility, and initiative to improve human well-being by contributing to the appropriate function of insurance systems.
What interests you about general insurance?
I selected a property and casualty specialization due to my interest in the role these insurance products can play in maintaining the material infrastructure of civilization and helping individuals recover from financially crippling events brought about by natural and some manmade perils.
I am particularly interested not only in how general insurance can help individuals recover from losses, but also in how such insurance could assist in preventing losses from occurring in the first place. Historically, the insurance industry has encouraged improvements in fire safety, workplace safety, sturdier home construction, and safety features in automobiles. I hope that, in the coming years, the insurance industry can also embrace emerging technologies and practices such as autonomous vehicles, telecommuting, and biomedical breakthroughs – all of which could save many lives while reducing the loss potential for lines of business as diverse as automobile insurance, workers' compensation and medical malpractice insurance.
I am a techno-optimist who believes that insurance professionals should advocate the adoption of the tools and processes that can advance human civilization into its next era. It will be interesting to see how general insurance develops in the coming decades and how various insurance products will evolve to cover emerging technologies and exposures and adapt to an ever-changing (hopefully improving!) landscape of risk.
What made you decide to pursue the SOA General Insurance Track?
I hold that the pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement should be a lifelong endeavor, and it seems logical to pursue a credential that facilitates such continual learning while also serving as a concise signaling mechanism that one has delved into cutting-edge topics in property and casualty insurance.
The SOA's General Insurance Track was particularly attractive to me because of its emphasis on exposing candidates to the most current, relevant resources for actuarial practice today. The extensive use of online modules and the focus on applying the tools of the electronic age are immense points in the SOA General Insurance Track's favor. For example, in the Applications of Statistical Techniques (AST) module, one does not just learn about generalized linear models; one actually works with R to create them.
By offering candidates direct experience with the types of tools that they would find in a job setting, the SOA General Insurance Track helps build the bridge between theory and application.
I decided to pursue the SOA General Insurance Track in part to help build support for this educational approach and contribute to what will hopefully be an ever-growing pool of motivated candidates.
What features do you like about the GI track?
- Emphasis on the use of technology through the modules and teaching of practical skills, like the creation and analysis of generalized linear models in R.
- Extensive outreach and attention given to individual candidates. Candidates should know that the SOA truly wants them to succeed, and gives them the tools to do so. It takes hard work and dedication, but the opportunity is there for those who are willing.
- An international perspective is taken on many concepts and approaches. One learns not just how a particular topic is approached in the United States, but also similarities and differences in approaches in other countries.
- Also, one can get some perspective on the tremendously diverse areas of practice and actuarial considerations that exist throughout the insurance industry and related sectors of the economy.
What would you tell candidates to expect should they decide to pursue Fellowship with the SOA's General Insurance Track?
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making the decision to pursue the Fellowship with the General Insurance Track. Once you begin to study, you will find an added emphasis on the use of technology and on the regular application of the ideas and techniques in the readings. For modules, keep the big picture in mind as you progress through the readings, and think about how any given reading might become relevant later on. When it comes time to do the end-of-module exercises, you should be able to discern which sources will be useful for you to revisit in making sure you develop your best answer for each component.
For exams, make sure you read each syllabus paper several times and dissect key ideas into memorable segments that can then be expressed in a question-and-answer format. It can also help to utilize external study guides, as long as they are supplements and not substitutes for the syllabus readings. If you do not think that sufficient affordable study guides exist for a given exam, try making your own and soliciting feedback from others. This will be excellent practice for you.
Use a variety of study techniques to keep the information fresh in your mind. Simple memorization creates anchors in your mind that can render the application of a skill more instantaneous. You should also be solving practice problems on a daily basis, if possible. The more different problem types and approaches for solving them you are able to internalize, the more capable you will be when facing an unfamiliar problem. With enough practice, you might be able to recognize some seemingly completely new problems as variations on familiar themes.
Exams are time-limited, and it is important to pace oneself appropriately. During the 15-minute reading period, make a mental note of the problems that you know how to approach right away, and do those first. At the end, you should strive to give yourself a sufficient time buffer to think through the more challenging and unusual problems for you. Try, as much as possible, to always keep moving forward somewhere. If you hit a roadblock on one problem, shift to another and work through it; perhaps an insight on the first problem will arrive later on.
Sign up to receive information and updates on SOA's General Insurance Track


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Hybrid Modular Display 30ft Wide Timberline Tapered Booth Graphic Pkg
Hybrid Modular Display 30ft Tapered Trade Show Booth Graphic Package
The Timberline display is part of our new line of hybrid modular displays, bringing a new contemporary look and portable versatility. Tapered wings enhance your display, helping you attract more customers to your booth. The Timberline modular display is available in various sizes and styles. A flowing canopy tops off your trade show booth and wings offer size, style and depth. Since the Timberline utilizes a user-friendly modular design, setting up is quick and easy.
*** WARRANTY *** 1 Year Manufacturers Warranty on Hardware and Graphics
Features and Benefits:
- The Timberline modular display is portable and customizable making perfect for tradeshow events.
- Vibrant custom printed graphics get you noticed!
- Printed wings gives your booth dimension, size, and style.
- Canopy has a flowing effect and tops off your tradeshow booth exhibit.
- Includes wheeled hard cases for convenient transport & storage.
Package Includes:
- (3) Modular display frame with dye-sublimation graphics
- (2) Joiner panels
- (3) Large center panels
- (3) Wave canopies
- (6) LED lights
- (9) Acrylic shelves
- (3) Acrylic headers with custom back-printed graphics
- (3) Wave tube counters with dye-sublimation graphics
- (2) Large monitor mounts for 30"-50" (monitors not included)
- (3) Frosted acrylic reception desk
- (1) Box of tools and screws
- (1) Box of side acrylic panel screws
- (3) Molded plastic wheeled cases
- (1) Instructions
- Flooring is not included
Graphic Design Services: Available upon request. Please call for a quote (239) 433-9738
Click here for Submitting Artwork, Formats, Color & Resolution Requirements
|Custom Fields
|in stock
|Google Feed Product Image
|google product category
|Business & Industrial > Advertising & Marketing > Trade Show Displays
|Google Shipping Rules
|Custom Stock Message
|In Stock, Printing 3 - 5 days
- Booth Dimensions: 96"h x 377.5.5"w
- Acrylic Table Dimensions: 36"h x 24"w x 16"d
- Acrylic Shelf Dimensions: 9.5" x 18.75"
- Shipping Dimensions: 27"w x 48"h x 12.5"d (3 Boxes)
- Shipping Weight: 370 lbs. (123 lbs each package)
- Tapered Wings
Graphic Specifications:
- Center Panel Size: 80" x 80"
- Side Panel Size: 15.75" x 80"
- Material: Wrinkle free tension fabric
- Printing: Full color dye sublimation
- Print Turn Time: 3 - 5 business days after proof approval
- Turn time starts the day after proofs are approved
Downloads: Hybrid Modular Display 30ft Booth Tapered Package
NOTE: To download files, click the links below or Right Mouse Click and choose "Save Target As..."
MAIN GRAPHICS Template for 30ft Tapered Hybrid Modular Display
WAVE TUBE COUNTER Template for Hybrid Modular Display
HEADER Template for Tapered Timberline Hybrid Modular Display
WAVE TOP COVER Template for Hybrid Modular Display (Optional)
Set Up Instructions for Hybrid Modular Display
Printable Spec Sheet for 30ft Hybrid Modular Display
Throw Templates: 6ft 3-sides | 6ft 4-sides | 8ft 3-sides | 8ft 4-sides


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Sunday, 4 August 2013
Book Review - Demon Apocalypse
Author: Darren Shan
Series: The Demonata (book 6)
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Release Date: 1 May 2007
Fire! It's all around me, fierce, intense, out of control. I feel the hair on my arms singe and know I have only seconds before I burst into flames. Total panic. There's a horrible shrieking sound, piercing and destructive. My eardrums and eyeballs should burst. "It's hell!" I moan.
• One boy's life ripped to shreds before his eyes…
• One wrathful demon master hellbent on revenge…
• An army of grisly Demonata on the rampage…
It's the end of the world as we know it.
My Review
And so the second review of the night. Already been confused by what happened in which book and had to change the review I just did.
This one carries on right where the last book took off. Grubbs is faced with a plane full of demons and little hope of escape, obviously the series is only half way through so he has to get out, but I didn't expect the person that rescues him - welcome back Beranabus and Kernel Fleck (again more events fall into place, and previous books make more sense)
Again this book is really building up to something huge, you can practically feel the pressure and excitement on the page.
Everything jsut builds and builds and all the characters we have met previously come back and everything makes sense. There are deaths, twists, shocks and revelations. Really exciting. There was a 'twist' at the end with one of the characters and their fate, but to be honest I saw it coming from the moment a certain event happens in the previous book (can't say more or it will give it away) maybe I'm too canny or it was just obvious but I certainly figured it out. Still enjoyed seeing how Shan would reveal it though.
This one again is gory and packed with battles and fights, but still so compelling, I have to know what happens to the characters and see who will make it out.
Bring on the rest of the series.
My Rating
Posted by barmybex at 21:10
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Another hot day. And I spent part of it at IKEA to get storage for my studio. I was able to get a turquoise Raskog, the rolling rack. They are discontinuing the color and I really wanted a second one. The first one is already full with paints, pens and other supplies. This one will be for collages elements and book making stuff.
Anyway, after a few tasks, I was too hot to take the paints out. And it's so humid in my apartment today that they would've taken a while to dry. So, inspired by Alisa Burke and Hanna Andersson, I grabbed watercolor paper and my Slick Writer marker and doodled some postcards! Since the marker dries waterproof and permanent, they can easily be painted with watercolors now. Now the question is, do I paint them or do I mail them to people who can then paint them? What do you think? Here they are: City Cats, Flowers, Garden and Mandalas.
If you click on the images, you can see them a bit bigger. And, if you so choose, you can save them by right-clicking on each of them and print them for your own personal use only.
Thanks for visiting and I'll be back on monday. Have a nice weekend!


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BPI can process payroll for charter schools in conjunction with their third-party payroll service, and generate the necessary reconciliations and reports.
LINKS TO OTHER CHARTER SCHOOL ACCOUNTING SERVICES: Bookkeeping, Financial Statements, Budgeting, Payroll, Grant Management, Compliance, New Schools
Payroll Processing
Bookkeeping Plus prepares and inputs the payroll information to be processed by a third-party payroll company. This includes calculating the deductions for benefits such as health insurance and life insurance, as well as retirement contributions by employer and employee.
We then make the payroll entries directly into the systems of the third-party payroll providers, and subsequently prepare the desired reports. After the payroll is processed by the payroll company, we input the payroll into the client's accounting software by department and grant allocation.
Our service includes tracking teacher contracts, which involves taking the total number of working days and converting it to an annual payroll calendar so that the teacher is paid throughout the year. If the teacher's job is terminated, we prorate it accordingly.
We also prepare the monthly benefit reconciliations for each deduction or benefit category.
Retirement Savings Plans (INPRS)
The Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS) provides a retirement savings plan for certified teachers at charter schools. The Teachers' Retirement Fund (TRF) allows teachers or their employing schools, or both, to contribute to the plan. There is also a fund for non-teacher employees of schools (i.e. administrators and staff) called the Public Employees' Retirement Fund (PERF).
As with all such plans, there are specific requirements and prohibitions, and the procedures for paycheck deductions and payroll liability payments can be difficult to understand and implement. BPI has a payroll processing department dedicated to handling PERF and TRF payroll matters. We determine what rules and issues apply, make the necessary calculations, enter the paycheck deductions (contributions by employee), prepare the employer contributions, and send contribution funds to the plan.
We also prepare and send the various regular and annual reports required by PERF/TRF. Accuracy and timeliness are key, and BPI's reputation for being able to successfully navigate the PERF/TRF maze is unparalleled.
403 (b) Plans
A 403(b) is a retirement savings plan for which the employees of nonprofit organizations are eligible, including charter schools. Conceptually, it is similar to a 401(k) in that, generally speaking, salary is deferred into the plan before income tax is paid, grows on a tax-deferred basis, and is taxed upon withdrawal.
A 403(b) plan may be used as an alternative to an INPRS plan, in which the school matches the employee's contribution. Another option is for an employee who is participating in INPRS to make additional contributions to a 403(b) plan, if the school has elected to have such a plan.
Obviously, the rules regarding eligibility, deductions, matching, and contribution caps get complicated in a hurry. Fortunately, BPI has many years of experience in making the necessary calculations, and ensuring that paycheck processing is accurate.
BPI also performs regular 403(b) reconciliations, and prepares the annual census report required by third-party administrators (TPAs) of 403(b) plans.
Click here to read about our other areas of Charter School Accounting services.


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – With its 6-3 win over St. Lawrence, coupled with Union's tie at Cornell, the No. 3/3 Harvard men's hockey team (22-5-2, 16-4-2 ECACH) earned a share of the ECAC Hockey regular season title, and the Cleary Cup, with the Dutchmen. The Crimson hold the tiebreaker and will be the top seed in the ECAC Hockey Playoffs. The title is the 11th in program history.
Harvard had already clinched a bye in through the first round of the ECAC Playoffs and will host a quarterfinal series at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center March 10-12. The opponent will be based on the results of the first round series. Harvard's 22 wins is its most since the 2002-03 season.
The Crimson honored its eight seniors after the game. They become the first class since 1993-94 to earn a regular season ECAC Hockey championship. Senior Alexander Kerfoot had three points on a goal and two assists. Sophomore Ryan Donato had his fourth four-point game of the year, scoring twice and dishing out two assists.
Harvard jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on the Saints in the first frame. Freshman Nathan Krusko potted the game's first goal at 8:21 with a one-timer right in front of the St. Lawrence goal off a Phil Zielonka feed. The helper was one of two on the night for Zielonka on senior night, while Jake Horton earned the second assist. Kerfoot pushed the lead out to 2-0 at 11:16. Adam Fox made a strong play to keep the puck in the zone at the blue line, tipping it to Donato. Donato circled the edge of the zone before sending the puck towards the net. It deflected off a St. Lawrence defenseman and found the stick of Kerfoot to the left of Kyle Hayton for the quick tap in.
Horton closed out the opening period scoring for Harvard with his sixth of the season. John Marino made a high clear from deep in the Harvard zone, leading Zielonka out to center ice. Zielonka carried it into the St. Lawrence zone and after it was tipped off his stick, Horton gathered it and wristed it past Hayton.
The power play unit came to life in the second frame with Donato scoring his first of the period. Fox sent a shot towards the goal that was bounced from numerous sticks, including those of Zerter-Gossage and Kerfoot before Donato reeled it in and swung around backhand for the tally. His second of the frame came at 14:40 when his wrister cleared the goaltender's shoulder and hit the top corner. Starting St. Lawrence netminder Kyle Hayton was pulled after Donato's first goal with Arthur Brey taking over.
St. Lawrence got on the board at 3:22 of the third on a power play goal from Joe Sullivan and then closed the gap to 5-2 on Mike Marnell's shorthanded goal. Carson Gicewicz made it 5-3 at 16:32, but it was as close as St. Lawrence could get, as Zerter-Gossage scored an empty-netter with nine seconds remaining.


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Holy smokes, where did this week go??!! I was wanting to get in at least a few posts this week, but life gets crazay sometimes :). I have a few things to share with you before I leave. Yes I said LEAVE. I am off to the States for a nice hot vacation! I can't wait to be warm, shop and most importantly spend some quality time with my family! So I want to leave you with a couple of recipes and a quick DIY idea!
I wanted to share this DIY recipe for oat flour because it is simple and a great money saver 🙂
All you have to do is place the desired amount of oats in a blender, and blend until it becomes a flour like consistency. When I bake I always replace the flour they call for, with oat flour and use the same ratio. I have never had any trouble substituting.
The next is a recipe that is perfect for the dropping temperatures and makes you feel like making a pot, cozying up on the couch and eating a bowl! I can't wait to try this when I get back!
Last, but never least, I wanted to share this absolutely delicious looking dessert recipe. I love clean desserts, but I would have to say apple crisp may be my favorite! It makes me happy when I can eat something I love and know everything in it is good for me. This may be on my dinner table tonight for dessert :).
This picture is perfect and true. Train your worries away, instead of eating them away. Getting to the gym takes motivation and determination to continue going, but once you get in a habit do everything you can to stay in your routine. You will be much happier after a workout, than after eating ice cream or a chocolate bar, and it is so much more rewarding. Some things I do for motivation are: "Like" as many fitness Pages or fitness athletes on Facebook as I can. I find filling my Newsfeed with positive people who are interested in the same thing I am, really gets me motivated. I also read blogs, go on Pinterest and the most important, I have a gym partner. And although working out is important, eating is 80% of the battle. Making physical and internal changes starts in the kitchen, not in the gym. But I do believe both go hand in hand. If you go to the gym, the less you are likely to eat a chocolate bar to ruin all your hard work. So get cooking in the kitchen and pick up those dumbbells in the gym :).
What helps you stay motivated?
If I have internet I will try to post while I am away, but I don't want to leave you with any empty promises. So enjoy your upcoming week, and since I am not here, use each other for motivation! See you soon!!
Happy Sunday!


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Bubbly-Fizzy Bath Time Fun!
As many of you know. Bath Bombs and Bubble Bars have become the new 'In Thing'. Well The P.C. Soap Company has been making these beautiful and fun 'Bath Confections' for around 15 years now. Proving that everything goes full circle!
We love our little Bubbling Bath Cupcakes. We have improved the formula and customers can't say enough about them! Not only are they a guilt-free indulgence, they are rich, and moisturizing to the skin. The cupcake is a fizzing bath bomb, loaded with skin softening emollients and, the 'frosting' is a bubbly, foaming, sugary, bubble bath! Pop the frosting off and disperse under running water to create a decadent bubble bath. Drop the bottom in and enjoy lush moisturizing emollients that soothe the skin. By the way...you are going to smell amazing and your skin will glow!
Well we didn't stop there. Take a look at our adorable Bath Macaroons! The same concept. Rich moisturizing emollients, bubbles and elegant fragrance. Fun!
My personal favorite are our Bath Bombs. The Mega Bombs are the size of a baseball and loaded with skin smoothing oils and lush fragrance. Pop one of these bad boys in a full bath and watch as it spins and fizzes, releasing rich, skin softening emollients, while make your entire room smell amazing...and YOU! LOVE!
One of my favorites is the Voodoo! Sultry and mysterious. Cast a spell on the people around you because, this Bomb is the Bomb!
Best EVER!


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The JCC Jayhawks women's basketball team (3-4) hosted the Commodores of Lorain County Community College. The Commodores scored the first points of the game taking a 2-0 lead but then the Jayhawks unleashed their devastating 3 point shots and quickly jumped out to a 12 to 2 lead and when the first period ended the Jayhawks held a comfortable 17-7 lead. The second period saw the Jayhawks jump out ot a 23-7 lead but then the Commodores went on a run and at the end of the first half of play the lead had been reduced to Jayhawks 28, Commodores 21. With momentum seemingly on their side, the Commodores came out flat and the Jayhawks came out hot as the third period ended with the Jayhawks holding a commanding 43 – 26 lead. The fourth period did not see the Jayhawks let up, as bench players kept the momentum going as the Jayhawks downed the Commodores 60-40.
The Jayhawks were led by #22 Jada Jackson (Wellsboro) who had a double double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 steals; #4 Emilee Sperry (Panama) had 9 points and 7 rebounds; #11 Hayden Burgeson (Lakewood) had 9 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals; #34 Kaleigh Brunswick (South Dayton) had 8 points and 3 rebounds; #24 Kelly Keefe (Jamestown) had 7 points; #33 Brianne Davis (Bemus Point) had 6 points and 4 rebounds; #30 Natalie Houle (Sherman) and #50 Quinn Bankoski (Dunkirk) had 3 points each; and #20 Sydney Wight (Wellsville) had 4 rebounds.


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News Release
October 22, 2015
London, ON – Presently, only 22% of university aged entrepreneurs are women – a fact that has not gone unnoticed at Canada's only women's university. Brescia University College, in partnership with Propel Western and Leap Junction Fanshawe, is pleased to offer a free one-day conference available to all post-secondary women. The W.E. (Women Entrepreneurs) Mean Business Conference, hosted by Brescia on October 29th, is designed by women, for women to demonstrate how a simple idea can become a business. Students will benefit from the guidance of over 40 entrepreneurs and mentors.
"Current research outlines that women are less likely than men to become entrepreneurs," states Brescia Associate Professor and conference organizer Colleen Sharen. "Our hope is that the W.E Mean Business Conference will inspire and motivate young women through interactions with female role models and mentors, and connect with like-minded students to cultivate potential future business ideas."
The one-day conference, part of Brescia's Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative (Her WEI), will present a unique and interactive opportunity for post-secondary women to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career path. Highlights of the day include: a keynote address from Sarah Landstreet, founder of Georgette Packaging; interactive breakout sessions, allowing students to work with a team of mentors and entrepreneurs to develop a product or service; a complimentary lunch and tradeshow, where students can gain valuable insights and guidance from local businesses and entrepreneurs. The conference will conclude with the W.E. Mean Business Networking Event, where participants will be given the opportunity to make important connections with other participants, mentors and entrepreneurs.
"Western University and Fanshawe College are wonderful partners in education," says Brescia's Interim Principal, Dr. Donna Rogers. "We are delighted to connect with them to offer this unique entrepreneurship conference for women."
W.E Mean Business will be hosted at Brescia University College on Thursday, October 29 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Parking is free for the day. To register or learn more about the W.E. Mean Business Conference, please visit: http://brescia.uwo.ca/wemb/
For more information please contact:
Cathy Fox, Manager Communication and Marketing at 519-432-8353, ext 28293 or at email@example.com, or Caitlin Core, Communications, Marketing & External Relations Officer at 519.432.8353, ext. 28280 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Brescia University College, Canada's only women's university college, is affiliated with Western University. The 1,550 women registered as either full- or part-time students at Brescia study a wide variety of subjects in Arts, Social Sciences, Business, and Foods & Nutrition in an empowering, compassionate, student-centred, and invigorating environment. Degrees are granted by Western. The Catholic College welcomes students from all backgrounds and values diversity. For more current and archived news, a listing of faculty experts, and photos please visit our Online Media Room at http://media.bresciauc.ca/
Western University's Propel and LEAP Junction at Fanshawe College, are local partners in entrepreneurship and are part of the Campus-Linked Accelerator (CLA) program, an initiative of the Ontario Government and administered through the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).
Photo Opportunity
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2015
Location: Brescia University College
Time: 9:00 Opening remarks (St. James Building Auditorium)
9:30 – 11:45 Breakout sessions (St. James Building Auditorium)
11:45 -1:00 Complimentary lunch and tradeshow (The Mercato)
1:00- 2:00 W.E. Mean Business Networking event (St. James Building Auditorium)


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|"I bought Real Estate Calculator Suite years ago and have been very satisfied with it, actually it is the reason I've kept the Windows system since I switched to a Mac." Rob Wiebell
What is a Mortgage Calculator?
What many people call a "mortgage calculator" is actually a financial calculator which generates amortization schedules or computes monthly loan payments. Technically, one cannot "calculate a mortgage" because a mortgage is not a number.
A mortgage is a legal agreement between a borrower (or homeowner) and a lender (or mortgagor). The borrower agrees to purchase a home using the home as a pledge that the borrower will complete the purchase by making payments over a designated period of time. After the home is paid for according to the agreement, the pledge is cancelled. At the end of the mortgage, the lender has reclaimed the loaned funds (and usually a larger amount in interest) and the mortgagee (borrower) fully owns the home without any debt.
While the term "mortgage calculator" is a misnomer, there are quite a lot of financial calculations involved in making good decisions about buying or selling real estate. Real estate math covers everything from calculating monthly payment to determing the proceeds from selling a home you own. Real Estate Calculator Suite is a collection of financial and real estate calculators that helps you with all of your real estate finances.
Amortization schedules, prepayment calculators, estimated closing cost calculators, loan calculators and biweekly payment calculators are just a few of the 16 real estate and financial calculators in Real Estate Calculator Suite, $39.95 US.
If you need a set of real estate tools that will allow you to easily perform you own real estate math, take a good look at Real Estate Calculator Suite, $39.95 USD. Designed to "make real estate math easy", Real Estate Calculator Suite helps you find answers to questions about mortgages, loan payments, comparing interest rates, estimated closing costs and even cash required at closing by home buyers.
Download a fully functional evaluation version of Real Estate Calculator Suite or Buy it Now!


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When dealing with China, Taiwanese constantly talk about maintaining the "status quo," which is as much a realization and an attitude as it is a policy. There has been a rise in the awareness of national autonomy in Taiwan over the past few years, which has had a clear impact upon both how the "status quo" is defined and on how it might be maintained. This has seen the emergence of a logically consistent, internally coherent trend in public opinion.
It is only by clarifying the situation and understanding the core content of awareness, trends and public opinion, that it will be possible to mount a collective defense and allow Taiwanese to further protect their beliefs and ideas, prevent certain political parties or politicians from selling Taiwan out and stop China from further infringing upon the nation's borders.
With data from various public opinion surveys conducted over the long term, the following aspects of public opinion concerning the "status quo" can be determined, helping to reveal what Taiwanese think.
When Taiwanese talk about the "status quo" in cross-strait relations, they tend to approach it from an analysis of the current political situation or the similarities and differences of the respective political systems, rather than from any nostalgic sentimentality revolving around culture, ethnicity, historical roots or theories of provenance.
Figures released on June 28 last year by the Taiwan Thinktank revealed two important points about public opinion: Among Taiwanese, 73.8 percent support the idea of cross-strait relations being state-to-state relations and 82.9 percent consider both sides of the Taiwan Strait to be autonomous, independent countries — the Republic of China (ROC) on the one side and the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the other.
Also, according to figures on ethnic identification released last year by National Chengchi University's Election Study Center, 60.6 percent of Taiwanese identified only as Taiwanese. From this evidence it is clear that, as far as Taiwanese are concerned, each country has its own national identity.
In a poll conducted by the 21st Century Foundation two years ago, 46 percent of Taiwanese said that "Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China, and neither belongs to the other," while 24 percent said they supported the idea of "the ROC on Taiwan" and 20 percent said "the ROC is Taiwan."
Adding these three results together shows that as many as 90 percent of Taiwanese said that there exists a separate political entity on each side of the Taiwan Strait, that they do not belong to the same country and that Taiwan is absolutely not "a part of China." Only 2 percent said that Taiwan was a part of China.
Consequently, there is little to recommend that the idea of "one China" holds any water in the eyes of Taiwanese. For Taiwanese, the idea that Taiwan and China are different countries could not be any more apparent. This is their "status quo."
Since there is a country on either side of the Taiwan Strait, neither of which belongs to represents or overlaps with the other, and since each country has its own name, borders and levies its own tariffs, it is clear that Taiwanese are not Chinese citizens and Chinese are clearly not Taiwanese. Maintaining the "status quo" means maintaining these differences. In the university's poll, the choices for how to maintain the "status quo" were given as follows: to "permanently maintain the status quo"; "to maintain the status quo and then decide"; "to maintain the status quo, but to lean toward independence"; and "to maintain the status quo, but lean toward unification."