text:
What makes a striking photo? Often, it's merely ordinary things composed in an ordinary manner. That's because they always tend to have a single theme or idea, and because clutter is kept to a minimum. They are simple, true, and sincere. Today we're looking at the elements of design (line, shape, form, texture, color etc) that can turn a simple subject into a striking photo.
Successful photos rely on order, and the main elements that bring and emphasize order in a composition are: line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and color. Every photograph, intentionally or not, contains one or more of these element, which are known as the elements of design.
All of these elements have a huge impact on a photo, especially the line, texture, and color. Usually we recognize and utilize these elements unconsciously. This depends on the individual's sensitivity to the different visual components out there, and is very much affected by the person's memories and life experiences that are registered on their own personal mind tape.
Out of the 6 elements of design, line is the strongest and most important and influential. Without line there can be no shape. Without shape there can be no form. Without form there can be no texture and there can be no pattern. Lines are powerful tools that can be used smartly to lead the viewers eyes towards the point of interest in a photograph, and alter the overall feeling and mood of an image.
Lines can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or curved. Lines can be short or tall, can be thick or thin. Lines can lead you away, or move you forward in an image. A line's emotional effect on an image cannot be overlooked. They sometimes feel restful, soothing, rigid, active, guiding, or threatening.
Thin lines can be experienced by some as unstable, and by others as vulnerable. Thick lines can be experienced as rigid and dependant, or can be experienced as dominating or stern. Curved lines are often perceived as soft, soothing, settling, and relaxing. Jagged lines can be perceived as forceful, chaotic, sharp, and threatening.
Vertical lines in a photograph tend to convey different moods, ranging from power and strength, to growth. Vertical lines can include strands of hair, poles, trees, buildings, and a lot of other different objects that expand vertically rather than horizontally.
Horizontal lines in a photo tend to cast a feeling of restfulness, permanency, and stability. If you want to further accentuate the restful, stable feeling of a horizontal line in an image, a good way is to use horizontal framing rather than vertical.
Layers of multiple horizontal lines in an image can create drama and rhythm, and can become the main interest of the image all by themselves. Horizontal lines can include horizons, seas, laying people, street sides, and almost anything that expands horizontally.
Diagonal lines work well to guide the viewers' attention towards the main subject of your photo. They can convey a sense of action and render photos as dynamic and interesting. Diagonal lines can be the shape of a path, a line of trees, a fence, river or any other component of an image.
The second most fundamental element of design is shape, because shape is the principal element of identification. The most important thing to keep in mind when shape is the essential element in an image is that it is best defined when the subject is frontlit or backlit. For that shape to be successfully identifiable, it needs to be in strong contrast with its surroundings so that it is detached from the clutter around it.
Shapes in images can also be seen as silhouettes – these are best shot several minutes before sunset up to several minutes following it, as well as several minutes before sunrise up to several minutes following it. It is also worth mentioning that silhouettes are the purist and strongest of all shapes.
Form is basically a three-dimensional shape, and is best accentuated by side lighting since it casts soft elegant shadows, and the difference between light and shadows gives a better illustration of the depth of an object and amplifies the sensual understanding of its meaning and message.
No design element is more capable of moving your deep emotions than texture. The challenge of seeing and capturing texture is mostly based on one element – light. Texture can be accentuated by the side light of early sunny mornings or early evenings, or by overhead light when the sun is vertical and high in the sky.
With the sun high in the sky, the roughness of the walls of buildings, or the wood textures of tree trunks, or any kind of texture along vertical surfaces is emphasized as the overhead light casts small shadows along those surfaces. While the impact is subtle, it adds more depth, interest, and reality to the shots.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that texture as a background can create an exciting and emotion-filled composition. And with the correct use of texture, pictures can become more alive and almost three dimensional.
Life is full of patterns. It is all part of our cosmic existence, for without patterns our lives would be utter chaos. Most patterns we don't recognize or we overlook because of our busy, routine-driven, daily lives.
Two techniques come into practice while working with patterns; you can emphasise the pattern, or you can break it:
Emphasising a pattern can accentuate a sense of size and expansion. The idea is to zoom in onto the pattern and fill the frame with it. Emphasized pattern can include faces amongst a crowd, a line of homogenous plants, bricks of a wall, etc
Breaking a pattern is all about finding an object that disrupts the continuous flow of a pattern. It can be an object that is in clear contrast with the rest of the objects; be it in shape, color, or even texture. You might need to handle your composition with extra care while trying to render a broken pattern, and the rule of thirds can come in handy in such situations.
For example, you can place your "odd" object along one of the thirds or on one of their intersecting points. You can also play with your depth of field. Have the contrasting item in sharp focus and the items around it fading slowly into the out-of-focus. Broken patterns can be found naturally, or some situations can be manipulated to disrupt readily existing patterns.
Color is characterized by attributes such as value, hue, and saturation. Colors, and how they're arranged, can either make or break a shot. Different colors can send out different messages, and they indeed have an important visual weight and impact on a photo.
Vibrant colors are energetic, interesting, and active. So are reds and yellows. Blues and greens are comforting and soothing. The path towards creating creative photos benefits from a high understanding of colors and their impact on an image, as well as a high awareness of colors surrounding you.
There are colors everywhere. Macro insect photography is filled with interesting colors. Nature, cities, people and their clothing, houses, streets, skies, beaches – everything around you is filled with color. You just need to be aware of it, and train your eyes to see it. Paying attention to color and it's emotional messages and meanings is an important step towards photographic maturity.
It is worth mentioning that there are two types of colors; subtractive and additive. Each type has two sets of its own; primary colors, and secondary colors. Painting, photography, and printing use subtractive colors, and this is our concern in this post.
Red, blue, and yellow are called primary subtractive color, from these colors the secondary subtractive colors violet, orange, and green emerge. Mixing red and blue creates violet. Mixing blue and yellow creates green, mixing yellow and red creates orange. Mixing equal amounts of blue, red, and yellow produces black.
Pairs of colors that fall opposite to each other on the above color wheel are called complementary colors. These pairs complement and intensify one another when put together. Studying the color wheel can give you a better understanding as to how colors affect or complement each other, so that you can use this knowledge to better prevail the correct meanings and messages in your photography.
Note that yellow, red, and orange are considered to be warm colors. These are associated with sun and fire. Blue, violet, and green are considered cool colors. These are associated with snow, water, and shadows.
Elements of design are the most basic visual components of any composition. Understanding the elements of design, how they affect and complement each other, and what messages they convey is the way to step up with your photographic images and create stunning work that reaches out to people's hearts and souls.
hese are the building blocks for creating your own work of art. Putting these elements together, and knowing how/when to use them will make your photos far more effective and purposeful. These elements are all around us, we just need to train our eyes to see and capture them, and our minds and souls to translate them into conveying our own emotions and ideas. Then, and only then, will our work become eye-catching and dramatic.


text:
Trench being cleaned by archaeologists after machining. Credit: University of Leicester
Trench excavated by University of Leicester archaeologists to be protected for further investigation
THE site of a grave believed to be that of King Richard III is due to remain open to enable further investigation and interpretation to take place.
Human remains provisionally identified as those of the last Plantagenet king, who was killed in battle in 1485, were discovered in one of three trenches opened by a team of archaeologists from the University of Leicester earlier this month.
The battle-scarred skeleton, which also had significant spinal abnormalities, is currently undergoing DNA testing to help establish whether investigators really have discovered the long-lost grave of the king, within the grounds of the former Grey Friars church.
The section of trench in which the bones were discovered will now be kept open and covered by a protective tent, marking the historically-important site until a further decision on how best to present the site is made.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: "We are committed to developing plans so that visitors in future will be able to understand and interpret the site and appreciate its importance in Leicester's history, so preserving and presenting the grave site properly is a key part of that."
Some of the other trenches containing the most fragile medieval evidence, such as areas where mortar from the original tiled cloister floor is still visible, will be infilled to preserve them and protect them from exposure to wet and cold weather.
The work is being carried out by Leicester City Council, working alongside archaeologists from the University of Leicester, and will take place over the coming days.
Archaeologists will first line the most vulnerable areas with a protective geotextile membrane, and then backfill the trenches with the same material which was originally dug out.
The site will then be handed over to Leicester City Council's highways team, which will carefully complete the infilling and resurfacing work.
The shift of focus to look now at the future of the dig site follows six very successful public open days which have attracted thousands of visitors over the last two weeks.
Infilling of the trenches had been delayed to allow visitors to see for themselves the ongoing work, which has revealed for the first time the location of the long-lost medieval Grey Friars church, where Richard III is believed to have been buried after his defeat at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
The City Mayor added: "Archaeologists from the University of Leicester have revealed to us glimpses of a lost medieval world within these remarkable excavations, and it is vitally important that the evidence at this site is preserved for future investigations.
"With winter weather upon us already, we are working with the university to fill in the trenches and protect what they've discovered so far.
"The work will be done in a way that will both enable them to be re-opened for further investigations if need be, and also to ensure what we've already uncovered is preserved for future generations."
The University of Leicester's co-director of archaeological services, Richard Buckley, added: "Most of the site needs to be backfilled as soon as possible to ensure that fragile remains, such as the mortar bedding for tiled floors, can be protected from erosion by autumn and winter weather.
"We will be covering up the most vulnerable areas with geotextile membrane, with some hand backfilling, before handing over to Leicester City Highways who will carefully complete the trench infill and reinstatement process."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Applying the right nutrient source, at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place is essential to nutrient stewardship and is the core of the 4Rs. To achieve this goal, a team of experts has created the following learning modules. An essential component of these learning modules is to provide information about the basic components of soil fertility and nutrient best management practices. Topics include an explanation of the key components of plant nutrition in relation to selection of fertilizer best management practices addressing the 4Rs. The modules address the macro- and micronutrients as well as soil sampling and integrated economic and environmental issues relative to nutrient management.
After using these materials, please click here to give us your feedback through a brief survey.
CCAs can click here to take a quiz on the modules and apply for CEUs. Meetings and events offering additional CEUs can be found here on the CCA calendar.
The materials included in these modules were authored by Agustin Pagani, John Sawyer, and Antonio Mallarino; Iowa State University Department of Agronomy. Materials include a chapter and an automated presentation for each topic.


text:
In this recent post to Reddit.com, the question is asked "Where can I find a free place to edit PHP code and see the results?"
Hey everyone, Recently I was tasked with coming up with some code for an possible job opportunity. I'm wondering if anyone could point me to a place where I can easily write and edit PHP code and see the actual program run.
Suggestions from the comments include:
- Codepad.org
- Ideone.com
- The built-in webserver for PHP 5.4.x
- Ignite.io


text:
Russian architectural firm Remistudio has taken the concept of a man-made biosphere and gone to sea with its vision for the floating "Ark Hotel." Designed to withstand floods, tidal waves and rising ocean levels as well as earthquakes and other natural disasters, the hotel concept would float and function independently on the surface of a body of water, providing a green, self-sustaining environment for guests who presumably, would never have to leave.
The shell-inspired Ark design has a load-bearing system of arches and cables which maintain an even weight distribution to withstand earthquakes, whilst the prefabricated frame allows for a fast and easy construction.
The internal garden provides a lush escape for guests by acting as a greenhouse and enough daylight is filtered throughout the internal rooms to reduce the need for lighting.
The design also integrates photovoltaic solar cells, a rainwater collection system and a frame that is protected with layer of self-cleaning and recyclable ethyltetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) – the same material used in the Beijing National Aquatic Center.
Aside from the eco-credentials, it's a stunning design that seems to jump straight out of a science-fiction film. We can only hope that the worst global warming predictions prove inaccurate and it doesn't become the 22nd Century's holiday destination of choice.
The Ark was designed by Remistudio with the assistance of the International Union of Architects' program "Architecture for Disaster Relief."
Via Inhabitat.


text:
Last year, when the issue of defunding ACORN was a hot-button issue, I told countless radio talk show audiences that the focus should be on eliminating the underlying fuel that created the organization—the flow of federal subsidies.
Chris Edwards pointed this out in September. If Congress simply stops subsidizing ACORN, its activists will reincorporate under new names and again become eligible for funds. Alas, that's precisely what ACORN is currently doing.
From FoxNews.com:
One of the latest groups to adopt a new name is ACORN Housing, long one of the best-funded affiliates. Now, the group is calling itself the Affordable Housing Centers of America.
Others changing their names include what were among the largest affiliates: California ACORN is now Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and New York ACORN has become New York Communities for Change. More are expected to follow suit.
A comment from Frederick Hill, a spokesman for Republicans on the U.S. House oversight and government reform committee, doesn't indicate that the GOP has quite received the message:
To credibly claim a clean break, argued Hill, the new groups should at least have hired directors from outside ACORN.
It appears that for many Republicans, attacking ACORN represented political opportunism, not a statement about the proper role of the federal government.
Further rendering the GOP's ACORN agenda moot was last week's ruling by a U.S. District judge that singling out ACORN for defunding is unconstitutional. It truly boggles the mind what passes for constitutional and unconstitutional in this country.
Last Tuesday was the birthday of James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution." Reflecting upon Madison's wise words, it's hard to understand how the federal "community development" programs that have funded ACORN could pass constitutional muster:
"The government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government."
"[T]he powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction."
"With respect to the two words "general welfare," I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators."
"If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the general welfare, the government is no longer a limited one possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one subject to particular exceptions."
See this essay for reasons why these HUD community development programs should be abolished.
cross-posted from Cato-at-Liberty.org
- Grand Bargains and Budget Battles - August 8, 2013
- Feds and the States Tag-Teaming on Corporate Welfare - July 29, 2013
- Economic Development Administration Goes 'Rambo' on Itself - July 12, 2013


text: [nepheron] shows us how he hacked his walkie talkie to broadcast music. While using this to broadcast music is possibly illegal, it could be used to make actual upgrades to your system as well. He has replaced the microphone input with a headphone cable and extended the antenna. It is only mono, and he states it will only run for a minute before shutting off, so there is definitely room for improvement.


text:
Joe Discoe is known for having some of the most dynamic turns in the business, and he continues to score solid World Cup results from season to season. (Mark Epstein/U.S. Freestyle)
The best regional and national moguls athletes dueled it out on Steamboat Resort's famed Voodoo mogul course in the last event of the season.
Hannah Kearney and Troy Murphy were crowned U.S. mogul champions at the USANA U.S. Freestyle Championships.
Olympians Bradley Wilson and Eliza Outtrim raced through heavy snow Sunday to pin down dual moguls titles at the USANA U.S. Freestyle Championships at Deer Valley. Here's Wilson on the podium with Nick Hanscom and Joe Discoe.
Olympic bronze medalist Hannah Kearney claimed her fourth-straight FIS Freestyle World Cup moguls title Friday with her gold-medal run under the lights at the World Cup Finals competition in La Plagne, France.
Olympic bronze medalist Hannah Kearny returned to the top of the World Cup standings Sunday with her win at the snowy Voss dual moguls World Cup, while Bradley Wilson was also able to land on the podium in third.
Hannah Kearney retook her spot at the top of the World Cup moguls standings Sunday with a win at the Inawashiro dual moguls competition.
Patrick Deneen skied to third place, his first FIS World Cup podium of the Olympic season, on a steep and icy Calgary moguls course Saturday, while World Cup Champion Hannah Kearney earned a second-place finish.
Freestyle Generations Join Together at Camp
Joe Discoe won his third U.S. title Saturday in the dizzying dual moguls competition at the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships at Heavenly.
Bradley Wilson scored his first World Cup win leading a parade of career bests by U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athletes in Japan.
Joe Discoe Quick Facts
Freestyle Athletes » Joe Discoe |
Additional Info
Joe Discoe WebsitesAthlete Photo Gallery |
Joe Discoe is known for having some of the most dynamic turns in the business. A determined and passionate athlete, Discoe loves the adrenaline and speed of the sport, enough for him to be one of the most dedicated athletes out there. With four NorAm top-10 finishes, he was on a steady rise to success after the 2009 season, the culmination of which was his third at U.S. Championships. In 2010 Discoe continued his World Cup career in style with three top-15 finishes at the end of the season. He then went on to notch a sixth-place finish along with four other top-15s in 2011. He was also back on the U.S Championships podium with a gold medal in dual moguls. The 2012 season saw Discoe continue building on his World Cup resume with three top-10 finishes at the end of the season to tie his career-high 15th-place ranking in the World Cup moguls standings. After all the success in his career thus far, Discoe saw the culmination of all his hard work when he earned a third-place finish at the Inawashiro World Cup in 2013. He capped that off with a gold in duals at U.S. Championships. Discoe notched nine top-20 finishes during his winter skiing across the globe in 2014. He capped off the season with a third-place finish at U.S. Championships. FIRST TRACKS
HighlightsWORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WORLD CUP


text:
Last week we addressed the dangers posed by sugar consumption, which is a topic that Mike Furci has addressed on this site for years. There's no way to have a "low-fat diet" if you're also loading up with sugar and carbs.
With that in mind, this is a good time to revisit Mike's list of banned foods – basically foods you should be avoiding or at least eating less of in your diet. Review the list and print it out, and then over the next week eat as you normally do and write down everything you eat. Then compare it to this list and you'll see that you probably need some adjustments to your diet.
This is the first step in altering your eating habits by identifying foods you need to replace. Remember, it's not about counting calories. What you eat is far more important.
Related Posts
Posted in: Fitness
Tags: avoiding sugar, banned foods, better diet, diet, diet advice, diet tips, diet tips for guys, diet tips for men, diets for guys, diets for men, don't count calories, foods you should avoid, foods you should replace, improve your diet, nutrition guidelines, nutrition principles, Sugar, sugar dangers, sugar epidemic, sugar health issues


text:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has vast potential due to it's natural resources and mineral wealth, yet the economy of the DRC has declined drastically since the mid-1980s.
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa ties with Johannesburg for the status of the second largest city in sub-Saharan Africa and the third largest in the whole continent after Lagos and Cairo. Because the administrative boundaries cover such a vast area, over 60% of the city's land is rural in nature, and the urban area only occupies a small section in the far western end of the province.
Kinshasa has an overall cost of living index which equates it with middle cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups.
The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.


text:
Download a transcript of this episode
Show Topics
1. [4:13] Gluten intolerance study
2. [15:44] Veggie Sensitivities
3. [21:01] Gall Bladder Removal & Fat
4. [27:18] A1C Test
5. [31:41] Paleo, CrossFit & Weight Loss
6. [41:04] Phytic Acid in Nuts
7. [42:55] Adrenal Fatigue / Depression
8. [51:38] Bloody Noses
1. Gluten intolerance study
Read the article in the WSJ
2. Veggie Sensitivities
Jason Says: Thanks for making my commute so much more interesting, at least for one day of the week. Love the podcasts, love your humour, hate that you get way more sun than we do here in the Great White North.
My question for you guys is this: Have either of you worked with or know of folks that have sensitivities to certain vegetables, and can these sensitivities resolve as your system resets itself after diligently following the Paleo diet?
My wife has always had issues with digesting various veggies – spinach and broccoli being some of the major culprits. It doesn't seem to us that they're allergies in the traditional sense – she doesn't break out or swell up or anything, but instead she'll get stomach cramping, gas pains, etc; often lasting all day, sometimes even a couple days. It doesn't seem to matter if it's cooked or not but she definitely reacts harder if they're eaten raw. Some background – until reading the Paleo Solution she was a stalwart lover of breads and all things Carb-y. We haven't made the switch yet, but as of writing this question we've cleaned out our pantry and are going grocery shopping tonight or tomorrow to get started.
She'd be willing to try the problematic veggies again after going Paleo for a while but to be fair she's leery of trying after having too many bad experiences. I thought a good interim option would be to pick the brains of the experts (and you guys too) to get your thoughts. Could 'resetting the system' with Paleo help with veggie sensitivity?
From your One Canadian listener, thanks so much! Keep up the great work.
3. Gall Bladder Removal & Fat
Paul Says: My wife's gall bladder has been removed and she has some form of autoimmunity problem. Doctors don't want to call it lupus, but don't know what to call it. I know the gall bladder plays a crucial role in the digestion of fat, so my question is this- What should we do with her diet? Are there any specific steps that we should take or things we should or should not do?
4. A1C Test
Nicole Says: Hi Robb, I'm a newbie, just 2 months on the paleo diet. Had bloodwork done after 6 weeks and just got the results. All my numbers were better than my previous good numbers. The one problem is the A1C. Mine is 5.3. All my other #'s: cholesterol=130; tri=28; ldl=65; hdl=59; c-reactive=0.1; glucose=82. As far as i can tell, I'm doing great except in the glucose and A1C areas. What am i doing wrong and what do i need to eat/not eat to fix it? thank you!! 🙂
5. Paleo, CrossFit & Weight Loss
Belinda Says: Hi Robb, i've only just discovered your podcasts and I am very glad I did, you have a wealth of knowledge and it's great that you are so willing to share.
I have been eating Paleo (pretty strictly most of the time) for the past 4 and a half months. I have also been doing a Cross-fit style workout with my trainer 3 times a week with other, cardio exercise in between.
I've been battling with weight problems my whole life and am hoping that this new regime will get me to where I want to be. In the past 4 months I have only managed to lose 10kg (I need to lose 20 more to be at my goal). However the weight loss has been extremely slow and I am starting to get very frustrated. I know that I am getting fit and healthy and building muscle etc but when you see TV programs like the biggest loser (which I know isn't realistic) it makes me wonder if I am doing anything wrong?
I am also having CRAZY mood swings and of light headed episodes rather frequently. I am prone to high stress… Could this be a Cortisol issue? If so, how do I deal with it and lower my cortisol levels?
Thanks for your help.
6. Phytic Acid in Nuts
Greg Asks: If phytic acid is such a problem in grains why aren't they a problem in nuts? From what I've read the concentrations are higher.
7. Adrenal Fatigue / Depression
Hate to do the "anonymous" thing but am skipping a couple of details because I don't want to make it obvious who this is. In her sport she's well known, and would like to make a comeback, and I wouldn't want this part of her personal life in the public.
History: My wife is a 36 year old female "ex" pro athlete. Has struggled with depression all her life. Sports/physical culture has been a major coping mechanism. In my opinion she was dealing with massive overtraining/adrenal burnout towards the end of her career. The last couple of years her S&C was predominately long mega beat down CrossFit met cons. This is in addition to a VERY intense sport specific training/competition schedule. In addition to this she was a vegetarian and had been for 15 or so years. A few years ago she was dealt several serious injuries and several personal tragedies at the same time. This resulted a in a spiral down into a deep depression. This was a serious crippling depression, not a "down in the dumps" thing. Therapy, and several medications didn't touch it.
Then her doctor tried cymbalta. Within a week she had the first glimpse of hope in the possibility of pulling herself out of this. It went away after a few days, but gave us hope for the first time in a couple of years. I read up on the stuff. It's a norepinepherine reuptake inhibitor (it also works on serotonin, but she's been on other serotonin based meds wit no effect) . Seems like they are essentially describing adrenal fatigue, but from chronic emotional stress as opposed to the typical "met con" physical overload.
I feel like the puzzle pieces fall like this.
-Born with a lower norepinepherine level.
-Mitigates this by doing more and more intense competitive sports, which helps but will catch her eventually.
-Gets into "beat down met cons" and Brutally Intense sports.
-Suffers adrenal burnout (or whatever its correctly called).
-Gets injured and can't use sports to help manage her already failing norepinepherine levels.
-Suffers personal tragedies that compound these issues.
So, if I'm right and low norepinepherine levels are the main problem (as suggested by a cymbalta temporarily alleviating symptoms), what would you prescribe?
I am suggesting that she do your typical strict Paleo, D and Magnesium, and a focus on sleep quality (hasn't made the jump yet, although she will now have local pastured animal products), and follow the Adrenal fatigue recovery protocols you suggest (NO met cons, focus on strength, and lots of walking). But is there anything else that you would add, or do differently? Supplements, activities? Am I WAY off, and desperately grasping? Help! All the doctors want to do is give her scrips. There has to be a better way.
Thank you so much for any help with this. And, for all you've already done. Even if you don't answer this one, you've already helped so many people including me. So,thank you either way.
8. Bloody Noses
Spencer Says: Hello Robb, I have been having seemingly random bloody noses since high school (23 now). Every 6 months or so it will start up, and I will get at least 1 a day sometimes more. I tried nasal sprays for dry air before. Could It be a vit K2 deficiency? I eat plenty of butter(not grassfed), meat, eggs and a but of liver, Could I still be deficient? would any malabsorbtion issues be suspect?


text:
A large team of experts led by a Johns Hopkins geriatrician reports that efforts to improve the care of older adults and others with complex medical needs will fall short unless public policymakers focus not only on preventing hospital readmission rates, but also on better coordination of community-based "care transitions." Lessons learned from managing such transitions for older patients, they say, may offer a framework for overall improvement.
Nationwide, some 22 percent of older adults experience so-called care transitions annually, moving from and among hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, long-term care, assisted living and their homes. In a report published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine on Feb. 21, 2014, the experts say studies have long shown that fragmented care, incomplete information "handoffs" and poor planning among community-based and home caregivers jeopardize health and safety.
Similarly, the team says, those with traumatic brain injuries, cancer, end-stage kidney failure, complicated diabetes, heart disease, developmental disabilities and cerebral palsy need better coordination of their care across health care settings.
Using a review of research and clinical experience, the authors built their framework and recommendations for improving care on the foundation of what's been learned about caring for aging Americans.
Among their recommendations for health policymakers and caregivers are the need to engage community-based care "receivers" earlier in the transition process, to adopt a palliative care approach with patients and their families that sets realistic care goals, and to focus not only on preventing hospitalization, but also on making out-of-hospital transitions easier.
"In this framework, emphasis is placed on the importance of looking at community, system and regional factors that play into care transitions," says report co-author Alicia I. Arbaje, M.D., M.P.H., director of transitional care research for Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Many of the group's recommendations focus on communication among providers. For example, Arbaje says, hospital staff should not only make follow-up phone calls to check on discharged patients, but they should also send written care instructions. Family members and caregivers should be a part of patient education during discharge. Small chores, such as alerting a skilled home health care provider well in advance of a patient's discharge, can make coordinating care and recovery plans more effective.
"Our suggested framework is designed to help providers think ahead instead of reacting during a patient's crisis," says Arbaje. Recovery and emergency contingency plans need to be broader than referring a patient back to a primary care physician and instead include other components of an individual patient's health care system and support.
"These findings shed light on what we can do as a health system and community to reduce readmission rates by looking at more than just the patient. The conceptual framework gives structure to understand problems with care transitions and outlines what and who to consider when planning and implementing them. It can be a valuable tool for health care systems and policymakers to guide care coordination efforts as part of health care reform," she says.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cite This Page:


text:
Ruth Handler Barbie's Mom
Ruth Handler
Co-owner of Mattel Inc.
Founded: 1945
"When I conceived Barbie, I believed it was important to a little girl's self-esteem to play with a doll that has breasts."-Ruth Handler
When Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler first proposed that the company make a grown-up doll, the marketing staff at Mattel balked at the idea. Little girls like playing with baby dolls, they proclaimed. And they were certain that adult women wouldn't want their children to have a doll with breasts. But the budding business dynamo wasn't one to give up easily. It took her nearly three years, but Handler finally convinced the company to make the doll. It was probably the best decision they ever made. Barbie, as Ruth would name the 11 ½ -inch doll, was an instant hit, not only making Mattel an undisputed leader in toy manufacturing, but also creating a $1.9 billion per year industry.
The company that would eventually become one of the world's leading toy manufacturers began rather inauspiciously in a garage in El Segundo, California. The original founders, Harold Matson and Elliot Handler, dubbed the venture "Mattel," creating the name by combining letters of their first and last names. Mattel's first product was picture frames, but Elliot developed a side business making dollhouse furniture from picture frame scraps.
Believing the company was doomed to fail, Matson sold out to his partner, and Handler's wife, Ruth, joined him as co-owner. Encouraged by the success of their doll furniture, the Handlers switched the company's emphasis to toys and began making a line of musical products, including a child-sized ukulele and a patented hand-crank music box, which generated much of the company's revenue in the '50s and '60s.
The company did reasonably well, but was far from an industry powerhouse. It was in 1956 that Ruth Handler hit upon the ingenious idea that would rocket Mattel to the forefront of the toy industry and fascinate four generations of young girls.
Handler got the inspiration for the Barbie doll while watching her young daughter, Barbara, and her friends playing with paper dolls. The girls liked to play adult or teenage make-believe with the dolls, imagining them as college students, cheerleaders and adults with careers. It instantly dawned on Handler that make-believe and pretending about the future is an important part of growing up. In researching the market, she discovered a void and became determined to fill the niche with a 3-D doll.
Mattel designers had their doubts, going as far as to say that making such a doll was impossible. While vacationing in Europe, Handler discovered a German doll named Lilli-a quasi-pornographic novelty gift for men. She brought three of the dolls home and sent Mattel designers off to Japan telling them to "find us a manufacturer."
Handler's vision for the doll, which she called Barbie (her daughter's nickname), was that she be the "ideal" woman. According to legend, Barbie's face and figure were created from a combination of the best features of the day's most popular stars, including Audrey Hepburn's famous eyebrows.
By 1959, Barbie was a reality and ready to hit the stores. But there were a few snags. In early market research, it was revealed that mothers hated the doll, one reportedly saying, "Wow! That's really a daddy's doll, isn't it?" Toy retailers were also less than impressed with Barbie. When the doll was introduced at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York City, retailers had never before seen a doll so completely unlike the baby and toddler dolls that were popular at the time, and many refused to carry it.
Undaunted, Handler went directly to young girls with television ads that presented Barbie as a real person. Thanks to this innovative marketing approach, within three months of her debut, Barbie dolls were selling at a rate of 20,000 per week. Demand for the doll was so great that it took several years for the supply to keep up with the demand. Barbie was so successful that she enabled Mattel to go public in 1960, and within five years, Mattel would join the ranks of the Fortune 500.
Over the next few years, an entire industry sprang up around Barbie. Designers continually worked to create new clothes for Barbie that reflected the changing fashions of the day. But they didn't stop at merely clothes. Barbie soon had her own dream house, a car, a plane, a yacht and dozens of other accessories, not to mention a host of "friends," including dolls named Midge, Skipper and Christie. Barbie even got her own boyfriend, Ken, named after Handler's son. Ironically, ranging from $5 and up, most of Barbie's clothes and accessories cost more than the doll itself (Barbie cost $3). In fact, today Barbie accessories generate nearly 40 percent of Mattel's revenue.
Since her "birth," approximately 1 billion Barbies have been sold in four decades, making Handler's "child" the bestselling fashion doll in every major global market, with worldwide annual sales topping $1.9 billion.
In 1999, at a gala event celebrating Barbie's 40th birthday, Handler was asked if she was surprised by Barbie's tremendous success. "I always thought Barbie was very, very basic," she replied. "She was as basic a toy for play as was possible to have, and I had faith that she would be a great toy. But I never thought that any toy could ever last this long or grow this big."
After a personal victory over breast cancer in the mid-1970s, Ruth Handler retired from Mattel. She went on to use her experience and expertise to start Ruthton Corp.¬, which is dedicated to the development and manufacturing of breast prostheses called "Nearly Me." By meeting with department store buyers, promoting the products herself across the country, and talking candidly with other breast cancer survivors, Handler built her second company into a success. In 1991, she sold Ruthton Corp. to a division of health and beauty aids giant Kimberly-Clark.
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Barbie, But Were Afraid To Ask
- Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, and her hometown is Willows, Wisconsin.
- Barbie's first career was as a teen fashion model. Since then, she's had more than 75 different jobs, including astronaut.
- The bestselling Barbie doll ever was Totally Hair Barbie, with hair from the top of her head to her toes.
- Close to 1 billion fashions have been produced for Barbie and her friends since 1959. Currently, about 120 new ensembles are designed for Barbie each year.
- More than 40 leading fashion designers, including Bob Mackie, Bill Blass, Gianni Versace and Missoni, have created Barbie costumes.
- The military series of Barbies¬-Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps-underwent revision by the Pentagon to ensure the most realistic costumes.
- Barbie accessories include a plane, a yacht and 46 houses.
- Barbie has had 17 dogs, 12 horses, five cats and three ponies.
- More than 1 billion Barbies have been sold since 1959. Placed head to toe, they would circle the Earth more than seven times.
According to company legend, Ruth Handler wanted the first Ken doll to have genitalia.an idea the men in marketing quickly nixed. Ken's last name, by the way, is Carson.


text:
Thursday, July 31, 2008
E.H. Shepard's Academic Studies
Last weekend some artist friends came by the studio: Barry Klugerman (left), an artist, collector, and connoisseur of illustrated books; fellow illustrator Mark Elliott; and muralist, portrait painter, and illustrator Mike Wimmer (far right). Mike was stopping by on his way home to Oklahoma after attending the Hartford Art School Illustration MFA Program.
Barry brought up his collection of academic figure drawings by Ernest H. Shepard. Better known for his Winnie the Pooh illustrations, Shepard won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools in 1897, where he received rigorous academic training. At age 18, he was the youngest student there, but he was already good at drawing. Both his parents were artists, and they were close friends with the artists Frank Dicksee and Edwin Abbey.
These drawings were done in 11 sessions, 2 hours each (with breaks) in the figure class under proctors like George Clausen and John Singer Sargent. Once the pose was set by the visiting teacher, the students were not allowed to make suggestions, and they were absolutely forbidden to speak to the model. Male and female students worked and lived separately.
Nevertheless Shepard met the woman who was to be his first wife at art school. Her name was Florence Eleanor Chaplin, three years his senior, but at least his equal at drawing (her drawing above). Like many gifted female artists, she sacrificed her career for her responsibilities in a Victorian marriage.
Shepard soon was illustrating for the magazine Punch. According to biographer Rawle Knox, "knowing that he was a draughtsman rather than a colorist, he tried to get a footing as an illustrator and black and white artist." The apparent ease and simplicity of Shepard's Pooh illustrations belie the long hours of careful observation from his early training.
All images are copyright their respective owners.
Information from The Work of E H Shepard, by Rawle Knox, available at Amazon.
6 comments:
- Andrew said...
Wow. I always love seeing the other side of the old illustrators, especially when you're so familiar with just one of their works and nothing else. Seeing his life study is pretty amazing, and he had Sargent as a mentor! How cool is that!
- July 31, 2008 at 9:11 AM
- Victor said...
Do you have any other photos of Shepard's academic drawings? I'm currently studying at an academy and I'm always looking for examples of highly finished figure drawings from the past for inspiration.
- July 31, 2008 at 11:21 PM
- James Gurney said...
Sorry, Victor, I tried taking a couple photos of Barry's other academic drawings, but they didn't come out. Barry is looking for a venue that might want to exhibit the originals, so if you know of a place (maybe an art school), let me know, and I'll pass it on to him. The photos don't do the originals justice.
Drew, yes, wouldn't it be cool to have Sargent as our teacher? I read somewhere that they asked him to be president of the Royal Academy, but he refused because he was so terrified of public speaking. - August 1, 2008 at 2:56 AM
- Stephen James. said...
Those are some fine Academic studies.
- August 1, 2008 at 8:00 PM
- Charley Parker said...
Wonderful! I've never seen work of Shepard's other than his illustrations for Milne's books and Wind in the Willows. Thanks!
There is a good chapter on Shepard in A Treasury of The Great Children's Book Illustrators by Susan E. Meyer.
In searching for superb academic figure drawings, if you haven't already, you might look for those of Pierre-Paul Prud'hon. Some links here. - August 2, 2008 at 4:48 PM
- Kristina Carroll said...
I think what I love best is the success of someone with an intense academic background in branching off into different styles and excelling at them. This is the sort of range I would like to aspire to in my art, and it is heartening to see such a great illustrator mastering both.
- August 3, 2008 at 12:19 AM


text:
[Craig] is always keeping busy by deconstructing and poking around in various firmware images. This time around he has taken on the task of modifying the DD-WRT package, a popular replacement firmware for SOHO routers.
While the firmware is released under the GPL, [Craig] cites that it's pretty difficult to build from source. Instead, he says that the typical course of action is to extract files from the firmware image, alter them, then reconstruct the image. This works for most things, but the DD-WRT GUI files are protected in order to prevent modification.
Since the phrase "you are not allowed to do that" doesn't exist in his vocabulary, [Craig] set out to see if he could make his way around the protections and change the GUI code. It took quite a bit of digging around using IDA Pro and readelf, but he was eventually able to extract, tweak, then reinsert individual pages back into the firmware image.
The process is pretty time consuming, so he put together a tool called webdecomp that automates the extraction and rebuilding of DD-WRT's web page file. If you're interested in rocking a custom Hackaday-branded router interface like the one shown above, be sure to swing by his site and grab a copy of webdecomp.


text:
Facts Being Twisted
On Monday, Sept. 26, there was a meeting of the Citizens For Ocean City.
At this meeting, the president of the City Council was challenged to define the new direction of the four on the council. Mr. Hall responded with a resounding, "money".
He then described how he and Councilwoman Pillas had, despite fierce opposition from the administration, orchestrated the reduction in city costs.
Jim may believe this is true, but the facts contradict his allegation.
Dennis Dare, through endless meetings with his staff, found the methods to reduce the costs by restructuring the different departments, giving incentives to reduce payroll by retirements and reprioritizing projects.
Now Mr. Hall and Ms. Pillas may have voted to invoke these changes, but they were part of a seven-member vote and not the authors of the changes.
Mr. Hall has also not responded to the comments by Mayor Rick Meehan that the new direction also wanted to enact legislation that would have attacked the security of city workers by changing their benefits and retirement at a cost of an additional $1.5 million.
Perhaps Jim's most honest comment was, "maybe it is time to retire".
Charlie Barrett
Ocean City
Back Of The Room Boys
I went to the meeting on Sept. 26 for the Citizens For Ocean City, which was formed after the removable of City Manager Dennis Dare.
Seating was provided for each member of the City Council. Two members of the council took their seats that were assigned to them, Mary Knight and Doug Cymek. Two other council members, Joe Hall and Jim Hall (which I will forever refer to as the back of the room boys) placed themselves just about as far back as they could go.
To me, that speaks volumes about them. If they truly believed in the decisions they made concerning Dennis Dare, they should have taken their seats with the other council members. Of course, when others don't agree with you, it makes it a whole lot easier when the meeting is over to exit from the back.
Mary Dean
Ocean City
Street Performer A Health Concern
While performance artists on the Boardwalk do highlight the First Amendment right to freedom of expression, the recent controversy involving a spray painter there is a bad example.
In the summertime, I often stay in Ocean City. My wife manages a business near where Mark Chase "performs" spray-painting signs for money. He is a public health hazard. He creates a paint-fume cloud that extends in a 30-foot perimeter around his work area. That work area is in a heavily traveled space beside Ocean City's Boardwalk.
While Mr. Chase wears a respirator, the people who watch him paint, and pedestrians passing by, do not. I've seen mothers stricken as they enter this paint-fume cloud with infants in strollers. People with allergies or suffering from pulmonary disease are also distressed by these fumes. Where's OSHA when you need them? Of course, if he were a proper business, he'd be cited immediately. Mr. Chase also blares mind-numbing techno music that thumps at high volume through nearby residences from dusk until midnight. But if you ask him to lower the volume, he'll tell you it's part of his "art."
Ocean City's legal department needs to step up its game and protect both its citizens and visitors from this scofflaw. When public health is put at risk, using the First Amendment as a fig leaf to cover your crimes is artless.
Robert Harmony Carr
Home Tour A Sellout
The Art League of Ocean City's Sand Castle Home Tour committee would like to thank the community for making the seventh annual tour a huge success. This event is a wonderful showcase for the Town of Ocean City, as well as a vital fundraiser for the arts.
The homeowners who opened their doors for the public to tour their homes deserve accolades for their commitment. They are the Nasteff, Malkin, Endre-Brown, Keen, Deluca, Cawford, Wakeman, Smith, Lanier and Bonner families.
Thank you to our honorary chairpeople Michelle and John Fager for a lovely cocktail party.
The beautiful flower arrangements were supplied by the Worcester County Garden Club, Bethany Florist, City Florist, Flowers by Alison, Kitty's Flowers, Ocean City Florist, Ocean Greenery, Ocean Pines Flower Shop and the Ocean Pines Garden Club.
Each homeowner received a portrait of their home donated by local artists Dot Braun, Beth Collard, Ethnie Graziano, Lyn Burr, Stasia Heubeck, Fay Kempton, Rina Thaler and Jody Veader.
Restaurants who donated to our raffle were Sunset Grille, Liquid Assets, The Hobbit, Fager's Island, The Shark, Crab Alley, The Angler, Hooper's, DeNovo's, Micky Fins, Macky's, Captains Table, Mug & Mallet, Fresco's, Galaxy 66, Bombora, Marina Deck in Ocean Pines, Lighthouse Sound, Harrison's Harborwatch and Jules.
We are grateful to The Dispatch and Ocean City Today for their support and to Coastal Style Magazine and Metropolitan for running features of the homes. Our thanks also to the many sponsors and advertisers, particularly Atlantic General Hospital, for providing the booties, The Gateway Grand for providing the tour bags and Worcester County Tourism for making the tour books possible.
Thank you especially to the 200 volunteers who staffed the homes, and to the over 1,000 people who took the tour. The funds raised from the tour will go towards the programs and building fund of the new art community art center. We appreciate the efforts of so many people in making this event an exciting part of the Ocean City event calendar.
The Sand Castle Home Tour Committee
(The committee consists of Barbara Melone, Katy Durham, Rina Thaler, Betty Stork, Lyn Burr, Marcy Thiele, Kim Wagner, Jennifer Albright, Jacquie Warden, Jamie Albright, Rebecca Galyon, Marian Bickerstaff, Nancy Rider, Jody Veader, Margaret Spurlock, Dolores Pack, Lora Fritschle, Kim McCabe, Josie Kingsley and Linda Kessinger.)
Prevention Is Key
Editor: Does everyone in your home know what the smoke alarm sounds like? Did you remove the batteries when they started chirping instead of replacing them? If it did sound, would you know what to do?
The Ocean City Fire Department is teaming up with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Oct. 9-15, 2011, to let our community know: "It's Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!" As always, the focus of FPW is to prevent home fires. This year, the campaign is also urging people to protect their homes and families with planning and life-saving technology — like smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. Unfortunately, many homes have smoke alarms that just don't work. In fact, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. About one in five of smoke alarm failures was due to dead batteries.
Ocean City Fire Department is urging you to use this week to be sure that your smoke alarms are equipped to help protect your family from fire by putting the following tips into action:
Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home (including the basement), outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Larger homes may need additional smoke alarms. Never remove or disable smoke alarms.
Interconnection of smoke alarms is highly recommended; when one smoke alarm sounds, they all do. (This is particularly important in larger or multi-story homes, where the sound from distant smoke alarms may be reduced to the point that it may not be loud enough to provide proper warning, especially for sleeping individuals.) A licensed electrician can install either hard-wired multiple-station alarms. Wireless alarms, which manufacturers have more recently begun producing, can be installed by the homeowner.
There are two types of smoke alarm technologies – ionization and photoelectric. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires – like a pan fire or the smoke from cooking. A photoelectric alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires – like a cigarette, overheated wiring or something hot like a space heater. Install both types of alarms in your home or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms that take advantage of both technologies.
Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. If an alarm "chirps," warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
All smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and those that are hard-wired alarms, should be replaced when they're 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.
The Ocean City Fire Department is holding fun, family-oriented activities during Fire Prevention Week to support "It's Fire Prevention Week at local schools and daycares.
For more information about Fire Prevention events, the Ocean City Fire Department can be reached at 410-289-4346. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms, visit www.oceancitymd.gov/fire_department
Ryan L. Whittington
Ocean City
(The writer is the public information officer for the Ocean City Fire Department)


text:
From classic literature to modern popular fiction, some works of phenomenal popularity just don't resonate with every reader. When I tried to read Anna Karenina, it was a 2004 selection of Oprah's Book Club. The title enjoyed a surge in popularity as people revisited a classic "considered by some to be the greatest novel ever written…tale of love and adultery set against the backdrop of high society in Moscow and Saint Petersburg" (quoted from the back cover blurb of the Main Library's copy). I was not impressed. After a justly famous opening line, the book bored me to death and I set it aside after only a couple dozen pages. It was boring, it was stilted, it was old and it was stuffy: above all, it was long! Most editions finish somewhere between 850 and 950 pages. If you are like me, intrigued by the novel but unimpressed by it, you might like to read these novels instead.
What Happened to Anna K. by Irina Reyn: This steamy novel re-imagines the plot of Anna Karenina in modern Queens. Much like Tolstoy's Anna, the titular Anna K. seeks an escape from her lifeless marriage in a reckless affair with a dashing young author. This brisk, enchanting novel compares favorably to the original at 244 pages.
Dinner With Anna Karenina by Gloria Goldreich: This tender novel of friendship examines the lives of 6 modern women as their book club reads Anna Karenina. As they discuss the classic, they make individual and group journeys toward improving their own lives.
Android Karenina by Ben H. Winters and Leo Tolstoy: In this embroidered version, Winters adds to and alters the original text of Anna Karenina to include cyborgs, space travel, and robots, adding a distinctive and imaginative twist to the story.
If you want to give Anna Karenina a go, place a hold on it at any of the three Davenport libraries. If the going gets tough, online reading guides may help you get more out of the text.


text:
If you need help creating a resume or cover letter, start with one of the dozens of professionally-designed resume and cover letter templates that are available in Word.
Go to File > New.
In the search box, type Resume or Cover Letter.
Double-click the template you want to use.
Replace the placeholder text with your own information.
On the File menu, select New from Template.
In the search box, type Resume or Cover Letter.
Double-click the template you want to use.
Replace the placeholder text with your own information.
See also
Making a resume like this while you're online is quick and easy.
Note: This template comes with a cover letter, so you'll have everything in one document.
Choose one of our resume templates, and open it in Word for the web to make it yours.
Tip: If you're already in Word for the web, get to the resume and cover letter templates by going to File > New, and then below the template images click More on Office.com.
You'll be on the Templates for Word page. In the list of categories, click Resumes and Cover Letters.
As you work on the resume, you'll probably want to rename it.
The template uses a table to line everything up. If you need to add more lines for job experience or education, add rows to the table by going up to Layout under Table Tools and clicking Insert Below (or Insert Above).
For tips on writing your resume, check out Six steps to developing a great resume.
Print it
When you're finished, print it out or share it online. You can do this with the resume still open in Word for the web. No need to save it first (that's already done for you).
To print it, press Ctrl+P, and wait for the Print dialog box.
Note: If you don't see a Print dialog box, click the link for opening a PDF version of your resume. From there, use the PDF program's Print command.
Share it
To share it online, send a link:
Near the top of the screen, click Share.
Under Share, click Get a Link.
Under Choose an option, click View only.
Click Create Link.
Click on the web address to select it, and then copy and paste it into an email, message, or post.
Tip: If you have a blog or website, you can embed a view of your resume there.


text:
Child Abuse
The Facts
- More than 3 million children per year are referred for abuse to state and local agencies
- 1 out of 4 girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18
- 1 out of 6 boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18
- 1 out of 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet
- 7 out of 10 child abuse cases are never reported
- In 90% of cases, children are abused by someone they know
- More than 5 children die every day as a result of abuse
- Survivors of abuse are at a greater risk for physical, emotional, work and relationship problems throughout their childhood and into adulthood
- It is estimated that the United States spends $120 billion/year on costs related to child abuse
The Peoria County Children's Advocacy Center averages 300 reported cases of child sexual and serious physical abuse annually
The Signs
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is any physical injury caused by beating, punching, shaking, kicking, biting or any other physical harm to a child. The injury may or may not be intentional. It may result from over-discipline or punishment.
Physical Indicators
- Bruises or broken bones on children not yet old enough to walk
- Marks in the shape of an object
- Unexplained bruises, burns, abrasions, fractures or cuts
- Bald spots
- Human bite marks
Behavioral Indicators
- Wary of physical contact
- Inappropriate or excessive fear of parent or caretaker
- Unbelievable explanations for their injuries or claim no knowledge of the source of injuries
- Frequently be late or absent from school
- Exhibit habit disorders - sucking, rocking, biting, or eating disorders
- Wear clothing that may be inappropriate for warmer months - parents may dress the child to cover up bruises or marks
- Anti-social behavior
These signs do not prove there is abuse happening, but could be a signal that a child may need help; many of these signs could be caused by things other than abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse includes fondling or other touching of a child's genitals, forcing a child to touch the abuser, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, or the exploitation of a child through prostitution or pornography. Sexual abuse may be the most under-reported form of abuse because adults often lure children into secrecy, shame and silence.
Physical Indicators
- Genital or anal itching, rashes, bruising, bleeding or pain
- Pain during urination
- Blood- stained underwear
- Rectal bleeding
- Difficulty sitting or walking
- Pregnancy or Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Behavioral Indicators
- Unusual interest or age-inappropriate knowledge of sexual matters
- Inappropriate displays of affection or promiscuity
- Excessive play with their own private parts
- Fear being alone with a certain person
- Nightmares or bed wetting
- Drastic changes in appetite
These signs do not prove there is abuse happening, but could be a signal that a child may need help; many of these signs could be caused by things other than abuse.


text:
Pacing with the time, Sonera supply trendy rhythm clocks designs in India. It's an eminent manufacturer and exporter of Quartz, wall clocks and electrical products. Following the uniqueness in each design, we value satisfaction of the customer and so his trust. Making vivid collection of wall clocks, we are prominent suppliers and manufacturers of rhythm clocks in India.
Know More


text:
Recap: Board beefs up downtown police patrols
The Riverhead Town Board on Tuesday night unanimously approved the transfer of $104,000 from town reserves to fund beefed up police protection downtown.
Another measure to transfer $400,000 from reserves to pay for costs associated with a new town police contract was also approved at the Town Board meeting, with Councilwoman Jodi Giglio voting against the move.
As expected, the board also OK'd a lawsuit settlement with Taste of Country, a farm stand on Sound Avenue that had been operating as a deli.
The meeting ended about 8:30 p.m., a half-hour before polls closed in the special election for county Legislature, a race in which Supervisor Sean Walter is the Republican candidate.
News-Review reporter Tim Gannon reported live from the meeting in Town Hall. Click below to see what else happened.
(Also visit riverheadnewsreview.com at 9 p.m. for live election coverage.)
Riverhead Town Board agenda 01-15-2013 by rnews_review


text:
Washington, DC – January 10, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling made the following comments about the Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage rule released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today:
"The CFPB has been given a job that is both impossible and dangerous. Impossible because the CFPB is a big government bureaucracy in Washington attempting to determine which mortgages are appropriate for 100 million Americans, each of whom have their own personal circumstances that the CFPB knows nothing about. Dangerous because the CFPB has been given vast, unprecedented and unchecked power, all delegated to a single director whose alleged recess appointment by the President is legally questionable. Rather than bringing greater certainty to the marketplace, every decision made by the CFPB will therefore be under a cloud. All could be overturned because the CFPB director's appointment is possibly unconstitutional, unlawful or both.
"These types of 'one-size fits all' solutions always – always – are fraught with unintended consequences. After all, government regulations and policies that strong-armed, incented and cajoled financial institutions into loaning money to people to buy homes they couldn't afford are a major reason why we had the financial crisis to begin with. Ironically, now we have government regulations attempting to tell financial institutions not to do what the government was telling them to do before.
"We have already started to see a consolidation in this market as participants, including banks and other mortgage loan originators, pull back from offering their products and services. As the Financial Services Committee examines this and other mortgage rules, we will look to see how they will impact a community financial institution's ability to compete and offer sustainable, affordable mortgages, or whether they will cause a further consolidation toward our nation's perceived 'too big to fail' banks. We will also examine the extent to which these rules impact a qualified consumer's ability to access credit, particularly for consumers in small and rural markets."


text:
March 9, 2023
This blog is part of the Virtual St. Joseph Altar. During the month leading up to the Feast of St. Joseph, visitors can place virtual offerings on the Altar. Enjoy your visit, and Viva San Giuseppe!
For deceased loved ones: prayer list.
For general prayer intentions: prayer requests.
Help keep the Virtual St. Joseph Altar up and running!
Donations of $25 or more will receive a digital copy of Viva San Giuseppe, A Guide for Saint Joseph Altars.
Virtual St. Joseph Altar © 1999-2024
Unless otherwise noted, all content of the Virtual St. Joseph Altar was created for this site. Permission is required to copy or republish any content of the Virtual St. Joseph Altar.


text:
The Journal of Research on Christian Education (JRCE) provides a vehicle for the scholarly interchange of research findings relative to every level of Christian education. Particular emphasis is given to Christian schooling within the Protestant tradition as well as to research findings from other traditions which have implications for such schools.
The purposes of the JRCE are (1) to stimulate inquiry among scholars of Christian education on topics of common interest, (2) to serve as a clearinghouse for the organization and diffusion of emerging research on the Christian school, (3) to communicate research findings that inform Christian educators as well as the wider society, and (4) to provide a venue for promoting inter-faith understandings and collaboration within the community of scholars in faith-based education.
The JRCE is published three times per year by Taylor & Francis/Routledge under the auspices of the School of Education at Andrews University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution. Views expressed in the JRCE are those of individual authors an do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the sponsoring organization.


text:
Avaya last week released a slew of new applications onto the market, including a robust collaboration platform that targets mid-sized companies.
Avaya IP Office 9.0 includes a number of features and deployment options geared specifically for companies that aren't ready to invest in enterprise offerings.
With new VMware support and the ability to scale up to 2,000 users, the new software addresses what's often a sticking point for companies in this space, Mark Monday, Avaya's vice president and general manager of Collaboration Solutions, told CRM Buyer.
"We have solutions like Avaya Aura that can easily be deployed by a customer that only has, say, 500 users, but the price point is too much," he said.
At the same time, simplicity and ease of use are also very important to this group, Monday added.
Scaling Up
One of the most notable changes in Office 9.0 is that it scales to 2,000 users; the previous version capped at 1,000 users.
"By doubling the capacity of the product, we have accomplished a couple of goals," Monday said. "Customers that have already deployed the product can now expand without having to shift entirely to a new platform. Also, our partners that have been selling the product now have the ability to go after customers that are twice as large."
In general, the new product offers another option for middle-market customers that might find their growth trajectory moving into enterprise territory.
The Virtualization Option
Office 9.0 also comes in a virtualized format for companies that are moving their computing operations in this direction. Prior to this,Avaya made Office available as a dedicated appliance and server-based.
"We have been hearing a lot of interest from customers about their need to support virtualized data centers," Monday said.
Such companies tend to be running VMware, so Office 9.0 added virtualized software running VMware vSphere 4.x or 5.x software, he noted.
"That way, our customers don't have to change out their equipment and they can get the full advantage of their virtualized data centers," Monday explained. Avaya's partners like this piece too, he added, 'because it allows them to host Office 9.0 for customers."
Branch Solution
The third major change to Office 9.0 is a feature that will likely hold particular appeal for retail companies. Specifically, it has been fully enabled as a branch office solution.
"It is an economical solution for the mass branch office deployment model," Monday explained. A mid-sized retailer could have hundreds or even thousands of stores as well as the corporate headquarters."
There are robust redundant gateways for branch office — including from Avaya — but Office 9.0 is the cheaper option, Monday said.
New Features
More than 100 new features are included in Office 9.0, many of them at the behest of customers, Monday said.
One example is the integrated Web manager, a Web-based tool that allows the customer or partner to manage multiple sites.
New voicemail licensing enhancements, meanwhile, provide support for voicemail across both primary and secondary sites.
There is also mobile and remote twinning, a feature added by demand that enables twinning to be used in a multisite deployment, Monday noted.
VoIP support for One-X Mobile Preferred provides VoIP-based communication from Avaya's mobile applications across WiFi and 3G/4G.
Last but not least, Remote Call Admission Control is a new feature that "allows support for call admission to a remote site that does not have an IP Office system to manage bandwidth into remote sites," Monday said.


text:
Teens and Partying
In this article, you will find:
- Setting rules
- Establishing responsibilities
Setting rules
Teens and Partying
You can already guess the drawbacks of entertaining teenagers in your own home (fingerprints all over the walls, no food left in the refrigerator, and so on), but there are some definite advantages. To begin, if they're at your house, you know where they are. In addition, if they're at your house, you'll get to know them (a little, anyway). It's also nice to let your teenager know that you welcome his friends just as you welcome your own.
Another thought to keep in mind: in most communities (especially in rural or suburban areas) the kids don't have a lot of options; movies are expensive, and ice cream parlors or local restaurants often close early. If they're looking for a safe place to simply hang out, they need a home.
And actually "hanging out" at your place is preferable to an official party that carries with it higher expectations than simply letting kids sit around and watch a movie or listen to music.
"There's a Party Tonight!"
If you do step into the role of official "party-thrower" for a birthday celebration or post-prom bash, keep the following in mind:
- Ask your teen to draw up a guest list of a limited number of kids. In general, 20–30 kids is a manageable group. (Large parties are almost impossible to control.)
- Specify "no crashers." Once teens can drive, party-crashing can and does occur; indicate that you'll be around throughout the party, and if too many kids appear, you'll have to close down.
- Agree ahead of time to the hours of the party. An end time gives you added control.
- If your teen needs a reminder, say that alcohol and drugs will not be tolerated. If kids bring in beer or any other substance, you can certainly ask them to leave.
- Specify that those who come to the party are to stay at the party; kids arriving, leaving, and returning are more likely to be bringing in illegal substances or are partaking elsewhere and then coming back—and you don't need that either.
- While you certainly don't want to monitor the party moment-to-moment, try to walk by once or twice during the evening (if only to bring in more food). If the party is in a basement rec room, keep some of the food upstairs. If the kids come up and realize parents are around, their behavior will probably remain more civilized.
- Invite another parent to keep you company. This also provides you with someone who knows some of the kids whom you don't know.
- If you have agreed to a large party, notify the neighbors, and tell the police. The police may be able to make suggestions regarding parking, and if they're keeping their eye out for you that night, it's all for the good.
- See Talking About Drugs and Alcohol for information about your legal responsibilities regarding teens and alcohol.
Partying Elsewhere
Parents tell horror stories that sound like something straight out of Risky Business: they were out for the evening, and their teenagers entertained without permission. The results were disastrous: the neighbors called the police, many of the kids got drunk, and the living room furniture will never look the same.
You don't want to be those parents, but you also don't want your teen to be at that party. That's why I'm going to give you some additional guidelines.
Every book you read says, "Call the parents to find out if anyone is going to be home." I recommend that, too, but with full acknowledgment that it's difficult to call people you don't know to quiz them about their plans and still maintain a relationship with your teen. As alternatives, you might try the following: (Don't tell your teen that you plan to call. It will only make him mad.)
- Call, but call with an offer: "How nice of you to have the kids over Friday night. Could I drop off some soda ahead of time, or is there anything else I can do to help you out?" If the party was a "surprise" party for the parents, you've just blown the whistle in the nicest of ways. If the call goes well, you've also made a new contact.
- Network. Call people you know who may be able to tell you what the scene will be like, or who can call and find out the arrangements for the party.
- Discuss times and transportation with your teen. What are the hours of the party, and how is your teen getting there? Remind her that if she goes elsewhere—for any reason—she's to call you.
- Tell your teen that she can call you (or another adult whom you both trust) at any time—no questions asked—if she wants to leave the party.
- Remind your teen never to ride with someone who has been drinking. (Refer to Teen Driving: Keeping Your Teen Safe for additional guidelines.)
- Stay awake, or have your teen wake you, when he gets home. This is your opportunity to check on what condition he's in following a party.
- Be suspicious if your teen frequently sleeps elsewhere after a party. He may not want to run into you for some reason. (Get the hint?)


text:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS South of Broad |
1. At the beginning of the
novel, Leo is called on to mitigate the racial prejudice of the football
team. What other types of prejudice appear in the novel? Which
characters are guilty of relying on preconceived notions? Why do you
think Leo is so accepting of most people? Why is his mother so
2. What do you think of the title "South of Broad"? How does the
setting inform the novel? Would the novel be very different if it were
set in another city or region?
3. As a teenager, Leo is heavily penalized for refusing to name the
boy who placed drugs in his pocket. Why did he feel compelled to protect
the boy's identity? Do you think he did the right thing?
4. When Leo's mother asks him to meet his new peers, she warns,
"Help them, but do not make friends with them." Do you think such a
thing possible? Through the novel, how does Leo help his friends, and
how do they help him?
5. Leo's mother tells him, "We're afraid the orphans and the Poe
kids will use you," to which he responds, "I don't mind being needed. I
don't even mind being used." Do you think this is a healthy attitude
toward friendship? Do any of the characters end up "using" Leo? Does his
outlook on friendship changed by the end of the novel?
6. Leo admits that the years after Steven's suicide nearly killed
him. How was he able to cope? How do Leo's parents deal with their
grief? What does the novel say about human resilience and our propensity
to overcome tragedy?
7. When Sheba suggests to Leo that he divorce his wife, he says, "I
knew there were problems when I married Starla so I didn't walk into
that marriage blind." Do you think that knowledge obligates Leo to stay
with his wife? In your opinion, does Leo do the right thing by staying
married? Would you do the same?
8. Both Chad and Leo are unfaithful to their wives, but only Leo is
truthful about it. Do you think this makes Chad's infidelity a worse
offense? Why or why not?
9. At two points in the novel, the group tries to rescue a friend:
first Niles, then Trevor. But when Starla is in trouble, they don't
attempt to save her. Why do you think this is? Has Starla become a "lost
10. At one point Leo remarks, "I had trouble with the whole concept
[of love] because I never fully learned the art of loving myself." How
does the concept of self-love play into the novel?
11. In the moment before Leo attacks Trevor's captor, he recites a
portion of "Horatio at the Bridge," a poem about taking a lone stand
against fearful odds. What is the significance of the verse? Do you
think it's appropriate to that moment?
12. The twins are the novel's most abused characters and also the
most creative. Do you think there is a connection between suffering and
13. What do you make of the smiley face symbol that Sheba and
Trevor's father paints? How does the novel address the idea of happiness
coexisting with pain?
14. At several points in the novel, characters divulge family
secrets. Do you believe that this information should stay secret, or is
there value in bringing it to light?
15. Leo examines his Catholicism at several points in the novel.
What do you think he might say are the advantages and drawbacks of his
religion? Do you think all religions are fraught with those problems?
16. One might interpret Leo's mother's attitude toward religion as
one of blind faith. If Steven had admitted his abuse to her, do you
think she would she have believed him? How do you think the information
might have affected her?
17. Sheba and Trevor are literally tormented by their childhoods,
in the form of their deranged father. How are some of the other
characters hindered by the past? Are they ever able to escape its
clutches and, if so, by what means?
18. Discuss the scene in which Leo and Molly rescue the porpoise.
What does the event symbolize?
19. Why do you think the discoveries about Leo's mother and
Monsignor Max begin and end the novel? What theme do these incidents
20. Chapter one begins with the statement, "Nothing happens by
accident," and Leo often reflects on the way that destiny has shaped his
life. How does destiny affect the other characters? Do you agree that
real life is the result of predetermined forces? Or can we affect our
fate. |
Home l About Us l Features l Contact Us l Share l Submit Book |


text:
It is easy to be cynical. Back in 1992, more than 100 world leaders, including George H.W. Bush, showed up for the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was a two-week mega-event that attracted huge attention, highlighted by the signing of two groundbreaking treaties on climate change and biodiversity and grand declarations about creating a future green and equitable world.
To put it mildly, the subsequent two decades have not lived up to the promises. George W. Bush effectively broke the climate treaty signed by his father, refusing to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol. Emissions have soared, resource plundering has intensified, nature is still on the retreat, the world has become less equitable, and climate change has gone from distant prospect to frightening reality. While the population bomb may be being defused, the consumption bomb is primed to destroy us all.
The 1992 Rio summit's aspirations were left in the hands of a new body: the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). You have probably never heard of it. That's not a good sign, since the commission is now in charge of a new event, Rio+20, which is being billed as the next step in making the planet fit for future generations.
Rio+20 will be held in the Brazilian megacity this June. It is hard to escape the conclusion that the hearts of our leaders are not in this. It will last for
The truth is we have gone backwards in the last two decades.just three days (June 20-22), rather than the 14 days of its predecessor. President Obama isn't going. The organizers are so scared nobody of note will turn up that, when they learned a few months ago that the event would clash with Britain and its former empire celebrating Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee, they postponed the summit for a week.
It probably won't help much. Even British Prime Minister David Cameron refused to take the hint and show any signs that he might attend.
It has to be said that maybe Cameron is right. The "zero draft text" (don't you just love UN-speak?) issued by the UNCSD at the end of January suggests leaders will not be asked to sign on to anything of substance that was not in the original Rio declaration 20 years ago. There will be no new treaties — plenty of pious words, but no action plan.
It is fine and good to call for a "green economy," of course. But as the Green Economy Coalition — a grouping of NGOs, research institutes, UN organizations, businesses and trade unions — puts it, the text fails to address the fundamental issues involved in achieving it. "How are we going to kick-start the finance of a green and fair economy?," the coalition asked in a statement issued last month. "How can we ensure the poorest benefit?… How will a green economy improve the management of our natural world?"
Many Western politicians may feel that the current economic crisis means that 2012 is not a good time to address environmental issues. But the counterargument is that rapacious use of the world's natural resources over the past 20 years is one reason we got into this mess — causing sharp rises in commodity prices, for instance — and that "green economics" is the only long-term solution.
The truth is that we have gone backwards in the past two decades. The growing power of big developing nations like China and Brazil is often putting the international agenda on sustainability into reverse. Their governments see even current weak international guidelines on social and
We need new environmental governance. It's time to reboot the Rio+20 summit agenda.environmental standards in development projects, such as those developed by the World Bank, as undermining their national sovereignty and impeding economic development, rather than enhancing and sustaining them.
As a result, notes Andy White, coordinator of the Washington-based Rights and Resources Initiative, "there is nothing in the draft Rio+20 text that even mentions the rights of poor people to their land and their forests, even though we know they are far better custodians of nature than governments or private corporations."
Tinkering with business as usual is not enough. What is needed is new environmental governance for a crowded planet running on empty. It is time to reboot the Rio+20 summit agenda.
The world's environmental scientists are doing their best. They know best how the planet's life support systems have deteriorated since 1992 and the imminent dangers of runaway ecological and climatic disaster.
The International Council for Science (ICSU), which represents science bodies in 140 countries including the U.S. National Academy of Science, has organized a meeting in London in March to put pressure on the politicians to get real in Rio. The event, Planet Under Pressure, is one of the formal pre-Rio preparatory meetings, and it won't pull its punches.
The starting point for the scientists, says ICSU, is that "stark increases in natural disasters, food and water security problems, and biodiversity loss are just part of the evidence that humanity may be crossing planetary boundaries and approaching dangerous tipping points."
The March conference will hear, for instance, how researchers are developing early warning systems to spot those approaching tipping points. If such systems had been in place 40 years ago, they might have warned of the sudden emergence of the ozone hole over Antarctica. A decade ago, they might have predicted the collapse of Arctic sea ice. Next up could be the
We need something like a UN environmental security council to drag us back from the tipping points.explosive growth of nitrogen-gorged "dead zones" in the oceans, or runaway emissions of methane from melting permafrost.
But the scientists don't just want to predict disasters. They want to stop them. To do that, they will insist that politicians have to be wrenched from their comfort zones. New priorities will require new institutions and new actors. Frank Biermann of the Free University Amsterdam, who heads ICSU's Earth System Governance Project, will tell the conference that incremental steps will not be sufficient and that "we have to reorient and restructure our national and international institutions."
We need, he says, a "constitutional moment… akin to the major transformative shift after 1945 that led to the establishment of the United Nations and other international organizations," like the World Bank. At the very least we need something like a UN environmental security council — with real muscle to call the big polluters, ecosystem trashers, and resource plunderers to account and to drag us back from those tipping points.
Climate change will affect most people's lives most dramatically through changes to the water cycle, with wet areas set to become wetter and dry areas drier. So, to take one specific recommendation, the scientists want Rio+20 to pledge a new system of global water governance that would be charged with protecting international rivers for downstream users and maintaining irreplaceable underground water reserves for future generations.
Thankfully — for they do not always do this — the scientists have embraced a democratic vision that wants the environment to work for people. The new environmental governance, ICSU says, needs to build greater
Rio+20 needs to give teeth to its predecessor's vague promises about sustainable development.resilience for humans to survive what is almost certainly looming, especially for the poorest, who need protection from climate change, food shortages, natural disasters, and failed states. That means developing crops that are more drought tolerant, helping poor communities prudently harvest forests and other ecosystems for their own day-to-day needs, and ensuring that communities are better protected against floods and other natural disasters.
Other independent researchers take a similar view about the need for Rio+20 to give teeth to its predecessor's vague promises about sustainable development. Alex Evans of New York University's Center on International Cooperation, a co-founder of globaldashboard.org, says Rio+20 needs to address three fundamental challenges. The first is the greening of growth, especially in emerging economies — "not because they have the greatest responsibility, but because they have the greatest opportunities to be laboratories of the future."
The second is creating greater equity in a world of growing tensions over access to energy, land, water, and the diminishing "carbon space" in the atmosphere if we are successfully to tackle climate change. The third is building resilience to inevitable shocks, whether from crossing thresholds in natural systems or from market dysfunction, as food and other resources grow scarce.
MORE FROM YALE e360
Can 'Climate-Smart' Agriculture Help Africa and the Planet?
An idea promoted at the recent Durban talks is "climate-smart agriculture," which could make crops less vulnerable to heat and drought and turn depleted soils into carbon sinks. The World Bank and African leaders back this approach, Fred Pearce writes, but some critics are skeptical that it will benefit small-scale African farmers.READ MOREThe summit badly needs outside input. Right now, the official Rio+20 agenda and draft text show few signs that politicians are willing to go beyond the green-sounding rhetoric we heard from their predecessors in the same city two decades ago. It wasn't enough then. It certainly isn't enough now.


text:
Face Brighten Liquid Foundation Oil-control Lasting Waterproof Concealer BB Cream Moisturizing Whitening Makeup Cosmetic TSLM1
Moisturizing hydrating nude makeup isolation concealer foundation
No floating powder, easy to smear, natural white
Isolation protection, covering pores and brightening skin tone
Moisturizes and controls oil, leaving skin smoother
Quick concealer makes you look refined all day long
Product Type: BB Cream
Suitable for all skin types: suitable for all skin types
Moisturizing hydrating nude makeup isolation concealer foundation
No floating powder, easy to smear, natural white
Isolation protection, covering pores and brightening skin tone
Moisturizes and controls oil, leaving skin smoother
Quick concealer makes you look refined all day long
Package Included:
1*BB cream
Due to the difference between different monitors, the pictures may not reflect the actual color of the item.
Compare the detail sizes with yours, please allow 1-3cm error, due to manual measurement.
Please leaving a message before you give the bad feedback, if the products have some problems.
Thanks for your understandings.
By the way, if you like our store, Please add our store to your Favorite Stores, You can get our New arrival and Discount information in time
<font face="1. We accept Ali pay, West Union, TT. All major credit cards are accepted through secure payment processor ESCROW.
<font face="2. Payment must be made within 3 days of order.
<font face="1. WORLDWIDE SHIPPING. (Except some countries and APO/FPO)
2. Orders processed timely after the payment verification.
3. We only ship to confirmed order addresses. Your order address MUST MATCH your Shipping address.
<font face="****( For Russia customer, please write a full name of the delivery contact person, it may happen that you can't receive your order base on the new policy of your country.)
<font face="4. Normally we have the goods in stock, we can ship it out in 1- 2 days,If we didn't send out in 2 days, the items may be out of stock.
5. If you have not received your goods and you have question about it, please contact us. We will track the shipment and get back to you as soon as possible with a reply. Our goal is customer satisfaction!
6. Due to stock status and time differences, we will choose to ship your item from our first available warehouse for fast delivery.
<font face="1. All the products are 100% Brand New and tested before shipping.
2. 6 months Manufacturer's limited Warranty for defective items (excluding items damaged and/or misused after receipt). Accessories come with a 3-month warranty.
3. Defective items MUST BE reported and returned within the warranty period (and in the original packaging, if possible). You must tell us what the defect is and give us your order number. WE DO NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE ITEMS WITH AN EXPIRED WARRANTY.
<font face="1. You have 7 days to contact us and 30 days to return it from the date it was received. If this item is in your possession more than 7 days, it is considered used and We Will Not Issue You A Refund Or Replacement.
2. All returned items Must Be in the original packaging and you MUST PROVIDE us with the shipping tracking number, specific reason for the return, and your po#.
3. We will refund YOUR FULL WINNING BID AMOUNT, upon receipt of the item in its original condition and packaging with all components and accessories included. AFTER BOTH Buyer and Seller cancel the transaction from aliexpress. Or you may choose to have a replacement.
4. We will bear all the shipping cost if the product(s) is (are) not as advertised.
<font face="1.If you are satisfies with our service and products, Hope you can give us 5 stars positive feedback. Your support means a lot to us.
<font face="2.If you have problem or question, Please contact us before leaving an neutral or negtive feedback. We will help you solve it, and make you satisfied about it.
<font face="3.We will give you an answer in 24 hours, If you don't get the answer during this time, please kindly resend them.
Warm prompt
<font face="By the way, if you like our store, Please add our store to your Favorite Stores, You can get our New arrival and Discount information in time. You can also share our store with your friends.


text:
Game Masters have plenty to do; no need to enumerate the tasks here. But should a non-player character be a 'regular' in a party?
By gaining a voice in the in-character interactions, the GM taps a source of fun that is otherwise denied. Such inclusion may help fix the common style flaw of "GM vs Players". But, if the role is not exercised with discretion, a poor GM may adversely affect leadership and problem-solving, and may disastrously shift the focus of the game away from the players.
So... should a Game Master be a Player too?