text:
Below is a web-friendly version of the CBLDF presentation on the history of comics censorship, which has been delivered to audiences of scholars, lawyers, advocates and readers in the United States. Please contact CBLDF about bringing this presentation to your group.
Challenged in Libraries!
Every year people try to take away readers' power to decide what books are right for themselves or their children to read by bringing challenges to remove books from libraries. Although comics are growing in popularity every year, they are also among the most frequently challenged book categories. The Color of Earth, shown at left, was the #2 most challenged book of 2011.
Book banning is nothing new. Books are frequently banned for containing "adult content," "language," "sex/nudity," or not being "age appropriate." Comics are uniquely vulnerable to challenges because the medium thrives on the power of static images, and because there is a lingering stigma that comics are low-value speech. Some challenges are brought against comics because a single page or panel can be taken out of context, while others come under attack because of the mistaken notion that all comics are for children. Learn more about why comics are banned here.
Comics attacked in recent years include all-ages classics like Bone by Jeff Smith and Dragonball by Akira Toriyama, as well as acclaimed books for adult readers including Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, Neil Gaiman's Sandman, Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and others. Learn more about what comics have been banned or challenged here.
The CBLDF assists librarians by providing access to resources and writing letters of support in cases where comics are challenged. In the past year the CBLDF has participated in helping several challenges and stands ready to address new ones when they occur. CBLDF is also an active sponsor of Banned Books Week and the Kids Right To Read Project, initiatives that create tools and perform activities that advance the freedom to read.
Readers Are Under Attack
A new generation of prosecutions against readers is emerging. Prosecutors, customs agents, and other law enforcement are targeting comics in print and online, most especially manga. In recent years CBLDF has aided an increase in cases involving readers wrongly accused of possession of obscene material and child pornography as a result of constitutionally protected comic book images in their possession.
This abrupt sea change in prosecution emerges from the passing of the PROTECT Act in 2003. PROTECT is a sweeping anti-child pornography law that expanded prosecutorial remedies to punish child sex offenses. Unfortunately, the law also created a new crime – producing, receiving, possessing or manufacturing "obscene child pornography" of a non-photographic nature.
Child pornography is photographic evidence of a crime where an actual minor is sexually abused. "Obscene child pornography" is a new category that criminalizes a non-photographic image, such as "a visual depiction of any kind, including a drawing, cartoon, sculpture, or painting" that depicts (i) a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene (§ 1466A(a)(1) and §1466A(b)(1)); or (ii) "an image that is, or appears to be, of a minor engaging in graphic bestiality, sadistic or masochistic abuse, or sexual intercourse and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value (§ 1466A(a)(2) and § 1466A (b)(2)))
While much of PROTECT deals with protecting actual victims, the above provisions ban imaginative depictions in cartoons, paintings, sculpture and other art forms. The difficulty with these provisions is that they don't protect victims of actual crimes, but instead criminalize speech. They also carry mandatory minimum sentences, which has led to at least one case where a guilty plea was forced in a case that could have prevailed.
Apart from being used to prosecute anime and manga, PROTECT has additionally contributed to a culture of misunderstanding about manga that has brought censorship and criminal charges against individuals outside the United States.
U.S. v. Whorley
U.S. v. Whorley was the first case to test manga within the confines of the PROTECT Act.
Dwight Whorley used computers at the Virginia Employment Commission, a public resource, to download manga alleged to depict "children engaged in explicit sexual conduct with adults." He was charged with "knowingly receiving" child pornography for printing out two cartoons, and viewing others, 19 counts in all.
In 2006, a jury found Whorley guilty for "receiving" obscene cartoons, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with a 10-year probation thereafter. His sentence was aggravated by a previous conviction for receiving actual child pornography. If this were his first offense, he would have been subject to a minimum sentence of "not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years" in prison.
Whorley was sentenced under the same guidelines governing actual child pornography. CBLDF was not asked to assist in Whorley's case. As policy, CBLDF does not aid in the defense of cases where real child pornography is in contention. However, we will provide substantive assistance in any case involving the prosecution of comic books, which are wrongly targeted in cases like Mr. Whorley's.
U.S. v. Handley
Christopher Handley, a manga collector, was arrested in 2006 on possession of child pornography charges after postal inspectors viewed a package of manga he ordered from Japan. After receiving his package at the post office, he was followed to his home and served with a search by federal and local police who seized his lifetime collection of manga and anime – over 1,000 of books & magazines, hundreds of DVDs, and seven computers.
Handley was a model citizen with no criminal record. He was a computer programmer who served in the U.S. Navy, was disabled, and took care of his disabled mother in her home. His passions were manga and bible study. He possessed no photographic pornography of any kind.nnHandley was a collector of manga as a whole, and the vast majority of manga and images he possessed contained no fantasy representations of minors at all.
When Handley awaited trial, prosecutors did not distinguish between manga and obscene material. They prohibited him from viewing or accessing any manga or anime on the Internet, ordering anime video or written material, or engaging in Internet chat, the latter harming his ability to prepare his defense. Handley was also forced to undergo mental health counseling.
Unlike Whorley, who was convicted for mere possession of sexual images of minors, the court in Handley found that the images must be found obscene to be convicted.
Despite this one positive development, the government assumed an aggressive posture towards Handley, and ultimately he chose to plead guilty rather than face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison.
Court documents show that Handley had no history of criminal behavior, possessed no actual photographic pornography of any kind, and posed no danger to anyone in his community.
Handley's character is similar to so many in fandom. He began viewing anime and manga in college, beginning with material like "Record of Lodoss War." With the rise of the internet, Handley was exposed to the vast diversity of manga, including, as the Defendant's Sentencing Memorandum explains, "that subset of manga known as hentai, or sexually explicit manga. That interest led to the discovery of hentai manga featuring drawings of characters that appear as young girls, known as 'lolicon.'" The Defense Memorandum adds, "the lolicon was only a minute portion of his entire collection, which consisted of tens of thousands of manga and anime, representing all genre of the art form." The Defense describes Handley as "an introverted, 40-year-old virgin" who served in the U.S. Navy and went on to achieve a successful career as a computer programmer following his medical discharge. Handley lives with his mother, whom he assists due to numerous medical problems. His chief social outlets were work and a Bible Fellowship group. The Defense Memorandum explains, "Other than his Bible study group, Mr. Handley spent most of his free time at that house, either with his mother, or alone in the basement, playing online fantasy games such as Everquest 2, and reading comic books."
In sentencing documents, the government argued that the mere possession of graphic manga represented a form of "sexual deviancy" that required imprisonment to be followed by psychological treatment and supervision. Handley's conviction represents a shameful illustration of the United States government prosecuting an individual for the content of art in his private possession, and for the thoughts he may have had while viewing that art. It's not alarmist to suggest that Handley's case represents an illustration of the United States prosecuting thought crimes.
Handley was not represented by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, though the Fund was approached after the case was underway to provide expert witnesses for the defense. Unfortunately, Handley entered a guilty plea under the advice of his counsel before the case saw trial. The CBLDF had previously expressed disappointment with the decision not to fight the indictment.
Handley was sentenced to 6 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release running concurrent with five years of probation, and forfeiture of all material seized by police.
Handley was ultimately convicted for receiving and possessing obscene cartoons for possessing seven (7) books:
- Mikansei Seifuku Shōjo (Unfinished School Girl) by Yuki Tamachi (LE Comics)
- I [Heart] Doll by Makafusigi (Seraphim Comics)
- Kemono for ESSENTIAL 3 (THE ANIMAL SEX ANTHOLOGY Vol.3) by Masato Tsukimori et al (Izumi Comics)
- Otonari Kazoku (Neighboring House Family) by Nekogen (MD Comics)
- Eromon by Makafusigi (Seraphim Comics)
- Kono Man_ ga Sugoi! (This Man_ is Awesome!) by Makafusigi (Seraphim Comics)
- Hina Meikyū (Doll Labyrinth) by Makafusigi (Seraphim Comics)
R. v. Matheson
In 2010, Ryan Matheson a 25 year old American citizen, computer programmer, and manga fan was unlawfully arrested & abused by Canadian authorities. He was wrongfully accused of possessing and importing child pornography because of constitutionally protected manga on his laptop – before he was let into the country!
Ryan suffered severe abuse by the authorities. He wasn't properly informed of the reason for detention. He was denied access to counsel & the American Embassy. The search of his property was illegal. He suffered cruel & unusual punishment, including being denied food and blankets. Police transporting him to prison actually said "if you get raped in here, it doesn't count!"
Like Handley, Ryan had no criminal record, and was not in possession of any photographic material.
Ryan was released to await trial, but one of the conditions was that he was not allowed to use the Internet outside of work at one specific company. For two years his life was frozen under this false accusation.
The material Ryan was accused of possessing was innocuous. One image, below, "The 48 Positions: Moe Style" is a parody of two famous images. The other was a common doujinshi, or fan-made comic book, depicting a fantasy scenario between non-human characters.
CBLDF aided Ryan's defense, which included expert testimony about the artistic merit of manga; the fact that the material he is accused of possessing is protected speech in his home country of the US; and that the material is accepted in its origin country of Japan.
As a result of Ryan's strong defense, the Canadian government dropped all charges against Ryan earlier this year.
In addition to substantive aid, CBLDF assisted Ryan's case financially. Ryan's total legal fees totaled $75,000. CBLDF has contributed $30,000 to those expenses to date, and our colleagues at Canada's Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund contributed $11,000. We are currently fundraising to restore the final $34,000 Ryan was forced to spend defending himself against these outrageous charges. To help us, please make a donation.
The Future
Since 1986, CBLDF has protected the comics medium. In addition to the cases discussed in this short history, the organization has been instrumental in challenging unconstitutional laws that would effect the sale and display of comics. We were active plaintiffs in fighting a generation of laws that sought to regulate content on the Internet. We continue to fight unconstitutional laws where they occur. In 2011, an amicus brief we wrote was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. EMA, a case that struck down a California law that would have reduced constitutional protection for violent images.
Thanks in part to CBLDF's efforts the comics medium has largely overcome the stigma of the past and are now at the heart of America's popular culture. Every year thousands of comics and graphic novels are published, reaching an ever increasing range of new readers. Popular movies, TV shows and video games are leading readers to explore the medium that inspired them. Meanwhile, popular magazines and websites routinely cover comics & graphic novels as part of their editorial mix. Comics are gaining more presence in the academy, with an increase in comics programs at the graduate and undergraduate level, as well as an increase in trade schools dedicated to the art form.
The CBLDF's efforts to protect comics when they are challenged provides a safety net for creators, publishers and retailers and helps them to perform their work without fear of censorship.


text:
Commercial Roofing Specialists is proud to be Michigan's sole provider of Carlisle SynTec's thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). TPO is the fastest-growing segment of the commercial roofing industry, and the Commercial Roofing Specialists team is well-positioned to provide you with the highest-quality white and tan Sure-Weld® TPO membranes. These membranes are ENERGY STAR®-qualified and Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC)-certified, and have been directly attributed to a reduction in energy use and cooling costs.
For more information about TPO and and Commercial Roofing Specialists, email or call us at (810) 662-4056.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I am often plagued by self-imposed guilt. I'm an overachiever and a people pleaser. My life is held in a very precarious balance. When any little thing upsets that balance, my guilt usually increases.
When I'm going to work, I feel guilty for not being there with my kids.
When the balance has to swing towards my kids, I feel guilty for not being at work.
I feel guilty that Bean often makes dinner and does clean-up while I am with the kids. Granted, he prefers to do that, and he knows how much I need that time to reconnect with the kids after a day at work.
I feel guilty when Bean sends me out for a run, because he rarely takes me up on similar offers.
I feel guilty when I take a slow day and don't get much cleaning or laundry done.
Since Lily was running a low grade fever last night (she's still asleep, so not sure how she is doing this morning) she needs to be home. My job is more flexible and I can do things from home, so when it's possible, I usually stay home. Bean is more than willing to stay home as needed (and he did last week).
Last night I was letting the guilt overtake me. Guilt for not being in the office. Guilt for another "odd" week. Last week my mother-in-law was sick so I stayed home on Monday and went to work on Thursday instead. A change in my routine, in that precarious balance, isn't my favorite.
No matter what though, my family always comes first. And I remind myself that ultimately, I work for God. I minister to his people through my vocation. God knows when my children will be sick. God knows what responsibilities I have at work.
So I need to do a better job of trusting him and his infinite wisdom and not letting guilt consume me.
As the guilt was drowning me and my soul reached out to God to save me, I simply heard the word: embrace.
Embrace what the day holds. Embrace the opportunity to cuddle my baby. Embrace a slower morning. Embrace an extra day with the kids.
Certainly I'll be checking in with work and doing some preparation during naptime.
But this is the day the Lord made, and I need to embrace it.
What challenges are you fighting against that you can embrace today?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
embracing the day
Posted by Corrina at 7:49 AM
Labels: God/inspirational, working mom
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Would you like a mentor to support your team from the office to the educators?
Kids Hub will provide your service with an experienced Consultant who will listen and devise an improvement plan. This will help you work towards an efficient day to day management of your services and provide effective results.
Some areas that organisation consults can cover are:
Quality Improvement Plan Support
Kids Hub can support your service in supporting your team to implement and review your Quality Improvement Plan objectives.
Human Resource Management
- Staff training and development plans
- Staff retainment & wellbeing
- Coordinator support
- Team building


text:
Also called soft-tissue fillers, dermal fillers, soft-tissue augmentation
As we age, our skin loses its youthful fullness. Fillers help to restore lost fullness to the face, lips, and hands.
Fillers are popular for several reasons. Patients like that they can return to everyday activities immediately after getting most fillers. They like the immediate results that many types of fillers deliver. Patients also like that they can get this treatment during an office visit. Some fillers require a few office visits.
Uses: With a number of fillers now available, dermatologists can diminish signs of aging that appear on the face, lips, and hands. Fillers can effectively:
Insurance coverage: Insurance does not cover treatment that reduces signs of aging.
Fillers are popular. To help you decide whether this treatment is right for you and to have the treatment performed safely, the AAD provides the following facts.
Having a filler injected in a non-medical setting can be extremely dangerous. To protect your health, you should never get a filler injected at a:
The AAD recommends that you see a doctor who has expertise injecting fillers and many satisfied patients. The results you see depend largely on the experience of the person performing this procedure. A dermatologist has the knowledge and experience required to inject fillers safely and effectively.
The procedure varies with the filler your dermatologist will use, the part of the body to be treated, and your medical history. Here are some general guidelines about what you can expect:
Most patients can return to their everyday activities after leaving the office.
To reduce any redness and swelling from the injections, your dermatologist may recommend icing the area for 15 to 20 minutes before you leave.
Before you leave the office, you should be able to apply makeup.
This also varies with the filler. Most fillers fill the skin, so they produce immediate — or close to immediate — results. A filler also can stimulate your body to produce collagen, but this takes time.
You may see other fillers advertised. All fillers listed above have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), except for self-donated fat. This filler does not require FDA approval because it comes from your own body.
To get natural-looking results, the person injecting the filler must have expertise in placing the filler.
Dermatologists recommend not overdoing fillers. Your results will look more natural with a conservative approach. For example, patients who have very thin lips should not get dramatically fuller lips. Creating fuller lips in these patients could be extremely unflattering because the lips might start to resemble a duck's bill.
Most fillers offer temporary results and require repeat treatments to maintain the results.
Temporary fillers offer one key advantage. These can be injected as needed to replace lost fullness. This is advantageous because no matter what we do, our skin continues to age.
You should ask your dermatologist how long the recommended filler should last in the area you want treated.
After receiving filler injections, some patients have minor, temporary side effects where they were injected. You may have:
These side effects tend to clear within 7 to 14 days — if not earlier.
Serious side effects are more likely when the person injecting the filler does not have adequate medical training and experience. To protect your health, you should never get filler injections in a non-medical setting, such as non-medical spa, salon, or someone's home.
When fillers are injected in a non-medical setting or by an inexperienced provider, reports of more serious side effects increase dramatically. These side effects include:
This is one of the safest cosmetic treatments available. For years, dermatologists have been refining the use of fillers to diminish signs of aging. Today, dermatologists safely treat people of many ages and all skin colors.
To protect your health and find out what results you want, a dermatologist always offers a consultation before injecting a filler. To help you get the most benefit from this appointment, the AAD recommends:
This page tells you what to ask and what to gather.
Asking questions during the consultation will help you know what to expect so that you can make an informed decision.
Before receiving a filler, the AAD recommends that you ask the following questions:
During the consultation, your dermatologist will examine your skin. This helps to determine whether a filler can diminish the signs of aging that concern you. You may learn that another cosmetic procedure is more appropriate.
If a filler is appropriate, your dermatologist will tell you more about the filler.
Before getting a filler, it is essential that you tell your dermatologist about all medical conditions that you have. It is especially important for your dermatologist to know if you have any of the following:
Your dermatologist will ask you about your medications. Be sure to tell your him or her about all medicines that you take, even ones that do not require a prescription.
Be sure to mention all vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies. It is especially important for your dermatologist to know if you are taking any of the following:
Be sure to mention everything, even if it seems unimportant. Even if you haven't taken a supplement or medicine for a while, it's worth mentioning.


text: If you are a human and are seeing this field, please leave it blank. Personal Details First Name * Last Name * Address * Suburb * State * ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA Post Code * Home Phone Mobile Phone Email * Date of Birth Gender MaleFemale Drivers Licence Number Expiry Date Emergency Contact Details Emergency Contact Name Emergency Contact Phone Emergency Contact Relationship Background Information Are you taking any medication or do you suffer from any known medical condition, which may impair your ability to drive? * YesNo Have you ever been convicted for a criminal offence? * YesNo What is your current work status? RetiredHome DutiesJob SeekerTraveller/VisitorFull-time workerPart-time workerCasual workerStudent Are you interested in volunteering for special events/projects? YesNo What is your motivation for volunteering? * Help others/give back to the communityTo be active/keep busyGain work experience/referenceBuild confidence/self-esteemTo make a differencePractising EnglishPersonal satisfactionUsing skills/learning new skillsExplore/engage in areas of interestSocial interaction/meet peopleCentrelink/Job Network/CWCOther What is your general work history? What skills and qualifications are you able to contribute to the Kidney Support Network Inc. ? Please describe your skill and qualification level? (basic, intermediate, advanced, qualifications) What type of volunteer work are you interested in (first choice)? * Admin assistant Hospital visits Sewing Transporting patients Support groups Speaking/displays at retirement estates Other What type of volunteer work are you interested in (second choice)? Admin assistant Hospital visits Sewing Transporting patients Support groups Speaking/displays at retirement estates Other Have you done volunteer work before? If yes, what kind and for what organisation? What times are you available for volunteer work (AM)? Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Weekends On Call What times are you available for volunteer work (PM)? Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Weekends Submitting this form will send the above information to the Kidney Support Network. After receiving it, they will be in touch with you to confirm your information and discuss where and how your generous offer to volunteer can best be put to use. Prior to starting volunteer work, you will also need to sign our Volunteer Agreement, Confidentiality Agreement and Media Disclosure forms.


text:
One, he wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math; he wanted me to expand our international relationships; and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science and engineering -- science, math and engineering.Yes, you read that correctly, the President's "perhaps foremost" task for the American space agency chief was, not to explore new worlds or discover super-awesome things that we haven't even thought of yet, but instead to make the Muslim world feel all warm and fuzzy about itself. Now, as expected, Obama's critics had a field day with this news, and the White House quickly responded with these handy talking points:
NASA assistant administrator for public affairs Bob Jacobs told ABC News that "Administrator Bolden understands that NASA's core mission is exploration, both in space and in scientific endeavors here at home. Inherent to the success of that mission is cooperation and collaboration with other nations which are equally committed to this effort, including expanding the range of countries with which NASA engages and partners."Leaving aside the abject boneheadedness of Bolden's original comments, the White House spin here is eminently reasonable - rapid advancement of the highest-tech manufacturing demanded by deep space exploration requires specialization and collaboration in order to produce the best product in the most efficient manner. So if the Russians dominate at rockets, and the Americans dominate at computer systems, and the Japanese dominate at, umm, laser beams (ok, I have no idea - everything I know about space comes from 80s movies and TV), they should each should focus on what they do best and then collaborate to produce the best spaceship (or robo-jetpack?). Although this actually is rocket science, the concepts are certainly not new - specialization and comparative advantage have been around for a long, long time.
In response to criticism, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said in a statement that "The President has always said that he wants NASA to engage with the world's best scientists and engineers as we work together to push the boundaries of exploration. Meeting that mandate requires NASA to partner with countries around the world like Russia and Japan, as well as collaboration with Israel and with many Muslim-majority countries. The space race began as a global competition, but, today, it is a global collaboration."
What is new, however, is that such sound economic theory is coming from this White House. And that's not partisan hyperbole. Really.
You see, President Obama is not a big fan of international collaboration in manufacturing, even though global supply chains and realtime logistics are standard practice these days. Instead, he likes to preach what I like to call "adversary economics" - the archaic idea that global manufacturing is all about "us" versus "them," and "they" are gunning for "our" jobs. In no area is the President's approach more clear than in "green" energy and manufacturing. For example, here's the President in his first speech to Congress in February 2009:
We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient. We invented solar technology, but we've fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea. Well I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders – and I know you don't either. It is time for America to lead again.That sure doesn't sound like a guy embracing the spirit of collaboration, now does it? Indeed, as I noted last week, the President's adversarial approach to global economics has drawn criticism from several American CEOs who recently noted that that Obama simply doesn't understand how today's global economy operates and just how important global collaboration is for modern manufacturing. As Cato's Dan Ikenson recently wrote:
During the past few decades, a truly global division of labor has emerged, presenting opportunities for specialization, collaboration, and exchange on scales once unimaginable. The confluence of falling trade and investment barriers, revolutions in communications and transportation, the opening of China to the West, the collapse of communism, and the disintegration of Cold War political barriers has spawned a highly integrated global economy with vast potential to produce greater wealth and higher living standards.Global supply chains, transnational sourcing and investment and realtime logistics are not science fiction. They're very real, and by maximizing specialization and comparative advantage, have dramatically accelerated innovation and production. The result: immense benefits for the world's companies and consumers that were unfathomable only a generation ago. Dan gets it. American CEOs get it. But, on everything except space exploration, President Obama just doesn't get it.
The factory floor is no longer contained within four walls and one roof. Instead, it spans the globe through a continuum of production and supply chains, allowing lead firms to optimize investment and output decisions by matching production, assembly, and other functions to the locations best suited for those activities. Because of foreign direct investment, joint ventures, and other equity-sharing arrangements, quite often "we" are "they" and "they" are "we." And because of the proliferation of disaggregated, transnational production and supply chains, "we" and "they" often collaborate in the same endeavor. In the 21st century, competition is more likely to occur between entities that defy national identification because they are truly international in their operations, creating products and services from value-added activities in multiple countries. There is competition between supply chains, but only after there is cooperation and collaboration within supply chains.
So why, pray tell, is global collaboration good enough for exploring other planets but not for (among other things) saving our own?
Unfortunately, I can think of only two answers to that question, and neither flatters the White House.


text:
I hope the package will reach my swap partner in time for Xmas. The postal officer advised me that the package would reach the recipient in 11 days from today.
This time round, I baked a batch of Peanut Butter Cookies for my swap partner (half of which is plain and half mixture is mixed with choc chips).
Well, this a pic of some of the stuff (i included some other items after this pic was taken) that I sent out.
I really hope my swap partner will enjoy what I have put together for her.
BBM rocks!


text:
We are now expanding our team and recruiting for our brand new purpose built surgery😊 We're looking for an experienced veterinary surgeon to join our fantastic team!
We have moved!
It has been our ambition for many years to move the practice to purpose built premises, with the need firmly in mind for much better facilities for our patients, clients and staff, coupled with improved access and parking, whilst still retaining our independent status.
Where is it?
Ivanhoe Business Park
Smisby Road
Purpose built with 5 consulting rooms, easy access, large car park, large reception & waiting room, and much more….


text:
With the exception of LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver BlackPlastic's favourite DFA album ever is the Juan Maclean's glorious Less Than Human. An ode to the robot it is a glorious body of work that culminates in one of BlackPlastic's favourite ever songs - the delicate electronic anthem, 'Dance With Me'.
The Future Will Come, however, is a different beast. Jettisoning some of the introspection of the previous album this takes a lot of cues from various types of 80s popular music. The Juan Maclean is the alter ego of John Maclean and, with his partner in crime Nancy Whang (who is also part of LCD Soundsystem), he has clearly taken a lot of inspiration from the Human League's Dare! for this album. Not only are nearly all the tracks on this album vocal duets but John even sounds just like Phil Oakey at several points. John has stated that until working on the vocals for this album with Nancy he didn't like anything in the Human League's catalogue after their transformation once the girls joined, preferring the early 'Being Boiled' era, but that he really began to appreciate it once work on The Future Will Come began and this new found fondness really shows.
So the sound is generally very different from the first album but it isn't a inspirationless re-tread of another act's material either - the vocals are much more prominent but there is still a lot of experimentation going on with the music. Only 'New Bot' really recalls any of the clinical nature of Less Than Human. It's a somewhat appropriate likeness given the title of the song but even this fades away as the chorus kicks in and John and Nancy's League-esque vocal sparring begins.
The Future Will Come is not Less Than Human continued... then. Instead it is an evolution, a fantastic combination of many separate sounds and influences. From the opening 'The Simple Life' the League are there throughout much of this album but there is so much more. Next single 'One Day' mixes snappy vocals with lush Detroit techno - synthetic strings that recall 'Strings of Life' ride melody that sounds like it fell out of New Order's song book when they weren't looking. The result is rather special.
The album's two other highlights can be found in the form of last year's 'Happy House' and the epic midpoint provided by 'Tonight'. If you haven't already heard it the former is an epic revisitation of pre-nineties house music which only gets better with subsequent listens. It's an ode to music itself and the beautiful symbiotic relationship between a hot sunny day and the perfect song to dance to. 'Tonight' on the other hand recalls Less Than Human's 'Dance With Me' in terms of the level of emotion - it's a haunting piece and it helps provide much of The Future Will Come's emotional gravitas.
On The Future Will Come the Juan Maclean haven't just re-confirmed their abilities, they've moved the goal posts. This a much more human affair and it benefits from the added warmth.
Please buy, don't steal, this album. It's available on Amazon.co.uk on CD , LP and MP3.
BP x


text:
Murder 2 (2011)
Murder 2 movie (2011) is a bollywood thriller film and the sequel to the 2004 hit film, Murder. The film is the second installment to the Murder Series which stars Emraan Hashmi and Jacqueline Fernandez in the lead. Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Mukesh Bhatt. The film has been given an 'A' certificate from the Indian Censor Board. The plot of the film is said to be inspired from the South Korean film, The Chaser.


text:
Switchgear production
Comprehensive service and expert advisory services included
Switchgears and control systems from Spelsberg are used throughout the world. Our sector-independent solutions are used in a variety of applications in the automotive, timber, oil and gas industries, among others. Our qualified personnel at the Schalksmühle production facility manufacture low-voltage switchgears of up to 4000A takes place in close collaboration with the customer.
Project planning and material procurement by the customer is also possible, or our internal staff can handle these tasks. In the process, work involved with planning and procurement is minimised for our customers. You receive turnkey solutions and benefit from our proven supplier network. We only use premium quality purchased components that satisfy our high demands.
Our customers value our flexibility and reliable adherence to schedules, in particular.
Your partner for ISO switchgears
There are numerous details to consider with ISO switchgears. Spelsberg's electrical engineers help you find the optimal solution. We offer a wide range of types, from the modular GTi-ISO switchgear system to individual enclosures with fuses and switch isolators (Aki) and small distributors for rail-mounted devices. This enables high flexibility in the production of switchgears and distributors of central and local power supply.
However, our offering goes well beyond the hardware: Take advantage of our wide-ranging services for distributors and switchgears. Our planning tool, "TreeCad Spelsberg Assistent", helps you create circuit diagrams, terminal schemes and assembly drawings. Our qualified electrical engineers are at your disposal for consultation on-site or by telephone. Calls for tenders can also be sent to our technical department. They work out the data for you. In the process, you receive the exact products that you need in the shortest time, guaranteed: as an empty enclosure, pre-assembled, partially wired or turnkey.
Leverage our know-how
Leverage our know-how and our service from the initial enquiry to the final delivery:
- Project planning
- Development of initial drafts, creation of circuit diagrams and selection of the correct enclosure combinations in close collaboration with the customer
- Acceptance of production drawings by the customer
- Assembly of switchgears by our qualified experts according to current standards.


text:
Note to camera geeks: All photos in this post taken by Onlyboy with his iPod.
What's a Canadian travel blogger to write about in February? Duh! Stories about Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Florida of course! These are the places that Canadians visit en masse in February. But here at travellargefamily.com, we like to do things differently. So instead, we'd like to invite y'all to come to Canada! If you are already in Canada, freezing your butt off, why not take a vay-cay and freeze in Ottawa? Come on, you know you want to…
Why? Because in Ottawa, February means Winterlude and even Ottawans, who by the way live in a freezing environment and yet hate the cold, admit that Winterlude is pretty cool. It is like Quebec's famous Carnival but without the Caribou and vomiting drunken louts.
What do we do for Winterlude? Well for three weeks, we slide on amazing ice slides, skate on the world's largest outdoor rink, look at beautiful ice sculptures and possibly attend some events like a soup competition or a concert.
If you aren't from Ottawa, you probably don't realize that the city often gets a thaw in February. A thaw where the temperature not only goes above freezing but it also rains steadily for a couple of days straight. That is the kind of weather to kill Winterlude, cause your basement to leak (because the rain can't be absorbed by the frozen ground), and might possibly result in you breaking a hip. During the February thaw, the whole city becomes a skating rink – not only the world's largest, but the entire universe's largest!
But Ottawa didn't get a February thaw in 2015 and that means that the ice sculptures kept their crisp edges, the Rideau Canal Skateway was open every day and my basement remained dry!
I hate to break it to you, but you missed Winterlude 2015. It's over. But there's still time to scoot to Ottawa this February and yes, it's still worth it. Because if you get here fast, you can be part of history in the making. Today (!) Ottawa broke it's previous record for consecutive days of the canal being open for skating. It hasn't had to close once since it opened on January 10, 2015! If you don't want to do the math, that is 47 straight days. And the cool thing is that it is open 24 hours a day so you can enjoy night skating. I love seeing people skate with miner's lights on their heads. How Canadian is that?!
The National Capital Commission is focusing on the positive here by pointing out that the entire 7.8 km (roughly 5 mile) Rideau Canal Skateway is open. Conditions today on the Skateway Condition webpage are listed as "fair" because they haven't had time to clear last night's snow yet but for the most part, the conditions have been good to excellent every day for 47 days. What does this really mean? That it's been friggin cold for 47 days! As a result, last year about 20 000 people/day used the canal but this year only about 17 000 people/day have been venturing out.
I get it about the cold but it is a shame because the canal actually keeps people warm. It's true that the long, narrow shape of the thing turns it into a wind tunnel. Whatever the horrific temperature in Ottawa, it will be more brutally cold on the canal. So how does it keep you warm? Because you skate, silly.
I have been skating 12 km/7.5 miles every couple of days and believe me, I get so hot that I have to take my mittens off. On a recent skate with Onlyboy, I promised him a hot chocolate because it was so cold and he asked me if we would get it before or after skating. I laughed and said, "I think we'll wait until we're done skating so we can warm up." His sage response was, "But I'm always freezing putting on my skates. Once I've skated, I'm never cold anymore."
Today's Quote of the Day comes again from Greg the Yoga Teacher. Yesterday, he told our class that he has been using yoga philosophy to deal with each moment as it comes without thinking about what has passed or what is coming up. He said that it had been an effective way to deal with the endless cold weather. Until he woke up yesterday and thought, "Seriously, another friggin cold day?! Come on!" I'm paraphrasing but you get it. Then he shared a Zen proverb with us,
Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
I take this to mean, "Before enlightenment, skate. After enlightenment, skate." See you on the canal!


text:
We strive to make your wedding experience as fun, excellent and personal as possible from the moment you book to the final delivery of your custom wedding albums. Take a look at the step by step Vinluan Photography wedding experience below! We can't wait to work with you!
Once you inquire about the Vinluan Photography wedding experience, you will receive an email with our bridal pricing guide, which goes over all our details and package pricing. After, we have met and decided on a package you will then receive an email for an e-contract and options for deposit. From there, the fun begins. We start the planning for your gorgeous wedding. We are available to help with vendor recommendations and we have a lot of amazing vendors we love to recommend and we also will begin creating your wedding photography timeline. Since, we do this 25+ times a year, we are always there to help with any questions you may have! We love being available for our brides with any needs and questions whether we chat on the phone, text or sit down over coffee. We enjoy serving you!
One of our favorite parts of the experience!!! During our engagement sessions, we spend about an hour and half (1.5hours) together. This is a time we teach the basics of posing; we don't expect you to be a pro. None of these photos on our website are models. We strongly believe it is our jobs to make you feel comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera and to have fun too! If you are worried about your hand placement or whether or not you look right then we aren't doing our jobs. We spend the first 15 minutes getting to know each other a little and learning the basics of posing. Once, the session is over your images will displayed beautifully on one of our blogs and your full gallery will be sent to you on an online gallery album, which can be downloaded to your computer. You can then use your images to to design a beautiful save the date or wedding invitation!
The Vinluan Photography Bride Tribe(#vpbridetribe) is an exclusive group for all our past, present and future brides. This group has been a lot of fun to be a part of. It is a little community within a big community of brides. In the past these girls have offered wedding day advice, posted about bridal dress sales and are always available to help any bride with any help they may need. We also have launched our marriage enrichment group, which we are so excited about and has been a long time in the making. This group is for those that want to enrich their marriages and meets once a month. We figure we want to serve you beyond your awesome wedding day by giving you tools for success! This is the essence of our hearts!
As your wedding day approaches, we will be available to help with anything and everything you need. During our final meeting, face-time call, or phone call, which is usually scheduled a few weeks from your wedding day, we will prepare your detailed wedding day photography timeline, talk about your special requests and more. This is a great time for you to ask any last minute questions or update us on any details that have changed. That way, you can wake up on your wedding day entirely stress free and ready to marry that man of your dreams!
Your big day is finally here!! Woot woot! We love meeting your friends and family and it is our goal and joy on your wedding day is to ensure that it is as fun, easy and stress-free as possible. We arrive early to scope out the location and begin visualizing all the fun photos we will be creating. We are by your side all day, so if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We love helping with the dress, getting you a drink, or calming your nerves, if needed. We will capture every moment, from beginning to end, so that you have memories to last a lifetime to come.
You can expect to receive your finished gallery approximately three weeks following your wedding day. Your beautifully displayed online gallery is where you are able to download, share and print all of the high-resolution digital files. They are backed up for 10 years online, so your gallery won't disappear on you! You will also have an easy-to-use mobile app so that you can keep your photos with you wherever you are.
If you choose a wedding package with a custom wedding album, we will begin the album design process after your receive your digital gallery. We will work together to create beautifully designed spreads, choose cover options and finalize details for your album before it's printed and delivered to you.
I cannot even put into words how amazing Jennifer and Jake are! From the moment we met them on our wedding day they were ready to jump right in and begin. Both of them went beyond what my husband and I expected. Jennifer worked with my bridesmaids and me before the ceremony, while Jake was with the men. Jennifer is so bubbly, kind, and such a breath of fresh air, which is exactly what we needed. Jake and Jennifer made sure to capture all the little moments we asked them too. I could not have asked for a better "dream team"! They had a blog posted with so many amazing pictures just days after my wedding, even when they captured another couples wedding the day before mine! I would highly recommend them to any couple looking for a wedding photography!
From running into Jake's amazing, welcoming and funny personality and smile at a Show Bride convention - to an initial meeting with Jennifer and hiring the Vinluans to be my wedding photographer, every step of my experience with Vinluan Photography was a joy. We had an initial meeting (and had several other meetings with other photographers as well.) Once we decided to hire Jake & Jennifer we again met in person to discuss in detail personalized pricing and timelines. Jennifer helped keep my nerves calm and as a wedding professional was with me every step of the way to answer not only photography but other questions as well regarding the day and how the photography may fit in. It's such an integral part with all of the special moments (bouquet toss, first dance, speeches, introductions etc!) Having a husband and wife team made pictures super easy in both suites and made pictures go by fast! After the perfect day was over - we were featured in a beautiful blog post we immediately got to share on FB with family and friends. The price and value was excellent and the photos, lighting and posing was just right for the look I wanted for my wedding. I even hired their brother in law Julian to be my videographer and received an amazing video as well. Overall a great team and highly recommend!
Vinluan Photography has become more than just a vendor to us.. they've become family! Jake and Jennifer are the perfect wedding photography duo. They made our Wedding day experience everything and more! I would highly recommend this couple to anyone getting married.
Jennifer is an amazing photographer and has a great eye! When we had our engagement shoot with her, I (bride) was so nervous because I've never had to pose in front of a camera for an extended amount of time. Not only that, but this was our engagement shoot! Our family and friends would see these photos and I wanted to look "perfect." Within the first few moments of walking to the site with Jennifer, she made me feel completely comfortable. My nerves were washed away by her sweet smile and kind personality. Our engagement shoot with her was so much fun. She truly captured who my fiance and I are through her lens. Every smile and laugh caught on camera were genuine and she helped make that happen! We couldn't be more grateful and excited that they are capturing our April wedding!
I absolutely love Jennifer!!! She completely captured what my fiance' and I were going for in our engagement photos. She made us feel comfortable with the entire process. I could not have asked for better. I was completely blown away by the emotions she captured in each one of the photos. I know that we will be able to look at these years from now and be able to relive every single emotion we felt that day. I simply cannot wait for Jennifer and Jake to capture our wedding!!! I highly recommend them!!!!


text:
Parenting 101: Learning to Let Go/
I made a monumental rookie mistake the other night. I attempted to fold laundry with the kids around. More than three years into the parenting game, I should have known better. That's pretty much the equivalent of Russell Wilson throwing an interception on the goal line in the waning seconds of the Super Bowl. You just can't have mental lapses like that.
My 3-year-old has, at best, a tenuous grasp on the purpose of laundry folding. For all he knows, the goal very well could be this…
Or this…
Or maybe even this…
Of course, to make a painfully long story short, after about 45 minutes, our end product looked like this…
There was a time when this inability to complete simple tasks frustrated me to no end. Well, let's be real, it still frustrates me, but at least now I've learned to cope a little. I quickly realized that when you have small children, focusing on task completion is the ultimate fool's errand. Of course, accepting this reality did not transform me overnight into a paragon of Zen-like patience. I am a task completion junkie. I need to complete tasks like some people need their morning coffee (well, that's also me) or their daily chocolate fix (ahem, well, me again) or a nightcap to wind down (finally, not me).
Empty a full dishwasher and neatly stack all the plates and bowls in the cabinet? Huge adrenaline rush.
Finish reading a book, not so much for the joy of reading, but so I can check it off my 'to read' list? Yes, please.
Listen to and delete all the new episodes in my podcast app? Don't stop!
Delete all the junk emails from my inbox? Oh my God, yes!
Enter all the monthly bill amounts into my spreadsheet and shade the last cell gray to indicate that every bill has been paid? That's the dream!
So, needless to say, constantly being interrupted in the middle of my task completion often leaves me tweaking pretty hard. But when it comes to parenting, in most cases, the only real option is to make like Elsa and just let it go.
It takes an hour to finish putting away a load of laundry?
Let it go.
You try to unload the dishwasher, but you have to stop every 27 seconds because the opening of the dishwasher door is like a Siren call for 10-month-olds?
Let it go.
Intractable differences between you and your 3-year-old ruin your creative vision for Mommy's Valentine's Day card?
Let it go.
Kid 1 finally goes to bed after a colossal struggle, you're all ready to finally kick back and binge watch some Parks and Recreation, and 30 seconds later Kid 2 wakes up?
Let it go.
You make a room-to-room sweep to clear away the ever accumulating layer of toys from the floor only to find that by the time you make it back to your starting point, an FAO Schwartz show room has spilled its entire contents onto your living room floor?
Let it go.
Spend 2 hours cooking a dinner that would normally take 30 minutes because you're either balancing a 10 month old on your hip while somehow attempting to chop onions or performing periodic suicide sprints across the kitchen to stop said 10 month old from devouring dog food?
Let it go.
Yes, when you get down to it, letting go is one of the most important parenting skills that everyone has to cultivate. First you learn to let go of your pre-kid self image; your goals, desires, and aspirations that only involved yourself. Later, you have to let go of your kids. Let them go to school, let them become more independent, and eventually, let them move on to live their lives.
In between, you have to let go of your need for order and structure and just embrace the messiness.
This isn't to say that you can't sometimes have it all. Like any good junkie, I still find ways to get my fix. Some nights when both kids are simultaneously asleep (during that precious 15 minute period of bliss), I'll sneak away into the kitchen, open up the dishwasher door, empty out all the clean dishes in record time, plow through the pile of dirty dishes that has taken over the sink, start the dishwasher back up and revel in the whirring crescendo of my accomplishment. You definitely can't hold me back anymore.
This post first appeared on the Huffington Post Blog:


text:
Mike's Favourites Stencil Kit463861
Decorate papercrafts and mixed-media crafts, with this selection of Mike's Favourite stencils, complete with gorgeous glitter pastes and a palette knife!Read the full description
Decorate papercrafts and mixed-media crafts, with this selection of Mike's Favourite stencils, complete with gorgeous glitter pastes and a palette knife!
This kit contains 6 stencils, 6 glitter pastes in different colours, and a palette knife.
- Extra-durable Mylar stencils; provide 100 plus uses when cleaned and stored appropriately.
- Each stencil can be flipped to create mirror images.
- Stencils are suitable for use with Glitter and Satin Frosting Paste. Also suitable for use with inks, paints, gel mediums and dry embossing mediums.
- Pastes are rapid drying and universally applicable to all crafting mediums.
- Mixable paste colours can be blended on application.
- Pastes have a single-step application; all colours applied to stencil sequentially.
- Mike's Favourites Stencil Kit:
- Stencils:
- Seashell Porthole 12.5cm x 15cm
- DL Guitar 8.5cm x 19cm
- Night Owls 10.5cm x 12cm
- Fairy Toadstool 10.5cm x 12cm
- Toadstool 2 10.5cm x 12cm
- Style Dress 12.5cm x 15cm
- 6 x 30ml Glitter Pastes:
- Light Green
- Royal Blue
- Sand
- Lilac
- Brown
- Gold
- Palette Knife
- Stencils:
Delivery and Returns
Your order will be despatched within 3-5 working days. Most deliveries require someone to accept and sign for the delivery to ensure the goods are received correctly. To help you we can arrange for delivery to be made elsewhere.Click here for more information.
ASDA toyou Service: Where you see the ASDA logo, we offer a Click & Collect service from over 600 ASDA stores. Please Note: This service is only available when ALL the items in your basket are eligible for ASDA toyou. Click here for more information.
We hope you like your purchase, however, if you are not entirely satisfied with any item, it may be sent back to us for a refund, provided it is returned within 14 days (unless otherwise specified) from the date of despatch. Please click here for more information.
- £44.99
- Club members pay £40.49
|Pay today:
|£22.50 with Flexi-pay x 2
Select your Flexi-pay plan at the checkout*.Excludes Product Replacement Plans and Postage and Packing


text:
Sports Goggles
According to a recent study reported by Prevent Blindness America® (PBA), more than 38,000 sports-related eye injuries occur each year of the severity that requires a trip to the emergency room, in the USA. School aged competitors are particularly prone to eye injuries since their athletic skills of coordination, balance, reaction time and speed are still being fine-tuned through their involvement in athletic programs. In one year alone, children between the ages of 5 to 14 endured a significant amount of injuries due to sports.
When your son or daughter participates in a sport activity, the impact of a ball or other equipment as well as an opponent's fingers, hands, and elbows become a threat to a child's visual safety. If they play a sport that requires a helmet or faceguard, don't make the mistake of thinking their eyes are protected from injuries. Their eyes are still exposed to danger from sports equipment or an opponent's finger penetrating the openings of a facemask. Likewise, if a child wears glasses, everyday street eyewear is not held to the same protective standards as are eyewear products labeled as protective eyewear for sports use. The lens in non-protective sports frames could easily pop out and puncture or cut the eye, as well as a frame mangled from impact.
The good news is that you can help prevent your child from being sidelined because of a serious eye injury. According to the PBA 90% of these tragic injuries are preventable. You can make the decision to help protect their eyes by adding protective sport goggles to their equipment bag. Remember, while protective sports eyewear can provide significant protection; they cannot guarantee to be unbreakable or guard against all foreseeable impacts. However, a quality pair of Rec Specs® equipped with the appropriate polycarbonate lenses to meet sport safety standards, can be sight savers since they help keep the eyes and surrounding ocular region protected.


text:
A B o o k
This is kind of an obvious one. I am trying to read a chapter every night before I go to sleep so it is important that I keep this handy as a reminder to myself that I must read before turning on that TV. You can see what my 2017 reads are here.
C a n d l e
There is just something so luxe and relaxing when you light a candle before bed. My favourite is the Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin.
I am currently using Soap & Glory's Hand Food. It is one of my favourite hand creams and scents.
S u d o c r e m
Literally the skincare saviour that fixes any ailment. Well, that is what I believe anyway!
L i p b a l m
I always apply lip balm just before I go to bed.
S p e c t a c l e s
I am blind without them.
N i g h t S p r a y
I don't usually have a problem sleeping, but if I am feeling particularly antsy or stressed about something I often break out the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. Basically it is just a lavender scented spray that I use on the pillows and on the bedding to help me relax and drift off.
P h o n e
I hate keeping this close to my bed as it just begs to be looked at, but it is a necessary evil because it is my alarm clock too. I tend to put it on airplane mode just before sleep and then not check it until I am on my way to work the next day.
M u l t i v i t a m i n
Usually I am pretty shocking at taking these. At most I will remember to take them for a week and then forget, but since becoming pregnant I have taken one every night without fail. It is funny that when you know you need to do something, you do it, no excuses.
Since turning 30, actually, since turning about 25 I have been using night creams. My nana used to always apply cold cream before bed so I guess I kind of got it from her. Plus she looked amazing, even when she was in her 70's. My long standing favourite at the moment has to be Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.
N o t e p a d / P e n
This is only sometimes. I usually keep these in my drawer as something to whip out whenever I get an idea or need to write a quick to do list for the next day. I am, or like to think I am, highly organised and I get quite stressed if I don't have a plan in place.
What are your bedside essentials?


text:
Rita H. who posted asking where to buy "Watercolor Fantasy Papers 2" - I'd have e-mailed but you didn't leave me an address. The papers come with the kit of 82 pieces for $4.99. You can scroll down to yesterday's post introducing the kit and click the "add to cart" button below the previews or you can go to the right column where you see the four previews of the kit and click the "add to cart" button below the previews. If you need more help e-mail me at email@example.com and I'm so glad you like the kit!
Today finishes our lovely collection of rainbows. Today's gift is the background paper! I hope you enjoy it! It's rich colors just make me happy and a bit excited with anticipation. That's how we are supposed to feel about our walks with Christ! If your faith is a duty and drudgery for you, I'd encourage you to fast a little while and seek Him with all your hear - meditate on His Word and pray. The Christian walk is the greatest adventure in life and all you need to step into the wonder and excitement of it is to:
- "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
Link expired. Available now in my PayPal store. E-mail me if you don't find it. Check out my TERMS OF USE here.
The password is jesuschristislord.


text:
Transparent display?
Is it transparent in both directions? It would be a bit hard to compose the shot since the display will show what the actual picture will look like, but what you see through the display will be completely different.
There's no value in the photographer seeing through the display, and I can't really see why the subject(s) should be able to see the photographer through the display except for "ooh, that's neat!"


text:
Polaroid is expected to announce the world's first compact, interchangeable lens, mirrorless camera, IM1836.
The new camera will feature Android 4 OS, a user-friendly 3.5" touchscreen LCD display, 18.1MP sensor, panoramic picture taking abilities, pop-up flash, HDMI and headphones outputs, and automatic blink detection functions. In addition, built-in Wi-Fi will make it easy to sync photos and share them via email or social media.
Source: photorumors.com


text:
Then this post, and others like it in the future, are just for you!
I've been thinking about better ways to communicate with folks who've read my books, and although I already have this blog, I'm not the greatest about "talking" specifically to my readers. Sure, I write poems and post photographs and stuff, but I don't really TALK to you.
Shame on me, right?
YOU, after all, are the reason I do what I do!
So, while the rest of my posts are sporadic (sorry!), on Tuesdays I will try my darndest to write posts just for you.
I hope to write about things like what it's like to work in the traditional publishing industry, insider information into different pieces of my books, personal writing habits and quirks, background research, and whatever else I can think of that might interest folks who've read my books.
Which reminds me…
…what would YOU, as a reader, like to hear about in "Dear Reader" posts?
Today, I'll just share a little bit about my third novel, tentatively titled, Lead Me Home, and which will be published next summer (2016) with Tyndale House Publishers. I am so excited about this novel. As different as How Sweet the Sound and Then Sings My Soul were from each other, Lead Me Home is different still. The setting is small town Indiana, and the main characters are a pastor with a dying church and a young man, forced to grow up too soon, who runs his family dairy farm. Each of them struggles with their place in the world…where they are, versus where God wants them to be.
Do you ever struggle with that?
I know I do. It's the great temptation of most Americans, if we're honest, don't you think? We'd rather have our neighbor's home, job, money, looks…life. Wouldn't it be nice to know for sure that we are right where God wants us to be? And to rest in that assurance?
This next book, as with the others, is an attempt to reconcile the way the world is with hope and assurance from God. At the end of the day, I think this is the task and motivation of all writers, all artists…we throw words and color and images out of our minds in frenzied attempts to rearrange them into some sort of sense, into something that matters, into something that shows that we can overcome tragedy and pain and the craziness of this world and find hope.
So, dear reader, let's connect!
Tell me what you'd like to hear me write about.
I can't wait to visit with you again soon!


text:
The Secret Garden of Stories: The Reader Organisation's Children's Literature Festival
This August something very exciting can be found at Calderstones Mansion House...
The Reader Organisation is proud to present our very first Children's Literature Festival, transforming the garden of the Mansion House into The Secret Garden of Stories. From Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th August, you can join us for a host of great literature for children and fun activities for the whole family including Roald Dahl storytelling sessions, craft workshops, games, competitions and appearances from very special guest authors Cathy Cassidy, Lydia Monks, Jon Mayhew and the award winning Andy Mulligan.
The Secret Garden of Stories is set to be the biggest children's literature festival in Liverpool, held in the magical surroundings of Calderstones which opens up a world of imagination on its own. It's just £1 to enter the garden daily from 10am-4pm, with lots of fun in store.
The Author's Den
Come along to the Author's Den during The Secret Garden of Stories and have the chance to hear first hand from some of the best children's authors, including Cathy Cassidy whose books include hits from The Chocolate Box Series, Marshmallow Sky and Cherry Crush, Lydia Monks reading extracts from her brilliant stories I Wish I Were a Dog and What The Ladybird Heard, and Andy Mulligan whose books include Return to Ribblestrop which won the 2011 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and Trash which has been adapted for a film to be released this Autumn.
Entry into The Author's Den costs £5 per author talk, with full listings below:
- Meet Jon Mayhew - Thursday 28th August, 2-3pm (book online)
- Meet Lydia Monks - Friday 29th August, 2-3.30pm (book online)
- Meet Cathy Cassidy - Saturday 30th August, 12-1.30pm (book online)
- Meet Andy Mulligan - Saturday 30th August, 2-3pm (book online)
There will also be a very special and very fitting performance of one of the most classic children's novels The Secret Garden by The Bookworm Players as part of the The Secret Garden of Stories, taking place on Thursday 28th August, 6.30-7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £5 for children for an outdoor performance. Book tickets online here.
We're also looking for sponsors for The Secret Garden of Stories, with a range of sponsorship packages available to companies and organisations which will enable you to be a special part of the festival - whether you want to pledge £50 or £5,000, there's something to offer. Download the sponsorship pack on our website.
We're also open to discussing other ways to be involved, so if you have any ideas of how you can best be a part of the festival don't hesitate to get in touch by calling 0151 724 5000 or e-mailing firstname.lastname@example.com
More news on The Secret Garden of Stories to come in the coming weeks.


text:
$5,000 grants available for a limited time! Find out if you qualify.
Buffalo, NY
Amherst, NY
Tonawanda, NY
Hamburg, NY
Orchard Park, NY
Cheektowaga, NY
Grand Island, NY
Niagara County, NY
© 2019 The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Program of NYSAMLS's. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Great Lakes Real Estate, Inc are marked with the IDX logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. Information being provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties that consumers may be interested in purchasing. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change, or withdrawal. Neither the listing broker(s) nor Great Lakes Real Estate, Inc shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints, and shall be held totally harmless ©2019 CNYIS, UNYREIS, WNYREIS. All rights reserved. Information last updated on 2019-09-20.


text:
In a somewhat surprising – but nonetheless very welcome – move, Ravens' defensive coordinator Greg Mattison decided this evening to leave Baltimore to join the Michigan Wolverines to take the same position.
While I believe Mattison was the recipient of some slightly unfair criticism during his two years as mastermind of the Ravens' defense – his units finished #3 and #10, respectively – I'm not absolving him of his share of the blame for Saturday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Mattison's decision to use his patented 3-man rush on the 3rd-and-19 that the Steelers would ultimately convert is, in my mind, a fire-able offense on its own.
The Ravens immediately announced that secondary coach Chuck Pagano would be taking over for Mattison. Pagano, 50, has been with the Ravens since 2008. He has previously coached at the University of North Carolina (defensive coordinator), in Oakland with the Raiders (defensive backs), in Cleveland with the Browns (secondary), and at the University of Miami (defensive backs) among other stops.
Let's hope Pagano's first act as DC is to rip out every page from the Ravens' defensive playbook that has the words "3-man rush" on it.
Oh, and, hey Michigan – you guys need an offensive coordinator too, riiiiiight?


text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A county commission in Tennessee on Tuesday night will consider a resolution asking God to spare citizens from the wrath of God that may rain down on them as a result of the US Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage.
The "Resolution Condemning Judicial Tyranny And Petitioning God's Mercy" asks the state to join rural Blount County in fighting against the ruling and to "protect Natural Marriage from lawless court opinions and the financial schemes of the enemies of righteousness."
The resolution further requests that God "pass us by in His Coming Wrath and not destroy our County as He did Sodom and Gomorrah," according to text of the resolution, published in The Tennesseean newspaper.
The Blount County Commission meets in Maryville, just south of Knoxville, where the resolution will be introduced by Commissioner Karen Miller.
Miller did not respond to messages left at her home on Tuesday. Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell declined comment and referred any calls to the County Commission office, which declined any comment and referred all calls back to Miller.
The debate promises to be lively — the Nashville-based Tennessee Equality Project, a gay rights group, expects about 250 speakers and protesters, wearing red, according to Gwen Schablik, board president for the Project's foundation.
Schablik said 11 out of 21 commissioners are needed to pass the resolution and she knows of six commissioners in favor.
A similar resolution without the appeal to God's mercy was passed recently in Greene County. Schablik believes the resolutions are tied to a bill in Tennessee's legislature introduced two weeks ago that calls on the state to nullify the Supreme Court ruling.
"Many people in the county, even people you wouldn't expect, are saying the Supreme Court made the decision and that's the law of the land," Schablik said.
In the neighboring state of Kentucky, county clerk Kim Davis has gained national attention for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples due to her religious beliefs.


text:
Christie betting that lottery can bail out troubled pensions
Analysts and advocates say the deal — an arrangement that would be unique to New Jersey — probably won't hurt, but there's not a consensus on how much it might help.
"Where it does provide tremendous relief is optically," said Lisa Washburn, managing director at Municipal Market Analytics, a firm that analyzes government bonds. "The numbers look better on a whole lot of levels. Whether or not they're truly better is questionable."
Since Christie took office in 2010, the state has contributed more than $6 billion to retirement funds to which past governors have often skimped on payments — or skipped them entirely. Still, the gap between the money expected to be in the funds and that which is owed to retirees has only grown. By any measure, it's among the biggest unfunded pension liabilities in the country.


text:
Aaron Herrington December 16 Ad In Transworld
Here's the photo of Aaron Herrington from our January 16 ad in Transworld Skate. Aaron said it was tough to get "Yeah that was actually a really rough day. Was going thru my break up and crying every 5 tries lol". Photo by Jon Coulthard


text:
Welcome to Rochester Covenant Church
The DNA of Rochester Covenant Church (RCC) is mission – local and global. The church budget supports numerous missionaries who are both Covenant sponsored and independent. RCC members engage in a variety of local ministries in the Rochester area including Next Chapter, Teen Challenge, Prison Fellowship, and Interfaith Hospitality Network and serve with programs at Friendship Place and Gage School.
RCC is intentionally an inter-generational church. We love having babies and children stirring in worship and seeing wheelchairs and walkers parked alongside pews. Our church sings the old hymns of the faith and sings the new songs of young believers. We believe that the young need to experience the depth of old hymns and the old need to experience the freshness of new songs, so we sing both, in one service each week.
RCC is pretty informal and relational. We love hanging around after services to have coffee or tea and visit. Sunday worship services begin at 9:30 a.m. and a fellowship time follows. At 11:00 a.m. various classes that help us as kids and adults grow our faith. On Wednesday evenings RCC gathers in the lower level Fellowship Hall for a meal together beginning at 5:15 p.m. Kids go off to AWANA, a great children's program that teaches Bible truths, and adults attend a Bible Study taught by the pastor. At 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, those who love to sing gather in the music room for worship choir rehearsal.
We are a church affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church. The denomination began in 1885 and has 850 churches in over 40 countries. We are a growing, multi-ethnic and multi-generational fellowship. For more info click here.


text:
- Make a long title (or post a long message).
- A user, who watches the topic, views a properly truncated notifications in the Notifications flyout, but not on Special: Notifications page.
Some samples:
Some samples:
|T119713 Update Help:Notifications
|T114351 Better organisation for the Notification System
|T115316 Better organisation of the Notification Page
|T136567 Design adjustments for the Notifications Page
|T138433 Notifications page: Notification bodies are not truncated
There is a technical issue with making the body of a table-layout div (css) actually adhere to its width.
We can try and bypass this technically, but I think it also exposes secondary issues we should solve:
@Pginer-WMF your input is needed.
Regarding 1, I proposed some max-width value in T137425. For very small screens we may want to hide the side filters into a popover menu, but that's worth a separate ticket.
Regarding 2, the idea of truncating the excerpt to one line is to keep items easier to scan by keeping them of similar heights. Excerpt is not intended to provide all the information, just enough context as the line allows.
Change 297447 had a related patch set uploaded (by Mooeypoo):
Set a fixed max-width to the Special:Notifications page
I've added a temporary max-width of 700px to the notifications view in the Special:Notifications page, as per @jmatazzoni
We can change this to be more responsive with specific behavior for each screen size later.
Change 297447 merged by jenkins-bot:
Set a fixed max-width to the Special:Notifications page
As Moriel says, 700 px is a provisional spec, until Pau can come up with a responsive design or whatever he deems necessary. The width was based on an approximate reading width of 95 characters.
Change 297525 had a related patch set uploaded (by Mooeypoo):
Followup Iae32cbf82cdb: Set width to Special:Notifications
Change 297525 merged by jenkins-bot:
Followup Iae32cbf82cdb: Set width to Special:Notifications
As I mentioned in T138433#2413789, there is a proposal in T137425.
If the 700px you mention are applied to the list of notifications, its not very different from what I proposed, but I'm not sure if those 700px already include the 300px-wide sidebar filter, in which case it seems too few to me.
Change 297594 had a related patch set uploaded (by Sbisson):
Followup Iae32cbf82cdb: Set width to Special:Notifications
I'm not sure if those 700px already include the 300px-wide sidebar filter, in which case it seems too few to me.
No, it's just the reading column. So, as you say, not that different from what you suggested. Unless you see a reason to switch back to 600, my observation is that the extra 100 px. might offer the benefit of allowing a few more headers to not wrap...
Change 297594 merged by jenkins-bot:
Followup Iae32cbf82cdb: Set width to Special:Notifications
Mentioned in SAL [2016-07-06T15:36:35Z] <thcipriani@tin> Synchronized php-1.28.0-wmf.9/extensions/Echo/modules/styles: SWAT: [[gerrit:297594|Set width to Special:Notifications (T138433)]] (duration: 00m 30s)
700px is totally in a legible range. Since we are setting the upper limit is perfectly fine to go with that.
Checked in betalabs - messages with long titles/excerpts correctly fit into the area size (not responsive to the window resizing but it's not critical).


text:
Our Asado, which brings the warmth and hospitality of South America to Napa, has become TasteVino Selections Wine Club's annual signature event. During this year's celebration – our fourth – we enjoyed the feast created by SMOKE Open Fire Cooking while catching up with wine club members, both old and new, as we all shared in the magic of this very special summer feast.
Each year Irma comes up with a fresh take on the Asado; this time, she reflected on our 2007 visit to San Telmo, the "Latin Quarter" of Buenos Aires, as a theme. The Old World charm of that neighborhood was reflected everywhere, from the ornate antique elegance of the café chairs to romantic refrains of the live tango music – all set in the unique beauty of a private estate, the vineyard property of our dear friends Jamie and Bernie Hurley.
Our guests ranged from founding members of TasteVino Selections Wine Club; to friends of prior Asado attendees, as well as new TasteVino fans and SMOKE followers; and also several friends of our creative director-photographer Quentin Bacon, whose past Asado imagery they have been following for several years.
An Asado is the ultimate mixed grill, and as you can see there is never a shortage of meat at my version of this feast. Irma made sure there was plenty of wine also, starting with Cinco Sentidos Extra Brut; moving to Inspiratto Malbec from our latest club shipment, and ending with Pueblo del Sol Reserve Cabernet and Cinco Sentidos Gran Reserva with Stewart Ranch Lamb.
I love letting the season's bounty guide my salads, and guests particularly enjoyed my Grilled Peaches and Burrata with Arugula Salad. This is what Napa brings to the Asado – incredibly fresh ingredients. We finished the meal with Braised Rice Pudding with Dulce de Leche & Macerated Cherries, paired with a glass of Familia Deicas Dessert Wine 2007.
This year's Asado was the kind of heady evening where you might just break into song – as did our native Argentinean friend, Gustavo Bustos, guest of Matias Bertona. What would you sing at the end of a night like this?


text:
44/52: One angry cloud ruins a picnic./
But maybe a picnic isn't your only option.
Each week for a year, I'm designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 44.
It only takes one person to destroy what should be a fun time. One angry cloud. One person without perspective. One person committed to making people miserable. One unexpected storm. One person convinced that they are more important than everyone around them. And when that storm hits, it's pretty much impossible to enjoy the picnic.
When the rain is coming down, no one will blame you if you pack up and go home. But it isn't your only option. You can tough it out (and dance in the rain). You can change your plans and get away from the rain. The choice is up to you.
You can purchase "One angry cloud ruins a picnic." from my Threadless store.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He's particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He's currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year. Follow Bob on Twitter, Instagram and Micro.Blog.


text:
Ayo's Money Jar Book
Ayodele (Ayo) is a curious little boy growing up in a multicultural family. When Ayo helps his Mama and Daddy around the house, he gains way more than he bargained for and learns a lasting lesson about money management.
Ayo's Money Jar is the first book in our series for children ages 2-6 called $mart¢hoiceNation (SCN) Kids. This is the second edition of the Ayo's Money Jar book. This edition features beautiful original artwork from Nigerian visual artist and painter, Aniekan Udofia. This version of the book also explores the multicultural heritage of the book's main character, Ayo.


text:
Loire valley nature collection
I'm sorry I kind of disappeared this past week, I didn't intend to. But it's been so hot indoors (nigths aren't cool enough to make the temps indoors go down, so without AC it's very hot & unpleasant inside most of the time) that I've lost this week all willingness to use a computer that produces heat too.
I don't plan to post detailed blog posts about our trip, and actually all summer long. It's just the way I feel these days. Simplified, minimalist, but present on the blog nontheless.
Nature collection I've gathered by the Loire river.
Thin slate, silex, shells, seaglass, coral (yes), and sorry I can't remember the name of the plant. (anyone ?) I love this kind of autumnal pallette.
I wish you all a beautiful weekend ahead ! Thanks for stopping by !


text: I just discovered that The Northern Virginia Review nominated my poem "a sparrow's death" for a Pushcart Prize. This is my first nomination. I'm so thrilled! Thanks to Ruth Stewart, Nicole Tong, J. Indigo Eriksen, and Jen Daniels. January 13, 2017January 13, 2017jennifermacbainstephens 2 Comments The Northern Virginia Review Advertisements Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading... Related


text:
Is it ever right for a therapist to cry?
Ask most people about their idea of a therapy session and it will probably be a dispassionate professional sitting quietly taking notes as a patient pours out their darkest secrets - possibly on the analyst's couch. The patient may even break down in tears.
Suggest that it was the therapist who cried during a session and many might dismiss the notion. But recent research has discovered that as many as three-quarters of therapists may have wiped away a tear when listening to their patients.
The study was carried out by Amy Blume-Marcovici, a clinical psychologist at Alliant University in San Diego in the United States.
She found herself with tears in her eyes during a therapy session with a female patient.
"I worried mostly that I had harmed her, or that she would feel 'can this person handle what I'm talking about?' And then I also worried that I'd been unprofessional."
In her study Blume-Marcovici says it's not a case of therapists sobbing: "Most often this was people describing themselves as 'tearing up'… for the large majority the tears were beyond their control. Most of the time they did not regret their tears and they said that their client was not aware of their tears."
The therapists who took part in the survey encompassed beginners through to the most experienced.
Among those who admitted to crying, 30% had done so in the last four weeks. So crying is not a rare occurrence.
Even though women cry more in daily life, it wasn't reflected in the therapists' reporting of their own tears. Men cried just as often as women. Blume-Marcovici suggests that women might "hold back tears" more than men, to control how they behave in the sessions.
Put off
Susie (not her real name), who herself underwent therapy is horrified at the thought of therapists crying.
She saw a therapist in her 30s because an abusive childhood made her into "an angry control freak" that needed careful handling.
"If my therapist had cried I'd have never returned. I needed a therapist who was in control of their emotions… at the start I needed to feel that my therapist was a superhuman who could fix me, so seeing any wavering would have demolished my confidence in them. I was terrified of my own emotions and I think I would have felt enormous guilt that I had made them sad."
Simon Wessely, a professor of psychological medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London agrees.
"You're supposed to be a professional," he says. "It's perfectly okay to empathise with people when they're in distress. But there's a big difference between that and then bursting into tears.
"You could also say for example, what you just told me made me feel angry and to prove that I'm now going to slap you. That wouldn't be very good, would it? I don't like the idea that at some point the patient might push the box of tissues back to you."
What makes a therapist cry?
In the therapy sessions patients are at their lowest ebb, often recounting tales which are distressing to listen to.
Consultant clinical psychologist Gillian Colville knows this only too well. She helps to support the families of very sick children in paediatric intensive care at St George's Hospital in London.
Some of her patients are in deep distress after a child has died.
"I glisten," she admits. "Certain things that people say - you can't fail to be moved by."
It's happened a couple of times recently and the clients noticed. "One caught their breath and changed the subject… the other continued what they were saying. But I don't do it on purpose, I wouldn't know how to."
In the American survey just over half of those who cried believed it didn't have an effect on their client and close to a half thought it had changed their relationship for the better. Less than one per cent felt it had harmed their client.
Amy Blume-Marcovici noted that older, more experienced therapists were more likely to cry. She suggests that this could be because they are more comfortable with expressing their emotions.
Gillian Colville uses professional support at work to cope with the pressures. She says she sometimes cries during sessions with her supervisor. "I do weep… a child dying is unutterably sad. I would be worried if I wasn't moved, but I have to take note and look after myself too."
Susie said she would have been distressed if her therapist had cried during her sessions but confesses: "Now, as a relatively sane person, I can see that there's actually nothing wrong with a therapist crying, because they are human."


text:
Apple could be preparing to ship 40-45 million iPhones next year, according to a new report from DigiTimes.
OmniVision Technologies is expected to see CMOS image sensor (CIS) orders for Apple's iPhone devices grow to 40-45 million units in 2010 from 20-21 million estimated this year, according to industry sources. The sources said OmniVision has secured 5-megapixel CIS orders for the next-generation iPhone model, which will hit shelves sometime during the second half of 2010.
...Including orders for iPods, the sources estimated OmniVision's total shipments to Apple at around 65 million units in 2009.
The DigiTimes has a spotty track record chasing down Apple rumors, so be warned.
However, it's not unreasonable to think Apple will have a better camera on its next iPhone, especially since the Droid and Nexus One have 5-megapixel cameras.
Selling 40-45 million iPhones, which would almost double this year's 20-21 million, would be pretty impressive. But if Apple gets the iPhone on Verizon and T-Mobile, it expands its potential customer base in the U.S. Also, there will be current iPhone users like ourselves who have their 2-year contract finished and will want to upgrade to the latest generation, so it's plausible.


text:
As of 2015, customers can find current free T-Mobile codes, coupons and discounts by visiting coupon sites, such as RetailMetNot, CouponCabin and TechBargains. T-Mobile also includes information regarding current deals and promotions at T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile promotional codes change on a regular basis, so a code that works today might not necessarily work tomorrow.
Past T-Mobile codes include discounts on accessories, reduced activation fees, iPhone discounts and free unlimited music streaming. When customers search for promo codes on coupon sites, they can see reviews, comments and success rates from other customers. Coupon sites provide direct links for receiving these offers, so customers simply need to click on the links to receive the discount.
T-Mobile helps customers save by including deals on plans and devices at its website. The site offers free shipping for online purchases of all phones, tablets and other devices. Customers who are interested in multiple lines of service can receive discounts by enrolling in a T-Mobile family plan.
Customers who are interested in switching to T-Mobile from other carriers can take advantage of other specials, such as having T-Mobile pay early termination fees for customers who switch and meet other qualifications. Customers can switch carriers online at T-Mobile.com, via phone or in a T-Mobile retail store.


text:
Growing old is a fact of life. I was contemplating why I never see many fitness programs for senior citizens. We have a generation of baby boomers who are independent and want to stay that way. Far too often we find a lack of information being given to senior citizens why exercise is essential to maintain independence. Question is why we don't cater our services to this population? Do older adults not value living with less chronic diseases?
To help answer some of these questions we have fitness expert Greg Mikolap to give us some insights about training senior citizens. Greg has the same questions as I do and understands why older adults need exercise. He has been a fitness professional for over a decade and has seen the value in senior citizens who regularly exercise. He is so passionate about this issue he has a course designed for trainers because he knows more trainers need to understand the needs of this population.
PEDRO SUN: Just wanted to say thanks Greg for sharing your knowledge in this area of training. First off, it's important to know what people should look for when hiring a trainer. Can you give us some of your thoughts on this?
GREG: Sure. I understand it can be hard to hire a trainer, but this list should help make the decision easier.
PEDRO SUN: All too often I feel that the older adult population is left out when it comes to fitness and exercise. Can you tell me why we should also focus on this population? Also, why should aging adults hire a personal trainer?
GREG: Older adults (65+ in most countries) feel left out by most businesses, not only fitness and exercise. A report done by 'Later life UK' in 2016 showed that almost 40% of 65 and older adults think businesses have little interest in the consumer needs of older people. This is just bizarre considering the over 50-year-old crowd is the fastest growing and there is a need for services for older adults.
Seniors are the least active age group. According to various sources, the number of people 65 and older that fit into exercise guidelines varies between 10% and 40%. Only 20% of this age group participates in regular activity.
For strength training, there is consistent reporting on 10% of seniors to meeting strength training needs.
Why the fitness industry does not include more attention to older adults is a complex question than it may initially seem. It involves societal norms, individual beliefs, subjective and objective barriers.
First, there is a myth that as people age they should move less. Society wants to help older people because strenuous activity is not the norm. We view seniors differently as a culture.
General opinion is that seniors should be in a rocking chair, not the treadmill or lifting weights.
Current older adults grew up in the era where technology was advancing, thus doing less by using machines or technology was a 'status symbol'.
In a Canadian Journal, older adults surveyed said that they get enough exercise in their activities of daily living. As I stated earlier, research shows us that this is not the case. It confirms on what other studies say that a lot of people don't start or maintain physical activity due to vague instructions of what is enough or not enough.
Adhering to physical activity also doesn't show immediate results. This is something that a health professional need to remind people of. Also, as noted in this study (Chao et al in 2000 and later by Schutzer et al in 2004) a lot of older adults find the effects of increased activity; sweating, heavy breathing, muscle soreness the next day to be negative and 'unladylike'. Another study from the same year found that 'The findings suggest that many older women feel physically vulnerable, are unsure about their actual risks and benefits in an exercise setting and in the face of that uncertainty, report medical reasons why they should be excused from fitness-promoting exercise.' O'Brien Cousins S. 2000
Great quote from the paper published in Controlled Clinical Trials journal named Exercise adherence among older adult's challenges and strategies: 'Physical activity is often perceived as a recreational or competitive activity rather than a therapeutic or prophylactic regimen. Pharmacological and dietary interventions, on the other hand, are often viewed as both necessary and effective means to improving health. In fact, only recently have health professionals given much attention to prescribing physical activity for older adults. Indeed, standardized recommendations regarding the appropriate "dose" of exercise (frequency, intensity, duration) to elicit the desired "response" (amelioration or prevention of a specific condition or disease state) are currently in the formative stages.
Also, health professionals must continually examine the quality and clarity of their recommendations to older adults. For instance, older adults are often given vague directions regarding physical activity; they may simply be told to "be more physically active." These recommendations are in marked contrast to drug and diet recommendations, which can be rather precise.'
As you can see, there is a huge need for exercise in this population. That's where personal trainers can make a huge impact in the lives of seniors. With current medical care, we are expected to live to at least 75 and usually way beyond that. Living longer increases the risk of disability or chronic disease. Training under a watchful and professional eye can prolong quality of life and life itself. Fitness professionals can make exercise enjoyable as they understand how to put exercise programs together for senior citizens. People who are stronger and fitter enjoy a better quality of life, both personal and social. Exercise can save lives. It is estimated that fall prevention strategies could reduce the number of falls by up to 30%.
PEDRO SUN: I'm excited that you are creating a course for trainers on how to train older individuals. Can you tell us what we can expect from this course?
GREG: I'm really excited about that course myself. Trainers will learn:
Course will be available from the Teachable website but you can sign up now and get a great discounted price at http://www.goodlookingbody.co.uk/coming-soon.html
PEDRO SUN: How can people get in touch with you? Any last thoughts?
GREG: Facebook is where I spend most of my time. My personal profile is https://www.facebook.com/greg.mikolap and I love connecting with people so make sure to say hi after sending friend request.
Thank you for taking your time Pedro and keep doing awesome work.
Be sure to like us on Facebook!
Click the button below and enter your best email. I'll send you a coupon for a free personal training session with me in Mission Valley, San Diego.
My name's Pedro Sun and I am a personal trainer in Mission Valley. I write these blogs to help teach you valuable lifestyle skills that will improve your quality of life.
September 2017