text:
Letter from a full-time sceptic's notebook5 min read . Updated: 03 Sep 2017, 11:03 AM IST
That bullshit radar of yours is a piece of precision engineering. Use it wisely.
That bullshit radar of yours is a piece of precision engineering. Use it wisely.
Some years ago, I wrote a book that turned a sceptical eye on certain oft-repeated aspects of Indian history. And I enjoyed it very much. So much so that I decided to go back to university and train to become a proper historian. I have talked about this before in these… err… webpages. So far I have enjoyed this "mature student" lifestyle very much. And I am currently eagerly looking forward to moving up from a postgraduate course to a doctoral programme next month (there is a small matter of a master's thesis in between. But let us ignore that for now. Hashtag Crie).
The course has done many things. For instance, it has made me realize how half-baked that original book was. History is not something, I have realized, that you can fact-check in a pat, 3,000-word essay. Things are a bit more complex than that.
The course also made me a person with more humility. Listening to far more learned people speak with self-doubt made me realize what an idiot I was with my certitudes and flawless ideologies.
The course has also made me a much more competent sceptic. In other words, I am now in possession of a fairly sensitive bullshit radar. This is a crippling thing for an Indian columnist/editor/journalist type to have (you can never switch it off in this profession). Also, compounded with self-doubt, being a full-time sceptic gives people the impression that you don't stand for anything or believe in anybody. Which is fine. It ruins Twitter for you (which is great for productivity in general). But when you do choose things to rally behind, it gives you a position borne of out a more fundamental, authentic conviction.
But this raises two questions. First, do I believe in anything? And second, how do you actually come to own and operate a finely-tuned bullshit radar?
In this week's letter, let me share a few thoughts on this.
First, personally I try to distinguish between scepticism and cynicism. In my personal dictionary, a sceptic is convinced that some things are total crap. While a cynic is convinced most things or perhaps everything is total crap. Your definitions might vary. So a sceptic does believe in things, as it were, but just likes to ask for proofs often. But without getting mired in semantics: yes, I believe in lots of stuff. And people. And ideas. And science. And evolution. I think some ideas are more established than others. Et cetera.
Secondly, how do you function as a sceptic? Let me share a handful of tips and techniques I use in my everyday life to keep my bullshit radar functioning in top form. Your mileage may vary.
1. Nothing is because of one thing: If someone tells you the Sensex went up or the GDP growth rate went down because of this or the other reason, alert alert alert. The latest trends might confirm your political leanings, but causations, especially in a country like India, are rarely clean or unambiguous. And the greater there is aggregation in the thing you are looking at, less is the chance that that thing was because of just one or two other things.
2. Degrees of separation: Seen with some detachment, a surprising amount of the stuff you see in the news, in the press and even read in books is quite similar to that trope from your school days: my friend's friend's cousin's dad is a RAW spy. But in fact he is an inspector in the department of food adulteration. The closer you get to the source of data, the better. Photos need citations. Videos need attributions. Charts need references. It doesn't matter if your grandfather sent you something on WhatsApp. Pro-tip: the words "is it true?" are the oldest trick in the truth-manufacturing book. Ignore immediately.
3. Ask for footnotes: Yay, your country just went up thirty places in the World Economic Forum's International Ranking Of Fragrant Nations? Congratulations. But wait. Read the footnotes. Check the methodology. Figure out the factors that go into the rankings. That is not to say that these rankings are useless. They are not. But many are not nearly as useful as they seem. Particularly, keep an eye out for things governments can do to manipulate ranks easily.
4. Survey the survey, inspect the index: 85% of Indians say that tomatoes are the best vegetables in the world. Superb. Until you check the methodology and realize the pollsters spoke to 13 people they found in a Cafe Coffee Day near Carter Road. I cannot reiterate this enough: check every survey, index, poll, etc. Especially the ones that show wide variations between nations and between years.
5. Weasel words: Most, many, almost all, several, a large number, majority… these are all words frequently used to make trends appear where they don't. Beware. Especially in news headlines.
6. Trust your instincts: Most people have excellent bullshit radars already inbuilt (some people are hopelessly gullible). So when that little alarm goes off… pay heed. Sometimes the radar goes off in undesirable ways. But that is the price of being a sceptic. Better to be aware of the weaknesses of one's position, than to believe in it blindly.
7. Finally, choose your battles: Not everything is worth being sceptical about. Politicians are hypocritical. Famous people say stupid things. National heroes were sometimes cowards. Great cricketers were terrible people. Great doctors were terrible taxpayers. Good historians are bad columnists. Or whatever. You don't have to spend all day fact-checking every trivial thing. In some cases, that is precisely why falsehoods are manufactured. To keep smart people engaged in fighting useless battles. That bullshit radar is a piece of precision engineering. Use it wisely.
Letter From... is Mint on Sunday's antidote to boring editor's columns. Each week, one of our editors—Sidin Vadukut in London and Arun Janardhan in Mumbai—will send dispatches on places, people and institutions that are worth ruminating about on the weekend.
Comments are welcome at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Sayenko Kharenko advises Auchan, one of the world's largest food retailers, on various Ukrainian law issues, including real estate investment issues, regulatory, land, criminal, criminal-procedural matters. Sayenko Kharenko's team also represents the Client's interests before the state and local authorities, law enforcement authorities, public councils, working groups and commissions within the projects implementation.
Auchan Retail Ukraine is the Ukrainian subsidiary of the French food retailer Auchan. Founded in 1961 in France, Groupe Auchan operates in 14 countries, including the EU, China, Taiwan, Senegal. It is structured into 3 core businesses: hypermarkets, supermarkets, and e-commerce. Auchan Retail Ukraine was opened in March 2007. The first supermarket was launched in Kiev in 2008. Today, Auchan Retail Ukraine employs more than 3 800 people.
Sayenko Kharenko team advising on the project includes counsel Sergiy Smirnov, senior associate Anastasiya Bidakh, associate Kuzma Pozychaniuk and is led by partner Sergey Pogrebnoy.
Sayenko Kharenko enjoys global reputation as a leading Ukrainian law firm with an internationally oriented full-service practice. The firm's leading market position builds on continuous excellence of its highly specialized practice teams. During the past two years, Sayenko Kharenko collected three of the most prestigious professional excellence country awards, including Law Firm of the Year by IFLR European Awards 2015, Who's Who Legal European Awards 2015 and Chambers Europe Award for Excellence 2015. Most recently, Sayenko Kharenko was crowned Ukraine Law Firm of the Year by Who's Who Legal 2016, and shortlisted for Russia, Ukraine & the CIS category by The Lawyer European Awards 2016 and Ukraine Law Firm of the Year category by Chambers Europe Awards 2016.
To learn more about Sayenko Kharenko expertise and experience, please contact
Oleksandra Ananyeva
PR Manager
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dignity goes beyond just meeting the physical needs of people. Within our MyCityCare program, we strive to maintain dignity as we help those in need. We are joined again by Jen Tribble to hear all about how MyCityCare is doing that.
Last week, we discussed one of the biggest events our MyCityCare team puts on; the Shop of Wonders. However, Christmas is not the only time of year that our community faces needs. The Cinderella Project provides dresses, shoes and accessories for graduating girls whose families cannot afford such. Also, every September we run a Stuff the Bus campaign which allows people to donate school supplies to families in need. These two programs have had great success and it's amazing to see the impact they have had.
When creating and planning these events, we aim to help people while still maintaining their dignity. This makes for the best experience for those we are reaching out to. They don't feel ashamed for getting help, rather excited to have equal opportunity.
I think what I enjoy most about MyCityCare is watching our amazing volunteers dig in to see our church moving forward. It is vital to have attendees participate in the vision of moving forward if the church is to progress. I love getting to watch our volunteers serve and grow spiritually. Listen in as Jen shares more details on this incredible ministry.
If you have questions you would like answered in an upcoming podcast, please email firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
We are a market leader in self-pierce riveting, joining aluminum, high-strength, ultra-high-strength, and other materials that cannot be reliably welded.
It's easy to contact us, just use the links below and follow the steps.
Click here to get in touch with us.
Easily handle your Atlas Copco orders and errands whenever it suits you. Note this is only for registered partners, please contact us to know more.


text:
Five years ago Ashley and I succumbed to the reports of epic powder in Japan that we had heard about, and despite never being that interested in Japan or its culture (not sure why, really...it's old, rich, complicated, and fascinating) we went over for a quick trip and saw the light...at least, what little we could see through the copious snow that fell from the sky and blew around our faces. As the anemic early winter snowpack didn't accumulate in Utah we saw the writing on the wall: when it was going to snow it was going to be challenging at best (the Ironic Insult to Injury of a lean snow year is that when it doesn't snow much the avalanche danger typically is also much higher when it does actually snow) and it was time to return to the Land Of The Rising Sun And Deep Powder (LOTRSADP)!
Many people are surprised that there is even skiing in Japan much less being a global ski hub, but there are actually over 500 ski resorts, even though it's 4% of the size of the US, and from December through March in Japan.....it snows. A lot. Our last trip there was in late February and the base snow depth at the resorts was 15 feet, even though it's at the same latitude as Utah and the mountains only top out at 6000 feet and typically the skiing is between 1000 and 3000 feet. In a nutshell, the reason for this phenomenon is because they are just across the Sea of Japan from Siberia and storms consistently sweep down, pick up moisture from the Sea, and dump it on the first land that pushes that air upwards, which is the smaller northern island of Hokkaido and the northern section of Honshu (the "main" island). The Wasatch Weather Weenie Jim Steenburgh, who is one of the world's experts on "lake effect" snowfall, calls it a winter monsoon, and just a couple of weeks ago published a blog post on Japan here, and here is an (unpermitted; hope Jim doesn't mind!) image showing it:
Our first adventure within the adventure began right when we hit the ground; our flight over was late, and as we were exiting the plane in Tokyo a gate agent was holding up a sign with our names on it; yes, what up? "We saw that you were coming in late and we were worried that you may not make your connection, so we are here to help!" Wow, welcome to the supernice Japanese people. That gate agent hustled us to our connecting airline gate people, who processed us quickly and then two of them grabbed a couple of our bags and - even though they were dressed impeccably and were sporting high heels - asked very nicely "can you run?!" And off we all ran to catch our flight!
|a respite on the hgh-heeled gate-agent chase while we are on the inter-terminal train.
was "big problem". huh? "You need international drivers license!" Wow, ok, how do I get one? "must be in home country!" Wait a minute, I am a 'Murican! Make America Great Again! America First, even when it comes to drivers licenses! Getting an international drivers license means sending $20 to AAA and getting a piece of paper, but according to the 1949 Geneva Convention rules (not kidding) that's the way it is. Once we recognized that we weren't getting a car we did an abrupt strategy shift, and a quick scramble to connect into Japan's extensive and prompt public transit system we were on a bus heading for Furano within 30 mins, even as we were cautioned that some bus reservations need to be made far in advance. Whatever; we'll deal as it comes....
Furano is both a city and an adjacent ski resort, and has fun sidecountry (and there's a great Aussie who has been in that area for a zillion years who is super helpful: John Worrell) . Which brings up another interesting point about Japan; Japanese skiers like to ski on piste, and even within resorts un-groomed slopes are really only skied by Westerners, and much of the "backcountry" skiing is resort sidecountry that in the US would be hammered within hours, but in Japan stays untrammeled for days. And something as simple as a 10 minute hike from the top of the tram (all Japanese resorts sell 1-ride tickets for cheap) and dropping off the backside that requires skinning to get out ensures untracked turns. So we spent a couple of days doing that, including one with our SLC friends Jeff and Janine Wood, Christine Hasagawa, and Lauren Scholnick.
|Christine gave us this new use for a Buff; trim off a bottom strip and use it as a noseguard!
|like a typical Wasatch trailhead!
|this was a mountain club outing; I think they optimistically anticipated going out for a snowcamp, but we saw them later when they had wisely dumped their packs.
"Onsen" is Japanese for hot springs, and is one of the only words you need to know as a skier in Japan. We assumed it was also a verb, and thus we were always keen for onsening, which apparently is a big part of life all over Japan. The Tokachidake is part of the Ryounkaku hotel, and it's one of the best:
|One of the rules of onsening is "no photos", and even tho I was tempted to be the boorish American and do it anyway, I poached this from their website.
and sometime in the night, after the wind event, as if to apologize for its ferocity the heavens dropped down about 8 or so inches of gentle fluff onto the supportable windjack, and thus our snowpack was revived in only hours. And thus again we partaked in more blower powder:
|some nice angulation in the carvable cream!
|We bumped into Kelsey from the Utah on the skin track, who was sporting her own Wasatch Backcountry Alliance buff!
|sick air brah!
|riding the bus in my ski boots; I forgot my shoes at a previous hotel for 3 days, but didn't need them, and they were still happily awaiting me in their little cubby when I returned.
|one of the few brief minutes of sun we saw on the trip.
|big snowbanks for mid season
|When they don't plow the road, the snow stacks up, and they have whole villages focused around onsening...
|If you can't find a bus, the taxi drivers are fearless in the snow and are quite nattily-dressed
|lapping it up
|Everybody's happy about powder snow
|the snowy view out the breakfast window towards Shiribetsu
|a small but oh-so-good volcano
|A pic of a pic; Shiribetsu is in the foreground, the much bigger Yotei is behind (an amazing day in clear weather). The Clydesdale in near the fields at the base.
And there are some nice amenities:
|beer vending machines
|drinking fountain/toilet combos
|amazing food
|cut little cars with really small wheels, which makes for a lot more interior space for the size.
|beautiful snowy trees
|snow removal is a constant battle in Hokkaido
|I think I'm Turning Japanese I really think so think so think so!


text:
7 Simple Ways To Give Back This Holiday Season/
The holidays are a special time of year when we take a break from our busy lives to appreciate the little things. As we stop to enjoy our loved ones, exchange gifts, and share delicious meals together, it's also a great time to remember our neighbors in need and do something to make our community a better place. At CUMAC, our team will be working hard this month to ensure that all of our clients have the holiday season they deserve. If you would like to spread some holiday cheer with us, here are seven simple ways you can help make a difference:
1. DONATE – Consider giving to CUMAC this month to support our life-changing programs! Thanks to a special 2-for-1 match in memory of Elizabeth Soechting, every donation in December will allow our team to serve even more of our hungry neighbors. That means $50 can become $150! Donate today to help us reach our goal and triple your impact! Offer ends 12/31.
2. HOLD A FOOD DRIVE – Many families around our community are struggling to make ends meet and rely on CUMAC to keep food on the table. Food drives are a great way to ensure that we can feed these families and all who come our way! Need help organizing your collection? Contact our office or check out these collection tips.
3. COLLECT COATS - Do you have any unused coats or winter clothing just sitting around your home? Donate your new or gently used items to CUMAC! At this time of year we see countless community members struggling to stay warm. Help keep our clients comfy this season by donating or collecting coats, hats, scarves, and other winter clothing. Something as simple a pair of gloves can make someone's day!
4. VOLUNTEER – "Many hands make light work." Spread some holiday cheer by donating your time to CUMAC this December! Our pantry is serving thousands of our neighbors in need every month, which means help is regularly needed around our building to sort and pack food and other resources. Whether you're volunteering for an hour or a full day, it all makes a difference! To learn more about volunteering visit our opportunities page.
5. STOP BY ABMA'S FARM – Our wonderful friends at Abma's Farm (located in Wyckoff, NJ) have a Giving Tree to help struggling families this season. Visit Abma's any time this month for delicious foods, and remember to buy an ornament for the tree while you're there! Proceeds from the Giving Tree (through January 6) will be matched by Abma's for purchase of fresh, local food for our clients! How great is that? Read more on their website. Thank you Abma's!
6. VISIT CUMAC, BRING A FRIEND —There's power in numbers. And with hunger affecting 1 million people in New Jersey, we'll take all the help we can get! Stop by our building for a tour, see our programs in action, and learn about ways you can be a light for our community. To schedule a tour, call or e-mail our office.
7. GIVE WHILE YOU SHOP – Many of us will be finishing (or starting) our holiday shopping in the next couple of weeks, why not help the hungry while you're at it? If you're online shopping for gifts, consider using AmazonSmile or Goodshop. A portion of every purchase will be donated to CUMAC's programs!
Whether it's during the holidays or any other time of year, remember there's never a bad time to give back. Through small acts of kindness we can all make a big impact. Happy holidays everyone and thank you for all that you do!


text:
Stay: Hotel Metropolitan Sendai East
My checklist for accommodation in Japan was simple: clean, close to the station and reasonably priced (ideally under $200/night).
This hotel was one of the first that we booked on Agoda, a few months ahead of our trip. It was within our ideal budget, was located right next to the station and it looked great. I had been keeping an eye on this hotel for a few weeks so as soon as the price dropped quite a bit, we booked it. We booked it for around $400 for 3 nights — which works out to be ~$130/night!
Hotel Metropolitan Sendai East is located on the, you guessed it, east side of Sendai station which is considered relatively quieter than the bustle of downtown Sendai on the west side of the station. Their main hotel (simply called Hotel Metropolitan Sendai) is unsurprisingly located on the west side — and the prices of their rooms reflect that. But there are so many shopping and food options on the east side that we actually spent most of our time here, plus it's a fairly short walk to the other side.
Given how affordable the room, we were actually blown away by how nice the hotel and the actual room was. There was only one picture online of the bed (which is risky) so we had no idea what the bathroom or rest of the room looked like. The room was somehow luxurious and cosy at the same time.
Included with the room was a 'Handy' phone — a smartphone we could use throughout our stay with unlimited local and international calls and unlimited data (!). We chose not to buy a sim for our trip, so Handy was in fact pretty handy (hehe).
This hotel has hands down the best amenities offering I have ever seen. There were combs, pink bath powder, cleanser and lotion set (which was actually amazing), headbands and body lotion.
I'm kicking myself now because I didn't take many photos of the hotel room or the city in general, but I guess it could be argued that it's a good thing that I was too caught up in the moment to do so (but if you ask me, I'm still peeved).
Sendai was my favourite place to visit and this hotel room was so cosy that it was honestly very hard for us to leave. But onwards we had to go...
Find me on Instagram, facebook, twitter + bloglovin'.
photographer + lifestyle blogger
i love adventures of all sizes, capturing little moments, daily coffees and kind, wholesome human beings


text:
Trenchfoot and Gap Year
Backpacking Experience
Our first backpacking trip ever was with my son's Boy Scout Troop in 2010 and we got totally hooked. Since then we have done several longer trips including two in the Sierras.
Trenchfoot ran 3 to 4 times per week and day-hiked at least a couple times per month, 10 to 15 miles each hike, and three 20 mile hikes a couple of weeks prior to the start of the thru-hike. Gap did significant weight training in addition to the required physical training with his ROTC unit at high school.
Harts Pass to the border then south on the PCT all the way to the Southern Terminus
Date Reached So. Kennedy Meadows
Hike Result
Completed the thru-hike, only bypassing two sections of trail that were legally closed due to fires (Seiad Valley and Agua Dulce)
Trenchfoot lives in San Diego and is a retired Aerospace Engineer currently working as a part-time consultant. During one of his day hikes in the Laguna Mountains several years ago he stepped onto the PCT for the very first time. He stood there completely amazed that there is a single trail that runs all the way from Mexico to Canada and vowed that one day he would attempt to complete a thru-hike. That one day turned out to be 2016 when his 18 year old son declared that he was going to attempt the PCT that summer after graduating high school.
Gap graduated high school in June 2016 and decided to take a Gap Year (thus the trail name) and hike the PCT. He is currently taking classes at a local community college and will be joining the Marines. After completing his Marine enlistment he plans to become a firefighter.
Trenchfoot speaks below about their journey.
"Prior to our thru-hike I read several blogs from both SOBO and NOBO hikers and made notes from these (lessons learned, campsites to avoid, best resupply options, great places to eat, gear that worked/didn't work, etc). I found a resupply spreadsheet online from another hiker and used that as a template for my resupply planning. My final resupply spreadsheet is on this site on the SOBO Blogs page. We packed all 25 of our resupply boxes ahead of time and mailed out the first few prior to leaving. The remaining boxes were addressed and ready for my daughter to take to the PO when we needed them sent out. We carried paper maps as well as the Halfmile app and Guthook app."
"It was fantastic to hike the PCT with my son. I don't know if I could have made it without him. I have the utmost respect for anybody who does the PCT solo. It takes so much mental toughness to accomplish that. My advice to other hiking families is to treat each member of the crew as a partner in all decisions made. For us, even though we were father/son we were hiking partners. Gap had plenty of camping and backpacking experience and skills from Boy Scouts. We made all decisions together. Anytime there was a tough decision to make I always trusted his gut instinct and it always turned out to be the right decision."
"We didn't do big miles but were "slow and steady". In fact we were passed by pretty much everybody going SOBO and at one point we were the last two people on the PCT heading south. We hiked very little at night, usually only when we knew we were close to a campsite we wanted to get to. This limited the miles we could do as the days start getting shorter in the fall. Like all SOBOs we were very conscious that we had to get through the Sierras before the snows start. Thus we were suffering a bad case of "Sierra Stress" starting in northern California. In our first 2083 trail miles (Canada to Tehachapi Pass) we only took 6 zeroes. Our longest day was 27 miles and most days were in the low 20's. Once in the Sierras we kept a close eye on the weather (mostly updates from hiking guru Worldly). Our goal was to get over Forester Pass by October 15th. "Forester by the Fifteenth" was our battle cry. However, weather and a few minor injuries caused us a few delays so we ended up crossing snow-free Forester Pass on October 22nd. We were very lucky!"
"For us, the most pleasant surprise was the kindness that complete strangers showed PCT hikers all along the trail. People would go out of their way to help us, even if they really had no idea what the PCT or a thru-hike was. A classic example of this happened to us a couple of days south of Sierra City. It was the opening weekend of hunting season. (Good grief, the PCT is hard enough without the additional challenge of not getting shot while on the trail!) That Sunday evening we were looking for a camping spot and found one next to a dirt road. There were two ATVs parked nearby. A few moments after we had setup a gentleman came up the trail toward us. He and his two sons were out hunting in the area and the ATVs belonged to them. We started talking and he asked us where we had come from. "Canada" I replied. "Canada!" he said stunned. We proceeded to tell him about the PCT and our thru-hike. Had no idea he was on the PCT, that there was a trail that went from Mexico to Canada, or that there were crazy people that tried to walk the entire length. We chatted for awhile longer then he asked what time we get up in the morning. I told him 0630 but they should not worry about that and should come up to get back out to their hunting site as early as needed.
The next morning we woke to the sounds of the ATVs coming back up the hill from their basecamp. I looked at my watch and it was 0625 and thought it was very nice of them to wait that late and not wake us up earlier. The ATVs stopped close by our tents and I heard footsteps coming over toward me. There was a "ka-thud" as something was dropped just outside my tent. The man said "I thought you guys might enjoy a hot breakfast". He and his sons had made breakfast sandwiches of English muffins, eggs, cheese, and ham steak for us. He also left us a trash bag and told me to put all of our trash in it and place it on his ATV. "No sense in you guys carrying all that with you". By the time I got out of my tent they were already out of sight down the trail to their hunting areas. I picked up the bag he left and it was heavy, a good quality for food when you are a hungry backpacker. They had made each of us two gigantic, thick sandwiches. I called over to Gap and told him it was time for breakfast! We both took our time eating the sandwiches, savoring each warm and delicious bite. It took me awhile to realize that when the man asked what time we were getting up in the morning it wasn't about when they were going hunting, it was about when he needed to bring us breakfast! That was one of the most memorable meals I have ever had in my entire life; a hot breakfast delivered tent-side in the middle of the woods."
"Pay very careful attention to the weather conditions (snow/rain/cold as well as heat). Bears and mountain lions don't kill people on the PCT, weather does. Don't go into an "iffy" weather situation alone. We were with a group of SOBOs leap-frogging each other all the way to the Sierras. We decided ahead of time to group-up prior to going into the Sierras so that nobody was ever alone in these mountains."
"If you haven't done much (or any) backpacking do a shakedown backpack trip (3 to 5 days) to checkout all of your gear and to make sure you know what you are getting into. I live in San Diego and over the years on my day hikes on the PCT I have met people that were bailing out on their northbound thru-hike after just a couple of days on the trail. Don't spend all of the time and money to attempt this if it is something that you aren't physically or mentally prepared to do, or it's something you are not going to enjoy."
"The trail conditions in Washington are very likely to be bad (to very bad) when you start; snow, downed trees, overgrow trail, cold/wet conditions are to be expected. Don't be discouraged, the trail conditions will improve as you go south. Plan on doing fewer daily miles for the first couple of weeks."
"A camping permit required in North Cascades National Park in WA. Most of us did not realize this (even though it was on the PCT website) before getting there so we just "bandit camped" in the established sites (luckily there was room). You can get a permit here.(https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/permits.htm)."
"Stehekin is the first resupply point going south. Allow an extra week for boxes to arrive, even priority mail. Everything has to be brought to Stehekin via ferry and some people's boxes did not arrive in time."
"Know some basic first aid. Consider taking a Wilderness and Remote First Aid Course (link http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr-first-aid/wilderness-sports#wilderness-remote-first-aid) offered by the Red Cross. We had to put some of this training into practice on our hike, mostly because Trenchfoot fell down a lot."
"Resupply options for SOBOs going thru Sierras a bit sketchy due to when some of the places close. Tuolumne Meadows and VVR are a couple to keep a very close eye on. Stay in contact with them if you plan on shipping a box there. We ended up switching our resupply from Tuolumne Meadows (which closed) to Kennedy Meadows North while on the trail. Red's Meadow Bus was also not running so we hitched to Mammoth from the High Trail Trailhead."
"Take an emergency transponder. Parts of the trail were far more remote than I expected. There are significantly fewer SOBOs than NOBOs. We went three consecutive days on one stretch of our hike without seeing another person on the trail. There is no cell service for days in many areas, especially Washington."
"Resupply more frequently so that each carry is smaller. We did several 7 day food carries that we could have broken into two shorter resupplies. It is always uphill from a resupply point, so do smaller resupplies when possible to keep your pack weight down."


text:
What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
MBSR is a transformative 8-week course that offers simple, powerful methods for improving our quality of life, strengthening our ability to manage stress, illness, and chronic pain, and increasing our balance and joy. This renowned, evidence-based program is set in a supportive environment that includes guided instruction in a wide variety of mindfulness practices (including meditation, gentle movement, and informal tools for daily life), group learning and discussions, and home assignments designed to help participants integrate mindfulness into their lives. MBSR has nearly 40 years of scientific evidence supporting wide-ranging benefits, which are repeatedly validated by participants' reports. If you are feeling stressed by circumstances in your life or longing for greater well-being, ease, and enjoyment, MBSR can offer you life-changing tools.
MBSR in Northern VA...
Why not enrich your life by making a commitment to yourself and taking an MBSR course?
For a brief list of MBSR classes in Northern Virginia, see below or for more information, go to "upcoming classes." In addition, the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (the birthplace of MBSR) offers more information about the MBSR program and its history.


text:
Dump Truck Trailer (Fagus)
Dump Truck Trailer (Fagus)
Product Code: VFA1046
Made In: Germany
Product Size: L: 13 in
W: 4.75 in
H: 4.75 in
Age: 3 years +
Safety: Warning! Small parts! Not suitable for children under the age of 3. Conforms to stringent European Community safety standard EN71.
Price: $69.95 - In Stock
Quantity in Cart: None
A wooden trailer with a low tipping bed for the dump truck or other Fagus trucks (sold separately), for when you have an extra load to carry. Perfect for any construction site!
As with all Fagus vehicles, this wooden truck is made of beech and joined together with dowels and glue, with no nails or screws.
Don't Miss Anything!
Join our mailing list to learn about new products and special offers.


text: 83 Before the Storm March 25, 2012 Grammie and PapPap were still in town this morning so we went down to brunch on the pier. The night before, we wondered if rain would dampen our plans the we woke up to sunshine! It was cold and windy, but sunny. After brunch, Baby M insisted on swinging. We huddled together for warmth.


text:
University City
Grant rewards research, helps homeowners
UNC Charlotte recently became the first academic institution to receive a grant through a new U.S. Department of Energy program aimed at more efficiently weatherizing the homes of low-income Americans.
The $2 million grant was awarded to Thomas Gentry, assistant professor of architecture at UNCC, and Robert Cox, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. The money will make 800 low-income families' homes in North Carolina more energy-efficient through the Weatherization Innovation Pilot Program.
The program, which began in 2010, announced its first 16 award recipients last year. Grants were given to those who demonstrated innovative ideas for energy conservation and weatherization in single-family homes.
WIPP replaces the Energy Department's former effort, the Weatherization Assistance Program, which began in the 1970s during the nation's energy crisis.
"A lot has changed over the years, and that program has kind of become obsolete," said Gentry, who also is director of the university's Laboratory for Innovative Housing.
WAP took a more passive approach toward weatherizing homes, calling for standard practices such as insulation for conserving energy. Often homeowners were not instructed on what they could do to drive down their energy costs.
WIPP's goals focus on providing more innovative solutions and bringing homeowners into the loop.
"The idea was that organizations would get these grants and figure out how to improve upon a 35-year-old program," said Gentry.
Today, experts understand more about the weather, he said, and can bring new ideas to the table, including new technology.
"We're installing a real-time energy-monitoring device," said Gentry. "It's sort of like the higher-end cars that show you your miles per gallon and help you drive more efficiently. These essentially provide the same feedback for housing."
The device will be located near a home's thermostat and will give instructions on the best energy-efficient sources to use for heating or cooling a home, based on outside temperature.
"What the system will do is say, 'Now conditions are ideal for running the whole-house fan, rather than the air conditioning,' " said Gentry. "Our preliminary calculations say we can shed one-third to one-half of air-conditioning use for the average house. That's a substantial savings."
The program also will provide time to teach homeowners how to conserve energy in today's world.
"We're relying on the owners to take a more active role," said Gentry. "We're at that point in housing where we have to educate the occupants to the equipment in the house, and how to use energy more efficiently."
Gentry and Cox's work has caught the eye of the DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado for its innovative methods. Those agencies are paying close attention to what will happen here.
Gentry and Cox, who leveraged $6 million more for the project through in-kind services and discounts with construction crews, will begin work this month on 50 houses in Cabarrus County.
"We're trying to target neighborhoods and make it in clusters," said Gentry, because it's more efficient to work on several houses in one neighborhood at a time.
Each house should take one to three days to weatherize, he said.


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
The FreeMax Mesh Pro Replacement Coils offers a wide spectrum of atomizer cores, introducing the new Double Mesh and Triple Mesh available with the Mesh Pro TankBrand: Authentic FreeMaX®Quantity: 3 / 6 x Coil HeadsPatented Design Structure..
This Horizon T6 coil design for Arco II tank. The coil head is filled with flax paper and cotton. The flax paper is made out of natural flax fibers and can hold more e-liquid than cotton. The fiber stretches with liquid the more you use it, so the fl..
The Innokin Endura T18E Coils now come in 1.5 ohm BVC for the Prism T18E Tank used in the Endura T18E Vaping Kit. Just like the ones that come with other Innokin Tanks, these replacement coils include Japanese organic cotton. They can be replaced in ..
The Innokin Prism S Replacement Coil Family pairs with the great tasting mouth-to-lung Prism T20S Tank. The Prism S atomizer coils are made specifically for vapers who seek mouth-to-lung hits. The Prism T20-S is available 0.8 ohm or 1.5 ohm, both res..
The Endura T18 Coils 1.5 ohm are replacement coils for the Prism tank used in the Endura T18 Vaping Kit, the T22 Vaping Kit or the Prism tanks. Just like the ones that come with the iSub Tanks, these replacement coils have the resistance of 1.5 ohm a..
Replacement Coil for the Gladius X tank. These replacement coils are individually sealed and sold in packs of 1, 5 and 10. These coils are a marked down clearance item and probably the best deal for a pack of Authentic Innokin Gladius Replacement Coi..
Innokin continues to expand on their iSub line which is one of the most value packed tanks on the market. These BVC coils actually contain a vertical Clapton coil inside that greatly boosts flavor and airflow. Pop in a BVC coil to experience true fla..
More options become available for the iSub platform! These iSub SS BVC coils are extremely versatile as they are composed of Stainless Steel, which can be used in standard wattage mode and Temperature Control mode as long as your device supports Stai..
The Innokin iSub Ti Coils are compatible with all Innokin iSub tanks. These coils have an organic cotton wick, have a resistance of 0.4 ohm and are capable of high wattage at the recommended temperature range of 180 - 240 deg.Brand: Authentic In..
Innokin's Prism T20 Vape Starter Kit revolutionizes the original best selling beginner starter by Innokin with innovative and pleasing features. The Innokin Endura T20 is fueled by a brand new set of replacement coils have been designed to offer enha..
Replacement Coils for your Innokin Scion Tank! Ensure flavor is pristine and keep your clouds dense with brand new replacement coils! These coils are rated anywhere from 70 watts to as high as 200 watts which is more than enough for all vapers!Brand:..
Brand: Authentic Innokin®Quantity: 5 / 10 x Coil HeadsType / Resistance:SS316L 0.5 Ω (20-35W)Kanthal 0.8 Ω (20-35W)Patented BVC Coil StructureLeak Free Coil Swapping SystemLong, Wide Ports for Improved WickingUtilizes 100% Pure Japanese Organic ..
Justfog C14 is a compact vaping device, which comes with a 900mAh compact battery and a 1.8ml C14 clearomizer. The 14 battery supports accurate constant voltage with 4-level battery life indicator. The C14 atomizer adopts 100% Japanese organic cotton..
These are replacement pods for use with the Justfog Minifit Kit only. Minifit pods hold 1.5ml vape juice (nicotine salts work well) and contain a fitted 1.6ohm coil. To fill up your Minifit pod, remove the stopper from the base of the pod, drip ..
JUSTFOG FOG1 Kit is a handy kit with a 1500mAh battery and 2ml capacity. It is the epitome of security with its childproof opening system and anti-spit protection shield. Featuring top filling, replaceable liquid tank tube, and metal-coated appearanc..
Brand: Authentic JustFog®Quantity: 5 / 10 x Coil HeadsResistance / Wattage:0.5 Ω - 15-25W0.8 Ω - 12-17WPatented Coil Design StructureRapid SaturationUtilizes 100% Pure Japanese Organic Cotton..
JUSTFOG P16A Starter Kit is a revised version of Q16 Kit, which includes a built-in 900mAh J-Easy 3 battery and 1.9ml P16A clearomizer. With an easy bottom airflow control, bottom filling design, 3 varies voltage function levels and an easy one butto..
Brand: Authentic JustFog®Quantity: 5 / 10 x Coil HeadsResistance: 1.2 Ω / 1.6 ΩRated Wattage: 6-12WPatented Coil Design StructureRapid SaturationUtilizes 100% Pure Japanese Organic Cotton..
The OBS V OCC Replacement Coils are powerful high-performance atomizer cores introduced with the acclaimed OBS V Sub-Ohm Tank. Designed for high-wattage configurations, it offers effective vapor production while offering a flavor-focused experience. ..
Brand: Authentic Smoant®Quantity: 1 / 5 / 10 x Pod CartridgesRefillable Pod System - Replaceable Cartridge2mL Juice CapacityResistance: 1.3 ΩUtilizes 100% Pure Japanese Organic Cotton..
The SMOK FIT Replacement Pod Cartridges features a refillable pod element with 2mL juice capacity, cleverly designed with simple refill method to accommodate a wide range flavorful nic salt e-juice. The atomizer core is integrated into the pod, utili..
The SMOK Helmet-CLP Replacement Coil is an extremely innovative performance atomizer, featuring a top-cap assembly for a bottom-feeding design to provide outstanding flavor and eliminating flooding and leakage. Specifically made for the EU TPD compli..
SMOK NOVO Replacement Pod Cartridge is designed for SMOK NOVO Pod System Kit. With the 2ml capacity and side refilling hole, it is easy to replace and refill. Besides, it is made of high quality material.Brand: Authentic Smok®Quantity: &nbs..
SMOK Rolo Badge Replacement Pod Cartridge is designed for the SMOK Rolo Badge ultra portable starter kit. With the 2.0ml capacity, it is easy to replace. Besides, it is made of high quality material.Brand: Authentic Smok®Quantity: 1 /..
The SMOK Spirals Replacement Coil is a flavor-enhanced performance atomizer, featuring a dual coil design to provide exceptional flavor and ample performance for the SMOK Spirals Tank. It utilizes imported Japanese cotton with numerous wicking ports ..
If you're looking for an affordable DIY rebuildable deck for your new SMOK TFV12 Prince Sub-Ohm Tank, then purchase the SMOK TFV12 Prince RBA Head. With a superior Stainless Steel frame, this build deck has a deep juice well and dual 8mm x 5mm intern..
The Smok Micro-Ni200 features patented Patented Nickel 200 dual core with temperature sensing wires and separate chamber design, which significantly improve airflow production, heat insulation, and maintain robust flavors of today's top juice. Engine..
Single rebuildable coil for the Smok TFV4 Mini Sub ohm tank. The head produces substantial vapor. Made out Clapton Kanthal Wire, these coils are suitable for temperature control mods when building with nichrome wire.Brand: Authentic Smok®Quantit..
The TF-N2 Nickel Coil head is intended for use in the TFV4 Sub Ohm tank. The coils use the (Nickel) Ni-200 wire and are specifically meant to be used in temperature controlled Vape devices. Temperature control function helps to prevent the burni..
The SMOK TFV4 is one of the most versatile tanks out there with up to 10 atomizer options ranging from single-coil Kanthals and six-coil assemblies to Ni/Ti TC coils and rebuildable RBA decks. This item is a pack of five replacement heads more p..
Smaller than the full sized TFV8 coils, the SMOK Baby Beast Coils are redesigned to offer the same fantastic flavor, and vapor production (clouds!) as the TFV8. The V8 Baby X4 Coils feature a double barrel, quadruple (dual parallel we suspect) coil s..
The TFV8 Baby M2 Replacement Coils are the latest coils heads for the TFV8 Baby Beast & Big Baby Beast tanks bringing clouds and flavor for days with Baby M2's single parallel coil design. Developed for direct voltage output systems, these are th..
SMOK has done it again! Introducing the V8 Baby Q2 atomizer heads - offering the highest resistance out of all the coils brought to you in the Baby Beast series. At 0.4 ohms, each Q2 Coil utilizes dual vertical coils carefully engineered to work wond..
Bring out the best the SMOK Baby Beast family has to offer with the SMOK TFV8 Baby T6 Coils! These coils are 0.2 ohms with a maximum suggested wattage of 130, you better believe you will enjoy making puffy clouds with this! It is also packed with org..
Smaller than the full sized TFV8 coils, the Baby Beast coils are redesigned to offer the same fantastic flavor, and vapor production (clouds!) as the TFV8. The SMOK Baby V8-T8 features a quad barrel, octo coil setup and is designed to enhance flavor ..
Introducing the V8-Q4 replacement coil by SMOK for use on the TFV8 Cloud Beast! This wicked little beast utilizes a single barrel design with two sets of parallel heating elements in order to create a flavorful punch of cloud. The three sets of diago..
The SMOK V8 RBA coil head adopts unique patented Turbo 4.0T-X engines. It is suitable for TFV8 CLOUD BEAST Tank atomizer. V8 RBA features 18mm large deck, suitable for all types of materials wire, will bring you unique vaping experience.Brand: A..
Unleash the power of a decuple (tenfold) coil configuration with the V8-T10 coil head for the SMOK TFV8 Cloud Beast. With a resistance of 0.12 ohms capable of handling 50 to 300 watts, this system is an ultra-performance monster with all the quality ..
SMOK's new V8-T6 coil heads for the TFV8 Cloud Beast feature a patented sextuple coil configuration and pure organic cotton. These turbocharged heads have a resistance of 0.2 ohms and operational wattage range of 50 to a staggering 240W (although 110..
Smok V8-T8 coils are designed for high wattage, high VG vaping, and produce the awesome clouds and great flavor we expect from SMOKTech. There are 4 different "barrels" with each one loaded with a parallel coil. Running on 0.15 ohms, these coil..
Introducing the V8-X4 coils from SMOK! These Sub-Ohm, stainless steel coils will bring out peak performance from your Cloud Beast tank. It features a unique double-barreled pistol design in a vertical 4-core build. It also has large wicking holes to ..
The SMOK TFV8 X-Baby Replacement Coils are powerful, compact cores introduced with the SMOK TFV8 X-Baby Tank. Patented in design for high-performance capability with a focus in flavor enhancement, it offers unparalleled airflow performance and incred..
Convert your Smok X-Baby to an RTA. With Velocity style build deck, the TFV8 X-Baby RBA Deck will be able to handle almost any build you can throw at it. It also comes pre-installed with dual clapton coils (0.35ohm). Just drop in a couple of wic..
SMOK TFV8 Baby's newly added V8 BABY-Q4, V8 BABY Mesh, V8 BABY-T12, V8 BABY-T12 Red Light, V8 BABY-T12 Green Light and V8 BABY-T12 Orange Light coils to produce denser clouds and purer flavor at the same wattage, which is an awesome improvement! The ..
The TFV8 RBA-16 is a RBA core features huge build deck and huge airflow, will offer huge cloud. The TFV8 RBA-16 is suitable for all Clapton coils. It comes with 0.16 ohm pre-installed wires which can support 40~100W power output, best for 80W. This T..
The SMOK Vape Pen 22 Replacement Coils utilizes the new Vape Pen Coil System that features an elongated design, catering specifically for the Vape Pen Starter Kit. It is equipped with quad wicking ports to ensure rapid and consistent wicking, while u..
The SMOK X-Force Replacement Coils offers a phenomenal atomizer cores for the X-FORCE Kit, providing an innovative traverse air channels to maximize vapor production and flavor production.Brand: Authentic Smok®Quantity: 4 / 8 x Coil HeadsR..
Suorin Air Cartridge comes with 2ml e-juice capacity and a 1.2 ohm resistance built-in coil. It is a replacement spare part for Suorin Air Kit.Brand: Authentic Suorin®Quantity: 1 / 3 / 5 x Pod CartridgesRefillable Pod System - Replaceable ..
This Drop Cartridge is designed for Suorin Drop Starter Kit. It comes with 2ml e-juice capacity and an innovative 1.2 ohm resistance coil head to produce smooth airflow and nice flavor. Just get one for your Suorin Drop kit to enjoy simple yet amazin..


text:
Allyship. It's been on my mind a lot lately. I like to think that I'm fairly well-versed on the subject (a degree in Women's Studies certainly forces you unpack your invisible backpack of privilege) but lately, I've really been at a loss.
There's a lot that needs to be done.
And yet.
It's so easy for me to go about my day without personally feeling the effects of what's erupting in America right now - Facebook and newspapers are the only times the ugliness slips through at all.
It's so easy to let the Others talk amongst themselves, right? Be it race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status... The attitude of "it doesn't effect me directly, so it's not something I need to involve myself in" is so easy to adopt.
But I can't help but think that what feels like divisiveness in America is just people in pain shouting to be heard. Be it Black Lives Matter activists or the Trump campaigners.
I don't have any answers here.
But I do know that to right wrongs and heal wounds, you need everyone engaged. You need the white male CEOs and the elected lawmakers and the good-hearted people who think it has nothing to do with them.
So what is allyship?
I really encourage you to read this post in full. It's a small but important step.
And then, it's up to each of us to continue to take small steps every day. We can, each of us, be an ally somehow.


text:
Occupational variation in the risk of female breast cancer in the Nordic countries
- 230 Downloads
- Citations
This study aimed to determine occupational variations in the incidence of breast cancer in the population-based cohort of Nordic Occupational Cancer Study (NOCCA).
The study included long-term follow-up data from almost 7.5 million Nordic women. Participants were assigned to one of the 54 occupational categories based on census records at the ages of 30–64 years. Sixty-two thousand cases of breast cancer were identified through record linkages between nationwide cancer registries in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, followed up between 1961 and 2005. Country-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated.
Overall, the highest risk elevations were seen among military personnel (SIR 1.58, 95% CI 1.03–2.32), dentists (SIR 1.43, 95% CI 1.31–1.56), and physicians (SIR 1.35, 95% CI 1.26–1.46). The lowest risks were observed among gardeners (SIR 0.76, 95% CI 0.74–0.78), farmers (SIR 0.80, 95% CI 0.78–0.82), and woodworkers (SIR 0.75, 95% CI 0.70–0.81). Welders, tobacco workers, and painters had higher SIRs for breast cancer diagnosed at age < 50. A reduced risk was observed among forestry workers, welders, and fishery workers for breast cancers diagnosed both before and after age 50. The SIRs for breast cancer did not vary substantially by histology. A significantly increased risk of breast cancer was observed among laboratory workers in the latest calendar period (1991–2005) compared with earlier periods (1976–1990 and 1961–1975). Occupations such as farming, forestry, driving, and gardening had low SIRs during all periods.
The study suggests that the risk of breast cancer varies by occupation. Heterogeneity is also observed in some occupational categories according to age (before or after 50), histology, and calendar period.
KeywordsBreast cancer Nordic Occupational exposure Risk factors
- 1.Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Ervik M, Dikshit R, Eser S, Mathers C, Rebelo M, Parkin DM, Forman D, Bray F (2013) Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: IARC cancer base no. 11. http://globocan.iarc.fr. Accessed 6 March 2017
- 2.Engholm G, Ferlay J, Christensen N, Hansen HL, Hertzum-Larsen R, Johannesen TB, Kejs AMT, Khan S, Ólafsdóttir E, Petersen T, Schmidt LKH, Virtanen A, Storm HH (2017) Cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and survival in the Nordic countries, version 8.0. http://www.ancr.nu. Accessed 27 Dec 2017
- 3.Ma H, Bernstein L, Pike MC, Ursin G (2006) Reproductive factors and breast cancer risk according to joint estrogen and progesterone receptor status: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. Breast Cancer Res 8(4):R43. https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr1525 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 4.Key TJ, Verkasalo PK, Banks E (2001) Epidemiology of breast cancer. Lancet Oncol 2(3):133–140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 5.Weiderpass E, Meo M, Vainio H (2011) Risk factors for breast cancer, including occupational exposures. Saf Health Work 2(1):1–8. https://doi.org/10.5491/SHAW.2011.2.1.1 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 6.Janerich DT, Hoff MB (1982) Evidence for a crossover in breast cancer risk factors. Am J Epidemiol 116:737–742CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 7.Tryggvadottir L, Tulinius H, Eyfjord JE, Sigurvinsson T (2002) Breast cancer risk factors and age at diagnosis: an Icelandic cohort study. Int J Cancer 98(4):604–608CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 8.Nickels S, Truong T, Hein R, Stevens K, Buck K, Behrens S et al (2013) Evidence of gene-environment interactions between common breast cancer susceptibility loci and established environmental risk factors. PLOS Genet 9(3):e1003284CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 9.Li CI, Weiss NS, Stanford JL, Daling JR (2000) Hormone replacement therapy in relation to risk of lobular and ductal breast carcinoma in middle-aged women. Cancer 88(11):2570–2577CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 10.Sasco AJ (2001) Epidemiology of breast cancer:. an environmental disease? APMIS 109(5):321–332CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 11.Lichtenstein P, Holm NV, Verkasalo PK, Iliadou A, Kaprio J, Koskenvuo M et al (2000) Environmental and heritable factors in the causation of cancer: analyses of cohorts of twins from Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. N Engl J Med 343(2):78–85CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 12.Slack R, Young C, Rushton L, British Occupational Cancer Burden Study Group (2012) Occupational cancer in Britain: female cancers—breast, cervix and ovary. Br J Cancer 107(Suppl. 1):S27–S32CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 13.IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (2010) Painting, firefighting, and shiftwork. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 98:9–764PubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 14.Schernhammer ES, Kroenke CH, Laden F, Hankinson SE (2006) Night work and risk of breast cancer. Epidemiology 17(1):108–111CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 15.Stevens RG (2009) Light-at-night, circadian disruption and breast cancer: assessment of existing evidence. Int J Epidemiol 38(4):963–970CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 16.Feychting M, Forssen U (2006) Electromagnetic fields and female breast cancer. Cancer Causes Control 17(4):553–558CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 17.Broeks A, Braaf LM, Wessels LF, van de Vijver M, De Bruin ML, Stovall M et al (2010) Radiation-associated breast tumors display a distinct gene expression profile. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(2):540–547CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 18.Ziegler RG, Hoover RN, Pike MC, Hildesheim A, Nomura AM, West DW et al (1993) Migration patterns and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women. J Natl Cancer Inst 85:1819–1827CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 19.Peplonska B, Stewart P, Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N, Lissowska J, Brinton LA, Gromiec JP et al (2010) Occupational exposure to organic solvents and breast cancer in women. Occup Environ Med 67(11):722–729CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 20.Ji BT, Blair A, Shu XO, Chow WH, Hauptmann M, Dosemeci M et al (2008) Occupation and breast cancer risk among Shanghai women in a population-based cohort study. Am J Ind Med 51(2):100–110CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 21.Pukkala E, Martinsen JI, Lynge E, Gunnarsdottir HK, Sparén P, Tryggvadottir L et al (2009) Occupation and cancer—follow-up of 15 million people in five nordic countries. Acta Oncol 48(5):646–790CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 22.Pakarinen M, Raitanen J, Kaaja R, Luoto R (2010) Secular trend in the menopausal age in Finland 1997–2007 and correlation with socioeconomic, reproductive and lifestyle factors. Maturitas 66(4):417–422CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 23.Brandt J, Garne JP, Tengrup I, Manjer J (2015) Age at diagnosis in relation to survival following breast cancer: a cohort study. World J Surg Oncol 13:33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12957-014-0429-x CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 24.Altman DG, Machin D, Bryant TN, Gardner MJ (2000) Statistics with confidence: confidence intervals and statistical guidelines, 2nd edn. BMJ Books, LondonGoogle Scholar
- 25.Kullberg C, Selander J, Albin M, Borgquist S, Manjer J, Gustavsson P (2017) Female white-collar workers remain at higher risk of breast cancer after adjustments for individual risk factors related to reproduction and lifestyle. Occup Environ Med 74(9):652–658CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 26.Goldberg MS, Labreche F (1996) Occupational risk factors for female breast cancer: a review. Occup Environ Med 53(3):145–156CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 27.Gardner KM, Ou SX, Jin F, Dai Q, Ruan Z, Thompson SJ et al (2002) Occupations and breast cancer risk among Chinese women in urban Shanghai. Am J Ind Med 42(4):296–308CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 28.Pathak DR, Speizer FE, Willett WC, Rosner B, Lipnick RJ (1986) Parity and breast cancer risk: possible effect on age at diagnosis. Int J Cancer 37(1):21–25CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 29.Hsieh C, Pavia M, Lambe M, Lan SJ, Colditz GA, Ekbom A et al (1994) Dual effect of parity on breast cancer risk. Eur J Cancer 30A(7):969–973CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 30.Larsen SB, Olsen A, Lynch J, Christensen J, Overvad K, Tjønneland A et al (2011) Socioeconomic position and lifestyle in relation to breast cancer incidence among postmenopausal women: a prospective cohort study, Denmark, 1993–2006. Cancer Epidemiol 35(5):438–441CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 31.Pudrovska T (2013) Job authority and breast cancer. Soc Forces 92(1):1–24. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sot082 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 32.Maina G, Bovenzi M, Palmas A, Larese Filon F (2009) Associations between two job stress models and measures of salivary cortisol. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82(9):1141–1150CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 33.Reichardt HM, Horsch K, Grone HJ, Kolbus A, Beug H, Hynes N et al (2001) Mammary gland development and lactation are controlled by different glucocorticoid receptor activities. Eur J Endocrinol 145(4):519–527CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 34.Russo J, Hasan Lareef M, Balogh G, Guo S, Russo IH (2003) Estrogen and its metabolites are carcinogenic agents in human breast epithelial cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 87(1):1–25CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 35.Schernhammer ES, Hankinson SE, Rosner B, Kroenke C, Willett WC, Colditz GA et al (2004) Job stress and breast cancer risk: the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Epidemiol 160(11):1079–1086CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 36.Nielsen NR, Stahlberg C, Strandberg-Larsen K, Kristensen TS, Zhang ZF, Hundrup YA et al (2008) Are work-related stressors associated with diagnosis of more advanced stages of incident breast cancers? Cancer Causes Control 19(3):297–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 37.Granström C, Sundquist J, Hemminki K (2008) Population attributable risks for breast cancer in Swedish women by morphological type. Breast Cancer Res Treat 111(3):559–568CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 38.Li CI, Daling JR, Malone KE, Bernstein L, Marchbanks PA, Liff JM et al (2006) Relationship between established breast cancer risk factors and risk of seven different histologic types of invasive breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 15(5):946–954CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 39.Kotsopoulos J, Chen WY, Gates MA, Tworoger SS, Hankinson SE, Rosner BA (2010) Risk factors for ductal and lobular breast cancer: results from the Nurses' Health Study. Breast Cancer Res 12(6):R106CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 40.Newcomer LM, Newcomb PA, Potter JD, Yasui Y, Trentham-Dietz A, Storer BE et al (2003) Postmenopausal hormone therapy and risk of breast cancer by histologic type (United States). Cancer Causes Control 14(3):225–233CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 41.Li CI, Daling JR, Haugen KL, Tang MT, Porter PL, Malone KE (2014) Use of menopausal hormone therapy and risk of ductal and lobular breast cancer among women 55–74 years of age. Breast Cancer Res Treat 145(2):481–489CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 42.Jensen LF, Pedersen AF, Andersen B, Vedsted P (2012) Identifying specific non-attending groups in breast cancer screening: population-based registry study of participation and socio-demography. BMC Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-12-518 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 43.Finkelstein MM (2002) Preventive screening: what factors influence testing? Can Fam Physician 48:1494–1501PubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 44.Akinyemiju T, Ogunsina K, Sakhuja S, Ogbhodo V, Braithwaite D (2016) Life-course socioeconomic status and breast and cervical cancer screening: analysis of the WHO's study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE). BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012753 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 45.Damiani G, Federico B, Basso D, Ronconi A, Bianchi CB, Anzellotti GM et al (2012) Socioeconomic disparities in the uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening in Italy: a cross sectional study. BMC Public Health https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-99 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 46.Hofvind S, Sakshaug S, Ursin G, Graff-Iversen S (2012) Breast cancer incidence trends in Norway: explained by hormone therapy or mammographic screening? Int J Cancer 130(12):2930–2938CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 47.Møller B, Weedon- Fekjær H, Hakulinen T, Tryggvadóttir L, Storm HH, Talbäck M et al (2005) The influence of mammographic screening on national trends in breast cancer incidence. Eur J Cancer Prev 14(2):117–128CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 48.Stevens RG, Davis S (1996) The melatonin hypothesis: electric power and breast cancer. Environ Health Perspect 104(Suppl. 1):135–140PubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 49.Pukkala E, Ojamo M, Rudanko SL, Stevens RG, Verkasalo PK (2006) Does incidence of breast cancer and prostate cancer decrease with increasing degree of visual impairment. Cancer Causes Control 17(4):573–576CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 50.Hansen J (2017) Night shift work and risk of breast cancer. Curr Environ Health Rep 4(3):325–339CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 51.Yuan X, Zhu C, Wang M, Mo F, Du W, Ma X (2018) Night shift work increases the risks of multiple primary cancers in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 61 articles. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 27(1):25–40CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 52.Ijaz S, Verbeek J, Seidler A, Lindbohm ML, Ojajarvi A, Orsini N et al (2013) Night-shift work and breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Work Environ Health 39(5):431–447CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 53.Åkerstedt T, Knutsson A, Narusyte J, Svedberg P, Kecklund G, Alexanderson K (2015) Night work and breast cancer in women: a Swedish cohort study. BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008127 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 54.Kojo K, Pukkala E, Auvinen A (2005) Breast cancer risk among Finnish cabin attendants: a nested case-control study. Occup Environ Med 62(7):488–493CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 55.Lie JA, Kjuus H, Zienolddiny S, Haugen A, Stevens RG, Kjaerheim K (2011) Night work and breast cancer risk among Norwegian nurses: assessment by different exposure metrics. Am J Epidemiol 173(11):1272–1279CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 56.Hansen J, Stevens RG (2012) Case-control study of shift-work and breast cancer risk in Danish nurses: impact of shift systems. Eur J Cancer 48(11):1722–1729CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 57.Rennix CP, Quinn MM, Amoroso PJ, Eisen EA, Wegman DH (2005) Risk of breast cancer among enlisted Army women occupationally exposed to volatile organic compounds. Am J Ind Med 48(3):157–167CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 58.Hansen J, Lassen CF (2012) Nested case-control study of night shift work and breast cancer risk among women in the Danish military. Occup Environ Med 69(8):551–556. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2011-100240 CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
- 59.IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (2000) Ionizing radiation, part 1: X- and gamma radiation, and neutrons. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 75:1–459Google Scholar
- 60.Chou LB, Chandran S, Harris AH, Tung J, Butler LM (2012) Increased breast cancer prevalence among female orthopedic surgeons. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 21(6):683–689CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 61.Weiderpass E, Pukkala E, Kauppinen T, Mutanen P, Paakkulainen H, Vasama-Neuvonen K et al (1999) Breast cancer and occupational exposures in women in Finland. Am J Ind Med 36(1):48–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 62.Jartti P, Pukkala E, Uitti J, Auvinen A (2006) Cancer incidence among physicians occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in Finland. Scand J Work Environ Health 32(5):368–373CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 63.Gustavsson P, Andersson T, Gustavsson A, Reuterwall C (2017) Cancer incidence in female laboratory employees: extended follow-up of a Swedish cohort study. Occup Environ Med 74(11):823–826CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 64.Hansen J (1999) Breast cancer risk among relatively young women employed in solvent-using industries. Am J Ind Med 36(1):43–47CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 65.Band PR, Le ND, Fang R, Deschamps M, Gallagher RP, Yang P (2000) Identification of occupational cancer risks in British Columbia: a population-based case-control study of 995 incident breast cancer cases by menopausal status, controlling for confounding factors. J Occup Environ Med 42(3):284–310CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 66.McElroy JA, Egan KM, Titus-Ernstoff L, Anderson HA, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM et al (2007) Occupational exposure to electromagnetic field and breast cancer risk in a large, population-based, case-control study in the United States. J Occup Environ Med 49(3):266–274CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 67.Forssen UM, Rutqvist LE, Ahlbom A, Feychting M (2005) Occupational magnetic fields and female breast cancer: a case-control study using Swedish population registers and new exposure data. Am J Epidemiol 161(3):250–259CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 68.Lynge E, Rix BA, Villadsen E, Andersen I, Hink M, Olsen E et al (1995) Cancer in printing workers in Denmark. Occup Environ Med 52(11):738–744CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 69.Brophy JT, Keith MM, Watterson A, Park R, Gilbertson M, Maticka-Tyndale E et al (2012) Breast cancer risk in relation to occupations with exposure to carcinogens and endocrine disruptors: a Canadian case-control study. Environ Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-11-87 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 70.Snedeker SM (2001) Pesticides and breast cancer risk: a review of DDT, DDE, and dieldrfSIRin. Environ Health Perspect 109(Suppl. 1):35–47PubMedPubMedCentralGoogle Scholar
- 71.Adami HO, Lipworth L, Titus-Ernstoff L, Hsieh CC, Hanberg A, Ahlborg U et al (1995) Organochlorine compounds and estrogen-related cancers in women. Cancer Causes Control 6(6):551–566CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 72.Fernandez SV, Russo J (2010) Estrogen and xenoestrogens in breast cancer. Toxicol Pathol 38(1):110–122CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 73.Macon MB, Fenton SE (2013) Endocrine disruptors and the breast: early life effects and later life disease. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 18(1):43–61CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 74.Lemarchand C, Tual S, Boulanger M, Levêque-Morlais N, Perrier S, Clin B et al (2016) O14-4: breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women in the agriculture and cancer cohort. Occup Environ Med 73(Suppl 1):A27Google Scholar
- 75.Pukkala E (1995) Cancer risk by social class and occupation: a survey of 109,000 cancer cases among Finns of working age. In: Wahrendorf J (ed) Contributions to epidemiology and biostatistics, vol 7. Karger, BaselGoogle Scholar
- 76.Johnsson A, Broberg P, Johnsson A, Tornberg AB, Olsson H (2017) Occupational sedentariness and breast cancer risk. Acta Oncol 56(1):75–80CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 77.Luoto R, Latikka P, Pukkala E, Hakulinen T, Vihko V (2000) The effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk: a cohort study of 30,548 women. Eur J Epidemiol 16:973–980CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 78.Rintala P, Pukkala E, Läärä E, Vihko V (2003) Physical activity and breast cancer risk among female physical education and language teachers: a 34-year follow-up. Int J Cancer 107:268–270CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 79.Kauppinen T, Heikkilä P, Plato N, Woldbaek T, Lenvik K, Hansen J et al (2009) Construction of job-exposure matrices for the Nordic Occupational Cancer Study (NOCCA). Acta Oncol 48(5):791–800CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 80.Pukkala E, Engholm G, Højsgaard Schmidt LK, Storm H, Khan S, Lambe M, Pettersson D, Ólafsdóttir E, Tryggvadóttir L, Hakanen T, Malila N, Virtanen A, Johannesen TB, Larønningen S, Ursin G (2018) Similarities and differences of the Nordic cancer registries: an overview of their procedures and data comparability. Acta Oncol 57:440–455CrossRefGoogle Scholar


text: A house of worship must not only provide a structure of walls for worshipers but also an atmosphere where worship becomes a delightful experience. In doing so equal emphasis has to be given to the sound equipment as well as the room acoustics. A lot of money on the audio equipment can be saved if particular attention is given to this often neglected subject.


text:
Relief-Supply Kits
Relief-supply kits help provide care for the most vulnerable people during times of crisis. We are collecting donations of supplies for Health Kits and School Kits. Information on what goes in each kit can be found below.
Health Kit
Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster. Health kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition, and cooking classes.
Health Kit Value: $12 per kit
Health Kit Materials
- 1 hand towel
- 15 x 25 inches to 17 x 27 inches;
- Kitchen, cleaning, and microfiber towels not acceptable.
- 1 washcloth
- 1 comb
- Comb needs to be sturdy and longer than 6 inches long;
- No pocket combs or picks please;
- Rattail combs and combs without handles are acceptable with a minimum of 6 inches of teeth.
- 1 metal nail file or nail clippers
- No emery boards, please.
- 1 bath-size soap
- 3 oz. and larger sizes only;
- No Ivory or Jergens soap due to moisture content;
- Do not remove from original packaging.
- 1 toothbrush
- Adult size only;
- Do not remove from original packaging.
- 6 adhesive bandages
- ¾ inch to 1 inch-size;
- Common household Band-Aids.
- 1 plastic bag
- One-gallon size sealable bag only.
- $1.00 to purchase toothpaste
School Kit
In some countries, children don't have books or school supplies. Many have no schoolrooms; classes are held in inadequate or half-destroyed buildings, tents, or even the open air. School kits may be these children's only educational resources.
School Kit Value: $11 per kit
School Kit Materials
- 1 pair blunt scissors
- Rounded tip only;
- No plastic scissors, please.
- 3 pads of paper
- Spiral- or top-bound pads;
- 150 sheets or less of loose-leaf paper can be substituted for 1 pad;
- Combination of spiral, top-bound, side-bound, or loose-leaf paper is acceptable;
- No composition books, please.
- 1 hand-held pencil sharpener
- Must be at least 1 inch long;
- Remove from packaging.
- 1 30-centimeter ruler
- Hard or flexible;
- Cartoon characters are acceptable;
- No advertisements please.
- 6 unsharpened pencils
- No advertisements, religious, patriotic, military, or camouflage symbols, please;
- Cartoon characters are acceptable.
- 1 2-inch or larger-size eraser
- No advertisements, religious, patriotic, military, or camouflage symbols, please;
- Cartoon characters are acceptable.
- 1 24-count box of crayons
- Only 24-count boxes, please.
- 1 14x16 inch cloth bag
- Homemade or purchased bags are both acceptable;
- Heavy-duty fabric only, such as denim, corduroy, drapery fabric, etc.;
- No advertisements, religious, patriotic, military, or camouflage symbols, please;
- Closures are optional but must be buttons, snaps, or Velcro sewn in middle of opening, if used.
Important Notes
- All items must be new.
- Do not wash any of the items as they will be considered used.
- Please remove all packaging, unless otherwise specified.
- All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items, nothing more.
- Do not include any personal notes, money, or additional material in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.


text:
Palm Tree Studies in South Tyrol and Beyond by Nanna Debois Buhl
Palm Tree Studies in South Tyrol and Beyond by Nanna Debois Buhl
Palm Tree Studies might at first glance be a book about the somewhat counterintuitive presence of palm trees in the sanatorium-city of Merano in South Tyrol; but at a second glance, it is rather an artistic exploration into the exoticism of 19th century Europe, where the palm trees were part of the collective imaginary. With a mixture of thorough research and abstraction, Buhl presents us with a work that is at the same time cultural biography, landscape architecture, and botany – reworked through interviews, photograms by the artist, and found material into a phantasmagorical gesammtkunstwerk that illuminates the symbolic dimensions of the 'Trachycarpus fortunei'.
Published by Humboldt Books, 2016
48 pages
Stable bound paperback
sold out


text:
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR NYC - Spring 2018
Affordable Art Fair
Booth # 2.9
March 21 - 25, 2018
125 West 18th Street
(between 6th and 7th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
Lilac Gallery New York is pleased to participate in Affordable Art Fair at the Metropolitan Pavilion on March 21 - 25 for the spring edition 2018. Please join Lilac Gallery as we show in Affordable Art Fair NYC – an art fair dedicated to discovering incredible new artists and contemporary artworks, and experience hands-on workshops, talks, and tours with fellow art lovers.
This year at the fall edition we will feature the highly sophisticated and colorful compositions of Gee Gee Collins, the beautifully elaborated pieces by Lee Ok-nam and mixed media pieces by Lee Kwan Woo, also the inspiringly aesthetic accent paintings by Robert Gregory Phillips, introducing the eye-catching works inspired by nature, and her travels around the world and fashion by Corinne Natel, and the highly expressive acrylic paintings by Neil Kerman.
Private View:
Wednesday, March 21 from 6-9pm
Show schedule:
Thursday, March 22 from 11am - 6pm
(Art After Dark 6-9pm)
Friday, March 23 from 11am - 6pm
(Free admission 6-8pm)
Saturday, March 24 from 11am - 8pm
Sunday, March 25 from 11am - 5pm


text:
At last here are the rules and photos of the awesome Blog Hop Giveaway. Some lucky person will win all the ornaments seen in this collage!! These ornament were made by many talented bloggers so get ready to go to each blog and sign up to win. Here is a collage of all the amazing ornaments that all the talented bloggers have made for this giveaway. Good luck everyone!!!www.therustythimble.blogspot.com and find a list of all the bloggers that are giving away an ornament. Go to each blog and enter to win all the ornaments. Leave a comment on their blog. Each blogger will have their rules for entering to win the ornaments. Be sure to leave a comment while on my blog on this post for a chance to win mine. You must be a follower in order to enter. That's it but if you would like to share on your blog or facebook, twitter, etc, I would appreciate it.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
At Last! The Blog Hop Ornament Giveaway!
Posted by yorkie's primitives at 9:21 PM
49 comments:
- Tam said...
OH, I'm the first one to enter, like these alot please enter me
- November 12, 2012 at 1:00 AM
- BumbleBeeLane said...
Been a follower.Going to be so fun hopping around.Warm Blessings!~Amy
- November 12, 2012 at 3:06 AM
- Sandi @ The Primitive Skate said...
Love your ornies.
Please enter me.
I am a Follower.
- November 12, 2012 at 6:40 AM
- Primitive Stars said...
Morning, I'm a new follow, please sign me up on the wonderful ornie giveaway.......Blessings Francine.
- November 12, 2012 at 7:00 AM
- Jessica @Blessings in the Country said...
Hi Valerie! I LOVE your sweet ornaments! So cute.
I follow your blog. Thank you for being a part of the blog hop!
Blessings, Jessica
- November 12, 2012 at 7:25 AM
- Theresa said...
I'm a new follower and I'd love to win your ornaments too. :0)
- November 12, 2012 at 7:44 AM
- sew.darn.quilt said...
I'm a follower, of course. I really enjoy your blog, so many interesting things to see! Please include my name for the giveaway :) Off hopping now!
- November 12, 2012 at 7:52 AM
- Wendy @ Ravenwood Whimzies said...
Good morning Valerie! Count me in on the chance to win your ornies. Blessings
- November 12, 2012 at 8:27 AM
- Hanni said...
These are such cute little ornaments, would love to hang them on my tree this year, thank you for the wonderful give away
- November 12, 2012 at 11:08 AM
- Bottle Whimsies said...
I love your ornies, thank you for this giveaway! Will you please sign me up? :)
Shared on my blog as well.
- November 12, 2012 at 11:10 AM
- amyorvin said...
These are all so adorable. Thank you for the chance. I am a GFC follower too as Amy Orvin
I am hopping along each blog to enter!
- November 12, 2012 at 11:40 AM
- Mary said...
Thanks for participating in the ornie give away. Please sign me up. Love your creations. They make me smile. Enjoyed your blog. Can't wait to visit again. I signed up as a follower too. Blessings
- November 12, 2012 at 11:44 AM
- denise said...
count me in! i'm a new follower,this is gonna be fun, denise
- November 12, 2012 at 11:47 AM
- Lori @ applegrovetreasures said...
Cute ornies! Would love to be entered - thanks for the chance:)
- November 12, 2012 at 12:16 PM
- Tammy ~ Country Girl at Home ~ said...
I'd love to be entered in your giveaway...love all 3 of your ornaments as well as all the other wonderful ones! I'm a follower now too!
Thanks so much! I just LOVE Christmas!
- November 12, 2012 at 12:30 PM
- Sweet Bear Creek Whims said...
Love your little ornies, please sign me up. I am already a follower.
- November 12, 2012 at 2:05 PM
- A Primitive Place ~ Tammy said...
Hi Valerie,
These are so cute.
Please count me in.
What is up with blogger??
I know Ive been a follower for quite awhile but blogger isnt showing it. Ggrrr!
Any who, clicked it, so now Im following again.
I love blogging but Blogger can drive me nuts at times.
- November 12, 2012 at 3:16 PM
- Connie said...
I love your ornies and I love this Blog hop GiveAway!. I am a follower! Please enter me.
- November 12, 2012 at 3:57 PM
- Heather Wise said...
Awwww, they are adorable! I am a new follower. I thought I was a follower because I have enjoyed your blog before! Your Santa and Star in the previous post are wonderful! So talented!
Could you please enter me into the giveaway! Thank you so much!
- November 12, 2012 at 4:47 PM
- jennifer768 said...
I love your contribution to huge giveaway!I am a new follower and would love to be entered.Hugs,Jen
- November 12, 2012 at 5:50 PM
- PEA said...
One person is going to win all these ornaments?? I hope it's ME!!!! lol I love ornaments you're donating, so darling. I'm already a follower:-) xo
- November 12, 2012 at 7:05 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hi Valerie,
Love your ornies! I am a new follower and would love to be entered in the giveaway.
Julie-Anne xx
- November 13, 2012 at 2:23 AM
- Janet said...
Hi Valerie, I love your sweet ornies. :)
I am a follower. Please sign me up for the giveaway. Thank you.
Have a wonderful week.
Take care, Janet W
- November 13, 2012 at 2:41 AM
- Joyce Clark Frank said...
Love your ornaments. I am now a follower. The Blog Hop give a way is a neat way to find new blogs.
- November 13, 2012 at 4:31 AM
- Danice said...
Good morning, Valerie. Your ornies are so cute! Please enter me in the giveaway. I am a follower, also. Thank you :)
- November 13, 2012 at 4:59 AM
- linda bowton said...
hi val,
i just signed up to follow you, posted to facebook and would love to enter this giveaway!
thank you~
^)^ linda
- November 13, 2012 at 5:59 AM
- Grandma's Primitives said...
Please enter me in this great giveaway. So many talented people involved in this.
- November 13, 2012 at 7:28 AM
- Hillcresthome Prims said...
I LOVE your ornies, all 3 of them. I am a follower.
Please enter me.
This is been so much FUN!
Happy Crafting,
- November 13, 2012 at 7:37 AM
- Debbie Johnson said...
sweet painted ornaments-what a fun blog hop! Thanks for the give away!!
- November 13, 2012 at 8:53 AM
- Kim said...
What a fabulous giveaway! I would love to be entered. I am a follower of your blog.
- November 13, 2012 at 9:07 AM
- Karen said...
I would love to be entered! I am a follower :) Thanks! Karen
- November 13, 2012 at 10:03 AM
- Jennifer Gail said...
Following enter me please:)
- November 13, 2012 at 11:56 AM
- COUNTRY PICKINS said...
Hi Val,
Such n awesome giveaway. I would love a chance to be entered in it! I love the ornies. Blessings,
- November 13, 2012 at 1:59 PM
- Dixie n Dottie said...
These are super, super cute! Thanks for your generosity! :)
- November 13, 2012 at 5:44 PM
- Mary said...
Hi Valerie, I am so glad you joined in too and love your ornaments...so cute! I am already a follower...and having so much fun hopping along! Hugs Mary
- November 13, 2012 at 8:33 PM
- alltheseboys said...
I'm so glad your part of the blog hop! Adorable ormanments! Katie
- November 14, 2012 at 1:52 AM
- ~Lavender Dreamer~ said...
These are just precious and would be pretty on a banner I'm making! Thanks!
- November 14, 2012 at 7:00 AM
- oldecrow said...
Love these ornies! They would look great on my tree! Please add my name to your list, it would be so cool to win all these ornies! Thanks for participating in this generous giveaway. I'm so glad I found your blog. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Olde Crow Mercantile
- November 14, 2012 at 8:46 AM
- Tammy Fry said...
Now following your blog, it really excites me. I just love your stuff.
- November 14, 2012 at 11:13 AM
- Allison said...
Cute ornies!!
- November 14, 2012 at 12:54 PM
- cathy crosson said...
your ornaments are precious! Please sign me up!
Cathy C
- November 14, 2012 at 1:17 PM
- marie said...
I'm already a follower...this blog hop is such fun. Love your ornaments...thanks for a chance at winning them!!
- November 14, 2012 at 4:19 PM
- ByLightOfMoon said...
WoW, these are fabulous ornaments to win and just see the wonderful crafters' along the way!
Please enter me in your giveway and I am off to visit the other orafters also.
I am following you too and have been for awhile!
Smiles, Cyndi
- November 15, 2012 at 4:33 AM
- sjcountrycrafts said...
love your blog background and ornie....please enter me
- November 15, 2012 at 10:41 AM
- Matt, Kenna and Hannah said...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I would love to have all these Ornie's for my tree!
- November 15, 2012 at 11:42 AM
- Carin said...
Woohoo ... these are so cute !!! Thanks for this gove away. I'm a follower too.
- November 17, 2012 at 3:39 PM
- Prim2Pink said...
Very cute ornies! Thanks for the giveaway! I'm a follower.
- November 17, 2012 at 7:45 PM
- usagypsy said...
Your ornies are so cute! Love the primitive look of them! Thanks!
- November 18, 2012 at 4:59 PM
- Beckyjean said...
Would love to be entered in the giveaway. I'm a new follower.
Enjoy your evening~Becky
- November 18, 2012 at 5:34 PM


text:
The Great To Do List/
I haven't posted one of my
famous annoying standard to-do lists in some time, and I worry your lives are lacking for it. Therefore, today's post is a look inside the cluttered "to do" mind of your world-famous (kinda sorta) cat author friend:
- RSVP to an April 26th Foster Friends of NC luncheon.
- Call the running store and see if I can switch my half-marathon race to the 5k on the 26th in order to attend above luncheon.
- Figure out who's home I can shower at in GSO on the 26th after the race so I can go to the luncheon.
- Write first draft of an article for www.Dogtwist.com.
- Call the event coordinator for the 2008 National Women's Music Festival. The event features women in the arts and there is an "animal lovers" series for which I might present. But I need to know if there is a travel stipend, can books be sold, what I'd speak on, etc.
- If I do sign up for above event, pull together speech/workshop--pronto!
- Write outline for a May 14th presentation on writing. Send to my co-host for comments/reviews.
- Remember the ding letter I got on a book proposal? I e-mailed the query and the agent has expressed an interest! She wants details on chapter structure and outline and what I plan to do with the book. Sigh. If only I knew... Must get to library and do research and start writing sample chapters!!!!
- Organize my research for article I'm writing on canine glaucoma.
- Call my next door neighbor and see if he wants to attend "Free Friday Yoga" with me.
- Work on book proposal for "Kiss My Kitty Butt."
- I'm considering a "Kiss My Kitty Butt" calendar -- look into details on how to accomplish this.
- Trademark "Kiss My Kitty Butt?"
- Set out tape recorder hooked into phone so I can be ready if my canine glaucoma interviews call unexpectedly.
- Buy a graduation card for a friend's daughter.
- Call everyone I know because I've shamefully ignored them for weeks and am lucky to still have those who will call me "friend."
- E-mail friend about a book I hope she has on publishing that I want to borrow.
- Quit making lists and go do some actual work.


text:
The Expendables (2010) review
86 Views 2 Comments
Review of The Expendables (2010)
MANGASM: Occurs at a time of intense scenes of violence and action, culminating in a euphoric orgasmic sensation. EXPENDABLES picks up increasing amounts of steam as it barrels toward it's explosive finale. This entire movie was conceived to be the ultimate masculine stud fantasy, Stallone manages to give every action fan everything he could want in one movie. Explosive, orgasmic non stop fighting of all those action men together in one screen. Jet Li fight Dolph Lundgren ! Stone Cold Steve Austin beating the hell out of Sylvester Stallone! Gary Daniels savagely killed with a boot down onto his neck! Scott Adkins getting beheaded after a brutal body combat with Stallone! Jason Statham beats the crap out of a group of guys, throws knives and wields a sword. Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren have this epic, kick ass fight, Stallone gets his ass kicked by Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy Couture and Austin get this bloodied fight gruesome graphic violence that helped make him a star in the first place. Body parts fly as bullets pierce them, heads roll from swords, we see bodies explode, hear blood curdling screams when Terry Crews takes a loud, testosterone birthed rifle and shoots people with bullets that seem to pierce all matter. More people are stabbed, shot, punched, kicked, thrown into brick walls and at one point a guy is shot and stabbed at the same time.


text:
I printed a few too many of these back in the day, but they're so sweet and I would love to give them away!
Purchase anything from now until Valentines Day 2016 (fine art or paper goods) and and receive a free 'i adore you' greeting card with light pink envelope in your order! New products and re-stocks are in the shop this week, too!


text:
Entrepreneur, startup junkie & serial business owner!
Originally born in Wyoming, USA on a cattle ranch and having spent 6 years during the Cold War on a Nuclear US Navy Submarine, Kurt has developed a solutions mindset to just about anything. After coming to Australia 29 years ago, Kurt has spent 23 years in senior management positions in various industries, and started 4 businesses in Australia (including his latest startup – QuickSafety). He has 11 years' experience as a Business consultant and analyst, coupled with 6 years of training and consulting in the Middle East.
QuickSafety was only 6 months old when it released its Electrical Compliance App on the Apple Store on 23 September. The product enables the electrical industry to deal with compliance, risk & safety. QuickSafety was one of 4 winners in the Australia Small Business Challenge in Feb this year – which included pre-seed funding, accelerator program by BlueChilli Capital and incubator space by CCIQ, Suncorp & Microsoft. Recently QuickSafety was selected by SeedStars Global as one of the top 8 seed start businesses in Australia. During the competition QuickSafety placed 3rd overall and is now part of the SeedStars Global Family.
Going from strength to strength as a sole founder Kurt is rich in experience as a startup founder.


text:
By Evan D. Burns
In his eminent biography of Adoniram Judson, Francis Wayland carefully demonstrates how the Judson's valued the preaching of the gospel in missions as opposed to doing other good "fruitful" ministries which seemed to bring in more immediate "fruit". The following account is very applicable to missions, especially today amidst our need-for-speed missions pragmatism.
During these long years of preparation, surrounded by heathen, not one of whom had ever received a single Christian idea, and, for the greater part of the time, destitute of any religious associations, except what they found in each other, Mr. and Mrs. Judson were never for a moment harassed with a doubt of ultimate success. It never entered into their minds that it might be desirable to find a more promising field. If the idea had once arrested their attention, he could not, he said, tell what the result might have been; but God preserved them from being tempted with it. They never felt a single regret or misgiving, and hence their letters never even allude to it, except it be to encourage their friends at home, who, they feared, might despond, in consequence of their want of success. They always enjoyed the most entire certainty as to the result of their labors, though occasionally doubting whether they should live to witness it. Their confidence rested solely and exclusively on the word of God. They believed that he had promised; they, doing, as they believed, his will, accepted the promise as addressed to themselves personally. Their daily work was a transaction between God and their own souls. It never seemed possible to them that God could be false to his promises. Their confidence was the offspring of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By it they went forth, not knowing whither they went. By faith, through many long years of discouragement, they endured, as seeing Him who is invisible; relying not at all on what they could do, but wholly on what God had promised to do for them.
….The direct way of securing the aid of almighty power, is to follow in the path marked out by omniscient wisdom. Mr. Judson therefore endeavored, first of all, to ascertain the manner in which Christ and his apostles labored to extend Christianity. This seems plainy exemplified in the New Testament. It is by the action of individual mind on individual mind. It is by embracing every opportunity, which our intercourse with men presents, to tell them of the love of Christ, of their danger and their duty, and to urge them, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. Thus did Christ, and thus did his apostles labor. They had no plan, no sapping and mining, no preparatory work, extending over half a generation before they should be ready for direct and energetic effort. As the apostles opened their commission, they saw that it commanded them to preach the gospel to every creature. They obeyed the commandment, and God wrought with them by signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Mr. Judson followed these examples, and his labors were attended with signal success. Hence it will be perceived that he addressed himself at once to adults, to those who denied the existence of an eternal God; and the Holy Spirit carried the message directly to their hearts. Missionaries have sometimes said that we could scarcely expect men grown old in heathenism ever to be converted, since they were beyond the reach, at least, of our immediate efforts. We must therefore begin with children. We must establish schools, by our superior knowledge gain influence over the young, and with their daily lessons instill into their minds a knowledge of Christianity. And more than this: as the religious systems of the heathen are indissolubly associated with false views of astronomy, geography, and physical science generally, if we can correct these errors, the religion resting upon them must by necessity be swept away. As these views have been carried into practice, a change has naturally come over missionary stations. Ministers of the gospel to the heathen have become schoolmasters. Instead of proclaiming the great salvation, they have occupied themselves in teaching reading, spelling, geography, arithmetic, and astronomy. While some are thus engaged as teachers, others are employed as book makers for the schools. Thus it sometimes comes to pass, that of the men sent out for the express purpose of preaching the gospel, a large portion do not preach the gospel at all.[1]
[1]Francis Wayland, The Memoir of Adoniram Judson, 1:205-208.
Evan D. Burns (Ph.D. Candidate, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is on faculty at Asia Biblical Theological Seminary, and he lives in Southeast Asia with his wife and twin sons. They are missionaries with Training Leaders International.


text:
Advice and guidance for families with children on the Autism Spectrum, including PDA.
Wednesday, 30 November 2016
It's not only girls who can mask
7 comments:
I can relate to a lot of this with my 11 year son. He's diagnosed with HFA and ADHD. He also has severe dyslexia, very impaired working memory & executive function combined with very high IQ (in the 99th % ile). He has significant sensory issues also. He is very eloquent and hides his issues well. He wants to socialise but struggles to maintain friendships.ReplyDelete
He is in a supportive ASC resource in a large mainstream secondary school. His teachers there tell me he fits a PDA profile very closely as the strategies for PDA work much better than traditional ASC approaches. Generally once he's at school though he is very compliant and engaged. Home life is very different. Most mundane requests are met with extreme resistance / point blank refusal. Getting ready for school, washing, coming to meals and we can forget leaving the house at weekends. Unfortunately he is increasingly refusing school. School say there are no specific problems as school as he is happy when he's there and believe he's simply trying to claw back his personal time (he views school as a "waste of his life") . They have suggested we follow an approach which he is punished for lateness by losing increasing amounts of screen time (this is precious to him and his special interests revolve around this and he uses it to relax ). So far it's making things worse as he's getting more stressed and that's causing more avoidance. I am going along with it as I don't want school thinking I'm not trying but such reward/punishment approaches have not worked in the past. Do you have any advice on the best way forward as I feel this is step backwards and is damaging me already fraught relationship with my son? Any advice greatly appreciated.Replies
Thank you for your comment. If you can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com we can then provide you a free screening for PDA.Delete
thank you for sharing this . my son being looked at for asd spd but I really think he has pda . he always has to be in control if not it causes meltdowns . i will look into this further as at school not a peep when I pick him up he's kicking off before I've got out the school gate . xxReplyDelete
Thank you so much for these articles. It is so refreshing to find something, after years of puzzling, that describes my 8.5-year-old son and our experiences so well. He has been diagnosed and had occupational therapy for SPD, but her still has always seemed to have more that we need to understand. I know nothing will fit completely, but for the first time as I am reading about PDA I feel like I am reading something written about my son specifically. He falls into your first group description so completely, it's remarkable. We live in the USA, so I know our resources are different, even down to accepted diagnoses. But this gives me so much help and information to hopefully show and start somewhere. We have been puzzling for years, and actually already self-implementing may strategies described for PDA without even knowing this was a "thing". Thank you for the helpful blog!ReplyDelete
Wow that is my son he was diagnosed with global developmental delayment he, s now 12 and he is the joke of his class , and we have been fighting for help , he has tics , he doesn't process things very well , everyone who spends time with him see and worry about him apart from the school , I contacted your clinic as I really need my son assessed so he can get the help he needs, I can't find the screening section so I can go forward , we can't see our son suffer any more , thanksReplyDelete
Hi how do I get help for my 19 yr old son ..I have thought for a long time he has autism having read boys who mask and the description of the atypical aspergers is him to a TReplyDeleteReplies
Please send an email to email@example.com and we can then send you full details. Thank you.Delete