text:
I read an article on Inc.com a few months ago called "The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship." If you haven't read it, even if you're not an entrepreneur, you should. It's a life changer. Here are some key excerpts for discussion:
Successful entrepreneurs achieve hero status in our culture. We idolize the Mark Zuckerbergs and the Elon Musks. And we celebrate the blazingly fast growth of the Inc. 500 companies. But many of those entrepreneurs, like Smith, harbor secret demons: Before they made it big, they struggled through moments of near-debilitating anxiety and despair — times when it seemed everything might crumble.
Until recently, admitting such sentiments was taboo. Rather than showing vulnerability, business leaders have practiced what social psychiatrists call impression management–also known as "fake it till you make it." Toby Thomas, CEO of EnSite Solutions (No. 188 on the Inc. 500), explains the phenomenon with his favorite analogy: a man riding a lion. "People look at him and think, This guy's really got it together! He's brave!" says Thomas. "And the man riding the lion is thinking, How the hell did I get on a lion, and how do I keep from getting eaten?"
Not everyone who walks through darkness makes it out. In January, well-known founder Jody Sherman, 47, of the e-commerce site Ecomom took his own life. His death shook the start-up community. It also reignited a discussion about entrepreneurship and mental health that began two years earlier after the suicide of Ilya Zhitomirskiy, the 22-year-old co-founder of Diaspora, a social networking site.
Lately, more entrepreneurs have begun speaking out about their internal struggles in an attempt to combat the stigma on depression and anxiety that makes it hard for sufferers to seek help. In a deeply personal post called "When Death Feels Like a Good Option," Ben Huh, the CEO of the Cheezburger Network humor websites, wrote about his suicidal thoughts following a failed startup in 2001. Sean Percival, a former MySpace vice president and co-founder of the children's clothing startup Wittlebee, penned a piece called "When It's Not All Good, Ask for Help" on his website. "I was to the edge and back a few times this past year with my business and own depression," he wrote. "If you're about to lose it, please contact me." (Percival now urges distressed entrepreneurs to seek professional help: Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.)
Entrepreneurs often juggle many roles and face countless setbacks–lost customers, disputes with partners, increased competition, staffing problems–all while struggling to make payroll. "There are traumatic events all the way along the line," says psychiatrist and former entrepreneur Michael A. Freeman, who is researching mental health and entrepreneurship.
Complicating matters, new entrepreneurs often make themselves less resilient by neglecting their health. They eat too much or too little. They don't get enough sleep. They fail to exercise. "You can get into a startup mode, where you push yourself and abuse your body," Freeman says. "That can trigger mood vulnerability."
But it may be more than a stressful job that pushes some founders over the edge. According to researchers, many entrepreneurs share innate character traits that make them more vulnerable to mood swings. "People who are on the energetic, motivated, and creative side are both more likely to be entrepreneurial and more likely to have strong emotional states," says Freeman. Those states may include depression, despair, hopelessness, worthlessness, loss of motivation, and suicidal thinking.
Call it the downside of being up. The same passionate dispositions that drive founders heedlessly toward success can sometimes consume them. Business owners are "vulnerable to the dark side of obsession," suggest researchers from the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. They conducted interviews with founders for a study about entrepreneurial passion. The researchers found that many subjects displayed signs of clinical obsession, including strong feelings of distress and anxiety, which have "the potential to lead to impaired functioning," they wrote in a paper published in the Entrepreneurship Research Journal in April.
The article still sits with me to this day. Why? Well, for starters — it's true. And what this article doesn't mention is that it's especially true for younger people, who are still trying to navigate the murky waters of life — of love, hobbies, friends, spirituality, balance, health, and happiness — with limited groups of friends who actually understand the intricacies of this lifestyle. And if you're not married or in a serious long term relationship? You're doing it alone. And good luck finding someone who can or is willing to relate to you or put up with your bullshit when you're having a manic fit and can't stop feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
To illustrate my point, here's a great anecdote from "The Fearsome Nightmare Entrepreneurs Never Talk About":
The day began to go wrong long before Dave reached his office. He had finished working out on the treadmill and was grabbing his car keys when Joe called on his cell. His three year old was running a fever so he would not be coming in to work. Joe was his tech-guy, the only person who understood the new CRM package on which they had just spent a king's ransom. More, their new product launch–a 'make or break' for the company–was scheduled for later in the week and 2 million emails needed to go out smoothly.
Joe was apologetic. He promised to work from home and fix the bugs they had identified but Dave felt queasy.
His night receptionist handed him a message when he reached his office. Bob wanted to speak with him immediately. Bob was his lead investor, the guy who had found the other investors for him and promised him that he would back him till the end of the quarter when the results of the product launch were in. If all went well, the company would be able to self-finance for the rest of the year.
Bob, like Joe, was apologetic. He had tried his best but his partners were not very happy with the results so far. He could no longer guarantee that he would be there for Dave as promised. But what about the new product launch, Dave sputtered.
Bob was sympathetic but he was not reassuring. He would do his best but Dave had better start working on a plan B.
Dave got another call from Joe that evening. His child was still sick. He was sorry but the strain was too great. He was quitting, effective immediately.
It took a long time for Dave to fall asleep and he woke up in a cold sweat at 3AM. Steel bands were clamped around his chest and he could barely breathe. Fear, stark uncontrollable fear, permeated every cell and flowed out through every pore. He felt his body stirring, moving involuntarily.
"What's up dear?" his wife mumbled sleepily.
"Nothing," he lied.
He found that he had curled up in the fetal position.
I like this anecdote because I've witnessed it — with myself, and with some of my entrepreneurial friends.
Life is tough as an entrepreneur, so you hide it. You don't talk about it. Because it's not sexy. It's not powerful. And when you do feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, you have to pretend it's not because there are very few people who can or are willing to try to understand how you feel.
And if you're a woman? Try harder to find a man who will or can relate to you in a role that isn't in your "societal nature." Because women aren't supposed to be entrepreneurs, after all — are they? I haven't seen many lately.
I can honestly say that with the exception of a few other friends of mine who happen to also have experience as young entrepreneurs, no one really understands the pressures or the stressors that go into owning a company, let alone trying to grow it, maintain it, or most important of all — sell it — while trying to live the somewhat normal life of a 20 or 30-something.
Yes, I'm saying the latter for a reason.
As a millennial entrepreneur, I can tell you that the only reason I started a company when I was 22 was because it was the only opportunity available to me that even remotely resembled what I thought would make me happy. The writer's strike had just hit Hollywood and eliminated opportunities as a Producer, which is what got me to LA in the first place. I was lucky to land a job at a music discovery startup that I thought would take me through the strike and beyond, but while the startup I worked for initially made me love the buzz of "startup culture", it only taught me to hate corporate culture (and producing) so badly that I never wanted to work for anyone ever again. Ever.
So I started my own company. Because I thought it was easier. I thought it was freedom.
But it's neither of those things. Over the last seven years, I've lived on a roller coaster. I've dealt with being over $200,000 in outstanding unpaid client debt, I've made it through an economic depression, I've kept roofs over countless employees heads while they never worried about a thing, and I've seen the highs of closing big deals and the lows of pain in the ass clients who think you owe them the world for $1, deals falling through left and right, and dealing with intense partnership struggles. Tack on the personal stuff, adding countless important friendships lost and abandoned (especially over the past few weeks), friends who have passed away or been diagnosed with terminal illnesses, and added relationship sutff? It's a lot for a young person to handle. There's not a single moment that I can remember in the last seven years that was effortless.
Which is why I don't want to be an "entrepreneur".
It took me a long time to realize that I don't like running a company. I'm not good at it. And I could argue that there are a lot of eccentric CEO's and Founders that have brilliant ideas and business acumen, but who are also terrible at running a company. Because telling people what to do and dealing with the intricacies of the day-to-day is actually suffocating for people like me, and it never really leads to the best end result.
Owning a company just to be an entrepreneur is one of the most selfish, egotistical things someone can do. I know, because I did it for seven years. While it's great to say you want to own a company and be successful at doing what you love, one day you're going to have to pay all your taxes, cash in your non-existent IRA, and find someone to either buy your business, or shrink away into shakey retirement unless you happened to be smarter than 98% of the rest of the moderately successful entrepreneurs who didn't make it big like Mark Zuckerberg.
So what's my point?
The key to life is in transition. Change, like death and taxes, is inevitable. How you respond to that change is what makes you who you are. You never know how you're going to get from Point A to Point B, especially as an entrepreneur, because it always feels like you're a work in progress. And you are. We all are.
But you do get to Point B, eventually. And when you do, you start to set your sights to Point C.
So enjoy the transition. While I hate running a company, I will never stop being an entrepreneur. I've been lucky to have some amazing career opportunities cross my desk that are even more stressful than my entrepreneurial journey thus far; but because I processed the transition, I at least know what I'm willing to accept and what I'm not willing to accept in my life, while keeping an open mind as I embark on the next journey so I continue to learn those things.
I encourage you to do the same. Find the things you do like about entrepreneurship, and try to center your world around those things. It's the perks that make the negatives bearable — and ultimately, allowing your life to transition, that can get you where you want and need to go.


text:
Private Uxmal Spectacular Night Show
Uxmal, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the largest cities of the Yucatán peninsula on the Ruta Puuc (Puuc Route), and at its height was home to approximately 20,000 Maya. Its buildings are noted for their size and decoration and ancient roads called "sacbes" connect the buildings, connecting other ancient cities in the area such as Chichén Itzá, Caracol and Xunantunich in modern-day Belize, and Tikal in modern-day Guatemala.
After your visit to this amazing site you will enjoy a delicious dinner and the nightly light and sound show that depicts the Maya worldview and the culture's rich and interesting history.
From $70
Your Private Uxmal Spectacular Night Show includes the following:
- Bilingual staff
- Round trip transportation
- Entrance fees
- Dinner
- Restrooms
- Tour duration: 8 hours
- Tour schedule: 1:00 PM daily
- Tour departure: from selected hotels (details will accompany your reservation confirmation)
- Clients who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed to participate
Please bring the following to your Private Uxmal Spectacular Night Show:
- Biodegradable repellent
- Hat and sunglasses
- Cool clothing and light sweater (during winter months)
- Bottled water
- Camera
- Extra $$ for tips, etc.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1 lb. fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 pint heavy cream
2 pinches of salt
1 cup of half and half
1 cup of buttermilk, preferably whole
24 gluten free vanilla wafer cookies, crumbled to oyster cracker size pieces
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3 oz. mini marshmallows (about 2 cups)
1. Put the strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until the syrup is glossy red but still runny. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. You should have 1 1/2 cups fruit and syrup.
2. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with the remaining 1/3 sugar and the salt until peaks begin to hold their shape.
3. Fold in half and half, buttermilk, cookies, toasted pecans and marshmallows until evenly combined. (The marshmallows will mostly float, which is fine.)
4. Line a 3 quart loaf and with plastic wrap and pour the cream mixture into it.
5. Then pour in the fruit and syrup from one end of the pan to the other, but do not stir. The syrup and fruit may float on the surface at first but will gradually sink through to the bottom.
6. Lightly cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until a cap of crystallized cream has formed about an inch thick, about 2 1/2 hours.
7. Use a broad serving spoon to break up the cream and fold the ingredients together, taking special care to lift the strawberry pulp up off the bottom.
8. With the back of the spoon, smooth the surface and return the pan to the freezer for 1 1/2 hours.
9. Fold again, freeze for another hour, and fold a third time. Allow to set for an hour more.
To serve, turn an entire loaf upside down onto an oval platter, surround it with greenery and flowers, and slice off individual portions with a knife, warmed in hot water.


text:
Passbook Savings with Debit Card
An interest bearing savings deposit account that has both a passbook and a Visa debit card, allowing consumers to have their transactions documented in a passbook while enjoying the advantages and convenience of modern banking.
Product Features
For more information:
Visit any EastWest Store.
Call 24/7 Customer Service Hotline 888-1700.
Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Copyright © 2000 - 2019 East West Banking Corporation. A subsidiary of the Filinvest Group.
Member: PDIC. Maximum Deposit Insurance for Each Depositor P500,000. A proud member of BancNet.
EastWest is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. For inquiries or complaints, you may call EastWest's 24-Hour Customer Service at (02) 888-1700 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. Similarly, you may also contact the BSP Financial Consumer Protection Department at (02) 708-7087.
All Rights Reserved.


text:
Hi guys I'm back. I see familiar names, Beef Lvg... Guys new doctor recently put me on Suboxone to get me off vicodin which I had been using for years for herniated disc. My question is if someone is holding a professional license, can her or his license be in jeopardy of behind revoked or suspended if the board issuing the license becomes aware? Can the treating doctor, the pharmacy or even the insurance company notify the board?
Thank You


text:
Time, loss and change
Oh hello! Did you think I had been eaten by gnomes? or my pets? or that Scotty had finally beamed me up and beyond to the blue yonder? Disturbing thought.
No, here I am, all is well, sort of. But this New Year time through January and February has been more intense than I ever remember it being. I've had to resort to tidying the odd cuboard to calm my nerves on occasion. This is what I found in the latest poke around a dark drawer – last year's intention list – ha, ha, let's see how I did….
Hmmmmm, not bad on balance, but slightly disconcerting that I marked myself on my own list…at least it wasn't in red pen.
The hardest part about January was losing someone I loved.
I have always considered myself to have come from a world of women, to have been surrounded by women – mothers, godmothers, girlfriends and daughters. They nurture me, hold me, inspire me, they are my life.
And yet I have been blessed to have had the most wonderful men in my life too – father, uncle, godfather, partners and sons, who, now I look closely, have been interesting, thoughtful, and funny and who have also gently shaped who I have become.
To have lost one of these men suddenly seven years ago was heartbreaking. To be losing another, in slow motion, even more so. But to have been given this time with them, in the first place is surely the best treasure that I have been gifted.
Saying goodbye to someone has made me take a long, hard look at this thing we call time. It is so hard to measure, and yet that is what I am trying to do. Suddenly, it is more precious almost than the breath in my body, and I really don't know how much of it I have, for my own life, or for any of the other precious people in my world, and there are many. How can it be that life is so very long, and hard sometimes, and then it is over, in the smallest moment, with that final breath?
In the middle of the saddest time of this last 6 weeks, I was able to get away for a few days. I sat in a roundhouse with my sisters, and passed on my blessing for strong endings and brave new beginnings. It went into a cauldron tended by a beautiful woman land guardian, along with the spells, prayers and wishes of nineteen other women. It was stirred in, mixed together with ocean totems and we have each taken a jar of it home. Mine is sitting here expectantly, waiting. In a way, I guess that is what I am doing. Sitting, waiting, for what, I do not know. But there is a space growing, so we will see.
In the meantime, there is plenty of work and organising to be done with Wool Against Weapons – 25 weeks left! And I am counting all the small blessings that are keeping me going in this winter time of change……
the best rice pudding in the world – you clever girl, for nailing the ultimate recipe and sharing it with me –
……a funny beast to share it with, he makes me smile (when I am not wanting to kill him for his bad deeds)
….sharing the best and maddest time with gorgeous women, preparing food together and laughing A LOT…
….the gentle smell of Suzi's beeswax melting slowly in my kitchen, to make balm and honey…
…..finally seeing two years worth of ocean treasure collected up and ready to make into totems by my ocean sister…
….and because Imbolc's light has quietly crept in to this winter grey, the making of Brigids crosses and the wonderfulness and pale green of spring bulbs – the sweetest blessing. May we all slowly unfurl ourselves, mend and stretch in to this new time….
5 comments
- 1 Susan { 02.10.14 at 11:09 am }
So sorry to hear of your pain but lovely to hear of the support and peace you find with your lovely ladies.
- 3 Mezzie { 02.10.14 at 3:39 pm }
hi my Lovely
Beautiful words as ever. Sometimes we shatter and sometimes we unravel slowly when our hearts are broken…but there comes a day when the tinniest of things begin our mending…and I'm hoping that your time with beautiful Sisters allowed your tender heart to begin that healing..and there comes too, a time when remembering brings smiles and not tears…when you will hear him call your name, so softly and know that he has begun his returning…that you may meet and know and love again. Hugs across the miles Beautiful Jaine xxx
- 4 suzy parker { 02.10.14 at 3:42 pm }
so much love and blessings to you Jaine, for healing and for being able to love xxx
Leave a Comment


text:
This tutorial will teach you how to playing music from iPhone to Apple TV. tricks to access photos, videos and music from iOS 9 to Apple tvOS using Airplay.
Playing music from iPhone to Apple TV is damn need to know. The Apple will be launching their new Apple TV 4th generation with smart remote in near future. Therefore, before a purchase, you should need to know something basic tip for your knowledge. So here, you can learn how to access music from iOS 9 devices to Apple TV without physical USB cable mean by using Airplay. Using AirPlay you can also play your iTunes content on Apple TV, Even though you need internet connection.
There is a wireless method to access and playing Music from iPhone to Apple TV. I know that you would be much eagerly to do that, lets i'll give you here a stepladder that will help you to become a master.
Prerequisite: your iPhone/iPad and Apple TV must turn on under same Wi-Fi network. Otherwise, you face a problem Airplay not working on iOS 9 to tvOS.
Learn steps to playing Music from iPhone to Apple TV
Step 1. Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone/iPad and make turn on Wi-Fi on your Apple TV too.
Now follow 2ndstep to enable AirPlay on iOS 9 device,
Step 2. On your iPhone/iPad or iPod touch, Swipe up from the bottom of your screen to open Control center
Step 3. Tap on AirPlay
Step 4. Now tap on name of the device you want to playing music from iPhone to Apple TV.
Step 5. When you choose an AirPlay device, then Music will play on the TV that's connected to your Apple TV.
You're done.
Having you issue AirPlay missing on iOS 9? Please try this troubleshooting tip for AirPlay missing on iPhone, iPad.
We ardor, you would be taking iPhone music on your TV speaker. Airplay also works on Airport Express or AirPlay-enabled Sparkers.
Please share you feedback in the comment. Just a few try to give a reply on this page playing music from iPhone to Apple TV. Share this on Facebook, Twitter and other social media network.
Jaysukh Patel is the founder of howtoisolve. Also self Professional Developer, Techno lover mainly for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and iOS, Jaysukh is one of responsible person in his family.
Contact On: [email protected] [OR] [email protected]


text:
About 600 teachers, administrators, parents and others gathered last night to celebrate our area's top teachers. The winner of the teacher of the year was Woodham Middle School Science teacher Jana Pavlus.
Congratulations to her and to all of the hard-working teachers in all of our schools! Thank you for what you do day-in, day-out for our children!


text:
Clearly I still need to work on this whole daily post concept. It's been a busy week, and all too easy to set this aside. So now I will stretch my brain a bit to see what I've been thankful for these last few days.
I am thankful for pizza.
I am thankful for flirting.
I am thankful for lazy days.
Not so hard to think of things. Especially when I don't try to confine myself to "big, important ideas". I can be just as thankful for pizza as I can for the miracle of a sunset, or the joy that is connection with others.
Maybe this means there are other areas where I don't have to try so hard.


text:
Month: October 2016
Farringdon gets its asset management licence for Singapore
Myself and Martin have been working tirelessly over the last couple of years to get our very own license in Singapore. We decided not to continue our partnership with an IFA down there and decided to get the capital & markets service license instead. This allows us to do way more than we previously thought possible…. Read More ›


text:
-- The New York Giants have signed former NFC East rival guard Shawn Andrews.
Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowl blocker for the Eagles, has not played since 2008 due to a back injury. He worked out for the Giants on Thursday and signed at 1:45 a.m. with the team.
The Giants waived offensive lineman Cliff Louis to clear room on the roster.
"Our personnel staff has been monitoring Shawn's progress for awhile now," general manager Jerry Reese said. "He looks great and had a very good workout for us yesterday. He can play both guard and both tackle positions. We just have to take him slow for the rest of the preseason to get him into game shape. Shawn is very excited and grateful for this opportunity to play for the New York Giants."
Andrews was Philadelphia's first-round pick in 2004 and made the Pro Bowl in 2005, '06 and '07. But in 2008, he started two games before hitting the injured reserve with a back injury and hasn't played since re-injuring it in training camp last year. The Eagles waived him last March when he failed a physical.
Source Espn.com


text: The Houthis have accused the government of being corrupt and demanded its resignation [EPA]Government forces have clashed with Houthi rebels in the capital and launched air strikes targeting the movement's fighters east of Sanaa, a deal to end a weeks-long standoff into jeopardy. Clashes broke out near a state TV building in the north of Sanaa, when troops stopped a rebel truck loaded with weapons, military officials told the Associated Press news agency. Fighting also intensified in the restive Marib province, where the military launched air strikes targeting Houthi positions. The authorities said a senior Houthi commander was killed in one of the raids. The flare-up came despite the Houthis saying they were close to signing a deal reached with the government. Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Sanaa, said an agreement had been reached about appointing a technocrat prime minister, and cutting fuel prices by almost 30 percent. However, a stumbling block has been the Houthis demand that the deal be signed in their stronghold in the northern city of Saada, while President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi wants to sign it in the capital. The rebels, also known as Zaidis or Ansarullah, have been camped in Sanaa in a bid to oust the government, which they accuse of corruption. Yemen has been locked in a protracted transition since longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced from power in February 2012 after a deadly 11-month uprising. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies Politics Middle East Yemen War & Conflict War


text:
Last week I made and kept a challenge for myself – to create a project a day. Using any media and any technique, but without planning them ahead. The reason for that – with all the administrative work I had to do lately I didn't get to create anything really new for a few weeks, and didn't want to designer in me to die off completely :). And we all know – it's way too easy to put things off, let ourselves rest, and when we wake up – we might find out that our muse has gotten somewhere very far away.
Many times I wanted to stop, telling myself that it's too late already, and I'm tired, and I did a lot already. However, every day this little nasty voice was shushed, and here is the result – the seven Art Week projects. Most of them are already for sale, so if you click on the work's name, you will be taken to our Etsy store. Nonetheless, my purpose here is not so much to sell you things, but to share my new works with you.
Monday: "Lab Grown Tulip" necklace.
Hand-sculpted tulip sits in resin inside a recycled aqua-tube. These aqua-tubes were part of a giant bouquet we received as one of our wedding presents years ago. I saved them, and there is a lot of them! 🙂 This design was inspired by the bottle specimen designs Christi Friesen had in one of her newsletters. The tulip has wire roots. It is actually the second tulip; the first one had cotton thread roots which looked really limp :). I used a life picture of a Pink Impression tulip to sculpt the model. The tag which says "Tulipa Darwin Hybrid" (its Latin name) is a tea-stained paper. Just dunked it in my morning tea and then hung it to dry :).
Tuesday: "Seascape" necklace
Hand-forged copper frame (was fun to make – I got to do a lot of hammer whacking! 🙂 ) filled with resin. And of course there is a fish and some sea weed! 🙂 I do love sea and everything related to it, so I loved making a little transparent seascape, sort of like an aquarium :).
Wednesday: "Game of Chess" earrings
Wednesday had been an extremely busy day for me when I got up at 5:30 AM and kept running until 2 AM, that's why I only made a little simple project that day. The earrings are actual chess pieces. I wanted to make something like this for quite a while, and on Wednesday I finally got to do it! 🙂
Thursday: "Elven Tree" necklace
This is a part of "Happy Geek" collection which soon will be available in our new store, The Gray Havens. The pendant is actually a memory card reader, which is very handy to have, if your computer doesn't have an inbuilt reader. I have (and use! 🙂 ) one of them myself. This will be a personalized design where I will put your initials under the tree. This is the first one, so it obviously has my initials – AG – on it :). The tree itself is a backfilled clay carving based on my original drawing. I do deeply love everything related to Elves. Let's not forget here that I used to participate in role-playing games! 🙂
Friday: "The Eye" ring
Friday was another totally crazy day, that's why this is another small project :). I initially wanted to make the eye in thread, sort of like an embroidery, but then decided to stick with clay and my beloved mica :). Pupil did give me some trouble until I found a simple solution to cutting out a decent pupil. Just used the smallest teardrop Kemper's cutter. After all, an eye is a pair of overlapped teardrops, isn't it?
Saturday: "Steampunk Fish" necklace
Now, I did have fun with this one! 🙂 I relaxed and created away! The fish sits in another hand-forged copper frame and has a hand-forged clasp. I heat-oxidized the frame to give it a more vintage look. Chains gave me some grief, but I finally won them! 🙂 I wanted her to breath out bubbles, just like the one in the "Seascape", so she does. Obviously, they are metal bubbles; what else could you expect from a steampunk fish? 🙂
Sunday: "Show Me The Light" necklace
I have long craved making a lit candle using polymer clay! [almost as long as Ive been wanting to make a candle purse! :)] Finally, after some experiments, I've found the way to make believable polymer flame. Now, of course, if I left it in the oven for too long, the flame might have been even more believable, but let's not get into extremes :). The candle lantern is another hollow form of mine (no, I ain't seizing making hollow forms in any nearest future). Overall, I will tell you only one thing: I do love candles! I've been collecting them since I was four.
That concludes our photo report, ladies and gentlemen. Now, if you did any creative challenges yourselves, I'd love to hear about them! Just drop a line (or many! 🙂 ) in the comments below.


text:
Rita Moreno: West Side Story star's life from Marlon to the Muppets
The Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress Rita Moreno is the only Hispanic, and one of only a handful of performers, to have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and a Tony Award.
She was given an Academy Award for best supporting actress in the 1961 musical, West Side Story, her signature role.
In her autobiography, the 81-year-old tells the story of her unlikely rise to stardom in the US and her long affair with screen icon Marlon Brando. She discusses racism in Hollywood and her obsession with looking like Elizabeth Taylor.
It was announced recently that Moreno is to receive the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award for her career and humanitarian work.
She spoke to the BBC's Peter Bowes about the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.
Edited by Bryan Darling
22 Aug 2013


text:
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun
Level 3
How do you stay safe on the Internet? How do you keep your children safe on the Internet?
Telus started a program for parents, kids and teachers to help keep us safe on the Internet.
The program is free in Canada.
The program is called Telus Wise.
The program has
- an on-line site
- twitter conversations
- seminars
- videos
- one-on-one training
Staying safe on the Internet is a big challenge. People of all ages are vulnerable. Teens and tweens are particularly at risk.
Vancouver police Chief Jim Chu says there is more cyberbullying all the time. Cyberbullying led to the suicide of two teenagers in the past year.
Chu says, "It's important for parents to be aware of what their children are doing."
Children and youth are using their computers and smartphones 24 hours a day. They have contact with the online world even when you think they are safe at home.
Telus worked with bullying.org and MediaSmarts to create this program. MediaSmarts is a Canadian non-profit organization that teaches digital and media literacy.


text:
your bag
Your bag is empty.
Sorry, this product has sold out!
If you would like ARCHFASHION to try to and find it for you complete the form below.
Maison scotch 142483750 marble pants. Fabric: 52% viscose, 48% rayon. Care label: dry clean. Occasion: casual,nine to five style: yummy mummy,everyday girl,arty chick suits shape: hourglass,rectangle
The stellar Marble Pants from Maison Scotch has sold out. We did have it inMarble / 1, Marble / 2 & Marble / 4.
Start a "Find It For Me" to notify hundreds of Australian Boutiques that you're looking for it and then be notified if it comes back in stock.


text:
As you might expect, the parents of the brothers accused in the Boston Marathon bombings say their sons were innocent and framed by the U.S. government.
As you might not expect, a Florida communications professor is saying the same thing. So are a host of U.S. websites, which depict the bombings as one big government conspiracy and offer distorted evidence to prove it.
Do a Web search of the words "naked video suspect" and some of those sites pop up. Those words go with a story claiming Tamerlan Tsarnaev was captured alive and killed later. It began when a news station showed a stripped-down man identified as him being placed in a police car. It turned out not to be Tamerlan, who officials say was killed in a shootout with police and driven over by his brother. But the video and murder allegation still made the rounds of conspiracy-theory websites, reaching the Tsarnaev parents in Dagestan, and fueling their own denials. "He was alive. Why did they need to kill him?" demanded the mother. "Why not send him to Guantanamo or whatever. ... They got him alive. He was in their hands." Another theory has the bombers working for the CIA or FBI. The most incendiary claims the government set off the bombs. As evidence, some sites circulated a copy of a tweet from the Boston Globe alerting people that police were planning a controlled explosion exactly where the first bomb exploded that day.
"The tweet leaves me with no doubt whatsoever that the authorities set off the first explosion," writes Infowars' Alex Jones. "Therefore as night follows day, they must also have exploded the second device as well." Had Jones bothered to ask, he would have learned that tweet was based on police scanner information an hour after the blasts. The controlled explosion was to destroy suspicious packages left at the scene when people fled. Because Twitter feeds display the time in the time zones of those reading them, it may appear to someone on the West Coast to have been tweeted hours earlier on the East Coast.
For the anti-government crowd, a few facts taken out of context can create just enough suspicion to fuel a conspiracy theory. Even if you're not a conspiracy theorist, those theories can compound the confusion and delay the healing from traumatic events. It can scare people into wondering if the federal government is deliberately killing and framing people in covert operations dubbed "false flag attacks" in order to take away our liberties.
Some of those folks have been claiming 9/11 was government engineered -- even after the evidence they based it on was debunked. James Tracy, the Florida Atlantic University professor and blogger, is one of them. He also says the federal government was behind the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings and that most domestic terrorism events are FBI-orchestrated.
Conspiracy theorists depict the mainstream media as either government lackeys or too lazy to ask tough questions. By "dutifully play(ing) up the emotional elements of the tragic event," Tracy writes, "we in media contribute to the mass psychological effect that will provide additional rationale for a heightened police state." It might be hard to tell that these folks are on what MSNBC host Rachel Maddow calls the "right-wing fringe." Along with their broadside against government are denunciations of imperialism, poverty, corporations and anti-Muslim agendas -- concerns you might not hear on Fox News.
The problem is, we've been fed just enough mistruths from both parties, especially on war matters, to be susceptible. The Bush administration went to war with Iraq insisting it had weapons of mass destruction, when it didn't. The Obama administration claimed Osama bin Laden was killed after a gunfight with U.S. troops, when he never had a chance to put up resistance. Americans were lied to about Iran-Contra, the My Lai massacre, the CIA-engineered overthrows of left-leaning governments in Chile and Guatemala. Some of us who grew up in the anti-war 1960s now pride ourselves on questioning official answers.
But not without a basis. Be discerning and do the research. Know the source and the intent, which may be to discredit the very existence of government.
Rekha Basu is a columnist for The Des Moines Register.
We're revamping our Comments section. Learn more and share your input.


text:
The following extracts are the original words from the main parties manifesto's prior to the election. Due to the coalliction government it is unknown what aspects of either party's idea's will become actual policy.
The following are extracts from the three main party manifesto's and describe their ideas on "dealing with crime". I paid for the the hard copies ( 3 for 2 at Waterstones ), I could not bare to read them on a computer screen (they are also available free of charge online - see the quoted links).
For details of other political parties manifesto's go to this BBC link :
The manifesto extracts are listed in party name alphabetical order.
CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO 2010 (extract)
CHANGE SOCIETY - Fight back against crime ( Pages 55 - 58 )
We will fight back against the crime and anti-social behaviour that blights our communities.
We will take steps to reduce the causes of crime, like poverty and broken families. We will put thecriminal justice system on the side of responsible citizens, take tougher measures against knifecriminals and crack down on the binge-drinking that leads to violence. We will cut paperwork to getpolice out on the street and give people democratic control over local policing. We will introducehonesty in sentencing and pay voluntary and private providers to reduce re-offending.
Recorded violent crime against the person has risen sharply under Labour, yet police officers
spend more time on paperwork than they do outon patrol. Labour's obsession with bureaucratictargets and box-ticking is hindering the fight against crime. Their string of broken promiseshas undermined people's trust. We can't go on with the police filling in forms instead of
fighting crime.
A Conservative government will help to mend our broken society - by cracking down on drink - and drug-fuelled violence, tackling re-offending, and intervening early to stop young people
getting onto the conveyor belt to crime - in order to reduce the causes of crime and anti-social behaviour.
We will rebuild confidence in the criminal justice system so that people know it is on the side
of victims and working for law-abiding people, not criminals. And we will reform the police, giving them back their professional discretion - getting them out of police stations and onto the street, fighting and preventing crime - in return for making them truly accountable to the people they serve.
Targeted measures to reduce the causes of crime
Under Labour's lax licensing regime, drink-fuelled violence and disorder are a blight on many
communities. We will overhaul the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much
stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to, any premises that are
causing problems.
In addition, we will:
•allow councils and the police to shutdown permanently any shop or bar found persistently selling alcohol to children;
• double the maximum fine for under-age alcohol sales to £20,000;
• raise taxes on those drinks linked to antisocial drinking, while abolishing Labour's new 'cider tax' on ordinary drinkers;
• ban off-licences and supermarkets from selling alcohol below cost price; and,
• permit local councils to charge more for latenight licences to pay for additional policing.
We recognise the need for criminal sanctions like ASBOs and fixed penalty notices, but they are blunt instruments that often fail their purpose of deterring people from committing more crime. We will introduce a series of early intervention measures, including grounding orders, to allow the police to use instant sanctions to deal with anti-social behaviour without criminalising young people unnecessarily.
Put the criminal justice system on the side of the public
Today, almost four out of every five people found guilty of a knife crime escape jail. We have to send a serious, unambiguous message that carrying a knife is totally unacceptable, so we will make it clear that anyone convicted of a knife crime can expect to face a prison sentence. We will introduce mobile knife scanners on streets and public transport, and extend the length of custodial sentences that can be awarded in a Magistrates' Court from six to twelve months.
Our criminal justice system often lets down the victims of crime, so we will ensure that victims and their families are better informed about the progress of criminal proceedings and release of offenders. So that the public can be confident their views are accounted for in deciding sentences, we will examine the case for greater Parliamentary scrutiny of sentencing guidelines. We will carry out a fundamental review of legal aid to make it work more efficiently, and examine ways of bringing in alternative sources of funding.
We will change the law so that anyone acting reasonably to stop a crime or apprehend a criminal is not arrested or prosecuted, and we will give householders greater legal protection if they have to defend themselves against intruders in their homes.
We will implement the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1996 to allow deductions from the earnings of prisoners in properly paid work to be paid into the Victims' Fund. We will use this Fund to deliver up to fifteen new rape crisis centres and give existing rape crisis centres stable, long-term funding. To help stop sexual violence before it occurs, we will ensure that the school curriculum includes teaching young people about sexual consent.
Reform the police
The police should be focusing on police work, not paperwork. A Conservative government will reduce the amount of paperwork that the police have to deal with, starting by scrapping the stop form entirely and reducing the burden of stop and search procedures. Any search will still be recorded but by an officer radioing in, rather than filling in paperwork. To allow the police to focus on fighting crime, we will:
• amend the health and safety laws that stand in the way of common sense policing;
• give police the power to identify offenders in order to protect the public and prevent crime;
• return charging discretion to the police for minor offences; and,
• process criminals more quickly by videolinking custody cells and courts.
Policing relies on consent. People want to know that the police are listening to them, and the police want to be able to focus on community priorities, not ticking boxes.
We will replace the existing, invisible and unaccountable police authorities and make the police accountable to a directly-elected individual who will set policing priorities for local communities. They will be responsible for setting the budget and the strategy for local police forces, with the police retaining their operational independence.
Giving people democratic control over policing priorities is a huge step forward in the empowerment of local communities, and we will go further by giving people the information they need to challenge their neighbourhood police teams to cut crime.
We will oblige the police to publish detailed local crime data statistics every month, in an open and standardised format. Extremists, serious criminals and others find our borders far too easy to penetrate. That is why we will create a dedicated Border Police Force, as part of a refocused Serious Organised Crime Agency, to enhance national security, improve immigration controls, and crack down on the trafficking of people, weapons and drugs. We will work with police forces to strengthen arrangements to deal with serious crime and other cross-boundary policing challenges, and extend collaboration between forces to deliver better value for money.
Prisons with a purpose
In the last three years, 80,000 criminals have been released early from prison because the Government failed to build enough places. We are determined that early release will not be introduced again, so we will redevelop the prison estate and increase capacity as necessary to stop it. Under Labour, the number of foreign criminals in our prisons has more than doubled. We will extend early deportation of foreign national prisoners to reduce further the pressure on our prison population.
Many people feel that sentencing in Britain is dishonest and misleading. So we will introduce a system where the courts can specify minimum and maximum sentences for certain offenders. These prisoners will only be able to leave jail after their minimum sentence is served by having earned their release, not simply by right.
At the moment, many prisoners leave jail and lapse back into a life of drink, drugs and re-offending. We will never bring our crime rate down or start to reduce the costs of crime until we properly rehabilitate ex-prisoners.
So, with a Conservative government, when offenders leave prison, they will be trained and rehabilitated by private and voluntary sector providers, under supervision. We will use the same approach that lies behind our welfare reform plans - payment by results - to cut re-offending, with organisations paid using savings made in the criminal justice system from the resulting lower levels of crime.
Drug and alcohol addiction are behind many of the crimes that are committed on our streets, but the treatment that too many addicts receive just maintains their habits. We will give courts the power to use abstinence-based Drug Rehabilitation Orders to help offenders kick drugs once and for all. We will introduce a system of temporary bans on new 'legal highs' while health issues are considered by independent experts.
To reform our system of rehabilitation further, we will:
• apply our payment by results reforms to the youth justice system;
• engage with specialist organisations to provide education, mentoring and drug rehabilitation programmes to help young offenders go straight; and,
• pilot a scheme to create Prison and Rehabilitation Trusts so that just one organisation is responsible for helping to stop a criminal re-offending.
LABOUR MANIFESTO - 2010 (extract)
Website : http://www2.labour.org.uk/uploads/TheLabourPartyManifesto-2010.pdf
The challenge for Britain - crime and Immigration ( Section 5 )
To reduce the fear of crime by protecting frontline policing while making the police more responsive and accountable, and taking faster action on anti-social behaviour. The Tories talk tough but vote soft on issues from gun crime to DNA retention; would cut police and PCSO numbers; and favour political police chiefs over real reform.
We will control immigration with our new Australian-style points-based system - unlike the arbitrary Tory quota, which would damage business and growth.
The next stage of national renewal
• Provide the funding to maintain police and PCSO numbers with neighbourhood police teams in every area, spending 80 per cent of their time on the beat visible in their neighbourhood; improve police performance through online police report cards and ensure failing forces are taken over by the best.
• Intervene earlier to prevent crime, with no-nonsense action to tackle the problems caused by 50,000 dysfunctional families.
• Guarantee fast and effective action to deal with antisocial behaviour, including a right to legal injunctions for repeat victims, funded by the police or council who let them down.
• Expand tough 'Community Payback' for criminals who don't go to prison, giving everyone the right to vote on the work they do.
[Note : the paragraphs on immigration have been removed for the purposes of this comparison exercise as it is only dealing with the political parties views crime.]
Britain is far safer now than when the Tories left office. Crime is down by more than a third; violent crime is down by over 40 per cent, and the risk of being a victim of crime is the lowest since 1981. But people are still worried about binge drinking, problem families and anti-social behaviour. We are committed to tackling these problems, not talking them up to run Britain down.
We understand people's concerns about immigration - about whether it will undermine their wages or job prospects, or put pressure on public services or housing - and we have acted. Asylum claims are down to the levels of the early 1990s and net inward migration has fallen.
We will use our new Australianstyle points-based system to ensure that as growth returns we see rising employment and wages, not rising immigration - but we reject the arbitrary and unworkable Tory quota.
Protecting frontline policing
There are now record numbers of police officers - nearly 17,000 more than in 1997 - backed up by 16,000 Police Community Support Officers. We are committed to giving the police the resources to maintain these numbers, with funding assured for the next three years. To protect the front line we are making tough choices elsewhere: continuing to cut bureaucracy and inefficiency in procurement, IT and overtime.
Every community now has a neighbourhood police team committed to spending at least 80 per cent of their time on the beat visible in their neighbourhood, and responding to non-emergency issues within 24 hours.
To ensure that communities can determine local policing priorities, neighbourhood police teams will hold monthly beat meetings - at which local people will have a right to hold senior commanders to account.
We will protect the police from politicisation, but take swift action where they are not performing. Online crime maps now give everyone monthly information on crime in their area, and we have supported the Policing Inspectorate in publishing new online 'report cards', comparing how forces perform. Where a police force or local Basic Command Unit consistently fails local people, we will ensure either that the senior management team including the borough commander or chief constable is replaced, or it is taken over by a neighbouring force or BCU.
Early intervention and preventing crime
We need to do more and act earlier to stop children going down the wrong path. So we will expand Family Nurse Partnerships to all vulnerable young mothers, reducing future crime and behavioural problems. For the 50,000 most dysfunctional families who cause misery to their neighbours, we will provide Family Intervention Projects - proven to tackle anti-social behaviour - a no-nonsense regime of one-to-one support with tough sanctions for noncompliance.
youth reoffending is now falling, and the numbers in youth custody have fallen by 30 per cent.
We will expand US-style street teams which use youth pastors and vetted ex-offenders to reach out to disaffected young people; Youth Conditional Cautions which focus on rehabilitation and reparation; and we will introduce a preventative element for all Anti-Social Behaviour Orders for under 16s. To ensure there are more things for teenagers to do we will double the availability of organised youth activities on Friday and Saturday nights.
We will expand joint working between police and the probation service to supervise prolific young offenders after they get out of prison, and the use of mentors including vetted ex-prisoners to meet offenders 'at the gate' so they don't slip back into crime. And alcohol treatment places will be trebledto cover all persistent criminals where alcohol is identified as a cause of their crimes.
We need to try new approaches to solving the most intractable problems. So we will pioneer Social Impact Bonds, encouraging private investors to support social entrepreneurs and the third sector - and harnessing additional investment for crime prevention at minimal cost to the taxpayer. We have shown that Restorative Justice can increase satisfaction for victims and the police, and we will bring in a Restorative Justice Act to ensure it is available wherever victims approve it.
On drugs, our message is clear: we will not tolerate illegal drug use. We have reclassified cannabis to Class B and banned 'legal highs'. More addicts are being treated, with a higher proportion going on to drug-free lives. We will switch investment towards those programmes that are shown to sustain drug-free lives and reduce crime.
Tough action on crime and anti-social behaviour
Crime continued to fall during the recession, in marked contrast to the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s. Homicides are at the lowest level for a decade - gun murders are at their lowest for 20 years, and our gun laws are among the toughest in the world. We have strengthened the law on knife crime with jail more likely, sentences longer, and more police searches and scanners - and knife crime has fallen. We are tackling territorial youth gangs with specific police powers, and new approaches that confront gangs while supporting those who want to leave gang life.
Domestic violence has fallen by over 50 per cent since 1997, reporting of rape has doubled, and rape convictions have increased by more than 50 per cent. But we are committed to zero tolerance of violence against women, so we will continue to drive up prosecution rates, tackle causes, and raise awareness - as well as maintaining women-only services including a Sexual Assault Referral Centre in every area.
Labour is proud to be the party that legislated first to criminalise incitement to racial hatred, religious hatred, and homophobic hatred - and we will reverse the Tory attempt to undermine this latest legislation, invoking the Parliament Act if necessary to force it through.
To tackle the binge drinking which can leave people reluctant to venture into town centres at night, we have banned irresponsible promotions and strengthened police and council powers to close down rowdy pubs and clubs, cracking down on under-age and public drinking. We have brought in a right to petition local authorities to end 24-hour licensing where problems arise.
There were no specific powers against anti-social behaviour in 1997. Now there are ASBOs, parenting orders and dispersal powers. Because we know people want faster action on ASB, we will guarantee an initial response to any complaint within 24 hours. Local authorities and other agencies will be required to give people a named case worker who will report back on progress, and escalate action if the problem persists.
All relevant agencies - not just neighbourhood police teams - will hold monthly public meetings to hear people's concerns; all PCSOs will have stronger powers to tackle ASB; a 'Respect' standard for the private rented sector will be introduced; and local ASB champions will make agencies work together to tackle cases.
Enforcement will also be strengthened: we will ensure that the great majority of applications for ASBOs take under a month and that whenever an ASBO is breached there is an expectation of prosecution. And when someone suffers repeated ASB and the police, council, courts or other agencies fail to act, there must be a stronger form of redress. So we will legislate to give people financial support to pursue legal injunctions, with the costs met by the agency that let them down.
Using technology to cut crime
We will continue to make full use of CCTV and DNA technology: new weapons deployed to strengthen our fight against crime. We are proud of our record on civil liberties and have taken the DNA profiles of children off the database and tightened the rules around the use of surveillance - but we are also determined to keep our streets safe.
CCTV reduces the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. We have funded cameras in nearly 700 areas, and brought in a new power for people to petition their local authority for more CCTV.
Advances in DNA technology have been critical in solving serious crimes - last year alone there were 832 positive matches to the DNA database in cases of rape, murder and manslaughter. Labour will ensure that the most serious offenders are added to the database no matter where or when they were convicted - and retain for six years the DNA profiles of those arrested but not convicted.
The new biometric ID scheme which already covers foreign nationals will be offered to an increasing number of British citizens, but will not be compulsory for them. It will help fight the growing threat of identity theft and fraud, as well as crime, illegal immigration and terrorism. In the next Parliament ID cards and the ID scheme will be self-financing. The price of the passport and ID cards together with savings from reduced fraud across the public services will fully cover the costs of the scheme.
Punishment and reform
We have provided over 26,000 more prison places since 1997. There are more criminals in prison - not because crime is rising but because violent and serious offenders are going to prison for longer. We will ensure a total of 96,000 prison places by 2014. More EU and other foreign prisoners will be transferred abroad, and we will work to reduce the number of women, young and mentally ill people in prison. Any spare capacity generated will reduce costs while protecting the public.
For offenders not sentenced to prison we have brought in tough new 'Community Payback': hard work in public, wearing orange jackets. We will extend nationwide the right for local people to vote on what work offenders do to pay back to the communities they have harmed. We will always put the victim first in the criminal justice system. We are creating a National Victims Service to guarantee all victims of crime and anti-social behaviour sevenday- a-week cover and a named, dedicated worker offering one to- one support through the trial and beyond. The compensation offenders have to pay to victims has been increased, and we will now ensure victims get this payment up front.
To help protect frontline services, we will find greater savings in legal aid and the courts system - increasing the use of successful 'virtual courts' which move from arrest, to trial, to sentencing in hours rather than weeks or months. We will use the tax system to claw back from higher-earning offenders a proportion of the costs of prison. Asset confiscation will be a standard principle in sentencing, extended from cash to houses and cars. Every community will have the right to vote on how these assets are used to pay back to the community.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS MANIFESTO 2010 (extract)
your community. Liberal Democrats believe in strong communities, where local people can come together to meet local needs, enjoy a pleasant local environment, and feel free from the threat of crime. (Pages 70 to 75)
rebuilding security, opportunity, homes and hope
Liberal Democrats believe in strong communities, where local people can come together to meet local needs, enjoy a pleasant local environment, and feel free from the threat of crime. We want every community to be safe and fair, and offer opportunities to people of every background.
Under Labour and Conservative rule, communities have been let down. Governments have talked tough on crime but failed to take effective action. Lack of affordable housing has driven many young people out of the communities where they were born. Public transport is expensive when it is there at all. Key local services like the Post Offi ce have declined dramatically.
Liberal Democrats will put thousands more police on the beat and make them work more effectively to cut crime. We value Britain's open, welcoming character, and will protect it by changing the immigration system to make it firm and fair so that people can once again put their faith in it. We will invest in public transport and cut rail fares, as well as providing more affordable homes and protecting people from unfair repossessions. We will keep post offices open, and will protect and restore the natural environment.
cutting crime with more and better police
We will focus on what works to cut crime. We will support more positive activities for young people to stop them getting involved in a life of crime. Labour and the Conservatives posture on penalties, which do not deter criminals. What does deter them is increasing the chances of being caught. That is why more police are needed on the streets - to provide a longer arm for the law. And we need to help the police to be more effective at catching criminals, spend less time on bureaucracy and more time preventing crime, reassuring the public and helping keep everyone safe.
Liberal Democrats will:
• Pay for 3,000 more police on the beat, affordable because we are cutting other spending, such as scrapping pointless ID cards.
• Reduce time-wasting bureaucracy at police stations with better technology that can be deployed on the streets.
• Give local people a real say over their police force through the direct election of police authorities. Authorities would still be able to co-opt extra members to ensure diversity, experience and expertise.
• Give far more power to elected police authorities, including the right to sack and appoint the Chief Constable, set local policing priorities, and agree and determine budgets.
• Strengthen the Youth Service by making it a statutory service, and encourage local authorities to provide youth services in partnership with young people and the voluntary sector.
• Reform the police, with a full review of the very restrictive terms and conditions for police officer employment.
• Turn the National Policing Improvement Agency into a National Crime Reduction Agency with a wider remit to test what policing techniques and sentences work and spread best practice across police services and the criminal justice system.
practical steps to make you safer
We will do all we can to prevent crime with practical measures that we know will make a difference and keep people safe.
We will:
• Make hospitals share non-confi dential information with the police so they know where gun and knife crime is happening and can target stop-and-search in gun and knife crime hot spots.
• Bring in stop-on-request for night buses. You should be able to ask the driver to let you off between stops, so you're as close to home as possible.
• Require better recording of hate crimes against disabled, homosexual and transgender people, which are frequently not centrally recorded.
• Ensure that financial resources, and police and court time, are not wasted on the unnecessary prosecution and imprisonment of drug users and addicts; the focus instead should be on getting addicts the treatment they need. Police should concentrate their efforts on organised drug pushers and gangs.
• Always base drugs policy on independent scientifi c advice, including making the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs completely independent of government.
making the justice system work to rehabilitate criminals and reduce crime
Liberal Democrats believe that once a criminal has been caught, it is vital that the punishment they are given helps to turn them away from crime, and set them back on the straight and narrow. Too many politicians have talked tough, meting out ever-longer prison sentences, but doing far too little to tackle reoffending and to stop crime happening in the fi rst place. As a result, the government is spending more and more on prisons, but those released from them are as likely as ever to commit more crimes.
We will:
• Make prisoners work and contribute from their prison wages to a compensation fund for victims. As resources allow, we will increase the number of hours prisoners spend in education and training.
• Introduce a presumption against short-term sentences of less than six months - replaced by rigorously enforced community sentences which evidence shows are better at cutting reoffending.
• Move offenders who are drug addicts or mentally ill into more appropriate secure accommodation.
• As a consequence of these changes, be able to cancel the Government's billion-pound prison building programme.
• Give people a direct say in how petty criminals and those who engage in anti-social behaviour are punished by setting up Neighbourhood Justice Panels (NJPs), like the one run by Liberal Democrats in Somerset where 95 per cent of offenders have been turned away from further crimes.
• Champion restorative justice programmes, like NJPs, which make offenders confront their behaviour and are more successful at reducing crime than traditional forms of punishment.


text:
Friday, February 19, 2016
Report cards are coming home today!!!!
Congratulations to the 6-weeks attendance award winners: Rylan Davis, Maddison Legg, Colten Saunders, Katie Walizer, Nickolas Dorrell, and Sara Crislip. Wendy Beatty won the staff award and Vanessa Samples took home the parent award. This was a tough grading period to get perfect attendance with all the snow days, 2 hour delays, and missing bus runs. Hopefully the next grading period will be less eventful.
If you know someone who will have a child eligible for Pre-K or Kindergarten be sure to give them the form sent home last week. They can also call the school or drop by.
I hope you have put the Cyber Bullying Training on your calendar for March 1st, 5:30 p.m., in the cafeteria. This is a very informative presentation and I want all parents to know about how to protect your children.
Our website is finally up and running again. You can find it on the WCBOE site under schools. I am now able to post news and calendars. I'm glad to have another tool to use for keeping everyone informed. I still find lots of these letters in desks and folders. Now you will be able to read it on the website when it doesn't come home.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, February 19, 2016


text:
Seminar on the Spiritual Journey
New Thought Vermont is sponsoring a seminar titled 'Dark Night/Bright Morning' with Reverend Doctor Miriam Comer Johnson from Los Angeles, who will address the spiritual journey and how to be in it – even in the most difficult of times – including challenging experiences of transition. Comer Johnson is a teacher, spiritual counselor and author of 'The Open Book of Revelation.' Her doctoral degree is in Bible Interpretation. She writes, "We usually turn to religion when seeking a painless way to progress in life. We want to believe in something that will not fail us. It pleases us to hear that our salvation is based on our consciousness – what we think and say and do." In this seminar, she will address challenges in this process. She says, "The key to making the change is to endure the shift in consciousness – from what we think we should say and do, to what we actually feel within us. It is a journey from the dark night of doubt, reservations and uncertainty to a bright morning of faith, trust and confidence." A public presentation will be held on Friday, May 19, in the Weston Playhouse Living Room from 10 to 11:15 a.m., with time following for conversation and light refreshments until 12 noon. There is a suggested donation of $15 at the door. The seminar takes place on Friday, May 19, from 12:30 to 5 p.m., at the Weston Playhouse; lunch is included, and Saturday, May 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Old Parish Church in Weston. The cost for the seminar is $195 and is non-refundable. There is scholarship aid available. For more information, call 802-384-3845 or e-mail [email protected] New Thought Vermont is an organization that encourages mystical wisdom and metaphysical understanding to nurture personal experience of the sacred in everyday life.


text:
The Children's Book Committee bang in 1909 as part of the family life education program of the Child Study Association of America, an organization devoted to guiding parents in their understanding of child development. Today's Committee includes 40 members from various professions concerned with children and books including writers, illustrators, editors, librarians, teachers, and parents; and is dedicated to aiding parents, teachers, and librarians choose books that children will find captivating and transforming.
To aid in book collection, The Children's Book Committee provides the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-16, in their annual Best Books of the Year list. The Committee reviews over 6000 titles and makes decisions based on accuracy and literary quality, and they consider the emotional impact a text will have on children. From this list, 600 books, both fiction and nonfiction, are categorized by age with detailed annotations for each book.
The 2018 Best Books of the Year list has been announced, and includes Katie' Green's graphic memoir Lighter Than My Shadow. Green's impactful graphic novel was published in October 2017 and is a hand-drawn story of struggle, abuse, eating disorders, and recovery. For the full description see below:
A graphic memoir of eating disorders, abuse and recovery.
Like most kids, Katie was a picky eater. She'd sit at the table in silent protest, hide uneaten toast in her bedroom, listen to parental threats that she'd have to eat it for breakfast.
But in any life a set of circumstance can collide, and normal behavior might soon shade into something sinister, something deadly. One day you can find yourself being told you have two weeks to live.
Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the weak, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.
For the full list of titles included in the Best Books of the Year list, click here.


text: Snow White hosted a big party at the castle and now she must clean up. Her bathroom is extremely messy and she could use some help. Luckily, her cute pet is there to keep you both company. Would you help her clean the dirty surfaces in her bathroom in this fun Snow White Bathroom Cleaning game? She will appreciate your help so much. Pick up the objects from the floor and put them back to their place. Then, take the bathroom cleaner and apply it on the sink, bathtub and toilet. Take the brush and start scrubbing until every surface is white and shiny. Clean the bubbles with water and then clean the mirror with a soft towel. Everything is so clean and shiny now, and with your help Snow White managed to clean up her bathroom really fast. Have fun playing this new Snow White Bathroom Cleaning game!


text:
The Garage Door Opener Repair Perth Professionals
Not many home gadgets get as much workout as a garage door opener. This gadget gives us many years of hassle-free service. However, just like all electrical and mechanical gadgets, the garage door opener eventually fails at some point. It just stops working or starts functioning poorly. And this is not something you can prevent, which means that you'll have to find a way to fix it or rather find someone else to do it.
Lucky for you, the most common problems with these openers is that they are easy to fix. Yes, that's right. A little troubleshooting will go a long way to help you avoid a costly service call to get your opener working perfectly in no time.
Well, let's have a look at a few garage door opener repair tips.
When the Wall Switch Works but the Remote Doesn't
If the wall switch works perfectly but the remote doesn't, check the garage door opener remotes- most systems come with two remotes. It's possible that the remotes have simply failed to operate.
First things first, check the batteries. If the light doesn't come on when the button is pressed, the batteries could be misaligned or may have become old. If old, replace them. If the light comes on and the opener still doesn't work, test the garage door manually with the wall control unit. If the remote still doesn't work even after replacing the batteries, then have an expert reprogrammed it.
When the Remote Works but the Wall Switch Doesn't
If the remote works but the wall switch doesn't, it could be that the switch itself or the wires have become faulty. First, test the switch to determine if it's faulty or not. Unscrew the switch from the wall and touch the wires together- if the opener works, it's clear that the switch is bad. If the opener doesn't run even after touching the two wires together, the wires might be faulty. Replace the switch or the wires- whichever one is faulty.
You can purchase a garage door opener replacement switch or wires at your local hardware or from reputable online stores.
Services We Provide:
Garage Door Spring Repair
Garage Door Opener Repair
Garage Door Installation
Garage Door Replacement
Commercial Door Repair
Check the Wall Unit Batteries and the Breaker Box
In some cases, the wall unit may start failing and when this happens, the garage door opener perth homes may have will stop functioning. The wall unit must communicate effectively with the remote; otherwise, you might experience some problems opening and closing the garage door.
Check to ensure that the wall unit batteries are in a good condition. Also, ensure that the connection between the wall unit and the garage door opener isn't loose. Also, inspect the breaker box as the problem could be as a result of a blown breaker box.
The Garage Door Roller Could Be the Problem
The constant opening and closing of the garage door may cause the rollers to experience wear and tear faster than other parts of the door. In fact, the rollers are often the first to show signs of wear and tear, which of course causes the door to function poorly.
If everything else is working fine, be sure to check the condition of the rollers. If they are worn out, purchase replacements from your nearest hardware store.
When the Opener Makes Grinding Noises But the Door Doesn't Move an Inch
This problem is often caused by a faulty main drive gear. The main drive gear is one of the most common components to fail in most openers. Read the manufacturer's manual on how to repair or replace the main drive gear.
The level of expertise required in many garage door opener repairs is relatively low. All you have to do is have the right replacement parts at hand and a few basic repair skills and you're good to go. The good news is that the most common and effective brands of garage door opener replacement parts are readily available and affordable. Finding a garage door opener repair Perth professional is not always easy so give us a call with any questions.
AAA Garage Door Pros
1/100 Havelock St
West Perth WA 6005
(08) 6002 2159


text:
Where you can buy a Genuine Flettner Ventilator
Flettner has a global network of approved Distributors and Stockists to provide you with local stock of Genuine Flettner Ventilators, offer technical advice and suggest an Installer close to you. Click on the appropriate region to find a Distributor in your area.
If you have difficulty obtaining Genuine Flettner Ventilators locally to you or you are interested in becoming a Flettner Distributor – please contact email@example.com
Please note there is no 'walk-in' trade counter at our office in Milton Keynes, UK.
Where to buy a Flettner


text:
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens that can cause vision problems. The most common type is related to
aging. More than half of all Americans age 65 and older have a cataract.
In the early stages, stronger lighting and eyeglasses may lessen vision problems caused by cataracts. At a certain
point, however, surgery may be needed to improve vision. Today, cataract surgery is safe and very effective.
What is the lens?
The lens is the part of the eye that helps focus light on the retina. The retina is the eye's light-sensitive layer that
sends visual signals to the brain. In a normal eye, light passes through the lens and gets focused on the retina. To
help produce a sharp image, the lens must remain clear.
What is a cataract?
The lens is made mostly of water and protein. The protein is arranged to let light pass through and focus on the
retina. Sometimes some of the protein clumps together. This can start to cloud small areas of the lens, blocking
some light from reaching the retina and interfering with vision. This is a cataract.
In its early stages, a cataract may not cause a problem. The cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens.
However, over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.
Because less light reaches the retina, your vision may become dull and blurry. A cataract won't spread from
one eye to the other, although many people develop cataracts in both eyes.
Although researchers are learning more about cataracts, no one knows for sure what causes them. Scientists
think there may be several causes, including smoking, diabetes, and excessive exposure to sunlight.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of a cataract are:
These symptoms can also be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.
When a cataract is small, you may not notice any changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to grow slowly, so
vision gets worse gradually. Some people with a cataract find that their close-up vision suddenly improves, but
this is temporary. Vision is likely to get worse again as the cataract grows.
What are the different types of cataract?
How is a cataract detected?
To detect a cataract, an eye care professional examines the lens. A comprehensive eye examination usually
Your eye care professional may also do other tests to learn more about the structure and health of your eye.
How is it treated?
For an early cataract, vision may improve by using different eyeglasses, magnifying lenses, or stronger lighting.
If these measures don't help, surgery is the only effective treatment. This treatment involves removing the
cloudy lens and replacing it with a substitute lens.
A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities, such as driving, reading, or watching TV. You and your eye care professional can make that decision together.
In most cases, waiting until you are ready to have cataract surgery will not harm your eye. If you decide on
surgery, your eye care professional may refer you to a specialist to remove the cataract. If you have cataracts
in both eyes, the doctor will not remove them both at the same time. You will need to have each done
Sometimes, a cataract should be removed even if it doesn't cause problems with your vision. For example, a
cataract should be removed if it prevents examination or treatment of another eye problem, such as
age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.
Is cataract surgery effective?
Cataract removal is one of the most common operations performed in the U.S. today. It is also one of the safest
and most effective. In about 90 percent of cases, people who have cataract surgery have better vision afterward.
How is a cataract removed?
There are two primary ways to remove a cataract. Your doctor can explain the differences and help determine
which is best for you:
In most cataract surgeries, the removed lens is replaced by an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear,
artificial lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye. With an IOL, you'll have
improved vision because light will be able to pass through it to the retina. Also, you won't feel or see the new
Some people cannot have an IOL. They may have problems during surgery, or maybe they have another eye
disease. For these people, a soft contact lens may be suggested. For others, glasses that provide powerful
magnification may be better.
What happens before surgery?
A week or two before surgery, your eye care professional will do some tests. These may include tests to
measure the curve of the cornea and the size and shape of the eye. For patients who will receive an IOL, this
information helps your doctor choose the right type of IOL. Also, doctors may ask you not to eat or drink
anything after midnight the morning of your surgery.
What happens during surgery?
When you enter the hospital or clinic, you will be given eye drops to dilate the pupil. The area around your eye will be washed and cleansed.
The operation usually lasts less than 1 hour and is almost painless. Many people choose to stay
awake during surgery, while others may need to be put to sleep for a short time. If you are awake,
you will have an anesthetic to numb the nerves in and around your eye.
After the operation, a patch will be placed over your eye and you will rest for a while. You will be
watched by your medical team to see if there are any problems, such as bleeding. Most people who
have cataract surgery can go home the same day. Since you will not be able to drive, make sure you
make arrangements for a ride.
What happens after surgery?
It's normal to feel itching and mild discomfort for a while after cataract surgery. Some fluid discharge
is also common, and your eye may be sensitive to light and touch. If you have discomfort, your eye
care professional may suggest a pain reliever every 4-6 hours. After 1-2 days, even moderate
discomfort should disappear. In most cases, healing will take about 6 weeks.
After surgery, your doctor will schedule exams to check on your progress. For a few days after
surgery, you may take eyedrops or pills to help healing and control the pressure inside your eye. Ask
your doctor how to use your medications, when to take them, and what effects they can have. You
will also need to wear an eye shield or eyeglasses to help protect the eye. Avoid rubbing or pressing
on your eye.
Problems after surgery are rare, but they can occur. These can include infection, bleeding,
inflammation (pain, redness, swelling), loss of vision, or light flashes. With prompt medical attention,
these problems usually can be treated successfully.
When you are home, try not to bend or lift heavy objects. Bending increases pressure in the eye.
You can walk, climb stairs, and do light household chores.
When will my vision be normal again?
You can quickly return to many everyday activities, but your vision may be blurry. The healing eye needs time to adjust so that it can focus properly with the other eye, especially if the other eye has a cataract. Ask your doctor when you can resume driving.
If you just received an IOL, you may notice that colors are very bright or have a blue tinge. Also, if
you've been in bright sunlight, everything may be reddish for a few hours. If you see these color tinges,
it is because your lens is clear and no longer cloudy. Within a few months after receiving an IOL, these
colors should go away. And when you have healed, you will probably need new glasses.
What is an "after-cataract"?
Sometimes a part of the natural lens that is not removed during cataract surgery becomes cloudy and may blur your vision. This is called an after-cataract. An after-cataract can develop months or years later.
Unlike a cataract, an after-cataract is treated with a laser. In a technique called YAG laser capsulotomy, your doctor uses a laser beam to make a tiny hole in the lens to let light pass through. This is a painless outpatient procedure.
What research is being done?
Findings from the NEI-sponsored (http://www.nei.nih.gov/amd/) Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) showed that high levels of antioxidants and zinc has no significant effect on the development or progression of cataract.
Other research is focusing on new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cataracts. In addition, scientists are studying the role of genetics in the development of cataracts.
What can you do to protect your vision?
Although we don't know how to protect against cataracts, people over the age of 60 are at risk for
many vision problems. If you are age 60 or older, you should have an eye examination through dilated
pupils at least every 2 years. This kind of exam allows your eye care professional to check for signs of
age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and other vision disorders.
For more information about cataracts, you may wish to contact:
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Publications Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Spring, MD 20907
(410) 381-3150
American Academy of Ophthalmology
655 Beach Street
San Francisco, CA 94109-7424
(415) 561-8500
American Optometric Association
243 Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 991-4100
National Eye Institute
2020 Vision Place
Bethesda, MD 20892-3655
(301) 496-5248
Prevent Blindness America
500 East Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
(847) 843-2020
For more information about IOLs, contact:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Office of Consumer Affairs
Parklawn Building (HFE-88)
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
October 2001
We welcome your questions and comments. Please send general questions and comments to [email protected], the NEI Office of Communication, Health Education, and Public Liaison. Technical questions about this website can be addressed to the NEI Website Manager.
Site Map
CancerNetwork |
ConsultantLive |
Diagnostic Imaging |
Musculoskeletal Network |
Physicians Practice |
Psychiatric Times |
© 1996 - 2012 UBM Medica LLC, a
United Business Media company
Privacy Statement -
Terms of Service -
Advertising Information -
Editorial Policy Statement


text:
Please Contact Me Regarding Free Samples
70mm x 15mm x 5400mm Solid Fencing Slat – Mahogany
EnviroSlat is designed to span 900mm between fence posts and provide you with a low maintenance horizontal or vertical slat screen or fence.
Available in 5.4 metre lengths the 70mm wide x 15mm thick boards come in 5 great colours; Chocolate, Mahogany, Saltbush, Slate Grey & Walnut. These colours are also available in our CleverDeck range of composite decking.


text:
Car Crash Accident Lawyer Lawsuits & Paralysis Victims – Injury Accident Attorneys
Car Crash Accident Lawyers in Valencia Park & Paralysis Victims Being paralyzed is one of the worst possible outcomes that can come out of a car accident lawyer . Paralysis occurs when the vital nerves that control various body parts are damaged or severed. This usually happens when there is a traumatic impact to the neck or spinal cord. As a result, parts of a victim's body will no longer retain the same mobility or sensation as they once had. Many times hands won't be able to clinch; legs won't be able to work and in severe cases entire portions of the body are left immobilized.
If you or a loved one has suffered from paralysis due to a car accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries. It is important that you contact a qualified car accident attorney in Valencia Park today and get a free case review. Time is crucial when it comes to lawsuits, so it's important not to procrastinate. An experienced car crash lawyer will help you get your life back on track.
Personal Injury And Car Accident Attorneys in Valencia Park
Accident lawyers deal with a number of cases that stem from auto accidents to accidents on the job. Auto accident lawyers defend their clients rights and must know a plethora of laws that protect people, such as workmans compensation rights. Lawyers can work with insurance companies, to ensure claims are processed properly and to guarantee the victim gets all benefits they are owed.
Accident lawyers, specifically car lawyers, take care to provide the best service to the victim. Whether the person suffered from a dog bite or was struck in an auto accident, accident lawyers are on the side of the victim. Accidents occur every day and everywhere, and accident lawyers must be prepared to handle large caseloads. There are a number of people that get involved in accidents and do not seek the help of a lawyer, but it is probably best to do so in order to ensure all rights are given.
It is always best to take care, whether it is while driving, working, etc to avoid accidents. Processing an accident claim can be a draining experience, not to mention the recovery time it takes to heal if injured. But knowing that a lawyer would help in part of the process can allow the victim to rest and take care of him- or herself. Accident lawyers are there to help and make the process as easy as possible.
Accident Lawyers and Auto Accidents
Whenever you are injured in a car accident a lawyer must get involved in order to handle your case. Dealing with the legal system and taking on your case so that you can win is very important, and that is why you must find the best car accident lawyer.
For most people finding the right attorney is difficult because you really don't know who to trust. If you have a lawyer in the family or a close friend in the business then you are in luck, but most of us are not that fortunate. We need to find someone to represent us and do a good job fighting for our rights in case there was negligence involved.
Take advantage of the free initial consultation to get to know the car accident lawyer. This is the perfect time to ask plenty of questions to see if this lawyer is a good fit for you. A lot of these lawyers are just in it for the money and will try to settle the case at a drop of a hat, but if you have suffered major injuries it is best to have an attorney who will fight for you in court.
Keep in mind that your injuries may be permanent and you will need money well into the future to cover medical expenses. When seeking a car accident lawyer find that person who will go the extra mile.


text:
Dear Rachel,
As I was on the plane headed back to Tianjin listening to music, I thought to myself how powerful music can be. It can make you cry, laugh, and embarrass yourself more than you thought it ever could. As I sat on my incredibly uncomfortable Hainan Airlines seat, with aching legs and tired eyes I started to think of all the songs out there that reminded me of you. These songs stick in my head, and every time they happen to play I think of you. For example, "There Can Be Miracles" in the Prince of Egypt, this song reminds me of the time we went to KTV (karaoke) with our cousin, Jenna. You and Jessie sang this song together at the top of your lungs (standing on top a table, of course) and had no shame whatsoever. Or "Stay" by Rihanna, this song can almost make me cry even thinking about how you loved listening to it and every time it came on the radio I just had to call you over to listen with me. I am so thankful that God has placed these songs in my life so that every time I'm missing you or just need a little cry I can listen to these songs and think of my sweet big sister.
Below are just a few of many songs that remind me of YOU. (If the player doesn't work just click HERE or HERE – sorry!).
Note: The player may not work if you are using google chrome as a browser.


text:
"Tech Jacket" takes its eponymous galactic guardian off the sidelines of Kirkman's Invincible universe and back into his own title. Aged from high school student to community college dropout, Zack Thompson is still having a great time battling and dating aliens, though his enemies may have other plans. Keatinge and Randolph's first issue captures the exuberance of their protagonist with cinematic style and a fun tone, but the story never rises from promising to excellent. As an opener, "Tech Jacket" #1 accomplishes everything it needs to but not much past that.
After reading, I definitely understand why the "Tech Jacket Digital" issues sold so well. Zack is a winningly grateful and enthusiastic hero -- not much responsibility angst or darkness here -- and there are enough layers and textures in his universe to fill a series. The alien allies, the villains and the state of Earth-interstellar relations are all promisingly introduced, with just enough information to get the reader interested. Issue #1 does a stellar job establishing the editorial viability of this character.
The real star of the story, though, is Keatinge's tightrope-precise pacing, a near-perfect balance of character moments, plot movements and scene-setting action shots. He covers quite a lot of ground, and at times it might feel too speedy for readers who are new to the character. However, each new element is introduced as a teaser for things to come rather than as a static info dump. This eases the sense that the reader is simply being brought up to speed, while also setting the stage nicely for Issue #2.
That said, on the line level, Keatinge's script doesn't always land. The relationship between Zack and his dad is fun, but the lines can sometimes feel like they're trying too hard for a "cool dad" vibe. There are one too many uses of "hot damn" and mentions of junk food like burgers and donuts. Some of the mechanics of their interstellar communications don't make sense either, but the pacing and the space battles make up for it.
Speaking of the space battles, readers who want to see aliens get punched and ripped apart in gloriously gory Technicolor should check out "Tech Jacket" #1 for Randolph's art alone. With a style that's equal parts mech manga and '90s action movie, Randolph delivers cinematic and wonderfully choreographed fights. His zeroing in on pieces of the suit -- outstretched fingers, jabbing elbows -- gives the panels a precise focal point that grounds everything in an easy-to-understand physical space. Zack still feels like he's in space, but moving viscerally rather than floatingly. The colors from McCaig keep it feeling otherworldly but not too cartoony, no small feat while the character are ripping out alien tongues in space suits. Admittedly, when drawing the more mundane scenes on Earth, Randolph is less impressive. The facial expressions don't vary much, which doesn't add a whole lot to the dialogue. I found myself looking at the surroundings rather than the characters. More variety and complexity there could really help those scenes.
"Tech Jacket" #1 is well done, and it leaves Issue #2 well set up. With some fine tuning and a subtler grip on its characters, it could easily evolve into a must-read space adventure.


text:
Well it looks like the only professional out there is Amanda D. ~ and you better beware of me and Dan The Water Man?
"Allegedly" both Dan and I are not only unprofessional we also both allegedly called her names, threaten her, have her address and are very unprofessional. Read the reviews for yourself. I think this woman is either paranoid and delusional or just a blatant liar who when she does not get her way makes up scenarios that others are being mean to her. And then sets out to destroy their business by leaving untrue reviews on Yelp.
Honestly now, I run a business, to make money and pay my bills and enjoy my life. Why would I go out of my way to start all of this with this crazy woman? Any rational person would know better. READ THE EMAILS ~ READ THE REVIEWS (sorry she rewrites it all the time) and decide for yourself.
I am done. I did not threaten her, did not post her information all over the internet and did nothing illegal.
ONE OF AMANDA D.'s MANY REVISED REVIEWS SHE HAS LEFT ME ON YELP


text:
Client Engagement Reports
This week has been a deep dive into client engagement in coaching programs, from why it matters and is worth managing to how to cause more of it. To round out the series I'm happy to unveil CoachAccountable's brand new Client Engagement Reports.
The impetus to create these reports began 12 days ago during an inspired conversation with Michael Leahy, wherein he expressed the desire to see how his clients were engaging but in a manner more efficient than clicking through to each one and manually reviewing. The vision was further brought into focus last week when Nicky Roberts shared how keeping up with clients who are falling off in their engagement has made a substantial difference in her client retention.
So now I get it. Between action plans, marking things done, accessing shared files and more, CoachAccountable already maintains a seriously detailed record of how much clients are engaged in their coaching process. Knowing that a client is falling behind is actionable information: a chance for coach to check in and offer whatever support might be appropriate.
All that's needed to make an actionable gauge of client activity is to pull it all together and present it to coach in a way that's super simple to understand. Thus the new Client Engagement Reports:


text:
February 15, 2017 | Posted in Abortion | By Jerry Cox
This afternoon Rep. Kim Hammer (R- Benton) filed H.B. 1566. This is a good, pro-life bill that will help prevent aborted babies from being bought or sold in Arkansas.
Undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted baby parts has spurred several states to look at how aborted fetal remains are handled. The videos even prompted a congressional investigation.
According the congressional report released last month, in 2015 an Arkansas abortion clinic provided StemExpress–the company featured in the undercover videos–with tissue obtained from aborted babies.
Rep. Hammer sponsored good legislation two years ago that helped address how the bodies of aborted babies are treated. H.B. 1566 strengthens that good law and will help further ensure aborted babies' organs are not bought or sold.
Jerry Cox
Jerry is the founder and president of Family Council. He began Family Council in 1989 after a successful effort to amend the Arkansas Constitution to prevent the use of public funds for abortions. He and his wife reside in Little Rock. They have four sons.