text:
An 8-year-old boy apparently spending Halloween at a church event designed for safety was struck and killed by an SUV Saturday night, Clermont police said.
Boy, 8, killed near church Halloween event in Clermont -- OrlandoSentinel.com
Posted using ShareThis
What is your church doing for special events? Many churches plan for traffic control during their Sunday service; however, forget about other events throughout the week. Does your church have a traffic control team or parking crew? Do you work with the local police department to help organize traffic flow for large events?
Many states will allow you to hire off duty police officers or crossing guards to assist with special events. If your event is at night this may be even more important due to the reduced levels of light and visibility. The extra cost occurred is well worth both the legal and financial liability.


text:
Published Jun 18, 2015
Who pours the best Guiness and serves the best fish and chips?
"Although they are new to the Irish pub scene you would never know it once you cross their threshold complete with the..."
via barbiez
"…Although they are new to the Irish pub scene you would never know it once you cross their threshold complete with the best beef stew and draft picks. …"
"…Now here be two wee stories about dis fine establishment.
1) They brought the bar over brick and stone from one in Ireland so if you more authentic I …"
"…I have been a patron of Sean O'Callagahn's for several years. From their opeing in Plymouth of their first location to the location in Brighton. The…"
"…I love this place. Wait, let me restate that... I LLLOOOVVVEEE THIS PLACE!!!!! I've been eating here for quite some time & have gotten to know some of…"
"…I am a musician and I play at Dick O'Dow's every Sunday Nite, solo Acoustic, and my band plays there 1 or 2 times a month....this Friday the 24th for …"
"…Oh yeah!!! What can you say about this place, great time, great location, FANTASTIC service. I am so not surprised that this place is always crowded…"
"…You may enter as a stranger but believe me, you will be a friend by the time you leave. The bartenders, wait staff, management and Execitive Chef Mic…"
"…I love this place! Anytime I go there, the staff says hello and asks how I am doing. The Guinness is always fresh and creamy. Fun during the week d…"
"…The big green building on Woodward not only has the coldest beer served by a team of fun, smiling servers they have excellent food. Not just a bar men…"
"…Promoting and preserving Irish Culture and Tradition in Detroit for 90 years. This is Detroit's original Irish gathering place. It is still going stro…"
"…The people make Cowley's a neighborhood bar. The staff makes Cowley's a neighborhood bar. With Farmington being as small as it is, Cowley's knows how …"
"…Best Irish Pub Around... They Have It ALL.. Food, Drinks & KARAOKE 6 Nights a Week with MoonGlow Entertainment!!!…"
"…Don't believe the hype like we did!! This place SUCKS ROYALLY!! We went there yesterday afternoon and ordered 2 beers, 2 burgers and 2 orders of fri…"
"…Amazing Taste!…"
"…A long time friend of mine went down here one night and had a great time. The night we went, it was nice and quiet in there and the bartender was coo…"
"…A place to go where you feel like a family. The bartenders are very sweet and always smiling. Great food and the $1.00 drafts are always a plus.…"
"…The warmth of the beautiful golden wood walls including unique wall art. The collection of Memorabilia on the back bar with some mention of Notre Dame…"
"…The prices are reasonable. The staff and owners are excellant, the best customer service. The pizza is the best around, everyone needs to go for a r…"
"…Nice folks, fantastic burgers, and a real oldtime neighborhood tavern atmosphere make for a great time. For an eastsider, John's a decent guy too. …"
"…Rosie's in Chesterfield before their renovation was AWESOME, now it is AWFUL! Don't know what happened, but poor service now and they changed their pi…"
"…The welcoming and comfortable atmosphere! It always feels like home. Friendly staff!…"
The 2015 Detroit A-List awards are based on more than 18,000 votes from local Detroit-area experts.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
If you've been charged with the job of planning your sister or best friend's hen party, you're probably anxious about getting it right and keeping an entire bride tribe happy at the same time. Every maid of honor wants to give the blushing bride the hen of her dreams, and one way to pull off this mission is to embrace the art of personalization.
If you're in the midst of putting together the weekend to end all weekends, here are some tips to make your celebration as personal as possible.


text:
(revised October 30, 2009)
Monday, November 9, 2009
9:00 a.m.
via teleconference* and online webinar
Presentations viaGoToMeeting
Make your reservation now at
* This facility is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodations for a disability, please contact California Relay Service (at least two days prior to the meeting) at 800.735.2929 (TT) or 800.735.2922 (voice) or contact the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative at 916.654.1885.
Public Participation: Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting via conference call and webinar. Video and audio archives of the meeting may be accessed via the Internet approximately two days after the meeting. Please visit the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) website at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp for more information.
Public comment: The public will be invited to provide comment on the agenda items prior to the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team (SAT) taking any action. Time allotted for public comment is determined by the chair. Note that the public comment is for comments specific to the SAT potential actions items; comments related to the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, or other MLPA Initiative activities should be directed to the task force or MLPA staff.Meeting materials will not be provided at the meeting but will be posted to this page as soon as they are available.
Red links indicate pages that require Adobe Reader.
|View an Adobe PDF version of this agenda.
Note: The SAT is expected to complete its work before lunch.
Welcome, Introductions and Review of Agenda
I. Updates
II. Marine Protected Area Science Guidelines and Evaluations
III. South Coast SAT History


text: has anyone done a direct comparison with the ag500 and the ampeg svp-cl preamp? i am looking to simplify my rig and would like to match an AG500 with my GS112 and GS210. i have read the threads on the AG500 here and though i really like the SVP-CL i was hoping someone would be able to point out the sonic differences between these two units. of course, the power amp will play into the equation a slight amount, but lets just say that i have been using solid state power amps with the SVP-CL. thanks


text:
OPUS Tungsten Carbide Gauge Blocks
January 16, 2015 Gauge Blocks, Measuring Instruments No Comments
OPUS Tungsten Carbide Gauge Blocks
Tungsten carbide is an excellent material to manufacture gauge blocks from. Opus tungsten carbide gauge blocks are extremely accurate, stable and have excellent wringing characteristics.
Each gauge is manufactured from carefully selected materials having a hardness of approximately 1500 Hv, they set standards of surface finish that are beyond materials such as steel.
Opus has developed production techniques to ensure a micro-fine surface on every tungsten carbide gauge block that it produces. The Opus finish guarantees excellent wringing characteristics and a high resistance to wear.


text:
Mon-Fri: 7:30am - 8pm ; Sat 8am - 1pm
5840 Banneker Rd, Suite 230, Columbia, MD 21044
BEAT Physical Therapy only advice surgery when the herniated disc causes severe dysfunction or does not respond to nonsurgical treatment. Besides the fact surgery is expensive and complicated, surgery will permanently remove all or part of the herniated disc. So be careful with your decision before you undergo any surgery.
Herniated disc typically results from the wear and tear due to aging. However, trauma-related herniated disc from a car accident is not uncommon. If there is a herniated disc in your neck, you will likely feel the pain in shoulder and arms. A herniated discs often irritate nearby spinal nerves. Automobile accident patients diagnosed with herniated disc issues usually experience:
A slipped disc or herniated disc occurs when the soft center of the disc pushes through the disc's exterior or outer ring, irritating the surrounding nerves. Older adults are more common to experience this conditions.
Maps & Directions
Instant Online


text:
Two government whistleblowers, Cathy Harris and Thomas Tamm, discussed their experiences as whistleblowers and the consequences of their whistleblowing actions at a lecture on campus on Tuesday.
Beatrice Edwards, executive director and international program director of the Government Accountability Project, a nongovernmental organization that aims to promote government accountability by protecting whistleblowers and other activists,moderated the lecture. Associate politics professor Paul Frymer offered commentary.
Edwards began by giving a history of whistleblowing in the United States, citing the aftermath of the Watergate scandals of the 1970s as a time of "real constitutional crisis." He said this crisis would have been mitigated if people involved in the crime could have spoken out without fear of retaliation.
"In our surveys we find that the first thing that stops people from saying something about the wrongdoing they discover is their fear of retaliation," Edwards said, "and second, they're concerned that if they do say something, it won't matter."
Harris, a former senior inspector for the U.S. Customs Service, then discussed the issues she faced as a female U.S. Customs officer in El Paso, Texas, Miami, Fla. and finally Atlanta, Ga. Harris said that at these job positions she witnessed multiple abuses of power and sexual misconduct toward female passengers, especially African-American women traveling internationally. She noted instances at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport where African-American women would be taken into interrogation rooms and made to stay naked for hours or be detained for up to four days.
After trying to go through the chain of command at work, Harris said she went to the media, knowing that she was likely to be fired regardless. Her verified findings of racial profiling, echoed by the media along with help from GAP resulted in federal legislation to reform customs policies.
Tamm spoke of his experience as a government whistleblower during his time as an attorney in the U.S. Justice Department. Tamm explained that after transferring to the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review in the aftermath of 9/11, he discovered that the government was conducting an illegal, nameless program that allowed government officials to evade the procedures of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provides certain procedures to be followed before electronically monitoring individuals.
"I thought there was something smelly, and I started asking questions, which probably wasn't a good idea," Tamm said.
Tamm said that after inquiring about the legality of the operation to superiors and friends in other branches of government and "thinking about it long and hard," he decided to go to the press anonymously. He then described how in the aftermath, his home was raided, and he faced criminal federal charges of espionage which were eventually dropped in 2011. Tamm added that he was left bankrupt and out of work as a result of his whistleblowing, saying that he wished he had known of organizations like GAP that could have helped him at the time.
"Often a whistleblower can have a tremendous impact, but they do need support and they do need defense," Edwards said.
The American Whistleblower Tour: Essential Voices for Accountability is part of a series of talks held by GAP and many universities across the country. The lecture was on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in Dodds Auditorium in Robertson Hall.


text:
Big Data is the first and only peer-reviewed journal to connect industry, academia, and government, to better serve a world where the pace from research to implementation is ever accelerating.
Why publish in Big Data?
To ensure the broadest and most timely dissemination of information, Big Data publishes all original peer-reviewed research articles as open access. This policy allows all published original research articles to be available free online to the entire global research community, immediately and without embargo.
Upon acceptance, original research articles are posted on all major indices such as PubMed Central, with no embargo, no open access fees, and no article processing fees.
Online, original peer-reviewed research articles are governed by the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 License, where by authors retain copyright of their work. Under this license authors allow anyone to share, copy, distribute, and transmit the work, with the exclusion of commercial use, so long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.
Access to the Journal's premium content, in print and online, is available through subscription access and includes value-added editorials, round-table discussions, industry coverage, review articles, and archival content as developed.
Publishing in Big Data ensures that your valuable research will receive the visibility and exposure necessary to impact this emerging field and further influence the data enabled world.
For manuscript submission guidelines and further information about the Journal, visit the Big Data website. We look forward to receiving your manuscripts and to your active participation in the Journal.
Questions? Contact us.


text:
RimuHosting is taking over the operation of HostingDirects VPS hosting services. From Monday June 11 RimuHosting will be hosting the VPSs. The servers will remain at the HostingDirect data center (where RimuHosting has had a presence since 2009). RimuHosting will be taking over the billing and customer service for those users.
Other HostingDirect customers (shared hosting, dedicated, colocation services, etc) are not affected by this change.
Ben Simpson, founder and managing director at HostingDirect, says "this transaction lets us focus on our core services, like server co-location. We have worked closely with RimuHosting over the last 3 years. They have a solid reputation for customer service and have extensive VPS hosting experience."
Peter Bryant, founder at RimuHosting, says "We are looking forward to hosting these new customers. And we will be working hard to ensure the changeover is as seamless as possible. And that going forward we provide them reliable, hassle free hosting backed by our powerful VPS management control panel and brilliant sysadmins."
We will be creating a FAQ with any questions affected users may have. (Holler here or email us at support at rimuhosting.com with any questions you may have).
Q: Hosting direct doesn't have data caps, has this changed with you guys
A: This has not changed with us.
Q: Will the date of billing cycles remain the same?
A: Most of our customers pay on the first of the month, so I was planning on re-aligning the dates to the first of the month after the end of your current billing cycle. We will be sending out an email about the billing next week.
Q: Will the price change?
A: We have no plans to increase ex-HostingDirect customers' monthly fees.
Q: Will our IP address change? Or will I have to do anything?
A: We have taken over the management of the IP block associated with the VPSs. So we do not plan to change the IP address. Nor do we plan on making any other disruptive changes. (Only positive improvements!)
The HD logo is trademark of HostingDirect. HostingDirect have made a co-announcement at https://my.hd.net.nz/announcements/10/Rimu-Hosting-acquires-HDs-VPS-operation.html


text:
A Quote of the Moment a day late! All apologies. After writing my novel yesterday, I thought you could all use a bit of a break from my voice!
I realize this quote refers to the pain of the human condition, or quite possibly the fine art of slapstick, but I think it applies perfectly to working out. Humor is just as essential as a water bottle at the gym. Laughter is good for your health, and it helps you get back up after you've rolled across the gym on a balance ball or run off the back of a treadmill. Surely I'm not the only one, right? Let's face it. It takes a lot of willpower to get off your butt and make it to the gym after a long day at work. Although the benefits of exercising are many, it doesn't always feel so great in the moment. Humor motivates, and it keeps you from taking yourself too seriously while you're owning the elliptical, getting bumped off a weight machine by some beefsteak, or, horror of horrors, farting in front of a hottie during a particularly tricky abs maneuver.
What's been your worst gym gaffe? Did you laugh it off, or did you hide in the locker room until your gym buddy was ready to leave?
Alison :)


text:
Welcome to Wakefield.NortheastNebraskaOnline!
The "What to do" and "Where to go" link to Wakefield, Nebraska
This unique site is the information central hub for Wakefield, Nebraska. If you want to know what's happening, or just looking for something fun to do this weekend, you've come to the right place! So make this your home page and start your journey by clicking on one of the categories found on the left side of the page. Events, News, Weather, Sports and more can all be found right here at Wakefield.NortheastNebraskaOnline.com. A proud member of the Wakefield Community Club.
We're connecting small towns in a BIG way.


text:
This is a Diving internship that includes learning to dive and assisting with the
running of a dive centre on the paradise island of Pulau Tiga, the location of TV's
"Survivor". You'll assist the Dive Master in taking care of the dive centre, guiding and assisting new learners.
If you stay for three months, you can do a total of 60 dives as a prerequisite to
the Dive Master Course. You can also develop your diving skills
by taking several courses – i.e. PADI Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Emergency
First Aid Response, Rescue Diver etc.
Please fill in the form below. If you haven't heard from us within one working day, please check your Junk Mail / Spam folder.
Just off the coast of northern Borneo lies the tiny island of Pulau Tiga, one of
three islands that make up the Pulau Tiga National Park in the South China Sea.
Originally formed after a volcanic eruption, Pulau Tiga is a haven for wildlife
and ringed by a 7km shallow, healthy coral reef with crystal clear water.
Travellers and the Resort have partnered together to provide our interns the
to do a placement at the Resort's Water Sports Centre - to give diving enthusiasts
the chance to gain experience in a beautiful setting! Your daily tasks could vary
but the main objectives of this placement are for you to:
Dry Activities: Job responsibilities include looking after the
sports centre, for example; general cleaning (of the centre and the beach), handling
customers inquiries, manning the centre, filling up oxygen tanks, cleaning diving
equipment, assisting the movements of the boats or assignments set by the Resort
Manager (guiding trail walks, assisting water department, assisting other departments),
conducting English Classes.
Wet activities: The main activity you will take part in is assisting
the Diving Instructor, for example; helping the instructor while conducting diving
lessons, supporting and guiding learners, preparing diving gear for lessons, interacting
with new learners. You will also be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the
diving equipment, and getting the boats and Jet Ski's ready for guests.
You'll have the opportunity (at additional cost) to take the following courses during
your project (depending on previous experiences and length of project):
This is not a conservation project but you may have the opportunity to participate
in the following other activities:
These activities are not guided by a marine biologist, so your input will not have
any academic value. Instead, these activities provide you with the opportunity to
be involved in useful work for the centre whilst practising your diving skills.
Some of the activities are quite routine and in some respects similar to underwater
gardening (for example, clearing underwater rubbish, collecting and replanting coral
fragments, etc.) During each of the above activities you will dive with other interns who may be on the placement at the same time as you and will not be supervised by a
member of staff from the dive centre.
During your stay you might encounter days when the weather is not suitable for water
activities and therefore dry activities will take place. Once you have gained your
PADI Open Water certification you can also proceed with the following courses during
your placement:
During the first week of your placement you'll have most of the afternoons off so
that you can acclimatise to the tropical weather and to be familiar with the surrounding
environment. During the rest of the placement you'll work 6 days per week. Your
day off will not usually be over the weekend as this is when the dive centre is
at its busiest. If there are several interns doing this placement at the same
time then you may be able to arrange some of your days off together. If you're taking
any of the PADI courses, much of your spare time will be spent studying for the
You'll spend 3 days doing dry activities and 3 days doing wet activities. You must
take your own fins, mask and wet suit (which can be bought locally, if needed) but
diving equipment is provided (this includes BCD, regulator and Scuba tanks).
This is not a conservation project but there are some elements of conservation based
activities that you can become involved with during your stay (see above). Diving
is possible all year round although the weather tends to be stormy between June,
July and August. All diving is weather dependant.
The resort can accommodate a maximum of 120 people at any one time – it's peak occupancy
period tends to be from April/May to Sept/October when usually it will be at least
70% full. At other times of the year, occupancy can drop to around 20%. During the
Low season, you'll find that the staff have more free time to give 1 to 1 instruction,
where as during the high season, you'll have more exposure to customers but more
diving will take place in a group.
In order to dive you should take out specialised diving insurance (e.g. Divers Alert
Network www.daneurope.org).
Pulau Tiga Resort is privately run and has chalets for guests set in a beautiful
and quite exotic environment, with lovely walkways that run between the accommodation
and the various facilities at the resort, surrounded by colourful local flora. The
Resort's range of facilities is good (see below), but focuses mainly on diving and
water-sports, including a jetty set into the tropical beach.
Wi-Fi / Internet: Wi-Fi is available in the Reception in the Resort, but not in the accommodation.
Traditional Longhouse: While on your project, you'll stay in a
longhouse, where you'll get to experience a taste of living in a traditional style.
The Longhouse is traditional in style only - it is a modern facility with a lovely
wooden verandah giving beautiful views and is nestled under trees.
The facilities are comfortable, clean and very tropical. You will share your accommodation with a maximum of three per room.
Your meals will consist of local cuisine and are provided in the Resort's Restaurant,
the same food provided to the fee-paying resort guests. Meals are taken in the form
of a buffet, served daily and usually including two main courses (these are usually
a choice or combination of chicken, meat or fish), with local vegetables and salads,
followed by fruit. In the very quiet part of Low Season, there may occasionally
be no guests at the Resort. At such times you'll take your meals in the staff canteen.
Tea, Coffee and Juice is available all day.
Pulau Tiga Resort is fairly well equipped in terms of other facilities and, at time
of writing, these currently include:
A bar and restaurant area,
A small shop at reception,
A volleyball court,
A football field
A games room (with pool table) and
A TV room
During your placement you will have free access to non-motorised water sports equipment,
such as Kayaks - a great way to explore some of the island! Jet Ski's are also available
for hire. Local staff are friendly and live on the island - they will often get
together for a game of volleyball or football in the evenings. Many of the staff
speak good English.
There are also many trails through the undergrowth that you can explore easily and
are well worth the effort. One of the features of Pulau Tiga are the several active
mud volcanoes which can be found around the island, especially at the summit. Here
can cover yourself in volcanic mud for a natural skin cleansing treatment! These
are well worth visiting for the view as well as the volcanoes.
There is a 30 minute boat service from Kuala Penyu to Pulau Tiga which runs twice
daily, so you can get on and off the island if needed. In Kuala Penyu there is a
hospital, police station, coffee shop, post office, internet connection and some
other small shops. There is no nightlife but this can be found in Kota Kinabalu,
around 3 hours away by car.
This is a remote island - you can stay in touch with home via Satellite phone or
local Sim card, however, there is no internet connection on the island and access
to internet off the island can be intermittent. We suggest that you prepare yourself
for a remote experience.
Read important information about the Support & Backup you receive before you leave and during your programme.
Read about the Safety and Security measures we take to ensure your safety and wellbeing while on our programme.
Pulau Tiga is located about 35 nautical miles southwest of Kota Kinabalu. Around
the island of Pulau Tiga, visibility ranges from 6 to 20 metres and schools of tropical
fish can be seen from the surface, even without snorkel equipment. The island's
landscape is dramatic, set in the midst of lush rainforest, including mangroves,
swamps and lowland forests for eight square miles.
Within this enticing habitat are more than fifty different species of trees, countless
plant species and an array of fauna such as macaque monkeys, monitor lizards, sea
turtles and many other colourful species and birds. A rich variety of marine life
can be seen including barracuda, bamboo sharks, cuttlefish and marbled stingray.
There are around 132 species of fish representing 62 genera in 32 families.
The Dive Centre you'll work in developed a resort on the island in 1998 to accommodate
tourists in a variety of wooden cottages. Scuba diving in the marine park is heavenly,
but this peaceful destination is also a great place for outdoor activities and other
water sports.
If you are not already qualified you will take a PADI Open Water Diver Certification
course on your arrival with the resorts water sports centre. Novices can explore
the many dive sites once completing the basic PADI qualification. Seasoned divers
will find the reefs wonderful and a number of unexplored diving locations are available
for day trips.
Although the island doesn't generally attract many international tourists, it has
recently become famous for the American TV production of Survivor, a reality TV
show where contestants battled it out to be the ultimate survivor, living on a tropical
island and competing against each other for a prize of $1 Million US dollars. On
average, the dive school receives 4 to 5 students weekly and there are currently
5 staff working at the dive centre.
Once you have applied for a placement, we'll contact you and send you our Welcome
Pack. You'll also receive Log-on details and password for our Extranet
where you'll have access to all the documentation and information which we've put
together to facilitate preparations for your adventure! Your Project Co-ordinator
for your country will liaise with you throughout the arrangements process, as well
as while you're on your placement and on your return home.
The documents you'll have access to also include a Country Factfile, Safety Guide
and any manuals that may assist you on your particular programme (e.g. Teaching
Guide, Sports Manuals, Enrichment Suggestions for Animal Care, etc.). We do all
we can to make your stay one that you'll never forget. This is a truly awesome,
elegant and beautiful country.
As with all our destinations, the culture and heritage is different to what you're
used to ... which, although one of the most exciting aspects of travelling, should
be borne in mind. Self-reliance and independence are highly appreciated in all our
destinations and will help you to make the most of this wonderful opportunity!
On Arrival, Your Introduction to the Country
When you arrive, you'll be welcomed by Ronn. She is the Travellers Co-ordinator,
assisting Albert, our Malaysia Manager. Ronn
will take you to your accommodation in Kota Kinabalu, where you will spend the first
couple days of your trip. She will show you the nearby facilities such as banks,
pharmacy, food and beverage outlets etc.
Albert will give you an evening induction (so you will be free to do some activities
during the daytime). You will then be taken to your project and accommodation and
introduced to everyone concerned. You will be made to feel very welcome by all!
Our projects in Malaysia (particularly the Orang-Utan Centre, which you must
visit(!) are very popular and you are sure to have a wonderful time during your
stay in Sabah. Your adventure
has begun :-)
We'll get back to you very shortly, but if you haven't heard from us within one working day, please check your Junk Mail / Spam folder. Thank you.
Make the most of your time there! To help you do that, we've put together some exciting
activities, courses and tours that you can add to your itinerary. These are designed
to be fun, but also to enable you to learn, and expand your personal and professional
development enjoyment ... but mostly for your enjoyment! :-)
Please note that all optional activities in Malaysia depart from Kota Kinabalu in Borneo. If you are doing the Sepilok Orang-utan Conservation project, this is only a 40-minute flight away. If you're doing a project on the Peninsula, it is a 2.5-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Kinabalu Park is Borneo's botanical paradise and home to the majestic Mount Kinabalu
(4095.2 metres), the highest peak in South East Asia. On this three-day excursion
you'll trek for about 6-8 hours over 2 days and will experience sunrise from the
summit of Mount Kinabalu.
LEVEL: Moderate Trekking. No experience needed but see medical
notes below
LOCATION: Departs from Kota Kinabalu
DURATION: 3 days and 2 nights
MINIMUM AGE: Climbers below 16 years old are considered Child and will be accompanied by a separate mountain guide. An extra guide currently costs an additional £55 GBP.
INCLUDED: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners & 1 Supper, 2 Nights Accommodation, Entrance Fee, Return Airport/Hotel Transfer (Additional charges of USD 7 per person are chargeable for outskirt hotel pick-ups), Return Transfer (Park HQ - Timpohon Gate - Park HQ), Mountain Guide, Climbing Insurance, Climbing Permit, Mount Kinabalu Certificate and Certificate Holder, and English Speaking Support Team.
This excursion must be booked and paid for at least 3 months in advance
in order to secure the necessary permits. A super peak season surcharge (approx
150RM (£30 or US$45) per night) is also sometimes applied to bookings between June
and September. You'll need to pay
this locally.
Day 1: You'll be picked up from Kota Kinabalu and make a scenic
drive to Kinabalu Park, arriving late afternoon. You'll meet up with
our representative and then proceed to Sabah Park's HQ, at 1,563 meters, where you'll
register for the climb, check into your hostel and have some free time
to explore the park at your leisure Then dinner and return to
the hostel for a much-needed early night!
Day 2: The hard work starts today! After a wake- up call at 7am,
you'll 'gear-up' and have breakfast. You'll meet with your assigned
Mountain Guide and proceed to Timpohon Gate for the start of the climb. You'll have
a packed lunch and plenty of rest stops! You'll climb for 5-6 hours before reaching
Laban Rata. You'll have the afternoon free to relax and recuperate. Dinner will
be at the Rest House restaurant and you'll stay in the mountain hut (which has dormitory
bunk beds).
Day 3: Very very early wake up call - at 1am! It will be worth
it though. You'll trek for 3-4 hours to reach the summit of Mount Kinabalu to witness
the glorious sunrise. You'll then trek down to Laban Rata for breakfast, after which
you'll trek down to the Timpohon Gate, then transferred back to the Kinabalu Park
HQ to pick up your Certificate of Achievement!
MEDICAL NOTES: A high level of fitness is required and we strongly advise that you
have a medical check before attempting the climb. If you suffer from any of the
following, you are advised not to do this climb: hypertension, diabetes, palpitations,
arthritis, heart disease, severe anaemia, peptic ulcers, epilepsy, obesity (overweight),
chronic asthma, muscular cramps, hepatitis (jaundice) or any other condition/disease
may impact on your ability to complete the climb comfortably. If in any doubt, please
consult your doctor. If you are an inexperienced climber you should seek further
advice before participating.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: Although the majority of routes leading to the summit of Kinabalu require no technical climbing skills, some kind of training beforehand is important. It is important to remember that you will be hiking on surfaces with varying angles which may put lots of stress on your ankles and knees. It is also worth remembering that most of the injuries which occur on Mount Kinabalu happen on the way down. When climbing Mount Kinabalu, take a slow pace to allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude, as at 3000 meters, you only have 70% of the oxygen you would normally have at sea-level.
To climb Mount Kinabalu
You need to be in decent physical condition.
you must not have heart or lung problems.
You need healthy knees and ankles.
Take your time and know your physical limitations.
Consult your personal physician if you are taking any kind of medication or if you have any other health problems.
If you plan to take any medication during your climb, you must consult your doctor prior to departure. The effects of medications may vary with altitude and stress. All climbers should consult their doctor or a specialised travel clinic well in advance of their trip.
How Physically Fit I Should Be To Do The Climb? It takes a minimum of 2 Days and 1 Night to scale Mount Kinabalu. Day 1 kicks off bright and early via Timpohon Gate, a 5 to 7 hour brings you up to 11'000 feet above sea level for an overnight stay. The second day is slightly more to the technical side – there are parts where you will need to hold onto ropes at an angle of about 15 – 20 degrees inclination. If you are able to climb a flight of 12 story staircase up and down few times in a day with not much difficulties, that's good enough to prepare you for Mount Kinabalu.
Book Now
1-DAY PADAS RIVER RAFTING (Grade 3-4):
Spectacular scenery and thrilling rafting experience, exploring the wild and untamed Padas River, with 7 exciting and challenging rapids.
LEVEL: Moderate. No experience needed.
LOCATION: Depart from Kota Kinabalu. Located on the Padas River,
near Tenom, Sabah
DURATION: Full Day
MINIMUM AGE: 12 years old.
INCLUDED: Lunch, Hotel Pickup & Drop off for hotels in Kota Kinabalu (Additional charges of USD 7 per person are chargeable for outskirt hotel pick-ups) Land Transportation (Seat-In-Coach), English Speaking Guide, Rafting Equipment, Life Jacket, Certified River Guide, Certificate and Insurance.
The Padas River is situated in the interior of the south-western part of Kota Kinabalu.
You'll journey by bus for approximately 3½ hours through the countryside to Beaufort
Town, where you'll have lunch in a local restaurant. The rafting start point is
only accessible by train, so included in the price is a unique journey in an antique
train on the North Borneo Railway. You'll journey through the heart of Borneo to
the start of your rafting adventure - a brilliant chance to see the spectacular,
untouched scenery of this beautiful country and glimpse the local villages. Upon arrival, you'll receive a full safety briefing before starting your
9km rafting adventure.
The river holds seven thrilling rapids to negotiate - you'll work as a team and
will have an experienced guide with you. The journey will undoubtedly be an awesome
adrenalin rush, as you experience the ultimate white water class III and IV rapids.
The route takes about 1.5 hours to complete. You'll then have the chance to change
out of your wet clothes and enjoy some light refreshment at the station, ready for
your return train journey to Beaufort Town and bus trip back to Kota Kinabalu.
This excursion includes transfers to and from your accommodation in Kota Kinabalu,
full safety briefing and equipment. Please note, this is a full day's excursion
and you won't return to your hotel until at least 6.00 pm.
A chance to scuba dive and observe the beautiful coral life. The perfect package for those who have never dived before. You'll be given a step-by-step guide to scuba diving, from learning how to suit up, to how to use your diving equipment properly.
LEVEL: Beginner. No experience needed.
LOCATION: Depart from Kota Kinabalu.
MINIMUM AGE: 12 yeaers old.
DURATION: Full day.
INCLUDED: Pick-up & Drop-off from hotel in Kota Kinabalu (Additional charges of USD 7 per person are chargeable for outskirt hotel pick-ups), Lunch, Drinking water, Tea & Coffee & snacks, Park Entry Fee, Two Dives, Return Boat Transfer, Equipment Rental and Dive Master/Instructor.
PRICE: £125 (Based on a minimum of 2 people)
The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is a stunning marine park, that comprises
of a cluster of islands including Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik
and Pulau Sulug. All of the islands have gorgeous white sandy beaches, shallow waters
and fantastic coral gardens - and they are all only a 10 - 20 minute boat ride from
the city of Kota Kinabalu!
The Discover Scuba Diving program introduces scuba diving in a highly supervised and relaxed manner, giving you just a little taste of the fascinating and thrilling world of Scuba Diving. The Discover Scuba package, conducted by PADI certified instructors at the nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park's Island, allows you to discover excitement, adventure, freedom and serenity. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is ideally suited to beginner divers providing shallow, sandy confined water environments which slope to slightly deeper coral reef habitats.
Learn basic safety concepts, put on equipment and swim around underwater in a closely supervised environment under the guidance of PADI certified instructors today!
An opportunity to experience the fantastic culture of rural Malaysia.
LEVEL: Gentle
LOCATION: Depart from Kota Kinabalu, 3 hours journey to northern
DURATION: Full day
MINIMUM AGE: N/A (Infants under 3 years old are free of charge)
INCLUDED: Pick-up & Drop-off from hotel in Kota Kinabalu (Additional charges of USD 7 per person are chargeable for outskirt hotel pick-ups), Lunch, Entrance Fees, Land Transportation (Seat-In-Coach), and English Speaking Guide.
PRICE: £115 (Based on a minimum of 2 people)
ITINERARY: You'll journey through scenic countryside to the north of Kudat. You'll
pass some spectacular scenery including paddy fields, traditional villages, plantations
and local stalls selling handicraft and food items. On arrival at Bavanggazo village
(where the Rungus community live) you'll have a traditional lunch, before visiting
the community and their cottage industries - Seeing the Rungus Tribe still living
in their longhouses is a fantastic once in a lifetime experience! The community
is very enterprising - the main economic activities include producing honey and
making gongs.
Before returning to Kota Kinabalu, you'll visit Simpang Mengayau, the northern most
tip of Borneo, where the Sulu and South China Seas meet. On a clear day, you'll
be able to see the outlying islands of the Philippines from this point! Spectacular!
If you take this tour on a Sunday, you may get the chance to visit the Tamu Besar
(a bustling open air market in Kota Belud)
Terms and Conditions apply for Add-Ons, please see here.
Kota Kinabalu, or "KK" (as it is locally known), is the capital of Sabah. KK is
home to the International airport and
this will be your first point of arrival in Sabah - it is a great place to start
your trip and get used to the Malaysian way of life.
Although Kota Kinabalu is far less developed than Kuala Lumpur (its counterpart
on the Peninsular), the people are very
friendly and the atmosphere here is more relaxed. KK also boasts impressive markets,
a beautiful mosque, restaurants and nightlife - a fun introduction to the wide variety
of attractions
that Sabah has to offer.
Just off the coast it is possible to see an array of beautiful islands which make
up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
Exploring the coral reefs and marine life in this underwater world is fascinating
and day trips here can be easily arranged - most islands are less than 45 minutes
away by boat. Once you arrive you will be amazed at how clear the water is and just
how many different fish you can see. There are also many wonderful beaches to be
explored on the islands!
If you are the outdoors type, a visit to Sabah isn't complete without a climb to
the summit of Mount Kinabalu (the highest peak in SE Asia). Standing at over 4000
metres, this is another of Sabah's main attractions and the views from the top at
sunrise more than make up for the two day climb. Afterwards you can soak your aching
muscles at Poring where the sulphur hot springs
provide a therapeutic bath.
Throughout the whole of Sabah you will find many local "Tamu", meaning market -
the variety of fruit, vegetables, plants
and handcrafted items on sale at cheap prices has to be seen to be believed!
Just off the West coast of Borneo, it is possible to see an array of beautiful islands
which make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – a protected area which boasts
some of the best coral and unspoilt beaches in the area. Exploring the coral reefs
and marine life in this underwater world is fascinating and day trips here can be
easily arranged - most islands are less than 45 minutes away by boat.
Once you arrive you will be amazed at how clear the water is and just how many different
fish you can see. There is excellent snorkelling and scuba diving (for both beginners
and the more advanced) on these islands, as well as some wonderful beaches to be
Take a trip on the North Borneo Railway, where you'll travel through the heart of
Borneo on a beautifully refurbished steam train. The journey meanders through villages,
coastal towns, paddy fields, rain forests and rubber/coffee plantations. Passengers
experience a glimpse into a bygone era, travelling along what used to be the 'transport
lifeline' of Sabah – a great way to get a feel for the spectacular, untouched scenery
of Borneo.
Read about Travel arrangements and what happens when you arrive in your new country.
Dive Resort Management Internship in Malaysia
Our two month placement in Pulau
Tiga Resort has been a wonderful experience. The Divemaster section of the placement
ran very smoothly with expert instruction and guidance from Julius. The Water Sports
Team have been great along with all of the other staff at the resort in welcoming
us, integrating us, and guiding us through our duties and responsibilities along
with providing us great friendship which has made living and working here a wonderful
experience which comes highly recommend to others.
We would also like to thank the water sports team for working with great patience
and understanding while we were asked to be in charge of the day to day running
of the Centre and to all the other staff for letting us help out in various ways
and making our stay a very enjoyable one.
Dive Resort Management Internship in Malaysia
I feel I've gained valuable experience
in many areas. I have been introduced to and accepted into a completely different
culture. Obviously, in becoming a Divemaster, I have not only improved my diving
skills and knowledge to a professional level, but have also learned the skills and
responsibilities of being a leader and having people under my care.
Aside from the professional aspects, I have had the opportunity to experience living
daily life in an extremely remote
environment, having to think carefully about what I need and not having the luxury
of just popping down to the shop. Furthermore, as all of the staff are working and
living in such close quarters, I have been able to experience being part of a tight-knit
family atmosphere, and all that that brings with it! I have made many friends that
I hope to keep for years to come, and gained an insight into a completely different
lifestyle that, to be honest, suits me much better than what we have here!
The best thing about my placement so far is a hard question to answer. On the one
hand, I have the opportunity to work
in this brilliant environment; diving, catching snakes, finding new reefs (We found
2!), guiding, and constantly meeting new people. On the other hand, I've had the
chance to become part of the Pulau Tiga family, getting to know the staff over the
course of the 3 months, looking out for each other and making fun of each other
in equal measure!
I honestly can't speak highly enough of the people involved in this project. Julius
and Albert were brilliant at making
me feel at home in Sabah and both of them did a fantastic job in making sure I was
taken care of. Julius especially, I probably count him, along with many of the watersports
crew, amongst my close friends now!
It was a really brilliant experience and it has given me a taste of a lifestyle
that I definitely want to have for myself.
Due to this, I have made many new lifelong friends and learnt many skills that will
stay with me forever. I am planning on returning to Sabah extremely soon
What type of person would this placement suit?
As long as you are comfortable in water and on boats, and like to meet new people,
you should be fine. Depending on
how active/ lazy you are, there are plenty of activities to do. You could be playing
volleyball or going for a fun dive with the staff, or you could be sitting at the
bar chatting and drinking coffee or reading in a hammock by the beach.
Due to the remote nature, I think it is important to be quite an independent person.
You need to be comfortable not having your family and friends from home around you. You need to be able step up and proactively volunteer to do work, as the staff won't feel comfortable ordering you about. The good side of this is you can rest as much as you need and no one will shout
at you!
At times, if there are no guests, it can get a little boring. But if that happens
just read a book, have a nap or call
at your friends room and watch a movie!
Can you describe a typical day?
Usually, I would wake up around 8:15-8:30 and straight away help the watersports
crew put the boats in the water. After
that, we quickly go for breakfast. If there was a Snake Island tour that day, I
would usually be the one to do it. Around 9:00 I would round up the guests going
to the snake island and head towards the boat with one of the boatmen. If there
was no snake island tour that morning, I would help with whatever needs doing, such
as filling the air tanks etc.
On the boat I would introduce myself and the boatman to the guests as we head towards
the snake island. On the island,
I would give a fairly thorough briefing on the safety procedures and also some information
on the snakes. We would then spend 45 minutes or so scouring the island catching
the sea snakes, letting the guests hold them and take pictures of them.
Before heading back to the island, we stop off at the sand spit for 40 minutes to
1 hour, letting the guests go snorkelling
around the reefs. In this time I usually catch up on some lost sleep in the boat
from the night before!
By the time we get back it is around 11am. Usually, I will go to the jetty to welcome
the incoming guests. 11:30 is
the usual time for the morning dive if there are guests diving. Depending on the
skill level of the divers, I would act as either assistant to the divemaster, or
as the divemaster. In both cases I would help the guests choose and assemble their
gear. If I was divemaster, I brief them fully on the dive location, safety procedures,
common fish and reef topography.
Around midday we get into the boat and head towards the dive site, usually Asmara
Point or Larai-Larai. During the dive
I stay in front, with another divemaster at the rear, or vice-versa. I try my best
to make sure the dive was as enjoyable as possible by firstly making sure everyone
is safe and comfortable in the water, and secondly pointing out all of the cool
Arriving back around 2:00pm, I grab a late lunch with my instructor Julius. Amongst
other things, we chat about my progress,
and also jobs for the afternoon. These jobs can include filling the air tanks, taking
the afternoon dive, cleaning the watersports centre, or studying for my exams. I
continue doing whatever is needed until around 5pm, where I will help bring the
boats back in for the night. After that, I rest for 2 hours before grabbing a shower
and heading to dinner around 7:30pm. I'm always too tired to play volleyball!
I eat dinner at the bar with Julius and often with the guests who came to the snake
island/diving with me that day.
After winding down for the day, I head to the karaoke room to play pool and chat
with the guests. Around 11pm, the staff often go to the jetty to relax and swim
and enjoy a beer or two.
Afterwards, around 1:00am, I usually head back to one of my friends' rooms, where
we watch movies and play games, winding
down (and drying off) before heading back to my room for the night.


text:
I've written about the very strange character of small town in Canada before. Recently, the cultural horizon of my tiny corner of it (Richmond, BC) has been enlarged by the Winter Olympics, by visits from Stephen Colbert and Jay Leno and by the impending comedic presence of Owen Wilson, Steve Martin and -- that wacky child of rocket scientists -- Jack Black.
But elsewhere, British Columbia is sometimes stuck back in the era of flat earths, Monkey Trials and 'fundies' (short for 'fundamentalists', not for people who have too much fun).
To raise money for a woman's shelter, activists of the South Okanagan Women In Need Society staged a woman's play in Summerland, BC. They chose The Vagina Monologues, a successful off-Broadway play that culminated in a 2001 Madison Square Gardens performance starring Melissa Etheridge and Whoopi Goldberg.
Nonetheless, some Summerland residents are deeply offended by the public use of the V-word which appears on posters and brochures for the fundraiser. You can read all about that here.
While Summerland's stodgiest citizens tear down these offensive posters, let me review what the rest of the world is doing relative to their vaginas.
1. The slang synonym for vagina, the C-word, called the most offensive English swearword by the Oxford English Dictionary, has now been used openly on television in: Oz, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Deadwood, The Wire, True Blood, Weeds, Californication and 30 Rock.
I'm really interested in swearwords because they reveal so much about what a culture deems sacred, or prohibited. There's a wonderful journal called Maladicta devoted to the cross cultural study of these words.
In English the importance of a word-concept is identified by its number of synonyms and by all other associated words and phrases. Once you start to list them, you'll find it's very hard to run out of words connected to vagina. And as far as slang synonyms go, I think their taboo quality and power to offend are radically reduced with each exposure and use. Yes, as a liberal, I do think that's a good thing.
2. Vajazzling: In my book Made To Break, I revealed that the phrase "to tie one on" refers to the lovely ribbons that once adorned the first generation of mass produced condoms which were made of inelastic vulcanized rubber. Many men of my great grandfather's generation liked these ribbons and were sorry to see them go when the world switched over to latex. Well, apparently women are no different. They like to decorate what they've got and do so by adorning their ... what-ya-call'ems ... with jewels, crystals, what-have-you. Many beauty salons now cater to this trend.
3. My Lovely Pink Button: A new line of dyes, stains, glosses (lipsticks?) are available to beautify women's blossoms, and it's not such a strange idea. The traditional symbol of the vagina, the rose, has now been hybridized so that a rainbow of shades and hues are available. Apparently someone wondered why we shouldn't enjoy as much variety in the real thing as we do with its symbolic, floral representation. Some feminists don't like it, but this trend is becoming quite popular. I'm suspending judgment until I hear from a truly hot feminist like Germaine Greer, Jane Fonda or my old teacher, Professor Donna Landry of the University of Kent. Honestly, Donna, can color choice ever be a bad thing?
4. Cultivating Good Taste: The best thing about earning an undergrad degree in linguistics was the ability to describe oneself as a cunning linguist. (Yes. Sorry. The joke soon got very stale). The newly conceived vagina product "Linger," however, prevents staleness freshening the vagina with a long-lasting tasty after-dinner style mint.
Meanwhile, Lifestyle Nutrition has introduced a product called BOP for Her. It's a dietary supplement -- I kid you not -- that "sweetens and purify a woman's sex fluids for increased oral intimacy." (There is also a corresponding supplement, BOP for Him, that performs a similar function for men).
5. And there are other things in the news. If you Google "vagina" you'll find a variety of people expressing vaginal opinions including Jennifer Love Hewitt and Kathy Griffin. (I can't wait to hear what Sarah Palin has to say on the subject of redneck vaginae.) There's even an erotic vagina-smelling perfume now. Toronto-based science writer Zosia Bielski uses her characteristic humor to describe many of these trends here.
Of course, none of this helps the homeless or battered women of Summerland, BC, or their young dependents. Let me thank them for their patience with me now and ask you to help them by visiting their site, South Okanagan Women In Need Society.
Please consider donating the price of two theater tickets. Tell them I sent you ;-)


text:
Dwight School Seoul seeks to ensure that all students admitted to our school comply with the Korean law requirements for admission into foreign schools. Dwight's Admissions Qualification Policy outlines these requirements and outlines our internal procedures to ensure all students admitted to Dwight School Seoul are in full compliance with the law.
Qualification Requirements as set by Korean Law
In order to be admitted into a foreign school, the student, irrespective of his or her nationality (whether or not the student has or does not have a citizenship in a foreign country), must satisfy the following requirements:
- One or more of the student's parents is a foreigner (has a passport from a country other than South Korea); or
- When the student is a Korean national, then he or she must have resided in a foreign country for a minimum of three years. A person who has dual nationalities including that of Korea (whether a parent or child) is deemed as Korean under Korean law.
Parents are required to submit a family registry proving relationship to student(s). Korea Exit/Entry Statements are also required to establish eligibility.
Compliance Procedures at Dwight School Seoul
Once a student has been accepted into Dwight School Seoul, all applications will undergo the following review procedure to ensure applicant's qualifications are in compliance with Korean Law:
- All applications will be reviewed by our auditors to ensure applicants meet Korean law requirements.
- If any suspicions arise by our auditors, documents will be sent to Dwight's legal team for review.
- Dwight School Seoul may consult with local authorities for them to review any questionable documents.
- If documents are deemed ineligible for admittance, students will receive a rejection notice.
- If a current student has been deemed ineligible through our internal audit systems, the parents will be asked to join us for an interview and given an opportunity to explain any discrepancies.
- If after the parent interview the school still deems a student is not eligible, the student will be asked to withdraw from the school.
Suspected Malpractice
Parents who have provided false or incorrect information on a student's application form or transcripts are not eligible for refunds on tuition. Dwight School Seoul will report any form of malpractice to the local authorities.


text:
Confer industry status to aviation sector: Assocham1 min read . Updated: 25 Dec 2009, 05:03 PM IST
Confer industry status to aviation sector: Assocham
Confer industry status to aviation sector: Assocham
New Delhi: Industry body Assocham on Friday suggested that the government should confer core industry status to the airlines business to sustain the aviation sector.
"The sustainability of airline industry would be severely eroded if it is not recognised as 'core industry´," Assocham said in a statement.
The chamber also sought 'declared goods´ status to aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by lowering sales tax and revising its taxation structure.
"It is revealed that ATF prices for 11 international airports as on July, 2009, ranged between Rs23,000 and Rs26,000 per kilo litre. While Kuala Lumpur has the lowest price of Rs22,800 per kilo litre, India's airports, the into-plane ATF prices ranged between Rs34,000 and Rs47,000 per kilo litre," Assocham president Swati Piramal said.
Assocham pointed out that the lowest price of ATF among Indian airports is at Hyderabad, which is 46% higher than the price at Kuala Lumpur, while the highest price is at Kolkata with almost double than that of at Kuala Lumpur.
"While state taxes contribute significantly to the high into-wing ATF prices in India, it is a fact that if state taxes were fully eliminated, Indian ATF prices would still be significantly higher than those outside India," it said.
Besides, Assocham advocated re-instatement of exemption from withholding tax on aircraft lease rental payments and issuing of show cause-cum-demand notices on some airlines for alleged violations of service tax rules under various taxable services. It also suggested lower service taxes.


text:
Slate Voice: "What Was Gay?"
Listen to Slate's J. Bryan Lowder read his story on the history and future of gayness.
This story is part of a special Slate Plus feature package on "What Was Gay?" Be sure to check out the other Slate Plus exclusives related to this story, including a behind-the-scenes conversation about the origins and challenges of this project and "But What About the Lesbians?"—a closer look at the female perspective on gayness.
As a member of Slate Plus, you'll get access to exclusive podcasts—including this full audio of a special Slate "Fresca" story, "What Was Gay?" read by the author, Slate associate editor and Outward editor J. Bryan Lowder.
Feedback about today's podcast? Let us know! firstname.lastname@example.com.
For more information on how to subscribe to the Slate Plus podcast feed, go here.


text:
Click to see Full size Image
This beautifully simple fleece baby blanket is made from materials as natural as your baby.
Motivated by the discomfort associated with excessive overnight sweating sleeping with polyester brings about, this blanket is designed to reduce sweats and skin irritation, providing your baby with the softest comfort and regulated temperature levels.
55% organic hemp and 45% GOTS certified organic cotton provide the ideal blend.
The natural colour you see is the material in its rawest form; undyed fabric is particularly important for baby's sensitive skin.
Choose between a lavender or sea foam green trim.
36" x 54"
Care Instructions
Machine wash with a front loading machine (no agitator / propeller inside) or by hand.
Note - the blankets will pill on the first few initial washes (common for a natural fleece organic blanket).
Made in the United States


text:
It's been a while since I posted. pretty busy on Twitter 🙂
Google has come up with buzz with everything that is missing in twitter. I checked it out. Not bad, but little complicated. Pretty Useful, if you are using gmail. Anyways that service has a long way to go.
Twitter is so very simple & that's why i am hooked on. I don't mind limiting myself to 140 characters. Sometimes yes I cannot say everything what I wantin 140 characters , but only sometimes not always.
I enjoyed tweeting about Australian Open & the India-SA test series.. getting to know the latest scores.. enjoying banter..
Twitter is something like a beginner's course in social networking. It's simple, easy to update. The twitverse(universe) is also pretty vast. Atleast bigger than gmail community. I love gmail, I am posting at orkut too -somewhat rarely, but tweeting is fun.. I haven't yet tried facebook light, and no inclination to try facebook either.. i am sure it's good. I hear many a people talk about farmville 🙂
I'll stick to Twitter for a while , now I am content with it& thanks to it Ihave a semblance of a social presence on the net..


text:
Click HERE for the audio version.
Mark Wheeler
I Peter 2:1-5
Living Stones: "Sin – Watch for Varmints Hiding in the Cracks"
Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church
We have a concrete driveway leading to our garage – and over this driveway's 49 year history it has developed some cracks. Y'all know what I'm talking about, don't you? Your driveway, or foundation, or retaining wall has cracks in it, too. What happens in those cracks? [Weeds grow from them, water gets in them and then freezes and expands and makes the cracks bigger; and ants make their homes in them!] It's the ants that drive me crazy. It could be worse, they could be mice or spiders or snakes. But that's the thing. If we don't take care of the cracks that develop, critters move in. Varmints hide in those cracks.
Charles McRaven writes in his book called Building with Stone, "The cracks between the stones will invite every kind of inhabitant … be aware of the haven you are creating for snakes, spiders, wasps, scorpions, field mice, lizards, and even birds."
During these couple of months following Easter we are listening to the Apostle Peter, and hearing some Biblical instruction that's been around for nearly 2,000 years, and is based on totally true counsel, about "good masonry" with the Bible believed as God's trustworthy Word for being built into God's Cathedral.
Listen to these words from the Apostle Peter. This comes from a letter he wrote to the churches in Asia Minor, south Turkey, to people who faced death daily. Listen to how he says we find faith-filled integrity when we live like we believe what we say we believe. I Peter 2:1-5….—-
3 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
3 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. What is Peter talking about? This counsel is about SIN. It's about our choices to act in ways that are in direct defiance to what he calls "be[ing] holy, because [God] is holy."
In Peter's letters about being "living stones" that are built into the Cathedral of God, he says, watch the cracks! Varmints will move in and take over as soon as we ignore the little cracks in our rocky lives.
Sin weakens our spiritual structure; it creates "havens" for all sorts of self-destructive beliefs that result in self-destructive behaviors. These are our old self-centered ideas and ungodly passions; anything that makes us less than what God created us to be. Empty places in our hearts create "havens" within the cracks of our lives that harbor soul-destroying varmints like resentment, fear, self-condemnation, envy, unbelief, arrogance, gluttony, laziness.
Yet Peter does not instruct us to heroically overcome our human brokenness with moral striving, self-will, pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-boot-straps determination, or a long list of dos and don'ts. Instead he shines the light of God's healing love on our disordered desires and teaches us to surrender ourselves to the Lord with the confidence that Christ's power and love will penetrate and remove the darkness, will make us whole and new human beings with an eternal perspective and purpose.
When we expose the dark cracks in our lives to the healing, cleansing work of God's love, Christ can transform us into new people who flourish as "living stones", in company with other "living stones" in God's Cathedral of light!
But remember that we cannot fool God, and we rarely fool our neighbors – so don't lie about those cracks. Find them, and fill them with God's Holy Spirit before the critters of sin claim squatters' rights.
OK, but Wheeler, what sins are you talking about? I mean, gossip isn't as bad as stealing; and little white lies aren't as bad as murder, right?
On Thursday as I was writing this part of this message my computer dinged, which meant I had a message to look at – and I got distracted by Facebook where one of my FB Friends posted a picture with the caption: "All animals want to live, where would you draw the line?" And the picture was a line-up of animals from pet dogs and cats to wild life (deer, moose, buffalo) to farm animals (cows and pigs and lambs) to fowls (ducks, geese and chickens). And someone had drawn their lines: before the pet cat ("if it was the apocalypse"), before the cow ("normal day"), after the chicken ("if I wanted to [score] with a [beautiful] vegan").
It was kind of cute (and I mean no offense to vegans or vegetarians). But the timing was perfect for me! Where do we draw the line on sin?
Another Apostle, one of Peter's good friends, John wrote in I John 3, "Everyone who sins breaks the law! In fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that [Jesus] appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin! No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him."
Not to argue with John, but we all know that Paul has written, "All have sinned, and [all continue to] fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
So, what is John's intent here? What does he mean "No one who lives in Jesus keeps on sinning"? What do you think? [Last week we read Peter telling us to "be holy, just as God is holy!" Any sin is repugnant to God. In His perfect-ness, our imperfectness is unacceptable! Therefore, when we can sin and be OK with it, when we can sin and just brush it off with a "well, boys will be boys" attitude, when we can sin and excuse it to our genes or our upbringing or say "it's OK, God will forgive me" – then we are showing signs of NOT worshiping God and serving Him only, NOT abiding in Jesus, NOT following Him or obeying His commands, NOT loving Him!]
Where did John get this idea? Listen to him record the words of Jesus Himself: "842 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! … 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
Please. Hear me! No one can judge you about this but you yourself! And God! We are not given the freedom to judge each other as acceptable or not! But God is that judge! God has that authority! And God gives us the ability and the responsibility to judge ourselves (take the log out of our own eyes first)! That's what John's intention here is. That we would hold this up as a mirror and see ourselves in it! And repent. And receive the love God offers us in Jesus who takes away the sin of the world (to any/all who believe in His name!).
So how do we watch out for the varmints of sin that make their homes in the cracks of our faith? Last week, when we talked about being holy, living lives of holiness, because that is what God calls us to do, we talked about how the only way to even come close to that ideal is to be aware of the fact that we need Jesus, we need God's Holy Spirit, we need to wake up in the morning and recommit our lives that day to worship God and serve Him only, and to go to bed at night wondering where we missed the mark so that the next day might be a little better.
It means, to use the Apostle John's words, "abiding" in Christ. Abiding in Christ is a way of life that works itself out through the ups and downs of our spiritual journey. Even a simple longing for a new way of life, no matter how weak, is evidence of God already at work. We do not want more of God, we can't want more of God, if the Holy Spirit wasn't already at work.
Look again at today's reading from I Peter 2:1-5. Is there anything in this passage which gives you hope of God's love at work in you? Where do you see God transforming you into "living stones" full of God's love and usable in His Perfect Cathedral?
- Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit – are we less mean and less dishonest this week than last week? That's God's grace at work!
- Rid yourself of hypocrisy – are we more sincere and honest today than yesterday? That's God's power in our lives!
- Rid yourself of envy – yes, even wishing we had it as "good" as our neighbor is a sinful varmint staking a claim on our heart – can we live with more generosity and less greed this year than we did last year? That's God's mercy revealing itself in us.
- Rid yourself of slander of every kind – are our words more in the arena of helpfulness this morning than they were last week? That's a sign of God's presence dwelling in us.
Peter says that as we come to Jesus, the living Stone, we become living stones, being built into a spiritual house.
And wherever we discover cracks in our lives, places where a sin has taken root and started to grow through – that doesn't mean we're all through, that we might as well just give up and give in. Just the opposite. This is when we best hear those words from the Apostle John, in I John 3:5, "You know that [Jesus] appeared so that He might take away our sins." He does that through His life and death and resurrection – and through our simply believing in Him as the Son of God who died for us while we were still sinning that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!
So, where are the "cracks" in this wing of the Cathedral of God – this wing being LPC, or even your particular place in His Holy Temple? What sins, both LPC corporate sins and personal sins in each of our own lives, need to be repented of?
How does God's forgiveness of our sins repair the cracks?
And what "step toward holiness" is the step you will take today? In what ways will the world around us be blessed, maybe even be saved, by our "growing up in our salvation"?
This Easter Season, this Resurrection Season, this Pentecost Season, let's watch for the sin that we let hide in the cracks of our faith!
If you heard God calling your name today, if you sense that Christ's death and resurrection was meant for you today, if you want your life to withstand life's storms today – drop a note in the Offering Plate, and I'll get with you later this week. Let's dedicate, rededicate, our rocky past into service as living stones today!
Let's rid ourselves of the "varmints", and become sturdy stones in God's Cathedral! Amen!
Happy Pentecost Season! Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!
Bettridge, Becce; Living Stones: The Making of an Eternal Fellowship; Presbyterians for Renewal; Louisville, KY; 2012; Pp. 49-56.
McRaven, Charles; Building with Stone; Storey Pub.; North Adams, MA; 1989.


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Credit Associates, Inc.
- Collections
A Montana Corporation, Credit Associates, Inc. has been successfully collecting accounts since 1944. In that time, we have met the needs of our clients by expanding our statewide coverage to include; InnerMountain Collections in Helena, and Collection Center Inc. in Kalispell. Also in 1990 we developed an outsourcing company, PARM, which handles long term self-pay billing.
Our staff is dedicated to making our customer #1. With over 100 years of combined expertise in the collection field, your concerns are handled quickly and accurately. Our collectors are certified by the ACA (American Collectors Association).
Whom to Contact
- Mark NashPresident


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Download and print our quick packs brochure!
Quick pack breakfast burritos – $27.50
Six breakfast burritos with eggs, cheese, green chiles and choice of meat
Quick pack cinnful cinnamon rolls – $12.50
Six homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing
Quick pack beirox
Six traditional beirox with cheese – $25.00
Six traditional beirox without cheese – $22.50
Quick pack pigs in a blanket – $17.50
Six of our favorite pigs in a blanket
Belmar Bakery's breakfast quick packs are available on a first come, first serve basis. These treats are perfect for meetings, groups, gifts, and more! It is recommended you call a day ahead for a guaranteed order.


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Dora J. Wagener
Welcome to the Mesquite High School Japanese Program. Here at Mesquite High School, students have the opportunity to take 4 years of Japanese with the last 2 years available for honors and dual enrollment (for 20 college credits by the end of 4th year!!). As students progress through the levels of Japanese, they will be required to memorize vocabulary, learn and apply grammatical concepts, and understand and synthesize cultural norms within the context of each unit. Students will demonstrate their abilities to read, write, understand and speak Japanese in each unit through performance projects and assessments. It will be a challenge but it will also be fun!
今日は!My name is Dora Wagener but most students call me,"Sensei." I have been teaching Japanese for 18 years and teaching overall for 20 years. I have been using Japanese to communicate my entire life as I am half Japanese, and I have a very persistent Japanese mother. I have spent most of the summers of my life going back to Japan to visit family and friends. The Japanese language is near and dear to my heart, and my hope is: students will enjoy learning Japanese as much as I enjoy teaching it. I look forward to working with you this year. Please contact me via email if you have any questions or concerns.


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hey every1, I am Bp3500, youtube LP-er, Runescape/funorb/flash game player, and Webcomic reader.
I found OL through Macc's HQ, which I found through the Macc's FARTS/Bob and George crossover in BobandGeorge. I got into Webcomics a few years ago, through a site simply called "Jish's Junk," Jish being youtube user bikdiponabus, my fav LP-er on Utube.
well, enough about me.
This thread is dedicated to the possible ressurection of the webcomic, Online Life, by Everyone's /other/ favorite spoony bard, Spoonybard. I want people's support about it's ressurection, which /will/ happen.
Even if I have to hack myself into Spoony's hard drive and use a pheonix down, about 15 elixers, and 5 reraise spells on it. (can't think of a clever emote for it... oh, I know!)
I started reading OL about 3 days ago, and finished it yesterday. (sue me for having no life, friends are hard to come by when you are an Autistic RPG-loving video game player that despises Call of Duty solely because it stole half the world from liking classic games.) I was sad to see it wasn't finished, and almost cried. Hopefully, my (and others, if they want to join me) wishful... wishes reach Spoony's mind... or something like that.
To X2K
For your sake, I tried my very best not to sound like a lamer just so that you don't ragnarok buster me into oblivion.
To Zero
Sorry for kinda sorta doing what I did with my avatar. It's the only avatar I have, and I always thought Zero was cool. ^_^"


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NGAWire(R) | 09Mar15
My BMW Charity Pro-Am playing partner Alex Cejka won his first PGA Tour event yesterday, the 2015 Puerto Rico Open.
It took Alex a sudden death playoff to defeat four other players and claim the winners check of $540,000, but more importantly an addtional 2 year exemption on the tour.
NOTEWORTH – Our BMW Pro-Am groupmate Miguel Angel Carballo also had a good weekend, finishing in a tie for 2nd at the Web.com Tour's 2015 Cartagena de Indias at Karibana Championship Presented by Prebuild, claiming a cool $61,600.


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Here is an interesting site. It is a storeless shopping site where manufacturers display their household items directly. Coupons, if available, are subtracted from purchases and always free shipping. The idea is big savings by factory direct with multiple manufactures, like Tide, etc.
Manufacturers set their own prices and receive all of that revenue. The site makes money by giving the companies spending data, advertising space, and distributing samples for them to targeted customers. It allows price comparisons and just opened in June, so might have a few bugs for a while, but an interesting concept to save money on the mundane items we use everyday. Sorry, not available in Alaska or Hawaii.


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With roots in the very origins of electronic music, AIRA is the new series of products designed to meet the evolving needs of today's electronic musicians. In the studio or on the stage, AIRA brings genre-defining sound and modern performance features to a new generation.
First Public Showing Feb 2014:


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When I was a kid, I asked for and got an electric typewriter as a present. I haven't stopped banging away at keys since. This is supposed to illustrate how passionately I've always loved writing but, really, all it does is prove that I predate technology.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Book Launch Day: Committed, Episode 5 is now available!
When Ella Mikowski decided to plan her dream wedding, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. As if juggling her career and the millions of wedding planning details isn't enough, it seems that anything that can go wrong does go wrong. Will Ella manage to make it down the aisle with her sanity intact?
Episode 5: Masato makes a deal with Ella: one date, no talking about the wedding. But some bad sushi turns their relaxing evening into an unmitigated disaster.
Committed, Episode 5 is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.
Psst: My book, The Eye of the Beholder, is currently on sale for 99c on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo! It'll be back to regular price soon, so get your copy now!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Japan has been traditionally slow to open its markets to foreign products and the country's farmers have always had special protection. Foreign beef is taxed at 38.5%, but this is nothing compared to wheat (252%), butter (360%), beans (403%) and rice (778%).
Project OverviewEat works with B+LNZ to develop and execute its annual marketing program. Given the strength of competition, we focus very specifically on the product's points of differentiation, highlighting its taste as well as the health and sustainability benefits for the Japanese consumer. Strong, distinctive branding sets the product apart online and in print, with recipe competitions and collaborations with celebrity chefs to promote the best ways to cook. Hotel and supermarket promotions around the country, including NZ wine pairings, reinforce the message, while sponsorship of events like the Naha marathon reinforce the health benefits of grass-fed beef.
Project Disciplines
- Web
- Events
- Content Creation
- Photography
- Video


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The Poco baby hammock travel bag enables you to take your baby hammock anywhere with you. The Poco baby hammock can be dissemble in... More →
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Pack of two fitted raw cotton sheets 100% cotton, for use with Poco baby hammock only.
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Replacement spring cover to conceal your hammock spring, available in raw cotton or white 100% cotton. More →
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SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) - Australia have brought in striker Tomi Juric for Tuesday's must-win Group C encounter with Peru.
With only two goals in two games so far, the Socceroos have Juric in place of Andrew Nabbout up front in a bid to score goals and avoid an early exit.
Australia must win and Denmark must lose to France in the other Group C game for the Aussies to have any chance of progressing to the knock-out stage. Peru, who lost their two opening games, are already out.
The Peruvians made two changes from the team that started their last match, a 1-0 loss to France. Anderson Santamaria and Renato Tapia both start for the South Americans.
(This version of the story corrects headline to say one change, not two).
Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Hugh Lawson


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First Favourite Review
Posted on 27. Jun, 2013 by kenatodahl99 in ReviewsWelcome and let me introduce myself. I'm Ken Atodahl. I am a computer programmer. I have been programming a script designed to delve into the sometimes cloudy realm of Clickbank products (What's Clickbank?). In this article I'm taking a look at First Favourite.
My job is to assemble as much information on the product as possible, provide you with that data, and then evaluate it myself. My overall goal is to help you decide whether or not you should purchase it. Why don't we get going…
Product Info
This is the product information part of the review. I've obtained this data from the product's website and from a publicly available Clickbank RSS feed.
|Product Name:
|First Favourite
|Product Release Date
|12th June, 2013
| First Favourites – GBP97
Product Stats
Here are several stats on the product. Again, I've collected this information from the publicly available Cb feed.
|Total EPS
|Weighted Sales Rank (100 max)
|Estimated refund rate for First Favourites at GBP97
Other data
More miscellaneous data on First Favourite gathered from Google and the product's homepage.
|Website registered:
|Website Registered to:
|Website trust rank:
|See here
Precisely what do the figures tell me? Well, the most important statistic for me is always the estimated refund rate. I gain this from examining the EPS figure, which would be 50% of the price, take away the Clickbank fee, if there were no refunds. If those don't match up then either
(a) refunds were requested (b) the merchant changed the price (c) the seller is selling multiple items via the same account (d) I've estimated the price wrongly aboveSo, as you can see, it isn't really, regrettably, the most accurate of stats. Here however, if it is accurate at 15.86 it is about averge, suggesting that the product is of a reasonably high quality.
An additional statistic we can look at is called the Gravity. This offers us an idea of the number of affiliates that have been selling the product (unsure what an affiliate is? See this link). Products with large amounts of gravity are really well-known ones, but that does not necessarily mean they are any good. In the same way, low gravity products, might be very good but simply haven't got the recognition yet. For this particular product the gravity of 5 is standard.
First Favourite Bonus
As I stated on our about us page, payment for every product evaluated on the site is processed by Clickbank. This means that if click through to the vendor by way of a hyperlink on this page and then end up purchasing, we get paid. In return, we want to provide you with a First Favourite bonus
Your reviews
As a mere programmer, my reviewing skills are a little limited. What I really need is your assistance! If you have any thoughts or experience on this product, be sure to tell me below.