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Paris Tech Studio
Benjamin Cichostepski-Lesage leads Orrick's Technology Companies Group in France from the Paris Tech Studio.
Ben is the founding partner of Orrick's French Tech Companies Group. For more than 15 years, he has been advising high-potential innovative companies as well as Venture and Tech Growth investors on all their corporate private equity and M&A transactions in France and worldwide.
As such, he is involved in every stage of their development, from incubation and fundraising to external growth and industrial exits as well as public offerings (IPO, secondary).
Ben has notably a recognized experience in assisting French companies seeking to establish themselves in the United States. He assists French start-ups throughout their growth overseas as well as a clientele of American investors or buyers.
From his first venture deal in 2006, where he represented Lightspeed Venture Partners in Wikio's Series A, which became Teads, a company that he then accompanied for 11 years until its sale to Altice, Ben has led more than 260 Corporate Tech transactions and has been involved in the main exit transactions in recent years, particularly Franco-American ones (Neolane/Adobe, La Fourchette/TripAdvisor, Stupeflix/GoPro, eNovance/Red Hat, Regaind, Zenly/Snap, Teads/Altice, Getaround/Drivy, Glose/Medium, Sqreen/Datadog, Lalilo/Renaissance Learning, Tempow/Google, Context/Integral Ad Science, Monk/ACV Auctions, Cajoo/Flink).
Ben's leadership has contributed to placing the firm's Tech practice in the Top 3 of most active law firms in France (Capital Finance's ranking of "the most active law firms in French venture capital" in 2019, 2020 and 2021 – Capital Finance is the weekly business newsletter of Les Echos, the French equivalent of FT and WSJ –, PitchBook's 2023 ranking).
Recognized as a key lawyer in the market in Venture and Tech Growth, Ben is ranked as the most active tech lawyer in France in 2019 by transaction volume in CFNews' ranking (February 2020 – CFNews is the French equivalent of PitchBook and focuses on private equity data). He is also ranked by Chambers Europe and The Legal 500 EMEA in Private Equity - Venture Capital/Growth Capital since 2020. He was voted "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers France in the Venture Capital category.
Ben is the founder of Orrick Paris Tech Studio, a one of a kind office and working space created in June 2022 and located in the heart of the Paris Tech scene, which is the headquarters of Orrick's French Tech practice.
Representative transactions include the following:
Companies and founders
2 minute read | March.07.2023


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Walking along a quiet, narrow street in downtown Madaba, Jordan in late September, I'm on…
Thoughts on Life by a Young Woman Living in Palestine
Life is a chance, chase it!
From the first breath we took in this life until the last breath we'll take, the in between is full of chances.
When we came to this world it's our chance to live and live well. When we meet people it's our chance to know them and to make friends, to share with them part of our life and to spend with them amazing moments full of peace and love. It's our chance to get a place in their heart and to leave a positive impact in their life.
In the different life stages, the concept of the "chance" is different. That is what I realized through time passing and changes of stages in my life, even though I've lived in this world only 21 years.
What exactly let me realize what I've mentioned above is seeing and hearing people's stories as well as situations that happened to me, I haven't discovered the value of things in this life as a "chance" until I got the feeling of losing things and people. I didn't realize the value of health and life, until I saw one of my relatives suffering from cancer which ended with death. Then I realized that it's my chance to keep healthy and chase every moment with happiness and kindness with people around me as much as I can.
And it changed perspective of thinking concerning life and what it contains. When I couldn't do well in academic drawing class in university and my teacher told me "you may fail," I lost hope in that moment and I felt that I'm a loser. But when I returned back to my house and practiced hard, then I succeeded. After that I realized the worth of working hard and chasing the chance of free time, to invest it with something worthwhile which means a lot to me.
So many chances , but those two situations have had the most effect on me and taught me lessons that help me as long as my life is going on. I know that other people or even perhaps you yourself may have faced a situation harder than I faced, but the important thing is to take it as a chance to make your life better. There is dawn after darkness , so we always must take things easy and be positive, to turn sadness into happiness and to turn failure into success.
I hope you all stay in peace through your journey in this life.
By: Haneen Owda

subset: commoncrawl


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An Apology
I have an apology to make this week. It's long overdue and offered with genuine remorse and a commitment to improve in the future. It's to all the people that we Restorative Practices practitioners have bamboozled and possibly turned off RP over the years with our language. I know we've done it. You know we've done it. You know who are you if you've been on the receiving end and I, for one, am sorry. Not everyone is ready to hear (or likes hearing) terms such as Social Discipline Window, Innate Affects, Re-integrative Shame (it actually sounds bad to me when you put them all together), and other such terms. So today, by way of making amends I'm going to simplify things and say what I think RP is, based on my personal experience this year. I have left names out to protect people's modesty (not that some of the people below are in any way modest...). So what is RP?
RP is a school caretaker at the gate greeting every student between neighbouring primary and secondary schools every day with a smile and a hello. It won't be the only the smile they get every day, but it's the first one and it sets the tone, and I appreciated it when I got one.
RP is twenty people in a room with balloons tied around their ankles, leaping around and everyone trying to burst everyone else's balloon until only one remained. Truly a crazy and wonderful sight to behold at the same time.
RP is someone helping you with an IT problem and coming back two weeks later when they thought of a better solution to let you know about that too.
RP is someone entertaining the entire canteen with a 100 stories of life growing up in the North, but without resorting to the easy temptation of showing disrespect to the tradition up there that we don't understand.
RP is being pinched on the bum by your colleague (in a good way I mean.... not that I like being pinched in the bum ordinarily, you understand.... it was, well, just well intended and well received.... very innocent like.... you know what I mean?.... I'm not advocating everyone do this now you hear?.... Oh Jesus, do I need to submit this blog to the legal department first?)
RP is someone feeling safe enough to say they're "only getting this RP thing now" when they've been trained and working it for years. We understand it takes time.
RP is having two check-in circles a day instead of one (or none) where everyone laughs and the day just goes quicker. Try it for yourselves. It only takes a few minutes.
RP is getting eight people into a human knot and not knowing if or when they're ever going to get out (they did get out in the end by the way)
RP is challenging people and not knowing if they'll like it, but then having them come back and say "thanks for challenging me"
RP is staff and young people in a care home playing 'Stop The Bus' on a Sunday morning and having a laugh
RP is teaching a group of worried parents the concept of Extinction Burst Theory, but having the common sense not to use the term Extinction Burst Theory and, instead, use the analogy of waiting for the lift to explain it -(that guy knew how to simplify things)
RP is 100 small things we do every day that makes life and living better
RP is two teachers who've been working hard to make a difference with their students all morning, finding time every day at lunch to discuss how to make a difference with those same students for the afternoon
RP is watching grown men and women reconnect with their youth playing Lego - and getting competitive into the bargain
RP is watching adults have fun (we know kids do it, but we adults forget)
RP is nothing new. It's common sense. BUT, here's the thing. It's great if you or me can do it. But, if we can't tell someone what it is we are doing, or teach the next person, then how do we spread it? RP is a bunch of big words we use to explain something that's very simple and as old as mankind.
RP is an attempt at a common language.
RP is again sorry for over complicating RP and will try not to do it as much in the future.
Ian Sheehan
11/12/2018 10:57:47 am
Enjoyed that...keeps us grounded. Well done.
11/13/2018 12:51:44 pm
Smiling away here to myself, thanks.
Annie Barry
11/12/2018 11:02:55 am
Love this one Joe. It made me laugh and even tear up (just a little). You're right on the nail - very well said.
Trish Gordon
11/12/2018 11:13:25 am
Love it Joe!
Claire Power
11/12/2018 05:35:00 pm
Hi I never heard of R P until recently and now that I have started reading your blog I love it and it makes perfect sense
Molly Doherty
11/12/2018 08:31:24 pm
Joe I really love the way you write, you have a great way with words and I'm delighted that I got the opportunity to meet you at RP training because you're personality also comes across in your articles, 100% genuine!
Mandy Rickard
11/12/2018 10:49:35 pm
Joe, well said! You are so right, the language can alienate people. Let's keep it simple. RP is such a better way of thinking, talking n behaving that makes everybody's world a better place! Keep on blogging n helping us keep RP at the front of our minds
Andy Battell
11/13/2018 01:29:43 pm
Lovely Jubbly.
Leave a Reply.
Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.
February 2022


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Ely, England, 28 May, 2010 – IT Governance (ITG), the one-stop shop for compliance expertise, is marking the inaugural International Green IT Awareness Week by expanding its range of Green IT books and products and launching a special offer on its e-books range.
Taking place on June 1-7 2010, International Green IT Awareness Week is being organised by non-profit organisation ComputersOff.org to promote environmentally sustainable IT. Through a programme of activities, training and presentations, organisations will be encouraged to adopt Green IT policies and collaborate to advance best practices.
To coincide with the event, IT Governance will be publishing the second edition of Gary Hird's book Green IT in Practice. Praised by 'Information Age' magazine as a "valuable, clear primer" and "refreshingly free of consulting gobbledispeak", Green IT in Practice advises on Green IT implementation based upon Hird's experiences at major UK retailers the John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose. The book's second edition provides an update on progress at both organisations and reflects the latest advances in best practice.
Hird's book is just the latest addition to IT Governance's specialist online Green IT store, which brings together all the best books for learning about Green IT and the tools needed to apply it in practice.
The many other books available from IT Governance include independently-published works, such as the Harvard Business Review on Green Business Strategy, and IT Governance's own range of expert books and pocket guides, including Greening the Data Centre.
For organisations pursuing compliance with ISO14001, the environmental management system, IT Governance offers a range of specialist books and resources, including a labour-saving ISO14001 Documentation Toolkit.
In line with good Green IT practice, IT Governance offers many of its works in downloadable e-book format. During International Green IT Awareness Week, the company will offer an added incentive to digital readers by taking 10% off the purchase price of its entire e-book range.
Alan Calder, Chief Executive of IT Governance, says: "As companies like the John Lewis Partnership are showing, Green IT isn't just good for the planet, it is good for business too. We applaud the organisers of International Green IT Awareness Week and are delighted to offer so many of the resources needed to convert good intentions into valuable deeds."
IT Governance's full range of Green IT products can be found at: http://www.itgovernance.co.uk/catalog/343. Visitors wishing to claim the 10% e-book discount should enter the voucher code: ITGPDOWNLOAD.


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Based on promising results with adults, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) presents as a treatment opportunity for depressed adolescents. We present a pilot study that compares ACT with treatment as usual (TAU), using random allocation of participants who were clinically referred to a psychiatric outpatient service. Participants were 30 adolescents, aged M = 14.9 (SD = 2.55), with 73.6% in the clinical range for depression. At posttreatment on measures of depression participants in the ACT condition showed significantly greater improvement statistically (d = 0.38), and 58% showed clinically reliable change with a response ratio of 1.59 in favor of ACT. Outcomes from 3-month follow-up data are tentative due to small numbers but suggest that improvement increased in magnitude. Measures of global functioning showed statistically significant improvement for both conditions, although clinical change measures favored only the ACT condition. The results support conducting a larger trial of ACT for the treatment of adolescent depression.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention on risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and markers of inflammation and endothelial function in overweight and obese men. DESIGN: Nonrandomized prospective lifestyle intervention study with pre-post design. SETTING AND LOCATION: Integral Health Clinic, an outpatient facility providing yoga-based lifestyle intervention programs for prevention and management of chronic diseases. SUBJECTS: Overweight and obese men (n=51) were enrolled in the study. Subjects who were physically unable to participate and those participating in other interventions were excluded from the study. INTERVENTION: A pretested intervention program including asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), group discussions, lectures, and individualized advice. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was weight loss, and the secondary outcome measures were clinical and laboratory correlates of CVD risk, levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), adiponectin, and endothelin-1 (ET-1). RESULTS: Men (n=51, body mass index [BMI] 26.26±2.42 kg/m(2)) were enrolled and underwent a yoga-based lifestyle intervention for 10 days. Of 51 subjects, 30 completed the study. There was a significant reduction in weight from Baseline to Day 10 (74.60±7.98, 72.69±8.37 kg, p<0.001, respectively), BMI (26.26±2.42, 25.69±2.47 kg/m(2), p<0.001, respectively), and systolic BP (121.73±11.58, 116.73±9.00, p=0.042, respectively). There was a significant reduction in plasma IL-6 from Baseline to Day 10 (median 2.24 vs. 1.26 pg/mL, respectively, p=0.012). There was a significant increase in the plasma adiponectin from Baseline to Day 10 (median 4.95 vs. 6.26 μg/mL, respectively, p=0.014). Plasma ET-1 level remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that even a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention may be an important modality to reduce the risk for CVD as indicated by weight loss, reduction in systolic blood pressure, an increase in adiponectin, and decrease in IL-6 in overweight and obese men.
Adolescence is a time of change that can be both exciting and stressful. In this review, we focus on the central role that disturbed sleep and daytime sleepiness occupies in interactions involving substance abuse and negative health, social, and emotional outcomes. As a means of improving sleep and lowering risk for recidivism of substance abuse, we developed and implemented a six-session group treatment to treat sleep disturbances in adolescents who have received treatment for substance abuse. The components of the treatment are stimulus control instructions, use of bright light to regularize sleep, sleep hygiene education, cognitive therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Preliminary evidence indicates that participants who completed four or more sessions in the treatment program showed improved sleep and that improving sleep may lead to a reduction in substance abuse problems at the 12-month follow-up.
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Children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome occasionally exhibit aggressive behavior against peers and parents. In a multiple baseline design across subjects, three adolescents with Asperger syndrome were taught to use a mindfulness-based procedure called Meditation on the Soles of the Feet to control their physical aggression in the family home and during outings in the community. They were taught to shift the focus of their attention from the negative emotions that triggered their aggressive behavior to a neutral stimulus, the soles of their feet. Prior to training in the mindfulness-based procedure the adolescents had moderate rates of aggression. During mindfulness practice, which lasted between 17 and 24 weeks, their mean rates of aggression per week decreased from 2.7, 2.5 and 3.2 to 0.9, 1.1, and 0.9, respectively, with no instances observed during the last 3 weeks of mindfulness practice. No episodes of physical aggression occurred during a 4-year follow-up. This study suggests that adolescents with Asperger syndrome may successfully use a mindfulness-based procedure to control their aggressive behavior.
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Adolescents with conduct disorder frequently engage in aggressive and disruptive behaviors. Often these behaviors are controlled or managed through behavioral or other psychosocial interventions. However, such interventions do not always ensure lasting changes in an adolescent's response repertoire so that he or she does not engage in aggression when exposed to the same situations that gave rise to the behavior previously. Mindfulness training provides a treatment option that helps an individual focus and attend to conditions that give rise to maladaptive behavior.Using a multiple baseline design,we assessed the effectiveness of a mindfulness training procedure in modulating the aggressive behavior of three adolescents who were at risk of expulsion from school because of this behavior. The adolescents were able to learn the mindfulness procedure successfully and use it in situations that previously occasioned aggressive behavior.This led to large decreases in the aggression of all three individuals. Follow-up data showed that the adolescents were able to keep their aggressive behavior at socially acceptable levels in school through to graduation. Maladaptive behaviors, other than aggression, that the adolescents chose not to modify, showed no consistent change during mindfulness training, practice, and follow-up.
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An emotion-modulated acoustic startle paradigm for inducing positive and negative affect was used to address pregoal and postgoal affect. Participants played a computerized lottery task in which they chose digits that could match a subsequently displayed, random set of numbers. In the positive conditions, matches led to monetary rewards. In the negative condition, matches led to an aversive noise blast. In three experiments, we found eyeblink startle magnitude was potentiated just prior to feedback concerning reward outcome, suppressed following the feedback that a monetary reward was won, and potentiated when threatened with an aversive noise. When presented with a 0%, 45%, 90%, or 100% chance of winning, higher probabilities suppressed startle response after feedback whereas the 45% trials did not. These data indicate that postgoal positive affect (winning reward) reliably suppressed the startle response whereas pregoal positive affect did not.

People can experience great distress when a group to which they belong (in-group) is perceived to have committed an immoral act. We hypothesised that people would direct hostility toward a transgressing in-group whose actions threaten their self-image and evoke collective shame. Consistent with this theorising, three studies found that reminders of in-group transgression provoked several expressions of in-group-directed hostility, including in-group-directed hostile emotion (Studies 1 and 2), in-group-directed derogation (Study 2), and in-group-directed punishment (Study 3). Across studies, collective shame-but not the related group-based emotion collective guilt-mediated the relationship between in-group transgression and in-group-directed hostility. Implications for group-based emotion, social identity, and group behaviour are discussed.

The primary taste cortex consists of the insula and operculum. Previous work has indicated that neurons in the primary taste cortex respond solely to sensory input from taste receptors and lingual somatosensory receptors. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show here that expectancy modulates these neural responses in humans. When subjects were led to believe that a highly aversive bitter taste would be less distasteful than it actually was, they reported it to be less aversive than when they had accurate information about the taste and, moreover, the primary taste cortex was less strongly activated. In addition, the activation of the right insula and operculum tracked online ratings of the aversiveness for each taste. Such expectancy-driven modulation of primary sensory cortex may affect perceptions of external events.
BACKGROUND: Autism is a syndrome of unknown cause, marked by abnormal development of social behavior. Attempts to link pathological features of the amygdala, which plays a key role in emotional processing, to autism have shown little consensus. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate amygdala volume in individuals with autism spectrum disorders and its relationship to laboratory measures of social behavior to examine whether variations in amygdala structure relate to symptom severity. DESIGN: We conducted 2 cross-sectional studies of amygdala volume, measured blind to diagnosis on high-resolution, anatomical magnetic resonance images. Participants were 54 males aged 8 to 25 years, including 23 with autism and 5 with Asperger syndrome or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, recruited and evaluated at an academic center for developmental disabilities and 26 age- and sex-matched community volunteers. The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised was used to confirm diagnoses and to validate relationships with laboratory measures of social function. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Amygdala volume, judgment of facial expressions, and eye tracking. RESULTS: In study 1, individuals with autism who had small amygdalae were slowest to distinguish emotional from neutral expressions (P=.02) and showed least fixation of eye regions (P=.04). These same individuals were most socially impaired in early childhood, as reported on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (P<.04). Study 2 showed smaller amygdalae in individuals with autism than in control subjects (P=.03) and group differences in the relation between amygdala volume and age. Study 2 also replicated findings of more gaze avoidance and childhood impairment in participants with autism with the smallest amygdalae. Across the combined sample, severity of social deficits interacted with age to predict different patterns of amygdala development in autism (P=.047). CONCLUSIONS: These findings best support a model of amygdala hyperactivity that could explain most volumetric findings in autism. Further psychophysiological and histopathological studies are indicated to confirm these findings.
In this article we examine the role of appeasement in human emotion, social practice, and personality. We first present an analysis of human appeasement. Appeasement begins when the conditions of social relations lead one individual to anticipate aggression from others, is expressed in submissive, inhibited behavior, which in turn evokes inferences and emotions in others that bring about social reconciliation. Our empirical review focuses on two classes of human appeasement: reactive forms of appeasement, including embarrassment and shame, which placate others after social transgressions; and anticipatory forms of appeasement, including polite modesty and shyness, which reduce the likelihood of social conflict and aggression. Our review of the empirical evidence indicates that embarrassment, shame, modesty, and shyness share the eliciting conditions, submissive behavior, and social consequences of appeasement. We conclude by discussing social processes that allow humans to appease one another, such as teasing, and those that prevent appeasement, such as legal and negotiation practices, to the benefit and detriment of human relations. Aggr. Behav. 23:359–374, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In this experiment, we combined the measurement of observable facial behavior with simultaneous measures of brain electrical activity to assess patterns of hemispheric activation in different regions during the experience of happiness and disgust. Disgust was found to be associated with right-sided activation in the frontal and anterior temporal regions compared with the happy condition. Happiness was accompanied by left-sided activation in the anterior temporal region compared with disgust. No differences in asymmetry were found between emotions in the central and parietal regions. When data aggregated across positive films were compared to aggregate negative film data, no reliable differences in brain activity were found. These findings illustrate the utility of using facial behavior to verify the presence of emotion, are consistent with the notion of emotion-specific physiological patterning, and underscore the importance of anterior cerebral asymmetries for emotions associated with approach and withdrawal.

Interest in mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents is burgeoning, bringing with it the need for validated instruments to assess mindfulness in youths. The present studies were designed to validate among adolescents a measure of mindfulness previously validated for adults (e.g., Brown & Ryan, 2003), which we herein call the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale—Adolescent (MAAS–A). In 2 large samples of healthy 14- to 18-year-olds (N = 595), Study 1 supported a single-factor MAAS–A structure, along with acceptably high internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and both concurrent and incremental validity. In Study 2, with a sample of 102 psychiatric outpatient adolescents age 14–18 years, participants randomized to a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention showed significant increases in MAAS–A scores from baseline to 3-month follow-up, relative to nonsignificant score changes among treatment-as-usual participants. Increases in MAAS–A scores among mindfulness-based stress reduction participants were significantly related to beneficial changes in numerous mental health indicators. The findings support the reliability and validity of the MAAS–A in normative and mixed psychiatric adolescent populations and suggest that the MAAS–A has utility in mindfulness intervention research.

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This article presents 4 studies (N = 1,413) describing the development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). In Study 1 (n = 428), the authors determined procedures for item development and examined comprehensibility of the initial 25 items. In Study 2 (n = 334), they reduced the initial item pool from 25 to 10 items through exploratory factor analysis. Study 3 (n = 332) evaluated the final 10-item measure in a cross-validation sample, and Study 4 (n = 319) determined validity coefficients for the CAMM using bivariate and partial correlations with relevant variables. Results suggest that the CAMM is a developmentally appropriate measure with adequate internal consistency. As expected, CAMM scores were positively correlated with quality of life, academic competence, and social skills and negatively correlated with somatic complaints, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing behavior problems. Correlations were reduced but generally still significant after controlling for the effects of 2 overlapping processes (thought suppression and psychological inflexibility). Overall, results suggest that the CAMM may be a useful measure of mindfulness skills for school-aged children and adolescents.

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The authors examined the hypothesis that rhesus monkeys with extreme right frontal electroencephalographic activity would have higher cortisol levels and would be more fearful compared with monkeys with extreme left frontal activity. The authors first showed that individual differences in asymmetric frontal electrical activity are a stable characteristic. Next, the authors demonstrated that relative right asymmetric frontal activity and cortisol levels are correlated in animals 1 year of age. Additionally, extreme right frontal animals had elevated cortisol concentrations and more intense defensive responses. At 3 years of age, extreme right frontal animals continued to have elevated cortisol concentrations. These findings demonstrate important relations among extreme asymmetric frontal electrical activity, cortisol levels, and trait-like fear-related behaviors in young rhesus monkeys.
We conducted assessments of 28 children with impaired vision (VI group), with ages ranging from 12 to 17 years, and an equal number of age-matched, normal-sighted children (NS group). The VI group had significantly higher rates of breathing, heart rates, and diastolic blood pressure values compared to the NS group (Mann–Whitney U test). Twenty-four of the VI group formed pairs matched for age and degree of blindness, and we randomly assigned members of the pairs to two groups, viz., yoga and physical activity. Both groups spent an hour each day practicing yoga or working in the garden, depending on their group. After 3 weeks, the yoga group showed a significant decrease in breath rate (Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test). There was no change after the physical activity program. The results showed that children with visual impairment have higher physiological arousal than children with normal sight, with a marginal reduction in arousal following yoga.
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BACKGROUND: Studies using electroencephalogram (EEG) measures of activation asymmetry have reported differences in anterior asymmetry between depressed and nondepressed subjects. Several studies have suggested reciprocal relations between measures of anterior and posterior activation asymmetries. We hypothesized that depressed subjects would fail to show the normal activation of posterior right hemisphere regions in response to an appropriate cognitive challenge. METHODS: EEG activity was recorded from 11 depressed and 19 nondepressed subjects during the performance of psychometrically matched verbal (word finding) and spatial (dot localization) tasks. Band power was extracted from all epochs of artifact-free data and averaged within each condition. Task performance was also assessed. RESULTS: Depressed subjects showed a specific deficit in the performance of the spatial task, whereas no group differences were evident on verbal performance. In posterior scalp regions, nondepressed controls had a pattern of relative left-sided activation during the verbal task and relative right-sided activation during the spatial task. In contrast, depressed subjects failed to show activation in posterior right hemisphere regions during spatial task performance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that deficits in right posterior functioning underlie the observed impairments in spatial functioning among depressed subjects.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most commonly known genetic disorder associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Overlapping features in these populations include gaze aversion, communication deficits, and social withdrawal. Although the association between FXS and ASD has been well documented at the behavioral level, the underlying neural mechanisms associated with the social/emotional deficits in these groups remain unclear. We collected functional brain images and eye-gaze fixations from 9 individuals with FXS and 14 individuals with idiopathic ASD, as well as 15 typically developing (TD) individuals, while they performed a facial-emotion discrimination task. The FXS group showed a similar yet less aberrant pattern of gaze fixations compared with the ASD group. The FXS group also showed fusiform gyrus (FG) hypoactivation compared with the TD control group. Activation in FG was strongly and positively associated with average eye fixation and negatively associated with ASD characteristics in the FXS group. The FXS group displayed significantly greater activation than both the TD control and ASD groups in the left hippocampus (HIPP), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), right insula (INS), and left postcentral gyrus (PCG). These group differences in brain activation are important as they suggest unique underlying face-processing neural circuitry in FXS versus idiopathic ASD, largely supporting the hypothesis that ASD characteristics in FXS and idiopathic ASD reflect partially divergent impairments at the neural level, at least in FXS individuals without a co-morbid diagnosis of ASD.
The experience of aversion is shaped by multiple physiological and psychological factors including one's expectations. Recent work has shown that expectancy manipulation can alter perceptions of aversive events and concomitant brain activation. Accruing evidence indicates a primary role of altered expectancies in the placebo effect. Here, we probed the mechanism by which expectation attenuates sensory taste transmission by examining how brain areas activated by misleading information during an expectancy period modulate insula and amygdala activation to a highly aversive bitter taste. In a rapid event-related fMRI design, we showed that activations in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to a misleading cue that the taste would be mildly aversive predicted decreases in insula and amygdala activation to the highly aversive taste. OFC and rACC activation to the misleading cue were also associated with less aversive ratings of that taste. Additional analyses revealed consistent results demonstrating functional connectivity among the OFC, rACC, and insula. Altering expectancies of upcoming aversive events are shown here to depend on robust functional associations among brain regions implicated in prior work on the placebo effect.
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Purpose Evaluate impact of breathing awareness meditation (BAM), Botvin LifeSkills® Training (LST), and health education control (HEC) on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and sodium excretion in African American (AA) adolescents. Methods Following three consecutive days of systolic blood pressure (SBP) screenings, 166 eligible participants (i.e., SBP > 50th – 95th percentile) were randomized by school to either BAM (n = 53), LST (n= 69), or HEC (n=44). In-school intervention sessions were administered for three months by health education teachers. Before and after the intervention overnight urine samples and 24-hour ambulatory SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were obtained. Results Significant group differences were found for changes in overnight SBP and SBP, DBP and HR over the 24-hour period and during school hours. The BAM treatment exhibited the greatest overall decreases on these measures (Bonferroni adjusted, ps <.05). For example, for school-time SBP, BAM showed a change of −3.7 mmHg compared to no change for LST and a change of −0.1 mmHg for HEC. There was a non-significant trend for overnight urinary sodium excretion (p = .07) with the BAM group displaying a reduction of −.92 ± 1.1 mEq/hr compared to increases of .89 ± 1.2 mEq/hr for LST, and .58±0.9 mEq/hr for HEC group. Conclusion BAM appears to improve hemodynamic function and may impact sodium handling among AA adolescents at increased risk for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
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Despite the call for multilevel observation of negative affect, including multiple physiological systems, too little empirical research has been conducted in infants and young children, and physiology-affect associations are not consistently reported. We examined changes in heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and preejection period in 24-month-olds across four increasingly challenging, emotion-eliciting tasks. We predicted that changes in cardiac reactivity would be systematically related to changes in negative affect. Results largely support the predictions with one important exception. With increasing distress across the tasks, HR increased and RSA decreased. However, no significant changes in PEP were observed. HR was associated with negative affect during all tasks, and changes in HR were related to changes in negative affect. PEP and negative affect were associated, but only marginally so. Within-subject analyses confirmed the predicted associations. Finally, the associations between physiology and negative affect were different for boys and girls. We discuss these results in the context of implications for future research on cardiac-affect associations in young children.
The anterior medial prefrontal (AMPFC) and retrosplenial (RSC) cortices are active during self-referential decision-making tasks such as when participants appraise traits and abilities, or current affect. Other appraisal tasks requiring an evaluative decision or mental representation, such as theory of mind and perspective-taking tasks, also involve these regions. In many instances, these types of decisions involve a subjective opinion or preference, but also a degree of ambiguity in the decision, rather than a strictly veridical response. However, this ambiguity is generally not controlled for in studies that examine self-referential decision-making. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment with 17 healthy adults, we examined neural processes associated with subjective decision-making with and without an overt self-referential component. The task required subjective decisions about colors-regarding self-preference (internal subjective decision) or color similarity (external subjective decision) under conditions where there was no objectively correct response. Results indicated greater activation in the AMPFC, RSC, and caudate nucleus during internal subjective decision-making. The findings suggest that self-referential processing, rather than subjective judgments among ambiguous response alternatives, accounted for the AMPFC and RSC response.
We evaluated the efficacy of a mindful parenting program for changing parents' mindfulness, child management practices, and relationships with their early adolescent youth and tested whether changes in parents' mindfulness mediated changes in other domains. We conducted a pilot randomized trial with 65 families and tested an adapted version of the Strengthening Families Program: For Parent and Youth 10–14 that infused mindfulness principles and practices against the original program and a delayed intervention control group. Results of pre-post analyses of mother and youth-report data showed that the mindful parenting program generally demonstrated comparable effects to the original program on measures of child management practices and stronger effects on measures of mindful parenting and parent–youth relationship qualities. Moreover, mediation analyses indicated that the mindful parenting program operated indirectly on the quality of parent–youth relationships through changes in mindful parenting. Overall, the findings suggest that infusing mindful parenting activities into existing empirically validated parenting programs can enhance their effects on family risk and protection during the transition to adolescence.
Zotero Collections:
Some children show emotion that is not consistent with normative appraisal of the context and can therefore be defined as context inappropriate (CI). The authors used individual growth curve modeling and hierarchical multiple regression analyses to examine whether CI anger predicts differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, as manifest in salivary cortisol measures. About 23% of the 360 children (ages 6-10 years, primarily 7-8) showed at least 1 expression of CI anger in situations designed to elicit positive affect. Expression of anger across 2 positive assessments was less common (around 4%). CI anger predicted the hypothesized lower levels of cortisol beyond that attributed to context appropriate anger. Boys' CI anger predicted lower morning cortisol and flatter slopes. Results suggest that this novel approach to studying children's emotion across varying contexts can provide insight into affective style.


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The organisers behind the CTC York Cycle Show have confirmed the 2010 dates for the show as Saturday June 19th and Sunday 20th.
Over 10,000 cyclists are expected to attend the York Racecourse-set annual festival, which will see a Trade Exhibition and Sales area, a car-boot style 'saddlebag sale', rides and a range of attractions for attendees.
The show date confirmation comes after the World Cup draw. The show has avoided clashing with any England games, the nearest of which is played the evening before (Friday June 18th) against Algeria. A TV link for the match may be available for overnight campers.
Arena events will include championship grass track racing, vintage bike displays and a stunt show. The show will also see social rides led by local cyclists, leaving the Racecourse on Saturday morning June 19th with distances to suit all abilities. The CTC Ron Kitching Memorial Ride – one of the national series of CTC Challenge events – will take place on the North Yorkshire Moors.
Trade Exhibition and Sales marquees will provide show-goers with the chance to buy bikes, clothing and accessories. Trade companies interested in taking a stand should contact Show Secretary John taylorson on 07765 070120 or at firstname.lastname@example.com. A downloadable Trade Pack will soon be available on the website at www.yorkcycleshow.co.uk.
Visitors will also get the chance to bid for a bargain bike in the Auction sale, or pick up elusive bike bits at the car boot-style 'Saddlebag Sale'. Junior cycle challenge events and local entertainers are planned for younger visitors, while a 9am cyclist service at York Minster will take place on the Sunday, followed by a Grand Parade of some 1,000 cyclists returning to the Racecourse via the City centre.
Admission to most of the show will be free, with adult entry to the trade area costing £2.50. Camping and caravan pitches will be available at the Racecourse from Friday 18th pm to Monday 21st am. For full details head over the official site here.


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This is a film trailer for an upcoming documentary, that explains the new scientific theory in Nassim Haramein's physics paper titled "Quantum Gravity and the Holographic Mass".
Watch the NEW trailer and contribute to the completion of this film HERE: http://bit.ly/cuic-fb3
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Newcastle United 4 PNE 1
Ayoze Perez and Christian Atsu at either end of the first half sandwiched Jordan Hugill's excellent equaliser, but just after the hour mark the game turned when Paul Gallagher was sent off for handling on the line and Matt Ritchie converted the resulting penalty.
Perez grabbed a fourth from close range shortly after the sending off to give the scoreline an unfair reflection for the yellows and that was enough to secure a return to the top flight for the home side.
The opener came just seven minutes in. A corner had been won after Paul Huntington made an excellent block to turn Aleksandar Mitrovic's shot just around the right hand post, but from the resulting Ritchie corner from the right, Perez scrambled the ball in at the back post, with TV suggesting there was possibly a handball involved.
But this only gave the yellows a filip and they could have been level within four minutes. It came as a result of some superb passing as skipper Gallagher split open the Geordie defence, with a reverse pass to send Daniel Johnson clean through, but the returning Rob Elliot in the home goal made a superb one on one save to put it behind for a corner. From a quick corner, the ball was pulled back to Aiden McGeady who crossed in to find Huntington, but the centre half headed over against the club he started his career with.
But the equaliser arrived before the quarter hour mark from another superb break from PNE, with pace, this time down the left. Tom Barkhuizen raced away from a Hugill lay off and the Middlesbrough-born man kept on running and got into the box and onto the cross from the No.29 with the outside of his right boot, to divert the ball into the bottom right hand corner from 12 yards out, using his 'Alan Shearer' celebration in front of the famous Gallowgate End for his 13th goal of the season.
The visitors continued to be a threat on the pace, particularly through the pace of Barkhuizen and on 25 minutes Chris Maxwell claimed a Jonjo Shelvey corner and fired it long. The former Morecambe man collected the ball and ran away from Paul Dummett, but couldn't keep his shot down as he got into the right hand corner of the box.
But despite frustrating the home side and quietening the 50,000 plus crowd, Simon Grayson's men found themselves behind at the break. The second came right on the stroke of the interval, with North End looking comfortable. They gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch and United broke with pace with Mitrovic sliding the ball across for Atsu to fire home from ten yards out.
The home side were almost gifted a third in the opening minute of the second half, but Chris Maxwell made a fine save to deny Perez, after a loose ball in the box had fallen kindly for the former Bournemouth man.
The counter-attack option with the pace of Barkhuizen was still a major threat and from McGeady's through ball ten minutes into the second half he raced down the left and delivered left footed across the face of goal, but just in from of Hugill rushing through.
But on 64 minutes came the key point of the game as Gallagher was adjudged to have handled on the line to deny Rafa Benitez's men a third, was sent off by referee Andy Madley and Ritchie buried the resulting penalty into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.
Three soon became four as Ayoze Perez poked home from a yard out from a corner from the left that had been flicked on by Jamal Lascelles at the half's mid-point, which was anything but a scoreline the visitors deserved after a performance that until the red card had seen the home crowd getting edgy.
The remaining minutes were played out without too much goalmouth action; Maxwell denying substitute Daryl Murphy in injury time, but Newcastle United's fans were the ones celebrating at the end as they achieved promotion back to the top division at the first attempt.
Newcastle United line-up: Elliot, Clark, Dummett, Lascelles (c), Anita, Ritchie, Shelvey (Colback, 76), Haydem, Perez (Murphy, 83), Atsu (Gouffran, 68), Mitrovic. Subs not used: Darlow, Mbemba, Yedlin.
PNE line-up: Maxwell, Browning, Spurr, Browne, Boyle, Huntington, McGeady (Horgan, 72), Gallagher (c), Barkhuizen, Hugill, Johnson. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Vermijl, Beckford, Pringle, May, Robinson.
Attendance: 50,212 (523 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr A Madley


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Importance of technology
From CEOpedia | Management online
Importance of technology - this concept is connected with field of technology that deals with the process of shaping and modifying specified entity or information, development of new production systems or production processes. Technology has a beneficial effect on the result of market and efficiency organization[1].
Types of technology
There are several kinds of technology:
- Nanotechnology (a science department related to creation structure of atoms and molecules. It is a very popular and fast-growing science[2]. Nanotechnology is not only the production of specific plastics or materials, a very important application of nanotechnology is medicine. For example, by using nanoparticles, we can neutralize the adverse effect of medicines on live cells in the body. However nanotechnology in the food industry is used for the manufacture of packaging. There are packages that guarantee that food stays fresh for a long time.
- Biotechnology (a science department that uses biological processes to produce processes or products for a specific goal. This is a very well-known and used method for a very long time. For example, by fermentation of sugars and yeasts, we gain beer or dairy products. Biotechnology is also applicable in the field of recycling to protect the environment and clean it of impurities[3]. In the field of medicine, biotechnology is used in genetics (DNA chips).
- High-tech (a concept that has its purpose in advanced techniques and scientific discoveries, for example pharmacy, informatics, robotics or medicine).
- Machine construction technology (a concept that is characterized by knowledge in the field of electrical and mechanical engineering. Specified techniques allow to produce parts of machines or devices and their installations and constructions).
- Chemical technology (a concept related to knowledge in the field of chemical engineering, dealing with transforming specific raw materials into practical products. They are obtained during physical processes and chemical reactions, for example by distillation, extraction or absorption).
- Information technology (a concept related to the method of processing and obtaining information. It is a combination of telecommunications and informatics by using software and specific computer hardware allows to transfer, process, store and secure information. The recipient can analyze, select and use them).
- Educational technology (a concept related to using technological progress which the goal is to facilitating education for example use of interactive whiteboards or multimedia projectors, e-books, electronic legitimacy cards, e-learning or remote teaching).
- Digital technology (a concept related to using IT system and digital system. The main goal of digital technology is introducing to the economic sector devices and systems such as: television and digital radio (whose signal bypasses all distortions), digital photography (to capture frame in digital form), digital printing (to create a picture sent from a computer without the use of additional data medium), digital signature (method of verifying the authenticity of documents), electronic mail (mobile mail enabling communication with other users).
Threats of modern technology
The development and innovation of technology brings with it many possibilities but also threats such as:
- technical threats (resulting from theft or destruction of the database by man or computer viruses)
- psychological threats (addiction to the Internet, loss of entity in virtual life, which does not know difference between real and virtual life)
- legal threats (plagiarism for example copying of copyrights)
- social threats (exclusion the entity caused by social division)
- information threats (too much information, contradiction of information)
|Importance of technology — recommended articles
|Know-how — Technology — Technological innovations — Life cycle of technology — Knowledge economy — Innovation — Green Tech — Product development process — Technology research
- Al-Barakah F. N., Radwan S. M., Abdel-Aziz R. A. (2013). Using Biotechnology in Recycling Agricultural Waste for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Protection "International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences", vol. 2, no 12., p. 446-459
- Andersson U., Forsgren M., Pedersen T. (2001). Subsidiary performance in multinational corporations: the importance of technology embeddedness "International Business Review", vol. 10, p. 3-23
- Ertmer P. A. (1999). Addressing first - and second-order barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration "Educational Technology Research and Development", vol. 47, p. 47-61
- Huigang L., Yajiong X. (2009). Avoidance of Information Technology Threats: A Theoretical Perspective "MIS Quarterly", vol. 33, no. 1, p. 71-90
- Merrild H., Damgaard A., Christensen T. H. (2008). Life cycle assessment of waste paper management: The importance of technology data and system boundaries in assessing recycling and incineration "Resources, Conservation and Recycling", vol. 52, p. 1391-1398
- Mnyusiwalla A., Daar A. S., Singer P. (2003). 'Mind the gap': science and ethics in nanotechnology "Nanotechnology" vol. 14, no. 3
Author: Justyna Chłopek


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Doing your own taxes alone is difficult but thankfully, there are different apps that will make your life a whole lot simpler. You do want to take a look at them and simply see what you can use in order to be able to deal with taxes in a better way. It is not at all difficult to do the taxes when you use apps that are especially created for such a task and below you can find some of the best apps to help you do your taxes. Most of them are free, which is definitely something that you will love.
The IRS has a really bad reputation and most people hate this organization. While this is not about to change in the near future, this app is proof that the IRS can help you thanks to the fact that it offers a completely free app that works on both Android and iOS. You can use it in Spanish or English and allows the user to easily check refund status and even request tax records with the use of a Social Security number that is encrypted for security purposes. The app also allows you to access IRS official YouTube videos that can aid you, while being able to receive email updates. If you do apply, the app also allows you to get the help of a volunteer IRS Income Tax Assistant.
Most specialists highlight Mint.com as a tremendous online tool that can be used to help people with budgeting and personal finances. The app is capable of syncing to bank accounts and credit cards, allowing you to quickly figure out exactly what happens with all your finances. The Mint app obviously brings in the same functionality but there are also extra features that allow you to get even more help.
This is one app that is not useful for everyone. It is perfect for those that do make donations. You get to see approximate item values based on condition and age. Then, you can easily take a picture so that you have the necessary digital record. As taxes are done, the app can be picked up and aid you to gain a whole lot of time. The receipts can easily be sent to the accountant. However, the app is only available on iTunes and you need to pay $3 for them.
Expensify is an app that is aimed for those that do not need many different sophisticated features from such a tax app. Most of the paid apps designed for taxes simply include too many features. Expensify makes everything simpler. All that you have to do is download the app, available for free on most of the operating systems you would use on your smartphone.
This is quite a great app that helps you to organize practically anything in life from recipes to articles you found online. When combined with a simple receipt scanner, the app becomes really popular for tax purposes. All the taxes can become organized for the entire year. Taking pictures or scanning receipts helps you and Evernote will keep everything organized, based on the notes you set up. If you do not want to use the app on your phone, you can also use it on the PC as a simple computer app.


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Colour Blossoms (Uncut Version)
Colour Blossoms, while a Hong Kong production, gathers an attractive cast of pan-Asian models including the Chinese beauty, Teresa Cheung, male Japanese model, Sho, and the gorgeous Korean cult-icon, Ha Ri-su. His casting choices shouldn't be a surprise, since Yon Fan seems to care more about how his films look than their meaning. Luckily for him, the models spend less time talking than they do just looking good, and in a film that's about the darker side of love, having objects of lust is a great starting point. Specifically, Colour Blossoms is about the lengths we are willing to go for love. From the pangs of lust to the twisted cruelty of obsession, the intricate dynamics of pleasure and pain found in S&M, and the forbidden temptations of homo/lesbo erotica.
Mei Li (Cheung) is a Hong Kong real estate agent whose latest client, the eccentric, Japanese diva, Madame Umeki (played by eccentric, Japanese diva Keiko Matsuzaka) has asked her to find a renter for her elegant Prince Terrace apartment in her absence. As soon as Mei Li steps foot in the place, however, strange feelings seem to take hold of her. Could it be the underlying influence of the lavish apartment's many priceless antiquities? The apartment becomes a portal, if you will, by which Mei Li travels to a time where she can be free to live a life of decadence and fantasy, very much like Mme Umeki herself. For it is here, in this world of fantasy that she experiences her true nature, for, as the film repeats over and over and over, man is an animal. Meeting Ken (Sho), Mme Umeki's former lover, Mei Li quickly becomes enamored of him, but also finding herself falling under the lustful spell of a nameless, speechless police officer, #4708 (Carl Ng).
Playing with our preconceived ideas of human nature and desire (gee, that's a new concept), Yon Fan begins to manipulate the characters, pairing them off with one another in increasingly elaborate situations. We find Mei Li fall under the tutelage of Mistress Umeki in the ways of S&M. #4708 is always present, watching Mei Li in a voyeuristic pattern, following her to the very door of the Prince Terrace apartment. Mei Li shares Ken with a much younger Umkei (Ri-su) as they make love throughout time. Ken and #4708 meet time and again in the back alleys of Hong Kong for some casual encounters. The gloves come off, or on actually, as the S&M theme becomes dominant. The dark side of love is laid bare as nothing but pain, but through which we can transcend into pleasure.
The idea of pain being a universal truth which one can embrace and derive pleasure from is not a new one. The very nature of human beings and their ability to change themselves, as in the capacity to adapt something which is in place as a protective device, that of pain, and use it to feel alive, transcending the pain reflex and turning it to pleasure. This is something that I heard talked about time and again in the documentary Headspace, which featured actual practitioners of B&D/S&M and why they did it. Certainly the R-rated couplings and stylized vignettes of Colour Blossoms can't hold a candle to the real life exploits of the whips and chains crowd, but it also just scratches the surface of what is certainly an edgy and fascinating subject. Even with the dark and somewhat poetic ending, Yon Fan leaves us hanging, just wishing for something meaning to it all. Like the characters in Colour Blossoms, you will be unfulfilled and left wanting.
The DVD:
Picture: The film is presented in a 16:9 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio. The transfer looks absolutely amazing, with a beautiful visual aesthetic to much of the shot structures, and several colorful, eye-catching visual effects as well.
Audio: The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Track (w/English subs) sounds great. There is also a DTS Digital Surround track included. Not surprisingly for such an eclectic cast, but several languages are spoken throughout the film including Mandarin, Japanese and English. The soundtrack is also quite good and very evocative of the different moods that Yon Fan establishes onscreen.
Extras: Included as Extras on this 2-DVD set are a "Making-of" featurette, the "Solo River Blues" music video, biographies of the cast and crew (in Chinese), a stills gallery and the Original Theatrical Trailers.
Conclusion: There is no arguing that Colour Blossoms is a gorgeous looking movie, but the reason it looks so good is also the reason the movie is so bad. Director and former fashion photographer, Yon Fan, gives us style over substance. Not surprisingly, many directors suffer from this problem especially here in the U.S. In fact, I'd say that that is Hollywood's biggest problem right now, and one which has had me gravitating more and more to the slew of high-quality Asian imports. That being said, this is the Uncut Version of the film, so those of you that are fans of Yon Fan or this film already may want to pick it up. For the rest of you out there, feel free to Skip It.
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Now A Shoelace Is Racist
Can this world get any crazier? Liberals seemingly find racism in everything from trash and craft supplies to children's books and now… shoelaces.
First, it was a piece of plastic wrap at the University of Maryland, when a student saw a piece of plastic wrap lying on the ground and she said it looked like a noose and screamed racism. Then a customer walked into a Hobby Lobby, saw a cotton ball and screamed racism because it reminded her of slaves picking cotton. Last week, an elementary school librarian rejected First Lady Melania Trump's offer of free books because Dr. Seuss books are filled with "racist propaganda."
Now Michigan State University is stepping up the "everything is racist" game. MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon released a statement Wednesday morning saying she was "distressed" after finding out "a student reported a noose was hung outside of her room." Simon commended the student's "courage" for reporting the "racial incident" and put out a clear message. "This type of behavior is not tolerated on our campus," Simon said. "No Spartan should ever feel targeted based on their race, or other ways in which they identify."
So the MSU Police were called in to investigate this terrible, terrible, terrible incident. But what did they find after their painstaking investigation? They found "the object was a packaged leather shoelace and not a noose." The original shoelace found inside the residence hall was not directed at any individual," the police believe someone found the shoelace and put it on a stairwell door handle after picking it up off the floor.
Liberals see a racist behind every tree. Ann Coulter was 100% right when she said: "There are only two groups that are obsessed with race: Skinheads and Liberals." I'm afraid that it is going to get worse before it gets better.
This is one man's opinion.


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A World Class Marina in Nantucket Harbor
Getting your bearings is easy at Nantucket Boat Basin, a full-service marina located in historic Nantucket Harbor. The Boat Basin is the premier luxury destination for New England area sailors and yacht captains. At this full service marina, guests enjoy luxury amenities, pet-friendly docks, and concierge service. With 240 boat slips, the marina accommodates a variety of vessels.
The Boat Basin is within walking distance of the island's many beaches, bike paths, cobblestone streets, and lighthouses, and Nantucket town is just steps away, dotted with award-winning restaurants, museums, charming boutiques, and galleries. Tranquil spas, golf, and endless recreation are all within easy reach.
Service That Goes Above & Beyond
Beaches & SwimmingExplore miles of pristine beaches, including a few within walking distance.
Bike Paths & Jogging Trails
Take in the beauty of Nantucket on nearby trails for biking, running, and hiking.
FishingFish for striped bass and bluefish as well as North Atlantic giant bluefin tuna.
Historic SightsVisit historic landmarks, museums, and the second oldest lighthouse in America.
Shopping & Dining
Browse the many charming storefronts, shops, boutiques and galleries downtown.
Authentic Nantucket Flavors
- Dining
Authentic Nantucket FlavorsBrant Point Grill, White ElephantLocated at our sister property White Elephant, Brant Point Grill offers harbor views, locally brewed beer, wine, and the region's freshest seafood.
- Dining
Authentic Nantucket FlavorsTOPPER'S at The Wauwinet
Named one of the top restaurants in the U.S., TOPPER'S is home to outstanding local cuisine and stunning views of Nantucket Bay.
Specials & Packages
Preferred Guest Program
Become a Preferred Guest and receive great benefits at Nantucket Boat Basin, including discounts and free slip nights.
Explore Nantucket
DOWNTOWN NANTUCKETExplore historic downtown Nantucket dotted with local shops, boutiques, art galleries, attractions, and classic New England architecture.View All Attractionsabout DOWNTOWN NANTUCKET
COSKATA-COATUE WILDLIFE REFUGEEnjoy hiking, biking and 4x4 tours through this pristine and protected wildlife refuge. Explore this ruggedly beautiful habitat and barrier island with dunes, forest, trails, and the best beaches in Nantucket.View All Attractionsabout COSKATA-COATUE WILDLIFE REFUGE
GREAT POINT LIGHTHOUSEWalk a few miles across the beach to the most powerful light in New England on the northernmost point of Nantucket Island. Great Point Lighthouse guides mariners with its flashing light across the ocean.View All Attractionsabout GREAT POINT LIGHTHOUSE


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Matrox DS1 brings Thunderbolt docking to life
This week the folks at Matrox have revealed the DS1 Thunderbolt Docking Station for your MacBook, Ultrabook, and beyond. This device allows you to easily add a large display, a wired network, a mouse, a keyboard, and whatever else you want to your otherwise limited Thunderbolt-toting notebook. This device is made to de-clutter your life by connecting all of your devices to one aluminum-cased beast.
You've got the ability to work on a full-size DVI or HDMI display from your notebook, you can hook in to Gigabit Ethernet, and you've got the power of USB 3.0 at your fingertips now even with your Mac. This will allow you to work with data transfer speeds that are 10 times faster than standard USB 2.0, and you get two USB 2.0 ports besides!
This device also has a headphone jack and microphone jack, and is powered through a single standard power port – and yes, you do have to have it plugged in for it to work. This unit will cost you a cool $250 USD when its released later this year. Have a peek in the timeline below to keep up to date on all things Thunderbolt in the past few weeks.


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Mine Real Gold and Build a Real Business With Real Profits in a Massive Multiplayer Game
Skylark inc. Launches Kickstarter to Develop Multiplayer Game Allowing Mining Physical Gold and Building a Real Company with Real Profits
Springfield, MO, November 30, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Skylark inc. launches Kickstarter program to promote their upcoming game, Havilah, opening the door for millions of players to mine, steal and redeem physical gold while building a real world company with real profits on their smart phone.
Skylark announced today that it is also developing an entire platform dedicated solely to facilitating games which allow players to earn and redeem real world assets. This breakthrough in technology will finally open the possibility for gamers to earn a true living inside of a video game, completely bridging the virtual world with the real world. They have coined this new genre of gaming R.D.C (redeemable digital currency).
When you incorporate real assets into a game and truly set players free, that's when entertainment is taken to a level that's never been seen.
Stephen McCullah, CEO
Skylark has said that the in-game gold in its flagship game, Havilah, will be backed with physical gold. Players will then be able to redeem this gold directly to their door. "If gold is not a player's desire, however," Stephen McCullah - CEO of Skylark says. "Players will be able to redeem large numbers of other physical items via our retail partners. We want to give the player virtually unlimited ways to redeem their in-game assets."
Skylark is anticipating launching Havilah in the Summer of 2017, however, players do not have to wait to become an integral part of the process. Once in a lifetime opportunities are open now for fans to receive early benefits and directly engage with the process via Kickstarter.
Skylark is using the Kickstarter platform to give players the unique opportunity to receive exclusive, in-game items early and to become an important part of gaming history. Genuine sapphires and rubies, naming rights, land rights, political positions, exclusive updates and VIP early access are just a few of the rewards available to early backers.
"Our vision is to take gaming to a completely new level," says Stephen. "When you incorporate real assets into a game and truly set players free, that's when entertainment is taken to a level that's never been seen."
Boasting a team of industry professionals responsible for many of the World's most popular games (World of Warcraft, Elder scrolls Online, NBA2k16, Halo 5, Farcry 4 and many more), Skylark looks not only to enter the gaming industry but completely transform it.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Skylark inc.
Full Name: Stephen McCullah
Email Address: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.skylarkdc.com
Source: Skylark inc.


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Think of your muscles like rubber bands – If you spend your entire day hunched over a keyboard at a desk, those rubber bands have gone almost completely unused. Now, combine this lack of movement with some cold winter weather. Your rubber bands are now EXTRA tight and constricted. Then, rock up to training and immediately start lifting heavy weights or sprinting super fast – those cold, unstretched rubber bands get pulled apart very quickly and will snap. #Fail!
Getting hurt sucks right? We all have goals and things we want to achieve like losing weight, toning up or building muscle. But to accomplish these things would be pretty tough to do, lying on a couch with a pulled hamstring or a rolled ankle. The most important thing you can do when working out is warming up AND cooling down properly. The list of benefits for cool downs is just as extensive as warming up, and they are still very important. The main benefit a cool down is going to bring, is continuing the removal of waste and lactic acid from the muscles that were just worked.
A dynamic warm up (opposite to holding a static stretch – e.g leg swings, arm swings, body weight squats, lunges, star jumps) would be your ideal warm up.
A cool downs aim is to decrease the intensity of the aerobic session and to return the body to a state of rest. Doing some light movements like jogging at a slow pace will help prevent your muscles from tightening up and becoming sore, and may also help prevent injuries.
- Making your muscles loose, active, warm and prepares you mentally for action
- Helps activate your CNS (Central Nervous System)
- Improves blood circulation which will help you perform well
- Maximum flexibility which improves FORM!
- Allows the body to return to resting, or near resting levels for HR (Heart Rate)
- Allows the body to return to near resting blood pressure levels
- Allows the blood flow to return back to the heart, brain and organs
- Lowers the chance of lactic acid build up which may cause discomfort after exercise


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A Great Week That Was – Sunny, Warm and Spring has Sprung!!!
We waited and waited, we read and read, and some of us napped!!!
And finally Hood #8 arrived.
And this dominated everything else that went on…
We read some more:
And one of us napped…
Friends bought us fabulous meals…
And one of us napped…
School carried on as usual. The mother person directed from the couch. Actually not as usual there was absolutely no enthusiasm… But we finished out the week and we are now officially on spring break – Yea!!!
And one of us peeped at the world…
The house filled up with flowers!!!
And one of us had a closer look…
Hood #1: Plotted and planned his lego spring break.
Hood #2: Instigated the first swim of summer… writhing chaotic fun!!! Bring on summer!!!
Hood #3: Opened a book store packed with books: anything you choose as long as it is pink or ponies!!!
Hood #4: Discovered he could read Richard Scarry on his own. Oh the heady freedom!!!
Hood #5: Had a fabulous birthday packed with chocolate fudge cake – once a chef always a chef!!!
Hood #6: Totally loved the flowers in the house!!! And coerced her big sister into all sorts of escapades!!!
Hood #7: Assembled the girls on the couch for numerous meetings!!! And "no" is definitely the new "yes"… Would you like your cup: No… thank-you, would you like to read a book… No. This one? and so on!!!
Hood #8: Kept us all on our toes, while he mostly napped… and stayed up all night just to make sure that we didn't forget what life is like with a new born!!!
That's us, Have a Good Week!!!


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About Us
Our company
SJD have being serving the UK transport industry for over 30 years in both the HGV and PSV sector, from owner drivers to large fleet operators.
With the use of our market leading Tachograph Analysis systems, along with our in house software, our range of services and products help to ensure that both operators and drivers remain compliant and helps reduce the risk of accident or prosecution by the enforcement authorities.
Our mission is very clear - provide best and fully tested products and solutions for our customers.
With customers spanning the globe we understand the importance of providing quality systems and solutions which is why 90% of our systems are designed, developed and supported in house by our experienced team.
After 38 years of providing systems, products and solutions to our customers and re sellers we look forward to designing and developing new systems for many years to come.
We love what we do, and strive to be the best we can be in the industry.
After 38 years working with our customers and re sellers our passion, thirst for knowledge and staying at the forefront of providing systems and solutions has never changed.


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Why didn't the Lake District National Park Authority object to the plans to extend the Kirkby Moor wind farm?
Credit: The Westmorland Gazette | www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
The planning application to extend the life of Kirkby Moor wind farm was refused by South Lakeland District Council on December 5. That refusal concurred with the refusal of all 13 consultee parish councils, local district and county councillors and an overwhelming objection by local individual residents of the area.
As well as that democratic and individual representation, every Lake District agency bar one, committed to the Lakes' preservation, enhancement and visitor success (Cumbria Tourism, Friends of the Lake District, Wainwright Society, FELLS, Open Spaces Society, Ramblers, etc) objected strongly to the application on landscape grounds and the continuing negative effect on tourism in the South Lakes area. The only organisation not to object was the Lake District National Park Authority.
This was the first such application for a time extension to an existing wind-farm, and was also the first response to a wind-farm in the park setting since the granting of World Heritage Status.
The application was considerably bolstered by the national park authority's decision as consultee not to object on landscape terms, believing the eventual restoration of the site, which is outside the national park and beyond its remit, was more important.
However, the refusal decision reached by SLDC firmly reflected the 2015 planning guidance that no community should have an on-shore wind-farm imposed upon it against its will, and believing that any benefits would not outweigh the "continuing adverse visual impacts on the setting and character of a World Heritage Site".
Considering the wind-farm is only metres outside the boundary of the national park and intrudes upon iconic views from deep within it, the LDNPA's decision not to object was quite extraordinary.
If the national park authority's policy is now not to object to wind-farm applications in the setting of the national park, and not to take any account of community opinion, I think we need to know.
John Hudson.
Former Member of the National Park
l Editor's note: The Westmorland Gazette contacted the Lake District National Park Authority after receiving Mr Hudson's letter and here is a response from its head of development management David McGowan:
"The Lake District National Park Authority welcomes the opportunity to comment on applications that may potentially impact the setting or special qualities of the Lake District.
"Kirkby Moor Wind Farm is within the setting of the national park. We were consulted by South Lakeland District Council and considered the planning application to extend the life of the existing turbines. We assessed the magnitude and significance of likely visual effects on the Lake District and its setting.
"As a result, in our response to South Lakeland District Council, we decided not to object to the application. These wind turbines already have a presence in the landscape and we considered that the retention of the turbines for a further eight years would not detract from the enjoyment of the landscape and special qualities of the Lake District.
"That, however, does not mean they are acceptable as permanent structures in this sensitive landscape. Members of the public can view our full response on the planning application pages of the South Lakeland District Council website."
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar "fair dealing" provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
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It's 5:15pm Tuesday the 14th, Kuwait Time. Or 8:15am Albuquerque, New Mexico Time. When I started writing at 4 this morning I first referred to Kuwait as AmericaLand because all of our stuff is so prominently on display at the airport: Starbucks, Cinnabon, McDonalds, Hilton and so forth. The one rather startling difference was the friendliness of the officials at passport control. That's not usual anywhere in the world from what I can tell. Our hotel was a little off-putting initially because we've become attached to our mostly character-rich-with-small-inconveniences brand of lodging. This is a rather character-less highrise but I appreciate the basics it offers so efficiently right now.
We leave the hotel at 1am the 15th for the airport (4pm the 14th Albuquerque time). I should be HOME in MY place by 11pm (Abq. Time) on the 15th or 31 hours later. Already I'm tired. Maybe I'm getting a cold so I am swilling Emergen-C.
Kuwait City. What an absolutely pleasant revelation for both Steven and me to find out we like it here. We expected it to feel like Dubai which wasn't so impressive in our eyes—instead it feels like a real place with quite a few architecturally interesting buildings scattered here and there among enough markets and busy streets and people out and about to give one the sense of an urban space that can offer unique nooks and crannies, foodie-fun and maybe even some interesting cultural activities. In all fairness we did not explore Dubai at all except for the obligatory visit to the two giant malls and the tall(est) tower, none of which we need to revisit. We set out determined to do a little better by Kuwait. And we did.
We started our morning at the Grand Mosque, the 8th largest mosque in the world. I have visited mosques off and on over the years and been especially awed by a very beautiful one in Damascus and of course the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The Kuwait Grand Mosque is, in my eyes, not quite as warm in its magnificence as those two, but it is indeed—grand and gorgeous and splendid—almost too much so. The best thing was the informative tour conducted by an articulate and friendly young woman. She guided us about for almost two hours through the central prayer/gathering space and several adjoining rooms. She was easy to ask questions of and I learned new things which always makes me happy.
While I have little to no respect for religion—any religion—I do respect some of the good people who believe, and when visiting mosques or cathedrals or temples, I strive to put the evil believers of all faiths out of my mind for a little while. Every religion has a set of principles or values or morals that would be very uplifting if unaccompanied by so much death and destruction. But, truth is, we none-believing existentialists also have excellent values and tend not to kill those who differ. But I digress.
After the mosque visit, we walked about a shopping area that was halfway between a souk and strip mall. Pleasant enough. Took a taxi to a large bookstore in a non-descript high-rise kind of mall and I managed to leave with only one book. Then another taxi to Mais Alghanim, a lovely Lebanese restaurant at the seaside. Steven had a kebab plate that he describes as perfectly seasoned chicken, lamb and beef and possibly the best kebabs he has ever had; I had crispy-on-the-outside, rich-and-spicy-on-the-inside falafels. AND best of all, a dessert I've only had one time before, years and years ago in Cairo, called Umm Ali, which most recipes call Egyptian bread pudding. Today's was just bubbling from the oven with sweet hot pudding full of pistachios and sticky pastry. It can also have raisins and other nuts. Anyway the perfect last dessert of the Big Trip—unless Cinnabon is open when we get to the airport.
Back in touch from couch at 13th Street.
Checking into our hotel.


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Dear Noah,
We could have sworn you said the ark wasn't leaving till 5.
Sincerely, Unicorns
Dear Twilight fans,
Please realize that because vampires are dead and have no blood pumping through them, they can never get an erection.
Enjoy fantasizing about that.
Sincerely, Logic
Dear Icebergs,
Sorry to hear about the global warming. Karma's a bitch.
Sincerely, The Titanic
Dear America,
You produced Miley Cyrus. Bieber is your punishment.
Sincerely, Canada
Dear Boyfriend,
I can make your girlfriend scream louder than you can.
Sincerely, Spiders
Dear Yahoo,
I've never heard anyone say, "I don't know, let's Yahoo! it…" just saying…
Sincerely, Google
Dear girls who have been dumped,
There are plenty of fish in the sea… Just kidding! They're all dead.
Sincerely, BP
Dear 2010,
So I hear the best rapper is white and the president is black? WTF happened?!
Sincerely, 1985
Dear Windshield Wipers,
Can't touch this.
Sincerely, That Little Triangle
Dear Saturn,
I liked it, so I put a ring on it.
Sincerely, God
Dear Santa,
Please tell me how you managed to stop at three Ho's.
Sincerely, Tiger Woods
Dear Boys Wearing Skinny Jeans,
I. Can't. Breathe.
Sincerely, Your Balls
Dear Toaster,
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn?
Sincerely, Toast
I got it from this Swedish girl in Australia: alifeinoz.blogspot.com


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Autumn/Winter 2006
Images from around Taralga.
- » A little snow fell in the area in 2006. Some of it was captured by Blizz.
Drought resumed its hold from autumn onwards ensuring a dry, frosty winter with almost no snow and well below average rainfall. Severe frosts continued into spring ensuring a horror season for horticulture/viticulture in many parts of SE Australia.
Severe frost is more common during drought as there is no ground moisture to inhibit radiational cooling at night.


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Join the Friends of the Newfields Public Library on Saturday, January 26, 2019 from 6:30pm – 9:30pm at the Newfields Town Hall for the second annual Brains & Beer Trivia Night, a fun evening of trivia, beer and wine, snacks and camaraderie! Refreshments and a grand prize will be provided free of charge by Friends. This event is for those that are 21 and over, please no exceptions.
Plenty of parking is available on site. Come by yourself or create your own team! We look forward to seeing you for another fun-filled evening!


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Hight-value equipment delivered to you free of charge.
Double-skinned cabinet. Easy-clean-filter system. Two stainless-steel wash arms and two rinse arms of composite material, independent and rotary, removable without tools. Press-moulded wash tank inclined to filters with radial corners. Self-draining wash pump. Tank and hood made of stainless-steel AISI 304. Adjustable rinse aid dosing unit. Auto-start hood. Electromechanical control panel, displaying washing and rinsing temperatures.
Please call for details.


text: True or not, Transylvania's known for vampires. Werewolves, on the other hand, are a bit more nomadic. Ordinary folks are hard pressed to consistently name a location associated with werewolves (with the exception of London thanks to a particular movie). But for those in the know, like yourself, a few spots probably come to mind such as Bray Road, Wisconsin. …Read More »


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Saina Nehwal treats Parineeti Chopra with mother's special aloo parathas
She says it's a blessing that Saina's and her physical attributes match.
Trending Photos
Hyderabad: Saina Nehwal treated actress Parineeti Chopra with her mother's special aloo parathas when the latter visited the ace badminton star's home in Hyderabad.
In a string of photographs, Parineet and Saina are seen gorging on delicious paranthas.
Talking about meeting Saina, Parineeti said: "After meeting her (Saina), I'm nervous about how she will assess everything. I hope the effort makes her happy," informs Parineeti.
She says it's a blessing that Saina's and her physical attributes match.
"There's so much that goes into playing someone who is so revered for her skills and achievements in a sport. It's a blessing that our physical attributes match. Now, we will start shooting the historic matches. The real struggle will begin then, but I've never been more motivated in my life," the actress added.
"Saina" is produced by T-Series' Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar and co-produced by Front Foot Pictures and AGCPL. The film is directed by Amole Gupte.
Live Tv


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College Details
Grange Community College
Grange Road, Donaghmede, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Further your Education at Grange Community College.
Grange Community College has bee catering to the educational needs of the Donaghmede community for almost 40 years. The college is a Multi-Denominational Co-Educational Second Level & Further Education school. The college is comprehensive in its intake and subject provision. Grange Community College is a school of the Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education & Training Board. If you have just left secondary school and looking to progress and develop for your career enquire about their courses today.
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Grange Community College
Grange RoadVisit Website
Donaghmede, Dublin
Republic of Ireland
Donaghmede, Dublin
Republic of Ireland