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ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday that Austria will select its 2015 Eurovision entry and representative via a national selection. The concept and format is yet to be determined by the Austrian broadcaster. More details will be released in due course.
In 2014 ORF selected both its Eurovision entry and representative via an internal selection. Conchita Wurst was selected via an internal selection with her entry Rise like a phoenix to fly the Austrian flag in Copenhagen.
The 2015 Austrian national selection is set to kick off in January and is scheduled to run until March. The Austrain broadcaster is currently evaluating and studying various different concepts and mechanisms in order to select the 2015 Austrian Eurovision entry and representative. ORF will be releasing more details on the 2015 Austrian national selection in the coming months.
ORF, the national Austrian broadcaster confirmed to ESCToday.com:
The Austrian contribution for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest will be selected via a national selection. The national selection will consist of a multi-part series of shows where the 2015 Austrian Eurovision act will be determined. The shows will run from January to March,- enabling undiscovered talents and established artists to enter the competition. There are several interesting concepts on the table.
It will be very interesting to see who will follow into Conchita's footsteps and defend the Austrian colours on home soil in Vienna next May. The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna on 19, 21 and 23 May.
Austria debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 with Bob Martin and has won the event twice in 1966 with Udo Jurgens' Merci Cheri and in 2014 with Conchita Wurst's Rise like a phoenix.
Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on Austria and the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.


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When you hear about El Niño, perhaps you first think of Chris Farley. Or maybe you lived in Southern California in 1997, so you remember the storms, floods, and mudslides. If you're a scientist, you might think of that remote section of the equatorial Pacific where higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures define El Niño and influence climate and weather around the globe. Or (just maybe!) you think of my El Niño article from the spring (check it out for more background on the science of El Niño).
But you may not know of the myriad other impacts El Niño can have around the world. Some of them can actually be positive, like better growing conditions for agriculture in Uruguay. But many are negative, and some are less directly obvious. Drought and food insecurity in Cambodia. Rift valley fever in Somalia. Fishery collapse in Peru. Malaria transmission in Colombia, eastern Africa, and other areas.
So how does El Niño exert this broad influence? Some refer to El Niño as a storm, but that's not quite accurate. The conditions of the ocean and atmosphere in the equatorial Pacific operate on a natural cycle, known as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). When the cycle swings to one extreme or the other—i.e., sea surface temperatures being much cooler (La Niña) or warmer (El Niño) than normal—it can set in motion a series of cascading atmospheric effects. There are typical patterns of this cascade, which do tend to lead to more storms in some places (like the west coast of South America and Southern California), but also to less rainfall in other places (like Indonesia and Australia). Temperature patterns are similarly affected.
While many of the El Niño impacts may seem bleak, the silver lining is scientists' ability to predict them, which gives time for governments and organizations to prepare. Take the malaria example, for instance. Malaria is transmitted to humans via mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. These mosquitoes are highly "climate-sensitive"—meaning they're evolved for well-defined temperature, rainfall, and humidity ranges. El Niño can change the ranges of these climate variables in an area, such that conditions may be more or less optimal for mosquitoes. In parts of eastern Africa, for example, the increased precipitation associated with El Niño has directly corresponded with large outbreaks of malaria. While this is not good news, the fact that we know this means actions can be taken, such as extra prevention measures.
Madeleine Thomson works at the intersection of climate and health at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University (disclaimer: I also work there). In addition to the benefit of having time to take action before rains come, she also sees another opportunity. "El Nino acts as a test to see if we're ready to manage the risks of more extreme climate," Thomson said. "This is particularly true with malaria. There have been these big declines in malaria over recent years. Can those declines be held down when we have an El Niño, which by all indications looks like it's going to increase rainfall across eastern Africa?"
Since experts predict that climate change will increase the number of extreme climate events, Thomson added that such a test serves as an indication of our vulnerability to climate change. It's an opportunity to see if societies can organize to protect themselves from climate risk, she said.
Marc Levy, a political scientist at Columbia University, is also watching the El Niño event closely. As the deputy director of the Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Levy's research includes environmental security and the dynamics between natural and human systems. While climate scientists predict that this El Niño could be comparable to the 1997-98 event—the strongest since at least 1950—Levy is thinking about how El Niño's impacts this year will compare to that event. "Whatever social impacts unfold will be a function of today's patterns of vulnerability and resilience," said Levy. "And the world has changed a lot since 1997-98."
On the one hand, we have better knowledge of El Niño, with better ability to predict both weather and downstream risks. But there are also changes that have increased our vulnerability, he said.
"In 1997 there were about 5.9 billion people in the world. Today it is 7.3 billion, and that growth has been concentrated in countries that have weak abilities to cope with climate stress," said Levy. "Real food prices are about 65-70 percent higher today than they were in 1997-98, meaning that shocks to food prices triggered by crop production problems will create greater hardship on societies than before. And, as a result of globalization and changes in government policy, our global grain reserves have shrunk by about 35 percent since 1997-98, making it harder to respond quickly to a large global food crisis."
So what about impacts in the U.S.? In general, the further from the tropical Pacific, the less influence El Niño has on a region's climate. Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center, says that historically the strongest signal of El Niño influence on U.S. climate is for a wetter-than-average winter in the southeastern part of the country, especially the Gulf Coast. Halpert is hesitant to make any statements about the Northeastern U.S., but says if it does turn out to be one of those rare, very strong El Niños, there's elevated chance for a milder winter.
Halpert cautioned, however, that we have only observed a few strong El Niño events, so experts don't have much data with which to base predictions. "I know a lot of folks are looking at California because of the drought," said Halpert. "But the signal isn't as strong there as it is in the Southeast. From my experience, when you think you have something like this figured it out, you're thrown a curve ball and learn you don't have it all figured out."

subset: commoncrawl


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IPOB Sacks Nnamdi Kanu As Leader
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Olisa Mbakwe has announced the immediate sack of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for alleging valuing the life of a dog ahead of that of human beings.
Nnamdi Kanu
Olisa Mbakwe, one of the leaders of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, has been sacked.
According to Mbakwe, the sack was as a result of the Sunday broadcast credited to Kanu, which he said was a clear indication that Kanu prefers his dog, Jack, to those murdered in the struggle for the realisation of Biafra.
During a broadcast aired on Sunday from his base in Israel, Kanu mourned his dog and "a few other people" in his compound, who lost their lives when troops of Operation Python Dance invaded his residence in September 2017.
"The Army of the zoo killed my dog Jack and a few other people in my compound. I am sorry for what my sureties are passing through, but I want to assure them that they will have a special place in Biafra. I shall not be honouring the court," the IPOB leader had said in his broadcast.
However, the group said Kanu was an "insensitive and callous leader that has no value for his own followers but rather his dog, Jack whom he paid tributes to after his long disappearance from the struggle".
They also referred to him as a "traitor not worthy of any leadership position anywhere in the world".
The international media arm of the proscribed group had announced Kanu's sack in 2017, noting that he was"dismissed and removed as Director of Radio Biafra following extensive and intensive consultations". The group said the reasons for which Kanu was removed include "personalisation of the Biafran struggle and derailing from the core objectives of IPOB as a grassroots movement".
Meanwhile, a statement by Olisa Mbakwe, Director of Strategy and Documentation of IPOB, obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, read: "On Sunday, October 21, 2018, an individual, Mazi Nnamdi Nwanekaenyi Kanu, claiming to be the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director General of Radio Biafra made a live broadcast that has left us perplexed, because it is unthinkable that someone will impersonate IPOB to the point of plotting to abuse the organization to hurt the interest of Biafra.
"The strength of the Republic of Biafra that we are struggling to actualize, is in its human resources as embodied in our versatile youths that dominate the fields of play across sectors of human endeavor; the country we have set our vision on creating is therefore not to be made up of tombstones but of people fulfilling their life missions as ordained by God.
"Nnamdi Kanu relinquished his position as the leader of IPOB struggle the day he deserted our members to die, when they had mobilized to stand for our belief in Biafra at his residence in Afaraukwu. Several of our members were injured and some died in that encounter and even after emerging from hiding more than one year later all Kanu could do was to desecrate their memory with his radio broadcast. Nnamdi Kanu vividly, specifically and particularly recalled his family dog, Jack, by name while he dismissed our members that died as mere statistics — he only recalled them as 28 IPOB members.
"Even if Kanu had not deserted, there is no way we would have continued under the leadership of a man that values his family dog more than Biafrans.
"We are not unmindful of how Kanu struck the deal that granted him bail in the first place while abandoning our members, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa and Chidiebere Onwudiwe to languish in jail. Instead of using his freedom to accelerate the freedom of these authentic freedom fighters, he rather went about Biafra land receiving obeisance from Biafrans like a monarch, when our dear land is completely republican. The travails of these our brothers are not over yet and might have been worsened by Kanu's live broadcast, which has totally upset us.
"In line with the decisions earlier announced on Radio Biafra on November 17, 2017 that Mazi Ezenwachukwu Sampson Okwudili is the new director for the radio, we reaffirm that Mazi Nnamdi Nwanekaenyi Kanu remains sacked as the Director of Radio Biafra and has also been removed as the leader of IPOB since he has proven he is not a worthy leader that respects the sanctity of the lives of our members.
"Following interventions by our leaders, considerations were being made to reverse the earlier announcement but after studying the Kanu's live broadcast from Israel we came to the painful conclusion that we cannot make progress with our vision of Biafra, when one man has completely personalized and commercialized the struggle. The decision to drop Nnamdi Kanu from playing leading roles in IPOB affairs is hereby upheld. We shall announce replacements after consultations with the various stakeholders."
Source: Sahara Reporters
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"You're so smart!"
"You're so creative!"
"You're so… [insert convenient, but possibly damaging description here]"
The other day during a frantic scramble to get my 1-year-old to music class, I watched her perform her latest trick — slipping into her little gym shoes and tightening the Velcro straps all by herself. She then stared at me as I sloppily filled the stroller with diapers, toys, string cheese and other random items until I rattled off something like, "Good job, Jasmin. You're so smart." She flashed all eight of her teeth at me. As I started to put my own shoes on, Jasmin proceeded to rip hers off. "Jas, put your shoes back on; we need to go!" I said. She proficiently slid them back on and looked up again. "OK, let's go!" I pleaded, to which she replied "Ehhhhhhhh!" (Translation: "That's not what I want!")
Because I was in no mood for this debate, I cheered, "Good job, my little smarty pants!" For good measure, I clapped. She clapped, too. Great, I thought, now we can go. But instead, she took her shoes off again. We ended up missing half the class. Worse yet, I had created a praise junkie. Even at this young age, my daughter craved to be rewarded for her feat. I kicked myself because, as an emotional intelligence teacher, I should know better.
Our child performs; we praise — often without thought. What's the harm, right? After all, it's just a quick verbal pat on the back. But here's the harm: Praise often motivates children… to receive more praise. And when praise labels a child (e.g., "I am smart"), it's easy to focus on looking good instead of learning. In fact, this focus on looking good can become so intense that it encumbers kids from taking simple chances such as raising their hands in class. In short, telling kids they are "smart" can make them act the opposite. So how should we praise our kids to build an effective motivational framework? Check out three research-based strategies below:
1. Praise the process, not the person
The research: In groundbreaking studies, researcher Carol Dweck found that the way we praise kids can affect their mindset and, in turn, their propensity to take on challenges, persevere and succeed academically. Dweck identified two particular mindsets: fixed versus growth.
Kids with fixed mindsets believe things such as intelligence, character and creative ability are innate and immutable. In other words, no matter how much they study or how much effort they exert, they're pretty much stuck with the cards they've been dealt. Because children with fixed mindsets believe their potential is capped, they avoid challenges that test their abilities.
On the other hand, kids with a growth mindset believe the brain is a muscle that can grow, and abilities are assets to be nurtured through hard work. Kids with growth mindsets believe that what they are born with are raw materials-a launching point. As a result, they thrive on challenges.
Dweck and colleagues demonstrated the difference in mindsets during one experiment in which 4-year-olds were asked to work on jigsaw puzzles. They were given a choice to either work on an easy puzzle they had already completed or try a more challenging one. Those with fixed mindsets chose to redo the easier puzzles, thus affirming their existing abilities. Those with growth mindsets thought the choice was odd to begin with — why would someone do the same puzzle again instead of learning something new? The growth-mindset children opted to stretch themselves by tackling the more challenging puzzles. In sum, growth mindset children relate success to the act of becoming smarter rather than demonstrating they are already smart.
Want to cultivate a growth mindset in your child?
Try this:
Instead of "person praise" (e.g., "You are creative"), offer "process praise":
A. Praise the strategy (e.g., "You found a really good way to do it.")
B. Praise with specificity (e.g., "You seem to really understand fractions.")
C. Praise effort (e.g., "I can tell you've been practicing.")
2. Keep it real: Don't say, "Good job!" when it's not.
The research: Another pioneer in the field, psychologist Wulf-Uwe Meyer, found in a series of experiments that only kids under the age of seven accept praise at face value; older children are just as suspicious of praise as adults. In fact, by the age of 12, children scrutinize words of praise for truth and hidden agendas. After all, they usually know whether they actually did a good job.
Meyer's studies found children believed that receiving praise from a teacher was not a sign of doing well; rather, it was a sign the teacher thought they lacked ability and needed extra encouragement. These kids had detected a pattern: Kids who are falling behind are drowned in praise. Even more interesting, Meyer shows that teens discounted praise to such extent that they felt a teacher's criticism was a better indicator of doing well.
Try this:
Be sincere. One of the biggest mistakes we can make as parents and teachers is assuming that kids aren't sophisticated enough to sense the intentions behind our praise. You might think that you're encouraging a child by praising poor performance, but as it turns out, kids may actually perceive inauthentic praise as a sign of failure. Offer authentic praise for real achievements.
3. Stop praising altogether. (Seriously? Yes, indeed.)
The research: An impressive body of studies shows praise can be altogether demotivating. For example, in seminal research conducted by Mary Budd Rowe, students elementary through college age who were praised lavishly by teachers began to answer questions with a more tentative tone ("Um, the answer is seven?"). And when the teacher disagreed, the students would back off from their original idea or answer.
In another eye-opening study by researcher Joan Grusec, 8-to-9-year-olds frequently praised for generosity started to act less generous on an everyday basis relative to other children. Get this, each time the children heard "I'm so proud of you for helping," or "Great sharing!" they became a little less interested in helping or sharing.
Here's the thing: Kids develop immunity to praise. They require higher and higher doses of it to be satiated. And as soon as parents and teachers remove the dangling carrot, children can lose interest in their activity. Lilian Katz, a leading authority on childhood education, explains, "Once attention is withdrawn, many kids won't touch the activity again." In short, the point of a child's activity (painting, climbing, tying their shoes, etc.) becomes only to win that carrot, the "Good job!" from an adult.
So if we're going to cut back on praising, what should we do instead?
Try this:
Instead of praising, try to observe and comment. For example, make a simple, evaluation-free statement such as "You put your shoes on by yourself!" or simply, "You did it!" Such comments acknowledge effort and encourage children to take pride in their accomplishments. If your child draws a picture, provide feedback — not judgment — on what you observe: "Those clouds are big!" or "Boy, you sure used a lot of blue today!"
Like all of us, I want my kids to feel encouraged and motivated. I want to acknowledge their triumphs because I'm genuinely proud of them. I also know that I'm a "Good job!" junkie, and changing habits takes a little effort. My plan? Next time I see my 1-year-old tackle her latest challenge, I plan on taking a deep breath and really connecting with her by praising her process, keeping it real and making a simple observation about what she's accomplished. I hope I still get that toothy smile I love so much!


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bobspirko.ca | Home | Canada Trips | US Trips | Hiking | Snowshoeing | MAP | About
Mount Hoffmann (aka Mount Hoffman)
Kananaskis, Alberta
May 21, 2011
Distance: 8.8 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 464 m
Mount Hoffman seemed like such a short, easy hike that I figured I would have no trouble finding a route description. But after looking in books and searching on the Internet, I came up empty-handed. However, when I resorted to Google Earth, I saw an easy way up. Park at Indian Oils Day Use Area and hike 1.8 km up Sheep Trail. There on the right, just before the road dips to cross a creek, there's an old logging road. Follow this road as it winds its way up the mountain before ending 100 m below the broad north ridge of Hoffman. After leaving the end of the road, bushwhack to the crest. Then follow the ridge, keeping west to hit the open slopes below the summit.
Following this plan, Dinah and I had little trouble reaching the summit. I say "little trouble" only because much of Hoffman was still under a lot of snow. However, the final leg across the dry, grassy ridge to the summit made it worthwhile, especially given the uninterrupted views of mountains to the west.
Even with all the snow, we enjoyed hiking up Mount Hoffman. Nor will it remain obscure. I expect it will become popular when it appears in Volume 4 of the Kananaskis Country Trail Guide.
Postscript: A trail now runs from the old road to the summit.
Sign mistakenly points to a foraging black bear (mouse over for a better look at the bear)
Mount Hoffman
Sheep River from the Sheep Trail bridge
Sheep Trail is still under snow
Hiking up the side road
We leave the road to catch the views at the col between Hoffman and the high point east
End of the road. Mount Ware in the distance (mouse over).
Bushwhacking up the slope. If there was a trail here, we had no way of finding it.
A lichen garden atop a tree stump
On the ridge crest
Postholing all the way
After breaking out of the trees we arrive below the summit.
Shunga-la-she, Gibraltar Mountain and Mount Burns in the background
Almost at the summit
Looking back
Sheep River Valley extends behind us
On the summit
82 J/10 Mount Rae


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Good morning…
For those of you on the Just in Time for Cheltenham… free trial…
Today is the last day of the trial.
If you've seen enough to join Advance Ratings – I suggest you use the links on The Sales Page as there is a link (you will have to scroll down a bit) which gives you the first month at half price.
Alternatively, this is the link… http://advanceratings03.advanr.pay.clickbank.net
Wetherby 12:00 – Our top rated horse came second and our second rated horse won this race. The Reverse Forecast paid £3.04 to a £2 stake.
Wetherby 14:30 – Our top rated horse won this race @ 1.833 ISP.
Wetherby 15:40 – Our top rated horse won this race @ 5.50 ISP.
Clonmel 16:55 – Our top rated horse won this race @ 2.10 ISP.
Wetherby 17:15 – Our top rated horse won this race @ 1.50 ISP.
Newcastle 18:05 – Our top rated horse came second and our second rated horse won this race. The Reverse Forecast paid £9.90 to a £2 stake.
Newcastle 20:45 – Our top rated horse won this race @ 2.75 ISP.
12 out of 21 races were won by a top three rated horse.
4 out of 21 races were won by a top rated horse.
System Bets – 5 Easy ways to make money…
From the free systems that I give away on the site (5 Easy Ways to make money from Horse Racing Ratings) we had 4 selections.
Wetherby 14:30 – Sainte Ladylime – 1st @ 1.873
Clonmel 15:50 – Gun Digger – PU
Wetherby 16:45 – Instinctive – 0
Wetherby 17:15 – Good Boy Bobby – 1st @ 1.50
The system predicted 2 winners from those 4 races.
The actual, raw results may be seen here… http://advanceratings.com/systems/system-results/
Something to make you smile…
Any woman can have the body of…
Any woman can have the body of a 21-year-old, as long as she buys him a few drinks first.
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Know how to prevent sagging? Just eat till the wrinkles fill out.
I've still got it, but nobody wants to see it.
I'm getting into swing dancing.. Not on purpose. Some parts of my body are just prone to swinging.
It's scary when you start making the same noises as your coffeemaker.
I think I've reached my sexpiration date.
People our age can still enjoy an active, passionate sex life! Provided we get cable or that dish thing.
The good news is that even as we get older, guys still look at our boobs.The bad news is they have to squat down first.
These days about half the stuff in my shopping cart says, "For fast relief."
I've tried to find a suitable exercise video for women my age, but they haven't made one called "Buns of Putty."
Don't think of it as getting hot flashes. Think of it as your inner child playing with matches.
Don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up.
Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing.
For those of you on the last day of the current free trial, obviously I am around today. If any of you have any questions, just drop me a mail.
Have a great day's racing!
As always…
My kindest regards


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Aioli Habanero Mango
Unit #111309
A traditional aioli refers to a mayonnaise infused with garlic. Ours is a kick-up-your-heels version with habanero and red peppers. We mix in the subtle sweetness of mango to make this a perfect "south of the border" spread for sandwiches. Dollop on top of nachos or use as a dipping sauce for French fries or fresh veggies.
Out Of Stock


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Six people who left offensive comments on social media about the Operation Shelter sex gang have been tracked down by police.
Northumbria Police posted a series of articles on its Facebook page following the conviction of 18 people after an investigation into sex exploitation in Newcastle's West End.
However, the force received a complaint after a number of comments were left on the page, referring to the race and religion of the perpetrators in the case.
An investigation was launched and police have now traced six people who were behind the posts deemed to be offensive and potentially criminal.
Officers have now spoken to these individuals and warned them about their behaviour.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "As a result of a complaint, we can confirm we looked into a number of comments posted on the force's Facebook page.
"Following an investigation, which has now concluded, we spoke to two males as voluntary attenders and visited a further four people in their homes, and provided them with words of advice.
"All expressed their remorse and stated that the intention of their comments was not to cause concern or to be offensive and have acknowledged the words of advice provided."
Seventeen men and one woman have now been jailed as part of Northumbria Police's Operation Shelter investigation.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how the men would prey on troubled females and lure them to parties where they were plied with drugs and booze before being used for sex.
The offenders were all Asian or Eastern European descent, while their victims were all white British, a pattern that mirrored similar cases in Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford.
The perpetrators were convicted after a series of linked trials.
However, the judge placed reporting restrictions on the cases, banning the media from reporting the proceedings until all the trials had concluded.
After the court order was lifted, Northumbria Police published details of the investigation and its outcome on its Facebook page, along with pictures and details of the offenders.
The posts attracted a large number of comments.
ChronicleLive understands that, after receiving a complaint, the force reviewed all the comments and two crimes were recorded - both racially aggravated public order offences.
And it was decided there were eight comments which required action.
Northumbria Police is now issuing a warning to users of its Facebook page offensive comments will not be tolerated.
The spokesman added: "We would like to make it clear that we will not tolerate the posting of offensive remarks and we will take all reasonable steps to remove them and take appropriate action.
"We would also like to take this opportunity to remind people using social media that they should do so responsibly and ensure they do not post anything which could be considered offensive."


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Gold Nanoparticles, Methyl Function, 0.05% Au
Nanocs methyl functional gold nanoparticles were made from monodispersed gold nanoparticles with narrow size distribution (<15%). Me groups were derived from gold nanoparticle suface via polyethylene glycol chain. PEG linker offers highly stable gold particle solution and is useful for generating various gold nanoparticle probes to detect various biomolecules in SEM, TEM, light microscopy and blotting.
Physical Properties:
- Organe, red or purple in aqueous solution;
- Concentration: 0.05% (w/v) based on gold;
Storage Conditions:
- Store at 4 0C.


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- Please answer questions on HW in complete sentences.
- Ladybugs and Iguanas (For bolded words- find a synonym (same meaning) for the bolded words!
- Log into Literacy Pro Accounts and complete assignments if applicable
- HW is due on day it is assigned! Late or incomplete HW receives a 1.
- Sight word/Letter Weekly Assessments (Return on Friday!)
- Trip to Botanical Gardens – Consent forms and payment of $7 due 4/18/19


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A care home in Bramley, Rotherham has been praised by independent inspectors for being good across the board.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspects standards of care in homes across the country, said The Mews, in Main Road, Bramley which assists adults with learning disabilities - was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Its inspectors said: "People we spoke with told us the staff were lovely, and relatives we spoke with had nothing but praise for the service and staff."
They added: "From speaking with people who used the service, their relatives and staff, it was evident that all staff had a good understanding of people's care and support needs and knew people well.
"We found that staff spoke to people with understanding, kindness and respect and took into account people's privacy and dignity. The service was well-led."
One resident's relative told inspectors: 'It's excellent, finding The Mews was like an answer to our prayers' whilst another said, 'It is better than any service (my relative) has ever been in, staff really care.'
Inspectors added: "People we spoke with said they felt very safe. One person said, 'I always feel safe here, I love my flat.'
They added that people who used the service "wanted to come and speak with us, they wanted to tell us what it was like and all the comments we received were very positive".
"People we spoke with praised the care staff and said that they were good. We also saw the staff and people they supported talking, laughing and joking together. It is very inclusive."
The Mews comprises of eight self-contained flats and the service prepares people to move on to supported living.
For more information on the specialist services Priory Adult Care can offer, please call the enquiries and referrals team on 0808 208 2147 or click here to make an enquiry.


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Posted Thursday, May 24, 2007 by Casey
The Fold's "New Skeptic" Video Premiere!
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Don't forget to pick up your copy of The Fold's new album "Secrets Keep You Sick" in stores now!
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Stoneware Butter Pot
Save Liquid error (snippets/product-badge line 32): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
Keep butter fresh at room temperature in this stylish white stoneware butter pot. Fill the base with 1″ of cold water and firmly pack one stick of softened butter into the lid. Invert the lid into the base and the water will seal the butter and keep it fresh and spreadable. For best results, keep the butter pot in a cool location out of sunlight and add fresh water as necessary to keep the butter submerged. Dishwasher safe. Overall size: 3-1/2" dia. X 4" H.


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Welcome to Physico Physiotherapy
Physico Physiotherapy based in Goodna, is dedicated to providing high quality individualised Physiotherapy and Pilates. Our Physiotherapists focus on manual therapy solutions combined with targeted exercise to correct the cause of problems, rather than just the symptoms. We understand that no two people are the same and even seemingly identical injuries can behave differently from person to person. What may be effective treatment for one may fail for another. Therefore our team of highly trained and experienced Physiotherapists continually evaluate and assess the response to treatment, tailoring it to suit the patient, rather than trying to fit the patient to a particular treatment. For that reason our therapists are continually upgrading their skills and knowledge, not just in areas they have already covered, but also through an extensive range of additional therapies.
What we will do:
Assess and treat on an individual basis
Focus on manual therapies, combined with exercises and stretches where appropriate
Provide strategies for preventing recurrences
Take time to explain the findings
What we don't do:
Use electrotherapy machines as a primary treatment strategy
Apply general treatments to injuries
Ignore underlying causes of problems i.e. treating symptoms not causes
Due to our Physiotherapists high commitment to ongoing professional development, we are able to provide a wide variety of therapies, including; Physiotherapy - utilising primarily manual therapies, some of which are listed below, Hydrotherapy - for injury rehabilitation and physical conditioning, Continence Therapy and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation (Bladder, Bowel, Pain and Dysfunction), Clinical Pilates - For injury rehabilitation, injury prevention, core strength and conditioning, Cranial Mobilisations and Visceral Manipulation.
Some of the manual therapies we use are;
Muscle Energy Technique
Mulligan Mobilisations
Trigger Point Therapy
Myofascial Release
Positional Release Techniques
Sutherland Cranials
Advanced Strain/CounterStrain
Maitland Mobilisations
Myofascial Slings
Visceral Manipulation
Manual Articular Approach
Neuromeningeal Manipulation


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I hiked the outer loop of Bastrop State Park's trails today. You wouldn't so much say that the fire damage was still visible as that it remains the dominating feature of the park. There are dead trees everywhere--standing and fallen. In some areas, it's a forest of bare, whitened trunks.
The Red Trail weaves through the floor of a large ravine or small valley, crossing a small rust-colored stream repeatedly, and the whole thing feels strangely unearthly or primeval.
But there are signs of recovery. Grasses have moved in to take advantage of all the newly available sunlight, as have yaupons and povertyweed. Post oaks and blackjack oaks, coppiced by the fire, have put out thickets of new sprouts. And pine saplings are growing in, if a little hesitantly and unevenly. Most are 5 feet or smaller, but in some favored spots there were small groves that were 10 or 12 feet tall. It's worth visiting just to see how the forest repairs itself.
The hike was a nice blend of valley and ridgetop ecosystems, and it provided some comfortable flat areas, with a little variety provided by some not-too-terribly-taxing hills.
Side note: the park's Copperas Creek camping area has the nicest restrooms I've ever seen in a state or national park in my entire life.


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Anyway, as widely reported last week, U.S. spending on outpatient prescription drugs grew by only 4.9 percent in 2007, which was below overall health care spending growth of 6.1 percent.
Here are three links for your reading pleasure, listed in increasing order of policy wonkiness:
- Rookie Wonk: Health-Care Outlays Climb at Slowest Rate in Years (Wall Street Journal)
- Big League Wonk: National Health Spending In 2007 (Health Affairs article)
- Pro Bowl Wonk: National Health Expenditure data (raw data from the
CMSsite. Yeah, baby!!)
- A generic dispensing rate of 67 percent in 2007, up from 63 percent in 2006 and 60 percent in 2005.
- Safety issues – The FDA issued 68 "black box" warnings in 2007 compared to 58 in 2006 and 21 in 2003.
- Part D spending, which declined following the one-time growth effect of adding the benefit in 2006
I was especially interested to see that public funds paid for 36 percent of total retail drug spending in 2007. The majority of public funds were associated with major
During halftime (with Eagles 10, Giants 8), I created the following chart to show how payments for prescription drugs (share of dollars) has changed during my lifetime.
So, how much money do pharmacies make from each of these payers?
Stay tuned later this week – the answer will surprise you!


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Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
The Magic Fishbone
Part of Start Classics
Published by Start Classics
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
There was once a King, and he had a Queen; and he was the manliest of his sex, and she was the loveliest of hers. The King was, in his private profession, Under Government. The Queen's father had been a medical man out of town.
Product Details
- Publisher: Start Classics (November 1, 2013)
- Length: 18 pages
- Ages: 6 - 99
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Wheel of misfortune: David Whitley
Food poisoning has a knack of striking at the worst-possible time, turning your travel plans — from romantic dinners to flights home — into embarrassingly awkward ordeals
My wife took one look at me and knew she was on her own for the day. I was curled up on the bed in the foetal position, clutching the teddy bear we'd bought as a joke a couple of days ago. I had faint traces of vomit dribbling down my cheeks, and I suspect my skin was cadaverously pale.
Overenthusiastic consumption at the open-air buffet had left me a wreck. It could have been the curried chicken; it could have been the desserts, but the precise identity of the culprit was immaterial. I'd spent most of the night on my knees in the bathroom, hugging the toilet bowl in order to eject it.
All I felt capable of was pitifully begging the hotel for an extension of my check-out time and groaning in bed.
Food poisoning is no fun. It'll rarely knock you out for more than a day, but that day is likely to be hellish. You never quite know when you're going to be hit with it, but it's a safe bet that it will happen at a hugely inopportune time. The undercooked chicken never strikes when it's chucking down with rain and you haven't got anything planned. The fly-devastated flan will never be consumed the night before you've got 'mill around by the pool' inked into the itinerary.
Alas, savaged stomachs will always save their protests for when you've got to get up early, hike across town, and then sit in a cramped bus for four hours. Prodigious vomiting will always arrive just before you've got to go on a day-long kayaking trip or trek through mountains. Internal upheaval that requires a near-permanent presence in the bathroom will kick in just before easy access to said bathroom is removed.
The result is inevitably a battle between doing what needs to be done and retaining dignity. It may be something natural that happens to everyone at some point, but nobody wants to admit it's happening to them. Nothing brings out a stiff upper lip better than a loose tummy. And the lengths we go to in order to pretend everything's perfectly fine can be the most excruciating thing about it.
In Singapore, I had planned to go to the zoo. The elephants and orang-utans would have to do without me. But two rather more unavoidable bookings were looming. The second was the flight back to London, due to depart just before midnight. Without dosing myself up with all manner of drugs, that would be 14 hours of unmitigated misery.
Most terrifying, however, was the romantic, end-of-trip dinner before that. Given that everything that had entered my mouth in the past 24 hours had recently come straight back out again, this suddenly didn't seem so charming.
It would have been bad enough in a conventional restaurant, but I'd prepaid for us to dine somewhere more dramatic. The Singapore Flyer is Southeast Asia's take on the London Eye, albeit bigger and without the Houses of Parliament in the way. In a bid to make more cash from it, the operators have come up with a cunning wheeze. In the evenings, certain pods are reserved for diners, and the courses are wheeled in with impressive logistical efficiency at the start of two consecutive rotations of the wheel.
The pods may have waiters and superlative views of the Singapore skyline, but they don't have toilets. And if you do need one while on board, then tough — you're in mid-air. The security staff don't take too kindly to people smashing the pods open and making a break for it.
Throughout the meal, therefore, my face is a mask of ashen-faced concentration. The food is put in front of me, and I warily prod at it like it's radioactive. Conversation largely consists of my wife asking me if I'm OK, and me responding with deeply unconvincing grunts. The joyous Indian family at the other side of the pod look puzzled as to why I'm not getting out of my seat to take photos, while the waiter looks deeply hurt by my largely untouched plate.
"I'm just not particularly hungry," I explain, much to their bemusement.
The wheel turns agonisingly slowly, as if time itself is grinding to a halt. Minutes seem like hours, every stomach grumble a potential catastrophe. Eventually, the second revolution is over and the doors inch open. I don't have time for explanations or apologies — I just burst out and make a run for the loo. Dire need seems to have brought out hitherto undiscovered athletic abilities. And my wife is left to admit the sorry truth to the startled waiter.
Published in March 2013 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)


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Scotland's only employee-owned foundry, which was taken over by its workers last year, has reported a difficult 12 months following the downturn in the gas and oil industries.
Specialised Castings in Denny, near Falkirk, produces bespoke metal casts for engineering and architecture – including the cast iron railings for Buckingham Palace and pipes that suck up sea water to fight oil rig fires.
The transfer to employee ownership coincided with a drop in orders – mainly as a result of the falling cost of oil, which had a knock-on effect on manufacturing. As a result, the new employee-owners issued redundancies, reducing the workforce to 25 employees, 19 of whom work on the shop floor.
The business returned to profit earlier this year. "Now we are snowed under with orders and finding skilled staff is becoming a problem," said operations director Ian Walker.
As the firm returns to profit, cash-flow has been helped with a loan from Co-operative & Community Finance.
Non-executive finance director Catherine Maciocia said: "The loan is very welcome indeed. We have been living hand to mouth and as we return to profitability we have been relying on the goodwill of our suppliers.
"The loan means we can concentrate on the day job rather than juggling the cash."
Ian Rothwell, investment manager at Co-operative & Community Finance, said: "It's great that we have been able to support yet another employee-owned business in Scotland.
"In fact we have heard that the former owner was inspired to sell to his staff by the example of Clansman Dynamics, who we also helped a few years ago."
The firm – one of just two iron foundries left in central Scotland – dates back nearly 200 years. The current company was established in 2001 following a management buyout from a larger group. In 2015, retiring managing director Steve Waring sold the business to the workforce.
"I couldn't be responsible for allowing the last foundry in the district to go," said Mr Waring at the time of the sale.
"By selling to the employees, Specialised Castings will stay in Denny for the foreseeable future, keeping the foundry tradition alive and providing real employment for generations to come."


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Distribution Announcement Sends Energy Transfer Equity LP Soaring Today
Image source:LendingMemo.com.
What: Units of Energy Transfer Equity jumped more than 12% by 3:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Fueling the jump was the announcement that the company was maintaining its current distribution level.
So what: Analysts have been speculating for months about what Energy Transfer Equity would do with its distribution. Many thought it would need to cut the payout in order to retain a bit more cash flow so it could alleviate some of the pressure from the incremental debt it will potentially be taking on in the future to close a pending merger. However, the company has said it doesn't want to cut its distribution because it takes its "obligation to our unitholders very, very seriously. We have a duty to maintain our distributions," according to comments by CEO Kelsy Warren on the company's last conference call.
Today, the company announced it was doing just that and maintaining last quarter's distribution rate at both Energy Transfer Equity and Energy Transfer Partners . In one sense, this shows just how serious the company is about its duty to investors. Still, today's announcement does not guarantee the payout won't go down in the future, especially if Energy Transfer closes its pending merger (though that deal does seem to be falling apart).
Now what: Energy Transfer is sticking by its plan to maintain shareholder distributions, at least for the current quarter. Time will tell, though, if it can continue to maintain its payout in wake of the deteriorating market conditions in the energy sector as well as concerns about Energy Transfer Equity's balance sheet if it closes its pending merger. In other words, don't bank on this payout staying status quo for the balance of 2016 just yet.
The article Distribution Announcement Sends Energy Transfer Equity LP Soaring Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Professional Services with godly knowledge and wisdom. Graduated a sub-specialty of Adult Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Philippine Heart Center, Internal Medicine at St. Paul's Hospital – Iloilo, Doctor of Medicine at West Visayas State University – Iloilo, BS Biology at University of San Agustin – Iloilo, 17th Placer (87.75%) Medical Board Exams. Cyber Missionary with Facebook as the Cyber Office Head Quarter
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Subspecialty: Cardiology
Clinic Address & Schedule:
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Phone: (02) 925 2401 local 3435
Mon: 9:00AM – 11:00AM
Wed: 9:00AM – 11:00AM
Fri: 9:00AM – 11:00AM


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First we got our glowsticks and broke them. Or rather the kids attempted to, and I ended up breaking them.
Then we went down to our local elementary school playground and took turns flashing our lights to signal different things. The boys refused to flash their lights to get a girl to come to them because, and I quote "I don't want the girl to come and eat me." That teaches me for telling them about how some females eat the male of their species.
But, they had a lot of fun flashing their lights to warn about spider webs, or other dangerous things. I of course was the spider. Why do I always get to be the bad guy?
And of course we had to try out the cool effect of waving them around in the complete darkness.
Seriously though the glowsticks were probably a lucky find for explaining fireflies because just like the fireflies glow it's a chemical reaction and it doesn't heat up like our lights do. It's a very efficient process as far as energy conversion goes.
Downside to this experiment now the kids are trying to convince me I need to let them walk around with them forever. Oh well.
Have you ever had a lucky find that worked well for you? I love finding those from time to time.


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Nana Ama Benson Wins Miss Ghana 2018
23-year-old Nana Ama Benson has been crowned Miss Ghana 2018. The Central Region representative and graduate of the University Ghana Nursing School, drove away with a brand-new Mahindra KUV 100 official car and also the opportunity to represent Ghana at Miss World 2019. Hopefully this time around there will be no controversy.
Ten lovely ladies from all 10 regions of Ghana competed on Saturday night at the Marriott Hotel in Accra with the hopes of bagging the coveted title.
The first runner-up was Laila Issaka, a 24-year -old Accounting graduate of Koforidua Technical University and Elizabeth Mary Maclean, a 22-year-old graduate of Accra Polytechnic came in third.
Benson, the first and second runner-up will receive a monthly allowance for a year. The trio will also be entitled to 1 year of volunteering with Exclusive Events Ghana or the Miss Ghana Foundation.


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With only six weeks in a summer session, students rush to see as much as possible before leaving Rome. Some students want to explore all of Europe, taking trips to Barcelona and Paris, while others stay in Italy and book trips to Tuscany and the Amalfi coast. Whatever the case, six weeks flies by and maybe even seems too short. Luckily, Temple Rome only schedules classes Monday through Thursday, so students have a three day weekend to explore Rome and the rest of Europe. On select Fridays, certain classes will also schedule trips to explore and learn more about Italy. This past Friday the Rome Sketchbook classes, taught by Professors Guerra and Krizek, went to the ruins of Ostia Antica.
Ostia Antica are ruins that can be found one train stop before the beach.
Sketchbook students climb the ruins to get a view of an old swimming area.
One student demonstrates the acoustics in the amphitheater by singing for everyone.
Students follow the Professors across the fields for an ink wash demonstration.
Art education major Danielle takes a look at the ink wash examples Professor Krizek created.
Students listen in as Professor Guerra begins the demonstration by drawing a corinthian column ahead of her.
In the afternoon, students set out on their own to explore Ostia Antica and try their hand at ink wash.
This anthropology major enjoys exploring the ruins of Ostia Antica, often recommended as a more intact site than the popular Pompeii ruins.
Art history major April takes a snapshot in the ruins.
Students settle down in the shade to begin their last ink wash drawing of the day.


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This article is written by "Katelyn Hallman"
Stephen Hawking made the famous declaration that "philosophy is dead," and other scientists have been known to dismiss philosophy as impractical, useless, or as having less worth than science.
Paradoxically, to say whether philosophy is dead or whether science has more worth than philosophy, one must engage in meta philosophy and philosophy of science; one must know what philosophy is, one must know what science is, the respective values, goals, and methods of the two, and so on. Contemporary scientists frequently use philosophy to asses and reflect upon what they're doing as scientists and in many other ways—even if they're not willing to admit it.
So, is philosophy really dead? In a word: no. Everyone engages in philosophical thinking in their everyday lives—even children do! To understand just how alive and well philosophy really is, we must understand what philosophy is and what philosophy is not.
Philosophy is not "people sitting under trees and talking about stupid stuff" or a luxury major—philosophy is a serious discipline. Philosophers do not lack practical skill; in fact, a number of philosophy majors have become quite successful even outside of the field of philosophy (e.g. Stephen Colbert, Philip Glass, Woody Allen, Jay Leno, etc.).
Philosophy is not unsystematic—it is just the opposite. Philosophy has rules just like science does. For example, the holy grail of philosophy arguments are valid and sound. A valid argument is an argument in which the premises, if true, necessarily lead to the truth of the conclusion. For example:
1. All cats are mammals.
2. All mammals are vertebrates.
3.Therefore, all cats are vertebrates.
If the first two premises are true, then the conclusion (3) must be true. For an argument to be sound, it must be valid and the premises and the conclusion must all be true. Additionally, there are logical "laws" that are supposed to hold true no mater what. The argument I presented just above is known as a hypothetical syllogism, which is just one out of many logical laws. So you can see, philosophy is not just "making stuff up" or "just opinions" as is the common conception.
Philosophy covers a wide variety of topics and is done in many different ways depending on the culture doing it, so it's difficult to come up a clear-cut definition of what philosophy is. Think of philosophy as a broad genre of music—let's say rock music. There are so many different types of rock music (alternative, classic, punk, metal, indie, and so on) that all have their distinctive styles and themes; and this makes it difficult to think of 'rock' in a general, objective sense without referencing specific sub-genres, bands, or songs. You can say "well rock has electric guitars… drums…" But I'm sure there are counter examples to that. It's difficult to describe just rock. The same is true of philosophy; it's hard to define philosophy in one objective way when there are so many different varieties. But I'll try my best.
Philosophers, broadly speaking, use logical, observational, and even allegorical evidence to answer foundational questions about different aspects of reality. There are multiple different branches of philosophy: aesthetics (philosophy of beauty and taste), epistemology (philosophy of knowledge and truth), ethics (philosophy of morals), logic, metaphysics (philosophy about personal identity, the mind, composition of objects, cause and effects, etc.), and so on. Philosophical questions are very different from scientific questions, and the means used to answer philosophical questions are often different due to the fundamental differences between the kind of questions they each ask.
For example, epistemologists ask: "What does it mean when we say we know something? Is it possible to know something without using our senses? What happens to our knowledge when people disagree with us?" Science can't answer these questions, because these questions ask about the nature of a concept—knowledge. Questions like these aren't testable by means of experimentation and the scientific method.
Scientists often rely on philosophical assumptions so they're able to do their work. Scientists rely on the assumption that we can rely on what our senses tell us, that observation is the way to gain knowledge, that nature follows systematic, universal, and consistent laws that always have and always will be the same as they are today, that there actually is a cause and effect relationship between objects in the universe, and so many more assumptions. Philosophers, on the other hand, question these assumptions to find out whether they actually represent way the universe is.
As philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett wrote in his book Darwin's Dangerous Idea (1995),
"There is no such thing as philosophy-free science; there is only science whose philosophical baggage is taken on board without examination."
If you're not convinced, here's an example. The mind-body problem (a problem in the branch of metaphysics) focuses on how the mind and body are related. Is the mind physical or non-physical? Would knowing all of the physical facts concerning the brain tell us everything there is to know about what goes on in the mind? Neuroscientists, psychologists, and other scientists rely on the assumption that the mind is completely physical and that everything that can be known about the mind can be reduced to physical facts about the brain and body. Philosophers question these assumptions to make sure the wrong assumptions aren't being made; philosophers come up with different answers to these questions and look to find what the different answers imply.
Furthermore, scientists frequently talk about philosophical topics (beyond the claim that philosophy is dead)—even Stephen Hawking. In 2012, Hawking came out with a TV miniseries called Stephen Hawking's Grand Design. One of the episodes in this series is called "The Meaning of Life," and in this episode Hawking tries to figure out a scientific explanation to how there could be meaning in life and what it really means to be human. Hawking declares that these questions are no longer a philosophical question, but questions that can be answered by science. However, in saying all of this, Hawking engages in philosophical existential questioning using the philosophical assumption that science, observation, and experimentation can answer these questions. Also, to say that these are scientific questions is to engage in philosophy—to say that, he must know what science and philosophy are and he must know what scientists and philosophers are and aren't supposed to do.
But of course, philosophy isn't dead for many other reasons—we engage in philosophical questioning and use philosophical methods every day. We see ethical questioning all the time on social media when we ask questions like "is the Confederate flag a morally bad symbol?" "is same-sex marriage moral?" and other similar question. Philosophers also deal with other topics that are relevant to our daily lives. For example, the problem of free will and associated questions would have huge ramifications for our logic behind punishing prisoners—if it turns out people aren't responsible for what they do, how could we justify putting them in jail?
Why is it that our most popular scientists alive today think philosophy is dead or has no practical value? It's probably because they're operating under misconceptions about what philosophy is and does. In addition to this, science regards empirical observation and experimentation to be the #1 way to learn anything there is to learn about the universe. Philosophers, on the other hand, do not always use empirical observation and experimentation to come to their conclusions (though there are some who do).
Is philosophy impractical and does it have less value than science? No, philosophy and science are both important, and they both need each other to exist well. Philosophy needs science because science produces consistent results that could help build better philosophical theories, and science needs philosophy to question the assumptions and conclusion that scientists make and take for granted so science doesn't end up building knowledge off of a shaky foundation.
Is philosophy dead? No. Philosophy, just like science, will not die until every single thinking creature has lost its curiosity.


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MS-UK awarded £500,000 from the Big Lottery, following a pilot funded by Catalyst
By MS-UK CEO Amy Woolf
MS-UK is a charity that empowers people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to make the most of today and live life to the full. We run a number of services including a wellness centre, Josephs Court, based in Colchester, Essex which provides tailored exercise programmes using specialised exercise equipment as well as social activities for people with MS.
Ultimately we aim to support people to improve their health and wellbeing and maintain their independence.
We have been fortunate to have the ongoing support of Colchester Catalyst Charity which has allowed us to provide much of what we do at Josephs Court. Over the years, they have supported us with grants to allow us to purchase some of the specialised exercise equipment that is so vital to supporting our clients.
When we were looking at our plans to secure the long-term sustainability of Josephs Court, Rodney Appleyard at Colchester Catalyst Charity put us in touch with the regional representative at Big Lottery. Following an initial planning meeting it became apparent that we needed to pilot opening evenings and weekends and use this pilot to inform any application we wanted to submit.
Colchester Catalyst supported us by match-funding the pilot. Over a nine month period we were able to offer our services four evenings a week and on Saturdays. During this time we learnt lots about these times – including how they needed to be staffed and what hours did and didn't work for people. This learning not only informed the finer details of the application we later submitted to Big Lottery, but also enabled us to demonstrate a reliable track record in these wider opening times.
One year on, and we are very pleased to say that, with grateful thanks to Colchester Catalyst's generous support, we have secured £500,000 funding from the Big Lottery over the next five years!


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MIA : Early American Marxism : "Lovestoneite" groups
The "Lovestoneites"
The history of the various incarnations of the Lovestone organization (1929-1940) has been greatly improved. There were four names for the organization: Communist Party (Majority Group), Communist Party USA (Opposition), Independent Communist Labor League, and Independent Labor League of America. It appears that there were a total of 10 conferences and conventions of the organization—9 numbered and 1 without a numerical designation.
The 'Achievements' of the CC Plenum: Statement of the Communist Party-Majority Group. [Nov. 15, 1929] From Nov. 6-8, 1929, the Communist Party USA held the first plenum of its Central Committee in nearly 11 months. This is the critique of the changes and policies of the CPUSA established at this CC plenum by the Communist Party-Majority Group, headed by former CP Executive Secretary Jay Lovestone. The plenum approved a "new line"thesis, which the CPMG characterizes as "the most shameful document in the history of our Party,"including erroneous views of the international situation and the domestic economic situation, as well as a vague program which utterly underestimated the Negro question and the agricultural situation. Furthermore, the CC added 12 new members to replace those expelled in the recent party controversy, resulting in 9 of 15 places on the Political Committee for the "bankrupt, discredited Foster Group."
"Clique or Class? What's Happening in the ILD?" by Benjamin Gitlow [Jan. 1, 1930] This article by Ben Gitlow, a leading member of the "Communist Party-Majority Group" organization headed by Jay Lovestone, charges that a campaign was well underway in the International Labor Defense organization to change its nature from a non-partisan workers' defense organization to the partisan legal defense arm of the so-called "'loyalist' clique"—i.e. the CPUSA. Gitlow quotes the 6th Congress of the Comintern's characterization of the ILD as "an independent organization standing outside of all parties which on the one hand defends all victims of the revolutionary struggle and on the other admits to membership without any distinctions of party." He contrasts this with the political practice employed at 1929 gatherings, in which "every trick and manipulation" was used "in order to exclude the 'renegades' from the district and national conferences." The conferences had their floors closed to speeches by "non-Party workers," Gitlow alleges, and "not a single non-Party worker" was elected to the group's 1930 national convention. Gitlow warns that this sectarianization of the ILD would soon be formalized. "At the New York conference Nessin and [Louis] Engdahl announced officially that the national convention would amend the constitution of the ILD by eliminating the declaration that the ILD is a non-partisan organization. Thus will the finishing touches be put..." he declares.
"As to 'Red Terror," by Will Herberg [Dec. 15, 1934] Rather snotty editorial from the pages of the offical organ of the Communist Party (Opposition) attacking Norman Thomas and the Socialist Party for their protests against the mass repression which swept the Soviet Union in the aftermath of the assassination of Sergei Kirov. "To get aroused to white-heat over the instant meting out of full and irrevocable justice to the White Guard assassins and to the imperialist spies would mean to get aroused over the enemies of the Socialist Soviet Republic. That's why silence in the case of Kirov and raucous anger in the case of Soviet justice," the editorial declares. The "bogus democratic justice" of the "Social Democratic tear-shedders" is condemned and Soviet mass reprisals defended: "Thomas and his colleagues are to be condemned in the most unmistakable terms by all honest socialists for their attempt to cover up the trail of the imperialist right and its hired assassins banded against the Soviet regime. Every class-conscious worker can only hail the swift and complete justice accorded the culprits in the Soviet Union."
"Soviets Doom Plotters." [August 29, 1936]. Short unsigned news report from the front page of The Workers Age, weekly official organ of the Communist Party USA (Opposition), the political party headed by Jay Lovestone. The report uncritically notes "the chief defendants presented all the necessary evidence for conviction in their own testimony, wherein they vied in accusations of one another, and atempted to paint themselves as more involved, more guilty than their fellow-accused." The report notes that "the trial also brought out the connection of the terrorists with the Nazi Gestapo, who, according to the testimony, furnished false passports for the Trotskyists to enter Russia."
"The Russian Events" [unsigned editorial from Workers Age, Sept. 5, 1936]. A semi-official statement of the Communist Party USA (Opposition), published as an editorial in its offical organ. The recently completed trial and execution of Zinoviev, Kamenev, Smirnov, et al. is criticized not from the standpoint of its lack of veracity, but rather as politically inexpedient: "The investigation made by the Soviet Government immediately after the Kirov assassination revealed the hand of a foreign, a bourgeois government in all the plotting against the USSR. The further revelations made on the occasion of the last trial, which was an open public trail at which the defendants had every opportunity to express themselves as fully and as freely as they wanted, showed still more clearly and established beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Nazi government had aided and abetted some of the Trotskyist terrorist conspirators. To some people this sounds fantastic, but if one considers the present character of the Trotsky program in regard to the Soviet Union, there is nothing fantastic about it but only quite a natural and logical outcome of the entire evolution of Trotskyism." However, "while condemning sharply the terroristic activities and complete degeneration of the Trotskyites, we must state that we very seriously doubt the wisdom and tact of the Soviet authorities in inflicting the merited punishment of death on such personages as Zinoviev, Kamenev, Smirnov, etc. Other and sufficiently adequate punishment could have been meted out without resorting to executions, and thus granting some recognition to the inestimable services once rendered by these erstwhile powerful figures in the ranks of the Bolsheviks."
"The Moscow Trial in Historical Perspective," by Jay Lovestone. [February 1937] As with Leon Trotsky, Lovestone looks to French Revolutionary history for an explanation of the Zinoviev-Kamenev-Radek trial of 1936—the first of the three Great Soviet Show Trials of 1936-38. Lovestone contends that while "the merest glance at the official proceedings...is enough to convince any candid person that some, at least, of the charges and allegations...cannot hold water for a moment since they are full of gross contradictions, material and psychological." Lovestone's chief interest is the political implications of the trial, seeing an extremely close historical parallel in the patently false charges of "monarchism" levied by the Jacobins against their Girondin and Dantonist opponents in order to justify their destruction. The truth or falsity of such charges is of little long-term importance relative to the political implications of the physical destruction of the defendants, in Lovestone's view.
"The Moscow Trials: An Editorial Statement" [Feb. 20, 1937]. This unsigned editorial in Workers Age, official organ of the Communist Party (Opposition)—the "Lovestoneites"—attempts to make sense of the second of the three great Moscow Show Trials, the January 1937 trial of Piatakov, Radek, Sokolnikov et al. The argument advanced at the time of the first great Show Trial that the precise veracity of many of the specific charges was less important than the core allegation is repeated: "Discrepancies, contradictions, even sheer impossibilities in the charges and allegations of the two trials are not hard to find, but the impression seems to us inescapable—and it is shared by many observers not particularly friendly to Stalin—that, even after such material is discarded, there still remains a substantial bedrock of fact: that efforts at assassination and sabotage were indeed made by some of the followers and former followers of Trotsky and Zinoviev." Doubt has begun to creep in, however, and certain "grave questions" have begun to emerge: "Does not the very regime of hero cult, personal exaltation of the leader, qualification for office by syncophancy, elimination of collective leadership, abandonment of democratic discussion—do not all these constitute a serious danger of more vital concern to every communist and real friend of the Soviet Union than even the deeds or the fate of the defendants on trial?" Further the running up of "revolutionary architects" on "the most atrocious crimes against the revolution" has dealt "a shattering blow to the moral foundations of Bolshevism" and raised the prospects of a dangerous period of bloodletting. "Only a complete overhauling of the whole system of political leadership and inner-party life in the communist movement, such as has long been advocated by the International Communist Opposition, holds out hope for the future," the editorial opines.
"The Moscow Trials and the CI Crisis," by M. Yomanowitz [May 8, 1937]. This article was printed in the official organ of the Communist Party (Opposition) as part of the pre-convention discussion in the run up to the 6th National Convention held in New York at the end of May. The author, identified only by his initials, is critical of previous analysis of the 1937 Moscow events in the party press: "The strategy of the Stalin regime as demonstrated at the trials and subsequent lynching and terror campaign is to pin the charge of Trotskyism to all forces not in agreement with its present policies. It is now abundantly clear to everybody that the suppression and physical extermination of the opposition forces is not limited to Trotskyites, for no one will honestly believe that Bukharin is a Trotskyite." Yomanowitz continues: "Our efforts and hopes of reforming the Communist International did not bring the desired results. Instead of reforming the CI, the more reformist it became. It is high time that we draw the necessary conclusion and speak frankly and act boldly. In the past we were correct in stating that the chief source of the mistakes of the Stalin regime lay in the transfer of tactics applicable inside the Soviet Union to the other sections of the Communist International. This analysis is no longer sufficient." Yomanowitz gives at least some credence to the charge that "the Stalin faction is fashioning the policies and tactics of the various sections of the CI to the needs of Soviet foreign policy... This position contains a lot of truth. This position does not invalidate our original view, but it rather supplements it." Clinging to the idea of reforming the Comintern is senseless, Yomanowitz argues, noting that "we must be ready to discard our previous position that a new center without the CPSU in it is both impermissible and impossible."
"The Meaning of the Soviet Purges," by Jay Lovestone [June 18, 1937]. A lengthy reassessment of the burgeoning purges in Soviet Russia by the head of the Independent Communist Labor League. "It is with the deepest regret that I must admit that there is an acute crisis in the regime, in the inner life of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union," Lovestone states. "If we cast a retrospective glance at Russian party developments, we will find that it was entirely natural and understandable—especially under the circumstances of the stifling inner party regime headed by Stalin—that the logic of the political positions of Trotsky or of Zinoviev, Radek, and Kamenev, should lead them to an out-and-out anti-Soviet course. However, it is obviously absurd to ask us to believe that suddenly, mysteriously, Yagoda, Tukhachevsky, Gamarnik, and Rudzutak became degenerates, became mortal foes of the Soviet Union, became agents of German and Japanese imperialism." Lovestone is chagrined at the situation: "I am face to face with a Hobson's choice. I pick only the lesser of two very serious evils. That Stalin is an expert of trumping up charges against opponents or potential opponents is not new to us. Nevertheless, here I must stress we deal with a more flagrant type of frame-up than has ever been perpetrated in factional struggle. To me the recent demotions, arrests, accusations, suicides, and executions mark the low point of the Stalin hero-cult."
"Extract of the Testimony of Jay Lovestone, Secretary of the Independent Labor League of America, Before the House Special Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities, December 2, 1939." Extended extract of former Secretary of the Communist Party Jay Lovestone's testimony before the "Dies Committee" of the US House of Representatives. While Lovestone's appearance was not voluntary, once he appeared he testified expansively as a friendly witness of the committee. Lovestone's testimony took nearly four hours and over 90 pages of the printed transcript (including appended documents), here distilled to 32 edited pages of committee interrogation and response. Lovestone's main analytical idea is that (1) the function of Communist International evolved from a bona fide revolutionary organization intent on establishing an international socialist society in a crumbling world to a "puppet organization" with policies which were merely the mechanical reflection of Russian foreign policy; and (2) there took place a parallel evolution of the nature of Comintern decision-making process, from democratic participation of equals to a top-down rule by administrative fiat. In the beginning, Lovestone testifies, the Russian members of ECCI led "through prestige, through achievement, through the fact that they had conquered one-sixth of the world for socialism," He declares that the Russians "were living a dream we had, and naturally we looked up to them. Besides, they treated us as equals, with equal respect..." Gradually a culture of "kowtowing to the potentates" emerged and worked itself into a formal system which Lovestone likens to "the story of Caligula" and the "Roman consul system." Lovestone asserts that this shift began to take place not with the rise of Stalin to supreme authority, but before—with Lenin's departure from politics and the rise of Zinoviev. With regard to his own time at the helm of the Communist Party, Lovestone reveals that average Comintern funding of the American movement in 1926-1928 averaged "no more than about $20 to 25,000 a year" with periodic additional funding for special projects and an independent channel of funding to the Profintern. He alleges that Profintern funding was used by the Foster faction to fund its factional war against the Lovestone faction. He also asserts that his late predecessor as Executive Secretary, C.E. Ruthenberg, was vigorously hostile at an earlier date than he to Moscow's meddling in the American party's political affairs. Lovestone asserts that the forced shift to the ultra-Left policies of dual unionism and the primacy of the fight against "social fascism" prompted the 1929 split. Lovestone advises the Congressmen that "you cannot fight Stalinism in this country, or elsewhere, by repression, by outlawing legislation," which only strengthens the movement repressed by extending to them the mantle of martyrdom, but that rather that the battle must be fought by publicity on the nature of "Stalinism" and the action of the labor movement to cleanse itself. On the other hand, Lovestone acknowledges the right of nations to defend themselves against intervention in internal affairs via espionage or external control of unions by foreign governments.


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If you've taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you're new, please take a moment to answer this week's question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it's time for this week's topic!
FMM: Do you celebrate Christmas and/or Hanukkah? If so, tell us about your Holidays 2011 experience…Did you enjoy it? Do you wish it had been different?
I really enjoyed Christmas this year, even if I had a hard time getting into the Spirit.
This was a stay-home year for us. Since my family is here in Michigan and Randy's is in Arkansas, we have been alternating years between here & there. We spent Christmas eve at my sister Laurie's house. We just had snacky stuff like white chicken chili & shrimp cocktail & veggie pizza for dinner. Plus desserts. And wine. I only had one glass this time - mainly because Laurie was emptying out her cabinets & her selection of wine consists of whatever they let her bring home after working an event at a country club. Meh.
Christmas Day. I woke up, took the dog out & started the coffee while Angel & Randy were both still sleeping. Angel wanted to wake up on her own, so I settled in on the couch with my book until she got up - before 9 which is really early for her! Then I sent her in with a cup of coffee to get Randy.
We got snow on Christmas Eve morning!
But then it melted.
My Nativity Scene
(OK, maybe not the hockey moose)
Detroit Red Wings ornament tree.
The Kitty Nativity.
Jack patiently waiting to open presents.
He is so funny on Christmas morning!
He kept looking back & forth between me & the tree!
Maggie looking slightly stoned with her catnip toy.
This is what a half-pound Reese's Cup looks like.
My sister Linda gave me the Ken ornament, so he's hanging out with the girls on the tree.
Chester getting happy with his catnip toy.
I really enjoyed this Christmas, since in the past we'd always have to rush over to Mom & Dad's to spend the day over there. This time we got to relax & play with our new stuff. Randy got me a laptop like I asked for - SQUEEEEE!! And we got handheld Garmins to go geocaching with. Angel got her sparkly black boots, 2 full sets of books, a huge pair of granny panties (LOL!) and all sorts of stuff to make her happy. Randy got his scanner antenna and anemometer for his weather station. Plus the requisite clothes, socks & underwear. As a family gift, we got Wii Pictionary & the drawing board.
Last evening we went to Zehnder's in Frankenmuth for dinner. This restaurant is well-known around here for their amazing chicken dinners. Frankenmuth is a quaint little German town with the World's Largest Christmas Store, Bronner's.
Angel's getting too tall!
Bronner's was closed, but their parking lot is always decorated a tons of Christmas stuff & nativities all year round. So Angel & I had to get out to play.
Overall, it was a nice day, but on the same token....I'm glad its over. My house has been insanely cluttered because I have no place to put anything. And I was also a dork and didn't take any time off work, so as soon as I get home tonight I plan to start taking stuff down. The tree can stay up thru New Year's but everything else is slowly going back into the garage!


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Are You Angry? Consider Using Cod Liver Oil
Researchers conducted a study to examine the relationship of dietary intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats with level of hostility. The study sampled 3,581 urban white and black young adults, half who consumed fish, which contains omega-3, and half who did not.
The outcome of this study suggests that high dietary intake of omega-3 fats may be related to lower odds of high hostility in young adulthood.
European Journal Clinical Nutrition January, 2004
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jan;58(1):24-31.
Dietary intake of n-3, n-6 fatty acids and fish: Relationship with hostility in young adults-the CARDIA study. Iribarren C, Markovitz JH, Jacobs DR, Schreiner PJ, Daviglus M, Hibbeln JR. 1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA.
BACKGROUND:: Hostility has been shown to predict both the development and manifestation of coronary disease. Examining the inter-relation of dietary intake of fish and of polyunsaturated (n-3 and n-6) essential fatty acids with hostility may provide additional insights into the cardioprotective effect of dietary fish and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
OBJECTIVE:: To examine the association of dietary n-3, n-6 fatty acids and fish with level of hostility in a sample of 3581 urban white and black young adults.
DESIGN:: Cross-sectional observational study as part of an ongoing cohort study. A dietary assessment in 1992-1993 and measurement of hostility and other covariates in 1990-1991 were used in the analysis.
RESULTS:: The multivariate odds ratios of scoring in the upper quartile of hostility (adjusting for age, sex, race, field center, educational attainment, marital status, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity) associated with one standard deviation increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) intake was 0.90 (95% CI=0.82-0.98; P=0.02). Consumption of any fish rich in n-3 fatty acids, compared to no consumption, was also independently associated with lower odds of high hostility (OR=0.82; 95% CI=0.69-0.97; P=0.02).
CONCLUSIONS:: These results suggest that high dietary intake of DHA and consumption of fish rich in n-3 fatty acids may be related to lower likelihood of high hostility in young adulthood. The association between dietary n-3 fatty acids and hostile personality merits further research.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 24-31. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601739


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For some people, saving your work seems like a no-brainer. For others, the thought doesn't always come to mind. Lots of writers tend to be a bit flaky sometimes. We forget things!
I was really bad about saving my work. Really bad. As in I didn't. Let me share a story about how that completely blew up in my face.
The Devastation of a Computer Crashing
One day in February of 2017, I was working when suddenly, my computer crashed. No matter what I did, I could not get it to come back up. This was the first time something like this had ever happened to me.
I panicked. I searched for the nearest computer repair shop and brought it in to be fixed. They were very confident about fixing it and I left it in their hands for the next week.
I ultimately needed a new hard drive, as my old one crashed. When I picked up my computer, the tech told me that he got all my documents and stuff changed over to the new one. But, if any were missing, I should bring it back with the old hard drive and he could recover them.
I got home and checked my computer. I had a file titled "Books" which had everything I'd been working on with my writing. Three WIP novels, no less than 20 notes documents for my WIP series, a few notes docs for the other two, a list of novel ideas, a few documents with some notes on those ideas, and other related notes on writing in general.
What was left in the folder? A small handful of documents. None of the folders for my WIP's (which each had their own folder). I wasn't too panicked at this point. The tech told me to just bring it in to get them extracted. So I did.
Now, I don't really understand tech jargon when it comes to the inner-workings of electronics. But he told me that he was unable to extract the document. He could see them, but he couldn't access it.
My heart dropped.
We brought it to another computer repair shop in town to get a second opinion. He basically said the same thing but offered us another option. He could send it out to a third party and they might be able to extracted the files. However, he wouldn't have been able to quote me a price and there was a chance that nothing could be done, but I would need to be charged anyway. He was very honest with me (which I appreciated) and said it wasn't really something he recommended because there was really no guarantee of anything.
Ultimately, we opted not to go this route. It would likely be too expensive and we could wind up with nothing.
Devastation isn't a strong enough word for how I felt. When we made the ultimate decision and the weight of what this all meant came crashing down on me, I lost it. I clung onto my fiancé and just sobbed. I literally cried like I never had before in my entire life. I cried for a solid hour for my loss.
What I Lost
I started my writing journey in 2007. In 2012, my dad bought me a new laptop as my college graduation present. I download all of my files to a USB to transfer them to my new laptop. That was the last time I had saved my work. So, I didn't lose everything. There was a sliver of a silver lining there. I was grateful to have had that.
As I've mentioned before, the year 2013 was a time of great writing for me. I had focused so much time and energy on my writing. I had "completed" a novel that I submitted to agents and publishers. I worked on my WIP series extensively, doing many re-writes and re-vamping. In 2015, I had "completed" another novel that I had begun sending to agents and publishers. All of that was gone.
It actually took me close to a year before I could even open up that USB to see what was left there. I knew I had lost so much of my work. At the time, I hoped that maybe I had saved my work after transferring my files. But I was heartbroken by it all and couldn't bear to face it.
Finally, while on maternity leave this past December, I faced the reality. This was when I discovered what was saved after getting my new computer. I wouldn't have to start from scratch. I still had plenty to work with. I chose to take an optimistic approach and see this as an opportunity to do what I could to make these stories even better than they were before.
Even though I don't have the physical words that I wrote during that time, it wasn't a total loss. It's not as though that time was wasted. Writing is a process and we grow through each writing session. I'm a better writer now than I was then and that I will be in the future. That's what really matters.
A Valuable Lesson To Learn
This whole experience taught me an incredibly valuable lesson as a writer, one I wish I had the common sense to have known already. Backing up your work is the most important thing you can do as a writer. I firmly believe that you should back up your work every single time you write. Simply saving it in a document on your laptop or computer isn't enough. Anything can happen, at any time.Backing up your work is the most important thing you can do as a writer. Click To Tweet
Below are a few tips that have helped me save my work and I hope will help you as well!
1. USB Drive
We rely quite a bit on technology. But we can't assume it's the end-all, be-all. Having a hard copy of our work is of vital importance. Who knows if we were to lose access to something online or our computer was to crash? Having a hard copy allows us to plug our USB in anyplace and pick up right where we left off.
Don't think me crazy, but it's probably a good idea to have more than one USB drive. These things are small. They could break or get lost quite easily. It good sense to back up your back up!
I keep my USB in a firebox for safe keeping. I keep another one in my desk for easy access. Every time I finish writing, no matter how little I wrote, I save it.
2. The Cloud
I know I said technology can be a finicky thing to save with. But saving in the cloud does have some great benefits. What happens if your USB drive is stolen, or lost? You now have a secure online place to access your work. I don't know a whole lot about where you can save things online. But one that has been beneficial for me is Google Drive.
If you have a Gmail address (which I think most people do nowadays), you have the benefit of a Google Drive. It's a great place to have a backup copy. What's great about it, too, is that you can access it from anywhere.
Say, for example, you go to the library or a local coffee shop to write and you forgot your USB. Just access it from and save it to the drive!
A Necessary Evil
Now, I get it, this kind of seems like a lot of work. But it is so worth it. I'd much rather take the time and be a bit obsessive about it if it means not losing my work again.
I urge you, don't make the same mistake I did! If my story can prevent someone else from a similar fate, I would be elated. Now get out there, write, and back up your work!


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The Pantry Inc. an independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern U.S., is rallying behind University of Florida football fans to "Freeze The Swamp."
The campaign introduces ICEE products to 92 Gainesville and Ocala area Kangaroo Express locations. Kangaroo Express is collaborating with The ICEE Co. to co-promote the frozen beverages in concert with the University of Florida's football season.
The 'Freeze The Swamp' campaign is our way of saying 'thank you' to our Gainesville customers and University of Florida fans," said John Fisher, senior vice president of marketing, The Pantry. "Gainesville has historically been The Pantry's highest performing frozen market across our 11-state footprint making it an ideal location to work with ICEE to launch this program. "
The promotion kicked off on Wednesday, Sept. 1, with an employee rally at one of the flagship Kangaroo Express stores near campus, with a rally featuring an appearance by Albert the gator and the ICEE bear.
The "Freeze the Swamp" promotion will begin with the University of Florida's season opener against Miami University of Ohio on Sept. 4. Gator fans can cool off at Kangaroo Express' on-site Fan Fest booth while tailgating. The booth opens three hours before kickoff and features an ice bar with free ICEE samples of the new Gator Blue and Gator Orange ICEE flavors. During Gator home games, the stadium's announcer and LED screens will encourage fans to stand up, cheer and "Freeze the Swamp" each time the opposing team attempts a field goal.
The two special Gator flavors will be available at each of the Gainesville-Ocala Kangaroo Express locations. Any size ICEE is only 99 cents, including the 32-ounce "Freeze The Swamp" souvenir cup that features the University of Florida's football schedule.
"Collaborating with Kangaroo Express is a great opportunity to expand our reach in the Gainesville area to both new customers trying our products for the first time and loyal customers looking for a more convenient location to purchase an ICEE," said Dan Fachner, president, The ICEE Co. "We look forward to helping Gator fans 'Freeze The Swamp' and engaging with the local community."
In addition to installing ICEE machines and new water filtration systems, ICEE will provide store-level training and marketing support to help promote the frozen category in each of the 92 Kangaroo Express locations. The new machines will be serviced by The ICEE Co.'s Orlando office to ensure that any service issues are resolved in a timely manner.


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Won over by Mako Street Showhome
Allan and Kathyrn Malaquin decided to go with Orange for their new build after being introduced to Orange sales consultant Ru Dowie, who showed them around an Orange show home on Mako Street.
After struggling to find a home that suited their needs, they immediately fell for the show home with its open plan living area and separation of the main master bedrooms at one end of the house.
Allan says up until that point, there didn't seem to be a house on the market that suited their transition into a retirement home.
"We were able to modify the design, which suited us really well. The original plan had a separate lounge on the side, which we took off and we pushed out one wall to extend the living space. We also created a workshop alcove in the garage, which was something that we hadn't found."
The couple had built a number of houses previously but it was their first experience with Orange. According to Allan, the Orange team was "on the ball" from the outset. "Having built two or three times, we knew what we were in for and this was really easy. They came up with a schedule for the build, and aside from a material shortage at the beginning, which was out of their control, everything ran on time."
He says the end result is a lovely, modern home:
"It's nice and warm, with good indoor/outdoor flow in a really great location. Ru introduced us to a land agent, who got us a great site. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Orange to others interested in building their own home."