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Greece's creditors trade barbs over debt relief
By Eric Maurice
A decision on Wednesday to suspend recently agreed Greek debt relief measures has laid bare the growing divisions between Greece's creditors.
The suspension was announced in a statement posted on Twitter by the spokesman of Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
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The statement said that Greece's creditor institutions - the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB), the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - "have concluded that the actions of the Greek government appear to not be in line with our agreements".
Last week, the Greek prime minister announced he would set aside €617 million for a Christmas bonus for pensioners who live on €800 a month or less and promised to extend a VAT discount for eastern Aegean islands.
As a consequence, the statement went on, "some member states see it this way also and thus no unanimity now for implementing the short-term debt measures."
Although it was announced by a Eurogroup's spokesman, the decision was taken by government representatives at the ESM, the eurozone's emergency fund that holds the loans concerned by the debt relief measures.
The measures had been agreed by eurozone finance ministers on 5 December as a first step to make the Greek debt sustainable, a key demand from Greece and the IMF.
But the EU commission, one of the institutions referred to in the statement, was taken by surprise and criticised the move.
"One cannot say that this decision was taken on the basis of a commission evaluation, because this evaluation has not been completed," EU finance commissioner Pierre Moscovici said.
"Those who want the suspension of short-term measures have to take responsibility," he added, in an implicit jab at Germany, and more especially its finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who had only reluctantly agreed to the debt measures.
The suspension appeared to have been decided under German pressure without consulting other institutions.
On Wednesday morning, Germany had asked the institutions whether the pensioners' bonus was in line with the bailout programme agreed last year.
"In order to make the programme successful, it is necessary that measures are not decided unilaterally or reversed without notice," said Schaeuble's spokesman.
Moscovici also contested the basis for the suspension. He said that the debt relief measures were agreed after the first review of the bailout programme was completed and should not be put into question by decisions taken afterwards.
'They will understand'
An EU source told EUobserver that Tsipras's decisions on the pensioners' bonus and VAT do not respect the bailout programme because they were not agreed with the institutions and are not balanced by economy measures, but they should be part of the current discussions for the second review.
The VAT discount could be understood because the islands have been on the front line of the migration crisis, the source added.
Discussions for the second review resumed in Athens earlier this week to try to unblock the two trickiest points, labour market reform and fiscal targets for the coming years, and make progress on other issues such as privatisation and energy market reform.
Talks could be slowed by the row over debt, while the Greek government intends to push the bonus though parliament on Thursday.
"We will explain to anyone who asks us that the support for pensioners announced by the government is within the framework of the memorandum and we believe that when we provide the necessary explanations, they will understand," Greek finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos said on Wednesday.
Tsakalotos will be in Berlin on Thursday, to meet Schaeuble, ahead of a meeting on Friday, also in Berlin, between Tsipras and chancellor Angela Merkel. Tsipras and Merkel will also meet with other EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Blame game
The debt row comes as the commission and the IMF publicly trade accusations over the credibility of the Greek bailout programme.
In an article earlier this week, the IMF said EU demands for "very high" Greek budget surpluses were "simply not credible" and that it should not be criticised "for being the ones insisting on austerity" to meet the target agreed by Greece and the EU.
EU commissioner Moscovici replied in an article published in the Financial Times on Thursday in which he accused the IMF of a "blame game" that "risks undermining confidence and the progress made so far."
In a text that aims at the IMF but can also be applied to Germany, Moscovici added: "Let us not play shadowy games with Greece's future. The technical work is almost done. The political leaders of the eurozone and of Greece's creditor institutions must take the initiative.
"We need all partners to share the responsibility for achieving this and respecting commitments made."


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Organization Name: Coca-Cola
Industry: Beverages
Web References: http://www.coca-colacompany.com
(Image from: http://www.popsop.com)
Description of how social media is used for business performance:
As we all know very well, social media is an essential tool for businesses and organizations in the 21st century. However, this is not only about marketing and engaging company's fans; it is also about employees, the very company's core. Employees' engagement through social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and so on is happening all the time, but the major challenge is to trace it in a way which will benefit the organization as well as the employees within the organization.
Some research has been done on this field, and it is shown that employees' participation in social media may lead higher job satisfaction and productivity, yet inappropriate participation such as using social media for personal matters might decrease workers' performance. Whereas there are discussions dealing with the required restrictions on social network use at work, and its potential negative influence; there is #CocaCola that took one step ahead and developed a special way of thinking regarding the controversial issue. Coca-Cola is not focusing just on the policy of the appropriate use at work, but also deals with the difficult question of how its employees actually can engage and have fun hand in hand with enriching and amplifying the company's presence in social media.
Adam Brown from Coca-Cola about the company's social media policy:
"How (Coca-Cola's workers) should best interact in those conversations"
(Source: YouTube)
Back in 2009, one of the early birds to embrace the use of social media by employees in order to benefit both workers and the company is Coca-Cola. With over 130,000 associates and over 700,000 system employees world-wide, Coca-Cola has launched innovative policy principles for employees to participate in social networks. The purpose of this act was and still is to facilitate employees' involvement in social media on behalf of the company in a simple and understandable way. It should be noted that the company revises the policy regularly, and the last change was in summer 2013.
The guidelines firstly include a very short overview of the company and its reputation as "the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands… and inspire moments of optimism and happiness and build our brands".
Secondly, the company states its five objectives of commitment to public interaction and internal interaction, including:
- Being transparent in every social engagement
- Being protective of customers' privacy
- Being respective to others' rights
- Being responsible in using of technology
- Reasonably monitor presence in social media
Given the fact, that every associate may engage in social media on behalf of the company, and this may lead a situation in which the company will hold responsibility for the employees' behaviour, Coca-Cola encourages its workers to engage in social media and have fun, however they are required to remember:
- The company's other policies
- Personal responsibility still takes places, i.e. "use sound judgment and common sense"
- The need to disclose their affiliation with Coca-Cola clearly in their message
- If there is a need of an expert opinion – contact communication director
- Be knowledgeable about the policies of personal use of social media at work
Fourthly, the company motivates workers to gain the internal "Social Media Certificate", in order to be part Coca-Cola "spokespeople" around the world. As a spokesperson, workers are required to follow the above principles in addition to giving credits, and use caution when posting, because "the internet is permanent".
In summary, Coca-Cola has been changing the game rules, buy giving responsibility and ownership for its employees to engage, post, tweet and comment on behalf of the company's name, while keeping this business process as effective and efficient as possible. Short and clear guidelines such as the ones here, may enable the workers to decide almost independently what is an appropriate engagement in social networks , and how they can share and have fun for theirs and Coca-Cola's benefit at the same time.
Lessons for others:
The social media world has a very large influence on people's lives; they share information, feelings, emotions and opinion over social networks and various web locations, and often consult with others. Coca-Cola recognized the potential impact of its employees on the web, and has decided to use its own mass power by giving the employees permission, and moreover to encourage them to take part in web conversation. Coca-Cola has also taking into account that many people would prefer short instructions rather than long and tiring document. Therefore, the social media principles include only short and concise three pages, but still include all of the basic and necessary informations.
In short, three important lessons are to be kept in mind:
- Do not ignore social media use by your company's employees, and rather try to find the positive aspect
- Enable and encourage workers participation on the internet, on behalf of the company
- Provide with a short and clear guide how to post and engage internet in conversations
Submitted by: Socialmed_Ia – SMBP Student, University of Waterloo.
To contact the author of this entry, please email at: email@example.com
If you have concerns as to the accuracy of anything posted on this site, please send your comments to Peter Carr, Program Director, Social Media for Business Performance.

subset: commoncrawl


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UK variant mutation is a worry - UK genetic chief
Covid-19 variant spotted in Britain a concern, 'likely to sweep the world', says scientist
The coronavirus variant first found in the British region of Kent is a concern because it could undermine the protection given by vaccines against developing Covid-19, the head of the UK's genetic surveillance programme said.
She also said the variant was dominant in the country and was likely "to sweep the world, in all probability".
The coronavirus has killed 2.35 million people and turned normal life upside down for billions, but a few new worrying variants out of thousands have raised fears that vaccines will need to be tweaked and people may require booster shots.
Sharon Peacock, director of the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium, said vaccines were so far effective against the variants in the United Kingdom, but that mutations could potentially undermine the shots.
"What's concerning about this is that the 1.1.7. variant that we have had circulating for some weeks and months is beginning to mutate again and get new mutations which could affect the way that we handle the virus in terms of immunity and effectiveness of vaccines," Peacock told the BBC.
"It's concerning that the 1.1.7., which is more transmissible, which has swept the country, is now mutating to have this new mutation that could threaten vaccination."
That new mutation, first identified in Bristol in southwest England, has been designated a "Variant of Concern", by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.
There are so far 21 cases of that variant which has E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, the same change as has been seen in the South African and Brazilian variants.
"One has to be a realist that this particular mutation has arisen in our kind of communal garden lineage now, at least five times - five separate times. And so this is going to keep popping up," Peacock said.
There are three major known variants that are worrying scientists: The South African variant, known by scientists as 20I/501Y.V2 or B.1.351; the so-called UK or Kent variant, known as 20I/501Y.V1 or B.1.1.7; and the Brazilian variant known as P.1.
The variant found in British, which is more infectious but not necessarily more deadly than others, was likely "to sweep the world", Peacock said.
"Once we get on top of (the virus) or it mutates itself out of being virulent - causing disease - then we can stop worrying about it. But I think, looking in the future, we're going to be doing this for years. We're still going to be doing this 10 years down the line, in my view."
The two Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca protect against the main British variant.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic first hit South African shores in March 2020, frontline workers have worked tirelessly and at great personal risk. Stories of sacrifice and loss, both personal and professional, are plenty on the country's frontline. While infection numbers drop and the arrival of vaccines brings renewed hope, these workers have seen this trend before. They're gearing up for an inevitable third wave. From ambulance, to hospital, to graveyard - MultimediaLIVE takes you to the frontline of SA's fight against Covid-19.
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Television presenter and broadcaster Spencer Kelly is a British scientist, keynote speaker and technology expert best known for his work as the host for the BBC series Click. As a technology speaker Kelly calls on his vast experience working both in the industry and as a TV presenter, his academic knowledge – he graduated with a double first in computer technology from Cambridge University – is only further complemented by his experience, whilst his personal passion for science and technology make him one of the most fascinating technology speakers currently working the after dinner speaker circuit.
As well as working as business speaker Spencer Kelly spent several years working in other areas of the broadcasting industry, as well as hosting Click, Kelly has worked on The Gadget Show, presented his own radio show and hosted a comedy panel series. Alongside his work as a technology speaker, Spencer Kelly dedicates a great deal of his time to making personal appearances, alongside Click and The Gadget Show he has presented a number of training videos and, as part of his work as an after dinner speaker, appeared at conferences, road shows and specialist technology events across Britain.
One of the most impressive aspects of Kelly's work as a specialist technology and keynote speaker is his ability to simplify and explain some of the most complex and innovative technology currently on the market. He constantly has one eye on the scientific developments taking place in technology and technological inventions across the world; he brings all this information, and more, to the forefront in his role as an after dinner speaker. Above all else Spencer Kelly's work as a business speaker is known for its humour, his long experience in the world of technology has provided him with a wealth of brilliant and funny anecdotes to share with his audiences, making him a favoured keynote speaker amongst the already tech-savvy.
How to hire Spencer Kelly
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Spencer Kelly for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
"Spencer was able to relate his content to that of our industry making his keynote thought provoking and entertaining. Spencer was well received by our audience. Spencer was able to convey serious technology trends with humor." - The Learning and Performance Institute Ltd


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A big week in the history of Knock Knock WHOIS There: it's our birthday! A year ago, .blog domains became available to anyone. With the help of our registrar partners, we've already registered over 130,000 .blogs — and more than 60% of them are used by bloggers as the primary domain for their blogs!
Last year, we celebrated the launch of .blog with a memorable party at ICANN57 in Hyderbad, India. While the majority of the week was focused on business and policy, we cherish the relationships built and memories created on that eventful night. (If you missed out on the action, check out our recap and photos from the event.)
Since last year's launch, we've helped more than 80,000 bloggers get set up with their own .blog domains. That includes dotbloggers like Tim Ferriss (tim.blog), author of The Four-Hour Work Week and host of the most popular podcast on iTunes, The Tim Ferriss Show; Om Malik (om.blog), one of the most influential voices on the internet; and professional photographers like Emily Polar (emilypolar.blog) and Kirsten Alana (kirstenalana.blog). It also includes organizational blogs from a range of corporations, non-profits, and governments, from fashion retailer simplybeusa.blog to California's Department of Consumer Affairs (thedcapage.blog), to travel sites like triplog.blog.
A big part of the .blog vision is democratizing publishing on the web. Bloggers have completely changed the way we understand writing and consume information. Blogs give everyone the opportunity to share their stories and raise their voices.
As Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com and our parent company, has said, "It's almost like if 500 years ago, everyone in the world had their own printing press. They could publish as much as they want. That is the opportunity we have today."
The beauty of .blog is that it's accessible to everyone, from corporations to professional authors to individual hobbyists and every writer in between. We're grateful for each and every single .blog domain and all the partners and end users who built .blog into what it is today. Thank you for all the ways you share!


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Calhoun, INVESTIGATOR
Calhoun, INVESTIGATOR
Calhoun, STAFF
In the Carolina Piedmont of the USA, agricultural and forest management in the 19th and 20th centuries has greatly altered soil organic nitrogen (N). The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of two centuries of land use on N in upland Piedmont soils that are derived from the region's most common bedrock, granitic gneiss. Effects of agriculture on total soil N were examined by comparing soils cropped mainly for cotton since about 1800 with soils that remained under hardwood forest without cultivation or fertilization. Effects of forest regrowth on the N of old-field soils were examined in eight permanent plots resampled on seven occasions from 1962 to 1997 at the Calhoun Experimental Forest in South Carolina.
Together, the soil-comparative study and the four-decade field experiment illustrate how soil N in the southern Piedmont has been altered by agricultural management during the 19th and 20th centuries. Not only have agricultural harvests removed considerable N from Piedmont soils, but soil organic matter has been enriched in N by agricultural fertilization, a practice that has now contributed greatly to N cycles of many old-field forests in the region.
In old-field pine stands (Pinus taeda) at the Calhoun Experimental Forest, 40 years of forest growth accumulated 366 kg ha−1 of N (CV=9.3%) in tree biomass and 740 kg ha−1 (CV=9.7%) in forest floor between planting in 1957 and the last sampling in 1997. In the four decades, mineral-soil N was diminished by 823 kg ha−1 (CV=39.5%), a reduction in N accompanied by substantial decreases in mineralizable N as well. On the other hand, N accretion in the whole forest ecosystem averaged 5.9 kg ha−1 per year over this period (significant at a probability of <0.07), an accretion attributed mainly to atmospheric N deposition rather than N2 fixation. Despite the N accretion and legacy of agricultural fertilization, the 40-year-old Calhoun forest has grown into a state of acute N deficiency. Future N research should include support for a network of long-term field studies which investigates N dynamics in forest floor and logging slash, and estimates N-use and N-retention efficiencies of fertilized pine-forest ecosystems.
Richter, Daniel D., Daniel Markewitz, Paul R. Heine, Virginia Jin, Jane Raikes, Kun Tian, Carol G. Wells (2000): Legacies of agriculture and forest regrowth in the nitrogen of old-field soils. Forest Ecology and Management 138 (1-3): 233-248. DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00399-6


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Team Collymochon after party at Crabby Jacks.
A fantastic holiday followed by incredibly tired children. Send gin.
The Little Mister has a fabulous jumper with sequins that flick up and down and change from a tiger to a lion – it really is brilliant his friend Maxi was absolutely fascinated by it. He spent a lot of time stroking his jumper up and down.
The Little Miss was desperate for a belly dancer outfit – and it had to be one to match her friend Ava's.
Love this man.
The little girl is pretty infuriating at times – she is stubborn and wilful and she can be tricky to manage.
She is also kind, loving and wonderful and I am so fortunate to be her Mum.
At least one ice-cream a day – sometimes two – what could be better?
This is what holidays are made of!
Design: TheBuckmaker.com WordPress Themes


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On Air
The D&eM
Chill out with The D&eM – Wednesday Night Lofi
The D & eM is a seasonal Lofi /electronica music show focussing on checking vibes and feel-good wholesome content. Come along for a chill-tastic time, Wednesdays at 11pm!
Who are We and Why are We Here?
Dem and Emily are two fresh new faces to SYN, both excited to share the nostalgic, and groovy experience that is Lofi Music.
In a time where a wee bit of stress is hitting everyone right in the soft spot, we saw no better time than now to get stuck into some chill-out time. Come join us for a good old fashion D&M (deep and meaningful) or as Dem and Emily like to call it, a D&Em.
What's Lofi?
Lo-fi or 'Lofi,' is an approach to music that embraces life's little imperfections. These low-fidelity elements can be anything from the sound of a needle hitting a record, the pitter-patter of rain, or birds chirping in the distance. These songs often borrow sound bites from movies, video games and television as well as nature, to ignite a nostalgic feeling.
Lo-fi has evolved into a style of music that is laid back, chilled out, and prioritises gentle melodies against a good bassline.
What We Talk About!
Join us for the vibe of the week, a wholesome story or meme we found, a chat about a video game, movie or tv show and more, as we listen to some of the best Lofi tracks out there!
Where can you find us?
Come take a deep breath and devote some time to feeling good Wednesday nights from 11 pm to Midnight on SYN! Or check out our podcast on all good streaming services after the show goes to air.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram for updates!
Header by Demitra, Photo by Braedon McLeod on Unsplashed.


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For the Summer Tour!
Last Saturday's Open Auditions 4 youth were great! Thanks everyone!!
See clips of some of the artists on instagram and twitter @storystitchers.
WHO: Artists 16-24 years old & New Adult Artists
PLUS Summer Tour Registration 4 Returning Adult Artists
If you want consideration for this summer's tour line-up come in and let us know!
Show us the piece or act you would like to perform in the tour.
All original, family friendly work related to the Story Stitchers mission.
To document St. Louis through art and word to promote understanding, civic pride, intergenerational relationships and literacy.
The tour is especially focused on public health issues including gun violence, safe driving, addiction, healthy eating, peer pressure, and bullying.
WHAT: Hip hop, spoken word, dance, instrumentals.
Acts must have an easy set up.
WHEN: Saturday, April 28, 2018 * 10:00 am -12:00 pm


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Dambulla cave temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka.
A brief history
The Dambulla cave monastery is still functional and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. This complex dates from the third and second centuries BC, when it was already established as one of the largest and most important monasteries. Valagamba of Anuradhapura is traditionally thought to have converted the caves into a temple in the first century BC. Exiled from Anuradhapura, he sought refuge here from South Indian usurpers for 15 years. After reclaiming his capital, the King built a temple in thankful worship. Many other kings added to it later and by the 11th century, the caves had become a major religious centre and still are. Nissanka Malla of Polonnaruwa gilded the caves and added about 70 Buddha statues in 1190. During the 18th century, the caves were restored and painted by the Kingdom of Kandy.
The five caves
The temple is composed of five caves of varying size and magnificence. The caves, built at the base of a 150m high rock during the Anuradhapura (1st century BC to 993 AD) and Polonnaruwa times (1073 to 1250), are by far the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. Access is along the gentle slope of the Dambulla Rock, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding flat lands, which includes the rock fortress Sigiriya, 19 km away. Dusk brings hundreds of swooping swallows to the cave entrance. The largest cave measures about 52m from east to west, and 23m from the entrance to the back, this spectacular cave is 7m tall at its highest point. Hindu deities are also represented here, as are the kings Valagamba and Nissankamalla, and Ananda - the Buddha's most devoted disciple.
Cave of the Divine King
The first cave is called Devaraja lena (lena in sinhalese meaning cave), or "Cave of the Divine King." An account of the founding of the monastery is recorded in a 1st-century Brahmi inscription over the entrance to the first cave. This cave is dominated by the 14-meter statue of the Buddha, hewn out of the rock. It has been repainted countless times in the course of its history, and probably received its last coat of paint in the 20th century. At his feet is Buddha's favorite pupil, Ananda; at his head, Vishnu, said to have used his divine powers to create the caves.
Cave of the Great Kings
In the second and largest cave, in addition to 16 standing and 40 seated statues of Buddha, are the gods Saman and Vishnu, which pilgrims often decorate with garlands, and finally statues of King Vattagamani Abhaya, who honored the monastery in the 1st century BC., and King Nissanka Malla, responsible in the 12th century for the gilding of 50 statues, as indicated by a stone inscription near the monastery entrance. This cave is accordingly called Maharaja lena, "Cave of the Great Kings." The Buddha statue hewn out of the rock on the left side of the room is escorted by wooden figures of the Bodhisattvas Maitreya and Avalokiteshvara or Natha. There is also a dagoba and a spring which drips its water, said to have healing powers, out of a crack in the ceiling. Distinctive tempera paintings on the cave ceiling dating from the 18th century depict scenes from Buddha's life, from the dream of Mahamaya to temptation by the demon Mara. Further pictures relate important events from the country's history.


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"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."
Say what?
Let's do a replay here and try to tune in and listen to Martha for a bit, shall we?
"I can't believe it, Rabbi is coming to have supper at our house! Can it be any more stressful? I started getting ready as soon as I heard, and I stayed up all night picking up, scouring and vacuuming the house. I guess it looks OK, except that the kids left their bikes in the driveway and sandals all over the mudroom, but we can let the guests in through the front door. But the supper situation is a disaster! The good silver is stained, the drawer where we keep our good napkins has apparently been visited by mice (judging by their droppings), all the glasses have a layer of dust on them yay thick, and it's all kitchen dust that is greasy and doesn't come off easily. Not to mention that we don't have enough matching plates and that the chairs are rocking.
And I haven't even started telling you about the the food proper – I think the roast is still bloody while the potatoes are getting cold, we forgot to get half the ingredients for the Waldorf salad, the salted mushrooms went mouldy from waiting too long for a special occasion, the cake fell apart as I was taking it out of the springform pan, and the cream clotted and separated. How in the world am I going to bring all this together? Kitchen is a war zone.
Well, here they are. I am ready to cry and wish I could fall through the floor right now. Not to mention that I look like a fiend with red blotches all over my face, steam coming out of my ears, and there is nobody to offer the guests a glass of wine. I wish my face into a welcoming smile, but it refuses to cooperate and even I am not convinced. And to add insult to injury, what does my little brat of a sister do?" Rhetorical pause… "Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Look at her, lollygagging with a beautific smile on her face! When is she ever going to learn some responsibility!"
"Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."
"Do you really mean that all my labour, angst and agony mean nothing to you? It is for you that I am going way out of my way to make and serve a nice dinner. You might as well have just slapped me on the face with your response."
"And I do need this slap to snap out of my little personal hell that I have created for myself. Do you really care about how neat my house is? Did it have to be a high-maintenance roast and cake? A three ingredient stew served with a genuine smile would have been just the ticket. A nice dessert of figs and grapes that are growing right in the backyard would have gone down nice and sweet as an accompaniment to nice conversation, and it wouldn't have needed a French overture that accompanies the cake. So whom am I working myself into a tizzy for? You? Or my pride as a housekeeper? Do I want to please you, or do I want to get recognition, both for the result and the hard work that I am doing?"
With this reflection, Martha fades back into the obscurity of the two millennia separating us.
St. Gregory the Great say that mystically, the two women signify the two dimensions of spiritual life – active and contemplative. The latter is more valuable since the active dimension will cease with the passing of this world, whereas the contemplation will persist into eternity. That's deep.
On a shallower end, here is my humble interpretation. First, to state the obvious, Mary is listening to Jesus and his priceless teaching. The value of this is infinite and only through this she will be saved. This is hard to miss.
What is easier to miss, and why I feel compelled to share this with you, is the fact that Mary is listening. Let's for now erase the power differential between Jesus and Mary, and see them as two people. She is siting at His feet trying to understand. I am sure at times she finds his words grating and wants to get her back up – after all, she is not perfect and therefore His words are not all sunshine and light. Yet despite this, she is trying to enter Jesus's world and offer Him the gift of her understanding and acceptance. Being God, he has no need of either Mary's understanding or Martha's feast. But as Man, the gift of understanding is infinitely sweeter that any material gift that can be given, no matter how elaborate and costly. It requires genuine love, respect and humility to abandon your ego and truly listen to and understand another being whose worldview is different than yours and therefore rubs and grates.
I'll end with the question – How often do we take organic brownies made from scratch as an adequate substitute for understanding and acceptance? Say, of our children, husbands and parents?


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Man who crashed car near Dade City before Idalia's landfall is fourth Florida death
A fatal single-vehicle crash just hours before Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida has been declared the state's fourth death from the Category 3 storm, officials said Monday.
A 40-year-old man driving in heavy rain went off the roadway and hit a tree near Dade City in the Tampa Bay area on Aug. 30, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Hurricane Idalia made landfall later that morning with 125 mph (201 kph) winds across the state in Florida's remote Big Bend region.
Other Idalia-related deaths in Florida confirmed by the state's 25 local district medical examiners are a man who died in a traffic crash near Gainesville hours before Idalia made landfall, a windsurfer who went missing that same day off Florida's Space Coast and an older adult who was struck by a falling tree after the storm passed while clearing debris with a tractor.
A man in Valdosta, Georgia, also died when a tree fell on him as he tried to clear another tree out of the road, according to the Lowndes County Sheriff Office.
READ MORE: Steinhatchee suffers millions in losses from flooding during Hurricane Idalia
Copyright 2023 WUSF 89.7. To see more, visit WUSF 89.7.


text: Home \ Brands Served \ Attachments for Gehl Attachments for Gehl Premier Attachments proudly supports Gehl equipment. We design and manufacture our attachments to meet the highest industry standards. We fully test all our products for connectivity, compatibility and performance with various sizes and models of Gehl construction equipment.Compact Track LoadersSkid Steer Loaders Mini Excavator We know our attachments must perform and withstand the stress levels that will be placed on both the attachment and the host machine. You can rest assured that Premier Attachments will stand up to the daily rigors of commercial use and will not let you down when you need the job done. We have high-quality attachments you need to realize the potential of your Gehl equipment. Listed below are the Premier Attachments we offer for use on Gehl equipment: Auger DrivesAugersPallet ForksHay EquipmentPost DriversAmmbusher Mowers & Brush CuttersTrenchers


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Past Resident2019: Pollock-Krasner Foundation
Teresa Viana
In her practice, Teresa Viana materializes tactile thoughts into paintings, and introduces synesthetic elements in her works through the use of thick and heavy layers of encaustic. She does so by using a method she has developed over the years, with the goal of elevating the sculptural dimension of encaustic techniques.
Teresa Viana has exhibited at A.I.R Gallery, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo; and São Paulo Museum of Modern Art, among others.
Events & Exhibitions
Past Resident2019: Jane Farver Memorial Fund, Lambent Foundation Fund of Tides Foundation
Amanda Abi Khalil
Amanda Abi Khalil is an independent curator based in Beirut. She has been focusing her curatorial projects on socially engaged art practices. She is the founder of Temporary Art Platform, a curatorial platform that aims to shift artistic and curatorial discourse towards social and contextual concerns in Lebanon through residencies, research projects and commissions.
Past Resident2019: Yoko Ono, Alice and Lawrence Weiner, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, New York City Council District 34, Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, Danna and Ed Ruscha, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature2016: Arts Council of Ireland2014: Kevin Kavanagh Gallery
Elaine Byrne
How people live and what drives individuals and societies lie at the heart of Elaine Byrne's art. Working with video, photography and sculpture, Byrne examines the unstable relationship between fact and fiction, probing the depth of secrecy with which narratives are imbued, providing the forms through which imagination can be revealed and alternative scenarios envisaged. Recent video works Pure Codology (2015) and Rakoczy's March (2015) examine the untranslatable, alluding to the mysterious and layered meanings in James Joyce's Ulysses. Byrne's excavations expose the fact that populations are excluded and misunderstood; they propose different renderings and potential meanings which demonstrate the complexity of inter-cultural discussion.
Dublin visual artist, Elaine Byrne exhibits at Kevin Kavanagh Gallery. Working in New York for the last two years she completed the Whitney Independent Study Program, New York (September 2014-May 2015). She won the TINA prize (2015) to produce a solo show in Rome in 2016. She also won 8th Arte Laguna sculpture prize for her sculpture RAUM which was exhibited in Venice Arsanale (2014). Solo shows include Limerick City Gallery, September 2014 (which was ArtForum critic's pick); UAM, Mexico, November 2014; Oonagh Young Gallery (Dublin 2011). Group shows include EFA (New York June 2015), Douglas Hyde Gallery (Dublin), Budapest & Colorado. Awards include emerging photography prize (RHA 2012), Arts Council Project Award (2014), Culture Ireland funding award. Residencies include ISCP, New York (2014), Aeskeaton (2012), and SOMA, Mexico (2010).


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Decided that you want to learn to dive? We don't blame you – scuba diving is one of our teams favourite sports whilst travelling the world! So why not go all out and learn to dive in the Maldives?!
What could be more appealing than a tropical paradise surrounded by warm, clear water, schools of fish, incredible coral gardens and world class scuba diving?
Well we've teamed up with our good buddies at Fulidhoo Dive so that you can learn to dive in the Maldives without breaking your budget!
Situated just an hour from Male airport it's the perfect base to enjoy the beauty of the Maldives and learn to dive.
Over the 4 day course you'll learn everything you need to know to be a confident and competent diver – from dive theory, confined water modules where you'll practice your skills to open water where you'll get to explore the beautiful underwater world that surrounds the island.
And of course you'll finish up with a world recognised qualification which will allow you to dive all over the world…or stay in the Maldives a while longer and enjoy the huge variety of dive sites on offer around Fulidhoo – including the famous nights dive at Alimatha where you'll be surrounded by heaps of curious nurse sharks!
If you want to spend more time enjoying the island and less time studying you can even complete your theory modules online before arriving – perfect for those who want to make the most of this amazing dive location.
Already got your open water and want to complete more dive courses in the Maldives? Click here advanced & rescue dive
You can even complete your Divemaster course in the Maldives too
Or if you simply want to dive the Maldives on a budget check out our Scuba & Stay packages here.
- Introduction to Diving right through to professional qualification
- Based on the island paradise of Fulidhoo in the Maldives (Vaavu Atoll)
- Dive warm, tropical waters with a range of Dive sites
- Famed for its incredible night shark dives
- PADI 5* dive centre
- Professional team of experienced Dive Instructors to guide you through
- All classroom materials
- Great range of Dive sites, coral gardens, drift and night dives
- World recognised qualification
- Full PADI training curriculum and certification
- All Dive equipment and manuals
- Lunch and refreshments on Dive days
- Great professional Dive team covering a variety of languages
- Dives as follows;
- Open Water – 4 Dives + 5 confined
- Speedboat transfer from Male Airport (daily, 75mins) – $50USD
- Local ferry transfer from Male Airport (3 x weekly, 3.5hours) – $3.5
- Accommodation options (double room inc breakfast) – from $60USD per night
- Accommodation options (dorm room inc breakfast) – from $25USD per night


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Rockwell UTT Winner #14:
98 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
122 foodies rated 4- I love it!
94 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
30 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
5 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.
It is very hard to win with cupcakes in the Ultimate Taste Test because most foodies have tasted a lot of cupcakes ever since Sonja's started the cupcake craze in Manila. It is also very difficult to get noticed, especially if you introduce simple flavors like Red Velvet, Valrhona Chocolate, and Green Tea.
But Klar, with a face that can launch a thousand cupcakes, proved that classic flavors done well with moist cake, full flavor, and great presentation can capture the hearts of foodies. (I personally like the moist Valrhona cupcake in its mini-cupcake form.)
If you are looking for cupcakes this Christmas, check out Cupcake Boutique by Klar. Congratulations on doing a great job in the UTT!
The Story of Cupcake Boutique
by Klar Joseph
The Kitchen of Klar Joseph is a home-based business that currently produces 15 flavors of cupcakes at Php 70 per piece. The pastry business was launched last April at Best Food Forward–a summer food fair held in Taguig, Philippines. I, Klarisse Joseph, operate the pastry kitchen along with a small crew. I studied Pastry Arts in Chicago from 2009-2011 under talented pastry chefs at the renowned French Pastry School. I also worked at 2 bakeries, and staged at different pastry locations while I was studying and living overseas. I was given the rare opportunity to visit the facilities of Turano Baking Company, and Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, and participated in different school events with the most recent Sweets & Snack Expo 2011 held last May in Chicago, Illinois. Aside from my pastry business, I also contribute to The Spoon is Flat, a Manila-based blog with an average of 1,500 views per month.
Our 15 flavors are composed of The Diplomat (Valrhona), Red Velvet, Lemon Meringue, Chocolate Squared, Bailey's, Coco, Green Tea, Chocotella, Cookies and Cream, S'mores, Black and White, Blueberry Cream Cheese, Mango, Brownie, and Caramel.
About the product/Pricelist:
Flavors: Red Velvet, Diplomat (Valrhona), Green Tea
All our cupcakes are priced at P70 each.
They are sold by 6 or 12 for pick-up at home (6 pcs. minimum per flavor).
When we join bazaars, the cupcakes can be sold individually, and boxes of 4, 6, and 12 with the liberty to choose any quantity per flavor.
Foodies' Comments:
- valrhona is good. other icings are too sweet
- very delicious with in your face flavor
- green tea was good
- red velvet was so so sinfully good, i will order for xmas!
- red velvet texture
- not so good but taste was good
- i love the green tea
- ok naman
- the flavors were different from what i was expecting
- they just look pretty
- love the diplomat!
- green tea is good
- green tea too salty
- red velvet- too sour, diplomat-lessen the dark chocolate
- diplomat is heavenly! <3
- presentation is nice but i'm not very impressed with the taste
- awesome!
- good mix, yummy but icing a bit too much
- ok ok lang
- i love the red velvet:)
- great cheese topping of red velvet
- red velvet cupcakes better than sonja's! good job!
- green tea was light & good
- green tea & red velvet
- green tea-good, red velvet-satisfactory, diplomat-good
- good
- soft & sweet
- liked the valrhona the most
- valrhona- too rich, green-so so
- cupcakes are very creamy & smooth
- cupcakes are moist
- good green tea cupcake
- diplomat is real dark chocolate. good presentation too!
- it's really delicious. it makes me want to crave for more
- i love the green tea & diplomat
- panalo!
- delicious but more saffron pls!
- diplomat was yummmmeeeeeh!
- Yum!
- red velvet is delicious!
- red velvet was really good. better than sonja's
- green tea!
- classic cupcakes seem delicious but not for regular people
- just normal. i don't like it
- moist & the ingredients in the icing are complete (ie. red velvet has real creme cheese)
- velvet -great. green tea – ok. diplomat-dark choco? OKAY!
- tasty & just the right sweetness
- very moist cakes! none too sweet!
- green tea cake is very moist. LIKE!
- very nice presentation & delicious cupcakes
- diplomat- good, red velvet-not really, green tea-surprising
- diplomat is yummy
- love the diplomat! so chocolatey!
- red velvet is great!
- rich chocolate taste
- good green tea cupcake 🙂
- suggest to sell in a bite size bec cupcake is so rich tasting
- doesn't taste like green tea, icing too thick
- red velvet:)
- green tea 2 thumbs up!
- i couldn't actually taste the green tea.
- nothing special
- cake was moist but taste ordinary
- love the flavors. balanced and not heavy
- dark choco is thick & rich. green tea is nice also
- just ok
- good
- love the red velvet & diplomat
- diplomat <3
- love the green tea
- red velvet had too much frosting
- green tea delicioso
- my new fave
- mini cup cakes taste so good
- diplomat cupcake is so rich! 🙂 yummy!
- cupcakes are so cute! love the diplomat coz it's dark chocolate
- never fails to impress me
- trifecta of perfection. nice presentation as well
- pretty & delicious cupcakes! still my fave!
- two thumbs up!
- amazingly moist! sponge was dry
- valrhona diplomat was good!
- very rich!
- nice presentation, good sour creme
- the best cupcakes!
- superb!
- too sweet
- great & generous
- moist
- the diplomat is the best
- sana add more flavors sa green tea
- rich & moist cupcakes
- rich in flavor, innovative and nice presentation
- moist & melts in your mouth
- excellent presentation
- very tasty
- diplomat = great!
- red velvet & green tea
- nice presentation & moist cupcakes
- great cupcakes, did not disappoint
- only liked the diplomat
- the icing's quite bland but i liked the diplomat
- dry
- excellent!
- nothing special, dry!
- diplomat is pure bliss!
- green tea=couldn't taste it
- green tea is really good
- good texture. nice & moist
- you should try making a chili choco version of the valrhona 🙂
- excellent presentation
- red velvet was a bit sweet but good
- diplomat rich chocolate!
- all the testers were good
- green tea was ok!
- everything tasted great! too sweet!
- too sweet!
- butter overpowering
- good! loved all the flavors
- they are all creamy and taste delicious
- too much salt
- red velvet is perfect! but i was slightly disappointed by the green tea cupcakes. i love green tea but the sweetness of the icing overpowered the flavor
- too salty!
- red velvet's the best but the chocolate's really good too!
- they're all very moist
- nice presentation
- i love red velvet and its consistency
- diplomat rocks!
- loved the icing
- loved the green tea cupcake!:)
- good!
- so moist!
- more green tea flavor
- the best cupcake!
- good variety, interesting flavors
- too rich for my taste but it is OSOM 🙂
- 4-red velvet + green tea, 5 – diplomat
- i like it
- loved the red velvet, green tea – light and fluffy & flavorful but not sweet
- diplomat i don't like bitter chocolate
- green tea flavor is masarap
- good presentatioin+ delightful bites
- good red velvet
- it was good as always
- love the red velvet
- diplomat is best
- so pretty & tasty good too! right size
- green tea mousse is too much! Cupcakes are moist
- cupcakes were moist! Red velvet is the best!
- perfectly moist and full of flavor. Although there is no green tea flavor (overpowered by savory butter!)
- I like the Valrhona! Nice presentation
Cupcake by Klar Joseph
The Kitchen of Klar Joseph
Telephone: +632 633.9954
Mobile: +63 917 533-5527
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.thespoonisflat.com
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Call or Text Me: +63917 5683-627 (LOVE-OAP)
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- a Rockwell UTT Winner Certificate;
- a winner feature in Our Awesome Planet; and
- a guaranteed spot in any of the Mercato Centrale markets. 🙂
P.P.S. The next Ultimate Taste Test event will be held on November 17, 7pm in Mercato Centrale.
Related OAP Blog Posts:
OAP | The Ultimate Food Trip happens in Rockwell on September 3
OAP | The Foodies' Guide to Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test
OAP | My Cheers Moments @ Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test
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Ron Howard
If you keep up with Hollywood and/or the car scene, chances are pretty good that you're aware of the whole "Electric cars are gay" conflamma surrounding Ron Howard's new film, The Dilemma. But just in case you've been out of the loop, here's what you need to know: (a) there's a new movie called The Dilemma, and (b) in the original trailer, the star of the film busted out with the line, "Electric cars are gay."
Ordinarily, that line wouldn't have caused much of an uproar because the star of the film is Vince Vaughn, so hey, how many people would really see it anyway? But because the alleged joke was in the trailer -- the first line of the trailer, in fact -- anyone who's been to a movie in the past couple of months has gotten an eyeful. And of course, Vaughn & Co. had the misfortune of launching that trailer at the same time that bullying and suicides of gay teens were (and are) making headlines across the nation.
As a result of an outcry from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Anderson Cooper, and others, Universal pulled the line from the trailer. But Ron Howard, the movie's director, has now gone on record as saying that the joke will be in the film when it finally drops. His argument for that decision seems pretty solid and sensible, though one has to wonder whether he'd make the same points about using the N-word or tossing around Holocaust jokes.
Our colleague John Voelcker has already tackled the issue of EVs and sexuality (quote: "We ain't touching that one"), and Brett Berk gave a passionate response at Vanity Fair, so we don't really have anything to add to the debate surrounding sexual orientation and inanimate objects. We agree that Hollywood has the right to say whatever it likes in a film, and we also agree that audience members have a right to avoid such films in droves.
But more importantly, we agree that this film is going to be terrible. How can we be so sure? Well, apart from the C+/B- cast and the release date (January 14? Why don't they just go straight to DVD? Or should that be "heterosexually" to DVD?), there's the fact that the studio put such a lame joke in the trailer. If the goal of a trailer is to tantalize audiences with the best a movie has to offer, audiences for The Dilemma should bring a book.


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[Daoist Internal Alchemy 道家内丹术]
The Healing Properties of Fermented Foods
by Dr. Ted Nawalinski
The Healing Properties of Fermented Foods is a survey of more than two hundred research sources recently published by Traditional Chinese Culture Institute International, (http://www.tccii.com). In this introductory article Dr. Nawalinski summarizes they key points of the paper for readers. You can read the complete paper as a free PDF download with reference citations and a full bibliography.
Fermentation of food products refers to the anaerobic decomposition of carbohydrates, serendipitously yielding lactic acid (as in the production of yogurt and sauerkraut), ethanol (wine and beer), and carbon dioxide (the rising of bread). Yeasts (Saccaromyces) do the fermenting of grapes or grain in the production of wines and beers and degrade starch to produce the bubbles in rising bread.
Virtually every culture throughout history has had fermented foods; some of these may seem quite bizarre and some are so common that we don't even realize that chocolate, tea, coffee, salami, pickles, and soy sauce are among the items we eat daily that depend on lactic acid bacteria for taste and nutrition.
To appreciate fermented food, we need to appreciate the roles of the active agents – lactic acid ("probiotic") bacteria – and one of their important products – vitamin K.
Probiotics can be taken as supplements to modify the human gut flora but, as with all foods, the components are best taken together. A lot of research has been done with one or a few bacterial species independent of any food product and the results of their activity are impressive.
As a tonic: Healthy workers taking a fermented dairy product had significantly fewer common infectious diseases, fewer sick days, and fewer days with fever.
Against infectious diseases: HIV-infected children taking a formula containing Bifidobacterium bifidum and Streptococcus thermophilus showed an increase in immunoactive CD4 cells while the control group showed a decrease in cell count. The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported area hospitals reducing in-house Clostridium difficile ('C. diff') infections with two servings of yogurt daily.
A three-month trial among 281 children who attend day care centers showed that those receiving a fermented milk product had significantly fewer upper respiratory tract infections compared to the placebo group.
Women with recurrent vaginitis reported improvement after using glycerol suppositories impregnated with Lactobacillus. Even taking the probiotic orally alleviated symptoms because the gut flora is known to exert far-reaching effects outside the intestinal tract.
Cancer: Recurrence rate for superficial bladder cancer was lower for subjects receiving freeze-dried Lactobacillus casei than a control group taking a placebo.
Cardiovascular Health: Powdered probiotic cell extracts significantly decreased systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and heart rate in hypertensive subjects.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is found in dark leafy greens but the most important analog of the naphthaquinone complex is found in fermented foods or is produced by the anaerobic bacteria in your colon. Vitamin K
- is necessary for the cascade of events leading to the clotting of blood after a wound
- activates the protein osteocalcin for calcium deposition in bone and teeth
- protects against deposition of lipids and white blood cells and the formation of calcium crystals that characterize atherosclerosis and can reverse calcification already present
- supports brain sulfatides, whose decline with age is associated with age-related neurological degeneration
- has powerful anti-carcinogenic properties that may make it useful in preventing or treating cancer
It's important to note that your intestinal flora is best balanced by the regular consumption of a variety of real fermented foods. Subjects totally deprived of all ferments developed a modified gut flora and a decreased immune response. It was not until they resumed a normal diet of a variety of ferments with both cultured and wild strains of LAB that the volunteers returned to pre-testing blood and fecal counts.There are hundreds of fermented foods to investigate. Some of the benefits of a selected few of these foods may prompt you to investigate more exotic options for your menu.
Sauerkraut: Fermentation of cabbage preserves anticarcinogenic isothiocyanates, which may be destroyed by high temperature cooking, as well as decreasing dangerous nitrates and nitrites.
Kimchi: Lactic acid bacteria from kimchi inhibit growth of the serious food-borne pathogens Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, and improved asthma symptoms, pruritis, anaphylaxis, inflammation, and other allergic reactions in a mouse model.
In vitro, a component from kimchi, beta sitosterol, inhibited a vital gene for expressing cancer.
Kimchi bacteria reduced LDL ('bad') cholesterol in obesity-prone rats by inhibiting the differentiation of fat cells.
Lactobacillus brevis isolated from kimchi was found to degrade the organophosphorus pesticides chlorpyrifos, coumaphos, diazinon, methylparathion, and parathion.
Miso: This tasty ferment from Japan makes a wonderful broth and is highly protective against breast cancer: two very large studies totalling 37,000 women followed for 25 years showed that the group eating the most miso had almost 50% less breast cancer, but even moderate consumption showed some protection.
Yogurt: Studies in the US and the Netherlands showed yogurt to be protective against colorectal cancer. A French study showed a negative association between yogurt consumption and the risk of breast cancer.
Yogurt with live Lactobacillus acidophilus decreased the colonization of Candida in the rectum and vagina and reduced the infection rate in women with recurrent infections.
Natto: You likely never heard of this fermented soybean food from Japan, but its active component, nattokinase, is unmatched in its ability to degrade the blood proteins which form fibrin clots. Regular consumption may help to clear the bloodstream of potentially dangerous deposits. Nattokinase also degrades the protein fibrils which comprise the amyloid strongly associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
In spite of the wealth of research available on probiotics and fermented foods, many basic facts and mechanisms remain unknown. But it seems that science is gradually confirming what traditional cultures always somehow just knew: that fermented foods are special foods, able to nourish us deeply and help keep us healthy. Make them a part of a continuing series of healthy life choices. If this is a new part of your life adventure, enjoy the trip, the discoveries, and the tastes.
Download the entire paper in PDF format
[submitted by Shawn Cartwright]
Ted Nawalinski, Sc.D., has more than 36 years' experience in Chinese Internal Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation. For the last 15 years he has devoted most of his attention to Taiji, Qigong, and the healing properties of foods and meditation. His classes with elderly people in the western suburbs of Philadelphia offer a holistic approach to wellness, with nutrition and exercise advice to complement the movement and breathing of Taiji. Ted is a lifelong biologist and brings a global perspective to his interest in fitness and health.


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A Static Lullaby
Interview Date: December 31, 2006
Associated band: A Static Lullaby
How has your current tour with I Am Ghost, The Classic Crime, and So They Say been going so far?
It's everything I've expected after taking a year off, but it's been more positive because of all the bands playing and the reactions to the new CD... [inaudible]
October 10th brought the release of your self-titled album A Static Lullaby on Fearless Records. What brought the band to release this album on Fearless?
Basically, when we went into the decision of making a new album, we wanted to make sure that everything that was involved with the project was 100% for it. Bob came to us when the band was initially doing demos, and he said he wanted the project. We spoke with him a couple times and talked about what we wanted to accomplish, what his goals were, and weighed it out. It seemed like nothing but the best. Everything that we talked about in those early conversations evolved into something better than we expected, and it is probably the best label we could have gone with.
What made you choose to name the album after the band? Did it feel like a lot more personal of an album than your previous releases?
Once we got the band together and started writing new songs, we all collectively discussed where we wanted to go and take it. After the record was done, we really liked it. We said, \"Hey man, this is our album. This IS A Static Lullaby.\" We felt it truly represented us as a band. It explains to people what is going on. This is us; this is A Static Lullaby.
Are there any particular songs on the album that you feel show the strongest aspects of A Static Lullaby?
If you take Art Of Sharing Lovers or Hang Em High, the two songs we first released on Myspace, those really describe us well. Then again, if you take songs like Trigger Happy Tarantula, which is one of my favorite songs on the album, or others, they all really describe us as a whole.
What brought about the comic-book art style that has been used repeatedly in posters, advertisements, website, and Myspace for the band lately?
We were going to do a concept album but ended up not doing it. Still, we felt that the artwork should coincide with the lyrics and really address everything that was going on. Dan and I had an idea of doing something along the lines of Johnny The Homicidal Maniac. We sent out our ideas to a guy named Jeremy, who drew it up. All the situations we asked him to work with he did well on, and we're going to stick with all the things we have for this. I think it's really cool.
Have you incorporated the artwork into your banners and such on stage with the latest tour?
We have the CD cover as the backdrop, and we plan to make a couple other ones like the Mechanical Heart one we [inaudible]. I think it's really great that we can have something to [inaudible.]
A lot of fans have wondered what has caused such a dramatic change between every album A Static Lullaby has put out. Were these changes due to band member changes, or have you actually changed the direction of the band between each album?
rn In every album, you try to push yourself and create something better than what you made before. We also said we never wanted to make the same album. We wrote And Don't Forget To Breathe when we were like 19 years old, and we were 17 when we did the first songs we ever wrote. When we went on tour for a year, a lot of things changed with the feelings on the music A Static Lullaby was making. Faso Latido was still a good album, but I like to think of it as a side-project just because the whole band was segregated. There were three members who really wanted to go off and write some goofy shit, and then there was us who wanted to stay focused on what we started out to do. With the member changes, everyone talked about it, and we all loved the music that we make. The new album was set out to be a little heavier, but still keeping the melodic side and integrity of the band.
How frustrating is it when people judge your band by the songs you wrote like four years ago and don't take into account the changes you have gone through since then?
They are simple minded. A lot of people don't look into a whole band's trials and tribulations. If NOFX started writing metallic albums, people would be pissed off. You can't tell a band what to do, but if you're really love a band and dig the music they make, you should respect them enough to look at what they do. That doesn't happen though; people feel betrayed and jump on another bandwagon. I try to stay focused and just look at our outlook. Hopefully that comes across well to the people who listen to us. I can't ask anyone to say anything different. If they have their own opinions about what we did four years ago, that's fine. It doesn't affect me. I want to do it for the people who respect us. That's all we can do.
What particular route do you as a band feel you do not want to be a part of?
The beauty about the band is that we have so many different sides to the band. There are no limitations to what we can do. In the album, there are so many different things in all the songs. The Collision has a more ballad-y type song, and then you Static Slumber Party, which has a more old-school hardcore type sound to it. We got Hang Em High, which is a lot more hardcore and metal influenced. The band can grab all the influences and what is going on with our lives and put that into our music. I never plan on releasing, say, a Coldplay album because we like to make heavier music. We will always have melody, and we will always have screaming. That's the way it's going to be. We created something five years ago, and we're going to continue to make the music that we like and that's that.
What songs in particular are you sick of playing but keep in your set list every night because of fan wishes?
Once people fall in love with a song and come to see you live, I mean, we COULD say we will play whatever we want, but all these people care about these songs. Just because you've been jaded because you've played it a thousand times doesn't mean those kids don't want to hear it. You've got to account for both the fans and your sanity. We don't play like every hit that every person ever wants to hear. We try to give new and old songs.
Fuse.TV has a tour blog up that you guys run. How did the blog originally come about?
I got a call from Fearless, and they said something like that Fuse wanted to do it or there was a connection we had. When I heard it, I said, \"Yeah, that's a great idea.\" I try my best while on the road to keep it updated and such. It was a good idea, and Fearless brought it to the table, which is great.
How do you feel the music video for Hang Em High turned out? Was it to your expectations?
The video turned out pretty special. We created three different sets. The band went out of character, and we did a whole different thing outside of us playing live outside in the street or something. We shot the whole video like the 1920s, which is something a little different. Some was in black and white, and we shot each scene in like blue, sepia, and red. We did cool screenshot effects through it. We're all really happy with how it came out.
What are the plans for future music videos?
When it comes to videos, I like to see what directors come up with because some of them have really good ideas. When it comes to the point where we want to do the next video and figure out a song, we'll have to get together as a band and figure that out. As of now, we don't really have any ideas.
What are the future plans for touring after the current tour?
The band plans on touring in January and February. We really want to support the new record and get that out to people. Hopefully we do something like Take Action, and then go overseas because we've been meaning to do that. After that, we'd come back for the summer and hopefully do Warped Tour or something like that.
What is your dream as a musician and how has A Static Lullaby gotten you closer to your dream?
I've always set goals for myself. Within setting goals, I've always been a person who strives to reach them but am never satisfied. That's the whole process of being in a band and accomplishing what we've accomplished. One day you can put out a good record and one day you can put out a bad record. Is that possible? Sure, it could happen. What I want to do is be able to tour anywhere in America or the world and be able to really have a good time and stay positive. We've released successful records, pushed ourselves harder, and played in front of thousands of people. It's hard to say that you could want any more. I'm not satisfied at all. I want to dominate; I want to control; I want to take over. That's the band's philosophy so we will always want a little bit more. You just have to take a step back and take a step forward. That's what we're going to continue to do. You get up there day after day, shred every single day and if you were playing to a million people (even if you're playing to one). That one person is going to go away with something. That's what belongs to you, that you've accomplished all you've wanted to do, that you're happy with what you've done. Go out, play the shows, meet a ton of fans. The best part about it is having all these people connected to you.


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There are people who make money and have a lot to show for it, and then there are other people who make money and struggle to make ends meet, riddled with tons of personal debt. The difference between the two groups is that the first one knows how to handle their money. If you fall into the second group, fear not, there are ways to learn how to better manage your income.
When it comes to spending money on anything, weigh the pros and cons carefully. Making impulse purchases often leads to a feeling of regret. Say you want to buy a new car, but you own your car outright and it needs a few repairs. Here you weigh the pros to buying a new car as no worries of failure, you turn the key and it goes. A con, however, is that now you have another payment to add to your debt. If you can restore the car you own outright for less than a couple of thousand dollars, isn't it worth it to wait on the new one for a bit longer? Taking on excessive debt can put you at risk for bad credit. And, while there are bad credit personal loans available, getting a mortgage for a home may become impossible.
If you spend everything you make, you have nothing left over in the event of an emergency. This is a common mistake people make with their money, they live for today and put nothing away for tomorrow. By taking a small percentage of your monthly earnings and putting it into a savings account, you can accumulate money for the things you don't plan on. As a result, you'll have the money you need and avoid a financial crisis.
Consume Less
Waste can cost you dearly. For example, your utilities. When was the last time you took notice of what you spend to operate the lights and the heat and air conditioning, and your water bill? These are bills that you have the ability to reduce. Get in the habit of turning out the lights when someone leaves a room, adjusting the temperature when you go to bed and when you are away from home, and running appliances later in the evening. The cable bill is another area where you can save money. Contact the provider and change to another plan, or better yet, switch to basic service and rent movies from Redbox.
Pay Less
When you manage money correctly, you pay less. When you don't budget your money, you will encounter periods where money is short. This then creates a vicious cycle of frequent late payments. Those late payments hurt your credit score which makes getting a premium loan nearly impossible and guarantees you'll pay a higher interest rate. Late payments come with late fees, and if you overdraw your bank account you'll receive an overdraft fee from them as well. Maintaining a higher credit score also makes getting an apartment, insurance and utilities without a hefty deposit, easier.
Learning to manage your money benefits you in every way. It helps you maintain good credit, enjoy paying less for most anything and it gives you peace of mind. The good news is that it's never too late to learn the art of managing money.


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Should Poker Players Be Forced to Dress a Certain Way?
Sam Grafton is known for his wild clothing and entertaining banter at the poker tables. He is never one to shy away from a debate or discussion and after Sarah Herring did a dive into his twitter several interesting tweets sparked some conversation starters.
Are there any implications or a tournament series run like an exclusive cash game?
Should poker companies be able to tell players what to wear at the table?
To see the tweets: https://twitter.com/SquidPoker
Sam shares his opinions on these topics and They also discuss Grafton's movement into the Super High Roller scene. He explains his decision and confidence at the moment.
To follow him in the €100k Super High Roller check out:


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HIVE – the winner of the 2018 Galileo Masters Estonia Challenge – impressed the expert jury with a new solution that helps position, navigate, and track drones, robots, and other autonomous GNSS-equipped machines with up to centimetre-level precision.
In order to improve their positioning accuracy, autonomous vehicles like these need to be connected to a ground-based, continuously operating reference station (CORS) that uses GNSS. With thousands of CORS facilities operating as local networks or single stations around the world, the challenge lies in obtaining easy access to all the CORS correction data available.
HIVE is a real-time solution for highly accurate GNSS positioning and navigation. Its cloud-based software has the capacity to combine unlimited numbers of fragmented GNSS CORS facilities in a single solution and provides easy access to all of them. It thus serves as an instrument for creating a united European GNSS CORS infrastructure and enabling next-generation autonomous machines to build a better future for us all.
The development and early testing of the project was started by Dmitrii Kislenko in Russia in 2014. Simon Litvinov joined Dmitrii in 2015. The project was boosted and entered the European market when it became part of the Startup Wise Guys Accelerator in 2018 and created a company in Estonia — Precision Navigation Systems OÜ.
"Winning the Estonia Challenge in the Galileo Masters 2018 meant the breakthrough for HIVE. The credibility we gained for our project through winning the competition works as a door opener for investment talks and to key business contacts. Furthermore, in 2019, HIVE was admitted to ESA BIC Estonia" explains Simon Litvinov, CEO.
HIVE has been developing and testing in Russia since 2014. The project team connected more than 600 reference stations owned by 120 companies and served more than 2000 land surveyors. The new Estonian company has been successfully testing HIVE with Starship Technologies since 2018 and started a pilot with Comodule, an IoT solutions provider for light electric vehicles.
Supported by the ESA BIC Estonia programme, its project development is currently focusing on connecting new GNSS CORS owners and operators, looking for potential customers and launching further pilot projects as well as attracting investments.
Become the next Galileo Master winner with your idea
The Galileo Masters serves as an accelerating instrument for space‐related entrepreneurs and startups, providing Europe with ground‐breaking novelties. With prizes worth more than EUR 1 million up for grabs across 18 Regional Challenges, 6 Special Prize Challenges and – brand new – 2 Class prizes, there's definitely an opportunity for you. Submit your innovative Satellite Navigation solution to the competition by 31 July 2019.
Discover the challenges now and register for the Galileo Masters today!
Registration is free and available to participants all around the world.


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Author Tom Rath is a researcher for Gallup, where he's made a career out of researching strengths, well-being and leadership, then distilling what he's learned into a series of bestselling books.
While much of Rath's work has focused on mental and emotional concepts like strengths, friendship, management and leadership, behind the scenes he's spent the past 25 years doing everything he can to optimize his own health and wellness.
And while you and I may be interested in optimizing our health so that we can have more energy or feel less embarrassed about taking our shirts off at the beach, Rath has an additional motivation: fending off impending doom.
See, impressive though Rath's personal and professional lives may be – he's got a Master's degree in psychology, six bestselling books, a loving family, the whole shebang, basically – the most remarkable thing about him is that he's achieved these heights while battling a constant barrage of cancer.
Rath has VHL disease, a rare genetic disorder that, in his own words, "essentially shuts off a powerful tumor suppressor gene and leads to rampant cancerous growth throughout the body."
Having been diagnosed with the disease at the age of 16 and losing sight in his left eye, Rath resolved to do everything within his power to remain as healthy as possible.
He knew that no matter what he did, he was going to spend the rest of his life fighting off cancer, so he wanted to give himself the best possible chance.
In Eat Move Sleep, Rath shares the most proven and practical ways you can improve your life by changing the way you – yep, you guessed it – eat, move and sleep.
His central thesis? It's right there in the subtitle of the book: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes.
Eat Move Sleep Book Review
Ridiculously Well Researched
As a professional researcher for Gallup, Rath pours over scientific studies and research papers for a living.
Reading this book, it immediately becomes obvious that he's applied the professional thoroughness he honed over the past 20 years as a researcher to his personal crusade to improve his health and wellbeing.
While other books pay lip service to the importance that health and wellness play in overall self-improvement and development, Rath illustrates the connection in painstaking detail. (For instance, Stephen Covey only briefly mentions exercise in one of his seven habits, which you can read more about in my book review of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.)
Even the format of Eat Move Sleep was determined by research. Other authors would likely have taken the obvious route and split the book up into three distinct sections on eating moving and sleeping, respectively.
But, ever attuned to the latest scientific findings, in his introduction Rath notes that "new research shows tackling multiple elements at the same time increases your odds of success." (You can find the study he cites as evidence of this here.)
As such, he structured the book around themes that will allow you to focus on all three elements together, improving the way you eat, move and sleep simultaneously.
The book is full of references like that to "new research" or other scientific studies. How full? Let me put it this way: there are more than 400 citations.
So yeah, dude knows what he's doing.
Conversational Style
You might think that a book this ripe with research would read like a dull, clinical textbook.
But Rath manages to package all of this science in a text that's conversational, engaging and utterly human.
Reading the book feels like having a frank talk with your exceptionally well educated older brother.
He's a little stern, sure – for him this topic is literally a matter of life and death – but this guy knows of what he speaks, and he's doing it because he's got your best interests in mind.
A Practical Guide to Health
Rath's personal experience practicing what he preaches serves both him and you as the reader well.
From the beginning, his mission was to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible – because (I can't stress this enough) his life literally depends on it.
As such, the book doesn't just re-word the outcomes of scientific studies; it provides you with a practical guide to living, based on what these studies have revealed.
In each chapter, Rath outlines the research and the reasons why you should take a certain action to improve the way you eat, move and sleep.
At the end of the chapter, he then summarizes all three in a bullet-pointed list of straightforward calls to action.
Then at the end of the book, he lists all these points into what he calls a 30-Day Challenge, which is essentially a step-by-step action plan for living as healthily as possible.
He's also set up a website, EatMoveSleep.org, where you can find all of his research, download a PDF version of the 30-Day Challenge and fill out a questionnaire to get your own Eat Move Sleep plan.
Look, no book is perfect.
There's always going to be something the author could have done to better appeal to your own personal preferences.
But in writing the book, Rath wanted to achieve a few things:
- Layout the vast amount of research showing that if you improve the way you eat, move and sleep, you can astronomically improve your health.
- Provide you with a step-by-step plan for doing so that's consistent with the science.
- Communicate all of this to you in a way that will actually help you get off your ass and do it, rather than just read it and think, "Oh, that's interesting" before returning your attention to your Big Mac and your f@¢&ing X-box.
And try as I might, dear reader, I just can't come up with any credible ways in which Rath failed to achieve any of those goals.
Bottom Line:
Can this book help you build self-confidence?
It can indeed.
Our physical health underlies every other aspect of our lives: not just what we do – and what we're capable of achieving – but how we think and feel as well.
Taking steps to change your lifestyle and improve your health is incredibly empowering, and once you start doing it, it becomes contagious; you'll likely soon find yourself applying a similar work ethic to other elements of your life: your strength and muscle building, your style, your people skills, etc.
This book, then, could very well serve as the catalyst you need for getting your ass – and with it, your whole damn life – in order.
Do yourself a favor and pick it up.
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Further Reading:
More Book Reviews From Irreverent Gent:
- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking Book Review
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Book Review
- How to Win Friends & Influence People Book Review
- Eat Move Sleep Book Review
- The 5 Second Rule Book Review
- Compelling People Book Review
- The Charisma Myth Book Review
- Jocko Willink's Discipline Equals Freedom Book Review
- How to Talk to Anyone Book Review
- You Are a Badass Book Review


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Posted May 26, 2016
I really appreciate the nominations though, omega! I hope you're all having a lovely day!
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Shoden – Reiki I
The beginning of your healing journey.
Shoden is a Japanese word that means 'first teachings' or 'beginning', and is the first level in the traditional Japanese branch of Reiki, the Usui Reiki Ryoho.
During this teaching you will learn about four of the five elements of the system of Reiki which are: The Reiki Precepts; Meditations and Techniques; Hands on Healing; Reiju and Attunements. The other element; The Symbols and Mantras is taught during Okuden – Reiki II. There are no prerequisites to this course other than an openness to learn and heal, although it is beneficial to have experienced a hands on Reiki treatment, so you have an understanding of the healing energy.
The elements of the system of Reiki are taught and practised, which may then form the basis of your self-practice. You will be taught a hands on healing method, which is used mainly for the self, but can also be used for others, including family, children, friends and pets.
The course takes place over two days with continued support during the 21 day clearing process and beyond. You will receive a comprehensive manual and audio files to support your practice.
- Cost of the course is £175, with a £50 deposit payable at the time of booking.
Next course dates:
Updated date TBC 2024 from 10am-4pm on both days.
If you would rather be taught on a one-to-one basis, then please get in touch for some available dates.
Shoden Course Outline:
- Welcome
- What is Reiki?
- History & Lineage
- The Japanese Energy System
- An explanation of the five elements of the system of Reiki
- Techniques and meditations
- Hands-on self-healing
- Hands-on healing – treating others
- Reiju (attunements)
- Daily Routine
- Certification
- Class Follow-up
After the course:
On completion of the course, you will receive a comprehensive manual which includes meditations and techniques, as well as a certificate. I will be available for ongoing support via email, telephone and in person.
There will be Reiki shares held once a month, which will involve meditation, Reiju and sharing Reiki treatments. There will also be time for discussion about how your Reiki routine is going, an opportunity to ask questions and share experiences.


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My husband's car was backed into at work a few weeks ago. His car was parked, and the other person provided all the information needed, so this Thursday he dropped it off at the auto body shop, and I left early from work to go pick him up.
I was 90% of the way there when my car overheated, the light on, dinging, the works. I pulled over immediately and opened the hood.
My husband drove down and looked it over. It was decided we could limp it along to drop him off, driving with the heaters on full bore, and we called our normal shop.
We managed to drop off my car at the shop. It didn't look good, and they suspected head gaskets. There are two head gaskets on my vehicle, both buried in the engine. We were looking at a repair of ~$2000. The Subaru I have has two failure points – the transmission and the head gaskets. The head gaskets were replaced shortly before we bought the vehicle, and they provided paperwork, but we weren't sure they used the redesigned head gasket without the flaw.
I didn't work Friday – between trying to work out the car situation and the stress involved I took a personal day. This weekend, we've been borrowing my mother's car. (Thank you, Mom!)
Today, the shop called. Bugs in the condenser and low radiator juice. (I'm not a car person, can you tell?) They ran it for a few hours and had no issues after cleaning that up.
And they didn't charge us!
So we'll have to watch it to be sure nothing slipped past the shop, but it looks good to go. My husband's car is still being worked on, but we have a car again! Here's to hoping it won't be a further problem.
Tell me about yourself! How is your weekend going? What is the weather like near you? What are you planning to do this week? Inquiring minds want to know! *smile*


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Can we help?
Louisiana Civil Practice Forms provides the most often needed and used forms in your Louisiana practice. The sourcebook includes:
Scope appears at the beginning of each chapter, briefly describing the forms, and updated research references are included at each section level. In addition to the up-to-date statutory references of the forms, you are also provided helpful procedural guides and practice tips, as well as Integrated Library References to other Westlaw products.


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viking Appliance Repair
State-of-the-art tools enable us to provide the highest level of quality
We'll gladly help you with any questions or concerns you may have
our services
Red Apple Appliance Repair: Your Top-Notch Viking Appliance Repair Contractor
Viking products are indeed useful appliances found in everyone's kitchen. Not only will it make our life easy, but it also adds aesthetics to our home, especially in the kitchen area. Viking appliances are meant to complement a person's everyday life by providing them convenience and hassle-free work. For so many years now, the Viking appliance company never fails to provide quality and superior products.
Your Trusted Viking Appliance Repair Company
If you are looking for the most reliable and affordable Viking repair company, trust the experts of Red Apple Appliance Repair today! Our team of technicians is available 24/7 ready to handle any of your appliance service requests. Whether you need:
- Viking Cooktop Repairs
- Viking Ranges Repairs
- Viking Oven Repairs
- Viking Wall Hood Installations
- Viking Refrigerator Repairs
- Viking Dishwasher Repairs
You know that you can always count on our experts to handle it for you.
Why Choose Red Apple Appliance Repair Team
At Red Apple Appliance Repair, we never settle for less, and we always tackle any of our customer appliance problems with great enthusiasm and respect. With decades of serving both homes and business owners, we have produced thousands of greatly satisfied customers. Our team of technicians backed by experience, expertise, and knowledge is happy to serve any types of appliance problems, from big to small! So, why hire us and get started with one of our expert technicians today.
To learn more about the Red Apple Appliance Repair team or to book one of our professionals, feel free to contact our customer service now!


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The next meeting of The Macintosh Business Users Society of Greater Philadelphia (MacBUS) will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 pm. Todd Salkovitz, product evangelist for Acclivity and former MacBUS president, will demonstrate EnStore, a new way to run your business' online store.
Attendees will how EnStore works, how to set up an online store, how to connect it to Checkout, the Mac point-of-sale system, and how to integrate it with popular accounting software packages like AccountEdge. A general Mac troubleshooting Q&A session will also be held. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and invite friends or coworkers who may find the meeting beneficial.
MacBUS was the first user group in the United States to focus on the business and professional uses of the Macintosh operating system. The group of approximately 75 members meets this month at:
Giant Food Store
315 York Road
2nd floor conference room
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania 19090
Meetings are usually held on the last Tuesday evening of each calendar month. To inquire about presenting, or to suggest a meeting topic, please contact the MacBUS board at email@example.com .For additional information about MacBUS, including directions to meetings, visit the MacBUS web site http://www.macbus.org/.


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Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Arabic:
- Hilāl
- Related Topics:
- religious symbolism and iconography
- symbolism
- cadency
crescent, political, military, and religious emblem of the Byzantine and Turkish empires and, later and more generally, of all Islāmic countries.
The Moon in its first quarter was a religious symbol from earliest times and figured, for example, in the worship of the Near Eastern goddess Astarte. Later it became the symbol of the Byzantine Empire, supposedly because the sudden appearance of the Moon saved the city of Byzantium (Constantinople) from a surprise attack. It once was thought that the Ottoman Turks adopted the crescent for their own flags after capturing Constantinople in 1453, but in fact they had been using the symbol for at least a century before that, for it appeared on the standards of their infantry under Sultan Orhan (c. 1324–c. 1360). In that case, however, the crescent may have been of different origin, formed by the base-to-base conjunction of two claws or horns. Whatever its origin, the crescent became closely associated with the Ottoman Empire (appearing on military and naval standards and on the tops of minarets), its successor states, and the world of Islām in general. It may be seen today on the national flags of many countries in which Islām is predominant, including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Comoros, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Tunisia, and Turkey; and it is also in the symbol of the Red Crescent, the Muslim equivalent of the Red Cross organization.
In medieval European heraldry the crescent was originally a mark of great honour adopted by many returned crusaders, particularly in France.


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Eg: Playgroups, Religious Groups, Self Help Meetings, Senior Citizens Groups, Youth Groups.
Venue hire:
- Main Hall (Max Capacity: 170 Formally Seated)
- Lounge (Max Capacity: 40 Formally Seated)
- Kitchen (Max capacity: N/A)
- Monday - Thursday per hour:
Hall: £16.00
Lounge: £12.50
Kitchen: £12.50
- Friday and Saturday per hour:
Hall: £44.00
Lounge: Use included in above rate
Kitchen: Use included in above rate
- Sundays, Bank Holidays, Christmas and New Year's Eve per hour:
Hall: £53.50
Lounge: Use included in above rate
Kitchen: Use included in above rate
Available to regular hirers only.
- Per cubic metre per week: £5.00
Insurance is required for every booking and is calculated on the hire charge not on equipment hire. Some organisations, will have their own Public Liability Insurance Cover, otherwise the following will apply:
- Up to and including 4 hours hire
- Over 4 hours hire
15% of the hire charge + 6% Insurance Premium Tax
Deposit against damage:
This is a refundable deposit that will be returned following your hire; assuming that there is no damage done to the community centre during your hire and that you do not overrun your booked hire times.
- Hirers using the Council's insurance
- Hirers with their own insurance
Deposit paid on the excess of the Policy
This Council operates a no smoking policy. Smoking is strictly forbidden anywhere within the building and its immediate vicinity.


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In a short while, we'll be going to schlocksville to do battle with a blob. To sort of offset this, let's aim for some culture. Previously, I did a recording of Macbeth for 32 Days, and looking back over the archives I was reminded of this: the Patrick Stewart as Macbeth production which aired on PBS. This is freaking fantastic, Halloween aside, but watch until about three minutes in and see some of the best transition work I've witnessed in a while. The PBS player won't let you skip ahead. But trust me, it's worth it.
It's available on DVD but hey, if you're an Amazon Prime member, it's free streaming. You know, in case you want to see it on a bigger screen. (And you can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime here. I'm a member–I recommend it.)
Now that we're all cultured and such, let's go to the old-time radio classic series Mystery in the Air. From 1947, here's Peter Lorre starring in a version of Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat. And if you're listening for the first time, let me save you that, "Whoa, where do I know that voice from?" agony…the announcer is Harry Morgan. (I don't think there are any in-print editions of Mystery…that's a damn shame.)
Now we go to 1959 for some Italian sci-fi horror madness. If there's a moral to the story of Caltiki, the Immortal Monster, it's that you shouldn't mess with unicellular blob creatures. Especially not ones hanging out in Mayan ruins.
There doesn't appear to be a serious release of this on DVD. So enjoy it here.


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Janniderma is a brand under which are designed, produced and sold only exclusive leather products 100% made in Florence. In Janniderma boutique, you can find leather garments and bags, esclusive fashion creations individually being handmade by skilled Italian artisans. Their collections are not mass produced and each piece is unique. Janni was born in Greece in 1957, and in 1982 he graduated in architecture at Florence University. In 1991, he created the Italian brand name Janniderma, designing its collections which he sells exclusively in his boutique located in via dei Benci, 16R and on his website. HOW TO GET THERE The nearest bus station is Corso Dei Tintori, on Line 23 and C3, only 120 meters away from the store. If you need precise directions, use the map below.
All Accessories in Florence
Massai Orafi
Massai Orafi is a jewelry store in Florence, with a history of more than 50 years, which produces bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings with a special design. Situated in the historic centre of Florence, on the top floor of a sixteenth-century building, Massai Orafi creates unique handmade pieces of jewellery using techniques that were transmitted from the ancient time of Florentine goldsmithing. Visit the workshop to discover their extensive selection of jewellery and gain an insight into how a piece of jewellery is made. HOW TO GET THERE The shop is about 200 meters from the Ponte Vecchio bridge and only 100 meters from the nearest bus station, Porta Rossa, on Line C2.