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In 1997, Lithe Method founder Lauren Boggi was cheering for The University of South Carolina Gamecocks when a fateful rotator cuff injury shaped her future. She had two choices: Shoulder surgery or to rehab her shoulder through Pilates. She chose Pilates and fell in love with it. Her cheering career ended and she happily moved to NYC and studied acting at William Esper Studios and Penny Templeton Studios and studied Pilates at the famed Pilates on Fifth. She was happy with her rehabilitative results, but ultimately missed her cheerleading physique and the sexy, body-perfecting results that it gave her petite and curvy 4'11" frame on and off camera.Over time, Lauren found "being in the Pilates box" excruciatingly rigid and boring. For fitness to be fun while continuing to be effective (vs. body plateau), and for women to crave it, it had to be more than just exercise – it had to be fun and life changing. If people were going to reap the benefits they had to want to do it, and want to do it regularly. Lauren has created a fun, exciting, hip and always evolving fitness method for women whether they're just starting out or have been Lithing for years. Lauren experienced the defining transformation of her life in 2005 when she went from full-scale Pilates instructor to overnight Lithe Method creator, bringing her experiments with exercise choreography to the public.Lauren is a woman on a mission to make a difference in the world, empowering one woman at a time. She is the creator and founder of Lithe Inc., Lithe Foods, Lithe Wear, Lithe's Cardio-Cheer-Sculpting® Technique, Lithe Escape® and Lithe's revolutionary Higher Power Band System®. She is a powerful, intuitive, creative teacher, social/eco activist, and businesswoman. Widely respected as an industry expert, Lauren has appeared in many national publications such as VOGUE, BusinessWeek, Lucky, and more.
From: Mahanoy City, PA (a hilltop 2 miles outside of Mahanoy City with just 7 other houses)
Favorite City: Prague
Favorite Lithe Workout: Sculpt & Stems (anything NOT cardio heavy ;) - though Spirit is pretty awesome!
Favorite Lithe Exercise: Anything at the barre - it feeds my inner child who never got to take dance class and makes me feel so strong and accomplished when I am working with good form and in rhythm with the class.
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Annette is caring, enthusiastic, friendly, fun, funny, and has a BIG, bubbly personality. Her passion for being on stage really shines through in her classes in the best possible way - She'll make you jump higher and get lower by doing super cool tricks with her voice!
Other job: Actor and Voice Over Artist
Enjoys: Cooking and hosting dinner parties for family and friends. Dining at any of Philly's great BYOB's. Going to the theatre, traveling, spring days, her backyard and small fresh herb garden, vino, vino, vino, shopping, learning new things, her rescue kitty, Amica, projects where she gets to use her hands, be it sewing, home repair, gardening. She likes being able to look at things and say, "yeah, I did that!"
What you wouldn't know just by looking at her: She is a certified sommelier, good wine and great food are a passion. She is an actor who has worked on stage, in film, commercial, industrial and a lot of voice over work all over the nation. You have probably heard her voice on TV or the radio and never realized it was her (listen harder in class the next time ;). She had a major sugar addiction, candy, chocolate, cake, pie, you name it. She was a Casting Director in Philly and was lucky to have worked on many of the major motion pictures shot here. While grateful for the experience, she was happy to give it up to focus on her true passion of acting. Life is too short to not do what you love!
From: Philadelphia, PAFavorite City: Tel Aviv, IsraelFavorite Lithe Workout: Pom and WaspieFavorite Lithe Exercise: Pike position push-ups with gliders (forever challenging!)How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Bari started teaching in 2009. She is a lifelong dancer, cheerleader and gymnast (she says that she could open a costume store from participating in so many recitals). Bari is a true role model for women. She's healthy, she's relevant and her body is a "real"--she's fit, petite & curvy (she has boobs and a butt!). She pushes and can do it all. She has perfect form, killer strength, and stamina. Other Job: Pharmaceutical Rep.Enjoys: the west-coat, cupcakes, shopping, spontaneity, traveling, music, running, laughing, Lithing, and dancingWhat you wouldn't know by looking at her: Bari graduated from University of Arizona with a degree is health ed, merchandising & retail, & Hebrew. She's kinda shy, has a photographic memory, has unlimited amounts of energy, appreciates the little things in life and pays close attention to detail, and she will talk to anyone & dance anywhere at anytime! She's driven cross country twice, is super close with her family and talks to them multiple times a day, her eyes change colors but are really green, and she is often mistaken for the actress Carla Gugino.
From: Los Angeles, CAFavorite City: Melbourne, AustraliaFavorite Lithe Workout: Spirit & Hot LegsFavorite Lithe Exercise: Jumping series on the rebounder in Spirit How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Diana joined the Lithe team in Fall 2012. She had been Lithing for over a year when she decided to try out and wowed us with her strength and form at the auditions. She has a uniquely soothing, yet commanding, voice that can make the most intense class seem pleasant. She is strong, focused, and has amazing form! Other Job: Doctoral candidate in SociologyEnjoys: eating, cooking, dinner parties with friends, farmers markets, food journalism and photography, hole-in-the-wall restaurants where the locals eat, tasting different regional and ethnic cuisines while traveling, touring grocery stores and markets in other countries to buy random ingredients, tea shops, spice shops, bakeries, dessert, coffee shops, Chinatowns around the world . . . and Lithing!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: She's not as serious as she appears once you get to know her. She's a homebody with frequent pangs of wanderlust. She loves going on meandering road trips and navigating by old-fashioned paper maps. Philadelphia has been her home base for the past five years and Lithe is one of the best things about this city!
From: Philadelphia, PAFavorite City: London, EnglandFavorite Lithe Workout: Favorite Lithe Exercise: Clockwork Series in Thinny and Skipping Walk in BarlesqueHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team? Elizabeth began teaching in Fall 2011. She is fierce and she takes her Lithe practice pretty seriously. She is one of the strongest, most focused and determined Lithers out there. She is a natural teacher, has perfect form and is so much fun to watch. She has a certain quirkiness about her that we just adore.Other Job: SAT Vocabulary/English tutorEnjoys: reading, music, my dogs, fashion, sports, and British televisionWhat you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: She is just a hair under 5'9". She went to college at Georgetown University and majored in English and Fine Art. Her favorite food is the sandwich - she eats at LEAST 1 per day (and were featured at her wedding). She and her husband Brett have 3 rescued dogs: Luca (part pit-bull), Tug (beagle), and Miga (part beagle, part dachshund- her name means "little fried crouton" in Spanish and she is just about that smart, but very cute). She also has boating license and likes doing silly voices.
From: Pottstown, PAFavorite City: Florence, ItalyFavorite Lithe Workout: BarlesqueFavorite Lithe Exercise: Rockette kicks or Star Explosions with a tuck jumpHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Elizabeth caught my eye at the Main Line Studio and we were *this close* to asking her to audition, but the stars aligned and we received her resume. She is strong, motivational, determined, professional, kind, beautiful to watch, and she has the most lovely teaching voice! Other Job: Financial Advisor Services at VanguardEnjoys: Reading, baking, brunching, Mexican food and margaritas, La Colombe Coffee, shopping, traveling (and coming home), listening to all types of music (Amos Lee and Ray Lamontagne are two favorites), running the Haverford Trail, and living on the Main Line.What you wouldn't know by looking at her: I graduated from Villanova in 2006 with a degree in English and a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. I played the flute from age 9 all the way through college and can still read music and play by ear. I'm a middle child in between two brothers—one eleven months older, and one seven years younger. Outside of Lithe, you will rarely find me in anything other than a dress and heels. My hair is naturally brown, but I've been coloring it red for the past six or so years; I actually feel more like myself as a redhead!
From: Philadelphia, PA Favorite City: Boulder, CO Favorite Lithe Workout: Skinny MiniFavorite Lithe Exercise: Frogger (in Pom)How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Gerri started teaching in Fall 2010. We watched her gain serious strength and stamina in her first two years as a client at Lithe. She completely transformed her petite frame through hard work. She is out-going and friendly, Type-A, super active, intelligent, and a quite a perfectionist. The the fact that she took on six months of Lithe's strenuous Lithe Method Instructor Training and planned her wedding speaks volumes about the type of person she is.Other Job: Science Festival Director at the Franklin Institute. She plans a city-wide science festival and has received recognition for her work, including a nomination for Geek of the Year! Enjoys: picnics in the park, Lithing, reading (she used to work for the Library!), hiking, biking, running, baking, scrabble, traveling, exploring museums, attending lectures and cultural events all over town, scavenger hunts, spending time with friends, family, and her husband, Josh. What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: Gerri is 5'0" tall. She still gets carded for R-rated movies. She loves being as active as possible and packs her days with activities ranging from runs and Lithe to baking and planning surprises, parties, and scavenger hunts for friends/family. She loves attending cultural events. She's balanced and intelligent -- she has degrees in both Engineering/Math & Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She loves to eat healthy and work out as much as possible, but finds it super relaxing to experiment with new recipes for baked goods. As an engineer, scrabble lover, and science enthusiast, she's a self-proclaimed nerd who enjoys showing any jock around that even a petite woman can be fit and fierce!
From: Riverton, NJFavorite City: Carmel-by-the-Sea, CAFavorite Lithe Workout: WaspieFavorite Lithe Exercise: Half Moons in Waspie (so hard & require such concentration and core strength!)How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Jaime joined the Lithe team in Fall 2012. She loves Lithe, has amazing form, stamina, and determination. She's transformed her body and healed her back injury through Lithe, and we know that she will inspire others with limitations and injuries to not give up and become as strong as they can be! Other job: Registered Nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.Enjoys: Summer & everything about it (HOT sunny days, the beach, flip-flops & sundresses), entertaining, baking, cooking, decorating, gardening (Martha Stewart is her idol! ), dessert (she has a big sweet tooth and ends every meal with a sweet bite, even breakfast!), time with friends, family, & problem "child" Emily her cat, Greenies, and Lithe!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: Jaime says, "Lithe has truly changed my life. I injured my back while working at the hospital 11 years ago. After medication and physical therapy I was left with chronic pain every day, often requiring me to roll myself out of bed in the morning. Two years ago, after an MRI, a neurosurgeon told me that the only thing that would help my three bulging discs (other than surgery) would be to get my core muscles seriously strong. A co-worker told me about Lithe, I met Bari at my first Immersion class, and my healthy addiction began. I am now pain free although you may catch me a little stiff on a rainy morning. At the age of 37 my body & mind are healthier than ever… thank you Lithe!"
From: Huntingdon Valley, PA
Favorite City: Tel Aviv, Israel. So far anyway… there are so many places I want to see.
Favorite Lithe Workout: Action Figure! It's so challenging and so fun. I love how the wrist and ankle weights really crank it up a notch.
Favorite Lithe Exercise: I would have to say bow and arrows with the bands. It reminds me of "The Freddie" from Troop Beverly Hills and it's a great cardio/sculpting move. I also LOVE CCS cardio sequences– the more the better.
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Jen is fun, genuine, real, super-friendly and all smile, sparkle, and shine. Her winning personality, fantastic form, and attention to detail makes for a fun, and challenging hour at Lithe; she kicks butt with a smile!
Other Job: Commercial Real Estate/Investment Sales: I am a Marketing Associate with the Capital Markets Group at Jones Lang LaSalle.
Enjoys: I am a huge foodie. I love trying new foods and restaurants and am a complete nerd about it. I also love running, the beach, reading books, being outside… oh – and hair and makeup. I could get lost for days in Sephora. What you wouldn't know by looking at her: I can sing. Opera. (right?- so random, I know) I started studying voice in college and I just really loved it. I sang all the way through school (I was in not one, but TWO choirs) and was actually a member of the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia for a few years after I graduated.
From: Horsham, PAFavorite City: Amsterdam, NetherlandsFavorite Lithe Workout: SpiritFavorite Lithe Exercise: Rockette kicks or plyos with the blue bands!
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Jenn is sweet, strong, passionate about movement, an experienced dancer, dance teacher, and a team player. When she didn't make the first round of instructor auditions I knew that she'd practice, come back and blow us away. And, she did!
Other Job: Which one? :) Marketing for an investment firm 9-5, performing with a Philadelphia-based professional modern dance company, and teaching baby ballerinas how to dance.
Enjoys: Traveling, running, red wine, eating endless amounts of sushi, brunch, fall, BYOBs, and dancing - especially the rush of performing! It's unlike anything else. She loves making lists, country music, eating chocolate and spending time with family and friends.What you wouldn't know by looking at her: She graduated from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford with a BFA in Dance Performance. Dance has taken her to amazing places and introduced her to some amazing people! She spent time in Holland for an international dance festival and she has performed and presented her choreography across Italy and Canada. Her boyfriend is from Jordan and she's dying to get to that part of the world - and learning Arabic is top on the list! Her two younger sisters stopped dancing and became hardcore volleyball players when she left for college so now she's the girly girl in her sporty family. But that is why she loves Lithe so much - she can feel so strong and girly at the same time!
From: Fogelsville, PA Favorite City: Las Vegas, NVFavorite Lithe Workout: Waist NotFavorite Lithe Exercise: Goddess absHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Jenn joined the team in Winter 2013. She is a former college cheerleader and dancer, so Lithe movement comes so naturally to her! She is a great athlete with amazing form.Other Job: Clinical Pharmacist (specialty Critical Care)Enjoys: Watching and attending sports, her favorite is football; attending concerts, she's always worried that it may be the last time the person or band is going to tour; trying new restaurants; traveling; and being busy - she hates having nothing to do!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her: She's color blind (she says to let her know if she's not matching!). She was trained in classical piano for 13 years and just recently received a keyboard for Christmas. She's currently teaching herself some Billy Joel and Coldplay!
From: Galloway, New JerseyFavorite City: Rome, ItalyFavorite Lithe Workout:Favorite Lithe Exercise: Wide Second in stiletto (because of the feeling it gives of being long, tall and strong!)How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Joellyn started teaching in Spring 2011. She attended our Fall 2010 Lithe Escape in Grenada and it was clear she would make a perfect instructor. She's smart, focused, loves and truly believes in the power and effectiveness of Lithe, she's kind, caring, professional, super-strong, beautiful inside and out and has such extensive knowledge of movement and the human body. Other Job: Physical Therapist and adjunct professor/educator at Penn Health. For the last three years, Joellyn has been the lead therapist at the Dan Aaron Parkinson's Center/Penn Therapy and Fitness. 90% of those she sees have Parkinson's Disease. Enjoys: spending time with her husband (Eric) and their dog (Luca), the beach, ocean and sunshine! traveling, wining, dining and creatively cooking in the kitchen, staying on the move, and of course Lithing!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: She's 5'10", lactose intolerant but obsessed with cheese, and went to Lehigh University and earned degrees in both Biology and Psychology before moving on to Temple University to get her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She is involved in exciting projects like "Live Large," Movement Matters exercise group and has a huge focus on coaching patients diagnosed before the age of 50 with design and implementation of a fitness program that fits them best. She was obsessed with running until she was sidelined by two hip surgeries wherein she learned how to knit so at least part of her could stay moving. She loves doing laundry, is a post-it queen, and loves to organize. She smiles everyday knowing that her husband is in her life!
From: Bryn Mawr, PAFavorite City: Stowe, VTFavorite Lithe Workout: SpiritFavorite Lithe Exercise: It's a tie between toe-touches on the rebounder and plyos with the bands, It makes her feel like she can fly!How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Danielle joined the team in Fall 2012 after Lithing as a client for over two years. She is so fearless and fun! She has strength, personality, passion and she's persistant and committed. When she didn't make the first round of instructor auditions we knew that she'd practice, come back and blow us away. And, she did!Other Job: student and hopefully graduate student by 2013 (fingers crossed)!Enjoys: eating, cooking, spending time with friends and family, singing, dancing to exhaustion, snuggling with her kitties (Pastrami and Mowgli), walking around the city and exploring new parts (every time!) with her boyfriend, cake (yes, all kinds), gigantic fleece sweatpants, teaching, and obviously lithing.What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: She's always loved to sing and dance, and her my mom called her a "ham" growing up. When she was 13, her mom secretly submitted her rendition of "Nobody's Supposed to be Here" by Deborah Cox to Q102 for their Philly Idol contest- she performed and won the contest, opened for Jingle Ball and continued to perform until she started college. After college she entered culinary school. When she worked in the industry she saw how fat-laden (although still delicious) many dishes were and she decided not to go down that route. She is now completing classes in order to begin a Graduate degree in Nutrition so she can educate others on how to be fit, hip, healthy! She is also an animal FREAK!
From: Drexel Hill, PAFavorite City: Paris, FranceFavorite Lithe Workout: Rock Steady! Favorite Lithe Exercise: Spread Eagle or Rockette KicksHow'd he land a spot on the Lithe team: Jonathan is commanding, talented, fun, funny, energetic, and strong. He's both a Sage on Stage, and a Guide by your Side type of teacher. You'll love his classes!Other Job: Full-time Drexel undergrad, studying International Business and EconomicsEnjoys: Biking, dancing, singing (badly), animals, playing piano, red wine, going to the movies, trying new restaurants, red wine, going to the beach, red wine, Lithing, walking home from work, fashion, laying out, interior design/architecture, and just staying in on the couch!What you wouldn't know by looking at him: I'm a left-handed Libra that is actually quite shy; I'd choose staying home over going out when it involves meeting a lot of new people. I place a lot of value in family and enjoy spending time at home with my parents and dog. I'm an OCD cleaner and actually like devoting a day each week to clean my apartment top to bottom. I can't live without some alone time and prefer to live by myself because of it.
Born with a heart condition known as a "coarctation of the aorta", I was told since a child that I was not allowed to take part in any strenuous physical activities (no sports!). Because of this, I devoted much of my childhood to the performing arts, beginning with singing, piano lessons, and theater. At 8 years old, I found my passion in dance and began taking classes in ballet, jazz, tap, broadway, contemporary, and lyrical. In high school, I joined a competition dance team - think Dance Moms - Except definitely not that crazy. I've been a die-hard dancer since, and love that I can continue to dance with Drexel's company while focusing on a different major. It was actually the close similarity between competitive dance and cheerleading that attracted me to Lithe! And on that note, I LOVE teaching Lithe (cardio is definitely my thing)!
From: Pittsburgh, PAFavorite City: Rome, ItalyFavorite Lithe Workout: Rock Steady and Waist NotFavorite Lithe Exercise: Cardio from Rock Steady, Tight End, and Action FigureHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: After several years as a client, Julie became a Lithe Instructor in Summer 2013. She is super strong, has great stamina, and an innate understanding of Lithe. In fact, she Lithed straight through her entire pregnancy! Her cheerleader roots and sunny personality really shine through in her classes.Other Job: Elementary school teacher (but currently taking time off to spend with her 7-month-old daughter)Enjoys: Eating out, cooking, shopping, traveling, museums, wine, dark chocolate, reading, football (Go Nittany Lions and Steelers!), spending time with family and friends, and Lithing!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her: Julie graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Art History, but after working at a photography agency in NYC decided to return to school to be a teacher. She earned her masters in Elementary and Art Education at Fordham University. When she was in high school, her dance team placed in the top five in the country and their routine was nationally televised on ESPN. Julie also has a large Greek family (think "My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and LOVES all Greek food!
From: Neptune Beach, FLFavorite City: San FranciscoFavorite Lithe Workout: Freestyle, Weightless, Skinny MiniFavorite Lithe Exercise: Seesaws
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Though she be but little, she is fierce! Kalika is fun, has a big, confident presence, and is an experienced teacher - She has "it"! She works really hard in the studios and demands the same from her Lithers (and she gets it!).
Other Job: Fitness Instructor, Burlesque PerformerEnjoys: Dancing, performing, eating, coffee, gluten free baking, my Jack Russell, flip flops, movement, good form, outer space documentaries, and Lithing. What you wouldn't know by looking at her: Kalika has been dancing since the age of 3 and has a BA in Dance Studies from University of South Florida. She has been a member of the Peek-A-Boo Revue Neo-Burlesque Troupe since 2006 and is the assistant director. She helped the group win Best Troupe at The Burlesque Hall of Fame Competition in Las Vegas in 2008 and 2012. Kalika also teaches burlesque classes at the Peek-A-Boo Dance Clinic and feels most rewarded when the women in her classes (hobbyists and aspiring performers) blossom with confidence. Kalika can't be trusted with a jar of peanut butter and is madly in love the man of her dreams, Chris Koontz.
From: Martinsville, NJ
Favorite city: New York, NY
Favorite Lithe workout: Waspie (for now!)
Favorite Lithe exercise: Plyos with blue bands
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Katie has killer precision and is a natural teacher who is commanding, always smiling, warm, strong, form-focused and fun! She brings a unique, calm-assertive presence to her classes that you'll absolutely love.
Other Job: Dancer, Fitness Instructor & Personal Trainer
Enjoys: Dancing, reading, knitting, cooking, precision, coffee, painting, live performances, playing fetch with her dog Loki, staying active, design, working with her hands, helping people reach their goals
What you wouldn't know by looking at her: Katie graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance, ballet. There she got to work with one of her favorite choreographers Robert Battle, who set a new work on her. She also had the opportunity to dance in an off Broadway show before moving to Philadelphia. Her Italian Greyhound mix, Loki always keeps her on her toes (she's named after the god of mischief), and is a great running partner. She always forgets how short she is, and has a deadlift PR of 220 lbs.
From: Milford, New Hampshire
Favorite City: Boston, MA
Favorite Lithe workout: It's a tie between Weightless, All That, and Mercy
Favorite Lithe exercise: Anything and everything Cardio CCS. I love the endurance it involves. It reminds me of being back on the competition mat.
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team: Kasey is fun, spunky, outgoing, positive, and strong. She pushes you with her infectious energy. Her classes are a chance to get present, get sweaty, and have fun!
Other job: Buyer for The Atlas Group
Enjoys: Traveling, being active, red wine, Cape Cod, dirty martinis with blue cheese olives, no shower Avalon happy hours, long days at the beach, my puggle Wes (named after a former New England Patriots player), New England sports, Lithing (I cannot live without it), skiing, being outdoors, dancing, exploring new restaurants/bars, local farmers' markets, fruit, champagne, fashion, all-natural beauty products, my girlfriends, and spending time with family.
What you wouldn't know by looking at her: I cheered competitively my entire life and was a cheerleader for the University of Rhode Island. I am really outgoing but can be shy initially. I double majored in merchandise buying and business while holding a minor in digital art. I love being busy and active. Relaxing is not my strong suit (I love to dance until the point of exhaustion). I tend to be a perfectionist and am extremely detailed-oriented. I love fashion and am constantly putting outfits together and drawing inspiration from magazines, boutiques, and my own closet (even if I have no plans on wearing them!).
I am slightly obsessed with my dog Wes and I talk to him as if he were a person. I love traveling back to Boston and I try to go as often as possible. I really believe in positive energy and getting back exactly what you give out. I found this in a book called The Secret which I reread often. I work out mainly for my sanity. Exercise puts me in the best mood. I am the oldest of three. My sister is two years younger and lives with me in Center City. My brother is six years younger. I come from an extremely close family. I love being involved in Lithe and I really believe in everything it stands for.
From: Cleveland, OHFavorite City: New York, NYFavorite Lithe Workout: High MiniFavorite Lithe Exercise: Lunges (any kind!)How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Krista began teaching in 2009, about a year after she started Lithing. Krista is a true athlete. She studied ballet for 10 years, is an ex-gymnast, and tennis pro of four years. Krista is up-beat, high energy, has superwoman strength and on-point coordination. She can master any routine we throw at her in a few hours flat!Other Job: Krista volunteers at an animal shelter, and she is currently expecting her first child!Enjoys: Tennis, running, skiing, traveling, cooking, crossword puzzles, Pinkberry, and hanging out with her two pugs, Eleanor & Penelope. What you wouldn't know by just looking at her?: She is a Lululemon Ambassador for Lithe, she is Latvian, graduated from the University of Vermont, has worked in Europe and traveled the world for a year before she settled in Philadelphia, she can get ready (from shower to shoes) in less than 30 minutes flat, and she is married to her love, EJ!
From: Skowhegan, Maine
Favorite City: Paris
Favorite Lithe Workout: Rock Steady and Tight End
Favorite Lithe Exercise: CCS sequences from Rock Steady and Sleeveless 2.0; any standing legwork with bands
How'd she land a spot on the Lithe team? Maggie is a strong, fun, and motivational teacher who really wants to spread the Lithe love. And, she is tough in the best way possible - She doesn't put up with lithe stalling, yet she's really able to coach those last few reps out of you with a smile. Maggie says that teaching to her means that she is "paying it forward": Lithe has given her such strength and increased her self-love, that she wants to share those powerful feelings with lithers as she continues to grow as an instructor.
Other Job: 9th grade reading intervention teacher in North Philadelphia.
Enjoys: Cuddling with life partners (husband, son, four-legged friends); dark chocolate and white wine (preferably together!); cooking and baking for loved ones; laughter; impromptu family dance parties; perfectly roasted chicken; fall (pumpkins! apple picking!); shoes that you don't have to tie or buckle; nailing a CCS!
What you wouldn't know by looking at her: Growing up in a small town in central Maine, Maggie knew she was destined for the bright lights of a big city. Convinced she's meant to live in France (Lithe Paris, anyone?) she often dreams in French. Having read every Jane Austen novel at least twice, 'Pride and Prejudice' will forever be Maggie's favorite. Never needing a cup of coffee until having a baby, a delicious dark roast now makes her feel scarily invincible. After being mocked by a persnickety waiter at an Olive Garden for being too "small" to finish the 'Tour of Italy' triple entrée, Maggie polished it off just to prove her point.
rom: Virginia Beach, VA & Kennett Square, PA Favorite City: Barcelona, SpainFavorite Lithe Workout: Favorite Lithe Exercise: Oblique Rotations with bandsHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Meghan started teaching in Fall 2011. A former gymnast and professional dancer, Meg is beyond strong. She is fun, determined, committed and just fantastic to watch. She has grace, quiet strength, perfect form and killer flexibility. Other Job: Commercial Real Estate Project Manager.Enjoys: dancing, traveling, boating, red wine, espresso, Phillies and Eagles games, buildings and architecture, and spending time at the beach with family and friends.What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: Meghan is a former professional contemporary dancer. She trained at The Ailey School in New York City and received full scholarships to the Gus Giordano Dance School in Chicago as well as the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts. Meghan was also on the USA Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Team for three years and was a competitive springboard and platform diver (1, 3, 7.5, and 10 meters)—her career started when she jumped off the high dive at the age of two with her arm floaties on. Meghan has an MBA in Finance from Saint Joseph's University, and she trains the SJU Dance Team in technique on weekends (she was a member of the Dance Team in her college years). She rescued a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier named Milo in 2009, and she loves trying new restaurants (her Philly favorites are Amada and Barbuzzo).
From: Larchmont, NYFavorite City: New York, NYFavorite Lithe Workout: High Waisted & BarlesqueFavorite Lithe Exercise: CCS sequences from Tight End & WeightlessHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: A natural teacher and Lithe drill sargent, Meredith is commanding, always smiling, strong, form-focused and fun! She brings a unique, calm-assertive quality to her classes that you'll absolutely love!Other Job: Marketing & Development Manager at a dance non-profitEnjoys: Waking up early, dancing, yoga, supporting local artists, working with children, reading, Scrabble, farm shares, green smoothies, chocolate, Lithe!What you wouldn't know just by looking at her?: Meredith came to Lithe with a background in dance and Yoga. After receiving her BA in Dance & Theater from Wesleyan University, she lived and worked in New York before moving to Philadelphia in 2010 to complete her MFA in Dance at Temple University. At Temple she studied choreography, modern technique, improvisation, and dance research methodologies, and taught undergraduate courses in the Dance Department. Meredith has a professional background in arts administration, non-profit management, dance education, choreography, and theater directing. She is also a certified Vinyasa yoga teacher with a passion for anatomical awareness and healthy alignment. She is happiest whenever she is moving!
From: Audubon, PAFavorite City: Hermosa Beach, CAFavorite Lithe Workout: Rock Steady & ThinnyFavorite Lithe Exercise: CCS Cardio from Rock Steady & BarlesqueHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Rachael joined the Lithe team in Summer 2013. She is athletic, strong, spirited, and fun. She has a lovely presence and her sweet, sunny personality really shines on the mat; she kicks butt with a smile! As an ex-cheerleader, she competed nationally for her high school and on an all-star team.Other Job: Office ManagerEnjoys: Lemon drop martinis, dining al fresco, reading the end of novels before finishing the first chapter, Mexican food (guacamole!), dabbling in new hobbies (the hobbies du jour are tennis and Italian), iced coffee with raw sugar, US Weekly, stock piling birthday cards years in advance, BYOBs, Halloween costumes, bouldering in National Parks, solving all problems through Google search, frozen yogurt toppings, and colorful Converse sneakers.What you wouldn't know just by looking at her: She spent years living in California and considers sunny SoCal her second home. While out West, she picked up a degree in Peace Studies and cheerfully embodied all stereotypes, including lots of homemade tie dye! When she moved back east she thought she was destined to be miserably cranking out sets in a traditional gym. Discovering Lithe was total a game changer for her. The incredibly fun, challenging and variety of classes made her excited to work out for the first time ever and kept her coming back for more! She is fascinated by medicine and spent time in Central America volunteering at pop-up rural clinics. She used to live by the ocean and loves all water sports (especially paddle boarding), although she can barely swim and hates fish. An ex vegetarian, she fell off the wagon while eating a salad at a Brazilian steakhouse. Even though she's now a raging carnivore, she is still super uncomfortable cooking meat and always ends up microwaving her chicken. She's the oldest of three look-alike girls, so if you see her in class with bad form, it's probably a sister. Her tan is always fake, and her favorite color is bright.
From: Saint Louis, MOFavorite City: New Orleans, LAFavorite Lithe Workout: SplitFavorite Lithe Exercise: CCS sequences from Tight End, Action Figure, and PomHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Rachel is so focused, strong, and commanding. She brings a special uniqueness to her classes that will make you want to come back for more and more! Enjoys: Lithing (early morning is the best), leggings, and reading for hours on end. She loves flea-markets, all things vintage, and has recently taken up calligraphy. She is extremely fond of French culture and loves pursuing creative projects.What you wouldn't know just by looking at her: Rachel is fluent in French and travels abroad often. She has a serious sweet tooth.
From: Seoul, KoreaFavorite City: Berkeley & ShanghaiFavorite Lithe Workout: Spirit & Rock SteadyFavorite Lithe Exercise: Jumping series on the rebounder in SpiritHow'd she land a spot on the Lithe team?: Sophie is fierce! She has endless energy, incredible stamina (woah lung capacity!), and is always up for a cardio challenge. After years of experience as an aerobics instructor and dancer, Sophie jumped right into Lithe and excelled so much that she became an instructor in Summer 2013. She really cracks the whip in her classes! Other Job: Assistant Professor in Political Science Enjoys: Learning new languages, hiking, biking, dancing (hip hop, jazz, ballet, modern, salsa, anything!), healthy cooking, exploring outdoors, and discovering local Philly gems.What you wouldn't know by looking at her: Born and raised in Seoul (South Korea), she had her first quintessential American experience as an exchange undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill where she developed a knack for slang ("I keep it real") and survival in the South ("when in doubt, just substitute jalapeños for kimchi"). Having found her inner hippie (and a PhD) at UC Berkeley, aka "heaven on earth," she is now deeply in love with the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection. For her doctoral field research, she spent two years in various cities in China, and speaks near-fluent Chinese and some Japanese. She also holds a black belt in kung-fu, has won several amateur-division medals in competitive salsa, and loves to take the reins, on and off a horse.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Twoo® is a seat which has been specially designed to fit onto the Bugaboo board – it slides easily onto the board. Toddlers are now able to take on longer and more distant journeys, which makes their parents extremely happy. Twoo is suitable for children from around 24 months up to 4 years old (40 lbs). They can hold onto the cot/pram seat or to the prams handles, and interact with their baby brother or sister. Bugaboo users can use both products, the Kid-Sit by itself, or the Twoo combined with a Bugaboo board. You can use the Twoo® from the moment your child starts to walk. The child should be able to sit firmly by itself. We advise use of the Twoo® from two years on.
The Twoo® is made from a high quality synthetic material and aluminium. It has been subjected to all the rigorous safety tests imposed by the TNO – on its own, together with the board, and also attached to a stroller/pram – and has been given their full approval. The seat is not suitable for children who weigh more than 40 lbs.


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"The Pledge Is A Governing Document For Now"
Congressman John Shimkus just acknowledged on my radio show that the Pledge to America was intended to govern this Congress as well as the next, which puts every member of the GOP in the position of defending their vote for "the deal" against the specifics of the Pledge. Five relevant sections from The Pledge:
Permanently Stop All Job-Killing Tax Hikes (p.16)
Act Immediately to Reduce Spending (p.21)
Cut Government Spending to Pre-Stimulus, Pre-Bailout Levels (p.21)
Read the Bill (p.33)
Advance Legislative Issues One at a Time (p.33)
Here is the transcript.
HH: I'm pleased to welcome back Congressman John Shimkus from the [Illinois] 19th Congressional district, one of the senior Republicans in the House. Congressman, Merry Christmas to you, welcome back, good to have you.
JS: Merry Christmas to you, too, and it is snowy and cold out here in mid-America here.
HH: Well, talk to us a little bit, Congressman, about how you see this playing out in the House, a lot of conservatives and Tea Party activists unhappy with the tax deal that passed the Senate.
JS: Yeah, I know, and I'll tell you, it's causing concern, because we do know that it's the Tea Part and the conservatives that are bringing us back to the majority. What I have to remind people is we're not in the majority, we're not in the majority right now. We don't control the floor. There's majorities of Democrats in both the House and the Senate, and the President, who's a Democrat. So the question is in this deal, do we want to risk a massive increase in taxes January 1st, and not just that, but the filing, the uncertainty problems for small businesses who really will get crushed if we don't bring certainty, and we delay this extension of the tax cuts.
HH: Now Congressman Shimkus, you are well known as being a very, very transparent good guy, of your word, et cetera. So this is maybe a task you and other guys are going to have to take up, and gals, which is the Pledge For America didn't have a time stamp on it, didn't say we'll start this in the 112th. It committed you guys in the 111th. It appeared on House.gov, et cetera. And yet, this tax deal looks like it's inconsistent with three, four, even five provisions of the Pledge To America.
JS: Well, I think one of the provisions of the Pledge was job growth, job security and certainty. This is very…if you want to add uncertainty to the business community, and that is raise taxes on them. I mean, again, for the folks who own small businesses, sub-chapter S, the sole proprietors, this is devastating. Then you tie the death tax to that, which is triple taxation on a provision, I mean, you're right. There is concern, but I think there is more concern of raising taxes at a time when the economy is struggling.
HH: Well now, if in fact it is inconsistent with the Pledge, and it is. I mean…
JS: Well, I mean, I'm pretty sure that the Pledge was not for tax increases.
HH: No, but it said immediately move to cut spending, do away with all permanent…permanently do away with all tax hikes, not a two year deal. It said read the bill, it said only one subject at a time. I'm missing one. I quoted them all. And I understand exigency, but isn't it up, then, for the leadership to come out and say we're sorry, we know this is inconsistent with the Pledge, we had no choice? Shouldn't they do that?
JS: Well, yeah. Hey, I'm not…I'm for mea culpas and saying what we can and what we can't do. You are correct in saying that the Pledge was a governing document for now. Again, we are…we still aren't the governing party in the House of Representatives, or in the Senate…
HH: But…and so this leads me, I'm glad to hear you say that, because a lot of my guests have been trying, they haven't said it wasn't, but they've been kind of hedging and trying to avoid it. And one of the things that drives people crazy about elected officials, they don't ever come out and say well, we were wrong, we got it wrong, and we couldn't do it now. But given that, how do we get people to ever believe us in the future when we put out a new pledge, if it's all contingent upon circumstances?
JS: Well, you know, we will continue to say that our national debt is a spending problem. It's solely, primarily based upon the fact that we spend more than we take in. It's not a revenue problem. And the concern about if we allow these tax cuts to expire, then they will be used to say no, it is a revenue problem that we have a massive debt, not a spending problem. So we don't want to then raise taxes, slow the economy, and have this part of that debate on why we are in the mess that we're in.
HH: Last question, we've got about thirty seconds, Congressman, are you confident that the next Congress, the 112th, will cut federal spending by at least $100 billion, plus whatever they've just passed in this tax deal?
JS: The House of Representatives will do that. I'm very confident that we will.
HH: Will you rather shut the government down than allow that spending to increase?
JS: We've got the Senate to deal with. And I think we could…there is a possibility of that happening.
HH: Congressman John Shimkus, always a pleasure. Thank you, Congressman.
End of interview.


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text: I work in a very small school so we do not have an IT department that is top notch. Anyways, We had a student google something and went to the images part of the search. Well he got porn and he printed some stuff out. He then cleared the history. Is there any way we can recover that history? We have one actual image that he printed, but we can't prove that it came from the computer that he was working on at the time. What we were told was from another student and we can not just go on that for disciplinary reasons. Any luck with this?


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Seventy-six year young Carlos Saura charmed film lovers with several melancholic dance, music and song styles: flamenco in Flamenco (1995), Blood Wedding (1981) and Sevillanas (1992); tango in Tango (1998); and finally, opera and flamenco in Carmen (1983). Then comes his latest film Fados, a heady mix of dance and melancholic Portuguese folk song rendered by mesmerizing singers such as Mariza and Carlos do Carmos…If you thought as I had, that I had seen all that the wizened genius from Spain could do, you will be pleasantly surprised. Fados is undoubtedly one of his finest films—forget the music, forget the song, forget the singers (if you possibly can!) and enjoy the art of fine direction.
I am forced to recall the US film Woodstock (1970). Millions would remember that wonderful film, but few would recall its director Michael Wadleigh. The gifted Wadleigh not only directed the fascinating documentary film, he was one of the cinematographers and one of the editors of the film. His assistant film director for the film was Martin Scorsese! If you enjoyed Woodstock's groundbreaking editing, it is important to note that Wadleigh's editing collaborator was Thelma Schoonmaker, who has edited each and every Scorsese movie since 1980. Now why am I writing about Woodstock instead of Fados? It is because, like Woodstock, Fados is very likely going to be discussed in years to come for its endearing music, song and dance, bypassing its vibrant cinematic ingredients. (See the shot of the film above and note the varied perspectives of the same scene, captured through multiple projections, recalling the shots of Woodstock--only Saura does the cinematic flourishes a lot better.)
The first few minutes into the film introduce you to breathtaking effect of the cinema of Fados. You have shadows of live individuals walking as they do on a street (you do not see them under direct light). These shadows fall on a screen where another film image is projected. The present and the past merge. As the opening credits roll, you realize you are being seduced by the kinetic images. And even up to the final shot of the film, you realize that you are under the spell of creative use of shadows, images, mirrors, projection screens and shiny reflecting dance floors. The final shot is of the film camera lens, which is the appropriate mainstay of the film—not the music, song and dance, which merely provides the subject for the director. Even the English subtitles were aesthetically placed in the left corner of the frame, so that the beauty of each shot is maximized for the viewer. The director conveys his viewpoint by using light and shadows that say a lot without words.
Saura has a great ear for music. No wonder he made all these movies on music, song and dance. Go back in history, and you will recall his most famous film, Cria cuervos (Cry ravens) (1975) featured a song called Porque te vas (Because you are leaving) sung by an American singer called Janette who was living at that time in Spain. The song had been released by the singer earlier but few took note of it. After Saura's film won honors at Cannes, Janette's song soared in popularity and became a worldwide hit. (Somewhat like Antonioni's boost to Pink Floyd in Zabriskie Point, even though Pink Floyd was arguably quite famous by the time of film's release) That was unfortunately the career high for the singer. Today, some 30 years after I saw Cria cuervos during a Saura retrospective in New Delhi, the notes of the song resound in my ears. Fados, like Cria cuervos, is a delight for those who can appreciate good music.
In Saura's Fados, achievements are many. The film is entirely made on a set, eliminating extraneous sounds such as street noise. The Portuguese icons of song come to Spain to film the scenes—a clever canvas of light and shadows, dance and song, mirrors and projection screens that recall the brilliance of another of my favorite documentary films—Hans Jurgen Syberberg's Hitler--a film from Germany. Like all Saura's films there is some politics at play—his work is a cry for Iberian unity between two neighboring nations that never historically trusted the other. In an interview Saura stated that he was deliberately removing artists from their natural surroundings so that they could create "something new". To Saura watchers, he is continuing his favorite exploration merging theatre and film, without being hemmed in by the boundaries of a written play.
After you enjoy the film, you might like to ask yourself the following questions. Why is the aging cinematic genius obsessed with melancholic music/dance styles? Is he urging his viewers to go beyond nationalism and adopt global perspectives in the very manner the Fado evolved? You get a feeling as a viewer that this old man is communicating through the camera more than what is obvious. He is able to present a melancholic song style with pulsating positive resonance, using all the tricks up his sleeve. Now that's good cinema.
A selection of intelligent cinema from around the world that entertains and provokes a mature viewer to reflect on what the viewer saw, long after the film ends--extending the entertainment value
Saturday, March 22, 2008
60. Spanish director Carlos Saura's stunning documentary on the Portuguese folk song tradition "Fados" (2007): Direction upstaging the song and singer
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 10:35 AM
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When we were kids, we wanted superpowers. Superheroes taught us that with great power came great responsibility, and we were inspired to learn the virtues of compassion, courage, judgment, perseverance and honor.
Now we've grown up. But we still demand that our leaders embody those virtues.
We expect our political leaders to be our superheroes.
We are creating art that connects our most prominent leaders with the virtues we see in them, and they see in themselves, and we are asking them: If you could hold onto just one virtue, which would it be? What of our nation will you work to keep safe, and why? If you move us forward, where will you take us?
What superhero would you be?
Our medium is cardboard, and we are using high-quality printing to imbue the caricatures of our presidential candidates, in resplendent superhero regalia, on small boxes that everyman and everywoman can use to keep treasures safe - because why should cereal boxes have all the fun?
Form, function and levity. Characteristics of any great movement.
Get an early invite above and be a part of our story!
We're prepping for a launch near you soon.
Signing off,
P.S. Don't forget to share on Facebook and Twitter!
Photo attribution, with thanks, to Superhero, by José María Pérez Nuñez, Flickr.com (CC BY-NC).


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Pardon my absence, I've been indulging in a little mother /daughter time this week and there hasn't been any time for creating! Lots and lots of time for travelling and going to see shows though to recharge my old creative batteries! I'll be blogging about a few of the places we visited, mainly the gorgeous Chatsworth hall and their christmas decorations! It's really put me in the festive mood and I'm going to be drawing lots of beautiful baubles to go with my daily outfit artworks. These are becoming harder and harder to fit into my daily schedule as my portrait work (website here) is taking off but I'm being vigilant and will keep at it!
Kay : Portrait


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|The Lang Companies is a leader in the social sentiment and home decor industry specializing in calendars, cards, candles, home decor products and collectibles, each featuring unique artwork.
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- Gourmet Coffee, Spices and Seasonings from Spice Place. Spice Place offers quality, gourmet & organic coffees in large economical sized packages.


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Bajoran raiders were lightly armed sub-impulse powered raider starships used by the Bajorans. The Bajoran engineers who designed the craft built them without comfort in mind, offering cramped quarters and requiring occupants to bend their knees to fit in the seats. Although capable of achieving a high-altitude orbit, these vessels were most effective in atmospheric altitudes. These vessels were armed with dual phaser emitters and were equipped with fire extinguishers under the seats.
The Bajoran Resistance readily used these vessels during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Although these ships were substantially inferior to Cardassian vessels, the Bajorans still managed to annoy the Cardassians enough to achieve many missions. The Bajorans managed to store a few sub-impulse raiders underground at the Lunar V base before the Cardassians hit the camp.
In 2370, while attempting to prove the Cardassians were behind the coup of the Bajoran Provisional Government, Kira Nerys opted to take a raider from the Bajor's Lunar V base to Bajor in order to avoid capture by Alliance for Global Unity influenced Bajoran Militia. With the assistance of Jadzia Dax, whose previous host Tobin Dax had experience with phase coil inverters and sub-impulse thrusters, she was able to locate a stored raider, which she hoped to use to fly to Bajor.
Despite its antiquated condition, much less its malfunctioning navigational sensors and inoperative phaser locks, the ship was able to achieve a high-altitude orbit over Bajor's moon before being intercepted and fired upon by two Bajoran impulse ships. Attempting to even the odds, Kira flew the raider into the atmosphere of Bajor where it engaged the two interceptors at thruster speeds.
The raider was able to shoot down one of the interceptors before weapons fire from the second ship hit a plasma conduit. The raider lost all thrusters and was forced to jettison its plasma tank moments before it crashed landed in the forests surrounding outside the capital city. (DS9: "The Siege")[2]
- "Preemptive Strike"
- "The Siege"
- "Shadows and Symbols"
Background informationEdit
In "Preemptive Strike", the Maquis squadron containing Bajoran raiders among other ships was said to consist of Federation starships emitting Federation warp signatures. This suggests some of these raiders were also owned by Federation colonists and were possibly refitted with warp drives.
The following specifications, which describes this vessel as a Bajoran impulse ship, comes exclusively from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual:
- Production Base: Bajoran Militia Secured Factory #5.
- Type: Strike Fighter.
- Accommodation: Two flight crew.
- Power Plant: One microfusion impulse system (fighter); Coanda-cycle chemical/air-ram system (raider).
- Dimensions: Length, 33.10 meters; beam, 33.17 meters; height, 11.23 meters.
- Mass: 108.96 metric tonnes.
- Performance: Maximum delta-v, 15,600 meters per second.[2]


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Nutella Wants To Pay People To Taste Test Their Products And Anyone Can Apply
As a millennial just starting to infiltrate the job market, you'll probably ask yourself a series of questions when looking for a job. Does the company's ideals match my own? Does this position allow me to grow? Will I have a healthy work life balance? Is this what I want to spend the rest of my life doing?
And as a child of Asian parents, the constant answer is "There is no such thing as a perfect job"… or is there?
'Cos get ready to send some resumés out and quit your current job. Nutella is hiring! And the position they're offering will, without a doubt, be able to answer all the anxious millennial work questions your mind can conjure.
The Ferrero Company (the company that owns Nutella basically) is looking for 60 taste testers. The part time position will require four hours of work A WEEK (for reals!), spread out over the course of two days.
The salary offer is competitive to the current job market. But the best part is that you don't need ANY EXPERIENCE. In fact, they encourage people with absolutely no training WHATSOEVER. The only requirements are that candidates don't have any allergies and are familiar with using a computer. But oh, you'll need to be able to speak Italian though, and be willing to relocate to Italy.
Here's the complete job listing originally posted on Openjobmetis:
We are looking for people who would like to learn how to taste cocoa, hazelnut grains, and other semi-finished sweet products.
A paid training course (beginning in September and lasting three months) will aim to educate the sense of smell and taste and improve the ability to express in words what will be perceived with the tasting of semi-finished products.
At the end of the course, candidates deemed suitable will be hired with a long-term supply contract with a part-time commitment of two days per week of two hours.
They'll even fly you out to their headquarters in Alba, Piedmont, Italy, if you get selected. Candidates will first undergo a three-month course of chocolate tasting. Then, the top 40 will make up two tasting panels of judges.
In a Nut(ella)shell, the Ferrero Company needs candidates who aren't highly educated in nutrition or taste to spend two hours a day for two days a week tasting their products in Italy… and get paid for it.
To revise: Does the company's ideals match my own? They create chocolate, YES. Does this position allow me to grow? You get three months training, YES. Will I have a healthy work life balance? Four hour work week. DEFINITELY. Is this what I want to spend the rest of my life doing? Who wouldn't?
What are you waiting for? This could be you:
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You Can Now Get Bubble Tea 24/7 at 7-Eleven!
Bubble tea fans will know the struggle when you're having cravings at midnight but can't get them because the stores are closed… well, you can worry no more!
Tealive is now available at ten 7-Elevens outlets in Kuala Lumpur 24/7, ensuring that you can satisfy your cravings anytime of the day!
But before you get too excited, there are only three types of drinks being sold and they are "Signature Milk Tea with Konjac Jelly", "Original Milk Tea with Konjac Jelly" and "Superior Coco"!
And there are only 10 outlets that are selling them… Here is the list:
- Plaza Berjaya, KL
- Wisma Bukit Bintang
- Sidewalk Island Ansa Hotel, KL
- Changkat Thambi Dollah
- KL Sentral
- Nu Sentral
- Berjaya Times Square (1st Floor)
- Berjaya Times Square (LG Floor)
- Berjaya Times Square Hotel
- Kenanga Wholesale City
Also if you like to chew on the pearl/bobba in your milk tea, you might be disappointed because they only have konjac jelly…
So there's the good and bad news! At least now you can avoid the long queues and buy them anytime of the day (that's if someone else doesn't buy them all before you do…)
Now go get your milk tea fix with your bubble-tea-crazy friends! Share your thoughts on the news with us!
McDonald's Is Giving Out Books With Their Happy Meals Now!
Books are becoming more and more obsolete. It is so rare to see a child holding a book nowadays, compared to seeing one holding a tablet! But it looks like McDonalds Malaysia are trying their best to keep books relevant to our youngsters!
Today, they launched Happy Meal Readers, a programme aimed to create a passion for reading among young Malaysians.
Now, when you buy a happy meal, you get to choose between getting a free toy, or a free brand new dinosaur-themed children's storybook. What's more amazing is that these books are by the world-renowned author and illustrator Cressida Cowell, known best for her bestselling How To Train Your Dragon series.
The book, titled Treetop Twins Adventures, will feature 12 standalone stories with one book released each month throughout the year. BTW, the 12 books were curated exclusively for McDonalds Malaysia by Cowell herself!
To make the reading experience of the books more interactive, digital versions of the books are also available through the Happy Studio mobile app which is free to download on the App Store and Play Store.
The app will make the books more interactive through it's scan feature which is able to bring the book's illustrations to life. You know lah, with all these smartphone and TV screens, it might take a bit of effort to keep kids engaged with pictures in a book.
The physical and e-books will be available in both English and Bahasa Malaysia versions, specifically for the Malaysian market.
McDonald's Malaysia marketing director Eugene Lee said that the programme to promote reading culture supports the company's efforts to bring families closer together and the government's aspirations to make Malaysia a reading nation under the 10-year National Reading Decade Programme by the Education Ministry.
"We want to encourage families to spend more time together. The Happy Meal Readers programme encourages parents to enjoy quality time with their children through reading.
We hope that the initiative will instill a lifelong love of reading among children by making it a fun activity for the whole family."
He added that over 300,000 copies of the book's first edition was released in January and has been distributed nationwide. Meanwhile, about 300,00 mobile users logged into its Happy Studios App last month.
Good job, guys! We hope the kids will realise how valuable these Cressida Cowell books are and choose them over the toys with their Happy Meal!
Traveling? Here's 5 Ways You Can Save Money When Booking Your Flight Ticket!
You can gain real value for money by being strategic, not only when you book a flight, but what day you choose to start your journey. This is according to the folks at the Airlines Reporting Corporation and Expedia, who actually did a study on this.
1. Don't wait till the last minute to book your flights! The 'sweet spot' for cheap flights is said to be 3 weeks before travelling.
PEAK PRICES: Flight tickets are most expensive closer to the departure date (duh)
2. Buy your flight tickets on SUNDAYS! It's a myth that flights tickets are priced higher on weekends! By booking on a Sunday, you can save up to 20% on your flight ticket!
PEAK PRICES: Flight tickets are more expensive on Thursdays and Fridays.
3. Choose to start your journey (departure date) on a Thursday or Friday and enjoy up to 10% discount on flight ticket prices!
PEAK PRICES: Departures on Sundays tend to be the most expensive
4. Extend your weekday trip to include a Saturday night stay and save up to 25% on return fares!
For some corporate travel destinations (like the London- New York route) you can save almost half on airfare if you add a Saturday stay.
5. Make bookings for
PEAK PRICES: Sundays tend to be the worst day to make a booking!
MATTA shares the biggest tip of all – book early!
So, if you're currently planning for your next holiday, be sure to check for the best time to go for a holiday by referring to our Instagram post above!
By Roshini Ravindran
Here's 14 Valentine's Day Facts No One Asked For!
Valentine's Day is regarded as the day we show our significant others that we love them and they matter to us. And this 14th February, we believe that regardless of whether you have a significant other or not, you'd probably still find these 14 Valentine's Day facts interesting anyway.
1. Over 50% of Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the day itself. Looks like most people who celebrate Valentine's Day are clearly procrastinators!
2. About 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every year, making it the second-largest seasonal
card sending time of the year, behind Christmas, of course.
3. If these were the Victorian times, on the other hand, it would be considered bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.
4. 73% of people who purchase flowers on this day are men.
5. Women, meanwhile, are out buying almost 85% of all gifts.
6. In the US, over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased.
7. And some of these chocolates are part of more than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate sold each year.
8. During
the medieval times, girls were willing to eat bizarre foods, to make themselves dream of their future spouse.
9. Young people in the Middle Ages drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would then pin the name they picked to their sleeve for a whole week for everyone to see. And thus came the expression, "to wear your heart on your sleeve".
10. The red rose was the favourite flower of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love.
11. Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, girlfriends/boyfriends and pets.
12. Meanwhile, 3% of pet owners will give gifts to their pets today.
13. An average 220,000 wedding proposals happen each year on Valentine's Day.
14. And, if you're single, don't worry about it! You can look forward to celebrating Singles Awareness Day tomorrow! No, really. It's celebrated on 15th February every year, as if singles need a day to remind them about their single-ness.
There you have it! 14 Valentine's Day facts whether you wanted them or not. Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovebirds celebrating today!
And to all the singles out there, why not take the time to pamper yourself?
By Kyle Roshan
Yes, Malaysia IS The Country With The Most Public Holidays In The World
It seems like a cuti is always around the corner of every month in Malaysia. From
New Year to Chinese New Year, Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Wesak, Christmas and even some
we're not too sure about like Malaysia Day (what do you mean it's not the same
as Independence Day?)
So this got us pondering, is Malaysia really the country with the most holidays in the world?
If you guessed yes, you are absolutely CORRECT! With a whopping 50 days of holidays, we can safely confirm that Malaysia is the best place to be an employee and the worst place to be a business owner! Jokes aside, out of the 50 days only 20 are at the national level while the other 30 are at the state level. So, it's not like a
What about the rest of the world? Cambodia comes in close at second place with 31 days, followed by Thailand with 26 days & Myanmar with 25 days. So now you must be wondering which countries have the least holidays right? Germany ties with Serbia & Hungary with only nine public holidays.
This is followed by the UK, Spain & Canada with only eight days. And the country with the least holidays? Ola Mr Potato, none other than Mexico! Seven days is all they are offering señor and señoritas. T
Oddly enough the countries with the most holidays appear to be in South East Asia while European countries are not very fond of giving away too many holidays. Oh well, that's another thing to ponder about. The next question is what are we going to do with so many days off? The typical Malaysian thing, of course. MAKAN!
So many public holidays. Yet, we still complain about our working hours. 😅
By Megat Zahrin
3 Toxic Chemicals That Might Be In Your Local Beauty Products
Do you ever look at the ingredient labels on your makeup and skincare products? Your pores will absorb anything you put on your skin. So, maybe it's vital to start seriously thinking about what your beauty products contain.
Beauty brands will always market their products as safe and effective, whether they really are or not because they want to make money. Unfortunately, your health and the quality of your skin is very often a secondary issue.
Thankfully for us, we have agencies such as the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), to help test and warn us about harmful chemicals and products.
But sometimes, companies sell
Unless you weren't paying attention in science class when you were in high school, mercury is super harmful to human health. Exposure to mercury can damage your kidneys and nervous system. Mercury can also interfere with the development of the brain in unborn and very young children.
When you use skin cream containing mercury, it gets absorbed into your body through your skin, it gets on your hands and you'll end up accidentally eating it at some point too. On top of that, mercury poisoning can also happen from just breathing in the vapours. So you AND anyone around you are at risk. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include tremors, memory problems, irritability, and changes in vision or hearing.
Cosmetic products containing mercury are commonly marketed as skin lightening and anti-aging treatments. If you've been using a lightening skin cream, check the label for mercury. The ingredient might also be listed as "mercurous chloride," "calomel," "mercuric," or "
So far, the NPRA and MOH have found mercury in these five local beauty products.
1. Tati Ultra Night Cream
2. Deeja Wrinkle Cream
3. ROBISIS Anti-acne Whitening Day & Night Cream
4. Asdanne Whitening Freckle Day Cream
5. Fulenze Whitening Freckle Day Cream
The beauty world is somewhat divided about the harmful nature of this chemical. On the one hand, hydroquinone is able to decrease the formation of melanin (the pigment in skin that gives it a brown colour). But on the other hand, it's depigmentation qualities also reduces the skin's ability to protect itself from harmful UV rays, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
Due to this, hydroquinone is classified as a pharmaceutical product that requires registration with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) and can only be used under the advice of healthcare professionals. Unsupervised usage of hydroquinone can leave you vulnerable to many of its side effects, such as severe skin redness, discomforts such as a burning or stinging, blue or black skin discolouration (ironically) and hypersensitivity.
Skin products with hydroquinone are typically marketed as skin lightening and as a treatment for blemishes and uneven skin tone.
The NPRA and MOH found two local beauty products that have uncontrolled use of hydroquinone.
1. Tati Ultra Treatment
2. Deeja Dream Cream
Most dermatologists agree that tretinoin or retinol helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol, a form of vitamin A, has been used for years to treat acne and undoubtedly makes the skin smoother. The benefits or rather short-term effects of using topical tretinoin products have been widely documented and encouraged by beauty influencers, editors, and celebrities too.
However, overuse of retinol can affect how well your skin cells can function. This is because the chemical causes your skin cells to rapidly produce which in turn makes your skin oversensitive and causes it to peel, become flaky and irritated. Tretinoin, similar to hydroquinone, also causes your skin to become sensitive to UV rays from sunlight.
Due to this, tretinoin is also
The NPRA and MOH found one local beauty product with uncontrolled use of tretinoin.
1. Tati Ultra Treatment
We're not here to scare you! We don't want you to have nightmares that your future offspring will be jeopardized all because you wanted to sport a red lip. But we want to remind you that you have options when it comes to what you put on your face and body.
If the makeup industry isn't going to make transparency a priority, we have to take it upon ourselves to do our research so we can make healthy choices!
Must-Try Halal Chinese Restaurants On Your Balik Kampung Journey
Chinese New Year – officially the time of the year where humans migrate by the billions. Also officially the worst time of the year to hit the highways in Malaysia because of the traffic. So what's the best thing to do when you get stuck in a jam? You guessed it, MAKAN!
Since we're in the spirit of Chinese New Year we thought of recommending some Chinese joints for a change instead of your same old "boar-ring" restaurants. (it's the year of the boar, get it?)
These places are certified Halal so you can "pig" out guilt free! And as a bonus, these restaurants are situated quite near the highway so you don't have to
First on the list is Yik Mun. It was established in 1926, so they've been serving mouth-watering Hainanese cuisine even before your mama was born. Besides the bouncy and soft kaya
Other must-try foods:
Beef noodle soup, Mee hailam, Kaya Pau & Nasi ayam
LOCATION: 6043, Persiaran Slim Permai 8, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Negeri Perak
So you've heard of beef steak & chicken steak, but how about Egg Steak? Legend has it that Yut Loy was the hangout for the students of MCKK (Malay College Kuala Kangsar). Not being able to afford a chicken or beef steak, a hungry Old Boy (that's the nickname for MCKK students, ya. Not an actual old boy) requested for a fried egg with the usual sauce and serving of fries. The item has stuck ever since. But don't just go for the egg steak, try everything else on the menu!
Other must-try foods:
Beef steak and Paus
LOCATION: 51, Jalan Kangsar, Bandar Baru, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Negeri Perak (10 min drive from the Kuala Kangsar exit)
Do you have a craving for Char Kuey Teow or Chee Cheong Fan? If you've ever wondered what it feels like to eat at a Chinese coffee shop without worrying about the halal factor, this is the place. But the food is so good that even the Non-Muslims flock here all the time. And here's a little trivia for you foodies out there; just behind New Hollywood is another eatery called Vegas Restaurant!
This photo of Restoran New Hollywood is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Other must-try foods:
Roti Telur Goyang
LOCATION: Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
For those of you who have never had the opportunity to visit the province of Xinjiang, worry not. Because the nice people of Northern China decided to open up shop right here in Sungai Besi! Savour the hot and spicy pulled mee, have some lamb on a stick, and wash it all down with Chinese Tea! Now you're all set to hit the highway with a full tummy and happy feet.
LOCATION: 51, Jalan Tasik Utama 3, Sungai Besi, 57100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
5. CHICKEN RICE BALL (Ee Ji Ban, Melaka)
There are so many reasons why you should visit the historical city of Melaka but if you need another reason to visit this beautiful place, it should be for the chicken rice ball. Ee Ji Ban, about a 30 min drive from the Ayer Keroh exit is a must-go if you're looking for a place to have lunch en route to Johor, or simply just for fun. A slew of celebrities have been here so you know the food has definitely gone viral, in a good way. So, make the stop and let a ball of
LOCATION: 275, Jalan Melaka Raya 3, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka
So that's our list! We're sure you have a lot of other places to suggest and we are all ears (and mouth)… so keep those recommendations coming! Last but not least, Happy Chinese New Year and drive safe. We hope these places will give you something for you to look forward to on your drive!
1. Yik Mun is certified Halal, while the other restaurants have been featured in halal blogs
2. All Muslims should exercise caution when dining out, and make the necessary checks to ensure the place is halal
By Megat Zahrin
Here's How To Check And Pay Your PDRM Traffic Summons Online
Recently, Bukit Aman advised Malaysians to refrain from using agents to pay their traffic summons. According to PDRM, some people have been cheated by third parties they had hired to help pay their summons. On top of losing their money, these people were still in the cops' bad books for having outstanding traffic summonses.
So, now you must be thinking "if we can't hire people to settle our samans for us, then, how do we settle the
1) Apps
Yes, there are apps for this too!
There are a number of apps out there, but the ones we found to be most reliable are Malaysia Police Summons by Maxim and the MyEg app.
Malaysia Police Summons by Maxsim
To check your summons by using this app, all you have to do is key in your IC number and it will display any offences that you have. Click on them and details, such as time and date of the offence,
The downsides of this app
You'll first need to register an account with MyEg before you proceed. Once you've registered, simply log in and click "Check and Pay PDRM Summons." Then, key in your details and your outstanding summons will be displayed. The best thing about the MyEg app is that you can pay your summons directly through the app too!
But this app also has it's downside… it isn't available for iPhones 😔
Yes, there are apps but crime fighters don't have WhatsApp yet.
SMS to POLIS<space>SAMAN<space>IC number OR vehicle number to 15888. So example: POLIS SAMAN 991122013344
The response will look something like this:
If you want a more
But of course, you can't pay your summons through SMS just yet. Plus, by SMSing, you'll incur telco charges (RM0.20 cent per text message) and we know how cheap we Malaysians are. So the third option:
3. Online
Everything, including checking AND paying your summons, can be done online these days. The sites recommended by PDRM are MyEG (myeg.com.my) and the government-linked portal RILEK (rilek.com.my).
To check your summons on these websites, you'll have to register first. Once you've registered, log in and check your summons by clicking the "PDRM enquiry & payment" tile for MyEg or the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) tile for RILEK.
Then, simply pick which identifier you'd like to use and enter the relevant details.
If you have outstanding summons, they'll be shown at the bottom of the page, together with the fine amount, details and a button prompting for payment. Unfortunately, we don't have screenshots 😝, but both sites display this information similarly.
Once you've paid, you can print out the receipt for future reference. And you're done!
So easy right? So, no more excuses for not paying your summonses!
10 Chinese New Year Facts To Amaze Your Aunties With This Year!
Chinese New Year is one of the most celebrated festivals in the world, with more than a billion Chinese people partaking in the annual celebrations. How much do you think you know about the upcoming festive season? Read more to find out!
1. It is a day for fighting monsters and praying to the Gods
According to one legend, a ferocious man-eating beast named Nian (年) would come about every New Year's Eve. Nian represented bad luck and hence, needed to be warded off. Acting on the advice of a wise sage, villagers used firecrackers to scare the monster off, which was how the tradition of welcoming each year by lighting up firecrackers was born.
Apart from that, it is also a ceremonial day to pray to the Gods for good luck and an abundance of wealth throughout the year. Believers also prayed to their ancestors, for they were also treated as heavenly beings. For instance, families would burn fake paper money and printed gold bars to honour their departed loved ones. They believe that their offerings will bring good fortune and luck to their ancestors in the afterlife.
2. China once banned fireworks due to air pollution
However, the extensive use of fireworks during the festival led to safety reasons and concerns for air pollution. Many Chinese cities have banned fireworks with more than 500 cities having restrictions. For instance, Beijing once prohibited fireworks for 13 years, however the ban was lifted in 2006 due to protests from the public. In 2016, Shanghai banned the lighting of fireworks within the metropolitan area.
3. No significant other to show off to your relatives? No problem!
In the traditional Chinese culture, it is of great importance to pass down the family name across generations to come. It is common for singles to feel immense pressure to tie the knot and have children to appease the minds of their parents. As we all know, finding a partner for life isn't an easy task, hence some desperate singles have resorted to hiring a fake boyfriend or girlfriend to take home.
4. No cleaning – including yourself
Sweeping and throwing out the garbage before the New Year day is highly frowned upon, as it represents pushing away good luck. Furthermore, showering and cutting hair isn't allowed either. Instead, families are advised to clean their houses (and themselves) thoroughly on New Year's Eve. This is to signify sweeping away negative energy and to make room for good luck.
5. Red is an invaluable weapon, while black is a bad omen
During the festival, it's important to get your colour scheme right. Family homes will be decorated in shades of red, for it is believed that the mythical monster, Nian, will also be chased away upon seeing the bright colour. Some homes will even go as far as hanging up red lanterns and strings of chilli peppers, as well as pasting red papers onto doors and windows. New clothes are bought in red colours to match the overall décor too. On the contrary, black apparel should be avoided during the festive season, as it is traditionally associated with funerals.
6. The festival causes the largest human migration in the world
Family reunion on Chinese New Year's Eve is an important tradition each year. Children living in bustling cities will travel across long distances to their hometowns to reunite with their loved ones. The migration back home is referred to as chunyun (春运), or Spring Migration. In China, it is estimated that more than 200 million Chinese undertake long journeys to return home for the celebrations each year.
7. Your zodiac year is your year of bad luck
Your zodiac year (本命年—běn mìng nián) is your zodiac animal. There are a total of 12 Chinese zodiacs, and the year of the zodiac that you fall under is believed to be the unluckiest for you. There are multiple explanations for this – for one, the Chinese believe that children can easily be abducted by demons. During this year, your weapon of defense is the colour red. Hence, some superstitious believers opt to wear red apparel as often as possible, even to the extent of wearing red undergarments every day of the year!
8. There hidden meanings behind Chinese New Year desserts
The Chinese community is big on symbolic
- Tang Yuan means 'soup balls'. It also sounds like tuanyuan (团圆) which means reunion.
- Fa Gao (发糕) is the hybrid of sponge cakes and muffins, usually dyed in festive colours. The 'Fa' is the same as in Fa Cai (发财) which means 'to get rich'.
Watch our video on hidden meanings behind Chinese New Year desserts for more fun facts!
9. Tread with caution
There are many interesting superstitions during the festival. For instance:
- Do not give clocks as presents as they symbolize time running out
- Avoid the use of sharp objects as they 'cut off' good fortune
- Do not tell ghost stories that bring about negative energy
- Do not buy shoes, as in Cantonese, the word 'shoes' is a homonym for 'rough' and hence, will give one a rough ride for the rest of the year
- Do not throw away broken glass as that welcomes bad luck
10. Lantern Festival marks the end of Chinese New Year
The first full moon of the lunar year appears during the Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival (元宵节—yuán xiāo jié). Back in the day, girls weren't allowed to venture out themselves during the night. However, a special exception is granted during the Lantern Festival, as they were able to enjoy the bright moon and the beautiful lanterns. As a result, it is also known as Valentine's Day in China.
The Best And Worst Times To Drive This Chinese New Year According To Waze
If you're planning to hit the road this Chinese New Year, there's a right and wrong time to get behind the wheel. Waze just released their suggestions for when the best and worst travel times will be during the Chinese New Year week in 10 Malaysian towns as well as around Kuala Lumpur.
This festive season, the company also stepped up their game by looking at popular places where Malaysians like to celebrate the Lunar New Year, in case you're planning some catch-up sessions away from your parents' house.
The Best and Worst Times To Drive During Chinese New Year
Batu Pahat, Johor
Johor Bahru, Johor
Kuala Muda, Kedah
Kota Bahru, Kelantan
Kuantan, Pahang
Central Malacca
Larut & Matang, Perak
Kinta, Perak
Kuching, Sarawak
Kuala Terengganu, Terenganu
Kuala Lumpur
Meanwhile, dodging throngs of people when you're out and about is a little trickier. Luckily for you, Waze has figured out where Malaysians love to celebrate their Lunar New Year. In case you're planning your reunion dinner somewhere other than at home, here's a guide for you.
As always, it pays to plan ahead. The best tips we can give you to have a pleasant drive this festive season is to make sure you get plenty of rest before you hit the road and plan your drive to avoid peak travel periods.
Have a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year, folks!
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LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Britain's financial markets regulator said on Friday that firms offering services linked to cryptocurrency derivatives must meet all relevant rules in the regulator's handbook or could face enforcement action.
The Financial Conduct Authority said that while it does not currently regulate cryptocurrencies, dealing or arranging transactions in, advising on or providing other services related to derivatives referencing currencies or tokens issued through an initial coin offering would likely require its authorisation.
This includes cryptocurrency futures, cryptocurrency contracts for differences (CFDs) and cryptocurrency options, it continued.
"It is firms' responsibility to ensure that they have the appropriate authorisation and permission to carry on regulated activity," the FCA said in a statement on its website.
"If your firm is not authorised by the FCA and is offering products or services requiring authorisation it is a criminal offence. Authorised firms offering these products without the appropriate permission may be subject to enforcement action." (Reporting by Simon Jessop, editing by Emma Rumney)


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Players Honored At 83rd Annual UCLA Football Awards Banquet
Dec. 4, 2001
Senior middle linebacker Robert Thomas and senior tailback DeShaun Foster were selected winners of UCLA's Henry R. 'Red' Sanders Award for Most Valuable Player Tuesday night at the 83rd Annual UCLA Football Awards Banquet, held at the Century Plaza Hotel.
Thomas is one of three finalists for the Butkus Award, presented to the nation's top linebacker. He led the Bruins and the Pac-10 in tackles (111) and set a school record with 26 tackles for loss. He has been selected a first-team All-American by several organizations and publications and was voted the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches.
Foster rushed for 1,109 yards in UCLA's first eight games, the 10th highest total in UCLA history, including a school-record 301 yards versus Washington. He concluded his career ranked second in school history with 44 touchdowns, third with 3,194 rushing yards and fifth with 266 points. He was selected first-team All-Pac-10 as both a junior and a senior.
The complete list of winners:
Charles Pike Memorial Award for Outstanding Scout Team Player:
Offense: tight end Keith Carter
Defense: safety Chad Rogers
Jack. R. Robinson Award for Highest Scholarship of a Senior Player:
Linebacker Kevin Stromsborg
N.N. Sugarman Award for Best Leadership:
Offense: tight end Bryan Fletcher
Defense: free safety Marques Anderson
Captain Don Brown Memorial Award for Most Improved Player:
Offense: wide receiver Ryan Smith
Defense: strong safety Jason Stephens
John Boncheff, Jr. Memorial Award for Rookie of the Year:
Cornerback Matt Ware
Tommy Prothro Award for Outstanding Special Teams Player:
Punter Nate Fikse
Kenneth S. Washington Award for Outstanding Senior:
Outside linebacker Ryan Nece
George W. Dickerson Award for Outstanding Offensive Player against USC:
Wide receiver Craig Bragg
Donn Moomaw Award for Outstanding Defensive Player against USC:
Defensive end Kenyon Coleman
Paul I. Wellman Memorial Award for All-Around Excellence:
Center Troy Danoff
Jerry Long 'Heart' Award:
Fullback Ed Ieremia-Stansbury
2001 Team Captain Award -
USC Game: Center Troy Danoff, middle linebacker Robert Thomas, free safety Marques Anderson, tight end Bryan Fletcher
Henry R. 'Red' Sanders Award for Most Valuable Player:
Offense: tailback DeShaun Foster
Defense: middle linebacker Robert Thomas
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Up and out at 6:45am this morning.
Before I getting ready for work, I spent a bit of time taking some trays of plants out of the greenhouse, to harden them off. I have been doing this since last weekend, and will continue to do so until next weekend.
The idea of hardening off ensures plants that have been growing in a protected environment (in this case my greenhouse) will not suffer too much shock when left out, or planted out permanently. The hardening off technique involves putting the plants out during the day, and taking them in under cover at night, thus acclimatising them to the outdoors. The process typically takes between one to two weeks, sometimes a little longer.
The plants I am hardening off include three varieties of the bare root strawberries I potted up last month, a variety of sweet pea called 'White Elegance' and a mixture of some other herbaceous plants.
By hardening of these plants, I am freeing up valuable space in the greenhouse for more seeds and plants to come.
Posted from Blogium for iPhone


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Hussain Sajwani and His Passion for Real Estate Investments
Hussain Sajwani's debut in the real estate sector was facilitated by Damac Properties, a company that he unveiled back in 2002. During the time he debuted, the real estate industry was lucrative. Furthermore, the government had permitted foreigners to venture into the industry.
As the chairperson of one of the most successful privately owned enterprises, Damac Properties, Sajwani's passion for investing keeps growing as Dubai becomes a hub for investors.
Entrepreneurial Journey
Sajwani is a Dubai native with Omani roots. As he grew up, he looked up to his father who owned a store in Deira Souk. Sajwani's mother was a small-scale trade – she sold goods to ladies living in their neighborhood. Sajwani's parents influenced his entrepreneurial spirit as he was growing up. One of his happy moments was when he sold Timeshare Apartments before joining college.
The profits he generated from selling Timeshare Apartments were used in setting up a catering company. It was known as Draieh Management Services Company. The company operated from Abu Dhabi and later expanded its catering services to the Gulf region.
It emerged successful after the U.S. military signed up for the catering services. Hussain Sajwani's catering firm also attended to leading oil and gas companies, such as Fluor Daniel, Betchel, and Chiyoda.
Career Highlights of Hussain Sajwani
After attending the Washington University and graduating with a BSC in industrial engineering and economics, Hussain Sajwani began his professional career as a contracts manager in 1981. He later established Draieh Management Services Company for catering services. The DAMAC owner also created Twilight Invest in 1992 as an investment company. In 2003, he managed to acquire 40 percent ownership of Al Alhia Insurance Company.
Hussain Sajwani's company, Damac Properties, started working on a Lebanon-based tower in 2010. The tower was decorated with interior design materials made by Versace. Later in 2013, Sajwani enlisted his Damac's financial support in partnering with Donald Trump.
This partnership led to the construction of Trump Golf Course, which was launched in 2017. Hussain Sajwani continues to associate Damac Properties with Trump's children. He once attended a New Year Eve celebration at Trump's residence.
Learn more about Hussain Sajwani: http://www.forbes.com/profile/hussain-sajwani