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Library of Medieval Women
This series offers texts (in translation) and interpretive essays illuminating women's intellectual and spiritual life in the middle ages.
These texts make [an extraordinarily valuable contribution to medieval studies. They're highly readable, teachable, affordable, and well-executed.] They'll expand the state of scholarship on medieval women; and more specifically, they'll enhance our understanding of medieval culture in general by showing how women participated vitally as travel writers, historians, writers of epics, and playwrights.
Texts with introduction, notes, and interpretative essays, illuminating women's intellectual and spiritual life in the middle ages. Ideally suited for the classroom or for any medievalist or general reader looking for an introduction to the author... The standard of scholarship and critical acumen in all of these volumes is uniformly very high. SPECULUM [Charles Nelson]
Very useful introductions. MEDIUM AEVUM
In publishing the `Library of Medieval Women', Boydell & Brewer performs an extremely valuable service for scholars and students of medieval studies, as well as to general readers interested in this fascinating era. The `Library' documents the vital and diverse contributions of women to medieval culture, a field that is just recently beginning to receive the attention that it deserves. The present texts hint at the rich diversity and erudition in the scope of medieval women's literary production. Anne Clark Bartlett, DePaul University
A Revelation of PurgatoryEdited by Liz Herbert McAvoyD.S.Brewer$99.00
Agnes Blannbekin, Viennese Beguine: Life and RevelationsUlrike WiethausD.S.Brewer
Starting at: $24.95
Angela of Foligno's MemorialCristina MazzoniD.S.Brewer$29.95
Anne of France: Lessons for my DaughterSharon L. JansenD.S.Brewer
Starting at: $19.99
The Book of Margery KempeD.S.Brewer$24.95
Caritas Pirckheimer: A Journal of the Reformation Years, 1524-1528D.S.Brewer$99.00
Christine de Pizan's Letter of Othea to HectorJane ChanceD.S.Brewer$25.95
Goscelin of St Bertin: The Book of Encouragement and Consolation [Liber Confortatorius]D.S.Brewer
Starting at: $24.95
Guidance for Women in Twelfth-Century ConventsJocelyn Wogan-BrowneD.S.Brewer
Starting at: $24.95
Hildegard of Bingen: On Natural Philosophy and MedicineD.S.Brewer$24.95
Hrotsvit of GandersheimKatharina M. WilsonD.S.Brewer$24.95
Julian of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love and The Motherhood of GodFrances BeerD.S.Brewer$24.95


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Party Supplies
Cake & Candy Making
Treat your family members and guests with delicious homemade muffins or cupcakes using the Wilton® Perfect Results muffin pan. This black muffin pan features 24 cavities that lets, letting you make enough standard-size muffins in a single batch. With its non-stick coating, it provides even heating and ensures that your baked delicacies release easily from the surface. This dishwasher-safe cupcake pan offers durability.

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- January 22: Study Says Hyundai and Kia Vehicles Suffer More Fires news | 31 days ago
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The beer list is in for the 2013 Burton Beer Festival. We'll have over 140 beers from over 70 different Breweries as close as Burton Old Cottage and Tower and as far away as Cornwall and Pontypridd.
You can download the 2013 Burton Festival Beer List. Or check out the Beer Festival page for a list of the Breweries.


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August is National Peach Month – 31 days to savor those slightly fuzzy, ripe and juicy fruits of summer (and hey, remember this rockin' ode to the versatile fruit). How do you take your peaches? In pie or ice cream, paired with blackberries or blueberries, canned or jammed, grilled or "straight up"? Yes, peaches go both ways – sweet and savory – and we love that about them. I've bookmarked a few peach recipes to try in my own kitchen this month:
- Simple Summer Peach Cake via Food 52
- Peach Ice Cream with Sour Cream and Black Pepper
- Grilled Peach, Vidalia Onion and Bacon Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
- Crisp Pork Belly with Sweet Peach Salsa via Serious Eats
- Carolina Peach Sangria
- Nancie McDermott's Peach Pie (if you don't own her book already, I encourage you to seek out a copy of "Southern Pies" at any of our local, indie bookshops; it's the only pie book you'll ever need).
Peaches are everywhere! In July at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, Peach Day yielded three prize winning recipes (here). This Sunday at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh, the author of "Peaches" (A Savor the South® cookbook) shares peach history and offers advice for selecting, storing as well as cooking with the South's favorite fruit. Naturally, you'll find many of the ingredients (and all the peaches) you need to make your favorite peach dish at local farmers markets this weekend:
- At the Carrboro Farmers Market, you'll find the chef of City Kitchen, one of Chapel Hill's newest restaurants, at market, sampling a dish made with local ingredients. While at the market, see if you can find Sari Sari Sweets' booth and make sure you take home a peach-y dessert, perhaps a pie or galette or doughnut.
- Eno River Farmers Market celebrates Tomato Fest this Saturday (8am-12pm) – look for your favorite heirloom, or three. At 10 am the Kids at the Market Cooking Club gets underway and between 9 am and noon shoppers will enjoy music from Durham Ukulele Orchestra.
- Down Pittsboro way, the new bakery in town makes an appearance at Chatham Mills Farmers Market. Phoenix Bakery will have breads (including boules, sandwich loaves, braided loaves, hamburger buns – both white and wheat), cinnamon rolls and beer bread muffins. And since you're in the neighborhood, make sure you stop by Starrlight Mead to help them celebrate Mead Day (maybe take home a bottle of their Sweet Peach Mead if available).
- Have you ever tried peach salsa? Not sure if they'll have that variety to sample at South Durham Farmers Market this Saturday, but there will be plenty to sample during Salsa Day. Once sampling is complete, stick around for for more salsa in the form of hot dance moves (starting around 10 am). Plus, there will be a special guest appearance by her royal highness, the reigning Beaver Queen, Furrabella-Conchita Carramba!
By the way, National Farmers Market Week kicks off on Sunday, August 4th. Make sure you get out to celebrate your favorite local market (you can always find hours of operation and more market info on the Triangle Localista Farmers' Market Map and Calendar whenever you like). As always, thanks for keeping it local… and peach-y!


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We are family – January 2016
We've taken to postponing gingerbread houses until after the major busy time of the holidays and doing them more around new years. We make our gingerbread from scratch, and icing and use secret-stash-hidden Halloween candy. This year the girls were doing it almost all on their own and Ewan kept at it for a long time decorating the whole thing. We had some fun!


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I made my lovely girls these Valentine's Day Hair clips this year.
For sweet kisses, I made them some lips:
and because I love them a lot I made them some hearts too:
The lips are too cute!
Oy! These are so cute! I love them. Especially the lips! Great job :)
Erin at hazelandcompany.blogspot.com


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Benjamin Smith Lyman Papers, 1831-1921 (Bulk: 1851-1915)
52 boxes (42 linear ft.)
Collection number: MS 190
Benjamin Smith Lyman Papers
Browse Finding Aid:
> Collection Overview
Benjamin Smith Lyman Papers, 1831-1921 (Bulk: 1851-1915)
52 boxes (42 linear ft.)
Collection number: MS 190
The papers of Benjamin Smith Lyman (1835-1920), a native of Northampton, Massachusetts, and a geologist/mining engineer who worked in Japan at the request of the Meiji government to introduce modern geological surveying and mining techniques, illuminate aspects of late nineteenth century Japan, New England, and Pennsylvania, as well as the fields of geology and of mining exploration and engineering as they were practiced 1858-1911. From Lyman's earliest financial records--those he kept as a student at Phillips Exeter--through the journal notations of his later days in Philadelphia, Lyman's meticulous record-keeping provides much detail about his life and work. Correspondents include his classmate, Franklin B. Sanborn, a friend of the Concord Transcendentalists and an active social reformer, abolitionist, and editor. The papers, 1848-1911, have been organized into nine series: Correspondence, Financial records, Writings, Survey Notebooks, Survey Maps, Photographs, Student Notes and Notebooks, Collections, and Miscellaneous (total 25 linear feet). The collection includes, as well, over 2,000 books in Japanese and Chinese and in Western languages pertaining to Asia, acquired by Lyman in Japan and collected later. They reflect his catholic interests and scholarly bent.
Terms of Access and Use:
The collection is open for research.
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries


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You are here
Wentworth's Key Authorization Policy
1. General
The security of the Institute's buildings and rooms is essential for the protection and security of individuals and the Institute's assets. To ensure the campus security, the Physical Plant Department is responsible for issuing keys and installing and maintaining locks for the Institute's facilities and equipment.
All keys issued remain the property of Wentworth Institute of Technology. Keys for Institute facilities cannot be produced, duplicated or obtained from any other source other than from the Physical Plant Department. Unless otherwise stated in this policy, the term "locks" includes electronic key card access. Unauthorized possession, use or reproduction of an Institute key may constitute theft or misappropriation of Institute property. In such cases, the individual(s) involved in the violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.
2. Assignment of Keys
The Physical Plant Department will issue keys to authorized faculty and staff. Student employees will not be issued any keys. Student Employees who need to get into certain areas to work can sign-out keys at the Public Safety Department and will be given access only to the area they are working in. Employees will not be issued more than one (1) key with the same number and will only be issued keys for the area(s) they are authorized to enter.
The Director of Physical Plant may authorize keys to be issued to non-Institute employees who work for an organization affiliated with the Institute, including venders, contractors and consultants doing business with the Institute. Non-employees issued keys are subject to the same requirements as employees and must return all keys assigned to them to the Physical Plant Department.
2.1 Department Authorization
The President, Vice Presidents, Associate Vice Presidents, Dean, Directors and Department Heads are responsible for determining which employees are issued keys. This authorization may not be delegated to a subordinate. These administrators must use good judgment when determining who needs keys and to what locations they need access. Keys should only be issued to individuals who have a legitimate need for the key. Building access key will only be issued to individuals who need access to buildings outside of the regular business hours and only at the request of Public Safety.
Vice Presidents, Associate Vice Presidents, Dean, Directors and Department Heads may authorize keys only for their department and are responsible for informing employees of their responsibilities as stated in this policy.
2.2 Key Distribution
To obtain a key, an authorized administrator must submit a "Work Order" specifying the person needing the key and what locations they will need access. Master, sub master and building access keys will also need the approval of the Director of Public Safety. Keys cannot be authorized over the phone. Employees will sign a key distribution form and must show photo identification when picking up a key. Normal turn around for key distribution is 1 to 3 days.
2.3 Individual Assigned Key(s) and Key Access Card
Employees may use Institute provided keys and key access cards for access to their assigned work areas and should shut and lock the door when leaving that area. Employees must ensure that keys and key codes are safeguarded and properly used. Under no circumstances should an employee lend or exchange their assigned key(s) or key code.
2.4 Residence Hall Keys
Keys to residence halls are subject to applicable sections of this policy and the administrative policies and procedures of Institute's Housing Department. Keys and locks to the residence hall facilities and service areas are maintained by the Physical Plant Department. Resident student keys are distributed through the Housing office. Electronic card access programming in the residence halls are handled through the Housing Department. Lost or stolen keys must be reported immediately to the Housing office. The individual assigned the key(s) will be charged for rekeying if:
- the person cannot locate the lost key(s) after a reasonable time, (three days), or
- the key(s) are not turned in when checking-out or changing residence.
3. Key Return
Employees and long term contractors must return keys to the Physical Plant Department when:
- the keys are no longer needed;
- the employee is reassigned;
- the work status of the employee has changed;
- a manager request the keys be returned, or
- the keys are no longer usable due to re-keying and/or remodeling.
New or replacement keys will not be issued until unused keys are returned.
When there is a disciplinary problem and the manager has reason to believe that the employee will not return, the manager must request that the employee surrender the assigned key(s) to the manager. The manager must return the employee's assigned key(s) to the Physical Plant Department within one (1) working day.
Employees on extended leave such as sabbatical are encouraged to turn keys into the Physical Plant Department and have the keys reissued upon return.
3.1 Separation of Employment
When an employee leaves the Institute, the employee will return their key(s) to the Human Resource Department prior to their departure. The key numbers will be checked against the signed copy of the key sign-out slip in the employee's personal file. The Human Resource Department will then return the key(s) to the Physical Plant Department within one (1) working day.
3.2 Resident Students
Resident Students must return all assigned keys to the Housing office at the end of each spring semester and upon withdrawal, transfer or graduation. Resident Students who do not return keys will not be allowed to live in housing in subsequent semesters.
4. Institute Facility Security
4.1 Lost or Stolen Keys
Anyone finding a key must turn it into the Public Safety Department. Employees must report lost or stolen keys to their appropriate supervisor and a report must be filed with the Institute's Public Safety Department. For an employee to obtain a replacement key(s), the employee must bring a copy of the campus police report to the Physical Plant Department along with a work order requesting replacement key(s) from their manager.
4.2 Re-keying
When a key is lost or stolen, personal and property security may be compromised. The decision to re-key an area will be made by the Director's of Physical Plant and Public Safety.
Contractors who loose keys that result in re-keying will be held responsible for the entire cost of rekeying for all affected areas. Contractors shall provide Wentworth with proof of insurance with at least $500,000 key replacement coverage.
4.3 Installation of Locks
The Physical Plant Department must approve the installation of all locks on/in Institute buildings. Private locks may not be used on Institute buildings. Private locks may only be used on personal lockers.
5. Electronic Key Card Security System
Department heads and Directors may decide to install an electronic key card access system due to security issues in specialized facilities such as labs and mediated classrooms. The purchase and installation of such systems must be approved and coordinated with the Physical Plant Department and the Department of Public Safety. The Physical Plant Department and Public Safety will ensure compliance with safety and security requirements including the provisions of this policy. The project will be priced and given to the department head for funding before equipment is ordered and installed.
6. Emergencies
In case of an emergency, employees can gain access to a building and/or office area by contacting the Public Safety Department. Physical Plant employees will not open locked doors.
7. Exceptions
Any exception to this policy must be approved in writing by the Vice President for Business & Finance. The requesting administrator must include the department procedures designed to ensure security. The requester must then take the written approval to the Physical Plant Department along with a work order for work to proceed.


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Materials Used:
Ready-made faux flower bouquet
Leftover white faux flower bouquets
Floral wire
Heavy floral wire
Hot glue
Mini Hot Glue Gun
Floral Cutter / Wire Cutter
Approx. 5-6 hours (I worked on it on and off for 2 days)
All I have to do now is finish my petticoat and skirt. I put those off for way too long anyway.


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Area 1
Interesection of West Chandler Boulevard and North Pass Avenue
At 1:35 p.m. May 1, a 22-year-old Arleta man was robbed while out walking. Two men approached him, asked for the time and stole his phone when he opened it. Less than an hour later, Burbank police detained three suspects in North Hollywood who matched the description. Rogelio Perez, 19, of North Hollywood, was arrested on suspicion of robbery, and two others were released. Perez's vehicle, a green Dodge Caravan, was impounded as evidence.
Area 2
900 block of East Tujunga Avenue
A residential burglary was reported overnight April 28. The burglar entered through the home's unlocked sliding glass door. An Xbox console and games and four computers were taken.


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Today was my first solo opportunity to teach a class. I went in really psyched, thinking I had awesome activities organised for the kids and that they'd be really engaged and into it.
*Insert depressing buzzer sound here*
Wrong. Some of the kids got really into it and followed through on what I wanted done. Some of the kids got really into the second activity - to the point that we were probably disrupting other classes. But there were boys kicking each other, girls opting out and the whole time I had a feeling that I was cocking things up. When I dismissed the class, quite frankly I felt relieved. I finished doing the roll on the computer system, locked the door and walked to the main staff room (where I knew I wasn't likely to see any of my associates ) feeling like I wanted to cry.
I was sitting in the staffroom texting PianoMan when the teacher of our independent learning centre started chatting to me. She ended up giving me this big pep talk and telling me to embrace the feedback that I get, even if it isn't positive (which I knew it wouldn't be). After a strong cup of black tea with sugar, I went back to my associate teacher for my feedback. It wasn't all negative, but as I knew there were vast areas for improvement. We altered my plan slightly for when I teach the class again on Thursday and I'm just praying it goes well then.
What I realised from this is that I don't cope well with failure... I always have ideals for things and then when it turns to shit I freak right the fuck out. I need to accept that I'm not always going to be perfect right off the bat at something just because it is something I want to be good at. Wanting to run before I can walk is not an option here and I'm just going to have to give it 110% effort if I want it to work out.
Now if only I didn't feel so burnt out...


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What can I expect when I come in for an evaluation?An evaluation consists of a thorough inquiry into the current physical, chemical and emotional health of your mind-body system. Dr. Roth uses the applied kinesiological technique of muscle response checking to evaluate your body's health. Part of the examination uses a technology that gives a snapshot of the stress on your nervous system. Another test evaluates the integrity of your adrenal glands. You may be asked to fill out a Symptom Survey questionnaire regarding various symptoms and lifestyle choices that may be relevant to your situation.
What can I expect when I visit Dr. Roth's office?Office visits are scheduled in 15 or 30-minute sessions. Dr. Roth will evaluate your progress, balance your body for the issues it presents, and may recommend supplemental nutrition to support your healing.
How many visits will I have to make until I feel better?The number of visits depends on what your health issues may be. After your evaluation, Dr. Roth will recommend an initial number of office visits. You can expect to feel progressively better in a short period of time when you keep the recommended appointments and follow Dr. Roth's nutritional advice.
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What is a holistic chiropractor?A holistic chiropractor looks at the whole person, not simply the spine. Using the model of the Triad of Health, Dr. Roth evaluates each client's physical structure, the chemical/hormonal state of their body, and the mental/emotional factors that may be involved with the health issues presented. Dr. Roth finds the places where there is unbalance in the body and creates balance by re-setting the nervous system.
Does Dr. Roth care for children?Yes, he does. His techniques are safe for children and can address special needs such as hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, allergies, autism, and sudden changes in behavior.
What is Dr. Roth's education and how long has he been in practice?Dr. Roth has a B.A. from the State University of New York at Oswego in Anthropology and received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic in 1984. He has been practicing in Ventura County continuously since then. The State Chiropractic Board in California and Hawaii licenses him.


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Anna Kossakovskaya is holding a CASometry Challenge. The main idea of this challenge is to use one stamp set for
five different cards in CAS style. You have two weeks between the cards.
I choose the stamp set "Honey Bears" from The Ton.
This set has some really good features like the different kinds of facial expressions you can stamp.
The first of five cards is a very simple CAS card.
Products used:
Bazzil Walnut Cream Cardstock.
Neenah Soalr White cardstock
The ton stamp set Honey bears
Spectrum noir markers: FS2, TN2, EB2.
My favorite things die-namics.
The inside of the card is this:


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Tel: (011) 339-4911
Fax: (011) 339-5080/339-6940
Email: donald @ cosatu . org . za
For comments on the website email: firstname.lastname@example.com
| COSATU Speeches
Address by Cde Bheki Ntshalintshali, COSATU General Secretary to the SACP 14th National Congress
Comrade General Secretary and
Chairperson of the SACP
Members of the Central Committee
Congress delegates
Comrades and friends
We are here to deliver a message of solidarity to the SACP that is not just our Alliance partner by our own organisation as the working people. This message will be strengthened and solidified by our continued participation in this congress as COSATU worker leaders and also by the general membership that is here as delegates. In summary this is our own congress because the SACP is our own vanguard.
This 14th National Congress of the SACP takes place against the backdrop of a global capitalist crisis that started in 2008 and has persisted for almost a decade now; it is obviously clear that the system of capitalism is struggling to reinvent itself. Unemployment is up, wages are severely depressed, and the inequality has grown.
South Africa is grappling with the failure of the neoliberal solution of false gradualism that was adopted in the mid nineties. We expect the party to help us in this congress to start formulate and clearly define at least a socialist theory of an alternative world economy to challenge the free market system.
The SACP's role at this stage of our revolution therefore cannot be overstated because we need its scientific social analysis and ideological clarity and grounding, to help us map a way forward and give answers to the biggest questions facing our revolution.
This congress also takes place amidst the emergence of a parasitic bourgeoisie patronage network that seeks to entrench itself within key sectors of the state and particularly within strategic state-owned corporations.
We expect the party to come out with clear proposals on how to help ensure that our democratic state is firstly defended and then assisted and reoriented towards driving an inclusive and sustainable growth path.
As the organised component of the working class, we are hoping that this Congress will help us to analyse our political environment in order to develop proper responses to all challenges facing the revolution in particular the progressive forces.
Given the offensive against the working class, which goes with the marginalisation of COSATU and SACP in the Alliance, we need to clarify ourselves as to who are the friends and who are the foes of the working class within the movement. We must use this congress to provide better clarity as to what is the way-forward for the working class. The establishment of a commission by the SACP Special Congress on the question of state power and the call for the reconfiguration of the Alliance by the 12th COSATU Congress are uppermost in people's minds, as we continue with debates in this congress.
But these questions are both not new, we heard a lot about them at the height of the domination of the '96 Class Project.
In dealing with both these questions, we cannot afford to be both emotional and metaphysical in our approach. Firstly, we need to admit that the dysfunctionality of the Alliance and the marginalisation of the COSATU and SACP are not accidental but they reflect the obvious weaknesses in the organisational power of the working class. The question that needs to be answered is why we have failed to build working class hegemony inside the movement.
We cannot just pretend that the solution to our frustrations with the Alliance and the ANC is to give workers and the working class a new address and fail to correctly diagnose the reasons that have led us to be where we are as the working class. But workers need a united and coherent SACP, whether you decide to contest state power or not.
The reconfiguration of the Alliance will not be declared in public forums but will happen only if the SACP and COSATU can manage to build working class hegemony.
One of the achievements of our national democratic revolution (NDR) has been its ability to mobilise and unite our people, particularly the black majority around the project of non-racialism and non-sexism, and more precisely around the project of nation-building. This achievement was secured first and foremost in uniting our broader movement, the ANC itself, the Alliance and the broader range of popular formations. This is an important achievement precisely because at the heart of their strategy of maintain state power and class power, the colonial and apartheid rulers relied on "divide and rule" strategy to create and maintain tribal and racial divisions to deny us our common identity as South Africans. We must remain true to our commitment to non -racialism and non-sexism comrades.
Our revolution is now faced with growing threats that undermines our ability to not only unite but to also mobilise the black majority.
Comrades, in this congress, we must fight the temptation to succumb to cult of personality debates, the Alliance must properly conceptualise the fact that among others the major challenge that we face is the non-implementation of policies and decisions.
It is the ANC itself that said that in prima facie cases, incumbents must step down from their positions of leadership until their matter is finalised and this is not happening. We all have a collective responsibility of convincing the people that the ANC is serious about fighting corruption otherwise; we shall continue to experience electoral apathy and ultimately electoral defeat.
Comrades, there are those who have accused the federation of contesting the content of the radical second phase on personalities and not on its class content. This is simply not true!
We have come out openly on our support for Cde Cyril Ramaphosa because we believe that the orientation of the leadership collective that would emerge from the 54th Conference of the ANC would have a bearing on the content of the second phase.
A couple of weeks ago, we concluded a very successful 5th Central Committee. The CC focused on socio- economic issues as well as our approach to the 54th Conference of the ANC Its conclusion places a responsibility on the entire democratic movement to lead the revolution in a decisive manner. This is particularly so since political and economic power remains in the hands of the few. Those who amassed the country's wealth through exploitation of our people, starvation wages, cheap labour system, denial of trade union rights, remain opposed to social transformation, which will benefit the majority in our country.
In the face of all this, including the unprecedented offensive by capitalist ideologues against the working class, we need the SACP to lead a counter-ideological offensive to help steer the revolution in the right direction.
We also expect the party to help us analyze the approach and character of the bourgeois democratic institutions that are not serving the working class, but are defending the interests of the rich and powerful like the Reserve Bank.
Comrade chairperson, as you meet here today, workers in almost all sectors of the economy are facing retrenchments, through restructuring of industries, outsourcing and for many reasons .The relaxation of exchange controls permits individuals, corporations, and institutional investors to take an increasing portion of their investments offshore at a time when more capital is needed in our country.
We are happy that most social partners have at long last recognised that we need a Job Summit that we have been calling for as COSATU. We expect the SACP to discuss and put forward proposals to be taken to the Jobs Summit.
We need a Jobs Plan as a country and this Jobs Summit should help us discuss and find solutions on job creation; how to support the unemployed; stem the tide of retrenchments and in the process formalise the informal sector.
Comrades the ANC government has done a lot of work over the last twenty five years, we need to acknowledge that. The situation of our people is better that it was under the apartheid but the struggle was not about having just a government taking care of the people but it was about giving people their country back including its economy. What we are currently facing is the reality that the country and its economy still do not belong to the people.
The conditions of life of the majority are still very much desperate. It is this which explains the desperation, anger and frustration of the majority of the South African working class, who are largely Black and African
COSATU has consistently warned that the poverty, unemployment and inequalities affecting millions of South African workers are a ticking time bomb!
The marginalisation of the working class in the economy has also been evidenced by flexible labour market in the form of actualisation, outsourcing and the use of labour brokers, the commodification of basic needs and the suppression of workers' wages below productivity gains.
In our view; to ultimately address the ongoing crisis of unemployment, current economic power relationships must be challenged and transformed; the economy must be developed to reach and sustain full employment.
The federation has been consistently vocal in fighting the tendency from some within the ANC to view economic transformation through the prism of de-racialisation of' capitalism and also for narrow personal accumulation. We have consistently argued that radical economic transformation should not only mean the integration of blacks into the economic structures of ownership, while leaving these structures unchanged. We shall continue to push back against this integrationist strategy that does not tamper with the capitalist logic of accumulation; and that politically attempts to define the black bourgeoisie as a motive force of the revolution instead of the working class. The policies coming out of the ANC Policy Conference will receive the usual treatment from COSATU. We will support those that favour the workers and the working class and fiercely oppose those that are about creating the black elite to replace the white elite.
We also expect the party to reflect on the offensive that is still directed at the federation, because COSATU is under attack from all sides. Some of our industrial unions have internal problems but there is also a concerted effort to liquidate them by employers. We need the party to work with us to stem the tide of attacks that is directed at our industrial unions.
COSATU is looking forward to working with the party to intensify our joint political, ideological and mass campaigning work after the congress. Indeed, in the current circumstances, the two working class formations within the ANC-led alliance have particular responsibilities. These two organisations should work together on many Socio Economic campaigns that were adopted by the COSATU Central Committee and that will be hopefully supported by this congress. These include the following:
- Job losses and Independent Power Producers (IPPs)
- Targeting of Casual workers and Labour Brokers
- State Capture and Corruption
- Campaign against E-Tolls
- National Health Insurance
- HIV and AIDS
- Climate Change
- Recruitment of farm workers and Domestic workers
- We shall also campaign for the transformation of Treasury including Wealth Tax.
The party should also work with us to fight for the review of the NDP Anti Labour Chapters.
The SACP has an opportunity to make this a watershed congress, but whatever decisions that gets taken here they should provide clarity on the SACP'S agenda for socialism, its role in the current political situation particularly in ensuring that the NDR reflect the aspiration of the working class.
We wish you a successful and productive congress.


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Page overview. Click on the item below to jump to the section of your choice.
NOTE: The information contained on this site is for educational purposes and are designed to help you in representing yourself. Please carefully review the directions and resources available to improve your performance in your case. Failure to read and follow the instructions may adversely impact your case. If you have any questions, please consult with an attorney.
Go to I-CAN! Legal for help preparing your court forms using an online questionnaire that is easy to understand and answer. I-CAN! also provides instructions for how to file the forms and proceed with the case.
Absolute is a complete divorce that allows the parties to marry again after their divorce has become final. State law REQUIRES that the parties be separated for one year prior to filing for divorce. An Absolute Divorce begins when a document called a Complaint is filed. The laws (or statutes) that control divorce proceedings in North Carolina are found in Chapter 50 of the North Carolina General Statutes. You should review these laws before proceeding with your case. The information can be found in the SelfServe Center, on the state's web site, or at the local law library which is located at 201 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28244. Public patrons are allowed access to the Law Library one day per week, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Please note that the SelfServe Center staff CANNOT provide legal advice. Therefore, we cannot tell you if you should file or what you should file, but we can tell you that you must meet certain criteria to be eligible. The Plaintiff is the person beginning the divorce proceedings against the Defendant, who is the spouse (husband/wife) of the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff may file a Complaint for divorce in North Carolina IF the Plaintiff or his/her spouse has been a resident of North Carolina for at least 6 months prior to the filing. The couple also must have lived continuously separate and apart for at least one year before the divorce can be filed.
Your case involves complicated legal issues! Note that your divorce will also terminate your rights to any equitable distribution of marital property and to post-separation support and/or alimony UNLESS such claims have already been determined or have been properly filed prior to the entry of the divorce judgment.
This packet describes the general process, but it is impossible to cover everything that may affect your rights. If you get confused during the process, you should stop and get advice from an attorney. Judges, Clerk of Court, SelfServe Center staff or the Trial Court Administrator's Office CANNOT give you legal advice.
This form is required by the state. Your divorce order will not be given to you until you file the original and one copy of this form. Please file this original and one copy in the Clerk's Office when you file your Complaint for Divorce.
NOTE: If this form is NOT filled out, or is NOT filled out accurately and completely, the judge will NOT sign your divorce.
NOTE: Only use black ink on this form.
Please review this form. This form is for the Judge to use to make his/her final order in your case. You should insert the names of the parties and the case number and complete numbers three, six and complete number seven only if you are resuming a maiden name.
Please have this document added to your court file prior to getting your court date.


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Hotel Security Guard Was Shot BEFORE Concert Shooting Started!
During the press conference, it was revealed that security guard Jose Campos was shot before the "alleged shooter" started firing upon the crowd. This directly contradicts the timeline presented on 10/4/17 where the LVPD indicated that the security guard being shot prompted the stop in the shooting.
They want us to believe that with all their cameras that they did not know the timeline ten minutes after the shooter was found? They would have been checking cameras while the SWAT guys had even breached. And it takes them a full week before they tell us the truth? Why the balony between then and now if not deliberate?
The security guard immediately notified Hotel personnel that he'd been shot. Now someone explain to me that they didn't notify police that one of their employees had been shot?? The security guard absolutely knew where the shots came from.
Campos being shot BEFORE the "alleged shooter" Paddock did the shooting is not a "minute" change. It's a huge change in facts and changes the timeline completely.
The public was told that Paddock stopped his shooting after 10 minutes because Campos knocked on his door and distracted him away from the window and that after Paddock shot at Campos; he never went back to shooting. But now we are told he shot Campos BEFORE he shot the crowd. This leaves many more questions including why Paddock stopped shooting and whether the shooting could have been prevented.
Also we've known for 6 days that the "alleged shooter" Stephen Paddock checked into the Mandalay Bay hotel on 9/25/17 based on valet receipts.
This is three days earlier than the publicly admitted timeline from Las Vegas Sheriff Lombardo.
They are lying to everyone once again and once again nothing will happen besides the slow creep toward a NWO Police State.
Via wwwMOXNEWScom:


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Stand Number: YBC23
Jan Lewis Creative
Jan Lewis Creative helps small businesses communicate, with graphic design that doesn't cost the earth.
Jan is a freelance Graphic Designer who uses responsibly sourced materials wherever possible. Based in East London, she works from home and in shared co-working spaces which keeps costs down. From one-off posters to national pitches (and everything in between), she and her established network of creative professionals can provide a full range of design services to help your business succeed.
"We love creating ideas that reflect your brand and designing marketing materials that get your message out there in style. We can't wait for the next brief and to tackle each new challenge. How can we help you?"
07702 232791


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About Charlie Mackesy
''I was born and bred in Northumberland in 1962, and spent most of my time running about the hills with sheep. I began drawing in the early 1980s in London. I didn't study art but just kept busy - working as a cartoonist for the Spectator magazine, as an illustrator for Oxford University Press, drawing ads for the daily papers and doing poster designs for delights such as Cockspur Rum.
My first show was in a pub in 1984. I've since been lucky or blessed enough to work with galleries in Edinburgh, New York and London and am continuing to do so. The most recent show was here with the Belgravia Gallery alongside Nelson Mandela...
The drawings and paintings on this site are in no particular meaningful order - and are randomly picked, but you may notice certain definite themes. It seems, in retrospect, I find an issue which I work through - such as the Prodigal Son and Daughter, which can take two or three years to complete--making drawings paintings and bronze sculptures of the subject--until somehow it's over and I can move on. There are clear and obvious sections--the jazz, the angels and musicians, the prodigals; but interspersed between all of these are random studies of life--such as of people I know, friends, and cafes which are unspecific in their intentions of theme but to me are as valid.
I am cautious to explain what I think the work is saying for fear of taking away from you something you have seen and I have not. I could conclude by saying that life is precious and faith is a journey and sometimes art can give a small glimpse of these moments seen, and unseen. I think GK Chesterton put it better-- 'At the back of our brains is a blaze of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life is to dig for this sunrise of wonder'. Thank you for looking."
Charlie Mackesy, February 2004.


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During Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas, iheartoffbeat and I also attended FOUR cocktail parties after the show. It would have been 6 if we had more time! [Missed my recap of Cosmoprof? Click here for the post + photos.] Saturday night, Liz (iheartoffbeat) and I attended the Cosmoprof … [Read more...]
Cosmoprof North America 2015 – Recap & Photos
I can't believe it has been 4 weeks since Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas. I feel like yesterday I was walking around the enormous venue chatting it up with so many amazing companies and brands. I'm already making plans for 2016's event! In future posts this week, I'll also be sharing with … [Read more...]
15 Essential Items to Bring to a Blogger Conference
If you're a fellow blogger or are looking to start a blog, attending a blogger conference is a smart idea. You'll receive a wealth of information in just 1-2 days, and knowing the rights from the wrongs is a good way to start your blog journey. Plus, you get to meet a variety of new people during … [Read more...]
Upcoming Event: #BeautyCon LA 2014
If you haven't heard, BeautyCon is coming back to LA for another round of beauty fun. On Saturday, August 16th, BeautyCon will hold it's second LA-based summit at The Reef in Downtown Los Angeles. The internet's most influential beauty & fashion icons will come together for BeautyCon LA to … [Read more...]
See you at Generation Beauty this weekend!
Will you be attending Generation Beauty by Ipsy this weekend? I'll be attending Saturday, and I can't wait for all the fun! (Screenshot above is from genbeauty.com) Generation Beauty by Ipsy is a weekend for beauty bloggers, vloggers, Instagram phenoms, and enthusiasts to get together to connect … [Read more...]


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Right-click an APK file (either from native Android or PhoneGap/Cordova) and upload it to TestFairy.com. The Options window lets you set the API Key, which you must get from the TestFairy.com site. If no API Key is set, the Options window opens at the tab where it should be entered.
After successful upload of the APK file, the Output window shows the URLs created for you by TestFairy, e.g., the URL to send to your testers for accessing the instrumented APK. (If the upload fails for some reason, e.g., no or wrong API Key or problems with the file, the Output window also shows you the messaging that TestFairy returns.) Then sit back and watch on TestFairy.com to see what they're doing with your Android app!
More info about TestFairy in this blog:
The screenshot below shows the menu item on APK files for uploading the APK, as well as the output returned from TestFairy:
The sources of the plugin will be hosted on the TestFairy GitHub soon.


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Coming Around Again
I'm sitting here giving CauseWired its last look before it goes off to production next week, and rereading Chapter One's account of the online reaction to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina while watching the current evacuation of New Orleans and other Gulf communities in the path of Gustav, the massive hurricane currently battering Cuba. The memories aren't good ones.
To me, the flow of information online in the months (and sadly, years) after Katrina was a milestone in online social activism, a time when real people organized to hold their government accountable, raise money, and try to rebuild damaged lives. Like the CauseWired movement itself, New Orleans is still a work in progress – even as the camera trucks head back to the Gulf.
What will the online response be this time, if this storm ravages the gulf communities? Three years ago, media analyst Mark Glaser put the online response to Katrina in perfect context:
As the water finally starts to recede in New Orleans, the watershed for online journalism has been laid bare. Hurricane Katrina brought forth a mature, multi-layered online response that built on the sense of community after 9/11, the amateur video of the Southeast Asian tsunami disaster and July 7 London bombings, and the on-the-scene blogging of the Iraq War.
Yes, the 2005 Katrina response online was indeed "multi-layered." But it wasn't instant, indeed it evolved and grew over the weeks after the flood claimed 1,800 lives and government stood still. Since then, the network is both bigger and faster – millions on Facebook, millions of blogs, the instant call and response of Twitter, and the dozens of online social enterprise platforms primed to create new causes.
Look at Beth Kanter's most recent experiment in online activism and fundraising to get a sense of speed and tactics. Beth raised $2,657 to cover the costs of college tuition for Leng Sopharath, an orphan in Cambodia in just 90 minutes, and then went on to raise nearly $4,000. As usual, Beth shares the sausage-making along with the sausage, and she makes a bunch of good points – none more important than this one:
This is something you probably can't duplicate if you're just starting out because I've spent five years using social media to build and nurture a network and banking social capital. It's the network, stupid!
Yeah, Beth is totally connected to the nonprofit tech world and many of her fundraising supporters want to see campaigns like this succeed. But transpose Beth's community standing to an event the size of Katrina, and multiply her by thousands of well-connected leaders and you get the idea (there are not one, but two examples of Beth's canny use of technology in CauseWired).
Back to 2005 – there were limits to online organizing, to helping out in the crisis, to building a real cause online that made a difference. Here's a bit from the book about the role of mainstream media – which is so clearly an important partner in this new world of online social activism:
…the blogging of Hurricane Katrina also clearly showed the limits of online support for disaster relief. Millions of dollars was directed to the American Red Cross, which many Americans later came to believe did not perform particularly well in the storm's aftermath. The lack of electricity in the devastated areas kept many amateur journalists from covering the storm or its immediate aftermath. Meanwhile, some of the mainstream media – derided as an article of faith by bloggers – performed heroically, particularly the local press. Nola.com, the large-scale website of the Times-Picayune newspaper, became the online ground zero for reports from the city and was cited for its blogging when the paper won two Pulitzer Prizes (one for public service) for its coverage of Katrina. And most of us followed the horrific story on cable television, as that old-time dinosaur of 24-hour news CNN particularly distinguished itself.
Yet, I think Nola.com's role in the Katrina story transcends the old "we report, you read" formula for big news coverage – and it was central to how Katrina played out online, among the blogging community and a world of donors who wanted to help but felt powerless. After Katrina hit, reporters in the field updated the The Times-Picayune's blog on a continuous basis. Traffic exploded from about 800,000 page views on a normal day to more than 30 million a day in the aftermath of the disaster. As evacuees scattered north and west of the region, they eventually were able to get their local news from the ongoing blogging at Nola.com. Accepting the Pulitzer, editor Jim Amoss paid tribute to the blog's contributors, "who were integral to everything we published, and made us an around-the-clock vital link to readers scattered across the nation."
I'd love your thoughts on this. How will we do it differently this time?
UPDATE: Andy Carvin launched the Gustav Information Center today on Ning, word being spread rapidly on Twitter – they'll be using the tag #gustav if you want to follow. Home Depot already using the tag to update on stories in the Hurricane's path.
UPDATE II: Al Tompkins of The Poynter Institute has set up a Ning site of resources for journalists. To me, one of the great things about the response to Katrina three years ago (a rare silver lining in that tragic debacle) was the new cooperation between professional journalists and the growing social web.
UPDATE III: Gustav comes ashore. Best single resource is old-school: NOLA.com. But great stuff on Twitter, and on-the-ground reports from GustavReporter. Beth's got a bunch of links for virtual volunteering opportunities.
UPDATE IV: Via Marnie Webb, the Gustav Tracker app for txting "safe" or "need help" messages to the network.
UPDATE V: Not as bad as feared, thankfully. Great Q&A with Andy Carvin on the Poynter site.


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The broker should reimburse any fees you may have already paid the airline.
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Clients usually pay in advance and understand that their award tickets are nonrefundable.
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Zynx Health, a provider of evidence-based and experience-based clinical decision support solutions, said it is kicking-off of a pilot program that addresses a new focus on healthcare reform and prepares for accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Read more...
Sage Healthcare Division said that Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition v 6.2, its electronic health record and practice management solution, has been tested and certified under Drummond Group's Electronic Health Records ONC-ATCB program.
An overwhelming 71% of respondents to a recent survey say they believe Regional Extension Centers (RECs) will not deliver on their mission.
The state of Iowa has selected Hielix and MEDNET to develop a strategic business and financial sustainability plan to support a statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE).
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins recently launched 5MinuteConsult.com, a clinical decision support site that aims to provide healthcare professionals answers to their clinical questions in 30 seconds or less. The website helps healthcare professionals quickly obtain critical information for the diagnosis, treatment and management of thousands of diseases and conditions.
ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, named non-profit Kaiser Permanente the winner of the 5th annual Health Devices Achievement Award for excellence in health technology management.
Sage Healthcare Division said that it is in the process of certifying Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition as a qualified meaningful use solution. Such an endeavor will enable physicians to qualify for incentives under the HITECH stimulus package under the American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) Act of 2009.
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We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy to make it easier for you to understand what information we collect, how and why we collect it.


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Ah, yes. Britain.
Until last summer, i had never visited the exotical remote island that had been lying there, across the Channel, all my life, just a small jump in a plane or a bowel-stirring ferry trip away. Stories had of course reached my ears before through various channels. Tales of culinary horror, mystery and enchanting landscapes; of a ruthless barbarian wasteland filled with sheep far North, where strange people mutter words in an incomprehensible language. Yet, for all those warnings, i was curious to see which part would actually reveal to be true. And with my girlfriend studying in England, i was soon to find out.
First of all, Britain is…well… different.
You can't look beyond it, really. Cars drive on the wrong side of the road, people drink their tea with milk, and
for some reason pies, as opposed to their counterparts on the continent, contain meat. Meat and potatoes. In a pie. Really…
Then there's the annoying message shouting at you from every milk or water bottle, slice of meat, coockie bag and tea leaf: "This is a product of Britain". Usually accompanied by a little (and equally annoying) union jack flag on the side. Now, although i'm Belgian, i'm used to chauvinism. France has it's fair share of national pride, and advertises wildly through symbols such as wine, cheese and perfume "Made in France" all across the globe. But you won't see "Guaranteed French Cow" on a milk bottle. ("French milk" is more likely). While I appreciate that the cow whose milk i drink was lovingly bred and milked on this lovely island, i care more about the quality of the milk itself. Or that of its meat. For all i know she could have grazed a bit too close to an old mining site.Or Windscale.
An equally annoying feature of Britain is Health and Safety. Don't get me wrong, there has to be a kind of H&S regulation. But i KNOW that underground trains have closing doors, i KNOW they will depart at some point, and i KNOW i have to hold the handrail when standing on an escalator. Or mind the gap. No need to shout it at me. Let alone let people specially trained to do so shout it at me.
But there is some good news as well. Contrary to common belief, trains DO run on time quite often. (haven't tried them yet when it snows, though). Everything is more efficient and slightly less disorganized than mainland Europe. You can actually get food and buy stuff on a bank holiday. And then there's the food department of Marks and Spencer, which makes up for all the small, tiny little problems you might have with the British cuisine (the cheeses alone are a fascinating universe, not to mention the beer and cider).
All of this, of course, depends on the region you're in. Although i enjoy London a lot, there is something special about the North. Yes, the North, with its sheep-filled rocky hills and people with funny accents. To me, Britain's North (and i mean North England AND Scotland) is like France's South.
I don't know if it's something in the food or the cider, but somehow people here are more…well…relaxed. I spent 45 minutes this morning talking to a complete stranger about different types of Belgian Beer, and how they compare to British ales and lagers, and all that while taking my morning tea. This stranger (the owner of the small café; Cafe Lento, Headingley, Leeds. Go there.) turned out to be a retired school teacher, and now a full time specialist in the art of making English Breakfast and baking quite excellent muffins, as well as being a jazz aficionado. Over tea we talked as old friends.And while this is far from the busy City of London, there's no place quite like it.Although the local accent can be quite funny, and communication isn't always that fluent as a result, it really feels like home.
And while this island has some strange traditions and very odd habits, Britain wouldn't be Britain without them. From the "Mind the gap" calls to "We cannot show this mummy on photographs because of the laws regulating depiction of human remains" signs, it is part of something larger and ungraspable. Something beyond cider, mince meat and fish and chips.
Part of something we, in Belgium, have lately forgotten.
An identity.


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Americans are addicted to sugar. There's no beating around the bush with this statement, because it's so obvious in everything we embody as a nation. Endocrinologist Dr. Glenn Braunstein explained that the average American consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar per day in the form of drinks, foods, and added sweeteners. Thus, a new craze was spurred in the foods industry, leading to new lines of products that companies tried to convince the public to buy under the premise that they were "healthier" or "calorie-free."
However, when artificial sweeteners such as sucrose (Splenda), and fructose (Equal) began to leak out evidence that they were possible carcinogens and that they could promote weight gain instead of prevent it, the market opened for a new angle: natural sweeteners.
As a response, Stevia in the Raw—a sweetener derived from the stevia plant, which is naturally close to calorie free—was developed.
What is Natural?
Technically, all of today's sugars can be classified as natural, since they are all formed from "natural" plants such as beets, corn, and herbs. Sugar naturally found in whole foods is packed alongside fiber, vitamins, and healthy minerals. When they are processed, however, they are stripped of the qualities that make them wholesome, creating an entirely false image of a "natural food."
Stevia may be derived from a wholesome source, but after the chemical processing that it undoubtedly underwent to transform it into the nutrition-less carbohydrate that is sold in stores across the world. The FDA even remarked that brands such as PureVia and Truvia are "not stevia but a highly purified product." Because the FDA doesn't regulate the use of the word "natural," not even that context can be taken for granted. Nevertheless, consumers continue to rally for the sweeteners because of their lower calorie count, natural sweetness, and perceived health value.
After all of this hype, who was to blame the geniuses behind the late success of Splenda for not wanting to catch on? The makers of one of them most successful artificial sweeteners began to market a new and improved version of their old zero-calorie sweetener — Nectresse, an all-natural sugar made from the mountainous monk fruit.
History of Nectresse
This fruit had been used since antiquity by natives, yet its sweet qualities had never quite caught on to the rest of the world. The earliest report of its usage by the western world was in an unpublished article written in 1938 by Professor G. W. Groff and Hoh Hin Cheung. They described the Asian fruit's uses, including its "cooling" properties in reducing fever and inflammation. Nevertheless, at the time, the monk fruit's distinctive odor was enough to offset it from becoming a profitable venture, and the prospect of selling it to the western world almost ended there. However, in 1995 Proctor & Gamble patented a process to remove the offensive odors and obtain the concentrated sweetness of the fruit.
The Secret Behind Nectresse
Eventually, McNeill Nutritionals, LLC, the makers of Splenda, released Nectresse. Their product was a moderate success, generating a fair amount of attention among health-food consumers. Its natural sweetness and 100% natural guarantee assured purchasers that they were buying quality ingredients. The truth is, however, that this is far from the truth.
Although it is a general fact that even "zero calorie" sweeteners contain minimal calories, what may not be widely known is that Nectresse is not entirely natural, as their website states. The first ingredient is erythritol, a sugar alcohol, with sugar coming in at a close second. In fourth, after monk fruit itself, is molasses. The three non-fruit ingredients are typically created using GM crops such as corn for the erythritol and beets for the refined sugar.The use of such refined and processed ingredients likely stems from the need to produce a cheaper product with more substance, but even while monk fruit may be a main ingredient, the other ingredients force it to shed its false promise of being "all-natural."
Truthfully, Nectresse is about 150x sweeter than sugar because of natural antioxidants called mogrosides that are perceived as sweet, but do not count towards calories as much as sugar. However, the likelihood that indigestible chemicals present in Nectresse will interfere with your body's natural metabolism runs a high risk. It is possible that, contrary to the mantra of the company, Nectresse and other highly refined, artificial products may induce weight gain, due to the mentality that less calories equates greater indulgence.
The bottom line is, moderation is key to any healthy diet. Although companies may try to sway consumers to buy their product, sneaky advertisement can make greater than life seem like a great deal.


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It's been a busy couple of months for me. We've been short staffed at my "day job" so I haven't had a lot of time to write or submit. What precious time I have had, has been spent editing. I am lucky to have some great readers/editors in the Headwaters Writer's Guild who have been nudging me along with my work.
I had a boost of inspiration this weekend by an email from Wynterblue Publishing. They host a 24 hour contest every month with different prompts to get your juices flowing. If you are a member, they are free to enter. If not, they ask for $5. Being a member, I decided to get on board and write a 1,500 word short story. I even entered it.
This got me on a roll this weekend. I also submitted a short story called "Tula's Miracle" to Glimmertrain.
AND another short called "Ball of Beige Wool" to the Dorothy Shoemaker Literary Contest out of the Kitchener Public Library. The Wynterblue contest may be closed by now, but the other two go on until the end of October for Glimmertrain (they always have contests brewing) and the end of November for KPL.
Feel free to join me!
Now that I've got the contest stuff out of my hair, I'm back to editing and working on two new stories, one of which is for my kids and their patience with me is running out quickly.
This week will be another busy work week, but I know I've gotten some submissions in and that makes me feel a lot more like a writer than I've been feeling lately.


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3 Entrepreneur-Friendly Retirement Plans You Should KnowYou don't have to have a big company to plan for your future.
Being an entrepreneur doesn't mean giving up all the perks of corporate America. So maybe you're springing for "Bagel Monday" all by yourself, but you can still have a real retirement plan. Several options are available for small businesses, in addition to Traditional and Roth IRAs for individuals.
These entrepreneur-friendly retirement plans have been designed for ease and simplicity. They have advantages like higher contribution limits so you can save more, faster. And if you have employees or want to hire them someday, a real retirement plan can be a good way to attract and keep them.
Make sure you investigate all your retirement plan options before leaving some good opportunities on the table.
"Look at it this way," New York State tax accountant Kerry Englander from Summit Tax Services said. "The more you put into a deferred retirement plan, the more you're reducing your taxable income, paying less in federal tax and, in some cases, state tax, too. That means your take-home could be the same as if you didn't contribute to a plan."
Take a look at this overview and make a date to discuss the full menu of alternatives with your financial advisor. As a baseline, remember that the annual contribution limit for a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA is $5,500 ($6,500 if you're 50 or older).
Don't be intimated about choices that are new to you.
"Many retirement plans for small businesses are essentially all the same," Englander said. "They function for small business owners as deferred pension plans. Each one just has slightly different criteria in terms of contribution limits and number of employees."
1. Solo (Individual) 401(k)
The Solo 401(k) is for self-employed individuals or an individual who employs his or her spouse, but no other employees. It allows you and your spouse to each contribute up to $18,000 a year as employees ($24,000 if you're 50 or older). It also allows you to contribute even more as an employer, up to 25 percent of your compensation. Your employer contributions are tax-deductible.
While the contribution limits are high, you're not bound to them. You can decide to contribute less some years and more other years, based on how your business is doing. This type of plan does require an administrator, so consider those fees as you're weighing this option.
2. SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRA
The SIMPLE IRA is a streamlined plan without a third-party administrator for small business owners who have employees, 100 or fewer. It gives you the option of either choosing one financial institution that all employees will use or allowing each employee to choose his or her own. Either way, employees pay any associated fees themselves.
You can contribute up to $12,500 a year to your account ($15,500 if you're 50 or older). You also need to contribute a small percentage to your employees' accounts, but these contributions can be taken out of employees' salaries and are tax-deductible. It's important to know that with this plan, early withdrawal in the first two years, including rollover, comes at a high price, unless you are 59.5 or older. The penalty can be up to 25 percent. But the idea is to save for the long-term, right?
3. Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA
The SEP IRA requires a third-party administrator, and it can be a good choice if you have a small number of employees. With this plan, you make all the contributions as an employer. Your employees aren't required to make any contributions of any set percentage. But as with a Solo 401(k) and SIMPLE IRA, your employer contributions are tax-deductible. And as with the Solo 401(k), the contributions limits for your account are at the highest range compared to other plans with a low level of complexity, up to 25 percent of your compensation.
Thoroughly vetting these and other small business retirement plan types may feel a little daunting at first, but the plans contain words like "solo" and "simple" for a reason. Once you get a handle on them, the pros, cons and processes will be easy for you to compare to Traditional and Roth IRAs. Maybe not as easy as signing up for a corporate plan someone else has selected, but as an entrepreneur, that's not really your style, anyway.


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Due to the expertise of our Lighting Designer, Luke Wallace, Enigma Lighting were approached by the Lighting Design Studio to assist with the creation of the BLEED outdoor lighting installation to be part of this years Clerkenwell Design Week.
Luke was posed with the question of how to project images onto a loose thin plastic gel, suspended from a wire across the length of Bleeding Heart Courtyard.
Using the latest projection control software paired through a dedicated app written for the project the installation allows for people to touch their hands on a wall mounted tablet and wirelessly it replicates their heart beat through a simplified lighting system on the suspended lighting film above their head....wow!! #infectiouscreativehub
Please go down and take a look, we would love to hear your thoughts!