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Nonduality Presents
Excerpts from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj's I AM THAT
compiled and edited by Miguel-Angel Carrasco
Numbers after quotations refer to pages of the edition by Chetana (P) Ltd, Bombay, 1992.
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The Way to Self-Realization: Part Six
Meditation, Witness attitude, Awareness.
With deep and quiet breathing, vitality will improve, which will influence the brain and help the mind to grow pure and stable and fit for meditation. Without vitality, little can be done, hence the importance of its protection and increase. Posture and breathing are a part of yoga, for the body must be healthy and well under control, but too much concentration on the body defeats its own purpose, for it is the mind that is primary in the beginning. When the mind has been put to rest and disturbs no longer the inner space (chidakash), the body acquires a new meaning and its transformation becomes both necessary and possible. (496-7)
Whatever you may have to do, watch your mind. Also you must have moments of complete inner peace and quiet, when your mind is absolutely still. If you miss it, you miss the entire thing. If you do not, the silence of the mind will dissolve and absorb all else. (215)
Keep quiet. Do your work in the world, but inwardly keep quiet. Then all will come to you. Do not rely on your work for realization. It may profit others, but not you. Your hope lies in keeping silent in your mind and quiet in your heart. Realized people are very quiet. (402)
Give all your attention to the question: "What is it that makes me conscious?", until your mind becomes the question itself and cannot think of anything else. (447)
Try to be, only to be. The all-important word is "try". Allot enough time daily for sitting quietly and trying, just trying, to go beyond the personality with its addictions and obsessions. Don't ask how, it cannot be explained. You just keep on trying until you succeed. If you persevere, there can be no failure. What matters supremely is sincerity, earnestness; you must really have had surfeit of being the person you are; now see the urgent need of being free of this unnecessary self-identification with a bundle of memories and habits. This steady resistance against the unnecessary is the secret of success. (509)
The value of regular meditation is that it takes you away from the humdrum of daily routine and reminds you that your not what you believe yourself to be. (492)
Meditation is a deliberate attempt to pierce into the higher states of consciousness and finally go beyond it. The art of meditation is the art of shifting the focus of attention to ever subtler levels, without losing one's grip on the levels left behind. The final stage of meditation is reached when the sense of identity goes beyond the "I-am-so-and-so", beyond "so-I-am", beyond "I-am-the-witness-only", beyond "there-is", beyond all ideas into the impersonally personal pure being. But you must be energetic when you take to meditation. It is definitely not a part-time occupation. Limit your interests and activities to what is needed for you and your dependents' barest needs. Save all your energies and time for breaking the wall your mind had built around you. Believe me, you will not regret. (413)
It has nothing to do with effort. Just turn away, look between the thoughts, rather than at the thoughts. When you happen to walk in a crowd, you do not fight every man you meet, you just find your way between. When you fight, you invite a fight. But when you do not resist, you meet no resistance. When you refuse to play the game, you are out of it. (349)
No particular thought can be mind's natural state, only silence. Not the idea of silence, but silence itself. When the mind is in its natural state, it reverts to silence spontaneously after every experience, or, rather, every experience happens against the background of silence. (242)
Keep quiet, undisturbed, and the wisdom and the power will come on their own. You need not hanker. Wait in silence of the heart and mind. It is very easy to be quiet, but willingness is rare. (494)
To go beyond the mind, you must be silent and quiet. Peace and silence, silence and peace - this is the way beyond. Stop asking questions. (450)
To go beyond, you need alert immobility, quiet attention. (217)
These moments of inner quiet will burn out all obstacles without fail. Don't doubt its efficacy. Try it. (217)
Meditation will help you to find your bonds, loosen them, untie them and cast your moorings. When you are no longer attached to anything, you have done your share. The rest will be done for you. (54)
When you are not in a hurry and the mind is free from anxieties, it becomes quiet and in the silence something may be heard which is ordinarily too fine and subtle for perception. The mind must be open and quiet to see. You need not worry about your worries. Just be. Do not try to be quiet; do not make "being quiet" into a task to be performed. Don't be restless about "being quiet", miserable about "being happy". Just be aware that you are, and remain aware. Don't say "Yes, I am. What next?" There is no "next" in "I am". It is a timeless state. (508)
When you sit quiet and watch yourself, all kinds of things may come to the surface. Do nothing about them, don't react to them; as they have come so will they go, by themselves. All that matters is mindfulness, total awareness of oneself, or rather of one's mind.
Silence is the main factor. In peace and silence you grow. (375)
In peace and silence, the skin of the "I" dissolves and the inner and the outer become one. (483)
Witness attitude
Abandon all ideas about yourself and you will find yourself to be the pure witness, beyond all that can happen to the body or the mind. (226)
There is the identity of what you are, and there is the person superimposed on it. All you know is the person. The identity, which is not a person, you do not know, for you never doubted, never asked yourself the crucial question: "Who am I". The identity is the witness of the person, and sadhana consists in shifting the emphasis from the superficial and changeful person to the immutable and ever-present witness. (442)
When the mind is quiet, we come to know ourselves as the pure witness. We withdraw from the experience and its experiencer, and stand apart in pure awareness, which is between and beyond the two. The personality, based on self-identification, on imagining oneself to be something: "I'm this, I'm that", continues, but only as a part of the objective world. Its identification with the witness snaps. (14)
[For a Westerner] the right procedure is to adhere to the thought that he is the ground of all knowledge, the immutable and perennial awareness of all that happens to the senses and the mind. If he keeps it in mind all the time, aware and alert, he is bound to break the bounds of non-awareness and emerge into pure life, light and love. The idea "I am the witness only" will purify the body and the mind and open the eye of wisdom. Then man goes beyond illusion and his heart is free of all desires. (76)
Words can bring you only up to their own limit; to go beyond, you must abandon them. Remain as the silent witness only. (451)
If you are angry or in pain, separate yourself from anger and pain and watch them. Externalization is the first step to liberation. Step away and look. The physical events will go on happenig, but by themselves they have no importance. It is the mind alone that matters. If you could only keep quiet, clear of memories and expectations, you would be able to discern the beautiful pattern of events. It is your restlessness that causes chaos. (247)
Watch your thoughts as you watch the street traffic. People come and go; you register without response. It may not be easy in the beginning, but with some practice you will find that your mind can function on many levels at the same time and you can be aware of them all. It is only when you have a vested interest in any particular level that your attention gets caught in it and you black out on other levels. (240)
You need not stop thinking. Just cease being interested. It is disinterestedness that liberates. Don't hold on, that is all. (241)
Refuse attention [to things], let things come and go. Desires and thoughts are also things. Disregard them. Since immemorial time, the dust of events was covering the clear mirror of your mind, so that only memories you could see. Brush off the dust before it has time to settle; this will lay bare the old layers until the true nature of your mind is discovered. It is all very simple and comparatively easy; be earnest and patient, that is all. Dispassion, detachment, freedom from desire and fear, from all self-concern, mere awareness, free from memory and expectation, this is the state of mind to which discovery can happen. After all, liberation is but the freedom to discover. (494)
In the mirror of your mind all kinds of pictures appear and disappear. Knowing that they are entirely your own creations, watch them silently come and go. Be alert, but not perturbed. This attitude of silent observation is the very foundation of yoga. You see the picture, but you are not the picture. (469)
Witnessing is natural and no problem. The problem is excessive interest, leading to self-identification. Whatever you are engrossed in, you take to be real. (351)
The real exists and is of the nature of witness-consciousness. Of course it is beyond the witness, but to enter it one must first realize the state of pure witnesssing. The awareness of conditions brings one to the unconditioned. We can talk only of the unreal, the illusory, the transient, the conditioned. To go beyond, we must pass through total negation of everything as having independent existence. All things depend on consciousness. And consciousness depends on the witness. (176)
Develop the witness attitude and you will find in your own experience that detachment brings control. The state of witnessing is full of power, there is nothing passive about it. (186)
The witness is not indifferent. He is the fulness of understanding and compassion. Only as the witness you can help another. (451)
The outer world neither can help nor hinder. No system, no pattern of action will take you to your goal. Give up all working for a future, concentrate totally on the now, be concerned only with your respose to every movement of life as it happens. (333)
Know yourself to be the changeless witness of the changeful mind. That is enough. (507)
Just remember what you are. Use every incident of the day to remind you that without you as the witness there would be neither animal nor God. Understand that you are both, the essence and the surface of all there is, and remain firm in your understanding. (476)
The witness attitude is also faith; it is faith in oneself. You believe that you are not what you experience, and you look at everything as from a distace. There is no effort in witnessing. You understand that you are the witness only, and the understanding acts. You need nothing more, just remember that you are the witness only. If in the state of witnessing you ask yourself 'Who am I?', the answer comes at once, though it is wordless and silent. Cease to be the object and become the subject of all that happens; once having turned within, you will find yourself beyond the subject. When you
have found yourself, you will find that you are also beyond the object, that both the subject and the object exist in you, but you are neither. (303)
[The witness-consciousness] is the reflection of the real in the mind (buddhi). The witness is the door through which you pass beyond. (52)
First we must know ourselves as witnesses only, dimensionless and timeless centres of observation, and then realize that immense ocean of pure awareness, which is both mind and matter and beyond both. (205)
The person merges into the witness, the witness into awareness, awareness into pure being, yet identity is not lost, only its limitations are lost. It is transfigured and becomes the real Self, the sadguru, the eternal friend and guide. You cannot approach it in worship. No external activity can reach the inner self; worship and prayers remain on the surface only; to do deeper meditation is essential, the striving to go beyond the states of sleep, dream and waking. In the beginning the attempts are irregular, then they recur more often, become regular, then continuous and intense, until all obstacles are conquered. (447)
For reality to be, the ideas of "me" and "mine" must go. They will go if you let them. Then your normal natural state reappears, in which you are neither the body nor the mind, neither the "me" nor the "mine", but in a different state of being altogether. It is pure awareness of being, without being this or that, without any self-identification with anything in particular or in general. In that pure light of consciousness there is nothing, not even the idea of nothing. There is only light. (387)
The body and the mind are only symptoms of ignorance, of misapprehension: Behave as if you were pure awareness, bodiless and mindless, spaceless and timeless, beyond "where" and "when" and "how". Make your mind and body express the real which is all and beyond all. (255)
Awareness is unattached and unshaken. It is lucid, silent, peaceful, alert and unafraid, without desire and fear. Meditate on it as your true being and try to be it in your daily life, and you shall realize it in its fullness. (221)
True awareness (samvid) is a state of pure witnessing, without the least attempt to do anything about the event witnessed. Your thoughts and feelings, words and actions may also be a part of the event; you watch all unconcerned, in the full light of clarity and understanding. You understand precisely what is going on, because it does not affect you. It may seem to be an attitude of cold aloofness, but it is not really so. Once you are in it, you will find that you love what you see, whatever may be its nature. This choiceless love is the touchstone of awareness. If it is not there, you are merely interested, for some personal reasons. (382)
There is little difference between the conscious and the unconscious - they are essentially the same. The waking state differs from deep sleep in the presence of the witness. A ray of awareness illumines a part of our mind and that part becomes our dream or waking consciousness, while awareness appears as the witness. The witness usually knows only consciousness. Sadhana connsists in the witness turning back first on his conscious, then upon himself in his own awareness. Self-awareness is Yoga. (532)
Don't fight with what you take to be obstacles on your way. Just be interested in them, watch them, observe, enquire. Let anything happen - good or bad. But don't let yourself be submerged by what happens. The mind must learn that beyond the moving mind there is the background of awareness, which does not change. The mind must come to know the true self and respect it and cease covering it up, like the moon which obscures the sun during solar eclipse. Just realize that nothing observable, or experienceable is you, or binds you. Take no notice of what is not yourself. You are aware anyhow, you need not try to be. What you need is to be aware of being aware. Be aware deliberately and consciously, broaden and deepen the field of awareness. You are always conscious of the mind, but you are not aware of yourself as being conscious. (220)
Be aware of being conscious and seek the source of consciousness. That is all. (328)
No thought but "I am".
When I met my guru, he told me: 'You are not what
you take yourself to be. Find out what you are. Watch the sense
"I am", find your real self'. I obeyed him, because I
trusted him. I did as he told me. All my spare time I would spend
looking at myself in silence. And what difference it made, and
how soon! It took me only three years to realize my true nature.
If you trust me, believe when I tell you that you are the pure awareness that illumines consciousness and its infinite content. Realize this and live accordingly. If you do not believe me, then go within, enquiring "What am I?", or focus your mind on "I am", which is pure and simple being. (26-7)
Distrust your mind and go beyond. [Then you will find] the direct experience of being, knowing and loving. There are many starting points -they all lead to the same goal. You may begin with selfless work, abandoning the fruits of action; you may then give up thinking and end in giving up all desires. Here, giving up is the operational factor. Or you may not bother about any thing you want, or think, or do, and just stay in the thought and feeling "I am", focusing "I am" firmly in your mind. All kinds of experience may come to you -remain unmoved in the knowledge that all perceivable is transient and only the "I am" endures. (50)
You have tasted so many things - all came to naught. Only the sense "I am" persisted, unchanged. Stay with the changeless among the changeful, until you are able to go beyond. (343)
Just look away from all that happens in your mind and bring it to the feeling "I am". The "I am" is not a direction. It is the negation of all direction. Ultimately even the "I am" will have to go, for you need not keep on asserting what is obvious. Bringing the mind to the feeling "I am" merely helps in turning the mind away from everyting else. When the mind is kept away from its preoccupations, it becomes quiet. If you do not disturb this quiet and stay in it, you find that it is permeated with a light and a love you have never known; and yet you recognize it at one as your own nature. Once you have passed through this experience, you will never be the same man again; the unruly mind may break its peace and obliterate its vision; but it is bound to return, provided the effort is sustained; until the day when
all bonds are broken, delusions and attachments end, and life becomes supremely concentrated in the present. (308)
What prevents the insight into one's true nature is the weakness and obtuseness of the mind and its tendency to skip the subtle and focus the gross only. When you follow my advice and try to keep your mind on the notion of "I am" only, you become fully aware of your mind and its vagaries. Awareness, being lucid harmony (satva) in action, dissolves dullness and quietens the restlessness of the mind, and gently but steadily changes its very substance. This change need not be spectacular; it may be hardly noticeable; yet it is a deep and fundamental shift from darkness into light, from inadvertence to awarenesss. For this, keep steadily in the focus of consciousness the only clue you have: your certainty of being. Be with it, play with it, ponder over it, delve deeply into it, till the shell of ignorance
breaks open and you emerge into the realm of reality. (272)
What was born must die. Only the unborn is deathless. Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of "I". (12)
All I can say truly is: "I am", all else is inference. But the inference has become a habit. Destroy all habits of thinking and seeing. The sense "I am" is the manifestation of a deeper cause, which you may call self, God, Reality or by any other name. The "I am" is in the world, but it is the key which can open the door out of the world. (199)
All you have to do is to understand that you love the self and the self loves you, and that the sense "I am" is the link between you both, a token of identity in spite of apparent diversity. Look at the "I am" as a sign of love between the inner and the outer, the real and the appearance. Just like in a dream all is different, except the sense of "I", which enables you to say "I dreamt", so does the sense of "I am" enables you to say "I am my real Self again. I do nothing, nor is anything done to me. I am what I am and nothing can affect me. I appear to depend on everything, but in fact all depends on me." (388)
You are always the Supreme. But your attention is fixed on things, physical or mental. When your attention is off a thing and not yet fixed on another, in the interval you are pure being. When through the practice of discrimination and detachment (viveka-vairagya), you lose sight of sensory and mental states, pure being emerges as the natural state. By focusing the mind on "I am", on the sense of being, "I am so-and-so" dissolves; "am a witness only" remains and that too submerges in "I am all". Then the all becomes the One, and the One yourself. (90)
Keep the "I am" in the focus of awareness, remember that you are, watch yourself ceaselessly and the unconscious will flow into the conscious without any special effort on your part. Wrong desires and fears, false ideas, social inhibitions are blocking and preventing its free interplay with the conscious. Once free to mingle, the two become one and the one becomes all. (447)
"I am" is the ultimate fact. "Who am I?" is the ultimate question to which everybody must find an answer; the same in essence, varied in expression. (477)
Give up all questions except one: "Who am I?" After all, the only fact you are sure of is that you are. The "I am" is certain. The "I am this" is not. Struggle to find out what you are in reality. (70)
Your dwelling on the fact "I am" will soon create another chance [of self-realization]. For attitude attracts opportunity. All you know is second-hand. Only "I am" is first-hand and needs no proofs. Stay with it. (522)
Realization is but the opposite of ignorance. To take the world as real and one's self as unreal is ignorance, the cause of sorrow. To know the self as the only reality and all else as temporal and transient is freedom, peace and joy. It is all very simple. Instead of seeing things as imagined, learn to see them as they are. When you can see everything as it is, you will also see yourself as you are. It is like cleansing a mirror. The same mirror that shows you the world as it is, will also show you your own face. The thought "I am" is the polishing cloth. Use it. (29)
First of all, establish a constant contact with your self, be with yourself all the time. Into self-awareness all blessings flow. Begin as a centre of observation, deliberate cognizance, and grow into a centre of love in action. "I am" is a tiny seed which will grow into a mighty tree - quite naturally, without a trace of effort. (510)
Just keep in mind the feeling "I am", merge in it, till your mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts, you will stumble on the right balance of attention and affection, and your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling "I am". Whatever you think, say or do, this sense of immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present background of the mind. (48)
Relax and watch the "I am". Reality is just behind it. Keep quiet, keep silent; it will emerge, or, rather, it will take you in. (520-1)
Look at yourself steadily - it is enough. The door that locks you in is also the door that lets you out. The "I am" is the door. Stay at it until it opens. As a matter of fact, it is open, only you are not at it. You are waiting at the non-existing painted doors, which will never open. (442)
Refuse all thoughts except one: the thought "I am". The mind will rebel in the beginning, but with patience and perseverance it will yield and keep quiet. Once you are quiet, things will begin to happen spontaneously and quite naturally, without any interference on your part. (18-19)
When I say: 'remember "I am" all the time', I mean: 'come back to it repeatedly'. (242)
Hold on to the sense "I am" to the exclusion of everything else. When thus the mind becomes completely silent, it shines with a new light and vibrates with a new knowledge. It all comes spontaneously, you need only hold on to the "I am". (332)
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text:
Never Too Quiet!
Written by Barbara Diamond Goldin
US Publisher: P J Library
Softcover: ISBN N/A
Date of publication: September 2016
24 pages
The Pelican Chorus
Written by Edward Lear
US Publisher: Carus Publishing
iPhone app. animation for Ladybug's Bookshelf
Year of publication: Magazine 2010
Year of publication: App 2011
Five illustrations for Ladybug Magazine
Amanda's illustrations for The Pelican Chorus by Edward Lear, commissioned by Ladybug Magazine, have been adapted as an animated poem and are now released as the featured story in Ladybug's iPhone app. The Pelican Chorus from Ladybug's Bookshelf.
"Edward Lear's "The Pelican Chorus" … will get a new lease of life when an animated version, based on illustrations by Cambridge artist Amanda Hall, is released as an iPhone app… The resulting illustrations captured Lear's eccentric playfulness while showcasing Hall's very own style"
Cricket Magazine
US Publisher: Carus Publishing
Magazine cover and Contents page
Year of publication: 2013
Cricket Magazine
Is a magazine for middle grade children. The brief for this commission was to illustrate the cover and contents page of the April 2013 edition of the magazine. The imagery had to reflect the farming related stories covered in this edition of the magazine.
Prince of the Birds
Adapted by Amanda Hall
UK Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Hardcover ISBN: 1-84507-102-6
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-84507-281-0
Year of publication: 2005
32 pages
See all illustrations for this book
Elfos (Catalonia h/b)ISBN 84-8423-186-0,
Hjulet (Sweden h/b) ISBN 91-86212-90-7,
Hjulet (Denmark h/b) ISBN.87-89213-41-6,
Great Books (Korea h/b) ISBN 978-89-271-0358-5,
Great Books (Korea h/b) ISBN 978-89-271-0341-7,
"Sparkling fantasy featuring a Moorish prince and a beautiful princess, a magic horse and a dusty rug and a dove, an owl and a parrot."
— lovereading4kids
"The decorative, polished art in refined and subtle colors suggests the vibrant multicultural era when medieval Spain was partially ruled by Muslims."
— Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Read all reviews for this book
Lion's Precious Gift
Written by Barbara Bennett
UK Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Hardcover ISBN: 1-85430-813-0
Year of publication: 2002
Softcover ISBN: 1-84869-354-8
Year of publication: 2016
32 pages
Libarary Grund (France h/b) ISBN 2-7000-4891-1,
C.de Vries - Brouwers (Holland h/b) ISBN 90-5341-438-X,
Glenndoman (Korea h/b) ISBN 89-16-01885-4,
Glenndoman (Korea h/b)ISBN 89-16-01885-4,

subset: commoncrawl


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- Hook: 2x long dry fly hook like Tiemco 2312, size 6-14
- Body & Thorax: Tan Superfine or other dry fly dubbing
- Wing: Turkey Tail treated with flexible cement
- Legs: Pheasant Tail fibers, knotted. (1 on each side)
- Parachute Post: White Poly Yarn
- Hackle: Grizzly Saddle Hackle
I am still working on a better thorax/body that will allow the fly to remain on the surface when fished with a dropper. This pattern after a few casts tends to sink when fished with a dropper even when floatant is used. Anybody have any ideas or success stories on keeping the hopper on the surface? Let me know if you do.
Enjoy the last few weeks of fishing - if you enjoy wading through 6 inches of snow and battling sub-freezing conditions!


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As the weather turns colder, I start to use more flannels on my quilt backs. This line of flannels from Moda just arrived in the shop:
The line is called Boundary Water Flannels and it's full of rich, autumn shades. These are just begging to be included in your next fall project.


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Correction Appended
Clarence C. Newcomer, who as a federal judge in Philadelphia for more than three decades won a reputation for no-nonsense jurisprudence in hundreds of cases ranging from civil rights to organized crime to baseball cards, died Monday at his home in Stone Harbor, N.J., near Cape May. He was 82.
The cause was melanoma, his family told The Associated Press.
Judge Newcomer presided over a fiercely contested trial in which the City of Philadelphia was found liable this year for $12.8 million in damages to residents forced from their homes by a 1985 fire touched off when the police dropped a bomb on a house occupied by the radical group MOVE.
But that was hardly the first of his cases to draw vast attention in eastern Pennsylvania, and sometimes beyond.
In 1974, he stripped William Stinson of a seat in the Pennsylvania Senate because of evidence that Mr. Stinson had stolen votes, and declared Bruce Marks the winner, tipping control of the Senate to Republicans.
In 1975, he ordered girls admitted to Central High School in Philadelphia. That order was reversed on appeal, though girls were ultimately admitted to the school in 1983.Continue reading the main story
In 1980, he ended Topps Chewing Gum's exclusive right to sell baseball cards, allowing the Fleer Corporation to compete in that lucrative market.
In 1993, he ruled that a law firm's refusal to promote a female associate to partner violated civil rights law, and in 1997 determined that states could not discriminate against new residents by paying them lower welfare benefits than longtime residents.
Clarence Charles Newcomer was born on Jan. 18, 1923, in the Lancaster County town of Mount Joy, Pa. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College, served as a naval officer in World War II, then graduated from the Dickinson School of Law.
After pursuing a private law practice, he became a Lancaster County prosecutor and rose to district attorney. He had returned to private practice when President Richard M. Nixon appointed him to the bench in 1971. He assumed senior status in 1988.
Judge Newcomer gained particularly wide attention in 1985 when he rebuked the Philadelphia police for their wholesale roundup of Spanish-speaking people after the killing of an officer. In a statement from the bench, he called the activity "disgraceful" and "unlawful," and said the episode "sadly brought to mind" a line from the movie "Casablanca": "Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."
Judge Newcomer is survived by his wife of 57 years, the former Jane Martin; two daughters; four grandchildren; and a sister.
Correction: August 26, 2005, Friday An obituary yesterday about Clarence Newcomer, a long-serving federal judge in Pennsylvania, misstated the date of a case in which he held that a Pennsylvania Senate election had been stolen; it was decided in 1994, not 1974.Continue reading the main story


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Alina Josan, Artist
Statement About Painting the Explosion
Since completing my studies at Temple Universitys Tyler
School of Art in 2004, I have had the pleasure of working with
several historic sites in Philadelphia, and creating interpretative
illustrations for Eastern State Penitentiary, the Philadelphia
Society for the Preservation of Landmarks and Bartrams
Since I could glimpse the façade of a building through the iconic
gate, I decided to incorporate it into the drawing. An early draft
had this building at the center of a group clustered just behind
the gate.
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Western Slope - Grand Junction Location
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Our Grand Junction boys and girls youth basketball club has programs for the beginning player all the way up to nationally competitive elite club players that play on our top girls competitive Nike Premier Academy teams. Our Girl's Premier Academy Teams are an Official Member of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) consisting of the top 32 club programs in the United States. Premier offers youth basketball camps, basketball leagues and tournaments, small group training, beginner skill sessions, team options for several age groups and skill levels and much more.
Western Slope Premier Registration
U15-17 WS Premier Boys and Girls Tryout Registration is OPEN! Register today.


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September 14, 1938 – November 27, 2010
Frances P. Lithgow passed away peacefully after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Born in New York and the rebel of three sisters, she married young and raised 5 loving children. She touched the lives of many by being a supportive and giving friend and a home health aid to the frail.
She is survived by her sisters, Mary and Helen; her children, Douglas, Donald, Susan, Richard and Gene; and 16 grandchildren.
Frances was known for her genuine smile, her good counsel and her strong shoulder to those in need. Her spiritual journey in life led her to international travels and social inquiry. She was well read on all the religions of the world and enjoyed a conversation with nearly everyone she met on nearly any topic. People came away from a "Frances encounter" feeling special and wanting to come back for more.


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Summon items are items that can give you a legendary egg. It can only be used once.
This item can be obtained through a scour mission and premium/ultimate membership. To use this item, you need to be at least on Senior rank or have 200 pokemon in your pokedex. You have to have a empty slot in your party in order to perform this action.
To use a summon item, you have to go to your farm page > tools. There, a new link will be unlocked. Click on the summon items and a list of your summons will be shown. You can then use it.
Remember, if you already own one legendary, you have to buy a wooden token from the shop. If you hatched it before you bought wooden token, the legendary pokemon will run away to the shelter.


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I was able to make two tops using 2 patterns I been wanting to try for a while and almost completed another.
But now I'm getting it done, next hurdle is that the pattern is shown in a light border but if you were to look in one of her books which the quilt is shown you'll see the border is dark I love the dark border and had to order some fabric to complete and I'm waiting for that now.
Here are a taste of some of what others were working on....


text:
The report was handed over to the President by the Chairman of the Committee retired Court of Appeal Judge, Dr. Chandradasa Nanayakkara, the Secretary of the Committee D.M. Karunarathna and the Legal Officer Palitha Abeywardena were also present on this occasion.
The short-term and long- term recommendations regarding the disposal of Meethotamulla waste were included in the Committee report and it has pointed out the importance of establishing a central institution to manage the process of disposing of waste in the Western Province.
The report has highlighted the importance of establishing garbage incinerators and the President has said that he will give instructions in the future to the relevant Ministries and Institutions to implement the recommendations and proposals of the Committee report.
The Committee report revealed that there was an unusual increase of the expenses paid for the external organizations for the waste disposal process of the Kolonnawaa and Meethotamulla areas during the period of 2015 -2016.
The expenses show a gradual increase of allocations by the Colombo Municipal Council and according to the statistics in 2014 the Colombo Municipal Council had paid 64 million rupees and 182 million rupees and 232 million rupees respectively in 2015 and 2016.
The report further revealed that the causes for the tragedy include the fact that the Colombo Municipal Council from its initial stages failed to follow a proper method for the purpose of waste disposal as well as not properly implementing the proposals suggested in this regard.


text:
Midfield Mobile Home Park residents brace for latest city plan
Northeast Calgary trailer park residents have faced uncertainty for years
Residents of a northeast Calgary mobile home park will soon find out if they have to move due to the crumbling city infrastructure beneath their trailers.
The fate of the city-owned Midfield Mobile Home Park on 16th Avenue has been up in the air for years. City council recently met behind closed doors to discuss the latest plan for the site, but haven't revealed any details.
The area's councillor, Gian-Carlo Carra, says officials are putting together a communication package for residents.
Cook Gordon, who has lived at Midfield for 30 years, says residents are in the dark about the city's latest plans.
"I just just love living here. Everything I own and everything I have is right there. Washer and dryer, everything. It's just heartbreaking to be living in limbo," he said.
The crumbling pipes and other infrastructure means it's cheaper to move the trailers and redevelop the land than try to fix the problems. However, city council has been reluctant to force the residents to leave for another city-owned site on Calgary's eastern outskirts.
Rudy Prediger, who has lived for 40 years at the park, leads a community co-op of 185 trailers and says most of the residents are seniors.
"If it's such a good deal that they're giving us, then why weren't we involved in the decision making?" he said.
"We're in limbo. We don't get the proper value in our homes when they sell because the city's got this hanging over our head, that they're going to move us."
Council wants to move slowly and not displace residents because affordable housing space has become much tighter since last year's flood, Carra said.


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I had to go back and revisit this post because we have put some much focus on the resignations politicians and bankers that we tend to forget what is going on right under our nsoes. Check this out folks! Very interesting indeed.
Fri Feb 8, 2013 12:23 am (PST) . Posted by:
What Is The Common Denominator
1. Gaithersburg, MD Gaithersburg Police Chief John King resigned with little explanation last week, leaving his colleagues and community members wondering what happened.
2. Guttenberg, IA Police Chief Resigns After Seven Months on the Job, no reason
3. Harrisburg, PA – Richard Pickles retires after serving a month as Harrisburg police chief
4. Culpeper, VA When Scott Barlow announced two weeks ago he would step down from his job as chief of police with the town of Culpeper, it caught a lot of people off guard, including us.
5. Carbondale, IL – Police Chief Resigns, no reason given
6. Austin, MN – Several Austin City Council members said they were "shocked" by Austin Police Chief Paul Philipp'
7. Jonesboro, GA – The City of Jonesboro'
8. Manassas, VA – found this quote: "I hope the Chief enjoys his retirement. Between his service in the Secret Service, Fairfax and Manassas, he's earned it."
9. West Covina, CA – Tolich, a 21-year veteran of the force, retired nine years before he was eligible for full retirement benefits, Finance Director Thomas Bachman said.
In an email Tolich sent to members of the department, he tells fellow officers that a personal matter involving him and his family led to the sudden departure.
These were either benign stories or little info given.
(Bearing in mind that a seasoned cop could probably make a pretty believable alibi for leaving.)
10. Oroville, CA
11. Burlington City, PA
12. Bellmead, TX
13. Bridgeport, WV
14. Gaston, ID
15. Meigs, GA
16. Independence, LA
17. Miami, FL
18. Britt, IA
19. Nickerson, KS
20. New Holland, PA
21. Navarre, OH
22. Glocester, RI
23. Lithonia, GA
24. Harrison, NY
25. Huntsville, AL
26. Moose Lake, MN
27. Boxborough, MA
28. Sutton, WV
29. Itta Bena, MS
30. St. Cloud, FL
31. Menomonie, WI
32. Fanwood, NJ
33. Morton's Gap, KY
34. New Haven, CT
35. Guttenberg, IA
36. South Amboy, NJ
37. Santa Cruz, CA
38. Bakersfield, CA
39. South Pasadena, CA
40. Tulsa, OK
41. Hastings, MN
42. Stamford, CT
43. Dallas, TX
44. Somerville, MA
45. Greensboro, NC
46. Avon, CO
47. Benton, IL
48. Nogales, AZ
49. West Tisbury, MA
50. Gainesville, GA
51. Anniston, AL
52. West Richland, WA
53. Watford City, ND
54. Ponce Inlet, FL
55. Clearwater, FL
56. Monmouth, ME
57. Brookfield, IL
58. Ludowici, GA
59. Orland, CA
60. Springfield, NJ
61. Holt, MO
62. Brookneal, VA
63. Chesterton, IN
64. Edina, MN
65. Birmingham, MI
66. Montebello, CA
67. Vonore, TN
68. Ventnor, NJ
69. New Hartford, NY
70. Kennedy, AL
The following major cities
had Police Chief turnover in 2009.
Los Angeles
San Francisco


text:
By Hannah Mason, Assistant Editor
The last two months of every calendar year, our days are decorated with holiday stories. We learn them from classic holiday movies and television specials, holiday music, and real-life stories, new and traditional, told to us by relatives at family gatherings this time of year.
We know all about beloved Christmas characters like Santa Claus, Rudolph, Buddy the elf, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Grinch who stole Christmas. But many of these stories we know and love from movies and TV started out as books and written stories. Revisiting a few of these this Christmas season myself, I've realized that in the cases of some of my holiday favorites, the movie I know really is different than the book it started out as.


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Sometimes I find it really hard to think about blogging. My husband is a heck of a blogger who feels like the universe is totally out of order if more than four days go by without posting a blog. He knocks them out, very useful links to books, articles, interviews with authors, lots of quick info for the field of study in which we have worked most of our adult lives. I envy that energy, and while I vlog more than I blog, there's always something distracting me as I finalize plans to do either. I almost always let many more than four days go by.
I think that's why I like teaching. When you're teaching, whether you're teaching one student at a time, or a whole Moodle or WizIQ classroom full, or a one-day face-to-face seminar in a beautiful old library, there's a schedule to it that has to be met. Distractions have to be ignored, other projects postponed. The mind focuses and the fingers fly over the keyboard, or the little grey cells light up all over your brain, and off you go, trying to ladder up from the basics to the top of the pile, from the simpler foundations to the more complex thoughts that occur as the fundamentals fill in and pile up.
When you're blogging, if you really have a plan, then you can impose that internal time-table and keep to it. If you can toss out that blog on schedule, you're golden. And being able to just "say it" — in a couple of words, a quick sentence. That's a huge plus.
Sigh … that kind of thing is not so possible for me. I think and re-think. I read and re-read. I agonize over what I've included and what I've left out. I obsess over the placement of the commas. I delete whole paragraphs and then "undo" them back. I remember I was going to bake biscuits, or make peach and pecan bread, or watch the latest Vlogbrothers, go see that WizIQ lecture about retention in online courses, or head out to see what my friends and relatives on Pinterest are uploading. Scattershot. All over the place. But if it's ADD I don't want to be medicated out of it. I like to pretend it's multitasking because sometimes it is, and sometimes I get stuff done.
Where I've been blogging mostly (although not as regularly as some) has been on the WizIQ Teach Blog. I love WizIQ, I have to confess. It has been my favorite webinar system since I started. A clean white interface, easily branded, tools that encourage interaction and communication, totally affordable (free accounts for students and teachers), and a customer service staff that blows every other customer service staff on the planet right out of the water.
It occurred to me this morning that to re-boot this blog and my commitment to it, I could make a list of what I've written for WizIQ. By listing the accomplishments that got past my anxiety, my comma-fixing, my grammatical reworking, my running off in thirty other directions while working on a blog, I might be able to get back to not only blogging for them, but also to blogging for me. It's a plan anyhow.
So here goes:
May 7, 2013, Filling Up the Course Feed
May 22, 2013, 10 Ways in which Online Students are Being Engaged Right Now
June 7th, 2013, WizIQ Teachers Love Technology!
June 25th, 2013, 10 Virtual Classroom Tools that Connect You To Online Education
July 2nd, 2013, 5 Useful Tips for Good Time Management for Online Teachers
July 30th, 2013, Do Universities Think Online Education is the Future?
August 23rd, 2013, 12 Things You Should Never Do When You Teach Online
September 6th, 2013, 5 Ways to Market Your Online Courses
October 21st, 2013, What Do Online Teachers and Online Students Really Want?
November 14th, 2013. Learning from Veteran Teachers: Some Things Never Change
January 2nd, 2014, How to Search Better: Tips for Dealing with the Oceans of Information on the Internet
April 21st, 2014, The Ultimate Moodle and WizIQ Mash-up
April 23rd, 2014, 5 Must-Use Features of Moodle Every Online Teacher Should Know
June 21st, 2014, "To Be a Mentor You Must Care": Maya Angelou, The Legacy of a Teacher
So, I've published 14 blogs on the WizIQ blog site, and I'm hoping to do some more, but that's where I've been, that and on YouTube (I'll do a blog about that here in the future). While I filmed a few tutorials for the WizIQ blogs I wrote, and contributed a couple of pictures of teaching friends of mine, the amazing illustrations in my blogs on that site were chosen by Navleen Kaur, who has written some really wonderful blogs of her own for the WizIQ blog site as well.
So, see, I can get stuff done. And that means, I can get more stuff done, right?
So as the leaves change, and the 2014/2015 academic year in the US gains speed, I'm thinking about how to contribute a bit more to the conversation about what it means to teach in general, and what it means to teach online in particular. I'm still listening, still learning. And, of course, hoping to figure out how I can live up to that other blogger in the house. Wish me luck!


text: In Red, playwright John Logan paints Mark Rothko as the anti-cool, anti-pop, anti-name-brand-recognition man. As I watched the play and heard Rothko furiously exclaim the likes of Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol were "…trying to kill [him]!" I couldn't help but wonder what he'd think of his own place in pop culture today. Not only did the thought of a soup can as art infuriate Logan's Rothko, but he also believed that artists like Jackson Pollock suffered early deaths and artistic stagnation because of their popular success.In Red, Rothko himself steps back from this direction by recanting his big commercial commission and keeping his work. While he saved the murals the dubious distinction of "over mantels" by pulling them from the Four Seasons before they arrived, he did not save himself from the eye of pop culture. Some might argue that his change of heart made him an even more iconic figure than if he had simply handed the paintings over.Where do these ruminations of popular recognition lie now? It may surprise you just how much pop culture Rothko presently permeates.Musicians have used Rothko as fodder for their songs, and one 1997 band went so far as to make Rothko their namesake. London's ambient band, Rothko, continues to release work under their founder's label, Trace Records.In September 2008, the popular AMC television series Mad Men featured a Rothko painting in one episode. Burt Cooper, the co-founder of the extremely profitable Sterling Cooper Advertising agency, buys himself a Rothko. A number of employees sneak into his office to see the very expensive painting, and while some describe it as "fuzzy squares," others have a deeper sense of the work. One employee, Ken Cosgrove, hits the nail on the head in conversation with his colleague, the agency's art director, Sal Romano.KEN: I don't think it's supposed to be explained.SAL: I'm an artist, okay? It must mean something.KEN: Maybe it doesn't. Maybe you're just supposed to experience it. Because when you look at it, you're to feel something, right? It's like looking into something very deep. You could fall in.In a March 2011 article, author John Naughton aligns colors to culture with GQ's Pop Culture Color Chart. Rothko appears as color 13 of 30, "Rothko's Four Darks in Red," alongsidhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife comment that such a palate should be available as a Fired Earth interior design scheme (a notion that would surely illicit reaction from Rothko).Whether in music, print, or TV, Rothko continues to pervade popular culture in more spaces than just canvas, screen, or stage. What would he have to say about that?


text:
Psychology: the Key Concepts
Psychology: The Key Concepts is a comprehensive overview of 200 concepts central to a solid understanding of Psychology and includes the latest recommendations from the British Psychology Society (BPS). The focus is on practical uses of Psychology in settings such as nursing, education and human resources, with topics ranging from Gender to Psychometrics and Perception.
Weiterlesen weniger lesen


text:
Titus Naikuni, the chief executive of national carrier Kenya Airways, has dealt with many crises during his tenure at the airline, which ends later this year.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa perhaps presents as daunting a challenge as any he has faced in the past.
Against calls to suspend flights to the Ebola-stricken region, the airline has decided not to pull out from the routes.
Critics, including members of the National Assembly and the medical practitioners fraternity through the Kenya Medical Association, have accused KQ of placing profits ahead of human life.
The worry is that the airline could ferry Ebola victims to Kenya and bring the deadly scourge into a country that so far has had zero reported cases of infection.
Kenya Airways' management counters that measures are in place to screen all passengers. President Uhuru Kenyatta has offered his support to the airline, saying West African countries should not be shunned.
There is reason for Kenyans to be concerned though. Ebola has so far killed over 50 per cent of the afflicted during the current outbreak.
Cases occurring outside the continent are suspected to have been ferried by air from West Africa.
Kenya Airways is Africa's most connected airline with more routes to African airports than any other. Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways come in second and third.
While there is cause to worry over the potential importation of this deadly virus into the country, it is insufficient a reason to ask Kenya Airways to ground its West African flights. That would be close to asking the airline to shut down altogether.
To understand the dilemma the airline faces, the business model of KQ needs to be explained.
The airline runs what it calls a 'hub and spoke' model. The hub is Nairobi and the spokes are its routes originating out of or terminating at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The way the operations of the airline are coordinated is that it uses its long-haul jets – the 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 777 wide body jets – to bring in international passengers from Europe, Middle East and the Far East Asia into Nairobi.
It then uses its short-haul jets, the Boeing 737 series and the Embraers, to take the passengers to different African countries.
It also does the reverse, bringing in passengers from all over the African continent into Nairobi and then transfers them into long-haul jets to overseas destinations.
Combined with Kenya's positioning, being four hours on average from almost any destination in Africa has made Nairobi an important airline hub. So much so that in 2010, JKIA overtook Cairo and Johannesburg as Africa's busiest cargo airport.
Indeed, many international companies and organisations have relocated their bases from South Africa for this very reason; the convenience of taking short flights to other parts of the continent.
To this end, Kenya Airways has invested in opening more African routes than any other airline. This is a big sell to Chinese or Middle East businesses wishing to fly to obscure capitals.
However, West Africa is by far its most lucrative route, especially Nigeria. In many West African countries, national carriers collapsed long ago leaving foreign airlines to service their routes.
West and Central Africa routinely contribute huge margins to Kenya Airways' bottom line. Indeed, whenever the airline's workers go on strike, it has always precipitated a transport crisis in many of these countries.
However, beyond the short-term business considerations are political concerns.
We do not have open skies in Africa. Any cross-border route is a political negotiation usually occurring at government-to-government level.
Before taking a decision to discontinue these routes, any airline must think long and hard as to the likely political consequences of making such a choice.
Indeed, so far, Europe's top two airlines, Air France and Lufthansa, through its Brussels Airlines subsidiary, are still flying their West African routes including to Sierra Leone and Liberia.
British Airways has discontinued flights to these two countries but it is still flying to Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria.
All are keenly aware that once the Ebola threat boils over, affected countries are likely to assess carefully who they grant business. Just like granting landing rights to airlines is a political decision, so is revocation of those same rights.
Kenya Airways has, unlike its European counterparts, invested itself to have the most extensive network on the continent. To be sure, it costs less to the airline to put in place stringent screening measures than to cancel West African routes.
The airline is thus justified in remaining steadfast to these destinations.


text:
Since I have been far too busy to paint this week, I thought I would do a quick update on some things I have seen and I have liked in the gaming Blogosphere.
On with the show:
This is the Morgan in Biosuit sculpt for the Sedition Wars Kickstarter. Its absolutely amazing. This is as Fallout-y as it gets my friends. And that could be a plasma pistol he's weilding. Glad I pledged at the level to get this sculpt included.
Next is the Reaper Kickstarter. Since I and 17,00o other people pledged for this stuff, probably not a lot of surprises but a few things are making me glad I pledged. And this sculpt is one of them. Now that's how a fire elemental should look. Terriying if you have to fight it. The depth of the sculpt is exceptional. Love it.
And one of the big draws for me was the giants. I think we will have 3 sets of them between our group. I am going to use them with my Vikings and Ragnarok gaming and as true ginats in our 15mm Hail Caesar Fantasy Games. Can you imagine how great they will look with a 15mm unit standing there, instead of that 28mm shy elven lad. Awesome!
And then their is this mutha. Holy Crap. I don't do Cthulhu gaming, and didn't opt to get this guy, but jeeze. He's HUGE! I think that mysterious elven stranger is ready to get destroyed in mind and body. Kudos to Reaper for making huge things huge. I am really looking forward to some of these minis.
I have been really pleased with my Zombicide stuff. Delivered as promised. As well as my Goalsystem Delves rulebook. So for me, assumeing I get what Studio McVey and Reaper are promising, I am pleased with my foray into backing on Kickstarter. I am all Kickstartered out, so if you have a project coming out on Kickstarter, since there are so many now, you are just white noise to me at this point.


text:
So you found a stray dog or a cat, now what do you do?
Our first instinct as animal lovers is to try to help, and we should if we are able to. Keep in mind that it might not be that easy to get the frightened animal to trust you, and that's the first thing you need to do. Remain calm, and follow these simple steps to contain the dog or cat as safely as possible for the both of you.
- If the dog appears to be aggressive, do not approach him. Call the police or animal control right away. Have these numbers programed into your phone.
- Do not chase the animal. Especially if you are near a busy road. Needless to say, do not bolt into traffic after the animal.
- In a calm voice, try to call the animal to you, this will probably not work for the cat, but you never know!
- Carry treats with you! And if you don't have treats with you, act like you do! A little deception will be forgiven if you are able to save their life.
- Once the animal is close enough to you and is calm, you can try to secure them with a slip collar, which can be easily made by slipping a belt trough hoop or a leash. Again, this will not go over well with a cat, instead try to scruff the cat and get him into a box or pillowcase. This will keep little Freddy Krueger's nails from tearing you up.
- Once the dog or cat is contained, shelter them in either your garage or some room in the house that will not have access to small children or other pets. You have no way of knowing if this animal is infected with a contagious disease or parasites. Make sure the pet has food, and fresh water. Supply them with bedding and make sure the room's temperature is not too hot or cold.
- Now the detective work comes in. Hopefully the animal has some ID, and hopefully that ID is up to date. If so, call the owner right away. If the animal does not have ID, call your local animal shelters and give them all the detail you can about the pet. Breed, Sex, Distinguishing Marks, Where the pet was found. You can also bring the animal to your local shelter or veterinarian to have them scanned for a microchip.
- Social Media works wonders in finding and reporting lost pets. There are several Facebook Pages that post lost and found dog info non-stop all day. My favorite Facebook Page is Lost Dogs Illinois. They have a great success rate. There are similar sites all over the country. Get involved on their Facebook page. Forward info to friends and family that are in the area of the lost pet.
If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!
Either leave a comment or contact me at email@example.com
Leslie Fiore
Walkies Doggies


text:
How can
Cost Segregation Study LLC help you?
At Cost Segregation Study
LLC, our approach is goal-oriented. We create
value for our clients, and do not interfere with current
business relationships. We are willing to work
with your existing accountant to help you r company
realize the value our service can provide.
Our construction engineering and tax specialists examine
real estate holdings to determine which costs can be
segregated and depreciated over a much shorter recovery
period, rather than over a 39-year depreciable life.
property owner who is profitable and
whose property's tax-basis is at least
$300,000 or your tenant/leasehold
improvements are $100,000 or more.
Typical property types that qualify,
though not limited to this list, are:


text:
What it's about:
After a former one-night-stand drops off his baby daughter at his door, Valentin heads off to America to find her but ends up creating a new life for himself and his child.
What we thought:
Instructions Not Included is apparently the highest grossing Spanish-language film of all time in America and it's not that hard to see why. For a start, about a third of the film is actually in English so, presumably, that helped increase its accessibility but considering how familiar and comforting its story is, it doesn't really need much help as far as that goes.
Indeed, while there is an absolute fortune to like about this wonderfully charming little story, it's hardly overflowing with originality and it's certainly not afraid of wearing both its sentimentality and its cliches on its sleeve. It's presumably going to show exclusively at art cinemas but this isn't exactly a Pan's Labyrinth or an Y Tu Mama Tambien. It's a good, solid little dramedy but it is the very definition of mainstream. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. Hell, it's nice to get the occasional foreign language film that isn't aimed chiefly at "high brow" audiences.
At its core, Instructions Not Included is a simple story about the relationship between a father and a daughter (his daughter, to be exact) but the reason why it works as well as it does is because of the great characterization of both our leading characters. It has a surprising amount of twists for this sort of thing and its script is certainly witty enough but the main reason it easily transcends its perhaps overly familiar set up and its occasional tonal inconsistencies, is that you simply enjoy spending time with the quirky Valentin (Eugenio Derbez, who also directs the film) and his precocious, yet endearingly innocent daughter, Maggie (Loreto Peralta).
Valentin starts off the film as a bit of a cad, whose ability to get seemingly every woman he meets into bed does seem to be a bit of a stretch since he is, when you get right down to it, a bit of a bum, but, as you may expect his life changes quite considerably when the responsibility of raising a daughter is unexpectedly thrust upon him. Interestingly though, while he is willing to do anything for his daughter – a fact that somehow launches him into a quite lucrative career as a top Hollywood stuntman – he's never what anyone would consider a conventional father.
Not only does Valentin spoil his daughter and sees nothing at all wrong with that (and, to be fair, there is actually very little bratty about Maggie) he creates a fantasy world around her by sending her fake letters from her loving, Lara-Croft-like (or Indiana-Jones-like, even) mother who is always only one great adventure away from returning home. When Maggie's mother does actually return to her life, however, things get quite unsurprisingly complicated.
The film explores what it means to be a "good father", the role that imagination plays in a child's development and whether it is correct to shield a child from the harsh realities of life – an idea that reaches a head in the film's emotionally climactic final act. It is not, however, any sort of intellectual treatise but is rather a big hearted, effortlessly warm story that is not afraid to tug on the heartstrings every bit as often as it tickles the funny bone. It has good performances, terrific characters and a nicely wry script. Admittedly, things do occasionally get away from Derbez as he tries to cram a lot into the film's luxurious 115-minute running-time but any flaws the film has are largely made up for by its unabashed humanity.
It ain't a masterpiece but it's well worth checking out.
Cape TownNetwork Finance Professional / PrudentialR310 000.00 - R360 000.00 Per Year
JohannesburgNetwork IT RecruitmentR450 000.00 - R500 000.00 Per Month
JohannesburgCommunicate Recruitment: Finance 3R750 000.00 - R800 000.00 Per Month
HousesR 14 500 000
TownhousesR 1 199 000
HousesR 4 760 000


text:
GRANGER - Yakima County Sheriff's Deputy Sara Headley was credited by fire officials for her quick actions yesterday.
The deputy responded to a report of a fire at a residence in the 500 block of Gurley Road at approximately 9:45 a.m. A residence used for storage was ablaze, and Headley noticed falling embers near the primary home.
She flew into action and quickly extinguished the burning material near the primary residence. Her actions, say Yakima County Fire District #5 officials, saved the primary residence from also being set ablaze.
Fire crews arrived shortly after Headley took action.
They found the structure being used for storage completely engulfed with flames. Severe heat, said officials, was radiating from the structure and impinging on the nearby garage.
Firefighters used a foam tank and protected the garage until additional support arrived on scene.
A defensive strategy was necessary due to severe heat and high temperatures.
Fire crews took measures to extinguish the blaze and brought it under control within 30 minutes of the initial call.
Firefighters completed their work, ensuring all hot spots were extinguished in under three hours of their arrival.
The occupants of the house were not home at the time of the fire and no injuries were sustained as a result of the blaze.
Property damage is estimated at $30,000 for the loss of the residential storage structure and superficial damage to the garage and deck on the primary home.
Yakima County Fire District #5 is investigating the cause of the blaze and has deemed it suspicious at this time.
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text:
Anne Hathaway stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night and told a pretty scary story of how she "almost killed" her son. The Oscar winning actress was telling Jimmy how she spent the day in New York City before heading to his studio and said... Read more
Anne Hathaway is appearing in the cover of Elle magazine's April 2017 issue and is looking more gorgeous than ever! During the cover interview, the Oscar winning actress opened up about her personal life, her marriage and her husband. Hathaway has been married to actor and producer Adam Shulman... Read more
Emma Watson Gives Her Own Version of Why She Wasn't Cast For Main Role in La La Land
Entertainment 12.03.2017 0
We already know that Emma Watson and Miles Teller were the first actors who were offered the main roles on La La Land, but since they turned it down Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling got the parts. According to rumors, Watson decided to turn the role down because of... Read more
Jennifer Garner to File for Divorce from Ben Affleck Two Years After Splitting Up
Entertainment 18.02.2017 0
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck announced back in June 2015 that they were splitting up after ten years of marriage. Almost two years after announcing that they were breaking up, multiple sources close to the actors have confirmed that Garner is preparing to officially file for divorce from Affleck. The 44 year... Read more
Nicole Kidman and Zoë Kravitz star in HBO's new miniseries called Big Little Lies. The series is filled with complicated relationships, but in real life, the two actresses have another special connection. During her recent The EDIT magazine cover, Kidman has revealed she was once engaged to rocker Lenny Kravitz, who is... Read more
Meryl Streep Takes on Donald Trump During Her Speech at Human Rights Campaign Gala
Entertainment 13.02.2017 0
Meryl Streep has once again called out Donald Trump. The Oscar-winning actress was accepting an award this Saturday evening at the 2017 Human Rights Campaign Greater New York Gala and referred to President Trump during her speech. "If we live through this precarious moment, if his catastrophic instinct to retaliate doesn't lead... Read more
The La La Land actress Emma Stone is covering Vanity Fair Magazine's Hollywood issue along with 10 other actresses. Introducing the wonder women of the 2017 Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue—starring Natalie Portman, Amy Adams, @LupitaNyongo, Emma Stone, Ruth Negga, @DakotaFanning, @ElleFanning, @DakotaJohnson, Greta Gerwig, @AjaNaomi_King, and @JanelleMonae. To see the... Read more
The Emmy winner, Oscar nominated actress Viola Davis has just received her own star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. The "How To Get Away With Murder" actress was honored this Thursday, January 5 th , and was presented with the star by the iconic actress Meryl Streep. Viola Davis... Read more
Emma Stone is covering the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine looking stunning in a nude dress. The 28 year old actress has opened up about sexism in Hollywood, the times she "lost her f***ing mind" on set and many more. The amazing & talented #emmastone for the latest... Read more
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office has announced actor Russell Crowe will not be facing charges over Azealia Banks's claims that he attacked her. According to Banks, the 52 year old actor grabbed her by the neck, used racial slurs and spat on her hand while throwing her... Read more
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TD Economics Forecast: Fiscal Austerity Will Slow Economic Growth in the Years Ahead
TD Economics said in its latest quarterly economic forecast that economic growth over the last year has been modest, but healing has continued as the housing market has become a tailwind rather than a headwind. The worst of the deleveraging cycle and its dampening effect on economic growth appears to be over, TD says, but, just as the U.S. economy appears set for take-off, one obstacle remains.
TD Economics announced that since this quarterly report was published, Congress has passed legislation avoiding the fiscal cliff. The bill extends income tax rates and puts off automatic spending cuts for two months but allows the payroll tax cut to expire. The deal was relatively close to the assumptions made in TD Economics' forecast, but contains slightly less fiscal drag in the near term. The legislation has not caused TD Economics to materially change its forecast. What follows is TD's report with amended content relating to the result of Congress' new legislation.
Quarterly Economic Report
Since the last Quarterly Economic Forecast in September, some significant events have taken place — both expected and unexpected. In late October, Superstorm Sandy hit the U.S. East Coast, disrupting economic activity and causing billions of dollars of property damage. In November, the federal election left the power mix in Washington essentially unchanged; President Obama was re-elected, a Republican majority was returned to the House of Representatives and Democrats were left in control of the Senate.
Although the storm weakened economic growth in the final quarter of the year and the election eliminated one source of uncertainty from the outlook, these events have not changed the broad contours of our forecast. Economic growth over the last year has been modest, but healing has continued. The worst of the deleveraging cycle and its dampening effect on economic growth appears to be over. The housing market has become a tailwind to growth rather than a headwind. But, just as the U.S. economy appears set for take-off, one obstacle remains. After several years of record federal deficits, fiscal austerity will slow economic growth in the years ahead.
The economy expanded by a better than anticipated 2.7% (annualized) in the third quarter of 2012, but the sources of growth revealed a soft underbelly. Growth was lifted by an outsized rise in defense spending and accumulation of private inventories. Sales to consumers and businesses grew by just 1.3% in the quarter — its slowest pace of growth since 2009. Weak demand appears to have continued into the final months of the year. With government spending likely to resume its decline, the economy is on track to skim the bottom with only 0.6% growth in the final quarter of the year. For the year as a whole, the economy likely expanded by 2.2% in 2012.
Congress Avoids Fiscal Cliff, But Leaves a Number of Questions Unanswered
TD Economics reported that, on January 1, the U.S. House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing a bill that extends permanently income tax rates on 98% of American households and puts off $110 billion automatic spending cuts for another two months. The deal effectively avoids the fiscal cliff, but still leaves in place a fair degree of policy uncertainty.
The biggest single item in the bill is the permanent extension of income tax rates originally put in place in 2001 and 2003 for all income below $400,000. This takes off the table a potential economic drag of roughly 1.5 percentage points. For income above $400,000, tax rates rise to 39.6% from 35%. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, this tax increase is expected to raise about $395 billion over the next ten years and about $35 billion in 2013, equivalent to about 0.2% of gross domestic product (GDP).
The bill extends for another year unemployment benefits for people unemployed longer than 26 weeks at a cost of about $30 billion. The bill does not extend the payroll tax holiday. Payroll taxes will immediately rise from 4.2% to 6.2%. This represents an average tax increase of $700 on all U.S. households.
There were a number of other numerous items, including an extension of tax breaks for low-income Americans including the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Child Tax Credit, as well as for businesses through tax credits for R&D and a one year extension of 50% bonus depreciation — allowing businesses to write off 50% of the value of new investments.
Key Implications
As expected, America avoided the fiscal cliff with an eleventh-hour deal. The basic structure was close to what was anticipated. In particular, the single biggest drag on near-term economic growth was expected to come from the expiration of the payroll tax cut.
However, the legislation veered from TD's expectations in one important area — the two-month deferral in spending cuts. This, among other measures such as a higher income tax hike threshold, means Congress passed a weaker version of legislation relative to our expectations. In turn, this means less economic drag in the near term.
TD Economics has revised up its real GDP growth forecast for the first half of the year from 2.1% to 2.3%. However, bear in mind that spending cuts remain on the front burner in Congress and will occur in some fashion after the two month grace period. Thus, modest upward revisions to the first half of 2013 will likely be met with modest downward revisions to the second half and potentially even 2014, once details on the spending cut measures are known.
For that reason, the 2013 real GDP forecast remains little changed at 2.5% (fourth quarter to fourth quarter), compared to 2.4% in TD's December forecast. In other words, the basic story for the U.S. economy has not changed.
On the surface, a little more economic relief in the near term via less fiscal contraction seems like a positive development. But, the current legislation leaves considerable economic and policy uncertainty:
- First, it lessens, but does not remove uncertainty related to fiscal consolidation. The lack of clarity on spending cuts could result in a persistence of underinvestment by firms, particularly those still caught in the spider web of negotiated political outcomes (i.e., industries in defense, healthcare, those dependent on procurement contracts).
- Second, negotiations related to the deferral of the $110 billion in spending cuts will coincide with the debt ceiling limit when it is again maxed out, as the Treasury will have likely exhausted extraordinary measures by that time. This may turn into a déjà-vu of August 2011, when the lifting of the debt ceiling was used as the bargaining tool that ultimately created the fiscal cliff measures. Based on the 2011 experience, if these negotiations overlap and run down to the wire, it will likely inject another hefty dose of uncertainty into financial markets and restrain the economic recovery.
- Third, until we know what measures will take place on spending cuts, the trajectory of the debt-to-GDP ratio will continue to worsen.
As Housing Market Rebounds, a Faster Recover is Waiting in the Wings
Business confidence has been deflated by fiscal uncertainty, but up until December, households appeared to be taking a brighter view of things. Consumer confidence, according to the Conference Board's measure, rose to its highest level in November since early 2008. Consumers reported feeling better both about their present situation and their expectations of the future. Unfortunately, confidence took a step back in December as headlines turned to the unresolved fiscal cliff.
The recent decline in consumer confidence after several months of improvement, increased the urgency to resolve the fiscal impasse. The underlying positive trend in confidence over the past several months is reflective of the noticeable improvement in housing conditions. Home prices have risen consistently through 2012. Prices are up 5% from year-ago levels, according to the Core Logic Home Price Index.
The rebound in home prices appears to be the real deal and not a temporary blip. The reduction in construction over the last several years has removed the supply-demand imbalance. In many markets supply is tight. Looking at price growth across the country, the strongest performing states are those that were hit hardest by the housing collapse — the sand states of California, Arizona, Nevada and Florida. These states have experienced an increase in prices alongside a decrease in foreclosure inventories — a sign that the market is clearing.
The positive turn in home prices is important to the economic outlook for a number of reasons. First, it lowers the number of households that owe more on their mortgage than the value of their homes, thereby providing greater incentives towards mortgage payments and market stabilization.
Second, it reduces the downside risk to mortgage lenders as well as the losses faced on foreclosed properties. Over time, this should lead to a further improvement in mortgage credit availability. Third, it encourages homebuyers who are currently sitting on the sidelines to enter the market, helping to further cement the gains. Finally, it increases the incentive to build more homes. The rebound in construction provides a direct lift to economic growth and jobs.
A growing body of research suggests that a dysfunctional housing market is a major impediment to economic growth and is one of the main reasons that an economy suffering a significant recession does not bounce back quickly. There is little doubt that overhang of mortgage debt reduced consumer spending during the recession, but it also slowed the rebound by shutting many households out of credit markets altogether. This is why a recovery in both the housing market and consumer credit markets is a good reason to expect an acceleration in economic growth. As the vicious cycle in the housing market turns into a virtuous one, there is every reason to believe that a more familiar recovery will spring free.
Federal Reserve Will Do What It Can
An improving housing market is also central to the Federal Reserve's strategy for supporting the economy. The Fed has pulled out all the stops over the last several months, engaging in another round of quantitative easing and taking the even more unorthodox step of making further asset purchases conditional on substantial improvement in labor market conditions rather than a firm deadline. The Fed has focused its attention on the mortgage market, purchasing $40 billion a month in mortgage backed securities. The purchases have helped reduce the spread of mortgage rates over ten-year treasuries and brought the level of rates to historic lows.
In December, the Fed made its conditional commitment to low interest rates even more explicit, announcing that the target for the fed funds rate would remain at exceptionally low levels "at least as long as the unemployment rate remains above 6.5%, inflation between one and two years ahead is projected to be no more than a half percentage point above the Committee's 2% longer-run goal, and longer-term inflation expectations continue to be well anchored."
The bottom line is that interest rates are likely to remain at very low levels for well into the foreseeable future. However, while the support to mortgage rates should help the housing market recovery, Fed members have repeatedly articulated that monetary policy cannot single-handedly offset the fiscal headwind.
Bottom Line
It has yet to materialize, but the American economy has taken the steps necessary to see growth lift off to a higher trajectory. After falling for the past five years, home prices rose consistently through 2012. Buoyed by this improvement, consumers are feeling increasingly confident about the future. The rebound in housing will support the recovery both directly, through an increase in construction, and indirectly, by underpinning consumer spending.
Looking beyond the immediate fiscal risks, the reality remains that fiscal austerity will weigh on economic growth for years to come. Next year will be a tug of war between stronger private demand and increased public sector restraint. The result is likely to be a pace of growth that is little changed from that over the past year. However, by the second half of the year, the tide should turn in favor of the private resurgence. By 2014, growth should accelerate further, reaching a level that allows for more meaningful job gains, reinforcing a virtuous cycle.


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Ancillary Software
Be proactive!
The following software may be needed to be successful in your online course.
Click on the corresponding link, and follow the instructions on the manufacturers Website:
- Macromedia Flash Player
- Macromedia Flash Shockwave
- Java
- Adobe Reader
- Real Player
- Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2007
- Microsoft Word Viewer
- Microsoft Office Viewer
- QuickTime
- WinZip
NOTE: Please refer to individual course syllabus for specific required software.


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Repair Broken Pipes Immediately
Broken pipes must be repaired immediately. If a homeowner encounters a broken pipe, the first thing to do is to turn off the source of water to minimize the amount of water loss. The next thing to do would be to inform the insurance company in case of any water damage. Finally, the damaged pipe should be repaired. Water is used in almost all aspects of everyday living, and a water pipe that is broken can cause significant damage to the home or business and require the services of a water damage restoration contractor to correct the problems. Broken pipes can also be hazardous to the health as all kinds of debris and bacteria can enter the water stream and remain undetected.
Water Leaks Happen
Broken pipes can be detected visually by observation. If a surrounding portion of land is continuously wet or if there is a puddle of water that never seems to disappear, then it could indicate a disturbance in the water system. If you happen to come across a water leak, be sure to report it to the proper authorities. The Local Service Authority that handles water utilities should have an annual leak detection survey. Pressure loss, special listening devices used to listen to the ground for leaks, and visual detection is just some of the methods used by employees of water utilities to detect leaks. Leakage in the water system is normally always present, and it is estimated that 12-15 percent of processed water is lost to leaks although water service utilities try to keep it at a maximum of 10 percent.
Broken Pipes Must be Sanitized After Repair
Once a broken pipe is repaired, it will take some hours before the pipe can be used. Usually, a potent mix of chlorine is pumped into the newly repaired pipe to clean it and kill the remaining bacteria. Then a chemical that reacts with chlorine and destroys it is injected to the mixture in the pipe before it is flushed out and water services will call the homeowner or affected community only after they are sure that it is safe to use the water supplied by the water pipe again.


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Multiscale Thin Metal Films for Enhanced Sensing and Light Harvesting Applications – Energy Transfer and Charge Transport Studies
Miriam Deutsch, Physics
Research interests in the Deutsch Group involve understanding the fundamental optical and electronic properties of metals exhibiting structure on a hierarchy of length scales, ranging from several nanometers to optical (micrometer) scales. Metal films with multi-scale structural roughness have been gaining newfound interest in recent years with applications that include substrates with plasmon-mediated nonlinear optical response for sensing applications and increasing solar cell efficiencies using highly scattering thin metal films. Research efforts are currently addressing energy transfer (optical excitations) and charge transport through chemically deposited thin silver films. Better understanding of energetic processes in these materials will allow optimization of their use as targeted sensors for biological or chemical contaminants, as well as their implementation in efficient light harvesting devices.
An undergraduate student will have the opportunity to learn novel materials fabrication and characterization techniques, as well gain experience in optics experimental research. The student will become familiar with high resolution probe and surface analysis techniques such as SEM, XPS, and AFM. In particular, optical microscopy is used to spectroscopically probe small domains in the films. The student will gain experience in setting up combined high-resolution optical microscopy/spectroscopy experiments, and operating standard spectroscopy apparatus. In addition, a recent installation of a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) equipped with white light fiber laser excitation allows us to conduct nano-scale spectroscopic characterization of the fabricated materials.


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TORONTO, June 14 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index extended gains on Tuesday morning, climbing back above 13,000, as positive economic data from North America and China helped lift resource and financial stocks.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 130.86 points, or 1.01 percent, at 13,070.58. (Reporting by Solarina Ho; editing by Peter Galloway)


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My New Credit Limit Scares the Bejeezus Out of Me
by Her • Tagged: credit
Today I got a notice from one of my credit card companies that they have raised my credit limit to over $16,000. This is the first time I have had a credit limit cross the five-figure line. We currently carry zero credit card debt, which is probably why they felt the need to "tempt" me with enough credit to charge a car. I didn't request the increase, and have no plans to use it. Still, it is a 1% rewards card and this could be an option for a large purchase someday. We never want to carry credit card debt again, so it would only make sense for us to save up money first and then pay it off right away.


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Statement from the Families of Space Shuttle Columbia
On January 16th, we saw
our loved ones launch into a brilliant, cloud-free sky. Their hearts
were full of enthusiasm, pride in country, faith in their God, and
a willingness to accept risk in the pursuit of knowledge --- knowledge
that might improve the quality of life for all mankind.
Columbia's 16-day mission
of scientific discovery was a great success, cut short by mere minutes
---- yet it will live on forever in our memories. We want to thank
the NASA family and people from around the world for their incredible
outpouring of love and support.
Although we grieve deeply,
as do the families of Apollo 1 and Challenger before us, the bold
exploration of space must go on. Once the root cause of this tragedy
is found and corrected, the legacy of Columbia must carry on ---
for the benefit of our children and yours.
Curator: Kim
Dismukes | Responsible NASA Official: John Ira Petty | Updated: 03/12/2003Web Accessibility and Policy Notices


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By end of 2015, Bahrain's domestic insurance market comprised of 25 Locally Incorporated Firms and 11 Overseas Insurance Firms (branches of foreign companies) carrying out Insurance, Reinsurance, Takaful, Retakaful and Captives business in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The locally incorporated firms consisted of 14 Conventional Insurance Firms, 6 Takaful Firms, 2 Reinsurance Firms, 2 Retakaful Firms and 1 Captive, while Overseas Insurance Firms consists of 8 Conventional Insurance Firms and 3 Reinsurance Firms. In addition, there are a substantial number of firms restricted to carry out business outside Bahrain.
The insurance industry is well served by a number of ancillary service providers such as Brokers (31), Actuaries (27), Insurance Consultants (4), Loss Adjusters (11), Insurance Managers (5), Insurance Ancillary Services (6), Representative Office (4) and Insurance Appointed Representative.
The industry has been growing steadily in recent years, mirroring the growth of Bahrain's financial sector, the increased access to financial services and products has led to demand for insurance services. A notable development in recent years has been international insurers developing their regional operations, many of whom have chosen Bahrain as their regional base.
Industry growth has also been fostered by the presence of a robust framework for regulation and supervision of insurance. The Central Bank of Bahrain's predecessor organisation, the Bahrain Monetary Agency, undertook a major project during 2003-04 to develop a comprehensive insurance rulebook, in line with IAIS core principles, following the BMA's assumption of responsibility for regulating and supervising the insurance sector. This rulebook was launched in April 2005, and put in place the most comprehensive regulatory framework in the region for insurance activities.
As part of the efforts towards continual enhancement and improvement of the regulatory framework, the CBB introduced its revised and enhanced Operational and Solvency framework for Takaful and Retakaful industry in 2014 after undergoing extensive deliberations and consultations with the industry and all the stakeholders. The Takaful rules have been revised to facilitate faster growth of Takaful business in Bahrain while protecting the interest of all stakeholders, vis-à-vis participants, shareholders and the Takaful operator.
One of the major accomplishments of the CBB's insurance regulatory regime and Bahrain Insurance Association (BIA) has been the introduction of the "Motor Compensation Fund". The objectives of the fund are to compensate mainly the victims of motor accidents, in respect of death, bodily injury, emotional damages excluding any property damages, as a result of hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles cases and to emphasize about the social responsibility of insurance firms towards the general public.
The CBB also publishes an annual report on the developments in the Insurance industry.


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6 ways parents can give kids a healthy 'media diet'
New American Academy of Pediatrics policy for pediatricians guides parents on children's media use
Concerns about children's use of media are increasingly urgent in the digital age, say U.S. pediatricians who now recommend that parents establish a media consumption.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released its revised policy statement on children, adolescents and the media on Monday at a conference in Orlando.
In 2010, a U.S. study showed the average eight- to 10-year-old spends nearly eight hours a day with different media, such as TV, cellphones, iPads and social media. Older children and teens spend more than 11 hours per day.
"A healthy approach to children's media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster appropriate and positive media use — in other words, it should promote a healthy 'media diet,'" Dr. Marjorie Hogan, a co-author of the policy, said in a release.
Co-author Dr. Victor Strasburger, a University of New Mexico adolescent medicine specialist, said that for nearly three decades, the academy has expressed concerns about the amount of time that children and teenagers spend with media and about some of the content they are viewing, which is more pressing in the digital age.
"I guarantee you that if you have a 14-year-old boy and he has an Internet connection in his bedroom, he is looking at
pornography," Strasburger said.
Two-thirds of children and teenagers report that their parents have "no rules" about time spent with media. In another study, more than 60 per cent of teenagers send or receive text messages after "lights out," and they report increased levels of tiredness, including at school.
Tips to help guide parents
The academy said pediatricians should recommend that parents:
- Limit the amount of total entertainment screen time to less than one to two hours per day. Online homework is an exception.
- Discourage screen media exposure for children under two years of age.
- Keep the TV set and internet-connected electronic devices out of the child's bedroom.
- Monitor what media their children are using and accessing, including web site and social media sites.
- Co-view TV, movies and videos with children and teens, and use this as a way of discussing important family values.
- Establish a family home use plan for all media that includes enforcement of a mealtime and bedtime "curfew" for all media devices, including cellphones. Set "reasonable but firm" rules about cellphones, texting, internet and social media use.
The authors said there's considerable evidence that a bedroom TV increases the risk for obesity, substance use and exposure to sexual content. Given that, they encouraged pediatricians to ask two media questions during every visit:
- How much recreational screen time does your child or teenager consume daily?
- Is there a television set or internet-connected device in the child's bedroom?
Curbing web use could be 'catastrophic'
Strasburger said he realizes many children will scoff at advice from adults they consider "media-Neanderthals," but he hopes the policy statement will lead to more limits from parents and schools as well as more government research on the effects of media.
The group said shows like Sesame Street can help children learn letters and numbers, and the media can also teach empathy, racial and ethnic tolerance, and interpersonal skills.
For teens, listening to positive rather than neutral song lyrics can foster helping behaviours, and positive information about adolescent health is increasingly available available on YouTube and cellphone text message campaigns.
Mark Risinger, 16, of Glenview, Ill., who is allowed to use his smartphone and laptop in his room, said the two-hour limit on internet use "would be catastrophic," adding children will find a way around it.
His mother, Amy Risinger, said she agrees with restricting time on social media, but that parents should be able to take their children's maturity level into account when setting media limits.
With files from The Associated Press
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Virginia Beach, VA
Landscape and Wildlife Imagery
I'm Pete Federico, and I play with light.
That's what photography is to me. The art of manipulating light.
What I like to tell people is that I capture things you forgot to look at the first time you saw it.
I live in Virginia Beach which provides me with endless views of the Atlantic Ocean, Bays & Byways in and around Hampton Roads and the surrounding areas..
I can be found on any given day waking at 3 A.M. to catch a sunrise or on a beach at 8 P.M. watch the sun setting.
Drop me a line and let me know what you think.


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From Spaceref.com and Nasa.gov
On Thursday 13 November at 2:30 PM EST, NASA will be holding a Science Update press conference to announce a major discovery concerning extra-solar planets. The discovery is big enough to merit being published in the Nov. 14th issue of Science.
The discovery was made with Hubble's Advance Camera for Surveys. Keep posted for more news.
Moon Society/Lunar Development World Map
Courtesy of James Rogers of Lunarpedia
View Larger Map
Blog Archive
- On Orbit XIV
- The Space Show
- Carnival of Space #80
- Kayuga (Selene)
- NASA Tests Lunar Rovers And Oxygen Production Tech...
- Responses to Schmitt's Email to The Planetary Soci...
- Tire/Wheel Analogue Developed for Lunar Rover
- On Orbit XIII
- Harrison H. Schmitt leaves NAC and The Planetary S...
- Carnival of Space #79
- The Space Show
- On Orbit XII
- Hubble Announcement
- They're Made Out of Meat
- On Orbit XI
- Major Hubble Telescope Announcement Coming
- The Space Show
- On Orbit X
- Raise shields!
- NASA Serves as Contractor for Odyssey Moon
- ▼ November (20)
11 November 2008
Major Hubble Telescope Announcement Coming
From Spaceref.com and Nasa.gov
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Day 28 | 30 Days of Prayer | Colorado
- Category 30 Days of Prayer, Main Banner, Retreats
- Post tags 2016 colorado retreat, 30 Days of Prayer
View all articles by Linda Swanson
Today we pray…
These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7).
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have said that You love the world, that You are building Your Church, that You are calling all people to Yourself. We pray for the nations around the world, asking that the church You are building there will be strong and faithful. We pray for there to be justice and mercy in the governments and societies so issues of poverty and exploitation and needs for education, housing, and employment will be met. As the attendees return to their homes and areas of service, please empower them to do Your work with the resources You give them. May their hearts be full of courage and good cheer as they serve You in communities that are desperate for You. Thank you for their service. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
©2016 Thrive.
About the author
Linda Swanson serves with Paraclete as a member care provider, retreat speaker and spiritual director. She comes alongside global workers to help them be effective in life and ministry. Via Skype, Linda provides spiritual direction for global workers. With her husband, Kevin, Linda served for 28 years with MAF, both overseas as a pilot/mechanic family and at headquarters in administration and member care. During eight of those years, she helped direct Fairhaven Ministries, a retreat center for clergy and global workers. Now, Linda lives in Englewood, New Jersey where her husband is a pastor with the Evangelical Covenant Church. Their two children are married and they have two grandsons.View all articles by: Linda Swanson
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