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It had only been about six months since Katie Ripley finished radiation therapy for Stage 4 breast cancer. But now the 33-year-old was back in the hospital. This time, it wasn't cancer – she was still in remission – but she'd come down with a nasty respiratory infection.
It wasn't COVID, but her immune defenses had been weakened by the cancer treatments, and the infection had developed into pneumonia.
By the time Ripley made it to Gritman Medical Center, the local hospital in Moscow, Idaho, on January 6, her condition was deteriorating quickly. The illness had started affecting her liver and kidneys.
Her father, Kai Eiselein, remembers the horror of that night, when he learned she needed specialized ICU care.
"The hospital here didn't have the facilities for what she needed," he says. "And no beds were available anywhere."
Ripley didn't just need any bed. She needed a type of dialysis — known as continuous renal replacement therapy — that's used for critically ill patients, and is in high demand in hospitals treating a lot of COVID.
In normal times, she would have been flown to a larger hospital within hours. Like many rural hospitals, Gritman relies on being able to transfer patients to larger, better-equipped hospitals for care that it cannot provide — whether that's placing a stent after a heart attack or treating a life-threatening infection.
But hospitals all over the Pacific Northwest at the time were swamped with a surge of COVID-19 patients. And like health care systems in many parts of the country, the patient load means there's often nowhere to transfer even the most critical cases.
Katie Ripley had made it through months of cancer treatment — surgery, chemo and radiation– getting a new chance at life with her husband and two young kids. Her father was devastated to see her face a new crisis — worsened by overcrowding in the hospitals.
Ripley was his only child. She had followed him into journalism: he was a newspaper publisher and she became a reporter. "She was just a sweetheart, I don't think she had a mean bone in her body — a great mom, outstanding writer," Eiselein recalls.
While the hospital staff looked for an open bed, Eiselein was also on the phone with a friend who worked at a large hospital in Western Washington searching for a bed.
The hours went by and nothing opened up.
"Then it got to a point where it was pretty clear that, even if we found a bed, she probably wasn't going to make it," says Eiselein. "That was kind of a tough pill to swallow because you're trying so hard to save your kid's life — and you fail."
More than 20 hours later, Ripley died from sepsis in the emergency department at Gritman Medical Center.
Eiselein says there's no way to know if his daughter would have ultimately survived had she been moved to another hospital.
"But she never even had the chance," he says. "That's the thing that gets me."
Small rural hospitals — also known as critical access hospitals — have struggled with an influx of critically ill COVID-19 patients during the omicron surge. But they have fewer clinical resources, which means they've suffered disproportionately from the effects of a jammed-up health care system.
During the omicron surge, staff at small hospitals often have to scour the region for available beds while patients wait, making dozens and dozens of calls.
"Those are the nail biters, can you find a place for these people to go before their condition harms them?" says Dr. Lesley Ogden, CEO of Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital and Pacific Communities Hospital, two rural hospitals located on the Oregon coast.
While Gritman Medical Center would not comment specifically on Katie Ripley's case, spokesman Peter Mundt says that some days they're making calls all over the West — Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Montana and Utah — to find an open bed for a patient.
"Our nurses and our health supervisors are working phones like it's a commodity trading floor," says Mundt. The system for transferring patients, he says, "has been extremely stressed and extremely strained."
Knowing that a patient who needs a higher level of care is losing valuable time is painful for the nurses and doctors at the bedside.
"It does create more distress," says Mari Timlin, chief nursing officer at Gritman. "They feel we're not giving the exceptional care that any patient requires."
And in some cases, doctors have no choice but to come up with emergency workarounds. At her hospitals in Oregon, Ogden says they've had to perform surgeries that their support staff have never been trained to do.
"We're doing a risk analysis with the patient who could suffer a very bad outcome or even death, if we don't act," says Ogden. "If that means two surgeons coming together to do a job that normally takes one, can we just get everybody to pull together and save this patient?"
And even if a bed can be found, transportation can also be a problem, because ambulance companies have also been affected by the surge, says Dr. Donald Wenzler, chief clinical officer at Mid-Columbia Medical Center, a rural hospital about an hour and a half outside Portland, Oregon.
Most of those who are being hospitalized and dying during the omicron surge continue to be the unvaccinated. Their chance of being hospitalized is 16 times higher compared to the vaccinated, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Katie Ripley's death notice in the local paper, her father Kai Eiselein wrote about her love for her family, her high school athletic feats, and her career as a newspaper writer – the fifth generation in their family to embrace the profession.
And he wrote about her death, "surrounded by family members after spending more than 20 hours waiting for an ICU bed to open up somewhere in Idaho, Montana or Washington."
The second line of the notice was pointed: "There were no beds available, thanks to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients."
Eiselein's words got a lot of attention. He even got "hate mail," with some people writing him online and essentially calling him a liar. But overall the response has been sympathetic, he says.
After reading about his daughter, one friend of a friend even went out and got vaccinated the next day.
"No parent should ever have to watch their child take their last breath of life," he says. "The best way I can honor my daughter's life is to get the message out there to get vaccinated."
Around 3,000 people are still dying of COVID every day but other lives are being lost as well.
"I want people to understand it's not just the people getting COVID and ending up sick and even dying," says Eiselein. "They're not the only ones that are dying here."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Blood pressure, glaucoma links in migraine patients; eye care goes digital and mobile
Data on glaucoma risk in people with migraine and on innovative uses of mobile, digital technology are featured in today's Scientific Program, to be presented at the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) – Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting. The AAO-MEACO meeting is in session October 16 through 19 at McCormick Place, Chicago. It is the largest, most comprehensive ophthalmic education conference in the world.
The Blood Pressure-Glaucoma Connection in People with Migraine
Yury S Astakhov, MD, PhD, of Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, studied how day- and at night-time blood pressure levels may be related to the development of glaucoma in people with migraine. Understanding such effects is important for doctors in determining how to treat patients with multiple diseases.
Migraine is a known risk factor for open-angle glaucoma, a disease that can cause blindness due to damage to the optic nerve. The association between the two is stronger for people with "normal tension" glaucoma (NTG), in which the pressure within the eye is normal but optic nerve damage occurs nonetheless. It is also known that glaucoma patients who have low blood pressure at night are more likely to develop visual field loss (reduction of the full range of vision, which occurs first in the peripheral vision).
Dr. Astakhov's team compared day- and night-time systolic and diastolic blood pressures in 12 patients who had migraine and glaucoma (8 with NTG) against 16 patients with migraine but no glaucoma. The only significant difference between the groups was in night time diastolic pressure: migraine patients with glaucoma had excessive decreases–more than 20 percent–in their diastolic pressure levels.
"We conclude that low diastolic blood pressure at night is a possible risk factor for glaucoma in patients with migraine," Dr. Astakhov said.
iPhone Images: Good Enough for Medical Use?
Like the rest of society, medicine increasingly relies on digital systems and mobile devices to manage work flow and enhance communications. Eye M.D.s (ophthalmologists) routinely evaluate internet-transmitted images of patients' eyes as part of diagnosis and treatment. Usually images are viewed at computer workstations with standard display screens. University of Pittsburg School of Medicine researchers wondered whether handheld devices like the iPhone would work equally well.
In the study, Eye M.D.s from the University of Pittsburg Eye Center evaluated three aspects of diabetic retinopathy, a potentially blinding disease that affects many people with diabetes, by reviewing both the standard computer monitor and iPhone images for 55 patients (110 eyes). The doctors then made recommendations for follow up treatment.
"We found high consistency–more than 85 percent agreement–between evaluations based on the standard computer monitor and on the iPhone for all image sections tested," said Dr. Michael J. Pokabla. "There were no significant differences between evaluations and recommendations using the two systems, and the doctors rated the iPhone images as excellent. We conclude that mobile devices like the iPhone can be used to evaluate ophthalmic images," he added.
No Eye M.D. in the House? Videoconferencing Brings the Expert to the Outback When no ophthalmologist is available on site, some emergency rooms (ERs) in remote medical centers in rural Australia now use videoconferencing to receive diagnosis and treatment advice for their eye injury and ophthalmic illness patients.
A telecommunication link at a major metropolitan teaching eye hospital, the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH), is connected with four ERs that serve large regions of rural Australia. Dr. Christolyn Raj and her team studied the effectiveness of this approach by reviewing the initial six months of RVEEH videoconference interactions with the regional ERs.
Diagnoses were altered in approximately 60 percent of cases and management plans were changed in about 70 percent of cases following videoconference consultations, study results show. The average consultation time was 10 minutes.
"Videoconferencing is a sustainable, effective way of providing prompt eye management advice to rural emergency doctors," Dr. Raj said. "Although it can never replace face to face clinical care, it is a useful tool to have at one's fingertips and its use will undoubtedly increase in coming years," she added.

subset: commoncrawl


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Virtual Linguistic Writing Group
Lecturer(s) | Aline Bieri und Joelle Loew |
Contact person | Aline Bieri |
firstname.lastname@example.com | |
Date | Monday, 10th May 2021, 09:00 - 12:00 |
Location | Online Basel Switzerland |
Dear HPSL PhD students
We hope this finds you all well and healthy. As you know, we have been thinking about ways to keep our writing group going virtually to offer a chance for online peer support and exchanges. We will schedule this twice a week, for the forseeable future: Mondays 9-12am, and Fridays 9-12am. The idea is to get "together" to write/ work individually, but then having coffeebreaks together – as per usual, 45min writing, 15min break, repeat! Below and attached is the information you need in case you want to join – spontanious attendance is also very welcome.
Stay safe and healthy, and reach out if you have any questions or comments or issues.
With best wishes
Aline and Joelle
Zoom-Link for both Monday 9-12am and Friday 9-12am
Meeting-ID: 176 724 707


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Incorporating original, never-before-published material from 007 creator Ian Fleming, New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz returns literary legend James Bond to his 1950s heyday in this exhilarating and dashing thriller.
The world's most famous spy, James Bond, has just returned victorious from his showdown with Auric Goldfinger in Fort Knox. By his side is the glamorous and streetwise Pussy Galore, who played no small part in his success. As they settle down in London, the odds of Galore taming the debonair bachelor seem slim—but she herself is a creature not so easily caught.
Meanwhile, the struggle for superiority between the Soviet Union and the West is escalating. In an attempt to demonstrate Soviet strength, SMERSH plans to sabotage an international Grand Prix in the hot zone of West Germany. At the Nürburgring Racing Circuit, Bond must play a high-speed game of cat and mouse to stop them, but when he observes a secretive meeting between SMERSH's driver and a notorious Korean millionaire, it becomes clear that this is just the infamous organization's opening move.
An orphan of the Korean War, he has a personal reason for wanting to bring America to its knees. He's helping SMERSH decisively end the white-hot space race—but how? With the help of an American female agent, Bond uncovers a plan that leads first to Florida and then to New York City, where a heart-stopping face-off will determine the fate of the West.
This thriller has all the hallmarks of an original Ian Fleming adventure and features welcome familiar faces, including M and Miss Moneypenny. Horowitz delivers a smooth and seductive narrative of fast cars and beautiful women, ruthless villains and breathtaking plot that will leave readers hanging until the very end.
Pre-order the U.S. hardcover Trigger Mortis on Amazon.
Thanks to Chris Wright for this find.


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I'm Shane Hale. This website started in 1997 in a computer science class at CSULB. 16 years later my slice of the web is still ever changing. With my tastes in design and code, the shanemhale.com has evolved in to what you see today. This is my sandbox, were I get to play with new technologies, test designs, and learn how users interact with a website. It is one of my many creative outlets, but also one of my favorites.
Today my primary interests lie in Web User Experience and Conversion Optimization. These two areas of expertise have interested me for years, as they directly impact with the method that a visitor interacts with a website and if you are satisfying the promise that lead a user to your site in the first place. If you are interested learning more about my take these areas, I touch upon both User Experience and Conversion Optimization in my blog and am open to discussing consulting engagements for the right project.


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Frank Ocean Set for Huge Debut Despite Target's Refusal to Sell 'Channel Orange'
Based on sales in its first day of release on Tuesday (July 10), Frank Ocean's 'Chanenel Orange' is expected to sell between 110,000 and 125,000 copies this week, which could be enough to take the No. 2 position on the album chart.
HITS Daily Double estimates that Ocean's solo debut will be one of the top sellers of the week, despite the fact that it originally wasn't supposed to drop until July 17. Ocean announced after his appearance on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' that the album would be released digitally a week earlier.
If 'Channel Orange' sells that many copies, it could rank as high as No. 2 on the charts, behind the new album by country stars the Zac Brown Band, which is likely to move at least 210k units. Past chart-toppers by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber will also be in the mix.
All this news comes in spite of Target stores refusing to sell the crooner's critically-acclaimed album, supposedly due to its digital release. "Target has refused to carry Frank's album because of iTunes exclusive," Ocean's manager Christian Clancy said in a tweet that has since been erased. "Interesting since they also donate to non-equal rights organizations."
Ocean has been in the news a lot in recent days after revealing he was once involved in a same-sex relationship. What Clancy is applying is that Ocean has become the subject of prejudiced for his coming out by Target officials, and that they won't carry his album because he's bisexual.
Clancy has since apologized for his tweet, and Target has released the following statement on the matter (via Spin):
At Target, we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, so our selection of new releases is dedicated to physical CDs rather than titles that are released digitally in advance of the street date. The claims made about Target's decision to not carry the Frank Ocean album are absolutely false. Target supports inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of our business. Our assortment decisions are based on a number of factors, including guest demand. Target has a longstanding tradition of supporting music and artistry that reflects the diverse landscape of American culture. Our history of partnering with diverse artists includes recent partnerships with a variety of musicians, such as Ricky Martin, B.o.B, and Gloria Estefan.
Either way, with or without Target's support, Ocean is set to have a huge week with his debut album. The R&B performer and member of Odd Future also kicks off a month-long solo club tour in Seattle on Friday, leading up to a high-profile date at Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug. 4.
Watch the Frank Ocean 'Thinking About You' Video


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Locks Repair Fort Myers, FL – Security Locksmith Services
Any lock is a complex combination of tiny moving parts and a small malfunction can really mess up the entire mechanism. There is no denying the fact that a few locks can be fixed at home but there are several other locks that just cannot be handled on our own and need an expert locksmith to carry out a lock repair. Since the requirement is different from common locks i.e. the tools required for repairing them or replacing them or for that matter any other related issue are completely different.
Whatever the condition is, a professional locksmith becomes that most important person who can make sense of the chaos. Security Locksmith Services is an expert locksmith company that has been serving the residents of Fort Myers, FL for over a decade and has a remarkable finesse in locks repair services. Our expert locksmiths are well aware with the different conditions they come across and would help you get rid of your lock and key troubles in quick time.
How to identify whether a lock change or locks repair is needed?
Being a small yet complex machine, a lock too requires regular maintenance in order to ensure that it matches its life expectancy. A complete ignorance towards your locks and security system can raise security issues for you, your family and other assets as well. One cannot expect a lock and home security system to go on and work forever. The locks come with a specific life and not changing or upgrading them to a new one directly impacts your security.
The expert locksmiths working with Security Locksmith Services examine the locks and then suggest whether a lock change is required or lock repair would do. When we don't know the work then it's better to trust a good locksmith who knows it. The reasons to consider a locks repair or locks change can any of the below:
- If you have recently moved to a new property
- In case your locks are too old
- If you have been facing issues with the locks for sometime
- If you feel that the locks are not that secure
- In case the locks are damaged or broken and much more
For any and every lock repair, lock change and lock installation issue, feel free to give Security Locksmith Services a call anytime and we will be there to assist you.


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November 2, 2009 | 4:14 pm
This week's Health section article on cycling in the city touched a nerve with readers. Cyclists are menaces on the road, write some. Cars are menaces on the road, write others. And then–what about cyclists on sidewalks? They're a menace on the sidewalk, some readers write.
A few snippets (the ones without profanities) from our mail:
"Nowhere in your article did I see the following observation: 'Cyclists run red lights.' Often, I drive down Los Feliz Boulevard (in the vicinity of Griffith Park), and I will inevitably come across this hazardous behavior. Can they all just slow down and try to not beat the red light? Believe me, motorists will be grateful and lives will be saved!"
And: "I owned a Yamaha Vino scooter (like a Vespa) that was street legal to get around my little neighborhood of El Segundo. In September 2008 on a lazy Sunday afternoon, a car at a stop sign turned left in front of me while I was going straight with the right of way… It is not the two wheelers who are not careful when driving. Until automobile drivers get used to sharing the road with all two wheeled vehicles, it is not safe for the two wheeled drivers out there."
"I now see bicyclists just launching themselves into intersections oblivious to what other traffic is doing, sometimes even oblivious to another cyclist traveling across their path. The other day, I even overheard a woman asking a police officer 'Is it true that bicycles have to stop at stop signs?' I almost fell off my balcony."
"Most of the folks I see riding their bikes are inconsiderate idiots. They run red lights, try to pass you up and in general are asking to get run over. Why can't they ride in the park or better yet try the freeway…"
Several of the letters alluded to the issue of cyclists riding on sidewalks, which is permitted in Los Angeles, although not "with a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property," according to the city's municipal code. Some examples:
"Please consider addressing the increasing problem of people riding bicycles on sidewalks, brought on, I suspect, by the installation of handicap ramps at most intersections. Because the curbs are no longer there to discourage bike-riding, sidewalks have now become de facto bike paths, no doubt making bike riders feel much safer but in effect making sidewalks more hazardous for pedestrians and even for the wheelchair-bound citizens that the ramps were intended to assist."
"I have lived in Downtown Los Angeles for 37 years and, prior to retirement, walked to work (at the LA Times) for 34 years. I continue to walk downtown, but now I take my welfare, if not my life, in my hands to do so. Bicycles–particularly Bicycle Messengers–have become a severe danger to pedestrians on downtown sidewalks."
The issue of bicycles on sidewalks was one we failed to address in the article–and we should have. Some studies suggest that cycling on sidewalks is actually riskier than cycling on the road. Here's a summary of those data courtesy of Cornell University. From that report:
"The perception is that someone is safer riding on the sidewalk than on the road—and many motorists and even law enforcement officers repeat that message. The problem is that, as the numbers … suggest, bicyclists are not safer on the sidewalk because they become almost invisible to the motorist. When a driver turns, either left or right, or into a driveway or alley, they are simply not looking for, or expecting to encounter, a bicyclist. And even if they do look and see a bicyclist they may still underestimate the speed a rider is traveling on the sidewalk–because it will likely be much faster than a pedestrian."
Please feel free to post your comments on that issue, or others raised by the article.
— Rosie Mestel


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Last updated on April 1st, 2021 at 04:08 pm
As a bit of a more light-hearted post, I've decided to expose my personal covet-list. The only rules here are that I can't have owned a piece from any of these makers in the past, they're in no particular order, and it's not necessarily supposed to be interpreted as my list of top 15 favourite corset makers of all time. Some of these I may be saving up for in the future, while others are somewhat pipe dreams to own. Scroll down to see 15 corset makers that I will be following closely in 2014 (no pressure or anything):
Jeroen Van Der Klis, the brain and skill behind Bizarre Design, engineers some amazing and unique corsets – yet he also has the ability to make even a simple black satin underbust corset look like the most wondrous wardrobe staple you will ever lay eyes upon.
Scroll through the galleries of Corsets & More for example after example of pure opulence. There is no corset style or design that is too complicated for Doris Müller! She is a master in corsetry, and my favourite discovery of 2013.
Julia of Clessidra Couture is a bit of a Superwoman. She teaches corset making, she sells corset supplies and kits, she writes books, and somehow she still finds the time to make superb corsetry.
Royal Black can do no wrong. Creation after creation, her designs are increasingly innovative, intricate and awe-inspiring, and there's no sign of her slowing down!
For years, people scoffed at the proverbial "Basket Weaving 101". This corset by Anachronism in Action put these naysayers and snobs in their proper place, and completely changed my personal views as to what can be used as embellishment. Not to mention the incredible smooth finish, gorgeous earthy color and amazing shape.
Corsets are only made better with cups, and those cupped corsets are only improved by filigree jewelry. Ferrer Corsets offers it all in this fiery piece. My life is complete.
Sin & Satin's ribbon cinchers have no side seam, and they're also embellished with metallic lace. There is nothing to not love, and there are no words for how much I covet a piece like the one on the right.
Temperatures 20° below freezing have me wishing for a cozy, warm knitted sweater corset by Pop Antique – plus, her standard sizes match my custom measurements almost exactly – I feel that it might be fate.
Take a historical corset, and a spectacular sculpture that should be in a museum. Put them together, and this doesn't even do justice compared to the creations of Atelier Sylphe.
Dear Diary, day 1174 without a Lovesick Corset in my possession. They make stunning work, and their studio is an hour away from me – so close, yet so far; my commission inquiries have received no reply so I'm left to pine after their work from afar. Perhaps one day I'll gather the courage to try again.
I check Daze of Laur's website regularly – if not to see updates of her creations, then to read the little Easter Eggs on Laurie's constantly changing "title" in the header! (She also studied life sciences in uni and I kinda want to be her friend.)
Angela Friedman. Make it a household name. Because a well-supporting, properly-fitting overbust corset is not a want, it's a need. Just look at that pattern drafting, it's magical.
Even the simplest underbust corsets from Waisted Couture have an incredibly smooth finish with a neat nipped-in waistline. According to a fan and client, her training corsets are also nearly indestructible. I'm more than willing to put this to the test.
Before Wilde Hunt, I had never known that such dreamy, ethereal and romantic pieces could be fashioned from hardy leather. This piece has left me wondering if it's possible to throw a wedding without actually getting married, just so I can wear something this spectacular.
Mr. Pearl. Because no list of coveted corsets is complete without Mr. Pearl. Owning a piece from him is the ultimate pipe dream of this list. He is elusive, rarely spotted in public, and doesn't leave a trace as to where he has been except for a few polished photos and the appearance of the occasional breathtakingly magnificent piece of art. I can imagine that centuries from now, stories of Mr. Pearl will be spread around the world as he's promoted to the status of a magical, mythological figure.
Which corset makers will you be watching in 2014? Let me know in a comment!


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The Rialto is the oldest and most famous of the three bridges crossing the Grand Canal of Venice. It has long been a landmark and gathering place.
Started originally as a virtual post office to provide people with rialto.org email addresses and forwarding services, this site has evolved to become the personal web domain of Ted and Robin Monogue. It is the central hosting site for web pages relating to a variety of hobbies we are involved with, as well as Robin's artwork.


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When Jeff accepted the new position, we were unsure what he was going to do for a workspace during the times we are back in Minneapolis. Thankfully, he was able to secure a spot in the same building very near where he used to sit before. Which meant, to me anyway, that I'd be able to continue our Wednesday Treat Day tradition when we are in town - at least, until things get crazy around here again!
Since this Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day, how could I make anything that didn't involve green in some form? I didn't even have to think about what to make as these Pistachio Shortbread Wedges that PJ posted recently fit the bill!
These tender cookies get their green color from not only the chopped pistachios scattered on top, but a secret ingredient - instant pistachio pudding mix! Mixed with creamy butter, a touch of sugar, salt and a dribble of vanilla, the pudding mix quickly stains the mixture a vibrant green without having to add any extra coloring. Bound with enough flour to form the dough, the mixture is pliable and soft, yet not so sticky that it clings to you while handling it, making for a dough that was a dream to work with.
Shortbread dough can be rolled out and cut into cookies if desired, but this version simplifies the whole process by splitting the dough in half and pressing each over the bottom of a couple cake pans to form tidy, contained rounds instead. The pudding mix adds a hint of pistachio flavor, but to reinforce that, finely chopped pistachios are then scattered over each piece of dough - to ensure the nuts adhere, be sure to lightly press them down into the dough. The best way to tell when the shortbreads are done is by watching the sides of the dough - when they start to pull away from the sides and the edges are richly golden, it's time to take them out.
Instead of waiting for them to cool down at all, immediately (but carefully, they are quite hot!) after you take them out of the oven, you'll want to turn them out of the pans and slice them into wedges. While still warm, the shortbread is soft enough that you will be able to slice the rounds into solid wedges. If you wait until they have cooled completely, they won't cut well and will tend to crumble.
We used 9" pans to bake this shortbread in, but if you only have the more common 8" size, go ahead and use those. Everything stays the same, but you may just need an extra minute or two to bake them through. With just enough sweetness, we didn't find these buttery wedges to be overly complex with pistachio flavor. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though as that melt-in-your-mouth texture was brilliant and the nuts on top did help a bit. I think we just expected a little more pistachio punch - you could add "pistachio flavoring" if you happen to have it, but I didn't and just went with vanilla.
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DONALD TRUMP is our first post-truth president. And he may well be the first of many.
The Oxford Dictionaries website chose "post-truth" as its 2016 word of the year, in large part due to Trump's success in the presidential election. It defined post-truth as "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief." (Incidentally, the 2015 word of the year wasn't a word at all but the "face with tears of joy" emoji.)
Trump's political methods ultimately rely on the appeal to emotions, such as fear and anxiety, and to personal beliefs over objective truth. Moreover, his victory was secured with blatant lies and misleading rhetoric, along with a doubling down on deceptions when called on them. Glenn Kessler's highly reputable "Fact Checker" column in the Washington Post evaluated statements made by Trump during the campaign and assigned 64 percent of them with "Four Pinocchios" (the worst rating). By contrast, statements by other politicians get Four Pinocchios 10 to 20 percent of the time.
Trump's deceit has only continued post-election. "In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally," Trump tweeted on November 27, 2016, a claim he continued to support. "Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire, and California," Trump continued, "so why isn't the media reporting on this? Serious bias—big problem!" Investigations found nothing to back up his claim, yet this didn't stop the majority of Trump voters from believing him, as reflected in a survey of 1,011 Americans conducted by Qualtrics in December.
Trump's subordinates have had no problem following his lead. Senior adviser Kellyanne Conway infamously presented the Trump administration's false claims as "alternative facts" in January 22, 2017, interview on NBC's Meet The Press. She was defending the lies told by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer regarding Trump's inauguration ceremony. Spicer insisted that Trump drew "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration," despite the clear evidence of aerial photos showing that Barack Obama's inauguration drew a significantly bigger crowd.
Some wonder if it's worth focusing on such absurd claims when there are major policy changes afoot with the new administration. However, one must consider that other politicians are highly likely to adopt Trump's successful methods. If enough of them win by doing so, we're headed for a downward spiral of deceit in our political system. Without a serious intervention to clean up the pollution of truth in politics, this spiral will lead to the end of our political order as we know it. Trump supporters will say this is the kind of disruption we need and what they sought in electing him. I would argue that our survival depends on moving from the post-truth, alternative-facts present into a post-lies future.
Examining Our Vulnerability
Getting to this future requires understanding why our political system was so vulnerable to Trump. While politicians have always accused each other of lies, the mainstream media has traditionally served as mediator and fact-checker to their statements. In the past, lying parties generally didn't go against the media consensus, and either toned down or withdrew their claims. To function, this system for determining political truths has required an intangible but invaluable resource: the public's trust. And it's well documented that public trust in the media has been eroding for the last decade.
To a significant extent, such trust stemmed from the public's inability to get information from sources other than mainstream media, along with the media projecting an appearance of objectivity. However, today more and more people are getting their news from social media (from 49 percent in 2012 to 62 percent in 2016, according to a Pew Research Center poll.) Likewise, the projection of objectivity left mainstream media unable to deal effectively with a politician who lies openly and frequently.
While other politicians on the extreme Right and the extreme Left have taken advantage of these vulnerabilities to promote their agendas, they've mostly been confined to the fringes of our political system. Trump's genius rests in being the first mainstream political figure to exploit thoroughly these systemic vulnerabilities using personal magnetism and disruption.
Besides a magnetism that appealed to a certain segment of the citizenry, Trump mastered the use of social media. He bypassed the mainstream media to tweet his messages directly to voters and targeted them with sponsored advertisements on Facebook.
In a late October interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, a senior campaign official said, "we have three major voter suppression operations under way," which he described as aimed at idealistic white liberals, young women, and African Americans. In one such operation, they used Hillary Clinton's 1996 reference to certain gang members as "superpredators" who "we need to bring to heel" to create a South Park-style animation that was delivered to black voters through what Facebook terms "dark posts"—nonpublic posts whose viewership was targeted by the Trump campaign.
Such ads are very effective. A study from Stanford University found that over 80 percent of participants couldn't distinguish a news story shared by a friend from a sponsored advertisement. Moreover, many made basic mistakes in evaluating the credibility of a news story. For instance, they rated a story on Facebook as more credible if it had a larger image, rather than evaluating the reputation of the story's source. Likewise, most couldn't distinguish between the real Facebook page of a news organization and a fake page, despite the blue checkmark Facebook uses to distinguish real from fake pages. The participants were students, an age group of generally savvy social media users. Older adults are even more likely to make such mistakes.
Likewise, the Trump campaign's Republican allies created fake news stories that got millions of shares on social media. The Russian propaganda machine has also used social media to manufacture fake news stories favorable to Trump and critical of Clinton.
Exploiting systemic weaknesses based on trust is a particular skill set for our 45th president, and explains a significant degree of his previous economic success. For instance, the Trump Foundation relied on the trust society vests into the nonprofit sector to make illegal contributions advancing his political career and to settle legal disputes, while trust in the system of higher education was fraudulently exploited by Trump University. Other areas where he exploited systemic vulnerabilities based on trust include real estate projects, tax avoidance, and many more. Simply put, Donald Trump is highly skilled at hacking our societal structures, abusing trust in a classical use of the psychology of persuasion.
Is Post-Truth Politics Really So Bad?
It's no exaggeration to say that relying on emotions and personal opinions over facts will very likely destroy our political system. Since ancient Greece, truth in politics has been vital for a democracy to function properly. Citizens need to care about and know the reality of political affairs, at least in broad terms, to make wise decisions regarding which politicians and policies to support. Otherwise, what reason do politicians have to care about serving the true interests of the citizenry? They can simply use emotional manipulation and lies to procure and stay in power, paving the way for corruption and authoritarianism.
Indeed, rhetoric that appeals to emotions and popular beliefs is a foundational feature of authoritarianism. It's what helped Vladimir Putin transform Russia's fledgling post-Soviet democracy into an authoritarian state, and resulted in Putin's consistently high popularity rating, something Trump praised in a televised forum with The Today Show's Matt Lauer.
Trump also positively depicted Putin's "strong control over a country." And when asked by former GOP congressman and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough what he thought of Putin killing journalists who don't agree with him, Trump sidestepped the question, saying, "I think that our country does plenty of killing, too, Joe." Given that Putin began his path to authoritarian rule by undermining the Russian media, and that Trump promised to do the same in the United States if elected (and is indeed carrying out this promise), the parallel is clear.
Post-Truth and the Tragedy of the Commons
While American political institutions are more stable than Russian ones, we should be very worried about the truth falling victim to the tragedy of the commons. As described in Bonnie McCay and James Acheson's 1987 The Question of the Commons: The Culture and Ecology of Communal Resources, the tragedy occurs when a commonly shared resource is destroyed by individuals acting in their own self-interest and against the collective interest. In our case, the commonly shared good isn't a tangible resource like a forest or lake, it's a political environment that is based on appealing to objective facts. Plenty of research shows the crucial role of political trust in maintaining a stable polity (for instance, 2011's Political Trust: Why Context Matters, edited by Marc Hooghe and Sonja Zmerli). This intangible yet invaluable resource is being polluted and destroyed by Trump's post-truth politics.
Indeed, truth in politics is a common good just like clean air and water, and the pollution of truth will devastate our political system just as environmental pollution devastates our planet and our physical health. Fortunately, we can learn from the successes of the environmental movement. It started with small groups of motivated and informed people engaging in sustained education and advocacy. As a result of these efforts, regular citizens increasingly changed their everyday behavior through recycling, repurposing, and composting, while politicians passed pro-environmental legislation such as the Clean Air Act.
Similarly, activists for truth in politics—the pro-truth movement if you will—need to undertake educational and advocacy efforts to motivate regular citizens and politicians alike to address the pollution of truth in the political arena. Authors such as Bryan Caplan (The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies) dismiss the possibility of the electorate growing more oriented toward the truth, yet recent research shows that people can train themselves to evaluate reality accurately and thus make wise decisions. This research has focused on decision making in various areas of finances, relationships, business, and elsewhere, as described in Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work (2013) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, and Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011).
Similar strategies apply to politics: it involves developing new mental habits such as systematically fact-checking political information and welcoming a revision of one's beliefs based on new evidence. Fortunately, once educated about the risks associated with the pollution of truth, most people easily recognize that accurate perception of reality by voters is beneficial to everyone except a few small interest groups that are devoted to deceiving the public.
Rational Politics: A Case Study
As a scholar and commentator on decision making and emotions in politics, I set out to study how to reach those who don't have an intuitive concern with the truth. Based on research in political psychology, I hypothesized that the surest way is to discover what such people care about and show them how post-truth politics will undermine what they value. The most promising avenue of my investigation has proven to be demonstrating how "alternative facts" undermine what people actually care about.
Caption Fighting "Alternative Facts" and "Post-Truth" Politics
For instance, I went on a radio show last fall with prominent conservative talk show host Scott Sloan. He's well known in conservative circles and had Donald Trump on his show shortly before me. Sloan is also known in the secular movement from his debate with Aron Ra over the Ark Encounter, a Christian fundamentalist theme park that opened last summer in Kentucky. In my interview with Sloan, we discussed the Ohio State University terrorist attack in November 2016 by a Muslim who rammed his car into a crowd of students and then knifed several people before being shot dead by a university policeman.
Like many conservatives, Sloan associated Muslims with terrorism and wanted to persecute them harshly. I approached the ensuing discussion by considering his emotions and goals, meeting him where he was as opposed to where I would have liked him to be. I assessed that he valued safety and security first and foremost and that he had negative feelings toward Muslims as he perceived them as a threat to safety and security.
As we began talking, I validated the host's emotions, saying it was natural and intuitive to feel anger and fear toward Muslims, as our brains naturally take shortcuts by stereotyping groups based on the actions of one member of the group. However, such stereotyping often does not serve our actual goals and values.
We discussed how in 2015 (according to johnstonarchive.net), there were seven terrorist acts in the United States, committed by a total of nine terrorists. Six of the nine were motivated, in some part, by Islamic beliefs. A 2011 Pew survey estimated that the United States had 1.8 million Muslim adults. Dividing this number by the six who committed terrorist acts gives you a one-in-300,000 chance that any Muslim you see would commit a terrorist act in a given year. That's like picking out a terrorist from the number of people in several football stadiums. So using "Muslim" as a filter for "terrorist" actually, wastes our precious resources dedicated to safety and security, and lets the real terrorists commit attacks.
I then discussed with Sloan how if we persecute Muslims, for instance through creating a Muslim registry or through heavy policing of Muslim neighborhoods, Muslim communities would be much less likely to help us root out potential terrorists in their midst. So, I concluded, for the sake of making us safer, we shouldn't antagonize Muslim communities, which so far have been quite cooperative in addressing terror concerns.
Finally, I discussed how rhetoric critical of Muslims and anti-Muslim policies will prod more Muslims to become terrorists. For instance, BBC reports that terrorist groups have used Trump's rhetoric in their recruitment tapes. This quite clearly makes us less safe and secure, I told Sloan, and so despite any negative feelings we may have toward Muslims, it's unwise to act on them. Just like if we hear criticism from our boss and want to scream in his or her face, it may not be the rational thing to do if we value our jobs. Just like we may want to take a second piece of chocolate cake, it may not be the rational thing to do if we value our health. We shouldn't go with our gut on policies and rhetoric toward Muslims if we value our security.
In the end, Sloan agreed with my points and updated his views on Muslims—not because he felt like being nice and generous and kind toward Muslims, but because he valued his security and safety.
None of this implies that religion isn't a part of the problem. In addition to the six Muslims who committed terrorist acts in the United States in 2015, three terrorists were motivated by radical Christian and right-wing beliefs, especially the November 2015 shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado. Today, there are more radicals in Islam than in other religions, but the focus needs to be on radical behavior as much as religion itself.
Of course, I could have chosen to bring up my conviction that religion itself is an "alternative fact," both as a whole, and in its specific details. However, would this have been a productive use of my time on Sloan's show? It was my third interview with him, and I've had another since that conversation. By building a rapport, and not touching topics that would prevent me from being invited back on his show, I'm able to retain my channel to his conservative audience. Similarly, readers of this article may also want to consider which topics they should discuss with those who don't share their values in order to change hearts and minds—and what topics are better left for later after more low-hanging fruits are picked.
IN ORDER to save our democracy and prevent corruption and authoritarianism, reasonable people on all sides of the political spectrum need to adopt a focus on truth in letter and spirit as the most important component of our political system. We need to work tirelessly to educate everyone about the benefits of orienting toward truth. We need to use emotionally intelligent, empathetic communication in doing so, focusing on the values and emotions of those we communicate with in order to change their hearts and minds.
We also have to create incentives and consequences for politicians to be truthful, as orienting toward truth isn't conducive to winning political battles in the current environment. Such incentives would involve a combination of carrots and sticks. On the one hand, we have to catch lies and punish liars, especially those who share our own ideological perspectives, so as to minimize accusations of political bias in advocacy for truth in politics. On the other, we must praise and reward truth-telling, especially when it harms one's ideological position.
Fighting the normalization of post-truth politics and alternative facts requires us to be comfortable leaving aside easy identifications with major political movements. The pro-truth movement will require early advocates to act from the same kind of marginalized political position as early environmental activists, fighting both against the political status quo and the tendency of our brains toward lazy thinking. Yet cleaning up the pollution of truth is arguably the most important action we can take to save our democracy from sliding down into corruption and authoritarianism, and its early advocates will be the heroes of tomorrow.


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I am so excited for summer! Picnics in the park or at the beach, backyard bbq's and just chilling. If you need a dish to satisfy your vegan and gluten free friends, this is one dish to keep everyone happy. It also comes together quickly, stores and travels well and is really delicious. Oh, and it's pretty 😉
Using quinoa instead of lettuce in the greek salad makes this a really hearty side or main dish. It still surprises me how many people are not eating quinoa since it's so versatile, try using it instead of pasta or rice with your favorite sauce. Whatcha waiting for, go get some quinoa will ya! and then let me know how you like to eat it…
Ingredients: 4-6 servings
1 cup quinoa
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled tofu
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
1-2 tbs agave
salt and pepper to taste
prepare quinoa according to package directions and allow to cool. combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and agave in bowl and mix well. combine remaining ingredients with quinoa, add dressing and mix well.


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Tis The Season To Learn Science Christmas Ornament
Feel the holiday cheer with this Tis The Season To Learn Science Christmas Ornament. It's made of high-quality felt and will bring festive vibes to your home!
Dramashirt is a great place to find ornaments for the holidays. We have a wide selection of fun and unique ornaments in all shapes and sizes. Whether you are looking for something simple or have more of an artistic flair, you will find what you need here!
Our Gift For Christmas, Ornament includes everything from Christmas tree ornaments to snow globes and snowmen. You can also find some great gift ideas for those hard-to-buy-for people in your collection this year. Shop online today at Dramashirt!
Product Description
– High-quality porcelain that is 0.125″ (3mm) thick with a one-sided print.
– The dangling string's hole is included. Also a gold-toned thread.
– Available in 4 shapes: snowflake, star, heart, and circle.


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Free for all visitors except Single Rooms
We know that our hotel's visitors come from different places. But considering that most of them arrive in Indianapolis via the local airport, we wanted to make some extra step for their convenience.
As a courtesy service, we're always glad to offer you an airport shuttle service to and from the airport…
Additionally, for those of our customers who arrive at the city on their own car, we always offer a secure, underground parking lot, which usually comes at no additional charge (starting with the double room & up).
Some extra fees for using the hotel's parking may apply to the visitors staying at our single rooms…


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Please Register to Download
Product: CIMCO MDM 2024.00.01
Before you can download we ask you to fill out the following registration form. The fields indicated with an asterisk * are required. An email with download link will be sent to the email address you specify.
If you wish to have us contact you please fill in the optional fields by clicking the checkbox "Provide additional contact information". Also, if you would like to receive information about our products, services and activities in the future, please indicate this below.


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Today's we are featuring Carole Anne , below you will se her beautiful sample. Please stop by her blog "Stampin Stressaway" to see this wonderful tutorial.
Before we show you the samples, we would like to thank all those that applied for our Sketch Design Team. We will be announce the Design Team the first week of December. We hope you will continue to play along with us, each week we will feature a NEW participant along with their card/project.
This week our November hostess, Jennifer Meyer, has challenged the OCC to a sketch challenge. Have fun with the sketch and we can't wait to see your creative samples!!
There is no time limit on our challenges - feel free to participate whenever you are able. To play along, upload your creation to your blog or gallery, then leave us a comment linking to your project so we can check it out. If you upload to SCS, remember to use keyword: OCCC
Now let's check out the samples from the OCC ~
Designed by Jennifer Meyer
By Joycelyn Turner - Stamps 'n' Coffee
Dana Grothaus - Dana's Dabbling Studio


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Your baby has a whole lifetime to see and learn. But did you know your baby also has to learn to see? As a parent, there are many things that you can do to help your baby's vision develop. At about six months of age, you should take your baby to your eye doctor for his or her first thorough eye examination. Things that the optometrist will test for include excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. The doctor will also test eye movement ability as well as check for eye health problems. These problems are not common, but it is important to identify children who have them at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early. Unless you notice a need, or your eye doctor advises you otherwise, your child's next examination should be around age three and then again before he or she enters school.
During the first four months of life, your baby should begin to follow moving objects with their eyes and reach for things, first by chance and later more accurately as hand-eye coordination and depth perception begin to develop. To help, use a nightlight or other dim lamp in your baby's room; change the crib's position frequently and your child's position in it. Keep reach-and-touch toys within your baby's focus, about eight to twelve inches. Also talk to your baby as you walk around the room; alternate right and left sides with each feeding; and hang a mobile above and outside the crib.
Between four and eight months, your baby should begin to turn from side to side and use his or her arms and legs. Eye movement and eye/body coordination skills should develop further and both eyes should focus equally. Enable your baby to explore different shapes and textures with his or her fingers; give your baby the freedom to crawl and explore; hang objects across the crib; and play "patty cake" and "peek-a-boo" with your baby.
From eight to twelve months, your baby should be mobile now, crawling and pulling himself or herself up. He or she will begin to use both eyes together and judge distances and grasp and throw objects with greater precision. To support development don't encourage early walking - crawling is important in developing eye-hand-foot-body coordination; give your baby stacking and take-apart toys; and provide objects your baby can touch, hold and see at the same time. From one to two years, your child's eye-hand coordination and depth perception will continue to develop and he or she will begin to understand abstract terms. Things you can do are encourage walking; provide building blocks, simple puzzles and balls; and provide opportunities to climb and explore indoors and out. There are many other affectionate and loving ways in which you can aid your baby's vision development. Use your creativity and imagination. Ask your eye doctor to suggest other specific activities.


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Trustwave's SpiderLabs has created a new penetration testing tool that uses facial recognition to trace your face through all your social media profiles, link your name to it, and identify which organisation you work for.
According to its (ethical) creators, Trustwave's SpiderLabs, Social Mapper has been designed to help penetration testers (those tasked with conducting simulated attacks on a computer systems to aid security) and red teamers (ethical hackers) to save time and expand target lists in the intelligence gathering phase of creating the social media phishing scenarios that are ultimately used to test an organisation's cyber defences.
What Does It Do?
Social Mapper is an open source intelligence tool that employs facial recognition to correlate social media profiles across a number of different sites on a large scale. The software automates the process of searching the most popular social media sites for names and pictures of individuals in order to accurately detect and group a person's presence. The results are then compiled in a report that can be quickly viewed and understood by a human operator.
How Does It Work?
Social Mapper works in 3 phases. Firstly, it is provided with names and pictures of people. e.g. via links in a csv file, images in a folder or via people registered to a company on LinkedIn.
Secondly, in a time-consuming phase, it uses a Firefox browser to log in to social media sites and search for its targets by name. When it finds the top results, it downloads profile pictures and uses facial recognition checks to try and find a match. The social media sites it searches are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, VKontakte, Weibo, and Douban.
Finally, it generates a report of the results.
What's The Report Used For?
The report is designed to give the user a starting point to target individuals on social media for phishing, link-sharing, and password-snooping attacks.
For example, a user can create fake social media profiles to 'friend' targets and send them links to credential capturing landing pages or downloadable malware, trick users into disclosing their emails and phone numbers e.g. using vouchers and offers to tempt them into phishing traps, create custom phishing campaigns for each social media site, or even to physically look at photos of employees to find access card badges or to study aspects of building interiors.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
In the right hands, Social Mapper sounds as though it could ultimately help businesses to improve their online security because it helps to create much better quality and more realistic testing scenarios on a larger scale that could uncover loopholes and shortcomings that current testing may not be able to fund.
The worry, however, is that in the wrong hands it could be used by cyber-criminals to quickly gather information about a target business and its employees, thereby enabling potentially very effective phishing and password-snooping campaigns to be created. This detailed information could also be shared among and sold to other criminals which could mean that individuals could be subjected to a number of attacks over time through multiple channels.
The obvious hope is, therefore, that enough checks and security measures will be put in place by its creators thereby not allowing the software to fall into the wrong hands in the first place and be used by criminals against the businesses and organisations that it was designed to help.


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TDK Construction Corp's Wall Tiles
Whether your preference is marble or a rare natural stone, getting the correct tile for your bathroom or kitchen is perhaps the most important part of the process. At TDK Construction Corp we offer a wide range of wall tiles as well as layout options that will enhance your home's individual characteristics. Call us today to learn more about the service we offer.
Affordable Wall Tiles with TDK Construction Corp
At TDK Construction Corp, when we describe our tiles as being durable and cost-effective, we are invariably talking about our ceramic tiling options. While, it could be inaccurate to suggest that all ceramic tiles are cheap, the fact of the matter is that if you want the ultimate bang for your buck, then you need to choose ceramic tiles. The fact of the matter is that ceramic is one of the most popular types of tile because it allows homeowners and businesses to select a reliable type of tile that can enhance the aesthetic qualities of their home without compromising on budget.
Another benefit of wall tile is that they are malleable enough so that they can be molded into a wide range of colors and shapes, making customization far easier. One of the very few, or only, drawbacks of ceramic wall tiles is that unlike their marble counterparts, they are quite porous in nature. This means that they must have a glaze applied to them to guarantee optimal results.
Choose the Right Wall Tile Layout for Your Home
There are a wide range of tile layouts to choose from. Some of our most popular include:
Brick: Perhaps, one of the most classic and timeless tile layout options. This is a particularly good fit with subway tiles and its rectangular shape can make it the perfect option for almost any space. A brick layout can look especially impressive when it is paired with an opposing grout color. For example, a darkened or beige grout with white tiles is a guaranteed winning combination.
Vertical Brick: Similar to the more traditional horizontal brick layout, the vertical brick is often used for rooms that might have a low ceiling. The natural heightening qualities of this type of layout also make it perfect for small or converted bathrooms. This variation on a classic theme is a perfect way of making a unique statement without going too crazy!
Oversized Brick Option: An enhanced version of the regular horizontal brick option, the oversized brick can look great in a bigger room where a smaller tile layout may look lost or slightly out of place.
Stacked Brick Look: Possibly the simplest option when it comes to tile layout, the stacked brick is a perfect option for a kitchen with monochromatic colored tiles. This modern look is ideal for an apartment or condo, or for a homeowner who wants to contrast a lot of wood furnishings and other warm colors with a cleaner tile appearance.
Mosaics: Small sheets of mosaic tiles, usually in pastel colors, can transform a small bathroom immediately.
Contact Us Now for the Best Wall Tiles Near You
Looking for wall tile installation near you? Look no further than TDK Construction Corp. Contact us today for all your wall tiling needs.


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How Do You Deal with Heartbreak?
- Cliff Young & Laura MacCorkle Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer & Senior Editor
- Updated Sep 01, 2011
EDITOR'S NOTE: He Said-She Said is a monthly advice column featuring a question from a Crosswalk.com reader with responses from a male and female point of view. If you've got a question about anything related to singleness or living the single life, please submit it to He Said-She Said (selected questions will be posted anonymously).
QUESTION: My question is to help anyone, born again and followers of Christ, who are in a similar situation as this. How should we deal with heartbreak? How do you get over the other person when there is a disadvantage that you see that person every so often (such as church or work), and you cannot escape?
HE SAID: Heartbreak is difficult and not something that is easily "gotten over," nor should it necessarily be.
Many of us spend years searching for our lifelong spouse and once we (think we) locate "that" person, we open our heart and lives in an attempt to love and be loved. When our feelings are not reciprocated in the way we hope or want, we are heartbroken and need to take a period to heal, in our own time and in our own way.
What I have discovered through "trial and error" (a.k.a. dating) is most relationships don't work out (surprise!), and it would be beneficial for us to learn from and learn how to manage break-ups since we may encounter them again.
For many of us, it is a day to day journey of struggle, heartache, emotions and growth. Some journeys will be easier than others and some may last longer than others (oftentimes depending upon which side of the break-up you are on). However, your journey can and will lead to peace if you refrain from holding onto bitterness, spite, envy, jealousy and anger against your former "interest."
Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven (Luke 6:37).
We may "think" we are hurting someone by having ill feelings toward them. In reality, we are only hurting ourselves by delaying our grieving, healing, forgiving and growing process. We shouldn't be acting or reacting like those of the world (and as we see on television reality shows), but rather living according to the instructions the Lord gives us in his Word.
The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).
This passage comes from the end of the "marriage chapter" (where many marriage vows originate), and probably isn't frequented much after a break-up. However, we are told the most important things to have are faith, hope and love, of which love is the greatest.
This doesn't just apply to those getting married, but is also wise counsel in every situation (even heartbreaking ones), for those desiring to be married.
Have faith God has plans for you to prosper and not harm you (Jeremiah 29:11).
You may never know or understand why the break-up happened; however, God may be protecting you from this person, He may want you all to himself at this time or he may have someone better suited for you. Whatever the reason, God knows our beginning, the middle and the end and truly wants the best for us, as our Father. Have the faith to recognize it, believe it and live it.
Place your hope in God and his Spirit, not in someone else (Romans 5:5).
It may be difficult to do at times, but placing your hope in a perfect God is a better decision than giving your life to a fallible human. God continually shows this to be true in ways we can't even fathom and hope placed in him does not disappoint. I'm not sure we can say the same about others, or ourselves.
Show love for everyone (including your "ex") (Matthew 5:43).
Love in today's society seems to be so fleeting and have no basis at times. The love God teaches us is neither selfish nor affected by emotions or situation, but rather loves through all things, including trials, faults and disappointments.
I have had my share of heartbreaks, but I can honestly say when all was said and done, I truly wanted what was best for the other person and I was able to pray she would find love and happiness apart from me. That is when I knew I had a grasp of what Jesus meant with regard to unconditional love.
The most difficult part, as you have mentioned, is to see your former interest around work or at church, especially if he or she is with someone else. However, when you reach that point in your healing and forgiveness process when you will want the other person to be happy even if it doesn't include you, you will find a peace that really does transcend all (human) understanding.
This isn't an easy process, it will take time and there is no perfect "formula," but it all begins with releasing any negative feelings you have toward your former partner, forgiving them for whatever wrong they may have done, asking the Lord to heal you of your hurt and pain and holding onto hope, faith and love.
When the next opportunity comes around, and there will be more, you will be better equipped to handle whatever that situation holds.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalms 34:18).
SHE SAID: Maybe it's because I came of age in the '80s, but Def Leppard's "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" kept ringing in my ears the first time I read through your question. Now that has nothing to do with my answer right now. But hey, it's a catchy intro. And it's honest, right?
Moving on …
I remember dealing with heartbreak back in high school when a summer romance ended abruptly before the school year started back up again. It was a mutual split, but it was right before my senior year was to begin. Once school started, the boy I had dated was now "big man on campus," as most senior males might feel as they proudly strut along the school hallways during their last year in high school. [Insert "fun" teenage eye-roll here.]
Thankfully, we didn't have any classes together. But I would see him in passing from time to time and would hear of what new girls he was dating and what not. Yes, I was cordial and would offer a perfunctory "hello" when we crossed paths. But I also wasn't looking for opportunities to spend extra time around him or have in-depth conversations any time soon. There was still pain lurking in my heart as a result of the break-up, and I was still healing.
Fast forward to adulthood, and I have to say that I haven't had to be in a situation like you are describing (either a break-up with someone from a workplace setting or at a church) in a long time. But, in remembering my high school break-up, I can only imagine that it would be awkward in a setting where you could routinely bump into one another and even more so if there is still interest for one of the parties involved.
As you know, a close relationship (whether romantic or platonic) knits two people together, through time spent together, through thoughts, feelings and dreams shared via interpersonal communication and through a whole host of experiences that two may share as they do life together. Add in two people who are believers and share a strong spiritual connection, and that can give it an even deeper dimension (1 John 1:7).
So when there is a break in this type of relationship, there is always some pain associated with the tearing away of what was once bonded so closely. It's inevitable. But I think the key is what you do with that pain in dealing with heartbreak. Do you allow it to cause you to act out and treat the other person unkindly or view him or her with utter disdain? No. Or do you stuff it away and deny that there is anything hurtful that happens to you emotionally any time you are around this person? Again, no.
Okay. So then what? Get as far away as possible, say maybe Timbuktu? Well, perhaps.
But, seriously, you must first acknowledge that this person is still your "neighbor." So you must love him or her as yourself (Mark 12:31). I don't think that means you go out of your way to spend time with them like you used to and try to renew the once-strong ties. But you can still be kind and loving and affirming from a healthy distance (even if you work together or go to church together).
And so I recommend first starting with prayer. We are instructed to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Now you may not view this person as an enemy, but you're certainly not bosom buddies any longer and there is definitely a wall between you now, right? It's a new boundary that has been erected between you as a result of the break-up, and it is emotional protection for the both of you.
Why not pray for this person as you would pray for yourself? No matter who initiated the break-up (or even if it was mutual), there is brokenness involved. And that means healing must happen for both parties.
Lord, I lift up ______ to you today. I pray that you will bring healing to _____ and use this break-up to bring _____ closer to you and glorify your name. You make all things work together for good, and I know you will do so in _______'s life as well as in mine.
Now, praying like that is easier said than done, isn't it? Especially if you've experienced a painful break-up and there is anger or bitterness involved. But in order for God to heal you and work in your heart, it must be softened and it must be pliable and ready to be moved. Thus, praying for this person—as difficult as it may be at first—will help in your healing process and give you new focus (perhaps as God sees it?) in your post break-up situation.
May I also recommend that you talk with someone about how you're feeling right now? At least for women, it is such a relief to get some of the thoughts and fears and concerns out of our heads and into the open (Galatians 6:2). Speaking aloud what you are feeling doesn't necessarily wipe away the pain, but it can be helpful in finding the proper place for those feelings in your life going forward (they don't have to control you or consume you). Usually moms or grandmothers or women who are friends (meaning no romantic ties whatsoever, so for men I don't recommend confiding in someone you are romantically attracted to for this kind of a conversation … find a female who is "safe" and will be a calm and soothing presence) are great resources. Most women love to help someone else process or just listen to whatever it is that needs to be shared by someone who is hurting. I'm sure you're already thinking of someone you know right now who could be very helpful in this regard, and perhaps she can shed some new light on your break-up or help you see the person you once dated as someone who may also be hurting and in need of healing, too.
Finally, I'd recommend giving yourself time to be alone before you jump into another relationship—and especially if you're thinking of rebounding with someone at your workplace or your church. Have you had enough time to heal? Have you been able to hear from the Lord as to what he is trying to teach you in this moment? Or are you looking for anyone close by you can date just to make yourself feel better when you're around the person you were dating?
Check your motives first. And don't date someone at your workplace or church just to rub it in the face of the person you were dating. Beyond being unkind, that's just deceitful. Hurt people hurt people. So make sure your "hurt" is dealt with appropriately and adequately before heading off in search of the next relationship.
As you heal, as you process and as you move forward, remember that God is still here in the midst of it all. He sees, he knows, he hears. And he wants to work in you in a mighty and miraculous way during all of life's circumstances and seasons—including right now as you work through the aftermath of heartbreak (Romans 8:28).
HE is … Cliff Young, a Crosswalk.com contributing writer and a veteran single of many decades. He has traveled the world in search of fresh experiences, serving opportunities, and the perfect woman (for him) and has found that his investments in God, career and youth ministry have paid off in priceless dividends.
SHE is … Laura MacCorkle, Senior Editor at Crosswalk.com. She loves God, her family and her friends. Singleness has taught her patience, deepened her walk with the Lord and afforded her countless (who's counting anyway?) opportunities to whip up an amazing three-course meal for one.
DISCLAIMER: We are not trained psychologists or licensed professionals. We're just average folk who understand what it's like to live the solo life in the twenty-first century. We believe that the Bible is our go-to guide for answers to all of life's questions, and it's where we'll go for guidance when responding to your questions. Also, it's important to note that we write our answers separately (we think they sound eerily similar sometimes, too!).
GOT A QUESTION? If you've got a question about anything related to singleness or living the single life, please submit it to He Said-She Said (selected questions will be posted anonymously). While we are unable to answer every inquiry, we do hope that this column will be an encouragement to you.


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Chickamauga Lake GPS Coordinates Trucker Hat
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Determine the value of your ZEAL shares
With the performance calculator you may determine the value and the performance of your ZEAL shares for a chosen period. For the calculation you may also include the dividends paid. (Assumption: reinvesting dividends at payment date.)
Please enter either the number of your ZEAL shares and the date of purchase (the calculation is based on the Xetra closing price of the relevant date of purchase) or the amount of capital invested and the date of purchase.


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If 'The Thick of It' is the 'Yes, Minister' of the 21st century, isn't it time that Armando Iannucci penned a comtemporary 'Drop the Dead Donkey' for our delectation? Iannucci has gone part way into the press and Dead Donkey territory as he has hinted that a Leveson-style judicial inquiry may well feature in the new 'Thick of It' series, filmed in Spring 2012 and due to air in the autumn. Imagine what The Thick of It will do with THAT.
Paul Merton might cameo as the editor of an irreverant, fortnightly satirical publication. Guido Fawkes could reprise himself. Maybe Peter Mannion will give evidence at the Inquiry - no longer an MP but a professional bagpipe artiste. Or perhaps Malcolm Tucker (now out of government) might have taken advantage of the revolving door between No 10 and the tabloids. Maybe he's done a 'reverse-Coulson' and is now a foul-mouthed red-top editor - all profanity at daily editorial meetings and paranoid about mendacious smears. Oh, how we would laugh...
And with self-referential irony, a completely implausible scenario could be connived where the editor of a revered broadsheet was legally compelled to submit a statement under Section 21 of the Inquiries Act (2005) defending a mildly amusing article about a TV programme which lampoons the Inquiry itself - how funny that would be!
I, James Harding c/o The Times. Times Newspapers Limited of 3 Thomas More Square, London, E98 l XY, will say as follows:No, not a comedy script - behold the Fourth Witness Statement of James Harding, Esq., Editor of the esteemed 'newspaper of record', The Thunderer, called to account for printing "The Leveson inquiry has become the inspiration for the next series of the political satire The Thick of It, the show's creator Armando Iannucci revealed last night. Mr Iannucci said that a 'major inquiry will feature quite heavily' in the next series"
This is my response to the notice under Section 21 of the Inquiries Act dated 5 July 2012.
The Inquiry has asked about two articles published by The Times: "The Joke is on Leveson in new series of The Thick of It", June 19, and "World of Glitz and Glamour that's on the revenue's radar", June 21. In particular you ask why the stories were chosen for publication, why the contents were appropriate and how I consider tile articles comply with the PCC Editors' Code of Practice.
And the second 'Glitz' article? The one on celebrity tax evasion? With the accompanying photograph of Sir Elton John? Well, The Times had to issue an immediate correction and apology to him, and Elton "is currently suing the paper for libel."
You couldn't make it up.
You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Certvalue is one of the growth oriented VAPT consultant in Antigua and Barbuda for providing VAPT Certification in Antigua and Barbuda, St John's, All Saints, Liberta, Piggotts and other major cities in Antigua and Barbuda with the services of implementation, Documentation, Audit, Templates, training, gap analysis and registration process at affordable cost to all organization to get certified under Vulnerability assessment and penetration in Antigua and Barbuda. VAPT Stand for Vulnerability assessment and Penetration testing and these are different Security testing Services. VAPT Certification in Antigua and Barbuda analyzing and quantifying security vulnerabilities in the company environment. VAPT Services in Antigua and Barbuda implement unique purposes and are carried out to get a safe IT environment.
Many organizations of varying types of IT Design and development Companies, Fintech Companies are using VAPT Certification in Antigua and Barbuda as a most recognized method of delivering customer pride and controlling quality of product and Service within their chosen sector. VAPT in Antigua and Barbuda not only can be used to supply enhancements and help assure quality, however the accreditation is often viewed as an assurance of uniformity of product and offerings throughout borders, languages, and cultural boundaries. Therefore, having VAPT in Antigua and Barbuda accreditation can be considered as fine on a reputation basis, as well as a practical one. Implementation of VAPT is different depending on the nature of business. So that the Implementation can be done by VAPT Consultants in Antigua and Barbuda for all the industries in Antigua and Barbuda, which improves the customer satisfaction by identifying their needs and goals.
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The following are the three possible scopes exist:
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Features and Benefits of VAPT Certification in Antigua and Barbuda?
VAPT Certification report in Antigua and Barbuda maintains a project with a more complete application evaluation than any single test alone. Using VAPT in Antigua and Barbuda gives an association a more detailed view of the risk facing its applications, enabling the organization to better secure its systems and information from malicious attacks. Using a VAPT Registration in Antigua and Barbuda provider enables IT security teams to target on mitigating critical vulnerabilities while the VAPT Certification maintain continues to discover and organize vulnerabilities.
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Late last Tuesday, six people went to work at Walmart in Chesapeake, Va., and never came home. As NPR's Sarah McCammon reports, last night, residents of the city gathered to remember them.
SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: At the vigil hosted by the city of Chesapeake in a local city park, six crosses lined the stage in honor of the victims. They died after an overnight supervisor at Walmart opened fire, then turned the gun on himself.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Singing) Tis grace that brought me safe thus far.
MCCAMMON: Flanked by more than a dozen police officers providing security on either side of the stage, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin quoted passages from the Bible and offered prayers for the victims.
GLENN YOUNGKIN: And we pray that Lorenzo, Fernando, Randall, Kellie, Brian and Tyneka will be blessed in paradise.
MCCAMMON: Youngkin made no mention of gun violence, though he alluded to another mass shooting in Virginia earlier this month. Also on stage was Bobby Dyer, mayor of nearby Virginia Beach, which experienced its own mass shooting in 2019. Chesapeake City Councilman Don Casey (ph) read the victims' names. The youngest was 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron, who, Casey said, was working to lessen the burden on his family. The oldest was Randy Blevins, age 70.
DON CAREY: He was a wonderful family man. His favorite holiday was Thanksgiving because he would have the day off from work and could spend time with his family.
MCCAMMON: But not this year. Blevins, Chavez-Barron and their coworkers were taken from their families just two days before Thanksgiving, leaving empty seats at many tables this year and for years to come.
Sarah McCammon, NPR News, Chesapeake. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Successful Landis+Gyr smart metering test largest in Europe
In a first test of its kind, Landis+Gyr demonstrates end-to-end, standards-based integration and continuous data consumption and processing in the Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic and Zug, Switzerland – 5th March, 2013 – Landis+Gyr, the leading global provider of integrated energy management products and a Toshiba Group company, has successfully completed a milestone performance test of its Meter Data Management System and Head End Solution in the Czech Republic for the CEZ Group – one of the largest utility groups in Europe.
The test, which was carried out using virtual infrastructure at the country's Technical University in Brno and the CERIT Scientific Cloud, also located in the Czech Republic, involved the installation of a meter data management system (MDMS) and head end solution (HES). The hardware was scaled for 3.5 million power line carrier, advanced metering management (AMM) meters. A real flow of data, including master data, was created using a data simulator.
"A scale test of this size has no analogy in Europe," said Jaroslav Hendrych, CEO of Landis+Gyr in the Czech Republic. "Our HES and Ecologic MDMS performed exceptionally well giving representatives of the CEZ Group first-hand exposure to these proven solutions. The test itself was also a good example of co-operation with the customer."
"Successful accomplishment of the performance tests is really important to us", said František Müller, Technology Project Leader at ČEZ Měření, "it proves functionality of the existing software for an immensely large volume of data."
Ultimately, the MDMS benchmark furthers the process of enabling the CEZ Group to identify MDMS capable of supporting a large-scale residential AMM rollout. This will in future offer an expanded demand response program and distributed generation support.
The performance test objectives included loading and processing data according to established validation, estimation and editing (VEE) rules. The scale of 3.5 million metering points was chosen as this is the number of metering points that ČEZ holds in the Czech Republic. Further, 15-minute intervals for data read-outs were used. The Landis+Gyr software solutions demonstrated the ability to continuously consume and process data; full VEE processing of daily registered reads and 15-minute interval reads, including four time-of-use reads, as well as nightly VEE processing to accommodate the late arrival of interval data.
The milestone comes after the CEZ Group and Landis+Gyr in the Czech Republic discussed the utility's smart grid plans. This included a 33,000 smart meter pilot project with different communication media and meter vendors.
There is a long history of collaboration between Landis+Gyr and the Czech-based utility. In 2009, Landis+Gyr and ČEZ signed an agreement for a maintenance contract to support the further rollout of its automatic meter reading system, SuperConverge. Landis+Gyr has also helped ČEZ build the largest Industrial, Commercial and Grid (ICG) metering data center in Europe, which is based in the country's capital, Prague.
About Landis+Gyr:
Landis+Gyr is the leading global provider of integrated energy management products tailored to energy company needs and unique in its ability to deliver true end-to-end advanced metering solutions. Today, the Company offers the broadest portfolio of products and services in the electricity metering industry, and is paving the way for the next generation of smart grid. With annualized sales of more than US$1.6 billion, Landis+Gyr, a standalone growth platform of the Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502) and 40% owned by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, operates in 30 countries across five continents, and employs 5,200 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better. More information is available at landisgyr.com.
About ČEZ Group:
ČEZ Group is an established, integrated electricity conglomerate with operations in a number of countries in Central and Southeastern Europe and Turkey, headquartered in the Czech Republic. Its principal businesses encompass generation, trading, and distribution of power and heat, as well as coal mining. Apart from the production and sale of electricity, ČEZ Group also deals in telecommunications, informatics, nuclear research, planning, construction and maintenance of energy facilities, mining raw materials, and processing energy by-products. ČEZ Group is currently one of the three largest heat suppliers in the Czech Republic.
Press Contact:
Stan March
New York
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
+1 678 258 1321