text:
Sam Bunny
Tip Target
We still have a long way to go so that my parents' apartment can be finished, we must get doors, paint, finish the bathrooms and adapt the place so that they can live well and comfortably, I appreciate all the support you can provide to me and my family.
Send tip for this target
Top Contributors
2. second_rock678
3. Bunnys_Dguy
4. sexybull48
5. Dguy6699
Sam Bunny's Details
Sam Bunny's Likes
I'm a graphic designer and currently veterinary study, in my free time I usually play video games, watch series and anime, I like to read and go for a walk
My Fantasies
I would like to be upstairs, have a trio with two boys, and another with three girls, I am a slave of passion and the senses.rnI can be romantic and wild and as dirty as a naughty girl.
My Obsessions & Desires
I like to wear leather, be funny and naughty, I like to take the role of a small cat and be a very obedient slave.
Additional Info
I like to have a good time, to know you better and to speak, then comes the intense, the desire and the lust, I like to fill all my holes, to be so excited that my jets wet my whole bed, I would like to feel and make for you a messy deepthroat and blowjob, massage my nipples and feel, be completely naked and feel so wet, enjoying good music.rnrnI have some small rules that I would like you to follow: Do not beg for a free show since this is annoying, Do not be rude to me or other users, always have fun.
Special Info
I am an extroverted, fun and crazy girl , you will not bored with my company, we can talk about your wildest and wet desires, we can have fun together, and explore together what makes us feel good, like a lamp genius I will grant your most carnal desires.rnDo not hesitate to tell me what you like and what you expect from my show, for me it is very important to know that you are going to have fun.rnrnWhat I would do for you Messy blowjob and deepthroat, fetish,bdsm, feet show, suck nipples,Cum, spanks, saliva, anal, doublepenetration, moans, role play, slave,Bdsm, squirt and more.
My Fetishes
Bondage, Face Sitting, Feet, Latex, Machines, Slaves, Sugar Daddy, Wet and Messy
My Sex Toys
Anal Beads, Ball Gag, Butt Plug, Fucking Machine, Glass Dildo, Handcuffs, Nipple Clamps, Tickler, Vibrator, Whip
Role-Playing Scenarios
Boss / Secretary, Cosplay, Dirty Talk, Master / Slave, Prisoner/Guard, Student/Teacher
My Recent ReviewsMore Reviews Post Review
Model name
Login or Sign up to review this photo.
Be the first to review this photo
Add Photo to List


text:
No products in the cart.
Add 6+ corals to your cart and get 10% DISCOUNT!
This discount is valid per order. Make sure you have 6 or more in the same order to benefit from this discount.
Product reserved for
Check back later
69,90 € 55,92 € incl. VAT excl. shipping
Out of stock
Add 6+ corals to your cart and get 10% DISCOUNT!
Euro Corals doesn't use filters for taking images as this may cause coral images to look different under different types of blue lights available. If you are into filter coral photography for art or any other purpose, our corals will look extremely beautiful using this technique. If you wish to see this coral using a filter, please contact us on our EC-WhatsApp Support +49 175 962 7777 and we will be more than happy to provide it to you. Our images under blue (20K Kelvin/450nm) are taken using other technique similar to the filtered images but we feel that the images are more realistic using it.
We use colour calibration tools and specialised equipment to take and edit pictures as close as possible to the original coral colour. We believe that we are the only coral farm using this type of new technology and we try our very best to show you the right colours in our online shop using it. Euro Corals V2 (after the flood incident) no longer rely on the human eye to edit images of corals in order to reduce human errors. Special tools, hardware and software are used to edit our images to show the correct colour of the coral under 12000K-14000K. For the best experience, you need to have your screen properly calibrated! Keep in mind that if you place a coral under or above 12000K-14000K, the colour may look different.
This Feature comes to you after long research and hard work, a combination of specialised hardware, programming abilities and photography knowledge by the developers of Euro Corals. Don't forget that you have a 100% satisfaction guarantee with Euro Corals and it's our priority.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Recreation & Athletics
UH is a great place for athletes and spectators alike. Our 17 intercollegiate teams compete in the American Athletic Conference, and they've won 33 titles in the past 10 years. Fans turn out in force to cheer on the Cougars and participate in a variety of Cougar traditions.
Cougar spirit can be found beyond the stadiums, courts and fields of intercollegiate sports. Opportunities to play in sports clubs (including fencing, tae kwon do and team handball), on intramural teams (such as table tennis, soccer and dodge ball) and even simple "pick-up" games can be found all over campus. The UH Campus Recreation and Wellness Center offers world-class exercise equipment and facilities for an assortment of recreational activities. There, students, staff, faculty and alumni can be found working out, rock-wall climbing, enjoying aquatics activities and more -- all under one roof!
UH is a great place to indulge the senses with a performance or an art exhibit. Stages on campus host dance, musical and theatrical performances throughout the year. The Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston rotates beautiful and thought-provoking art exhibitions. Our diverse student body lends unique flavors to both creative works and campus surroundings. The sculptures that adorn the outdoor parks, plazas and buildings make the UH campus a feast for the eyes and a wonderful place to relax with friends and family.


text:
Dec 9, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – In an update of a review on the role of neuraminidase inhibitors in seasonal flu prevention and treatment, the authors reversed a previous conclusion that oseltamivir (Tamiflu) prevents complications like pneumonia in healthy patients because they were unable to reconstruct the data in one of the key studies that found a benefit.
The review was published today in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), along with an investigation that the journal conducted with England's Channel 4 News on the authors' attempts to obtain the raw data from Roche, which supported the earlier studies and is the maker of Tamiflu.
The BMJ's investigative report and an accompanying editorial say difficulties the review authors had in verifying the data cloud government stockpiling policies and point to other problems with drug company transparency in the drug approval process and medical journal publishing practices. They also wrote that an earlier Cochrane Library review, published in 2006, should have been more rigorous.
Though today's BMJ articles focus on seasonal flu and healthy patients, they may have implications for pandemic flu, because Tamiflu is the drug of choice for managing H1N1 infections, especially in those with severe illness and those at high risk for complications.
Analysis includes 20 studies
The research team, which included experts from Australia and a doctoral student from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, analyzed 20 published trials on neuraminidase inhibitor use in seasonal flu that focused on prevention, treatment, and adverse reactions. However, they dropped eight trials that were included in the 2006 review, because they were never published and the researchers weren't able to verify the results. According to the BMJ investigative report, Roche wouldn't send the authors the raw data without a signed confidentiality agreement.
They concluded that neuraminidase inhibitors have a modest effect against seasonal flu symptoms in healthy adults, but a scarcity of good data undermines the previous finding that Tamiflu is useful in preventing flu complications. The investigators wrote that independent randomized trials are needed to resolve uncertainties.
During negotiations with the authors over the raw data, Roche sent them a group of observational studies. An analysis of those studies in the same issue of BMJ found that oseltamivir may reduce the risk of pneumonia in healthy patients who have flu, but the benefit is small and side effects and safety should be considered. The authors of the analysis also said interpreting the observational studies was difficult, because some patients were included in more than one study.
In an editorial in the same issue of BMJ, the journal's editor-in-chief, Dr Fiona Godlee, and Mike Clarke, director of the Cochrane Centre in Oxford, England, wrote that Roche hasn't done anything wrong by current pharmaceutical standards, but they said the current system isn't working and "gives a false sense of security."
They wrote that drug company studies are often shrouded in secrecy and aren't always subject to full independent review. They call for more publicly funded trials and said governments should pass laws requiring access to raw data on licensed drugs.
Data access limited
Fred Hayden, MD, a virologist at the University of Virginia and coordinator of influenza activities at the Wellcome Trust, an independent medical research funding charity based in London, was the corresponding author of an analysis that included raw data from some of the Roche-supported studies that Australian researchers couldn't obtain from Roche. That report, published in a 2003 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, has been widely use to support Tamiflu use for preventing flu-related pneumonia and hospitalizations. Hayden said that after several moves he was unable to track down the raw data and advised them to request it from Roche.
Hayden told CIDRAP News that the 2003 findings are still valid and that he supports the researchers' access to the primary data. Roche said in a response to BMJ that it would provide the raw data to researchers who have a legitimate need for it on a password-protected Web portal. "There's no question that this is the right thing to do," Hayden said.
The new BMJ review might send a confusing message to clinicians who are in the midst of treating pandemic H1N1 patients, Hayden said. He said the review focuses on uncomplicated seasonal influenza, and he cautioned physicians not to generalize too broadly from it in their management of pandemic H1N1 cases.
Studies on patients with H5N1 avian influenza infections from different countries have shown that early oseltamivir treatment can reduce mortality, and clinicians are seeing the same pattern for patients with pandemic H1N1 flu.
Hayden is part of a World Health Organization (WHO) panel of antiviral experts that met in June to update WHO guidance for pandemic H1N1 management. He said the group meets again in January to review the most recent data, and he doesn't think the BMJ review will have much of an impact on the discussions.
WHO evaluating reports
Charles Penn, PhD, a scientist with the WHO's global influenza program, told CIDRAP News that the WHO is still evaluating all of the BMJ reports to see how they might affect its antiviral guidelines. However, he said the review isn't based on any new evidence and that its conclusions contain findings about neuraminidase inhibitor use that are already well known, such as a modest benefit in otherwise healthy patients.
He pointed out that the pandemic H1N1 virus is affecting a different age range than seasonal flu, with a small number of very severe cases, including some involving viral pneumonitis. Researchers are building up a body of evidence from 6 months of clinicians' experience in managing pandemic H1N1 patients, and the data suggest oseltamivir is having an impact on severity and hospitalizations.
When queried about a response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the BMJ review, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner referred CIDRAP News to a recent perspective article by Tim Uyeki, MD, MPH.
Uyeki, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC's Influenza Division, wrote in a Nov 18 article in the New England Journal of Medicine that evidence "supports the benefit of neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamiviror zanamivir) in reducing complications, including deaths, among hospitalized patients with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1)."
Uyeki cited three observational studies of oseltamivir in seasonal flu that showed reduced mortality in hospitalized patients.
"Taken together," Uyeki concluded, "although data are limited, findings of observational studies all point in the same direction, suggesting benefit of early neuraminidase inhibitor treatment for hospitalized influenza patients as well as for patients presenting >48 hours after illness onset."
Some conclusions already accepted
Vincent Racaniello, PhD, professor of microbiology at Columbia University and author of Virology Blog, told CIDRAP News that the BMJ studies are well done and the conclusions are valid, but he said scientists have known for a long time that neuraminidase inhibitors are marginally effective. "They were approved because there are no other antivirals available," he said. "In people with lab-confirmed influenza, they work about 70% of the time in reducing symptoms by a day. That's been known for years and these meta-analyses confirm that."
He said the new BMJ review's conclusion that there is no benefit from postexposure prophylaxis for influenza-like illness contradicts earlier studies, but he said some of the illnesses might not have been flu and may not have been affected by neuraminidase inhibitors. "That's one reason why the authors of this study call for more trials," Racaniello said. The other reason they support more study is because they're not sure that the drugs don't prevent complications, he added.
The issue the BMJ articles raise about the release of clinical trial data is "terrific," Racaniello said. "This is immediately relevant because, for example, many people would like to see the results of H1N1 clinical trials before deciding to take the vaccine. They aren't widely available, yet the vaccine is in use," he added.
Racaniello predicted that the new review won't have much affect on policies regarding the use of neuraminidase inhibitors. The drugs help, even if experts aren't sure if they help with complicated influenza, he said. "The study emphasizes the fact that we don't have very good drugs against influenza and we need to have more. Some are in development, but it's not enough."
Jefferson T, Jones M, Doshi P. Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in healthy adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2009 Dec 8;339 (Early online publication) [Full text]
Cohen D. Complications: tracking down the data on oseltamivir. BMJ 2009 Dec 8; web extra [Abstract]
Freemantle N, Calvert M. What can we learn from observational studies of oseltamivir to treat influenza in healthy adults? BMJ 2009 Dec 8;339 [Full text]
Godlee F, Clarke M. Why don't we have all the evidence on oseltamivir? BMJ 2009 Dec 8;339 (Editorial) [Full text]
See also:
Uyeki T. Antiviral treatment for patients hospitalized with 2009 influenza A (H1N1). N Engl J Med 2009 Nov 18 [Full text]


text:
Product: radioSHARK
Manufacturer: Griffin Technology (product page)
MSRP: $69.99 (shop for this item)
System requirements: USB 1.1 port, Windows XP, Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher
Every so often a product comes out that catches the eye. Sometimes it?s because of the styling, other times because of the functionality it promises. The radioSHARK from Griffin Technology falls into that category for the second reason.
Griffin Technology has been known for coming out with cool accessories. I owned one of their PowerMates for quite some time. I never got much use out of it, but I thought it was one of the coolest-looking products with its brushed-metal surface and pulsing purple light. Griffin also makes a whole host of accessories for the iPod as well as the iCurve laptop stand.
The basic premise of the radioSHARK is this: TiVo for radio. It can timeshift live recordings, be set to regularly record a program, or simply used to listen to live radio on either the AM and FM band. It cannot be used to listen to satellite radio or broadcasts streamed over the Internet. It supports any PC or Mac with a free USB port on Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.2.8 or 10.3.
From the time I first heard about it, I wanted one. I listen to the radio quite a bit. When working in my office at home, I often have NPR or the local sports-talk station (WMVP ESPN Radio1000) tuned on my cheap, ten-dollar radio. I was thinking the radioSHARK would be the perfect product for me to record shows that I so often miss: This American Life, The World, and Prairie Home Companion on NPR, and Mac, Jurko, and Harry on the sports-talker. I could also listen to the radio play-by-play of the Chicago Bears on my Mac (instead of putting up with the insipid TV commentary so prevalent these days) while watching the broadcast in another window.
However, like so many new products, release dates kept slipping and slipping. Finally, it appeared on the market in late 2004, and Griffin was kind enough to send us a review unit.
Out of the box experience
The radioSHARK was smaller than I had imagined. The unit itself measures about 7-1/2in x 4in x 2in. It is a semi-glossy white plastic with a metal base. There is a single, 4ft-long white USB cable emanating from the rear of the unit. Along with the radioSHARK receiver came an installation CD and a *gasp* printed manual.
It is a very cool-looking device, to boot. Shaped like a shark fin, it has three curved plastic panels in the side that light up when the unit is plugged in.
I have gotten into the habit of ignoring installation CDs for products like this, preferring instead to check online for the latest versions. I then downloaded version 1.03 of the radioSHARK application for Mac OS X, and version 126.96.36.199 for Windows XP, installed them, and was on my way.
Test systems
Shuttle SB61G2 XPC
PowerMac G5
iMac G5
|2.8GHz Pentium 4
Windows XP SP2
|Dual 2.5GHz PPC 970FX
Mac OS X 10.3.7
|1.8GHz PPC 970FX
Mac OS X 10.3.7


text:
851 Highway 6 Way N (Concession 5 W)
Price: $999,000
Status: For Sale
- Tax: $1,951.49/Annual (2019)
- Community:Rural Flamborough
- City:Hamilton
- Type:Commercial
- Style:Farm
- Size: 4 Sq Ft
- Sewer/Water SystemsNone
Listing Contracted With: RIGHT AT HOME REALTY INC., BROKERAGE
4.3 Acre On One Of The Busiest Sections Of Hwy 6, Between Hwy 401 And 403. Only 5 Mins To Waterdown, Where There Is A Fast Growing Town! 323Ft Frontage On Hwy 6, 613Ft Deep In The Back, Surrounded By Neighbors With Commerce Lands. You May Invest And Open A Business In The Front, Where Thousands Pass By Everyday, Also Build Your Dream House In The Back With Trees.
Permitted Uses: Abattoir, Agriculture, Agr Processing Establishment, Agr Storage, Farm Product Supply Dealer, Kennel, Livestock Assembly Point, Residential Care Facility, Grow Cannabis Is Allowed.


text:
THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
The BETWEEN operator is a handy SQL construct, but it can cause
unexpected results when it isn't understood. Consider the following code
where x between .9 and 1.10
One of the questions you should ask is this: What is x?
What if x has a float, real, or double data type? These data types do not store exact representations of numbers, only approximations. When 0.9 is stored in a real column or variable, it may be between 0.9 and 1.1. Or it may not. When you set a real to 0.9, internally it becomes something very close to but maybe not quite equal to 0.9. Even though you entered 0.9, it could be stored as something slightly less than 0.9.Now consider this:
where x between 9 and 11
If x is an integer and is set to 9, it really is 9 and it will pass the test. Because of data types, never let it be said that all numbers are created equal.
Let's refactor the statement to be free of hardcoded values:where x between y and z
What's wrong with that? I'll simplify it for you. Everything is an integer, x, y, and z are all declared with the integer data type. Once again, the question to ask is what are x, y, and z? Or to be a little clearer, ask what are the values of x, y, and z. The uncertainty arises over the potential values of y and z. Do you know that y will never be more than z? After performing substitutions, what if we have the following?
where 10 between 9 and 11
The statement would be true. But what if after performing substitutions we would have obtained this?
where 10 between 11 and 9
The statement would be false even though 10 is between 9 and 11. We see that order matters - no surprise if you've ever read the documentation. Order is easy to see and deal with when the values are hardcoded. But when you have variables, what if you really don't know a priori if y <= z? You need to think of BETWEEN as a number line. Look at these next two snippets to see what happens when the order of the BETWEEN values is changed:
where -10 between -9 and -11 -- this does NOT workwhere -10 between -11 and -9 -- this works
Here is a workaround to this dilemma of not knowing the relative positions on y and z on the number line:
where x between y and z or x between z and y
I've left you with a workaround and a challenge. I like interactivity with my readers, so I ask you to post your workaround as a comment. Another workaround is to refactor the problem into checking for a +/- 10% change. Here's something you can copy and paste to get started:
declare @x int = 10;declare @y int = 9;declare @z int = 11;
select 'this works' where @x between @y and @z or @x between @z and @y;
There is one more thing that about the first code snippet shown above that caught my attention. The two numbers .9 and 1.10 violate the Joint Commission's guidelines on numbers used in prescriptions. The Joint Commission issues guidelines for healthcare institutions to prevent errors and not kill patients, among other things. There is a "Do Not Use" list of abbreviations and formatting styles that have been proven to cause medical errors. A number such as .9 is more likely to be seen as 9 than 0.9 is. Numbers formatted as 1.10 or 1.0 are also dangerous. The 1.0 is more likely to be misinterpreted as 10 than 1. is. Misinterpretations of decimal numbers have repeatedly been proven to kill patients. These formatting guidelines were originally developed for handwritten prescriptions. Some people think the guidelines should also be applied to computerized forms. I'm not suggesting you change your T-SQL code, but I thought those of you who do user interface design might find this discussion interesting.
Wow, datatypes and order matter - it could lead to obscure logical bugs!
Thanks for bringing this up
Hi John,
What about dates? Is there any difference between the following:
WHERE CreatedDate BETWEEN '2013-01-01' AND '2013-01-31'
WHERE CreatedDate >= '2013-01-01' AND CreatedDate <= '2013-01-31'
Good article and thanks.
Nice Article John :)
Stan, those are equivalent statements. Be sure to keep in mind that '2013-01-31' is actually '2013-01-31 00:00:00' and that '2013-01-31 14:22:05', for example, is greater than '2013-01-31 00:00:00'.
Thanks John for the clarity. That was very helpful.


text:
- Kristy McLean: 2008 Team Beachbody Game® Winner
- The Secret to Kristy's Success!
- Nutrition 911, Part VIII: Pop Goes the Diet—The Worst Food in the World
- Test Your Warning Label IQ!
Suppose the world were only one of God's jokes, would you work any the less to make it a good joke instead of a bad one?
Kristy McLean: 2008 Team Beachbody Game® Winner
One man and one woman from four different age groups were selected as the best of the best of the 2008 Success Stories. And on March 14, 2009, at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles, California, Kristy McLean and Dallas Carter were each awarded the Grand Prize of $250,000! Read Kristy's story below. Find out what inspired her to transform her body and her life—maybe it'll inspire you to be the Team Beachbody Game winner in 2009!*
THEN: At 235 pounds, I had sciatica and low energy. While in satisfactory physical health, my emotional health was a nightmare. I felt hopeless, huge, and embarrassed. Somewhere inside me was a strong, confident person with amazing potential, but anytime she tried to surface, my self-conscious persona would squash her with negative self-talk and insecurity. Getting dressed was miserable, and I started every day feeling defeated. I began ignoring myself, avoiding the mirror or trying to look cute. From someone who started her life as a confident, self-assured girl, this was a sign that something needed to change.
NOW: I'm confident, inspired, determined, and in control of my physical and emotional well-being. As I make my own fitness [my] #1 priority, everything else in my life is falling into place. My entire family and community look to me as a role model, offering hope that they too can achieve their goals. I found my passion and a new career in fitness. Having conquered my biggest challenge in life (my weight and negative self-perception), I can accomplish ANYTHING—failure is not an option. I receive comments, emails, and Facebook posts daily from those who I have inspired with my story (please log on and read them for yourself!). This is my accountability, and [it] drives me toward continued results.
Two factors solidify my transformation: consistency and accountability. The consistency came with commitment to [doing] daily Turbo Jam workouts in my garage or at the gym. Missing a workout was not an option.
Accountability was the missing link in my previous attempts to maintain weight loss. Becoming a Team Beachbody Coach in June 2008 and winning the July 2008 MDB [Team Beachbody] Game was the one-two punch that added accountability to my plan and changed everything, starting a chain reaction from that point forward.
July 2008
- OC SlimDown Challenge
- Led 20 participants to lose [an] average 7 lbs., 7 inches in 10 days
- Built my credibility as a Team Beachbody Coach
- Enhanced my accountability and confidence, having revealed my story and inspired others
- Launched www.OCSlimDownChallenge.com
- Added Beachbody supplements, shakes, and new workouts. Result: Increased product awareness, more muscle definition, [and] finely tuned diet by incorporating techniques and recipes found in various Beachbody programs and [Team] Beachbody Club online resources.
August 2008
- Turbo Camp
- Turbo Kick Certification
- Started private Turbo Kick program MWF 5:30 AM
- 100 percent retention
- Over 75 customers to date
September 2008
- Identified fitness as my passion; decided that all of my future professional endeavors will be in health/fitness
- Rated "Rock Star" (highest rank) at Chalene Johnson's All-Star Instructor Training
October 2008
- Turbo Birthday Bash - Led 40 friends in Turbo class [to celebrate] my 34th birthday—best birthday party ever! No indulgent eating or drinking? Amazing.
- Taste of Foothill Fundraiser benefiting FR Elementary School
- Featured Fit Kids Club/Meal Replacement Shakes
- Established myself as a fitness icon in my own community
- Led 2 more 10-Day Fitness Challenges in Foothill Ranch and San Diego
November 2008
- Launched TK [Turbo Kick] VIP monthly pass with unlimited classes, weigh-ins, [and] 1-on-1 coaching
- Added consistency and accountability, the foundations of my continued success, to my Turbo Kick program
- Members have lost up to 10 lbs. and 2 jean sizes in 3 months, and claim to have increased energy, motivation, and now find exercise fun!
December 2008
- Obtained two contract jobs as a marketing consultant and freelance writer in the fitness industry. I remember thinking years ago, "I love working out and learning about fitness . . . If someone would just pay me to exercise and write about it, then I would be fit and happy." Is this really happening? My dream has come true.
January 2009
- ChaLEAN Extreme 60-Day Challenge with Coach Monica Gray
- Over 50 participants, including my dad (63 yrs. [old]; 100 lbs. overweight), mom (64 yrs. [old]; leukemia survivor with arthritis), husband (has lost 40 lbs. to date), brother, friends, and two of my personally sponsored Coaches—all achieving faster results than ever before. My sister (mother of three) has lost over 30 lbs. and exercises with her best friend (my personally sponsored Coach, Laura Carlton) to Beachbody programs at home. My ENTIRE family is involved and getting results!
Having accomplished all of this in just 6 months, I can only imagine what is in store for 2009. My goals include building my Coaching and Turbo Kick businesses, investing contest winnings in entrepreneurial fitness ventures and fundraisers, [becoming] Top Coach 2009, [getting] more professional fitness certifications, and continuing to inspire others to be active participants in their own lives. As I coach and inspire more people, my accountability grows and I become even more inspired myself. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my personal transformation would result in the realization that one person truly can make a difference in this world.
There is no turning back . . . I have found my "WHY!"
|Weight: 235 lbs.
|Weight: 157 lbs.
|Weight: 145 lbs.
|Body Fat: 33%
|Body Fat: 24%
|Body Fat: 12%
|Chest: 42"
|Chest: 36"
|Chest: 34"
|Waist: 39"
|Waist: 31"
|Waist: 28"
|Hips: 49"
|Hips: 39"
|Hips: 37"
*The Team Beachbody contest and sweepstakes and Beachbody Coach business opportunity are currently available only to U.S. residents. Certain limitations and restrictions apply. Please review the daily sweepstakes and monthly contest rules posted on TeamBeachbody.com for details. Charges may appear on your bill as Beachbody or Team Beachbody.
Related Articles
"Dallas Carter: 2008 Team Beachbody Game® Winner"
"7 Tips to Prevent a Diet Catastrophe"
"10 Tips to Creating a Perfect Body Image"
Got something to say? Chat with the writers and other readers this coming Monday, April 6th, at 8:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM PT, in the Beachbody Chatroom!
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, click here to add a comment in the newsletter review section or you can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.
Nutrition 911, Part VIII: Pop Goes the Diet—The Worst Food in the WorldBy Steve Edwards
Since all great things come in threes (or is it celebrity deaths?), we're going to complete our sugar trilogy with a look at the worst food in the world: soda pop. Forget about brands; whether it's Coke, Dr. Pepper, or even Hansen's Natural, it's all junk. There are different degrees of "junkiness," but this is Nutrition 911, so we're sticking with the bird's-eye perspective. The taste might make you happy, but from a nutritional point of view, soda's only place in the world is to make people fat, sick, and unhappy.
Alarming statistics
In America, we drink a lot of cola (or "un-cola"). A lot. On average, we each drank 52.4 gallons in 2005, and this figure includes infants, healthy folks, prisoners, etc., meaning that the average soda drinker actually gulps (their word) more than this. Carbonated soft drinks are the biggest single caloric source in the American diet. Teenagers in particular are hooked on the stuff and get an average of 13 percent of their daily calories from "pop." If this doesn't scare you, it should. In terms of sheer amount, these statistics could be alarming if it were any one food. A proper diet should have some balance and diversity. And soda pop is the antithesis of "any food." It's bad food.
"Empty calories"
We use the term "empty calories" for foods like soda that have no place in a nutritious diet. This term is ridiculously misleading. The calories in soda are far from empty. Most of them come from sugar. In the U.S., it's nearly always high fructose corn syrup, the cheapest, most processed sugar on the market. Other ingredients include caffeine, various phosphates and acids, and artificial colorings. We'll get to their effects on the human body in a minute, but first, let's stick to the simple stuff. Per day, the average teenager consumes between 10 and 15 teaspoons of refined sugar via soda—which, according to government standards, is about their daily requirement for all foods. This means that for the average teenager, his or her soda consumption virtually eliminates his or her chances of eating a balanced diet. There's nothing empty about that.
Weird science
The soda companies are a marketing juggernaut. They spend roughly $700 million a year on media advertising alone—not to mention hundreds of millions more sponsoring events, athletes, musicians, and such. This volume of cash makes it difficult for consumers to avoid them, by design. To avoid the temptation to drink Coke, you've got to be highly principled or living in the middle of the jungle. And even then, well, I once happened upon a soda vending machine halfway up Mount Yarigatake in the Japanese Alps, and a friend traveling in Guatemala found Coke in a rural area that didn't have running water. Let's just say that soda companies are going to continue making it easy for you to find the stuff.
This type of marketing machine won't go away quietly. With the stats listed above, you could certainly put two and two together and link soda companies to the childhood (and adult) obesity epidemic that is arguably the world's most serious health crisis. Yet, while researching this article, I came across a widely published "study" stating that "soft drink consumption has no effect on childhood obesity." Suspicious from the get-go (the word "no" being a huge red flag), it didn't take me long to find this statement: "The research paper was supported by an unrestricted gift from the American Beverage Association." Bingo. Remember those Phillip Morris tobacco "studies" that promised a long and healthy life from chain smoking?
What makes it so bad?
Besides the simple caloric trade-off, sodas are formulated to give you a rush. The sugar is mixed with phosphates designed to speed it into your system. It's so good, in fact, that many cyclists prefer Coca-Cola to specific sports food when they need a sugar rush near the end of races. And while a sugar rush is a good thing when you're trying to exceed your anaerobic threshold and you're out of blood glycogen (never mind if you don't know what this is), it's a bad thing whenever you're not, which even for a competitive cyclist is 99.9 percent of the time.
Beyond the simple sugar rush, these acids and phosphates alter your body's pH levels and inhibit the absorption of other nutrients. Then there are the effects of certain artificial coloring agents. For example, yellow #5, commonly used in soft drinks, has been linked to attention deficit disorder, hives, asthma, and other allergic reactions in some children.
Then there is the nutrient trade-off to consider. A person who drinks one Big Gulp per day must go to great lengths to maintain a balanced diet. Otherwise, they will almost certainly be deficient in numerous vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and essential fatty or amino acids—none of which is found in soda. For this reason, soda is often linked to type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, dental erosion, and a higher risk of kidney stones and heart disease. And that's just a start. There's plenty of less scientific data linking soda to poor scholastic habits, which we'll get to in a later class.
Diet sodas and juices
In an attempt to become thought of as healthier, soda companies have diversified into non-carbonated beverages and diet sodas. While these are an improvement in some ways, they are hardly a solution to the problem.
First off, most juices and other caloric non-soda alternatives are mainly just sugar and water without the carbonation. A quick label comparison between a commercial orange juice and a Mountain Dew would show a similar "bottom line" with regards to calories and sugar. The only improvement would be the lack of the non-caloric offenders.
But that's no small matter, as the true effects of these ingredients have not been thoroughly studied. Despite their no-calorie status, diet sodas have been linked to assorted illnesses. Recent studies have backed up my more anecdotal evidence that I've yet to have a client not lose weight by kicking diet soda. Granted, all of my clients drank an excessive amount, but regardless, there is little doubt that the pH balance of diet sodas hinders the body's ability to absorb nutrients, and that just may be the tip of the non-caloric iceberg.
A large-scale study in 2007 showed that men and women who had more than one diet soda a day were 31 percent more likely to be obese and 25 percent more likely to have both high triglycerides and blood sugar, and they had a 50 percent greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Never mind if you don't know what metabolic syndrome is. Just trust me when I tell you that you don't want it.
How can you help?
In my world, soft drinks would come with the same type of regulatory language as cigarettes and booze, at least. Actually, in my world, we'd all be educated and wouldn't require this language at all, but that's Politics 911, not Nutrition 911. Anyway, here are five ways you can help educate the public about the dangers of soda, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Contact your local government officials and/or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and suggest that:
- National and local governments should require chain restaurants to declare the calorie content of soft drinks and all other items on menus and menu boards.
- The FDA should require labels on non-diet soft drinks to state that frequent consumption of those drinks promotes obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, osteoporosis, and other health problems.
- Local, state, and federal governments should provide water fountains in schools, government buildings, parks, and other public spaces.
- School systems and other organizations catering to children should stop selling soft drinks (as well as candy and other junk foods) in hallways, shops, and cafeterias.
- State and local governments should consider levying small taxes on soft drinks, with the revenues earmarked for promoting health and fitness. A national 2-cent tax on a can of soda pop would raise $3 billion annually.
Are you scared yet? You should be. Or you could just stop drinking soda. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? That's all the time we have this week. Next week, we'll take a look at water. We know we're supposed to drink that, right?
Related Articles
"Nutrition 911, Part VII: Sugar vs. Fat: Which Is Worse?"
"Nutrition 911, Part VI: Sweeteners"
"Nutrition 911, Part V: 5 Quick Steps to Mastering Food Labels"
"Nutrition 911, Part IV: What 'Fat Free' and 'Low Carb' Really Mean"
"Nutrition 911, Part III: Deciphering Marketing Jargon"
"Nutrition 911, Part II: What to Eat"
"Nutrition 911"
Got something to say? Chat with the writers and other readers this coming Monday, April 6th, at 8:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM PT, in the Beachbody Chatroom!
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, click here to add a comment in the newsletter review section or you can email us at email@example.com.
Check out our Fitness Advisor's responses to your comments in Steve Edwards' Mailbag on the Message Boards. If you'd like to receive Steve Edwards' Mailbag by email, click here to subscribe to Steve's Health and Fitness Newsletter. And if you'd like to know more about Steve's views on fitness, nutrition, and outdoor sports, read his blog, The Straight Dope.
Test Your Warning Label IQ!By DeLane McDuffie
Warning labels and signs are everywhere. Some are unique to each of us. For instance, for years, whenever I visited a greasy spoon, I knew that the quality of the food was inversely proportionate to the number of teeth the head cook had. The fewer teeth, the tastier the food. Moreover, warning labels populate our grocery stores' aisles. Although they're necessary due to the litigious times we live in, some of these labels are more questionable than others. See if you can guess the products that bear these puzzling warning labels.
- Silk Soy Milk - Shake well and buy often. This mix of instruction and marketing advice is as subtle and smooth as its brand name implies.
- Kellogg's Corn Flakes - Corn used in this product. No, you're not reading a typo. It actually says that on the side panel. This ranks #2 in the "ehhh . . . obviously" department, barely beating out the tie between Hagan Ice Cream's reported on-the-nose disclaimer, "Caution: Ice cream is cold," and the "Warning: May cause drowsiness" disclaimer found on some sleeping pills.
- C&H Cane Sugar - Ingredient: Sugar. Here's your "ehhh . . . obviously" champion right here. At least there can be no claim of false advertising.
- Axe Body Spray - Avoid spraying in eyes. I don't know about you, but I'm not aware of any person with smelly eyeballs. And if there are any out there, then please inform them that maybe they should consult a physician now. Right now. Stop reading. Go!
- Children's Benadryl Allergy Tablets - Be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery. It's hard to let this one slide when you realize that the medicine is developed for children and not adults, so the disclaimer seems a wee bit oddly placed. However, if you happen to see any drowsy 14-month-old construction workers operating cranes and forklifts, call the authorities . . . and tell that kid to
be careful.
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, click here to add a comment in the newsletter review section or you can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Print this page


text:
nitrous oxide(redirected from N 2 O)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.
nitrous oxideor
nitrogen (I) oxide,chemical compound, N2O, a colorless gas with a sweetish taste and odor. Its density is 1.977 grams per liter at STP. It is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, and other solvents. Although it does not burn, it supports combustion since it decomposes into oxygen and nitrogen when heated. The gas is prepared commercially by the thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3, at about 240°C; to produce nitrous oxide and water; the reaction must be carefully controlled to prevent explosive decomposition of the nitrous oxide. The gas is purified, liquified by compressing and cooling it, and stored in metal cylinders. A major use of nitrous oxide is in anesthesia, e.g., in dentistry. It is commonly called laughing gas since it produces euphoria and mirth when inhaled in small amounts. It is also used in making certain canned pressurized foods, e.g., instant whipped cream. Nitrous oxide was discovered (1772) by Joseph Priestley, who called it "diminished nitrous air"; he prepared it from "nitrous air" (nitric oxide, NO) by treatment with iron powder or a mixture of iron and sulfur powders. Its properties were further studied (1799) by Sir Humphry DavyDavy, Sir Humphry,
1778–1829, English chemist and physicist. The son of a woodcarver, he received his early education at Truro and was apprenticed (1795) to a surgeon-apothecary at Penzance.
..... Click the link for more information. .
Nitrous Oxide
laughing gas, one of the oxides of nitrogen. It is used as medicine in a mixture with oxygen to induce inhalation narcosis in surgical operations and childbirth, and sometimes in myocardial infarction. It was called laughing gas by the English chemist H. Davy, who, while experimenting on himself to study the effect of nitrous oxide (1799), observed excitation in the initial phase, accompanied by laughter and chaotic body movements, and, in the following phase, unconsciousness.
nitrous oxide[′nī·trəs ′äk'sīd]
(inorganic chemistry)
N2O Colorless, sweet-tasting gas, boiling at -90°C; slightly soluble in water, soluble in alcohol; used as a food aerosol, and as an anesthetic in dentistry and surgery. Also known as laughing gas; nitrogen monoxide.
nitrous oxide
a colourless nonflammable slightly soluble gas with a sweet smell: used as an anaesthetic in dentistry and surgery. Formula: N2O


text:
Choosing Coverage
- How to choose an HSA, FSA or HRA for your employees
Learn about health spending accounts and how to decide which one to choose for your employees.
- What is the PCP Focus network?
Learn about the PCP Focus Network, a custom primary care physician HMO network that helps employers save on premiums.
- How do I enroll in a plan and pay my bill?
Employers and groups who want to buy insurance from us will find out how to get enrolled and how to make a payment.
Plan documents and forms
- Change of Status Form
Employers can give this form to employees who need to enroll in a health insurance plan, choose primary care physician or update their personal information.
- Group Brochures
You and your employees can learn more about employer-sponsored health plans through Blue Care Network by reading these brochures.


text:
"The unique thing about Nabokov is that he practiced the writing of fiction as a form of sorcery. His…"
"The unique thing about Nabokov is that he practiced the writing of fiction as a form of sorcery. His novels and stories draw you in with their language and their humor, not to mention his troupe of demented narrators who seem to be descendants of Poe's band of madmen. But behind the language and the humor there is another dimension, a world of a terrible desperation where Nabokov works like a wizard to make the impossible happen right before the readers eyes—specifically, to defeat the limitations of time and space, to recover the losses brought about by the ravaging vicissitudes of one's life and by the course of history itself, and, ultimately, to defeat death.This is the underworld of Nabokov's works, and it's most obvious and moving in his masterpiece, Lolita, wherein the principal characters, who are declared as dead in the preface to the book, are all brought back to life in quite spectral ways by the writing of the book itself. Of course, the magic doesn't really work, except from a strictly aesthetic perspective, but perhaps that's the deepest meaning of Nabokov's fiction."
– Thomas Ligotti (via jaded-toddler)
via Dansk Jävlarna http://ift.tt/21ocZsf
July 24, 2016 at 07:22AM


text:
Envelope Colors
Envelope Address Printing Available
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Send loved ones a festive note with our personalized holiday card sets. We've teamed up with our family of designers to bring you the jolliest designs. Find your favorite and personalize the inside, or leave space for your handwritten message.
10 cents from the sale of every Christmas card sold goes to Women for Women International – the inspiring charity that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives.
UK Charity Registration Number: 1115109
7" x 5"
Lovely textured premium paper (324gsm). Warm-white in colour.
Minimum order: 10
Personalized messaging will be applied to every card. It's not possible to customize cards individually within our sets
Basic envelopes are free, but why not upgrade to a colorful envelope?


text:
|*November 12 - 18
|Unity Amid Diversity
Read for This Week's Study:
|Matt. 28:18-20, Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:28-31, Eph. 4:1-16.
Memory Text:
| "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in
one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all"
We have reached the midpoint of the Epistle. The first three chapters set forth the theology of Christian unity, a unity that overrides all the divisive factors in humankind. The last three chapters deal with the practical implications of that unity in the life of a Christian. So, Paul moves from theology to practice, from exposition to exhortation, from what God has done to what we should do in response to what God has done for us. Our theology must inform our morality, and our morality must reflect our theology.
Thus, Paul now turns his attention to the kind of life believers should live in accordance with the great theological insight of the mystery of Christ. The Jew/Gentile unity is no myth but a reality that demands a "walk worthy of the calling" (Eph. 4:1, NKJV).
The Week at a Glance:
|Why does Paul tell us to "walk worthy" of our calling? What does that mean? What kind of diversity will exist amid the unity that should be the hallmark of God's church? What are the gifts given to individuals in the church? How does Paul describe growth in Christ?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 19.
|November 13
Walking Worthy (Eph. 4:1-3)
In the first three chapters, Paul talked so much about what God has done in Christ for us. Now, as a result, he tells us to "walk worthy" of our vocation, and he tells us how we should do that. What are the five graces foundational to Christian character, and what is your understanding of what each one means? (Eph. 4:2, 3). Compare what you wrote to what the lesson below says.
Gentleness or meekness is essential to the unity of the church. Being the denial of self-assertion, meekness does not react even in the face of provocation. In the end the meek will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5).
Patience or longsuffering is a characteristic of God Himself. He is "longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9, NKJV). Patience means endurance in the face of affliction, refusal to avenge wrongs, and not giving up hope for repairing ruptured relationships.
"Bearing with one another" (Eph. 4:2, NKJV) means more than mutual tolerance. It involves understanding the other person and a willingness to forgive and accept one another.
All these graces, of course, are rooted in love, and it is this active practice of love that preserves relationships and promotes peace and unity in the Christian community and beyond.
|Humility, gentleness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and lovehow well did you manifest any of these traits in the past week? If there were something you could do over again, what would it be? More important, how can you avoid making the same mistake again?
|November 14
Unity: Why Oneness? (Eph. 4:4-6).
Read Ephesians 4:4-6. What's the one crucial theme in these three verses, a theme we've already seen in this Epistle so far?
God has mandated the unity of the Christian body. One God through one Christ has redeemed us from sin, given to us one faith, regenerated us through one Spirit, made us members of one body through one baptism, and given to us one eternal hope.
As we study this sevenfold formula of oneness, another significant factor needs to be noted. The entire Godhead is involved in the oneness of the church. That is in keeping with the spirit of the Epistle, which often emphasizes the role of the Trinity in redemptive history.
God the Father"who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:6, NKJV). He is all in all.
God the Son"the author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb. 12:2, NIV), "the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27), the foundation of the church, His body.
God the Holy Spiritthe agency of our new-birth experience, which leads us to baptism (1 Cor. 12:13).
"In the fourth chapter of Ephesians the plan of God is so plainly and simply revealed that all His children may lay hold upon the truth. Here the means which He has appointed to keep unity in His church, that its members may reveal to the world a healthy religious experience, is plainly declared."Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1117.
|"Satan separates. God unites. Love binds us together." So said the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody. No one would like to be an agent of Satan, and all of us would like to be instruments of God's love. Why are the five graces talked about in yesterday's lesson so crucial in order for us to experience this unity that is discussed in today's lesson?
|November 15
Unity: Diversity of Gifts (1 Cor. 12:28-31, Eph. 4: 7-11)
Ephesians 4:6 speaks of God as the "Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (NKJV). The emphasis that we all have the same father stresses the unity of the church. Now in verse 7, Paul says that "to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift" (NKJV). All have not received the same gift, nor in the same measure (vs. 11). Thus, Paul turns from "all of us" (vs. 6) to "each one of us" (vs. 7)and so from unity to diversity in the church. Diversity does not mean division; it means there are different gifts, and these gifts should be used for the unity of the church. After all, the same Spirit that distributes the gifts allows us to work together for the strengthening and building of God's church.
Read Ephesians 4:7-11. What is Paul telling us here? How do these words help us understand the gifts He has given us?
"When He ascended on high" (vs. 8, NKJV), He gave gifts to the believers; that is, when He ascended to heaven, He poured out the Spirit on the earth. But what are we to understand by verse 9, where Paul states: "He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth" (NKJV)? The contrast between "ascended" and "descended" is not spatial but theological. His ascent and exaltation to the presence of God is contrasted with His descent to, and deepest humiliation of, the Cross (Phil. 2:5-11). The victory in the descent and the exaltation in the ascent are celebrated by the giving of the gifts to the church, whose members Christ has plucked from the prince of darkness. By His victory over Satan and His ascent to "far above all the heavens" (Eph. 4:10, NKJV), Christ fills all things. He is the Lord of the universe and yet linked closely with the church on earth and fills her with His gifts.
|Name the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11. Compare these with gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28-31. What does Paul say about the nature and use of gifts? At the same time, ask, yourself, "What is my gift? How have I used it recently? What practical ways can I enhance my gift in order to make it more effective in the Lord's work?"
|November 16
Unity: Equipped for the Ministry (Eph. 4:12, 13)
We have just been studying the gifts the Lord has given His church. Paul then lists, in Ephesians 4:12, two reasons for those gifts. What are they? How do they relate to each other?
This raises the question, Who are the ministers of the church? According to the New Testament, all Christians are ministers, commissioned by the Lord Himself to go, make disciples of all nations, baptize, and teach (Matt. 28:18-20). The work of the ministry is not committed to a privileged few (clergy) but to all who profess the name of Christ. The Christian ministry is a people-to-people, one-to-one, ministry. No church member can claim exemption from the ministry, and no clergy person can claim exclusive privilege to the ministry.
The second reason for the giving of the gifts is "for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12, NKJV). Whatever gifts we haveteaching, preaching, evangelism, healing, counseling, visiting, comforting, helpingare not to be hoarded for personal use. They are for the corporate good and growth of the church, and the hoarders will have their gifts taken from them (Matt. 25:24-30). The church can grow only when its members love and care for one another and together reach out to the surrounding community with the grace and love of Christ. Ministry of all members will hasten the day when the entire globe will be encircled by the saving message of Christ. In this way the church will exercise "the unity of the faith" and will receive the "fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13, NKJV). A person filled with Christ cannot remain silent when someone out there is without Christ. That is the motive of ministry.
|Imagine what your local church would be like if everyone, using his or her gifts, were involved in the work of ministry. What can you do to help move your church toward this gospel ideal?
|November 17
Unity: Growing Up in Christ (Eph. 4:14-16)
Ephesians 4:12, 13 closes with the note that spiritual gifts are given not only to equip the saints for the ministry of the church but also to lead them to the "measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (NKJV). Coming to Christ, experiencing the unity that transcends all divisions and being equipped for the ministry are not enough. Christians must grow in Christ. Verses 14-16 outline elements of such growth. (Verses 17-32, our study next week, continue to define this growth to emphasize living as the new person in full maturity.)
Ephesians 4:14 says we should "be no more children." How do we understand this with Christ's words in Matthew 18:3?
God wants us to be childlike but not childish. He expects us to "put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11) and assert the maturity of adulthood with which one can make a distinction between the spiritual and the worldly and take solid food instead of milk (1 Cor. 3:2).
What else is Paul warning us about in verse 14? How well have you fared in this area?
Firmness involves stability in what we believe, in how we sift truth from error, and in not being deceived by those who claim to have the truth. It requires strong grounding in God's Word so that when the "trickery," "craftiness," and "plotting" (Eph. 4:14, NKJV) confront us, we may stand firm on God's testimony (Isa. 8:20).
Paul also talks about "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). Literally, it is doing the truth. And doing it in love. The church must distinguish between the gospel and heresy, and even here truth must put on love. "Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth."John R. W. Stott, The Message of Ephesians, p. 172.
Finally, the ultimate sign of growth is unreserved commitment and obedience to Christ. We are the body, and every part and function of the body must be linked to, and integrated in, Christ.
Is "truth" still "truth" even if spoken in harshness? Defend your answer.
|November 18
Further Study:
|Spiritual gifts. "It is the absence of the Spirit that makes the
gospel ministry so powerless. Learning, talents, eloquence, every natural
or acquired endowment, may be possessed; but without the presence of the
Spirit of God, no heart will be touched, no sinner be won to Christ. On the
other hand, if they are connected with Christ, if the gifts of the Spirit
are theirs, the poorest and most ignorant of His disciples will have a power
that will tell upon hearts. God makes them the channel for the outworking
of the highest influence in the universe."Ellen G. White, Christ's
Object Lessons, p. 328.
Christian growth. "The germination of the seed represents the beginning of spiritual life, and the development of the plant is a beautiful figure of Christian growth. As in nature, so in grace; there can be no life without growth. The plant must either grow or die. As its growth is silent and imperceptible, but continuous, so is the development of the Christian life. At every stage of development our life may be perfect; yet if God's purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be continual advancement. . . . We shall become strong to bear responsibility, and our maturity will be in proportion to our privileges."Pages 65, 66.
Discussion Questions:
| Discuss in class the question asked at the end of Thursday's
Look at the Ellen White quote above where she says that at every stage of development we may be "perfect." What does that mean?
Read again Ephesians 4:14. How important is doctrinal purity to Paul? As a class, talk about how much importance should be placed on doctrine. In what ways might we be guilty of overemphasizing or underemphasizing doctrine?
Suppose someone were to say to you, "How do I discover what my spiritual gift is?" How would you answer them? In general, how are we able to discover what our gifts are?
|I N S I D E Story
|"Go In and Listen!"
by MARK SOLOMON
"Go in! Go in and listen!" a voice urged young Nolty Swartbooi. Who's talking to me? he wondered as he walked past the Adventist church on his way to town in Upington, South Africa.
Nolty's family were Christians. Once in their family devotions they encountered the Sabbath commandment, but their pastor told them that the Sabbath was no longer binding on Christians.
Then Nolty found a Voice of Prophecy correspondence course enrollment card and signed up for the lessons. Again he encountered the Sabbath question; again his pastor dismissed it.
As Nolty walked past the church, the congregation's enthusiastic singing caught his attention. Nolty entered the little Adventist church and was greeted warmly. The church, he learned, was holding evangelistic meetings.
As he listened to the speaker, the message sounded familiar. This is what I read in the Bible lessons! he thought. Nolty returned every evening, and there he found answers to the questions that troubled him. Before the evangelistic meetings ended, Nolty was convinced that he had found God's true church, and he must be a part of it.
But when Nolty told his father about his discovery, his father became angry. "That church is a sect!" his father roared. "Don't go there again!" But Nolty was convinced that God had spoken to him. On Sabbath, Nolty asked the members to pray for him. He was willing to give up everything to worship God on His holy day. When he arrived home that afternoon, his father again warned him that if he continued disobeying him, he would have to leave home.
Nolty went to his room and prayed for wisdom and for strength to do what God commanded. Then he went to talk to his father. "Father," he said, "you taught me to follow God's commandments, and I have." Then Nolty opened his Bible and read verse after verse relating to the Sabbath. His father listened in shocked silence to his son's careful explanation. When Nolty finished the Bible study, he told his father, "I want do to what the Bible tells me. What do you think?" His father could not object; a month later Nolty was baptized.
Life is not easy in the region of South Africa where Nolty lives. Jobs are few, and hope is hard to come by. Alcoholism, HIV, and AIDS are rampant. Nolty would like to continue his education and become a pastor so he can work with youth, showing them that the hope they need is found only in Jesus.
MARK SOLOMON is a pastor in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
|Produced by the General Conference Office
of Mission Awareness
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com website: www.adventistmission.org
Join the SSNET moderated email discussion group. You are also warmly invited to join a group discussion of this lesson Sabbath morning with your local Seventh-day Adventist congregation.
Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver
Spring, MD 20904.
Principal Contributor: John M. Fowler
Editor: Clifford R. Goldstein
Associate Editor: Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti
Production Manager: Soraya Homayouni Parish
Editorial Assistant: Larie S. Gray
Pacific Press Coordinator: Paul A. Hey
Art and Design: Lars Justinen
Concept Design: Dever Design
Copyright © 2005 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. All Rights Reserved.
SSNET Web Site Home page.
Directory of adult SS quarterly Bible Study guides.
Prepared for the Internet by the SSNET Web
Last updated October 8, 2005.


text:
Have interest and click the website to consult:
Riding Airwheel redefines a person's own wonderful with a different kind of way and it is the ideal tool for you, no matter from the utility, aesthetics or price. Firstly, the quality of Airwheel mini electric scooter enjoys a good reputation among purchasers. It is equipped with good quality accessories. They used branded lithium battery, quality tyre, and synthetic resin shells, which are made up of advanced Nano-material. The renowned brands are the insurance of quality.
Then, Airwheel has various functions. Airwheel can only accommodate one person riding, regardless of which type it belongs to, from the exquisite E3 backpack e bike to the R5 electric moped bike. What's more, there are three protections: speed limit protection, low battery protection and tilting protection. Once the cycling data exceeds the safety value, Airwheel intelligent power scooter will send out the buzzing sound to warn users. Through balancing chip double backup technique, even if one chip fails, the other balance chip system will immediately take over the work, to ensure its security.
Also, the stylish appearance ensures that travel is not lonely. When you are travelling alone, how do you make people feel you are not lonely? A beautiful appearance including the wearing, and traveling tool is very important. The shell of Airwheel is made of advanced material, with strong plasticity, which not only can ensure the vehicle's sturdy, and makes the appearance more beautiful. In addition to the eye-catching Z8 2 wheel electric scooter, and other electric scooters, there are intelligent helmets, like C6 and C8 to safeguard the travel.
Besides, riding Airwheel will reduce cost greatly. For personal travel, Airwheel provides riders with the most reasonable price, with the aim to let more people benefit from the smart tool. Even travelling alone, you can be exciting and have no feeling of lonely with the company of Airwheel mars rover.
Media Contact
Company Name: Airwheel Holding Limited
Contact Person: Eric
Email: email@example.com
Phone: +8618651968700
Country: United States
Website: http://www.airwheel.net


text:
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE:HMN) announced today that its Board of Directors appointed Marita Zuraitis to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer and elected her a member of Horace Mann's Board of Directors. Following a successful four-month transition period, and consistent with his previously disclosed Transition Agreement, former President and CEO Peter Heckman has resigned from the Board. Heckman will remain available to the company on a consultative basis for the remainder of the year.
"The Board is deeply grateful to Pete Heckman for his 13 years of service with the company, especially the last three years as President and CEO, including this smooth transition to his successor," said Gabriel Shaheen, Chairman of the Board. "Through his outstanding leadership, Pete and his team have built a solid financial foundation and have moved the company forward significantly. We now look to Marita's vision and leadership to continue the mission of taking Horace Mann to the next level."
Zuraitis joined Horace Mann on May 13, 2013 as President and Chief Executive Officer-Elect. She came to Horace Mann from The Hanover Insurance Group where she was President of Hanover's property and casualty companies and a member of The Hanover's Executive Leadership Team.
"My four-month transition working with Pete has been invaluable and validated my initial assessment of Horace Mann as a financially strong company with dedicated agents and employees focused on serving the educator marketplace," said Zuraitis. "I look forward to building on that foundation and profitably growing the business."
Horace Mann -- the largest national multiline insurance company focusing on educators' financial needs -- provides auto and homeowners insurance, retirement annuities, life insurance and other financial solutions. Founded by Educators for Educators® in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Ill. For more information, visit www.horacemann.com.
CONTACT: Investor Relations, Ryan Greenier, 217-788-5738, email@example.com, or Media Relations, Michelle Eccles, 217-788-5394, email@example.com
Student loan forgiveness
Complete this form to receive your personal student loan analysis.
Find out if you qualify
Student Loan Solutions Workshop
Bring our workshop to your school. Learn how to manage student loan debt.
Request a workshop
One-on-one consultation
Get a complimentary review of your student loans.
Contact your local Horace Mann rep
Private loan solutions
Check if you can get a lower rate by privately refinancing in under 2 minutes.
Get my rate
Student Loan Forgiveness
Find out if you qualify
Student Loan Solutions Workshop
Request a workshop
One-on-one consultation
Contact your local rep
Private loan solutions
Get my rate
© 2017 Horace Mann Educators Corporation
CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-999-1030


text:
Profile Informations
Shipping Address
or login
- Description
DetailsSpider _Designed by scanner ( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:187271/#files ) _Spider (order Araneida or Araneae), any of more than 43,200 species of arachnids that differ from insects in having eight legs rather than six and in having the body divided into two parts rather than three. The use of silk is highly developed among spiders. Spider behaviour and appearance are diverse, and the araneids outside Europe, Japan, and North America have not been thoroughly collected and studied. _All spiders are predators, feeding almost entirely on other arthropods, especially insects. Some spiders are active hunters that chase and overpower their prey. These typically have a well-developed sense of touch or sight. Other spiders instead weave silk snares, or webs, to capture prey. Webs are instinctively constructed and effectively trap flying insects. Many spiders inject venom into their prey to kill it quickly, whereas others first use silk wrappings to immobilize their victims.
- Additional Information
Additional Information
SKU 10000289 Length [mm] 73.35 Width [mm] 67.32 Height [mm] 41 Volume [cm³] 8.57 Area [cm²] 67.55
- Reviews


text:
I know things have been a little quiet around here this week, I think I checked out for the holiday like last weekend. I've been busily putting up Christmas around my house and have been slow to be able to take pictures and get things posted, so while you're enjoying your turkey and most likely putting up your Christmas tree this weekend, I thought I'd share my first printable of Christmas with you {Yes, I said first. I've been on a little "kick" and have a few more coming.}
Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and I'll see you next week for some major decking of the halls!
*Printables are for My Fabuless Life followers, so please take a minute and follow via your method of choice located in the sidebar.*


text:
I've had a few identity conversations lately with Q. Not of the "what's your identity" type, as he doesn't seem to have many questions around that, but more of the type that gets into the grey areas of how he plays out his preferences. Like about his hair and his clothing choices. It's interesting to notice how ensconced he is in his staunch view that choices he makes are because he LIKES things. And that clothes should be for KIDS, not for boys or girls. And on and on down that line of reasoning. I think he's so settled in this place, for now, that he told me today that thinking about "boys liking girl things" is sort of outside of the domain of his thought. Today I was chatting with him about The Princess Boy. And, in many ways, Q's response was, to one extent or the other, "What's all the hullabaloo. He's a kid and that's what he likes." I'm intrigued by this all, particularly as there are still parts of who Q is that make life quite hard for him at times. Our biggest struggle of late involves locker rooms and the pain that he's experienced there…for both being mistaken for a girl and for being questioned about his fashion choices.
Choices, mind you — as in, "choosing what I like to wear." Not "choosing to wear girls' clothes." I appreciate that there's a nuanced distinction for Q. And that he can voice it to a certain extent. I don't think the world is yet that nuanced, unfortunately, but there are many paving the way. Thank goodness.
So, identity. It's an intriguing thing.


text:
Innovatech has developed a unique chemical dispensing system specifically for the industrial and institutional market. Under the BUNCY brand of chemicals, Innovatech offers a complete line of concentrated chemicals in its proprietary three-liter bottle and dispensing unit. With Innovatech, there is no equipment to purchase or lease, there are no service calls and there is no down time to your facility. The BUNCY line of chemical products is highly concentrated to yield a low ready-to-use (RTU) dilution cost. This no-chemical contact dispensing system promotes end user safety and protects the environment, all while saving you money.
Click for Innovatech USA LLC


text:
Lightning McQueen Cardboard Car by Greene Acres Hobby Farm
Tow Mater by Greene Acres Hobby Farm
Cardboard Train (Locomotive) by Greene Acres Hobby Farm
Cardboard Pirate Ship (Boat) by Willing to Risk Ready To Go
Cardboard Angry Birds from Crafts By Amanda
Cardboard Robots by Cardboard Crafts
Cardboard Suitcases by Ikatbag.com
And the ultimate cardboard genius...Mr. McGroovy His photos are all copyrighted so you will have to just check out his website and flickr albumns. Look at this amazing pirate ship that would be perfect for our upcoming birthday party! I would love for you to share links to some of your own cardboard crafts and projects!
3/5/12 Update...I made my boys their very own cardboard pirate ship. Instructions here.


text:
But on a school night, with myriad projects to work on and a pressing need for sleep, last night's 14 inning, 7-5 loss to the Rangers was a bit of a shit sandwich. After seeing an A.J. Burnett sinking stinkball skitter between Gregg Zaun's wickets in the top of the 14th, we rolled over and told Mrs. Tao to wake us up if they managed to come back.
Unfortunately for us, the only thing that woke us up was the demonic squeal of the alarm clock.
Random thinkings
Gregg Zaun continues to like small ball, breakfast: When the Zaunbie King took second on a barely passed ball in the 12th, we were almost ready to concede that this whole small-ball, tempting fate running the bases like a maniac thing might just be working. Almost.
Joe Inglett
Don't be fooled by Brian Tallet's ERA: Sure, it's sitting at a sweet 2.00, but Tallet's two walks and a hit in two-thirds of an inning was a flaming bag of poo left on Jesse Litsch's doorstep.


text:
Russ Says: The Perfect Replacement For Charlie Sheen Is Charlie Sheen…Duh!
Rumors have been swirling that Rob Lowe, John Stamos or some other troll will be taking over Charlie's role on Two & A Half Men, I don't think there's any need to replace him in the first place!
Charlie Sheen has been fired from Two & A Half Men, but unlike American Idol changing judges successfully, replacing Charlie will be the biggest mistake of all time! Though Charlie said in one of his latest radio interviews he'd love to see Rob Lowe replace him, it is only because Charlie would still get paid, thanks to a well placed clause in his contract. If CBS wants the show to continue, then it's time to make nice and finish the shows run with the people who made it into a monster hit in the first place.
Look at it this way, imagine if Jennifer Aniston got fired from Friends years ago for saying she was a "warlock," calling her bosses "narcissistic clowns" and parading around with a machete. It would have changed the show (and Jennifer) forever. However, Friends would have never been able to replace Rachel, because (let's be honest), Jennifer is single-handedly the biggest star who came from that show. Replacing her for ranting just wouldn't work in the big picture.
Think about it! What if Charlie Sheen is right? Could show creator Chuck Lorre actually be a jerk? Are the people involved in the show screwing Charlie over?
Maybe the only thing to question is how Charlie Sheen is presenting his argument. We are so used to stars and celebrities lying to us, so it's hard to trust the real life persona he has been displaying — as funny or crazy as it may seem. I, for one, will be on Team Sheen in all his business affairs. CBS is missing out on the WINNING!
I hope CBS makes the right decision and cancels the show, or rehires Charlie Sheen. He is the man for the job… bar none!


text:
How Smart Grids Lead to IT/OT Convergence
The smart grid is the response from utilities to European energy policy designed to promote a carbon-independent society. The smart grid is a transformed power system that can accommodate a large penetration of distributed renewables, system flexibility and consumer participation in markets by combining information and communications technology (ICT) with existing and innovative energy infrastructure.
This white paper presents:
1. Use cases in:
- Fault and Outage Management
- Network Quality and Efficiency
- Asset Management – Network Planning
- Distributed Renewable Energy and Low-Carbon Technology Integration
2. IT/OT Integration
3. Privacy and Security


text:
Please contact email@example.com
Our customer service team is on duty during working hours (CET) on weekdays. We aim to answer your inquiry as soon as possible.
All measurements are given in centimeters.
Waist and chest are measured front + back.
100% Bio-Baumwolle, Fairtrade zertifiziert
Das Model ist 189cm groß und trägt M


text:
Welcome to Pathway To Recovery
Thank you for visiting Pathway To Recovery's web site. Inside, you will find a variety of information about the various programs and services we offer clients throughout the region.
You'll also learn about the staff and many volunteers who help make the Pathway To Recovery organization as effective as possible.
If you are looking for information about particular addictions and conditions, visit our Links section which can point you in the right direction for trustworthy information.
And we also ask for your generous support of our mission by making a donation – just use the "Donate" link to the left – to help keep our organization operating in these tough budgetary times.


text:
One size almost never fits all – especially when it comes to your financial needs and goals. That's why WFG offers products and services from over 221 trusted providers.
Let's find a fit for your needs and goals.
416.677.3536 or Schedule a Call
WFG financial professionals help many of the industry's top financial services and insurance companies bring their products to families throughout North America.
The list above indicates companies that have a relationship with World Financial Group. It is not necessarily a list of product providers the WFG associate identified on this webpage is able to represent. Product availability may be restricted due to licensing and/or provincial requirements.
Our focus is to change lives by matching education with common financial tools and strategies that help families overcome real-life financial challenges. The knowledge and ability to save, protect, and grow money is something everyone should have access to.
The most important part of preparing for the future is protecting it. You may be able to help clients prepare for uncertainty, as they may live too long, die too soon, or become disabled. They need products that can help them protect the life they've built.
A key to any financial strategy is preparing for retirement. You may be able to offer people a variety of options to help them prepare for their leisure years.
Whether preparing to send the first - or fifth - child to college, many families can benefit from the help of a financial professional.
Without a personal legacy plan, the value of someone's estate can be eroded by taxes, and the disposition of their assets may not be what they intended. Families need to be aware of this risk. They need a financial professional who can work with their attorney and tax professional in funding legacy strategies that can include life insurance products.
A strategy to cover any unforeseen expenses due to a critical illness or disability can be a key component of a solid financial foundation. Although the need for living benefits may not seem immediately necessary for many people, the time to plan is now. In the event of a loss of income, living benefits help ensure the financial impact to families is lessened.
Small business owners may need financial and insurance solutions for themselves and their employees, and they need to ensure the future security of their business. As a licensed WFG associate, you may be able to offer a variety of financial products to help them meet these needs.
Less than one third of Canadians have insurance coverage for serious life events1
The number of Canadians who haven't saved enough for their retirement2
1. https://www.lifehealthpro.ca/news/around-one-third-of-canadian-households-do-not-have-life-insurance-says-limra-303930.aspx
2. https://td.mediaroom.com/2019-01-15-Growing-Number-of-Canadians-Unprepared-for-Retirement
Get the brochureAchieve Your DreamsDownload


text:
By Archbishop Charles J. Chaput
Renewal of faith begins with our 'yes' to God
The 2008 election has come and gone, but with a difficult economy, an on-going war and an incoming administration committed to troubling policies on abortion and other sanctity of life issues, the challenges facing us as a country seem just as intractable as they were a month ago. Elections focus our attention.
They fire up our emotions. But the real work of applying our Catholic faith to building a culture of life must happen between our trips to the voting booth.
This week Catholics have an opportunity to wash away the grime and heavy feelings of a long campaign season. Thanksgiving Day reminds us that gratitude is the beginning of joy. We cannot be happy unless we're first grateful; and gratitude can only come about through yet another virtue—humility, which is the ability to see beyond ourselves to the needs, feelings and rights of others.
Despite our nation's problems, God has given us enormous blessings as a people. The Thanksgiving holiday serves perfectly as a doorway to the First Sunday of Advent, which opens the new Church year this weekend.
Advent is a chance to begin again; a time to examine our hearts in the light of the Gospel, repent of our sins and look for the coming of our Savior. We can't really experience or understand Christmas unless we first conform our hearts to the longing of Advent. Advent calls us all to refocus our lives on God's promise of deliverance and the flesh-and-blood reality of Jesus Christ, our deliverer—who came to us first in Bethlehem, comes to us today in the Eucharist, and will come again at the end of time.
Like any deep human relationship, our Catholic faith, to be genuine, must have consequences—first in our private lives, but also in our public witness. If we really believe in the coming of a Messiah, our lives will reflect that in the way we treat our families, our friends and business colleagues, the poor, the homeless and the suffering.
Real faith will drive us to live our lives in a spirit of humility, hope and courage, as Mary did. It will also guide us to press our public leaders for laws and social policies that respect the dignity of the human person, from conception to natural death.
Jesus, his mother and Joseph knew the reality of poverty firsthand. They knew the fear of being without shelter; of being hunted by enemies and being "strangers in a strange land" as refugees in Egypt. The "poor" in modern America take many forms: the elderly without adequate health care; the unemployed single parent; the undocumented immigrant; the homeless family; and most urgently and callously of all, the unwanted, unborn child.
As a society, we have our work cut out for us. But all genuinely Catholic action begins and ends in the worship of Jesus Christ. If we want to change the world, we begin by saying "yes" to God, as Mary did. We begin with our own obedience to God, using Mary as our model.
It's no accident that Mary is the patroness of the Archdiocese of Denver, and that the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception—the mother church for all Catholics in northern Colorado—is dedicated to her. There's no better way to immerse ourselves in the meaning of Advent and the renewal of our own Catholic identity than to pray over the witness of Mary in the Gospel of Luke, and to focus our hearts on her. This is our chance to begin again; to start the new Church year with the longing for God that leads to Bethlehem, to our own renewal, and to the conversion of the world.
Printed with permission from the Archdiocese of Denver.


text:
The search found 135 results in 0.01 seconds.
Non-heterosexual women who feel a disconnect between who they are attracted to and how they identify themselves may have a higher risk of alcohol abuse, according to a new study led by Amelia E. Talley, an assistant professor in Texas Tech University's Department of Psychological Sciences.
More Americans than ever before are supporting their local food markets, and it's not just because they believe the food is fresher and tastes better.
Heavily marketed as a safer, healthful alternative to smoking, electronic cigarettes are under fire from California health officials who have declared "vaping" a public health threat, hoping to head off the type of deceptive manipulation that tobacco companies succeeded with for decades, according to researchers.
A new study finds that many U.S. adults — roughly one in five — are deeply religious, know a lot about science, and support many practical uses of science and technology in everyday life, but reject scientific explanations of creation and evolution.
Putting the lie to "digital dualism" in an essay on the inseparability of online and offline selves.
As work regimes become global, social communication increasingly occurs across locations far apart. In the absence of a common national, ethnic, or organizational culture across continents, what makes communication possible among social worlds technologically integrated in real time? Taking India's global call centers as the focus of analysis, this article attempts to solve the riddle of communication by showing how transnational business practices rely on the transmutation of cultural communication into global communication through the processes of neutralization and mimesis.
This research is an initial investigation into the ways community-based learning increase the cognitive skills central to the exercise of the sociological imagination. In addition to identifying a means to reveal that learning had occurred, we looked for evidence that the students were mastering sociological content, especially the concepts and habits of the sociological imagination.
Blended learning, in the form of screencasts to be viewed online outside of class, was incorporated into three sections of an introductory sociology course in a liberal arts college setting. The screencasts were used to introduce concepts and theories to provide more time for discussion in class and more opportunity for students to review concepts and theories outside of class. Students' use and their perceptions of the impact of the screencasts were assessed with an in-class survey instrument in addition to a web-based college-administered survey.
Americans love crime. The criminal justice system is fetishized in popular culture and news media. We watch the news and scour the Internet to assess our own moral compass, take cues from others' digressions, and bear witness to justice and punishment. Historically, we learned about crime through news media and fiction. The Internet has dramatically changed this landscape: for the first time, mug shots and jailhouse rosters are available with a click.
This article isolates and observes the impact of peer readership on low-stakes reflective writing assignments in two large Introduction to Sociology classes. Through a comparative content analysis of over 2,000 private reflective journal entries and semipublic reflective blog posts, I find that both practices produce distinct forms of reflection. I argue that these differences can be understood in terms of the risks that students take in their writing.


text:
by Funko
$ 8.00
These pint-sized rascals will weasel their way into your heart as surely as they'll find their way onto your shelf! The Ghost Busters Peter Venkman Vinyl Figure measures approximately 3-inches tall. This loveable little hero comes in a double window-box package to fully display the character from both front and back!


text:
Explore a whole new universe off the Malagasy shores: set sails towards an untouched environment, the beauty of which has been preserved from excessive tourism. Enjoy the sandy beaches and turquoise water, take a moment to inhale the fresh air of the sea and discover the unexpected around the islands.
In the far North of Diégo Suarez, many excursions are available: ship out from the Baie du Courrier and its desert islands towards the Cap Sébastien and its moorings, and then proceed to Nosy Lava, the northernmost island of the Mitsio islands. This archipelago is worth the detour before heading towards Nosy Be and its neighboring islands. From the "Perfume Island" starts a new adventure… Why not a loop around Nosy Mamoko, Kisimany, the Baie des Russes, Nosy Iranja and Sakatia? The Radama Islands are a paradise where the water slightly darkens only during rainy season.
Day excursions to the small islands around Nosy Be, or special trips are available, through various means of transportation: in a sailboat, a boat, a traditional pirogue, a speedboat, or a catamaran.
Put the western fast pace way of life behind and enjoy the virtues of farniente, the stunning sunsets, the starlit nights, and the intimacy in a warm atmosphere sprinkled with endlessly-renewed sensations.
Malagasy waters are among the finest diving spots on the planet. An endless array of colorful fish with exotic names continuously weaves their underwater ballet, in a landscape of shells and corals with indescribable shapes. Dive among the clown fish, the butterflies, the lions, the unicorns, the napoleons or the surgeon-fish, but also manta rays and one of the biggest fish in the world, the harmless whale shark.
Everything will encourage you to relax or to dive. On coasts or at sea, the spots are located in three main areas: The South-West, Nosy Be and Sainte Marie. The southwest has the world's third largest coral reef, offshore from Tuléar. The Baie de Saint Vincent: "banyans land", the bay of Ifaty and the reef of Andranobe are very popular diving spots. The southern arch, with its lost fishing villages and its waves will please the surfers and windsurfers.
Nosy Be's natural diversity and magnificent coastline makes it an impressive marine exploration site. Beginners and advance divers alike will be pleased to encounter the Black Coral (for level II divers), with its colonies of black coral which can grow up to 1,5 m high, and its impressive tubastrea blossoms. For beginners and all levels, the waters of Tanihely will reveal rich colors and a wide variety of marine species. For the most advanced, the diving centers offer unforgettable dives and excursions.
Last but not least, Sainte Marie and its famous Île aux Nattes, its 2 sites outside the lagoon and another one beneath the wreck. The Island of Sainte Marie or Nosy Boraha, is a little tropical paradise on the East coast of Madagascar. Its authenticity stems from its lush lagoons, the likelihood of seeing humpback whales… and why not, sip coco punch in front of the sea at sunset!
All these aspects make the island the perfect destination for discovery and relaxation.
Tuléar has the world's third largest coral reef. Rabesandratana, a great figure in Malagasy oceanography describes it in his own words as: "an 18 km-long and 1 to 3km-wide barrier reef. The coral reef is the Vezo's (people from Tuléar) treasure".
Mangily, Anakao and Nosy Ve, three very popular sites will cause you enjoy the sea. The Ifaty lagoon, 40km from Tuléar, in the Gulf of Mozambique, is also appreciated for its beaches: a haven between the turquoise water of the lagoon and the inland southern dry forest vegetation.
Diving centers open all year-long. However, the best period for diving is from April to mid-January.
Grab your boards!
Madagascar has idyllic sites which will please curl fans. In Fort-Dauphin, Vinanibe boasts the most beautiful waves of the region, and its nautical centre displays good logistics and accommodation infrastructures. 300Km from Antananarivo, Lavanono has hosted an international contest. Be prepared for a difficult access and compulsory camping, but the "Promised Sea" has to be deserved!
For kite and windsurfing, Tuléar holds the best conditions: magnificent landscapes, waves and… more waves generated by the southern hemisphere swell, in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
The deep waters of the Mozambique Channel are approximately 12 km offshore from the barrier.
The ideal place for an introduction to surfing is in Mahambo, in the North of Tamatave: it boasts appropriate safety equipment, instructors, beach guards and surfing standards inspired by those of the most advanced countries. In the Baie des Sakalava, near Diégo Suarez, windsurfing is a hit: trade winds blow more than six months a year.
The best surfing season is from April to late August. During this period, the air temperature lies between 29° and 32° Celsius, and the water is 25° Celsius. There is no wind, or very little off shore. The other months: water is 25° to 29° Celsius and the air 32° to 40° Celsius or more. Relative humidity is 35 to 60%. Very little swell in February and March, but each year is different… In general, swell occurs every year, with cross-shore (slightly off) wind in the afternoon, which is perfect for kite surfers and surfers.
From nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, the Indian Ocean was a whale hunting area. Since 1979, it has become a whale sanctuary. The Malagasy humpback whales come from Antarctica where they spend all summer gorging on krill. Around June, the lactating females and their calves born the year before are the first ones to arrive after a 5000km journey. To tourists' delight, the observation season extends until September.
It is all the more interesting that humpback whales are the most talented in jumping, also called "breaching". They can thrust their body entirely out of the water, and dive back in in a huge splash. Though no one really knows why whales stick their tail fins above the surface of the water, this facilitates the photographic identification of each individual. Whales can be seen off the shores of Nosy be, Tuléar, Fort-Dauphin or Morondava. Two major sites, however, are singled out: Baie d'Antongil, which constitutes an important breeding area, and the Island of Sainte Marie where commercial observation is thoroughly regulated. The Association CETAMADA, consisting of Indian Ocean's marine mammals observers and conservation specialists, as well as the Tourism Operators' Group offer scientific tutorial cruises from July 1st to September 30th. This is a specific migration period for whales, which come into the channel of Sainte Marie to mate and give birth. On board, you will be provided with explanations, and the chance to attend conferences.
Malagasy waters have a well-deserved reputation. With their great diversity of species and numerous sport fishing sites, they attract many professional and amateur anglers. The beauty and the magic of the setting will take you through an extraordinary adventure.
Nosy Be and its region is undoubtedly the hotbed for modern sports fishing. Depending on the tide, you can practice handline, trolling and cast fishing in a single day. Warning to enthusiastic fishermen: sea creatures will test you to your limits well before you reach that of the local fishing potential. The most interesting catches are Yellow-fin Tunas (April-May), Barracudas (from September to May, with peaks in October and February), Bonitos, Dorados, Sailfish, Trevally Ignobilis, Dolphinfish, blue and black Marlins, two other species of Marlins, Wahoos, and dozens of species of sharks, including the dreadful Tiger shark. In different sites, many centers use the most advanced fishing techniques. Some hotels have also integrated fishing into their list of activities. Alone, as a couple or in a group of fellow fishermen, come and experience the famous "Mora Mora": a Malagasy way of life, which loosely translates into: "take your time to live"!!


text:
Digital Excursion: Growing Knowledge ExhibitionSarah Davenport15 October 2010
We are pleased to invite you to the next UCL Digital Excursion, which will take place at the British Library on 25 October, 5.30 – 7.30 pm.
By joining this Excursion, you will be the first to experience the "Growing Knowledge: The evolution of research" exhibition – an initiative designed to demonstrate the vision for future digital research services at the British Library. The Excursion will introduce you to a number of features, including digital signage, video demonstrations, interactive welcome animations, an interface touch-table and a prototype "Researcher's Desktop" application. You will be able to sample each of the tools and applications presented, including some of the latest creations by Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.
The exhibition explores the value of libraries and research in present and future digital times, the use of social networks and social media, and asks questions about the inter-relations and synergies between research and technology.
The programme will be as follows:
- 17.30: one of the curators from the British Library will give an introductory talk about the exhibition.
- 18.00: hands-on time for you to explore the exhibition and try out the digital facilities.
- 18.30: Event closure, with possibility to chat on if you wish.
Refreshments will be provided.
Please note that the CIBER group at UCL is evaluating the exhibition for the British Library, and a researcher, Peter Williams, will hope to informally interview as many people as possible, either at the event or at a later date, about your experiences.
If you wish to attend, please register and bring the printout of the invitation with you on the day. We will be meeting you outside the British Library.