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Thrive Market: Is it Worth It?
After getting served a Thrive Market ad for the millionth time, I cracked and decided to check them out. In order to even view their product offering and pricing, you have to create a login. I'm super crazy about that, but I got over it, figuring I already get a ton of junk, promotional emails, what's one more? So, I rolled the dice and signed up for a free trial. Below is my 100% honest review (FYI – I make zero dollars on this blog right now… ZERO).
How Thrive Market Works
It's like Costco, only online. And for organic / ethically sourced products. And most of the time, not bulk quantities. Just cheaper than what you'd pay at places like Whole Foods. So, maybe it's not that much like Costco. You do have to pay a membership fee though, which is what made me want to say it's like Costco. Right now, they charge $59.95 annually. You do receive a 30-day free trial before you have to pay the annual fee, and from what I understand, you can place as many orders as you'd like during that trial period. Once that 30-day period is up, you'll automatically get charged the annual membership fee unless you've canceled ahead of time.
Actual Savings from Thrive Market
Here's a look at my some items from my recent orders from Thrive Market. I compared the prices I paid at Thrive to the prices I'd normally pay for the same (or similar) products. I don't shop regularly at Whole Foods or other fancy natural stores, so I guessed I probably already paid less than their advertised "retail price." My guess was right. Most of my "actual" prices below come from HEB… if the product isn't stocked there, it's from Target or GNC.
So, I definitely saved money on these products. However, my actual savings were less than HALF of what Thrive said I'd be saving. That being said, I love Vega protein powder and it's expensive as hell. Thrive saves me almost $6.74 per container… the rate my husband and I go through protein powder, that will easily add up to about $75 per year. I also try to use natural, unscented beauty care items (including natural deodorant I use – don't stand too close to me at the gym), and I saw sizable savings on that too.
Plus, I received an additional 15% off my first order, which isn't factored in. I've also received a bag of chia seeds, a container of coconut oil, and a container of chipotle mayo (all full-sized) for free. I actually use all those products, so that was pretty awesome. Between that and the savings on protein powder & personal care items, I was sold!
Overall Thrive Market Review
The Good:
- Free 30-day trial period
- For every membership purchased, they give away a free membership to low income
- Good savings on certain items
- No issues with shipping or the packaging products so far
- Nice interface, pretty easy to find & browse products
- Free shipping over $49
- Most of the time there's extra perks like free items or additional discounts
The Bad:
- The fact you have to pay for an annual subscription fee
- Some products are still cheaper at my local grocery store – Buyer beware!
- I was excited to try to save some money on my fish oil supplements, but they have a limited selection and are almost always out of stock
- You'll still need to shop at your regular grocery store for produce, meat, etc. Thrive is just good for packaged products.
The Ugly:
- To cancel your trial before you get charged for a membership, you have to fill out a form online then wait for a customer service rep to reach out to you. The rep tries to persuade you to stay before actually canceling the membership. So, if you're a forgetful person, I could see it being really easy to accidentally pay the membership fee for the year. That being said, when I tried to cancel they offered me the membership at half price. The price reduction made me feel more confident it was worth the membership fee, so I ended up becoming a member. So, I guess their system is effective…
Final Verdict
For me, Thrive Market was a thumbs up. However, if it wasn't for the type of protein powder I buy, I'm not sure if the savings would be worth the membership fee. Do your research! Also, try to do one large order spaced further out than smaller, frequent orders. This way, you'll always get free shipping and qualify for extra bonus offers.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Pellet gun which has created havoc in Kashmir and turned the valley of beauties kashmir into valley of blind is now at center-stage of global criticism especially in backdrop of recent Amnesty International report.
Amnesty International report has brought gruesome realities to fore with reference to pellet guns. Amnesty said it interviewed people aged from nine to 65.
"In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that change in Kashmir will not come from guns or abuses – na goli, na gali. If the government truly means this, they must end the use of pellet-firing shotguns, which have caused immense suffering in Kashmir," Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India, said in a statement.
The report named 88 people, who were injured by pellets fired by security forces to quell protests in the Valley between 2014 and 2017. Of them, 31 suffered injuries to both the eyes, with two of them losing their vision completely, the report said. Speaking on the occasion, the executive director of Amnesty International India, Aakar Patel, demanded that the central and state governments ensure "the weapons are used in line with international human rights standards".
"Pellet guns are only used in Jammu and Kashmir and not anywhere else in India. We have raised the issue with the government and it has assured us that they will be used only in extreme situations. We were told that the government understands that the damage caused by pellets is disproportionate," he said.
Pellet gun deserves ban if the state and central governments want to save further havoc and try to win back peoples trust.


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- Research article
- Open Access
- Open Peer Review
Effect of scheduled monitoring of liver function during anti-Tuberculosis treatment in a retrospective cohort in China
© Wu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012
- Received: 7 February 2012
- Accepted: 19 June 2012
- Published: 19 June 2012
Data on effect of regular liver function monitoring during anti-TB treatment is limited in China. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of scheduled liver function monitoring on identification of asymptomatic liver damage and anti-TB treatment outcomes during anti-TB treatment.
A retrospective analysis was performed based on a national-level cohort study. A total of 273 patients developing liver dysfunction were divided into two groups, 111 patients who were diagnosed through scheduled liver function test within two months after initiation of anti-TB treatment formed scheduled monitoring group, others who were diagnosed due to developing symptoms formed passive detection group (n = 162). The two groups were compared through clinical features, prognosis of liver dysfunction and impact on anti-TB treatment using propensity score weighting analysis.
33.3% of 273 patients did not have any clinical symptoms, including 8 with severe hepatotoxicity. 1.8% in scheduled monitoring group and 11.1% in passive detection group required hospitalization (P = 0.004). Regarding the prognosis of liver dysfunction, most patients recovered, no death happened in scheduled monitoring group while 3 died in passive detection group. In terms of impact on anti-TB treatment, 35.1% in scheduled monitoring group and 56.8% in passive detection group changed their anti-TB treatment (P = 0.001).
Scheduled monitoring is effective in identifying asymptomatic liver damage, reducing hospitalization rate and improving compliance of anti-TB treatment.
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatotoxicity
- Monitoring
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide, especially in developing countries. According to WHO reports, there were an estimated 8.5-9.2 million incident cases and 1.2-1.5 million deaths (including deaths from TB among HIV-positive people) in 2010[1]. As the second highest TB burden country in the world, China accounted for an estimated 12% of all TB cases worldwide [1]. China national surveys found a prevalence rate of bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary TB of 119 (113–135) per 100, 000 population aged ≥15 years and six percent of TB patients died in 2010[1]. Standard short-course chemotherapy regimen, which comprises of a combination of Isoniazid(H), Rifampicin(R), Pyrazinamide(Z), Ethambutol(E) and Streptomycin(S) for 6–9 months is recommended by WHO and currently used in most high TB burden countries including China[2]. Due to the long duration of therapy and concurrent use of multiple drugs, adverse effects are regarded as the most important clinical consideration in patients undergoing anti-TB treatment [3]. Hepatotoxicity is the most serious one, which not only leads to high morbidity and mortality, but also diminishes anti-TB treatment effectiveness owing to non-adherence [4–7].
Several guidelines of anti-tuberculosis drug induced liver injury (ATLI) have been published and updated by the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the Task Force of the European Respiratory Society, the WHO and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease [8–11]. Most of these guidelines suggest the need of regular liver function monitoring for preventing or alleviating ATLI, but all the recommendations are based on expert opinion and/or clinical experience of arbitrary authorities, which has not been rigorously tested[8, 12]. Besides, there is no consensus on the frequency of monitoring. For example, the ATS recommends monitoring every 2 to 4 weeks for patients with possible risk for hepatotoxicity, whereas BTS recommends monitoring every week for the first 2 weeks and every fortnight for another 2 months [9, 10]. In contrast, China has not published the relevant guideline of ATLI until now, and there is no explicit suggestion on monitoring for TB patients in China. No relevant study on the effect of regular monitoring of liver function has been published.
To address the issue of the effect of regular monitoring of transaminase during TB treatment, we conducted this retrospective analysis based on a national-level cohort study entitled 'Anti-tuberculosis Drugs induced Adverse Reactions in China National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Scheme Study (ADACS)' [13, 14]. Since the ADACS study was not specially designed to evaluate the effect of regular monitoring, only two routine tests (baseline and within 2 months) were conducted, we described "regular monitoring" as "scheduled monitoring" in this study. The findings will provide evidence and suggestion for developing management guidelines of ATLI in China.
Source population
Assessment of liver dysfunction
Liver dysfunction was diagnosed as an increase in serum alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST) or total bilirubin (TBil) that was greater than the upper limit of normal (ULN), when other causes were excluded: new viral hepatitis infections, other liver diseases, other potentially hepatotoxic medications that would confound the picture. All assessments were double checked by two experienced physicians. The severity of liver dysfunction was classified according to the WHO Toxicity Classification Standards [12]: mild (ALT/AST ≤ 3 times ULN, or TBil ≤ 2 times ULN), moderate (3 times ULN < ALT/AST ≤ 5 times ULN, or 2 times ULN < TBil ≤ 5 times ULN) and severe (ALT/AST/TBil > 5 times ULN).
During the follow-up in ADACS, when liver dysfunction developed, patients would be given intensive monitoring and/or treatment (such as liver protective drugs or even hospitalization) according to the doctor's clinical adjudication. The anti-TB treatment would not be changed immediately, only when ALT/AST/TBil elevated to greater than 2 times ULN, changes of anti-TB treatment would be considered by the doctor, including drug replacement, interruption, discontinuation, dose decrease and changes of medication administration.
Outcome measures
For comparison of the two groups, the following parameters were noted: 1) the time period for the development of liver dysfunction from initiation of anti-TB treatment (liver dysfunction finding time); 2) requirement of hospitalization; 3) severity of liver dysfunction; 4) prognosis of liver dysfunction, which was defined and classified as recovered (ALT/AST/TBil turned normal), continuing with abnormal ALT/AST/TBil and death; 5) impact on anti-TB treatment.
Statistical analysis
The baseline characteristics and clinical features of participants were described as median (inter-quartile range, IQR) for continuous variables (not subject to normal distribution), and percentages for categorical variables. Non-parameter test was used for continuous variables (not subject to normal distribution) and χ2 test was used for categorical variables.
Then χ2 test was used to compare the prognosis of liver dysfunction and impact on anti-TB treatment between the two groups.
The statistical analyses were performed using SPSS for Windows (version 13.0; SPSS Inc.). A two-sided P value less than 0.05 was set as the significant level.
Baseline characteristics
Baseline characteristics of 273 patients with liver dysfunction in ADACS
Scheduled monitoring group
(n = 111)
Passive detection group
(n = 162)
P value
Age, median years (IQR)
Income per year, median¥(IQR)
<50 kg
≥50 kg
Type of anti-TB treatment
Primary treatment
History of anti-TB adverse reactions
History of liver diseases*
HBSAg positive
Pattern of taking anti-TB drugs
Every day
Every other day
Usage of preventive liver protective drugs
Finished manufactured herbal preparations
Combinations of vitamins & other non-herbal substances
Pharmaceutical preparations
Combinations of above drugs
Clinical features
Clinical features of liver dysfunction in the study groups
Clinical features
Scheduled monitoring group (n = 111)
Passive detection group (n = 162)
P value
Symptomatic liver dysfunction
20 (18.0%)
162 (100.0%)
Liver dysfunction finding time, median, days (IQR)
52 (30, 61)
39 (28, 60)
Severity of liver dysfunction
70 (63.1%)
97 (59.9%)
28 (25.2%)
37 (22.8%)
13 (11.7%)
28 (17.3%)
Requirement of hospitalization
2 (1.8%)
18 (11.1%)
The median interval in days between the initiation of anti-TB treatment and the development of liver dysfunction was 52 (IQR: 30, 61) for scheduled monitoring group and 39 (IQR: 28, 60) for passive detection group. The difference between patients in the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.205) (Table 2).
In terms of the severity of liver dysfunction, more patients (28 patients, 17.3%) in passive detection group experienced severe liver dysfunction in comparison with those in scheduled monitoring group (13 patients, 11.7%), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.443). Besides, 8 patients with severe hepatotoxicity in scheduled monitoring group did not have any clinical symptoms. Only 2 patients (1.8%) in scheduled monitoring group required hospitalization, whereas in passive detection group a total of 18 patients (11.1%) were hospitalized. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.004) (Table 2). When analyzing patients with liver dysfunction finding time less than 1 month, no one in scheduled monitoring group required hospitalization in contrast to 8 patients (11.9%) in passive detection group (P = 0.025).
Prognosis of liver dysfunction and impact on anti-TB treatment
Regarding the prognosis of liver dysfunction, 1 patient in passive detection group was excluded from the analysis due to death of lung cancer. 109 patients (98.2%) recovered, 2 patients (1.8%) continued with abnormal transaminase, and none of the patients died in scheduled monitoring group, whereas in passive detection group 158 patients (98.1%) recovered, 1 patient (0.6%) continued with abnormal transaminase, and 2 patients (1.3%) died of hepatotoxicity. A 68 years old woman who experienced ALT/AST elevation to 693.1/510.2 U/L after 35 days of anti-TB treatment was with no improvement after hospitalization and finally died of hepatic failure on the 45th day; another 69 years old man who experienced ALT elevation to 210 U/L with jaundice after 65 days of anti-TB treatment died after 1 week in hospital. The propensity score weighting analysis showed that there was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.965).
Impact of liver dysfunction on anti-TB treatment in the study groups
Changes of anti-TB treatment
Scheduled monitoring group (n = 111)
Passive detection group (n = 162)
No change
72 (64.9%)
70 (43.2%)
15 (13.5%)
48 (29.6%)
Dose decrease
4 (3.6%)
1 (0.6%)
Drug replacement
6 (5.4%)
11 (6.8%)
2 (1.8%)
10 (6.2%)
Changes in medical administration
3 (2.7%)
11 (6.8%)
Interruption with drug replacement
7 (6.3%)
9 (5.6%)
Interruption with change in medical administration
1 (0.9%)
1 (0.6%)
Dose decrease with change in medical administration
1 (0.9%)
0 (0.0%)
Change in medical with discontinuation
0 (0.0%)
1 (0.6%)
Impact on TB condition in the study groups
TB condition
Scheduled monitoring group (n = 111)
Passive detection group (n = 158)*
P value#
Cure on time
89 (80.2%)
112 (70.9%)
22 (19.8%)
43 (27.2%)
0 (0.0%)
1 (0.6%)
0 (0.0%)
2 (1.3%)
This study was based on a well-established prospective cohort and reflected the effect of routine monitoring in a real-world population with geographically and economically diverse areas in China. However, a major methodological problem in this observational study is that investigators have no control over the intervention assignment, which is likely to result in confounding and biased estimation of intervention effects [19–22]. To account for these differences in observed covariates, propensity scores were applied in this analysis.
Among several propensity score methods, SMRW and matching estimated most closely approached results observed in the clinical trials [23]. In comparison with matching, SMRW has more advantages [24]: 1) data from all patients are used so that variance is more closely to the study population; 2) process for SMRW is much easier than propensity score matching. Based on all above, we used SMRW to balance all available covariates and estimate the effect of routine monitoring in this study.
In the present study, 1/3 of the patients with liver dysfunction did not have any clinical symptoms, including 8 with severe hepatotoxicity, which indicated the important role of routine monitoring in identifying asymptomatic liver injury. Liver injury could be fatal if it was not recognized in time [12], thus routine monitoring could be helpful to detect liver damage early so as to apply appropriate interventions in time and improve the prognosis. Our results showed that there was no death and only 2 patients (1.8%) in hospital in scheduled monitoring group. 35.1% changed their anti-TB treatment. In contrast, in passive detection group 11.1% required hospitalization and 2 patients (1.3%) died. More than half of the patients changed their anti-TB treatment. Therefore, routine liver function monitoring was associated with less hospitalization, better prognosis and better compliance of anti-TB treatment in this study. A study by Agal et al. [25] showed that 21 (10.5%) of 200 TB patients who accepted regular liver function monitoring (every week for the first month, then fortnightly for the next 2 months and then monthly until the end of therapy) developed ATLI and no one died, whereas 16.6% of the patients without periodic monitoring died and 75% developed icteric hepatitis. In a study by Mcneill et al. [26], the rate of severe ATLI in patients receiving RZ prophylaxis for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) reduced from 5% to 0% with periodic monitoring. Another study [27] with H prophylaxis for LTBI indicated that no severe ATLI developed on routine monitoring.
Biochemical abnormalities generally occur before clinical symptoms or signs of liver injury develop, thus monitoring of liver function can detect liver injury ahead of the symptomatic period, prevent serious ATLI and avoid incompliance of anti-TB treatment [12, 16]. In our study, the median liver dysfunction finding time of passive detection group was 39.0 days, which indicated that monitoring in the first month after the initiation of anti-TB treatment was important. Subgroup analysis for patients with liver dysfunction finding time less than 1 month showed that significantly more patients required hospitalization in passive detection group. More patients in passive detection group changed their anti-TB treatment and were likely to have a poor prognosis of hepatotoxicity, although there was no significant statistically difference between the two groups.
Some limitations need to be noted. First, the ADACS study was not specially designed to evaluate the effect of regular liver function monitoring, only two routine tests (baseline and within 2 months after initiation of anti-TB treatment respectively) were conducted, thus it may limit the ability of detecting liver dysfunction earlier. Secondly, although we controlled a large set of factors that potentially differed between the groups at baseline using propensity score method, there are still some unknown confounders which may not be balanced. Propensity scores are not magic bullets capable of eliminating all the bias of observational studies [28]. Besides, the study did not collect patients' information on HIV infection and alcohol consumption which are important risk factors of hepatotoxicity. Finally, owing to the only two routine tests in our study, it is still not clear what frequency or intervals between tests may be optimal. And further studies on compliance and cost effectiveness of monitoring are needed.
In conclusion, scheduled monitoring is effective in identifying asymptomatic liver damage, reducing hospitalization rate and improving compliance of anti-TB treatment. It is likely to alleviate hepatotoxicity and reduce mortality. At least once monitoring should be performed during the first month after initiation of anti-TB treatment, and monitoring in the second month is highly suggested if available.
This study is funded by the China Program for the Global Fund to Fight TB (NO: TB07-030), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO: 81072387) and Beijing Natural Science Foundation (NO.7111006). We are grateful to all cooperating organizations and their staff whose hard work made this study possible. Special thanks to all the study participants.
Authors' Affiliations
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- The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/454/prepub
Pre-publication history
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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Ok, I'm going to start this all of by reminding everyone that I used to be a diplomat's brat and spent about 20 years travelling up and down the world, so contrary, I guess, to what most people will imagine, I would happily burn my passport and never leave the country. Nevertheless the thought of disappointing my little siblings was too great a feat to overcome, so Man-thing and I packed up our goodies and presents, and said goodbye to the cats as we marched off to the airport for a holiday. This is a little overview of what we got up to!
At the airport I munched on some butternut and bell pepper couscous to prepare myself for the immense amount of the stuff I thought I'd be consuming, which was a good thing because although the Emirates vegan fare was tasty, it was always sided with bread (which I didn't want to munch) and came in smallish portions (at least for a heffalump like myself who enjoys maxi sized portions of vegetables). Still, I couldn't take a picture of what was totally amazing: a large cooked brown mushroom cap, and an actual chocolate mousse slice. Usually, as a vegan in South Africa, one has to contend oneself with the idea that there will never ever be any dessert option, so this was just awesome.When we got to Casablanca we had another two hours road trip (after a x 2 8-hour long series of flights), so we were feeling rather delicate and boring and took long naps for the first day. Man-thing was pretty overjoyed to start his holiday with what would become a love affair with pain au chocolat, and I indulged in way too many Nespresso coffees. The next day we took a trip to the embassy and saw the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, which is just across the road. The architecture was absolutely breathtaking and detailed, and it really made me miss our time in Europe, simply because in South Africa one doesn't get that sense of architectural gravitas. There is also a fantastic park next to my family's house which is pretty much like a forest, and we went there a few times to give the kids some exercise (and ourselves after all the bread!). The best part, apart from the wide open breezy paths and wonderful fresh air, was the sheer amount of cats! ❤ I could barely contain my squees seeing them lounging around everywhere – pure paradise! A day or so after we got to Rabat we all squished in the car and packed off to Marrakesh for a two-day trip. It was pretty drizzly and cold on the way there, and we were greeted with more rain, but it's super pretty with long walkways in the middle of the roads lined with trees and what not, and it's all painted this pinkish colour. If it weren't for the weather and my super summery garb we would've been marching up and down getting a better feel for the sights, but it's definitely somewhere a tourist can find something to do.Also, it seems to be strawberry season in Morocco, and on the side of the road you can buy huge bags of huge strawberries for super cheap, so I had a wild time with those, as well as the complimentary fruit basket in the hotel. Fruit FTW!
Since I'm not a big fan of travel these days I don't have to stress too much about what I'm going to feed myself with on the road, but the hotel breakfast was really sad for a vegan. The theme of bread for munching was continued as it was the only real thing of substance, sided with prunes, stuffed with roasted peppers, and other odds and ends. I was hoping at the very least for a pot of baked beans or something generic, but ah well. The morning after we got to Marrakesh we made our way to the Medina, which is something I think everyone needs to take a calming pill for, especially if they are dorky introverts who love their personal space. The Medina is pretty much a walled mini city or vendor district, and is stacked with stalls and people and lots of movement. The stalls or shops are pretty repetitive, in that every second one boasts the same djebelles, leather shoes, wall ornaments or lighting fixtures, but it's still very pretty to look at. Nevertheless we were constantly hounded by the vendors and the minute they catch a whiff of English or French they are all over you and will not let up until you lose your cool or buy something. I wasn't too happy to see these poor munchies out in the sun, but luckily I hadn't seen turtle soup on any menus in town, so I'm assuming this is the Marrakesh equivalent of buying goldfish to keep children quiet. Whilst we were in Marrakech we also visited the Majorelle Gardens, former home of Yves Saint-Laurent. Firstly, if you're poverty-stricken it's better just to skip it altogether, since it's 100 or so Dirhams to get in and see the museum. The museum is tiny, and although there are pretty clothes and some interesting items in there, it's not really earth-shattering. Maybe I'm just spoilt, but the gardens were nevertheless lovely, the house garish, and all in all there isn't much to do or much room to move about and soak it all in (thanks to the hordes of tourists). End result? Visit the overpriced, overstuffed restaurant where you will become even poorer but get some pretty good café Americano. I ordered the Moroccan salad, which is a delicious mishmash of different stuff like lentils, chickpeas, eggplant, beetroot, and some other treats. I hadn't had protein in what felt like forever so this was pure heaven!At some point for dinner we went to the new mall, which was largely empty and full of random shops, and stopped over at La Table du Marché. They had an amazing salad bar where you could stuff huge bowls with whatever you desired, so I went with everything I had been hankering after – broccoli, lentils, chickpeas, and more lentils. It's quite crazy how quickly one notices the protein gap when travelling about, so we went to the supermarket at some point to get cans of beans for me since I was getting twitchy. Still, this salad was probably one of the best meals of the trip!When we got back to Rabat Man-thing and I took a solo trip to the Chellah, a fortified necropolis. This really was a beautiful spot to just relax and find a sense of peace to ease out the high-pitched churn of human noises that still rang in our heads after the medina. On top of pretty much every high surface at the Chellah were these large nests with massive white storks soaring about or hunkering down for a nap. Their wingspan is terrifying, and I was surprised that they weren't swooping down every few seconds to make a snack of the dozens of resident cats. My one gripe as someone who bothered to study history is that the Chellah, just like most historical spots in Rabat, Volubilis and Marrakesh, lacks any explanatory signs in English. Everything is in French and Arabic, which is ridiculous considering there are world heritage sites and UNESCO sites scattered here and there. Man-thing and I like to make our merry way all lonesome-like when we travel, so tour guides are not a viable alternative, which means that we only really understood the depth of what we saw when we returned back home to the iPad, since we can only guess so much based on our combined knowledge. Kitties!! There were so many beautiful, super duper friendly cats at the Chellah that we were very torn about leaving them there, but most seem happy enough, although those closer to the minaret at the bottom were more scraggly than those at the entrance. Still, cat-human ratio was purrfect! At some point we also took a trip downtown with V and my sister to have a coffee atop a hotel for the view, and to get a better feel for the city. This is still in the swanky side of town, and I love how there's wall art scattered around the city. In that way it reminds me a little of Iceland, which was also rather accepting of (beautiful) wall art/graffiti. There was also a massive church, which I was not expecting, that was conducting a service in loud French in the charismatic style, so I was totally baffled and equally impressed by the architecture. The holiday, despite the amount of sightseeing we did, was essentially about seeing my family and spending time with the kids especially. We forgot how much energy they have, and how spontaneous they can be, so even Man-thing got in a round of hopscotch!
With all the travelling around and playing (though not nearly enough for my siblings' tastes), I was more than happy to make use of their big kitchen to bash together some staple foods (which made my dad's eyes roll quite loudly). For breakfast I usually had oats with cauliflower and occasionally carrots cooked in, and topped or sided with a fruit and lots of coffee, and for dinner I was happy to munch down on more cauliflower cooked with harrisa paste and other veggies and beans. The amount of bread or starch that Moroccans eat is staggering, since it's brioche everywhere, paninis, tagine, and other goodies, so I was more than happy to have veggies as my mainstay. Nevertheless I got some awesome vegan soy yoghurts to slurp on, and since they are so ridiculously expensive in South Africa I may have overdone it, but no regrets! We were pretty chuffed to be in Morocco for my dad's birthday, so the three of us left V and the kids at home and set off for a day trip to Volubilis. It really turned out to be a day-long affair purely because it took about 3 hours to get there and another 3 back, so we didn't spend as much time at the Roman ruins as we'd have liked, but it was still well worth it. We passed the Moulay Idriss on our way and that's definitely something I'd stop by if ever we went again – a beautiful little patch of town nestled in between scenic fogged-up mountains. Cats! Seriously, even in what feels like the middle of nowhere there are super sweet local cats waiting to greet you. ❤ As I said before, none of the signs were in English so we relied on imagination to fill in the gaps, and needed no better tour guides than those of the fluffy variety. There were also some workers at the site who were bashing away, so we pretended they were hardcore archaeologists, even though they were a bit too rough for that :pThere were also more nesting storks atop pillars and ruins, and they really do add some life to the remains of the city. The mosaics were also very well preserved, all things considered, and really gave a sense of filling in the gaps of culture and fashion, as it were. A day or so after our fieldtrip my dad's driver dropped off this absolute feast made by his wife: a huge tagine (one vegan one for me and a meaty one for everyone else) which was just divine and so soft and flavourful. There was also the most banging onion marmalade dish which I begged the recipe for, so I'm hoping to recreate that at home because it was possibly the most magical thing I've eaten in years. These pictures don't give you an idea of scale but these were huge bowls and we feasted on it for days!
On one of our last days Man-thing and I took a trip to the Kasbah of the Udayas, on the other side of town. It's free to go in and out and then you get scammed out of an INSANE amount of money by informal tour guides who start off by looking helpful and saying "just up that way" and end up walking around with you and then getting a "donation", the amount of which they state with a straight face that in hindsight I should have punched. I get agitated quite quickly when I'm out of my comfort zone, but we nevertheless left him at the gate and went back, at a slower pace, to look over the narrow, blue-splashed walkways littered with cats and then to gaze out over the ocean.Considering it's a UNESCO site it really is littered though, and there's trash all along the parapets, which makes for sadness. Where the residents live though it's very tidy and quaint, which each making an effort to decorate their patch. Some of the cats are owned and others not, and those that have families are very distinguishable.
And finally we went to the marina for lunch on our last day, and had, in typical Moroccan style, pizza :p I'm proud to have only eaten pizza twice on this trip, since usually it's the only vegan option for me in South Africa (minus cheese), but it doesn't make up for the sheer amount of bread I had to eat on the airplane on the way back to make up for the hunger pangs.
The one thing I don't regret at all is the tofu and zucchini sandwich (on the left) with an amazing, super soft and just plain gorgeous bar/slice thing, which I can't even figure out. It looks like a crumble top but isn't actually, and has blueberries or something in it and was just pure decadence. Again, a lack of dessert that I don't make was what totally made this a really wonderful touch by Emirates, even though it meant I was eating starch and more starch, with not a speck of fibre in sight. At some point (for breakfast? Too many planes) I got mashed potato with mushrooms and spinach, which was tasty, and then another meal of steamed veggies and some dips and crackers. That was pretty amazing (just in terms of getting more veggies!) but I was left so hungry from lack of protein that I had to eat the stupid breadroll I'd saved. Man-thing got a chicken chickpea salad as a starter, so I don't see why I couldn't get some 'peas too. Bah!Anyway, that was it! A lot of adventure and up and down packed into a few days, but was definitely great to see my family again. Nevertheless we were SO happy to get home and see our cats again, who were very confused at first at our presence. We have since been rewarded with lots of paw-pumping and feathers strewn across the garden, so they're also probably happy we're back 😀 Best of all, smoothies! Steamed veggies! More veggies! 😀
Are you a travel nut or do you like to explore closer to home?
What places are on your bucket list and why?
Have a great Sunday!


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The Keep itself is a massive fortress of gray stone, considered impregnable today. Overlooking the city's main gate, its walls and towers command a grand view of the city. The gatehouse encloses a massive timber portal reinforced by two sets of iron porticulli (inner and outer). Crossbowmen patrol the walls and there are never fewer than 100 of the Baron's elite Swords of Beregond manning the defenses. The outer wall is anchored by five round towers; the two adjoining the great city wall on the west mount catapults as does the Keep's gatehouse. Inside the wall are a cobbled court, greenswards and vegetable gardens for the kitchen, as well as a large stable and stockpen for the Baron's horses. Lady Ailith maintains a seperate residence in the tower overlooking the High Common. Folk are rarely granted entrance to the Keep, except on official business or by invitation of the Baron. Even then, access is limited to the main hall and guest quarters, such is Baron Kurth's paranoia. His Chamberlain, Lord Veer, runs the Keep, managing everything from the serving staff to the Baron's appointments. He is often the only one who deals with lower ranking visitors.
HARBOR GATE is the only access between the Docks and the city, and it is every bit as secure as Beregond's main gate in the south. Catapults and ballistae on the gate's towers command the harbor, making it one of the most secure anchorages on the coast (or the most dangerous if you are considering an attack by sea).
THE LION & ANCHOR is the only large dockside tavern, catering to seafarers and those who might be described as "down on their luck." It is a rough and rowdy place where visitors are advised to go armed and in groups. It is also the city's only brothel. Ownership of the place seems to change hands often, and the staff is always surly and eager bilk its patrons of every copper. Brawls are common and often deadly, and the bouncers are less concerned with maintaining order than with tossing out the coinless, unconscious and dead. Rumor has it that the Shadowguild of Westhaven actually runs the Anchor, using it as a front for smuggling and other illicit concerns.
THE SEATOWER on UMO'S ROCK is a lighthouse operated by the shipping merchants of Beregond. Accessible by a small dock or by a narrow stone bridge, the Sea Arch, from a tower on the city wall. The tower itself holds a romantic place in local lore, accounted to be the location of hidden treasures, deadly traps, ghosts and other secrets. The Sea Arch is infamous as a place of suicide, where the forlorn and hopeless throw themselves into the sea.
SMUGGLER'S DOCK is located at a place in the seawall where a tunnel from the city sewers outlets to the sea. The cave-like exit is closed by a massive rusted portcullis and is only accessible at low tide. Various passages lead up into the city, though the maze of minor tunnels and shafts, infested with rats and other more vile creatures, has never been mapped.
THE CORNERS is bounded by Broad Street, Horseman's Lane and the streets running south to the High Common. This is working class Beregond, filled with shops and businesses, apartments and clustered houses. The Hook and Stagger Lane are the most used thoroughfares and the folk living along them know each other well. The farmers' market at High Common is a place of neighborhood commerce and social interaction. There is less crime here than elsewhere in the city due as much to the honest nature of the citizenry as the proximity of Garrison Keep.
SOUTHSIDE, as the district is informally known, runs south of Westride Street from the edge of The Warren, across the Gate Way to Muster Court and the High Common. Here are the dwellings, businesses and temples of the wealthy and powerful in Beregond. The streets are relatively clean (though still busy and treacherous in foul weather) and safe due to regular patrols. Private guards keep watch on the homes, most of which are walled and gated. Most notable is the home of the merchant Baelron, who trades in northern iron and southern goods and who owns three merchant ships. His towered manor stands in a private court with a stone wall and iron gate. Baelron is known for his feasts and parties which are considered the only worthy social events in the city. He is also rumored to employ a mage (or mages), and takes great interest in the presence of other mages in the city, as well as the buying and selling of powerful magical artifacts.
THE STORMHAVEN INN is Beregond's only inn of note catering to outsiders - merchants, travelers and adventurers. It is a large and well-run establishment with drink aplenty, good food, and suitable lodging, including a large stable. The staff is large and reasonably hospitable. Disturbances are dealt with competently (though the place lacks the magical protections of the Olde Inn). However, Garrison Keep isn't far away if brawls get out of hand, and several of the city's higher-ranking soldiers frequent the place.
GARRISON KEEP is the headquarters and barracks of the Swords of Beregond, the professional men-at-arms who form the corp of the Baron's army, police the city and man the defenses of Beregond. The keep itself is small but solidly built and well defended, dominating the eastern half of the city below the Baron's Keep itself. Its dungeon, and the torturers and jailers who staff it, are notorious (the dungeons beneath the Baron's Keep are reserved for those who have earned his lordship's special enmity). Muster Court is a large open paved area where the Swords are called to formation and drills.
KORDANE'S IRONWORKS is the largest smithy in Beregond employing the greatest number of workmen, including several dwarven smiths. The weapons and armor produced by Master Smith Kordane are prized throughout the West, considered second in quality only to those from Irongate. Day and night, regardless of the season, the forges are fired and black smoke bellows from Kordane's great slate-roofed smithy, heavy wagons rumble through the streets, carrying ore from the Docks and finished goods to South Gate for transport elsewhere. Kordane supplies the Baron's troops with quality weapons and armor, giving him some leverage and independence.
THE MARKET, in the midst of the city, sprawls along the Westride and up Broad Street toward Harbor Gate, spilling into side streets and the Alleys of The Ward. Among its tent-covered merchant stalls and traders shacks, nearly anything and everything can be found for sale or purchase (legally or not). Though not as extensive or diverse as the Great Market of Westhaven, Beregond's is a thriving concern even in foul weather. Middlewatch Tower, rising at the very center of the city and looming above the Market, was once the heart of the city's defenses. It now serves as headquarters for the wealthiest merchants in Beregond, housing offices, treasuries and barracks for the merchants' private guards (the entire building is rumored to be run by Baelron).
SOUTH GATE is the main portal into the city, a massive double gatehouse large enough to acoomodate at least 200 men. The cavernous passage through it, with great timber and iron doors at either end, can pass an army riding five abreast, and its arched ceiling is pierced by countless murder holes. From its crenelated top, heavy catapults command the approaches to the city along the King's Road and from the Gondish Hills.
THE WARD. Whereas the Corners is the middle-class trades and residential area of Beregond, The Ward is the hardscrabble working class and manufacturing district. Here are the workshops, smithies, tanneries, construction yards, landward warehouses and other large scale business, along with large tenement housing (such as it is). The air is thick with the stink of industry and the streets are more cluttered and less clean than elsewhere. There is street crime and prudent folk go about armed, but merchant guards are numerous (though city patrols are not). The open steel market at Swords Crossing features the trade in blades and armor of Beregond steel for which the city is famous.
THE WARREN encompasses the western end of Beregond, to the north and south of the Storm Gate. It is, as its name implies, a slum of crowded ramshackle buildings inhabited by the poorest in the city. Crime is rampant - thieves and muggers prowl the twisting alleyways, cheap prostitutes and beggars ply their trades, ragged children wander about scrabbling for pennies and food. The Baron and the merchants pay little attention to the Warren or its inhabitants, considering them a source of cheap labor, and the Swords never go there save in pursuit of fugitives.


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You have to have a valid membership to attend this event
You have to have a valid membership to attend this event
BALTIMORE -- As the Orioles' troublesome season continues to devolve, misfortune has now hit their most reliable reliever.
During the eighth inning of the Orioles' 5-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox June 13, left-handed reliever Richard Bleier began writhing in pain
Bleier knew he had to come out of the game, and initial reports indicated he suffered a lat injury. He said he would have an MRI June 14.
"I just felt something in the lat area, or whatever, obviously it was unpleasant." Bleier said. "Any injury is not good and to the point where there was no question I couldn't make another pitch. That's obviously not good."
Bleier has a 1.93 ERA in 32.2 innings this season, and his injury came a day after Orioles closer Zach Britton pitched for the first time this season and three days after reliever Darren O'Day returned from the disabled list.
The Orioles' bullpen, an area of strength for a team that's suffering through its third seven-game losing streak of the season, will against be without a key component.
"It's obviously not good for everyone and everything's kind of not going well, so it just compounds that," Bleier said.
Rookie right-hander Yefry Ramirez started the game in place of Andrew Cashner, who is on the 10-day disabled list with a lower back strain. Cashner had an MRI and was heartened by the results.
"I mean, definitely, my back started cramping up my last start, a mild strain, but I think I can be able to make my next start," Cashner said.
Cashner is eligible to return June 19.
Ramirez, who was summoned from Triple-A Norfolk, may be headed back to the Tides quickly. In 12 starts for Norfolk, the 24-year-old right-hander is 3-4 with a 4.33 ERA, and in his initial Orioles start, he allowed three runs in 4.1 innings.
Ramirez was one of just two healthy starting pitchers on the 40-man roster, and the other, Jimmy Yacabonis, is in his first season of starting and would have been pitching on three days rest.
Ramirez was acquired from the New York Yankees July 31, 2017 for International Bonus Signing Slots.
"If I could ask one thing from the baseball gods today, it's that he get the first inning under his belt," manager Buck Showalter said before the game. "I hope he handles it as well as David [Hess] has."
Unlike Hess, who won his first game against Tampa Bay May 12, Ramirez got the loss, but fulfilled Showalter's wish by getting through the first -- and second inning -- unscathed.
Boston right fielder Mookie Betts, who regularly torments the Orioles, homered in the third, and after Ramirez walked Betts and left fielder Andrew Benintendi with one out in the fifth, he was lifted for right-hander Mike Wright, who allowed the two runs to score.
"I definitely felt a little bit nervous when I was told I was opening, especially [with] the Orioles," Ramirez said through a translator. "After the game [started], after a few pitches, after a few innings, I tried to settle down and calm my nerves and just try to concentrate on the same things I was able to do in Triple-A, to try to do it over here."
Should the Orioles need another spot starter, Ramirez presented himself as an option.
"It was a tough situation," Showalter said. "He flies in here last night and walks in the locker room, it's a sticky day. He hadn't thrown barely over 90 pitches this year. … I thought he held his own for the most part. He gave us a chance. I was proud of him.
"Tough lineup and he competed and didn't implode and start walking a bunch of people. He made some out pitches and you see why he's won a lot of baseball games in his minor league career. I'm glad he got the opportunity."
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox


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Inaugural Annual Primary Mathematics Conference 2017 - Visualising Mathemat...
Sales Have Ended
Sales Have Ended
Visualising Mathematics: It's a whole school approach!
You are invited to be part of the first annual primary mathematics conference hosted by Anita Chin. As a celebration of her career as a Mathematics educator for 23 years and now as the Director of her own professional learning consulting business, she is wanting to give back to educators what students have given her - a passion for teaching learners of all ages.
Who will attend?
This is a school team-based conference. Schools are encouraged to send a team of up to five educators, however, individual delegates may still attend as it will be a wonderful networking opportunity with 200 delegates in attendance. For larger school teams, please contact Anita., Your school team could include the following educators:
- Classroom teachers, K-2
- Classroom teachers, Y3-6
- Learning support teacher
- Numeracy/Mathematics Leader
- Head of Curriculum, Deputy Principal or Principal
Why attend?
This conference is designed to explore, discuss and inspire educators to love teaching mathematics to all learners K-6 and improve educators pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).
Learn from some of the best researchers and expert practitioners in Australia,
Hear case studies from schools who are implementing a whole-school approach to mathematics
Collaborate and strategically plan for a whole school approach to maths for your school with your school team
Interact with some of the latest school resources at the trade displays.
Theme: A Whole School Approach to Mathematics
This team-based conference provides an opportunity for schools to begin their whole-school approach journey by:
educators strategically planning who will attend the conference - a team of colleagues from various schools (small or regional schools), a school team, or just a friend who loves teaching maths
delegates pre-selecting their workshops to attend depending on their role at school
learning how we can teach for a depth of understanding by making the maths visible for all learners consistently across your whole school using appropriate tasks, tools and talk.
Conference highlights
75-minute interactive keynote address by Anita Chin
3 one-hour concurrent sessions, each with five practical workshops to select from
30-minute school team planning session…. speed dating style!
fabulous food to fuel your mind
- Anita Chin - Founder & Learning Strategist K-8. Anita Chin Mathematics Consultancy.
- Professor Janette Bobis - Pro Dean Research, Prof. Mathematics Education. The University of Sydney
- Assoc. Professor Jenni Way - Assoc. Prof. Mathematics Education. The University of Sydney
- Emma Campbell - Global Head, Mathematics Content and Curriculum. 3P Learning Ltd
- Tim Waugh - Teacher Educator/Curriculum Advisor. Catholic Schools Office, Lismore, NSW
- Allison Pegus - Executive Consultant & Coach. Learning Professional Consulting
- Sorubi Thavaratnam - CEO & Founder. IDEALearning
Case Studies: Transforming Learning and Teaching
Three case study schools who have embarked on a whole school approach will share their journey with you:
Cartwright Public School, Liverpool, NSW
St Mary's School, Bowraville, NSW
Unity Grammar College, Austral, NSW
Further details
Visit the conference website to
- find out about the venue (transport and free parking)
- view accommodation options
- download the flyer, brochure, program and registration planning sheets.
Cindy Pellas - Conference Coordinator


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The Gables
THE GABLES nestles in the heart of the village offering our guests peace and quiet, yet just a minutes walk to the high street with its unique local shops, pubs, restaurants, museums and galleries. The Gables is perfectly situated for walking on Exmoor and the South West coastal path or finish your walk on the Coleridge Way here. There are numerous National Trust and historic properties to visit or relax on one of our nearby beaches or explore the magnificent Somerset and Devon countryside. To end your day you can relax in the cottage gardens or our guest lounge which opens out onto the cottage gardens, we have DVD`s, books and games for you to borrow. Free Wifi in all rooms. Breakfast is served in our breakfast room overlooking the courtyard garden where we offer a choice of fresh fruit, juices, cereals and a full English breakfast (made with locally sourced fresh produce where possible) or a continental breakfast. WE ARE WALKER AND DOG FRIENDLY (Dogs are only permitted in certain rooms please call before booking) VINE COTTAGE OUR SELF CATERING ACCOMODATION adjoins The Gables. Set in a cobbled court-yard, it is quietly situated and totally self contained with its own parking in the courtyard. Dog Friendly and Free WiFi. The cottage comfortably accommodates 3 - both in terms of the comfort of the beds and surrounding living space, we are able to provide a guest bed which will provide extra accommodation for second child or small adult. Breakfast is available in the main house for an extra charge. The ground floor comprises of a fully equipped kitchen (washing machine, dish washer, and all mod cons) with a light and airy open-plan dining and living area. Upstairs there is a spacious bedroom with one double and one single bed. And a large bathroom with bath and integral shower.
- Aluguer de DVD/Vídeo/Jogos
- Internet sem-fios/wifi gratuita em zonas públicas
- Salão
- Ligação à Internet (sem fios)
Instalações para Crianças
- Cadeiras de bebé
Instalações para Negócios
- Impressora
- Pequeno-almoço (Continental)
- Pequeno-almoço (Cozinhado)
- Observação de animais
- Observação de pássaros
- Passeios de barco
- Ciclismo
- Setas
- Jantar refinado
- Campo de futebol
- Golfe
- Passeios a cavalo
- Ciclismo de montanha
- Museus / galerias
- Compras
- Compras - antiguidades
- Campos de ténis - exterior
- Caminhada


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"Being entrepreneurial is like dancing, two steps forward and one step backwards; but always advancing" , Craig Dempsey, CEO and founder of Biz Latin Hub
As the Group CEO and Co-Founder, Craig possesses a first hand understanding of the challenges and rewards of starting and growing a business in Latin America. Often the first point of contact for business looking to enter the region, Craig's initial role is helping clients to understand the local market, and then with helping them to navigate their way through the complexities of the local business environment. A key focus for him is working with our strategic clients looking for regional solutions, whereby he helps our clients to leverage market synergies, to access regional opportunities and to ensure effective and harmonized operations with the most effective business structuring. Although based in Colombia he spends 5 to 6 months a year travelling throughout Latin America and is a regular sight in all of our offices across the region.
"The Biz Latin Hub Group specializes in providing high quality, responsive and tailor made solutions for our clients; with offices in all principal markets across Latin America we are uniquely positioned to support our clients with achieving their business objectives across the region". Craig Dempsey
Some notable clients have includes the Imperial Group, Cargo Jet, Sedgman, Laconia Resources, Horton Works, Ascot Resources, Hexa Resources, NexPay and Novem.
"Consisting of over 10 nationalities, the Biz Latin Hub is truly an international group" Craig Dempsey
His background was within the armed forces of Australia, where he served, and continues serving on a part-time basis as a commissioned officer in the Australian Army, including having completed multiple combat tours to Central Asia and the Middle East. After leaving the military he reached the executive levels within the natural resources sector and worked in Australia, Canada, Peru and Colombia.
To speak directly with Craig to see how he can help you with your business needs please contact him at email@example.com


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Bullshido administrator Fat Anthony fought a Kung Fu Sifu. Fat Anthony claims victory but that is a false victory! This is what really happened:
On the street this would be a clear win for the Kung Fu master but in the sports environment Fat Anthony cheated by forcing a re-start.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Bullshido Losers
Posted by OmegaSucks at 8:14 PM
1 comment:
In the other 'great' challenge match involving Bullshido's 'representative' named Jordan Tabor, the opponent, John Springer, was in fact a paid up member of Bullshido with literally THOUSANDS of posts.
- June 9, 2008 at 9:07 PM
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Re: City puts brakes on bike helmet law bid (SP, July 22). A Saskatoon bylaw to mandate bicycle helmet use would prevent brain injuries.
Helmet law needed
Re: City puts brakes on bike helmet law bid (SP, July 22). A Saskatoon bylaw to mandate bicycle helmet use would prevent brain injuries.
Helmets work by absorbing the impact of a crash. They distribute the impact over a large area instead of in just one spot. They also minimize the brain's movement within the skull. Brain injuries can impact every aspect of a person's life, including physical health, memory and learning. They also affect families, friends, and communities.
Cycling-related brain injuries are preventable for the most part. Wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet reduces the risk of a head injury by up to 85 per cent. This could save taxpayers $195 million annually in medical costs. In contrast, the cost of a helmet is minimal.
Mandatory helmet laws increase the number of individuals wearing helmets. In Halifax, legislation was introduced in 1997 and helmet use increased to 80 per cent from 30 per cent in a twoyear period. It has remained stable since then.
The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute applauds the city's efforts to make Saskatoon a Bike Friendly City, including the provision of bike-only lanes. Adding our voice to Dr. Carla Angelski's, we continue to challenge the city to take this a step further and adopt mandatory bike helmet legislation to protect its citizens.
Seven provinces already have legislation in place. Saskatchewan should join the majority. Why not start in Saskatoon?
Noreen Agrey
Executive director Saskatchewan Prevention Institute


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The U.S. Army fears the continuing budget cuts could hamper its ability to respond to a major war, USA Today reported Thursday.
Tom Vanden Brook writes the Army assessed its strategies and resources as part of the Defense Department's Quadrennial Defense Review process.
Army officials presented a report to Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in September, claiming the risks of reducing the number of soldiers from 570,000 to 490,000 in 2017, according to the report.
USA Today obtained the presentation, which claims a 450,000-strong Army will be incapable of executing the defense strategic guidance for a potential war, USA Today reports.
Todd Harrison, budget expert at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, told USA Today the Army needs to replace its conventional armor and infantry battalions with missile defense and offense capabilities if it is to meet that guidance.


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Andrew Lawn and Jon Punt sum up a welcome home win, both getting a little moist at the thought of Moritz Leitner continuing to strut his stuff at Carrow Road for the next few months at least.
Random star performer
The sponsor's award went to goal-scoring, contract-signing, midfield-maestro Tommy Trybull, but there were many contenders. Hanley and Zimmermann were colossal again, while Klose added his usual composure on the ball from a position that almost became left wing-back – Timm's forays forward are obviously no coincidence and allow Lewis to play further up the park.
A word here though for Josh Murphy, who brought a directness and energy to proceedings at the top end of the pitch which warranted tangible reward. While his end product is still in need of fine tuning, Murph looks a player whose confidence is returning and with some tough assignments to come, his improving link-up play with Oliveira is encouraging.
Moment of the match
Increasingly football sees minute silences for the most tenuous of events that are almost morbidity porn, but the applause on 52 minutes here for Michelle Dack showed the power of everyone coming together for something and someone closely connected to our club. 900+ consecutive games affords Michelle a place in City history and it was right to mark her death as a yellow and green family. A note too to the club, who relaxed their "no flags being held up while the game is in progress" rule, to allow the 'One City Strong' banner to accompany the applause. At times like today, we are.
Farke watch
With Boro reduced early on and Trybull finding a way through an even more Pulis-esque Pulis side, Farke resisted the temptation to go all-out attack and sensibly killed the game dead, resting key men and ensuring Boro never got a glimpse of Angus' goal.
His substitutions were also earlier and more proactive, possibly enforced by the fitness of Trybull and Maddison, allowing for Leitner and Hernandez to provide promising cameos. It's clear neither would be at the club had it not been for the influence of their new head coach and both appear to have qualities that will benefit the team.
Interesting too that Farke waited to have a friendly-looking chat with the departing Jonny Howson at the final whistle. There's caption competition potential in any accompanying photos of that.
Biggest positive to take
City's has long been a fractured fan base, but there are signs it is starting to come back together, through a combination of tragedy and on-field performances. Remain unbeaten in Derby and then in 'the Derby' and that feeling of togetherness will only grow. Zusammen.
Couple that with the fact Oliveira, although yet to score for some time, appears to be returning to somewhere near the player of 2016/17. Nelson was unlucky with a couple of decent half chances, but led the line admirably with the kind of work-rate which was absent only a few short weeks ago. A motivated Oliveira is a potent weapon in this division, Srbeny's arrival might just have given him the competition he needs to thrive once again.
Weekend whinge
It's easy to whine about Tony Pulis. It's the gift that keeps on giving. However, his post match comments borderline on the ridiculous. First good old Tony suggests Boro were full value for a point, then he reveals he's seriously considering appealing Gestede's dismissal. Pretty sure N.W.A. had it right when they proclaimed "Fuck Tha Pulis". Something like that anyway.
Atmosphere rating
A minute's applause (or silence) will always spark a rousing chorus of On the Ball City. This one felt special though. It was sandwiched by some enigmatic support, probably hamstrung by virtue of the fact the contest wasn't particularly enthralling as City went about their task in a decisive but rarely awe-inspiring manner. That said, when it was good, it was really good. Gone was the negativity when City's play became more pedestrian. When it was bad, it was just horrible. We've been criticised for telling people how to support their team on many an occasion, but repeatedly shouting "She's a whore" at an opposition supporter isn't really acceptable, regardless of the shade of orange she chooses to shade her skin. This was also preceded with some morons mocking sections of the Boro disabled support. Classy.
Next up at the Carra needs to be louder and prouder – we all know why. News to follow in the early part of next week on plans from the Barclay End Norwich supporters' group on how they intend to get things started off.
A capable team performance, whose task became potentially more difficult against an organised side once they were down to 10 men. The aforementioned introduction of Moritz Leitner was more than promising. Social media talk had centred around the man's dishy good looks prior to kick off, yet come 5pm most were left more than a little moist by his quality on the ball. Hardly a pass misplaced and some incisive and arrowed balls into the channels offered glimpses of what we might hope to see in the months to come. If Saturday's showing is anything to go by, it may just be a case of enjoy him while he's here. Plus, he comes across as a thoroughly nice guy. We're wagering Moritz wouldn't even dream of letting you sleep in the damp patch afterwards.
Another solid, if unspectacular 1-0 win, but who's complaining? That's 6 points taken off Boro this season and with 2017/18 heading into it's final straight City are nicely placed to trouble the top 6, if they can continue this impressive post-Christmas run. There is a long way to go and success this season should remain an unexpected surprise if it comes, but signs of progress continue to bloom.
While you're here. Two things; first, did you know we have a new podcast? It's available via iTunes and Soundcloud. Alternatively you can just listen to it in your browser via our podcast page. Bundesliga and Premier League commentator Dan O'Hagan was our recent guest as we debated the latest talking points regarding NCFC.
Second, to keep AlongComeNorwich advert free and to help us fund additional initiatives aimed at improving the Carrow Road atmosphere, we occasionally produce exclusive t-shirts/merchandise.
This time we've produced two t-shirts, the Farke Fussball and Canary Cosmos, celebrating the further German invasion at Carra Rud. As always, we take no profit from these and put all the revenue back into the site and things we can all enjoy.
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May 2019


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The Charlie Gard Foundation has taken a very different approach to delivering services, and hopes that this new and innovative way of working enables us to deliver the very best support to those families affected by mitochondrial disease. We have various unique relationships with certain charities that allows us to offer a wide range of services to families touched by a mitochondrial diagnosis.
Who can apply?
If you've been affected by a mitochondrial diagnosis, then you're eligible to apply for assistance. We have no restriction on your age, area or financial situation, and all referrals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, so if in doubt please do still apply as we'll do our utmost to assist everyone who reaches out to us for help.
What can we apply for?
Whatever you need we'll endeavour to find it for you. Here's a list of just some of the services that can be provided:
specialist medical equipment not readily available on the NHS
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This list isn't exhaustive, so if there's anything else you may wish to request, then please don't hesitate to contact us using our Apply for Assistance form. Or if you have any questions then feel free to drop us an email at email@example.com.


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The Wake Forest Nonhuman Primate Signature Program uses its nationally recognized capabilities and resources to support CTSA network investigators' use of nonhuman primate translational models to advance understanding of human health and disease. The Program assists new investigators in overcoming barriers to using nonhuman primate models and disseminates tools and data repositories to the CTSA network and broader research community.
The Primate Signature Program provides support to the Vervet Research Colony (VRC), an NIH national biomedical research resource (P40-OD010965), which is the most highly characterized U.S. monkey population relative to pedigree, phenotype and genotype. This colony consists of approximately 300 Caribbean-origin African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus), spanning neonatal to geriatric ages. The colony is managed to optimize studies related to aging, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neonatal health. In addition, historical and lifespan phenotypic data and extensive tissue and data repositories are available for use. The colony also serves as a platform for training veterinarians and other professionals in biomedical research, husbandry, clinical care, and the management of animal resources. All of the animals in the colony are mother-reared in species-typical social groups.
Kylie Kavanagh, DVM, MS, MPH, Program Leader
Preclinical Translational Services - Susan Appt | 336-716-1637 | email@example.com
Each year the Primate Signature Program provides funds for feasibility studies to assist investigators interested in exploring an idea using the vervet colony. Awarded studies are conducted at Wake Forest with significant technical and faculty support with no requirement for awardees to be on-site during the study.
Examples of past studies have included the assessment of:
Publications and other documents resulting from utilization of WF CTSI resources are required to credit the CTSA grant. Learn how.