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Weekend Meditation: Blessings
Do you say a blessing before you eat?
I'm sure there are many people who never say grace. And that for others it's a daily ritual, as much a part of the meal as the food itself. Or for some, it happens only on special occasions like Thanksgiving or at dinner when the whole family is gathered around the table. Have you ever said a blessing before tucking into your drive-thru burger or over your bag lunch at your desk? How about at breakfast or at a picnic?
And why do we say meal blessings? Maybe it's because of tradition, or religious mandate, or even genuine gratitude. Or perhaps it's just a habit or an instinct. Sometimes it's a desire to connect, or to teach our children to value and appreciate their food. And then there are the moments when everyone is gathered together and the simple act of saying 'thank you' seems appropriate.
Sometimes meal blessings are about acknowledging just how tentative and precious life is and that we cannot do it alone. They can be teachings of respect and interconnectedness, or an acknowledgment of labor. Or for some there's the desire to stop and focus attention on receiving what's been given and the many forms of nourishment that this brings.
I imagine that food blessings originated way, way back when food was a precious thing and having food in your bowl was not taken casually. Maybe we were a little closer to the fact that something had to give up its life in order for us to be fed. We were also a little closer to the physicality of obtaining food: hunting and gathering, as well as planting and harvesting, is hard work and not always successful.
For most people reading this post today, food security is not an issue. Or at least its not something we think much about. Walk into any one of the many large grocery chains in any city and you're confronted with an enormous store of food, from those piles of potatoes and tomatoes to the never ending cereal aisle. This might be a good place to say a blessing, don't you think? Or even just to pause a moment and take in the overwhelming abundance that is before you. It's actually rather astonishing!
Farm fields take well to blessings and as well as your backyard garden. Lemonade stands and roadside farm stands with honor boxes and bake sales, too. Pot lucks and church suppers and TV dinners! Even that drive-thru burger. Whenever there is nourishment, there's an opportunity to give thanks.
Just fold your hands and bow your head, or link hands with your fellow diners or simply close your eyes and hold still for a breath or two. Bless.
Related: Weekend Meditation: A Small and Mighty Miracle
(Image: Alfred Eisenstaedt Sharecropper Lonny Fair and family saying Grace. Mississippi, 1936 )
58 Comments
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I have never said grace in my life, and since age 12 have left the table when others were going to. I will never do so, I'd rather just miss the meal.
Please don't try to make me perform a religious rite just to eat with you.
I do for every meal. If I'm at home with family we do it out loud, but usually it's a silent expression of gratitude.
I do not say a blessing or grace, because as an atheist, that just doesn't make any sense. Instead, we toast our friends and family if there is a special occasion, but meals or drinking events are never surrounded by prayer of any kind. We were at a wedding yesterday and it was interesting to see which tables had bowed heads before the meal. The groom's very religious parents held hands with their tablemates and said a lengthy prayer, and our table was already clinking our alcoholic beverages with each other and passing rolls. Quite a contrast, especially because the tables were directly next to each other.
I'm not much one for public religious displays, but yeesh. Most of them take less than 15 seconds, so unless they're praying out hellfire and damnation there's not much reason to get upset just because someone at your table is doing a blessing.
I have one friend who says grace before every meal, and I simply wait while he prays, and then we go on and eat the meal as if nothing happened.
It's about the same level of politeness as waiting to dig into your plate until everyone has been served. A tiny momentary inconvenience, but it's worth it to be kind.
Now, if someone is saying their blessing in some sort of passive aggressive way I surely understand leaving, but that sort of behavior is not very common.
But is saying a few words over a meal in gratitude or appreciation always a religious activity? Personally, I don't think so. You can thank the farmer who grew the potatoes, the 18-wheel truck driver who hauled them or the grocer guy who piled them into a pyramid. You can even thank your lucky stars, or just spend a few seconds appreciating how good or beautiful or at the very least belly-filling your next activity is.
Before every meal or snack. Some days its long others its very short.
Dana V - my thoughts exactly.
I'm not a big god believer - but food doesn't magically appear on my plate. There are a lot of people who put work into that food being on my plate, and right before I eat it isn't a bad time to be grateful. It's not bad to acknowledge that and teach your kids to acknowledge that as well.
I am not religious, so I do not say grace. However, whenever eating with friends or loved ones, we always toast our beer to something - whether it is "to Friday," "to friends" or "to evil." Actually, the more creative the better.
To me this seems like a ritual of giving thanks, though for the beer as much as for the food. I live in a place that is strongly rooted in the history of beer, and most of the people I know are beer nerds if not home brewers.
Never. No thank you.
Almost always---I find it comforting and soothing to slow down, take a deep breath and pray.
I grew up doing this but somehow stopped when I stopped having normal sit down meals at a table. Now my daughter is starting solids and we are trying to remember to say grace before our meals. We believe that our food (and everything good) is a gift from God. It's nice to remember to not take things for granted.
Saying "thank you" for the food on your table isn't a religous activity unless you (or the people you're with) make it one. It's just a way of acknowledging how fortunate we are to have a table of food to eat when there are others going hungry.
I'd be interested to know what you anti-gracers out there think of the grace my (atheist) mother created for us. We grew up in a VERY religous town and school prayer was common, especially before meals. This let us participate in the ritual without having to participate in their religons.
"Food gathered from hills and streams, plants grown under bright sunbeams, Corn and grain, milk and meat, here on our table, thank you, let's eat!"
PS-if you want an idea HOW religous our town was, Peter Jennings picked it as the "most religous town in America" on a tv feature 5 years ago or so. Seems 98% of the town goes to church every Sunday. Of the 2% that didn't attend every week? Yeah, we accounted for 0.5% of it. LOL So I get where you all are, feeling forced to participate in religous rituals you don't agree with. Spent 6 years of my life doing so!
great post.
i see both sides of this issue. when around anyone actually praying to some god at a meal, especially when they are eating dead animals, i feel like i'm among fools. when i'm with those who are just appreciative of the food, i'm moved. if you acknowledge the love and energy that goes into your food, you are more likely to experience its healing effects and use it for the greater good. you may even grow in awareness that we are one with all that is.
I wouldn't impose this outside family, but I think it's a sweet tradition.
There's a line in a William Carlos Williams poem where he's at a diner and he sees a group of nuns saying grace over their meals, and in the poem says to himself, "there is nothing to eat, seek it where you will, but of the body of the Lord." (may not be exactly right).
I'm not a religious person, but I like the sentiment in that statement.
No, nor talk to burning bushes, or sacrifice a goat or....
My fiancé and I say grace before supper. He's got a traditional grace from his family, and I've got one from mine, so we say either one, depending on whose house we're at. At the wedding, I think we'll say both blessings, and have people join in if they know either one.
I pray over every meal: a quick bow of the head and a silent "thanks". When we have big family gatherings, someone will be invited to give a prayer aloud over the food. Everyone is welcome to participate or not, depending on his own preferences.
Walking out of the room when a prayer is given seems unspeakably rude.
We normally say traditional things like "for what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful" but also add in things like "help us to be kind to each other, especially when it is hard" ect. I normally address family issues. "help us to remember to pick up our toys" "remind us to love each other".
Just a calm time, a quiet beginning to a meal.
I also think it is VERY rude to walk out on a prayer. All you have to do is sit quietly. Surely you are thankful that a meal has been prepared for you. just think thankful thoughts.
@foxconfessor: On the other side of things, I find it rude for people to pray at a table I am sharing with them. Wouldn't you get up from a table and walk away if someone was forcing you to listen to what you consider offensive? I can't imagine anyone letting it slide if others were saying something rude about gender or race. I find prayer offensive, thus I remove myself from the area when prayer is present, so that I am not forced to let someone assail my ears with something that horrifies me. I think it is pretty rude when people just start praying in front of me at the table without any consideration to how I might feel about it and without giving me a chance to bow out before they begin. By simply "thinking thankful thoughts," I am still forced to listen to to someone include me in something I refuse to be included in. By not removing myself in protest and refusing to participate, I would essentially be supporting others' prayer by inaction, which I would feel is being irresponsible on my part and untrue to myself.
I'm with reddylee on this one. I think that if you're in "mixed" company where you don't know the religious feelings of people around you, then you can pray silently to yourself.
I'll pause if someone says a blessing, but it had better be short and sweet - don't expect me to bow my head. I think it's in bad taste to ostentatiously pray when not everyone in the company adheres to your particular belief system.
I think walking out on a prayer is about as silly as forcing someone to pray.
You don't pray? Then at my house, just sit there and be quiet. It's not about you or making you feel comfortable/uncomfortable. It's about me taking a moment to thank God for my food and for those who prepared the meal, etc.
To leave the room is rather harsh. I also would not force anyone to participate in my grace. Just have enough respect at least for me to sit quietly.
I think when it's at *your* house then that's a different story. When you invite people to your home a reasonable person would expect to do things "your way".
Out of curiosity...
Why are so many of the ones who don't pray, so cynical about it??
I saw someone saying something about not talking to burning bushes, etc. REALLY?? You found that was necessary??
@Sleek1: I am not just someone who doesn't pray. I'm against prayer. There's a difference. If I was someone who just simply didn't pray, perhaps I wouldn't have the issues with it. Some people don't pray or believe in a higher power, but also don't care if someone else does. I do care. I'm not just an atheist, I'm an anti-theist. The two aren't mutually exclusive. So why be cynical about it? Because it makes me angry and it makes me sad and it makes me frustrated and the absurdity of it makes me laugh! Sarcasm and cynicism help work people like me off the ledge when thinking about this stuff running rampant in the world. Not speaking for all, but for me, it's just a way to exemplify how silly pray is in my opinion and how I'm a mixture of appalled and amused by it all.
Wow, I wonder the same thing Sleek1. Why would a simple prayer ever be considered offensive? Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs weather it be religious or political etc. You can choose to participate or not but everyone should be polite enough to wait just as you would for everyone to be served.
My bf and I pray at every meal, if we are in a group we just let everyone know that we are going to pray (for us thank God for what he has provided), don't feel any pressure to participate but also feel welcome to.
Growing up, my family gave a short and sweet grace before dinner every night--wouldn't want the food to get cold!
Now my husband and I take a moment, hold hands, tell each other "I love you" and otherwise separate our meal from our undoubtedly hectic day.
I was hoping for more colloquial blessings!
"Good food, Good meat, Good Lord--Let's eat!"
@culpeppy: I was at dinner in a tiny church in Iowa once where I overheard a table repeating the Robert Burns grace:
"Some have meat and cannot eat, some can't eat that want it. But we have meat and we can eat, so let the Lord be thanked."
It was charming.
Yes. God is good.
Reddylee, I would guess someone as angry as you about something so inconsequential should express some gratitude about just being invited to eat with someone else. I can't imaging the offers are all too frequent given your jerkyness to get up and leave a table. And since I would guess not too many people are beating your door down for your famous recipe: "4lbs frozen meatballs, 4 jars of chili sauce, 4 jars of grape jelly, throw it into a crockpot for 4 hours" (yeesh) let's everyone please join together in a prayer thanking whoever that we don't have to hang out with this angry woman and eat this.
Come now, let's not personally attack. I took this post as not one on the value of religion but on whether there's value in taking an opportunity each day to reflect on what we have and/or where it came from. I venture that most of us who have time to kill on an internet food blog are pretty fortunate - so the question was about whether we use mealtime as an opportunity to acknowledge that. I'm pretty sure that counting your blessings makes you happier.
I've faded from very Catholic with rote grace ("Bless us, O Lord, and these, thy gifts...") and the occasional invocation from my dad ("Rub a dub dub, thank God for the grub") to ... agnosticism at best and nothing at all at dinner.
This post makes me reflect that I may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater - and I'd like to create a new practice in my new household to pause and reflect on my how much I have to be thankful for - and to whom to express my gratitude.
@Sleek1: I agree.
Just because you don't like it, you don't have a bash others - many people get great comfort out of religion, and, given the global and local environment, I say "go for it!" The premise behind many faiths - compassion - is exactly what we need.
It's not a question of what's wrong, what's right, and what you do, but having RESPECT for other's beliefs, and embracing - promoting - a caring, multicultural environment. Despite your personal feelings, sometimes it's good to try something new, or experience another person's perspective.
Me? It's my personal goal to give thanks more - whether it's going to God, a farmer, the big bang that started it all, or the series of events that led to me - and my family - being here today.
My Amma's prayer - "God is Great, God is Good, Thank-You God for our Food, and our Family, and our Friends. Amen."
Well, I'm an atheist but I don't find someone else's prayers offensive; why would I? It has nothing to do with me, so I leave them to it.
I did get the point you were going for, Dana, on the importance of taking a moment to appreciate all you have. I wasn't crazy about couching that in terms of "blessings," however; we American atheists get a little tired of the assumption that "of course" everyone is religious (or "spiritual," whatever that means) in some way.
@akite10662: I never said *how* I leave the table, simply that I don't remain there for prayer. It is actually pretty easy to do this at large functions without anyone noticing or being offended by it, and in smaller settings, most times I am with those who know me and my feelings and respect my choice not to remain the room if they intend to pray. I find a way to help out in the kitchen, get someone a drink or a napkin, excuse myself to the restroom, check on the baby, etc. There are plenty of ways to excuse yourself from the table without standing up on a chair and announcing it with a bullhorn before leaving. I'm not a neanderthal.
And, thank you for mentioning the recipe. You clearly understood the point I made in that post over and over again: that even though the recipe seems uncouth and lacks class or presentation appeal, party meatballs, no matter where they are served or whom they are served to, are a dish that goes quickly. Perhaps party meatballs, like people who do not support prayer, are simply something you aren't able to or choose not to understand or appreciate? If so, I am sincerely, sincerely sorry you feel that way, but it is certainly within your right to feel that way. I made my best attempt to be frank in this discussion and to share my own story. I am that way in everything I do. I'm sorry. This appears as though it is extremely unappealing for you. I just don't see the point in mincing words. I do hope name calling helped you feel better, though. It sounded like you were rather upset and I would hate to think that you are so offended by my truthfulness that berating me is the only way to work through your feelings. Sincerely, without sarcasm or cynicism, are you going to be okay? I'm not without care for others. In fact, I'm the kind of person that goes out of my way to always make sure others are taken care of, and so your reaction gives me cause for great concern. I truly hope you are alright.
I find everyone's family blessings to be fascinating. I hope people post more!
I was raised Christian, but my whole life all I remember ever saying before meals, we would all say one thing we were grateful for. Food, good health, sense of humor, etc. I think when I was really young perhaps we might have said a 'prayer' prayer, I expect that rather changed with everyone's religious beliefs changing over the years.
I've never heard of anyone being an anti-theist before. I'm still trying to get my bearings on that concept. Somehow I equate thinking about what I'm grateful for to be the same as prayer. Every morning I try to think of five things I'm grateful for, which I suppose might be quite similar for some people as being grateful towards a God of some sort, then that'd be your prayer. It makes me happier to start my day thinking about what blessings I have. It never occurred to me that counting my blessings was different than prayer, although I certainly wouldn't've thought to call it that either.
What a thought provoking post. The comments are certainly as well.
Yes, I pray before meals.
Wow, Reddylee, you really sound like a self-riteous ass.
But on to more consequential things...
The last generation of my family to ever say a blessing at meals would have been my grandparents', and only when they were children at that. So the idea of regularly giving thanks, whether in a religious way or a new age-y/yuppie way, had never really even occurred to me. But my two young cousins go to a Steiner school, where they give thanks every day over their food. Their parents started doing it too, and I've been present for it a couple of times. It was something along the lines of "We give thought and thanks to the soil, the animals, the water, the farmers and the cook who give us this meal." I was really touched, and I think it's excellent to instill that little extra bit of awareness in children.
On the other hand, being an atheist I find religious blessings before meals highly uncomfortable, not least because it reminds me that I feel a little bit of pity for the people who feel that God is the one source most deserving of thanks for food (rather than the abovementioned sources). I'm always a bit ashamed of feeling this way and not just embracing it as rainbows and unicorns and diversity (oh my!), but I just can't stop feeling guilty for feeling so piteous towards those who are genuinely, joyfully, proudly superstitious. I feel guilty for the fact that I'm in the fortunate position to be intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural. It's especially awkward when my partner and I are with one of his aunts and her husband and large brood, because they are all of the happy-clappy Christian persuasion and we sit through their devotional, ardent little song about thanking Jesus for their factory-processed meat while staring embarrassedly around the room.
I apologise if explaining this comes off as superior to anyone, I really don't mean it that way. I, too, would consider it unspeakably rude to actually leave the table to avoid this or insult in some way the people who believe. (And Reddylee, if you genuinely believe that rudeness is defensible as long as you see the other party as being rude first, well... I am speechless at your boarish hypocrisy.) But there certainly is a conversation worth having about the different types of sources we can acknowledge when starting a meal - the supernatural/imaginary, the things & people that actually did produce our food, or no acknowledgment at all - and about the issues that come up when saying blessings/thanks in mixed company.
It's funny how prayer brings about such strong feelings.
I remember once when I used to babysit, there was this family who NEVER prayed. It seemed so weird to see evryone sitting down and then just dig in. When I kept the kids, i taught them to pray. It got to the point where they did it automatically and each time said something different in the prayer.
I was glad that the parents didnt mind. I dont think they really cared one way or another.
My nail tech sends her daughter to Catholic school. She actually HATES when her daughter tries to get her to pray or to tell her that God is the one responsible for what she has.
I guess everyone has their own ways and reasons for them.
Extra thanks to those who gave a little background on why they pray or don't. Peace :-)
@Sleek1, if those were my children, I would have minded. You had no right to promote your personal religious beliefs to minors in your care.
You have the right when you ASK the parent and they GIVE PERMISSION.
The parents had a religious background, so that's probably why they didn't mind.
Juliescript, as i think about it; When i was in Kindergarten my teacher taught us to pray before our cookie and juice. Public school.
I know it was a long time ago, but i'm wondering if things are different now.
I'm disconcerted by the number of people who apparently are Xian here and yet have no issues with being self-righteous jerks to reddylee who has explained that she doesn't make a big fuss but simply leaves the table while others pray. If I knew someone that had such a visceral reaction to prayer, I'd assume that there was a good reason for it and try to be understanding, not insult them.
If you have issues with someone's believe system, it's counterproductive to insult that person. Try considering why they might hold that belief.
@Sleek1 Yes, they are different. Teacher-led prayer has no place in public schools for the simple fact that not everyone holds the same belief system or even has a belief in deities at all.
Thanks for understanding, d4kk1tt3n. I wasn't trying to be a jerk, just trying to be frank and clear.
I first I felt offended by how what RosieGreenie had wrote, which is silly on so many levels, because this is the internet and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I basically read it wrong until I read it twice.
It just wouldn't occur to me to feel pity for someone considering God the one most deserving of thanks, because in my own thoughts I would always be busy being grateful that the soil existed, and someone put forth the effort to make the food here and present. It wouldn't occur to me that believing in God or praying to one constituted as superstitious behavior, although I suppose it certainly could be considered that. I think what really bothered me was this part, " I feel guilty for the fact that I'm in the fortunate position to be intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural." Because while I believe in a God, I don't pray to a God because it seems sort of useless---it just seems like you're looking down on everyone else who does believe in a God because you're more intelligent than the rest of us that believe in some sort of God- You are superior to me because you think I'm superstitious?
Everyone's beliefs are so personal. When my Nona says a 'prayer' prayer to God before a meal, it wouldn't occur to me to think less of her for it just because it's not line with my own beliefs- who's to say my opinion on religion or a higher power existing is any more accurate than anyone else's? There's no knowing for certain. I wouldn't think less of someone believing in Allah or some pagan Gods or no God at all. Someone told me once I was going to hell for what it is I do believe in, and I just don't think it's right to criticize anyone else's beliefs in a general way like that, whether it's 'I'm better than you because my opinion is better' or 'you're going to hell because my religion is better than yours.'
Yes, in my view, it's an expression that my life and everything I have comes from God. However, when I'm around people who don't believe in God or are not Christian, I generally give thanks to God for my meal without giving any outward indication that I'm praying, so that I don't make anyone uncomfortable. Though I am Christian, I was not raised as such and used to be a pretty staunch atheist (actually, it's likely that I was what ReddyLee calls an "anti-theist"), so I understand both sides quite well.
I must say, however, that I don't quite get RosieGreenie's comment about being "intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural", since many Christians I know are brilliant, Ivy league-educated people. I'm doing postdoctoral research in molecular biology, so neither do I believe that it is a question of a divide between science and faith in God.
There are Christians who sing songs to Jesus thanking him for factory-processed meat, and there are atheists with no thought of thanking God for anything who happily eat factory-processed meat every day. There are also Christians who are vegetarian (like me!). People have different priorities and express their beliefs in different ways.
Yeah! What geckotoes1 said. Very articulately put.
There are people who are nice and polite about their personal views, and those who are not. On both sides of the fence.
Personally, I'm just anti-ceremony, and all the talk of tradition just doesn't "stick" to me in an "ooh I like the sound of that" sort of way. I am just extremely disinterested in this kind of thing. So yeah, no holidays, seasonal decorations, etc. Sounds boring, but I'm happier this way than otherwise.
The atheist mom's blessing/grace (since it was asked up in the comments somewhere), to be honest, just sounds hokey. Because she had to come up with something to stand in for religious traditions in such a traditionally religious town (if I read that right). But I'm just not that into that kind of stuff, rituals and traditions.
Dana, what an exceptionally well thought out and wonderfully worded post. Thank you for your insight and thoroughness too.
Long time vegan, I am so grateful that I live in a country/society where I am so easily afforded this lifestyle choice and, bonus, in California, where fresh organic vegetables are so abundant and accessible. This gratitude runs pretty much silent in the background all the time for me. But I prepare food for my cats and, over the bodies of the chickens I cook for them, I do offer special thanks that might be considered prayers. I'm not sure why I would not offer the same thanks and gratitude for the vegetables I so much love, the farmers who grow them, the workers who harvest them and who bring them to me. Your post has given me pause. Thank you again.
I tried several times to write that earlier post in a way that didn't make me sound like I was arrogant and rude to others about my non-belief, the way that Reddylee sounded to me. Because I really am fine with religiosity and saying grace (that is, the existence/occurance of it). It's just when I am presented with family members or friends who I otherwise thoroughly respect and believe to be intelligent, but who come up with beliefs that I see to be profoundly self-contradicting, hypocritical, or intellectually lazy, it can be personally difficult simply because I don't like being forced to see people I like in this negative light. (I'm not just talking about religiosity here, just beliefs or ways of thinking in general.) My private philosophy just happens to be one that finds that one can live a thoroughly moral, ethical, happy and loving life without involving religion or the supernatural in any way, and further, that religion tends to encourage cognitive dissonance, lazy thinking, bigotry and unjustified piousness.
Of course I would never say anything or in any way draw attention to this to those I know who are religious, because that would be disrepectful and indecent. The point I was trying to make (albeit not very adroitly) was that in mixed company, a religious blessing over a meal can create awkwardness and tension. Firstly because, as Reddylee rightly points out, those doing the blessing force any non-believers to take part in or at least acquiesce in something which is at best irrelevant to them, or at worst offensive. Secondly, for me personally, it reminds me of the aspects of the people involved which make me a bit embarrassed for them.
Geckotoes1, I wasn't saying that I think all religious people are uneducated dolts. Nevertheless I am not going to pretend, when questioned about it, that I do not look down upon religiosity. The family members I was referencing (an aunt and uncle and their several children) are themselves scientists, and what's more are ethical, kind and lovely people. I don't really intend to get into a theological/philosophical debate here, but I shall just finish with this: that in a way I find myself even more embarrassed for believers who also 'believe' in science, because to me that is the ultimate cognitive dissonance: holding, side-by-side, beliefs in both the supernatural and the scientific method (which by definition does not allow for the supernatural). THIS is really the crux of why these family blessings make me uncomfortable.
And the comment about factory meat was really because it astounds me when a person can praise God, He who art kind and loving to all His little critters, for their meal that was only made cheaply possible through the trauma of animals in industrial conditions, or of the abuse earth with short-sighted, money-driven practices.
Eek. Thanks for reading, sorry for the super-long post.
*or abuse of the earth...
I'm glad you came back and wrote more about your perspective RosieGreenie. I appreciate the kitchn as a forum for discussing opinions and ideas. Growth comes from a willingness to discuss perspectives, quite often. And from how articulate you were earlier in your former post, I figured whatever you wrote if you came back would be interesting food for thought. It's a brave thing to put an opinion out there like that, knowing full well you might be criticized for what you believe in. I don't agree with all the points you made, but it made me think more on the subject, as I'm sure it did for others, which is a good thing all around.
@ RosieGreenie - It's interesting what you said about science and religion - most people in society get the two concepts horribly mixed up.
(And, apologies in advance for this rant - I just completed my thesis on maladaptive superstitious beliefs in psychiatric patients - )
SCIENCE is based on what can be observed in the world. Physical realty and fact. You can see, taste, touch, and test science.
SUPERSTITION is a system of beliefs whereby physical events are linked to supernatural causes. (e.g., picking up that penny gives you good luck.) Superstition takes place in our world; therefore, it can be proven (or falsified) by science.
RELIGION takes place in an entirely different "field." It's based on faith, not fact/observation, therefore cannot be proved or disproved even by the most rigorous scientific testing.
- So, disproving a superstitious belief (e.g., faith healing, levitation, pennies and good luck) effectively "shuts down" that superstition, but it does not discredit the ultimate source of that belief.
Countorangevanpeeler, thanks for the comments. I too appreciate the way that The Kitchn is perfectly welcoming (or at least not censorial) of all sorts of different personal philosophies, even - in fact especially - ones that create good arguments in the comment threads.
Enialedam, what you said didn't sound at all like a rant. I am curious about where you see people confusing the concepts of science and religion, which to me seem quite plainly in opposition. If you happen to revisit this thread (it's quite a few days since the last post now...) I'd like to hear you elaborate on this.
And just to extend on your points, I don't necessarily see superstition and religion as two discrete fields. To me, religion is simply the institutionalisation of superstition. Religion takes superstition and belief in the supernatural, which otherwise would be dissolved by education and scientific understanding, and legitimises them by building them into a social framework. Anybody who today defends the legitimacy of religion, whether or not they would admit to this, *must* believe that religion's 'truth' is proven by the very fact that none of its claims can be proven (by the scientific method). If you don't believe this, then you don't really believe in the claims made by your religion (the familiar "it's a parable" fall-back argument).
This is why I feel more pity for religious people who simultaneously believe in the 'rightness' of the scientific method, than those who do not. I genuinely do not understand how an otherwise intelligent person reconciles these two faiths - or trusts, I suppose you could call them.
"We reflect on the effort that brought us this food and consider how it comes to us. - Thank you to everyone and everything that made this possible."
Nice Blessing, No "God" or "god".. Amazing to read the responses as much as the post.
Thank you Dana.


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With 350 million members, half of whom log in at least once a day, Facebook is definitely the place to be. Brands big and small have been trying to leverage Facebook's popularity for some time with few tangible and measurable results.
Like 1-800-Flowers http://www.getelastic.com/first-facebook-sale/, Nine West has created a tab on their Facebook page that lets ONLY fans receive exclusive discounts, browse featured merchandise and ultimately make a purchase. Unlike the 1-800-Flowers strategy, the actual purchase is done at the Nine West website. However, all of the planning, browsing and adding to the shopping bag is done on Facebook.
We're seeing Facebook evolve from a place to accumulate fans to a place to accumulate sales. Marketers should start thinking differently about the traditional conversion funnel. As we see with 1-800-Flowers and to some degree with Nine West, the conversion doesn't have to take place at your website. Sometimes it's just more efficient to let people purchase where they're already spending time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Apple, publishers may be sued for e-book price fixing
The DOJ is investigating possible antitrust violations.
The book publishers in question are five of the largest in the U.S., including Simon & Schuster, Hachette Book, Penguin, Macmillan and HarperCollins. The DOJ alleges that the publishers teamed up with Apple to take on Amazon (AMZN), which was starting to exert a huge control on the publishing industry with its highly discounted e-book editions.
Traditionally, book publishers sold physical books to stores for about half the recommended retail price. Retailers such as Amazon could then price their books as they wished. With physical books, Amazon rarely discounted the books heavily because the industry was already huge with lots of competition. Moreover, reading an e-book on a laptop or a desktop was hardly a good enough user experience to drive a shift in trend towards e-books.
Publishers unhappy with Amazon's heavy e-books discounts
However, with the advent of the e-book readers, users began to buy more e-books. Amazon came up with its own e-reader, the Kindle, to drive the sales of its e-books up. Further, seeing the huge growth opportunity that the e-book market presented, it started discounting the e-books heavily in order to rapidly gain a bigger share of the nascent online market.
This had the publishers worried. Not only did the hugely discounted prices cannibalize on the sales of their higher-priced physical editions but they also undermined the value of their content to such an extent that the publishers were concerned about the long-term impact on their business. This brought back memories of the music industry's death at the hands of the Apple iTunes. Then, the record companies had not realized the impact of the Internet as a disruptive force, and before they knew it, Apple's iTunes had become a phenomenon selling music for 99 cents.
Apple stages a coup
The shocking precedent had publishers wary and wondering what they could do to avoid a repeat of this scenario. At the same time, Apple was readying plans to launch the iPad and Steve Jobs had his eyes trained on the growing e-book market to supplement his iTunes and App stores and drive iPad sales. An unlikely collaboration ensued. Taking advantage of the Amazon-publishers rift, Apple came up with an agency pricing model that lets publishers set the prices of their e-books with Apple keeping a 30% cut for every e-book sold on its iBooks platform in return.
One might wonder why the publishers would choose to collaborate with another company that could also pose the same threat to their higher-margin physical books business as Amazon in the longer term. Isn't the whole online market a threat to their core traditional businesses?
It is in our view, and this is what the publishers understood better than their music counterparts. The online market is here to stay. Moreover, it is only going to grow going forward. If the publishers do not embrace this inevitably, they could see their businesses suffer as well. What Apple was giving them was better control over the pricing of their content and a chance to play a bigger role in this online boom -- a chance that the record companies never got.
Also, it allowed publishers a secondary choice of distributors for their digital content, thereby increasing competition and the value of their content as well. Apple, on its part, got a chance to give its mobile ecosystem a more complete feel with the publishers' support.
The DOJ sees the potential of foul play
But, wait a minute. How is any of this illegal?
Allowing Apple to compete with Amazon doesn't decrease competition. But surprising as it may seem, increasing competition in this case may lead to increased prices. Some have alleged that Apple forced the publishers to not let others sell the same e-books at a cheaper price through a clause in their contracts. Essentially, what this means is that the publishers could price their e-books higher on the iBooks platform but refuse to sell their content to any retailer that deigns to set a cheaper price.
The DOJ is investing to what extent this may act as a fixing mechanism and has raised anti-trust concerns as it leads to higher prices and lower competition. In particular, if the publishers look to have acted in concert, this could be a violation of the DOJ's interpretation of price fixing.
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Narrow your search
Sony's latest fitness gadget, the Smartband Talk, shows your workout activity on an e-ink display and has a microphone to let you take phone calls.
Pricing not available
While it doesn't necessarily beat the Kindle Paperwhite, the $119 Nook GlowLight is an excellent e-reader that's strongly worth considering if you don't want to buy into the Amazon ecosystem.
Bigger, sleeker, and more advanced than the first time around, this encore YotaPhone has updates to both its Android and e-ink faces.
Pricing not available
Sonostar shows off a sleek new smartwatch, or at least a prototype of one, at CTIA 2013. To be sold for $179, the gadget connects to Android smartphones to display alerts on its curved e-ink screen.
The $69 Amazon Kindle is an excellent no-frills e-book reader for anyone who's willing to forgo a built-in light or a touch screen.
The YotaPhone's second screen is an interesting concept and one I'm quite keen on. Both the E Ink screen and the rest of the phone need serious refinement, however.
Pricing not available
Say e-ink and you think e-readers, but the electronic paper is starting to pop up in smartwatches and phone cases, as we saw at Computex in Taiwan.
We take a close look at the Sony Smartband Talk, a fitness band with an e-ink screen for extended battery life and a microphone to take your phone calls.
Sony's latest fitness gadget shows your workout activity and has a microphone to let you take phone calls. CNET's Andrew Hoyle goes hands-on.
Using a heat-activated e-ink display, the design on the Paulig Muki coffee mug can be changed at any time. Users upload photos using a mobile app.


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President's Report to the Global Board
Mary Ellen McNish, President and CEO
April 2011
To view the Program Country reports to the Global Board of Directors from April 2011, use the links at the bottom of this page.
I am pleased to present this report to the Global Board updating you on our organizational work together since October 2010. These past six months have seen drastic improvements in terms of our global staff coming together as one team, the formation of global task forces that are creatively exploring ways to streamline our work, improved communications flow among all stakeholders, more opportunities for best practice sharing and learning across the organization, the formulation of new policies to further clarify our processes, progress in our impact assessment work and, of course, not least, in our programmatic work to end hunger in Africa, South Asia and Latin America.
Though we do face many challenges, especially in turning around our decline in fundraising from the past few years, we have much optimism for the year ahead. I look forward to leveraging the strategic opportunities of new fundraising positions within the Global Office team, the enormously successful launch of World Hunger Day and the 2011 Africa Prize.
Highlights of Achievements
- In December 2010, THP-Burkina Faso was honored in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ouagadougou with the medal of "Chevalier de l'Ordre National" or "Knight of the National Order." This medal carries great national importance, as it demonstrates THP's ever-rising leadership among the country's NGOs devoted to the service of rural populations.
- In February, THP welcomed a new Country Director in Uganda, Daisy Owomugasho. Daisy is a former lecturer at Uganda's prestigious Makerere University in Kampala, and has also served as Executive Director at the African Women's Economic Policy Network and at the Uganda Debt Network. We are proud to welcome Daisy to the THP team!
- During his November 2010 visit to the Expo on Democracy and Open Government at Xavier's College in Mumbai, India U.S. President Barack Obama met THP-India Country Director Rita Sarin and Sarmi Bai, a THP-trained elected woman representative serving as president of her panchayat (village council) in Rajasthan.
- THP-India was honored as winner of the EdelGive Social Innovation Honours (ESIH) 2011 in the category of Governance for its work strengthening women's participation in government. In addition to the awareness generated by the announcement, a cash prize was awarded in the amount of US$112,500. The ESIH awards raise awareness of issues surrounding women and girl children by supporting organizations with path-breaking approaches to these challenges.
- THP-Bangladesh forged working partnerships with BRAC, the largest NGO in the world,for implementing a pilot project, "Social Mobilization and Accountable Local Governance towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Four Unions," and HYSAWA (Danish-funded Hygiene, Sanitation and Water) program to improve sanitation and ensure safe drinking water in 11 unions.
- In December, THP-Bangladesh hosted an Animator Reunion which gathered 12,000 THP animators from across the country. All the animators paid their own transportation and other expenses, including a registration fee.
- THP-Mexico is gaining a very high national profile through Country Director Lorena Vázquez's participation in "Iniciativa Mexico," which brings together the two major TV networks with the largest media networks in the country, academia and private sector. Its goal is to generate a powerful new interpretation on Mexico through the acknowledgement of civil society initiatives to improve society at all levels. Since the Initiative was launched in June 2010, there has been regular presence of THP-Mexico on national TV in primetime that has given THP-Mexico significant exposure in the country.
Impact Assessment
THP has been working closely with the consulting firm ActKnowledge to enhance our global monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. Through the development of national Theory of Change (TOC) maps, each Program Country worked to capture benchmarks for success that are aligned with THP's global vision of empowering rural communities. Significant progress has also been made in the development of program outcome indicators to further strengthen the M&E system and demonstrate near-term impact of THP programs worldwide.
Advocacy and Influence
Since the October Board Meeting, a global Advocacy Task Force has been established with the primary objective of empowering our Program Countries to gain voice in country-led strategies, and a secondary objective of engaging with international policy forums that could support our policies. Our influence and profile in the international community has continued to grow, and THP leaders have been invited speakers at international conferences in Rome, Mumbai, New Delhi, Argentina, Ecuador, Spain, New York and Washington during this period.
World Hunger Day
On Sunday, January 9, we kicked off a new year of action with THP's first annual World Hunger Day. THP-UK organized a gala concert featuring international singing star Dionne Warwick and an all-star lineup including Natalie Cole, Elaine Paige and Mica Paris. The performance included the full orchestra of the Southbank Sinfonia, a group of professional young musicians from all over the world, as well as the London Community Gospel Choir and more. All in all, more than 100 performers and 2,000+ guests celebrated at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London.
The event received thousands of dollars worth of in-kind sponsorships and media coverage, including the theatre, sound set and lighting, all of the leading performers, advertising in The Times, The Guardian, The Metro andEvening Standard, and all of the design and printing of event materials.
Media coverage included an article in The Times (London) and coverage on BBC News, BBC2, ITV1, CNN and BBC Radio London. World Hunger Day was one of four main headlines on BBC Breakfast and BBC News 24 (the UK's global 24/7 news channel), which included a 10-minute interview with Country Director Tim Holder and musical performer Mica Paris. During the week prior, chef and television personality Jamie Oliver retweeted about World Hunger Day and as a result, we became one of the world's top 20 trending topics on Twitter (and fifth in the UK).
I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team in the UK, led by the creative and energetic Tim Holder, and to all the global staff who participated. THP-UK has really catapulted THP into a different stratosphere. Now the team is busy following up on all of the progress made, and discussions are already underway to make World Hunger Day into a global campaign for 2012.
Looking Ahead
Given the deficit with which we finished the year 2010, fundraising is one of our biggest challenges for the upcoming year. I feel that our performance in 2010 was part of the past transition of leadership, and that we are now moving forward with much vigor. We have a much clearer idea of funds to be raised in 2011 and are very confident that we will be successful in meeting our 2011 budget, particularly with the three new fundraising positions that will be hired and our newly created Advancement Division that will bring communications and development work closer together.
While we were dismayed that we have gone from receiving four to three from the rating agency Charity Navigator, we know that it is due to our reduced income and that we most likely won't see a change in the coming year as well (this three-star rating is based on 2009 income). The three-star rating still means that we exceed or meet industry standards and perform as well as or better than most charities in our Cause.
Fall Event 2011: Africa Prize
The 2011 Fall Event, which will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011, will include the awarding of the 2011 Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. The Africa Prize jury is in place, and nominations for the Prize opened on March 31 and close on May 31.
Our goal is to have 600 people attend the event, and we have begun an earlier concerted campaign to gain corporate sponsorship for the event. One corporate sponsor has already been secured. A series of meetings will take place surrounding the event, including of the Global Board, Partner Country Advisory Council, investor meetings, and Global Staff meetings.
These and other opportunities will allow us to continue to build on our current upward momentum. I look forward to more frequent visits with our Partner Countries and my scheduled visits to Uganda, Ghana and Malawi later this year. I, of course, will continue to ensure that we are one organization working to end hunger and poverty.


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Huber & Petrova Into SFs
Published September 08, 2010 12:00
NEW YORK, NY, USA - The semifinal line-up of the doubles event filled up at the US Open Wednesday, as the last two quarterfinals took the courts.
No.7 seed Chan Yung-Jan and Zheng Jie were the first team to win, beating No.15 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, 64 64.
No.2 seeds Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova, the highest seeds left in the draw after the quarterfinal defeat of No.1 seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, earned the last semifinal spot, pulling off a clutch break in the last game to edge No.5 seeds Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs, 64 36 75.
"We learned a lot from our loss against them in Cincinnati," Huber said after the match. "Today we served well and played quite aggressively. We try to have fun while we compete hard. Towards the end I told Nadia the ball is the size of a pumpkin - she smiled and that relaxed her on match point!
"It was a tough match and we're glad it turned out in our favor."
In the final game, Huber hit a forehand lob to set up match point. "I thought the match was over, but Stubbs got it and the point continued. I said a prayer for my ball to go in. It was very exciting having a 20 ball exchange on match point!"
By virtue of Dulko's quarterfinal loss, Huber secured the post-US Open No.1 doubles ranking, meaning she will spend her 141st week on top next week.
No.6 seeds Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova and No.9 seeds Cara Black and Anastasia Rodionova made the semifinals Tuesday. King and Shvedova beat Dulko and Pennetta; Black and Rodionova beat No.14 seeds and Wimbledon finalists Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva.
"It was a great match. I think we all played really well," Black said of she and Rodionova's 46 75 64 victory over Vesnina and Zvonareva, during which they rallied from 64 42 down. "I think the biggest turning point in the match for us was when we broke their serve for the first time in the middle of the second set. That really gave us a boost and we improved from there in the match."
Black, a former No.1 in doubles, said she has been so busy all tournament long she hasn't been able to enjoy New York City. "We very sadly haven't done much since being here. We've been at the courts late every day. This is my first day off so I think a little bit of shopping may be on the cards today!"


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Vandals cut down three fruitless-pear shade trees at Larsen Park on South Central Avenue.
A group of San Ramon Valley political activists have criticized Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, for not adequately representing constituents in the East Bay.
Tracy Senior National All-Stars were edged 3-2 in the regional championship game for 14-year-olds.
Fast Mortgage Inc. is offering refinancing of homes with a three-year fixed rate of 5.3 percent followed by 27 years of adjustable rates.
A new Tracy youth football team, the Cougars, is beginning practice sessions.
A multiday blood drive is helping a 4-year-old Tracy boy with leukemia.
An all-girl Tracy Tahitian drum group has taken first place in regional competition in San Jose.
Linens 'n Things is opening as the first store in the Pavilion shopping center, now anchored by Home Depot.
25 years ago — 1988
Jim Wright has come to Tracy from Los Angeles to be the new manager of the J.C. Penney Co. store at 10th and B streets. He succeeds Ken Smith, who has become Penney's manager in Grass Valley.
Cool weather has delayed the start of tomato processing at the H.J. Heinz Co. factory until next week.
Members of St. Bernard's Catholic Church are making plans to celebrate the 100th birthday of the parish. Original meetings were held at Tracy homes in 1888 and later at a small church building at Eighth Street and Central Avenue.
W.A. and Wayne Duckworth are proposing to open a cardroom in their pool hall on the second floor of the old Montgomery-Ward building at 11th and A streets.
50 years ago — 1963
Leroy Ornellas and Jeannie Deaderick were married in ceremonies at St. Bernard's Catholic Church. The newlyweds honeymooned in Carmel and Southern California and are making their home on Lammers Road.
Former Tracy High standout lineman Jack "Ingo" Tillotson is working out with the South team in preparation for the Elks All-Valley Classic on Aug. 10 in the Lodi Grape Bowl.
The Tracy Police Department pistol team won first place in the Captain Weber Days competition in Stockton. Team members are Jim Cadle, Cloyce Brooksher, John Serpa and Aymon Hall.
Dedication ceremonies are being planned for the new Masonic Temple on McKinley Avenue (now Tracy Boulevard).
Dick Hobin, a member of Boy Scout Troop 503, has received his Eagle Scout medal in ceremonies at the First Presbyterian Church.
75 years ago — 1938
The high temperature in Tracy reached 111 degrees on July 20, breaking a 10-year-old record.
Members of the First Brethren Church have dedicated their church building at the corner of Parker Avenue and Beverly Place.
A new Purity Stores food market is being opened on 10th Street just east of Central Avenue.
Also scheduled to open is the Douglas Market on Central Avenue north of 10th Street. It is operated by Lindsay Douglas.
100 years ago — 1913
Following a fire that destroyed the Arlington Theatre on Sixth Street, owner C.A. Slack is making plans to rebuild.
John Droge, an experienced surveyor as well as merchant and developer, has checked out 4,000 acres near the Alameda County line for an irrigation district in the Bethany and Byron areas.
— Tracy Press archives


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Make Custom Color Chalkboard Paint
Martha Stewart
Have you ever wanted to use chalkboard paint but weren't so keen on the color choice between black and green? Perhaps a shade of blue, grey or red would be more aligned with your decor? Well, there is an answer! You can mix your own in any color you like. Plus, you can ensure it's low or no-VOC.
Thanks to a recent article on Martha Stewart, you can choose a color to match your kitchen cabinets, the nursery, or try one of the 8 Ways To Use Chalkboard Paint Sarah posted about last week. It's a lot easier than you'd imagine by simply following the steps below.
Custom Colors How-To:
Start with flat-finish low or no-VOC latex paint in any shade. For small areas, such as a door panel, mix 1 cup at a time.
1. Pour 1 cup of paint into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps.
2. Apply paint with a roller or a sponge paintbrush to a primed or painted surface. Work in small sections, going over the same spot several times to ensure full, even coverage. Let dry.
3. Smooth area with 150-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust.
4. To condition: Rub the side of a piece of chalk over entire surface. Wipe away residue with a barely damp sponge.
Has anyone mixed their own chalkboard paint before? If so, please share links to your projects with us!
Related posts:
• Green Style: Chalkboard Kitchen Cupboards
• Good Question: How to Chalkboard this Wardrobe?
• Easy, Cheap DIY: Chalkboard Your Mini Fridge!
(Images: Martha Stewart)
1 Comment
Neat project. I haven't mixed by own, but Hudson has a ton of ready-made colors. See here: http://www.hudsonpaint.com/chalkboard-paint-colors/
Personally, I like the black paint best...but I was one of those kids that didn't like to color on construction paper because it discolored my crayon marks.


text: More Information Released in City Bank Hostage Situation by Julie Fisher April 5, 2012 Bob Worden, KFYO.com More information in yesterday's hostage situation at a Lubbock bank has been released. Read More Filed Under: city bank, Kody Nesbitt, tommy beadles Category: Lubbock News Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Subscribe to our eNewsletter
It can be a lot of time and work keeping up-to-date on the
information you need. Web sites can be slow to load and it's
difficult to keep track of when new information is getting posted.
With RSS, you can have the latest news and features delivered
directly to you without worrying about filling up your inbox or
checking dozens of sites a day.
RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication' and is essentially a
syndicated feed that you identify as useful and choose to have
To start reading RSS feeds, you'll need a News Reader first. There
are many different types, some are web browser based, and some are
stand-alone applications. You can see a list of some popular RSS
readers below.
After you have chosen a News Reader, you will need to add the
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You can add the feed by cutting and pasting in the URL address, or by clicking on the orange square.
Google Reader (Free)
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Nearshoring darling
Mexico, benefitting from a trend towards nearshoring in light manufacturing, is now the go-to centre in North America for the manufacturing of electonic consumer products, high tech products, automotive parts and air conditioners.
Latin American Trade
Mexico and Brazil are going head-to-head for top spot in World Cup soccer and among Latin American economies. In the second contest, Mexico wins because its forecasted 2014 GDP growth is 4% vs. 2% for Brazil.
Cargojet builds appetite for charters
The fledgling partnership of Air Canada Cargo and Cargojet came up roses in its first joint foray. In May Cargojet flew one of its B767 freighters to Bogota to load up with flowers in time for Mother's Day.
Business Information Group Network:


text:
Home seller made more, thanks to Facebook
Luckily for the sellers, the buyers announced on their wall how much they loved the place -- before they closed the deal.
Want to better the odds that you won't get the best possible deal on the house you're trying to buy?
Before you've closed, tell your friends -- and the world -- via your Facebook account how much you love the house and that you'll spend anything to get it. Chances are the seller might be reading.
Steve at brip blap explained how this happened in real life in a post wryly called "How to make money on Facebook."
Steve's cousin Stan and Stan's wife, Elaine, put their house up for sale after they moved into their smaller empty-nester place. Several months later, they got an offer with an earnest check attached. Within five minutes, Elaine used the information on the check to find the prospective buyers' Facebook page. Steve wrote:
What did she find? Posts on their Facebook wall about how they had found their dream home. How they would pay anything to get it. Links to pictures -- gushing comments from their friends and family. In short, drool splattered (electronically) all over Facebook. The buyers were even inviting all of their friends over for a big party the weekend after closing. Elaine found all of this -- before the final price had even been agreed on!
Now, didn't that just put Stan and Elaine in the catbird seat? Knowing how much the buyers wanted the house, they could be tougher negotiators -- rejecting changes to the contract and requested repairs that would have cost them money.
There's a lesson to be learned from this, Steve said: "Keep your mouth shut online while the deal is ongoing." Better yet, show restraint in all your social media meanderings.
- Video: Pending home sales plunge
Steve said he's learned you should always assume that "every single person on the planet may be reading your posts/tweets/wall messages, no matter how unlikely you might think that could be, and even the most harmless comments can have effects you couldn't predict."
Do you have a similar story to tell? Go ahead and share with our readers.
Related reading:
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Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
Buy a new refrigerator, and you could see your utility bills drop because of new energy-efficiency standards.
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text:
Category: Energy & Renewables ×
Subcategory: Solar Energy ×
Keyword: solar pumps ×
Location: Europe ×
Location: Slovakia ×
HI-Q - Solar Power Air Sampling System Designby HI-Q Environmental Products Company
Since 1973 HI-Q Environmental Products Company's engineering staff has designed and developed hundreds of 'Custom, Turn-Key' Air Sampling Systems. Among these custom units are Complete Solar Powered Air Sampling Systems, which require Low Amp Draw, DC driven vacuum pumps. Let HI-Q's experience work for you.
e-Mag - Solar Pumpby Thermo Dynamics Ltd (TDL)
The sun powers the Thermo Dynamics Solar Pump™ - no batteries, no high-voltage electricity, no engine consuming gasoline or diesel fuel - only harmless, low-voltage, solar-generated electricity, eternally available and pollution free. The Solar Pump™ system consists of a rotary vane pump driven by a photovoltaic (PV) powered DC motor ...
SP550 Series - Solar Pumpby Shenzhen Solartech Renwable Energy Co.,Ltd
Solartech Solar Pump SP550 Series is the pumping facility driven by solar energy, which consists of a solar pumping inverter and a pump. It is called solar pumping system combining with solar arrays designed according to different head and daily water flow for application. System is widely utilized for agriculture irrigation,desert ...
Solar Water Pumpsby Yandalux GmbH
Water is precious, especially so in rural areas with no access to public water supply. A self-contained solar-powered water pumping system can solve this problem in an economical and ecologically beneficial way.
Lorentz - PS150 Boost - Solar Pump Systemby Lorentz
LORENTZ PS Surface Pumps are high quality products designed for water transfer , pond management and irrigation applications where a surface pump is required. The LORENTZ PS range of DC powered surface pumps are connected to a solar generator via a controller. The controller provides inputs for monitoring storage tank levels, controlling the pump ...
PS150 C - Solar Pump Systemby Lorentz
LORENTZ PS centrifugal pumps are high quality products designed for higher flow drinking water supply, livestock watering, pond management and irrigation applications. PS centrifugal pumps provide large volumes of water economically, without pollution, anywhere.
Solar Water Pumpsby Microsol International LL
Solar water pumps are specially designed to use solar power efficiently. Conventional pumps Requires steady AC current that utility lines or generators supply. Solar pumps use DC current from batteries and/or PV panels.
Solar Pump Systems - Sustainable Technologiesby Envirocern Inc.
Sustainable Technologies offers solar-powered pumping systems for leachate pumping, well pumping, and agricultural pumping. The Remote Leachate Pumping System provides reliable water extraction at an active landfill site. The continuous Leachate Pump operation is ensured with back up battery supply connected via a charge controller. The ...
Sun-Sub - Submersible Solar Pumpsby NOV Mono - Mono Pumps Ltd
The Sun-Sub is a submersible pump and is the most popular Mono solar pump. Available, with either a stationary or GPS Tracking array, ranging from 150 Watts up to 2400 Watts, this water pump can produce very high flows and discharge pressures up to 150m. Mono Sun-Sub solar pumping systems have helped thousands of farmers and remote villages solve ...
Solar Water Pumping Systemby Groundwater Engineering Ltd
Solar water pumping systems can be a practical and affordable solution used to provide reliable and cost effective water supplies where there is no grid power or where power supply is unreliable.


text:
Share your comments
The green man [videorecording]
Graham, Caroline
Adult Fiction Drama MIDSOME
Graham, Caroline
Adult Fiction Drama MIDSOME
What other readers are saying about this title:
Larryw said:
The Green Man is one of the better Midsomer Murders because the murderer does not come out from behind the scenes but is actually up front. English mannerisms are enchanting and they are no doubt frustrating to even the English themselves. But will it play in Peoria?
posted Sep 14, 2013 at 4:23PM
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Discover Author
Michael Thomas Ford is the author of the teen novel Suicide Notes as well as several essay collections and adult novels, including Jane Bites Back. He lives in San Francisco with his partner and their five dogs.
Michael Thomas Ford's Blog: Dog on the Bed
Copyright © 2014 HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
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Service dossiers and enlistment applications
The service personnel dossiers of men and women who served during World War I are held in series B2455. The table below lists this series as well as another useful series containing applications to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force.
Collection references
|Title or description of record
|Date range
|Series number
|First Australian Imperial Forces personnel dossiers (World War I service records)*
|Applications to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force
What's in World War I service records?
World War I service records usually contain the following documents:
- attestation paper – the attestation paper was completed by the person on enlistment and normally gives next-of-kin, employment details, marital status, age, place of birth and physical description
- service and casualty form – this form, known as 'Form B103', shows movements and transfers between units, promotions, when and how the soldier was injured and where treatment was received
- military correspondence – correspondence between the Department of Defence and the soldier's next-of-kin may include notification of wounds or death, awards and medals and questions about the whereabouts of the serviceman or woman
Defence service records do not contain detailed information about the actions and battles the person was involved in, nor do they contain a day-by-day account of their life in the services. To find more records about a person's service, refer to our fact sheet on World War I and World War II service records.
Find and view a World War I service record online
All World War I service records (series B2455) have been digitised and are available to view online. Using NameSearch you can quickly find the service records of particular individuals. You can also browse service records by place of birth or enlistment through Mapping our Anzacs.
As part of the Centenary of Anzac celebrations, the National Archives of Australia and Archives New Zealand are working together to build a new website, Discovering Anzacs. This website will have a unique profile of Anzacs who enlisted in World War I, linked to their service record. Like Mapping our Anzacs, users will be able to browser records by location maps and explore events via an interactive timeline. Visitors to the website will easily be able to contribute images, stories and link connected records. This new website will replace Mapping our Anzacs and be available in 2014. A preview site is available now.
- Go to NameSearch.
- Enter the family name of the service person – make sure it is the name used at enlistment.
- Select 'World War I' from the dropdown menu.
- Search.
- Display the results of your search. If there are too many, you can refine this search result, and then enter the person's given names and/or service number.
- Use the link to 'View digital copy'. You can also print a copy of the record.
Mapping our Anzacs
- Go to Mapping our Anzacs.
- Using the maps, or one of the other search options, find an individual's details.
- Click on the thumbnail image of the file to view the complete service record.
- Use the 'print' button to print the entire file.
- For detailed instructions click on the question mark to view the help page.
Purchase a colour print copy
To purchase a colour print copy of a World War I service record:
- first locate the item using NameSearch (see above)
- use the 'Request copy' button
- complete your order using our secure eCommerce facility. Copying charges will apply.
View an original record
If you would like to view a World War I service record in the National Archives Canberra reading room, please submit an advance request to view records form or contact the National Reference Service.
Information about medal entitlements is available from Defence Honours and Awards; tel: 1800 111 321.
Further information
For more information on Army records see:
You can also browse one of our other fact sheets on defence, armed services and war.


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Major Works > Collected editionsConsiderable editions of Pascal's Oeuvres complètes were undertaken by the Abbé Charles Bossut, 5 vol. (1779); and by Léon Brunschvicg, Pierre Boutroux, and Félix Gazier, 14 vol. (190825). The handiest edition is by Louis Lafuma, l'Intégrale (1960). Collections in English include The Miscellaneous Writings of Pascal (1849); Thoughts, Letters, Minor Works (1910); and Provincial Letters, Pensées, Scientific Treatises, Encyclopædia Britannica Great Books of the Western World (1952).
Contents of this article:


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Editors' Note: New York State provides information about disaster unemployment assistance and an online application for temporary work related to the cleanup of Hurricane Sandy.
This week's openings:
Engineering Coordinator, BAE Systems
- Review and update data sheets, schematics, wiring diagrams, established test specifications and standard test procedures.
- Generate, expedite and track the following: Purchase requisitions, engineering change notices, hardware test failure notices, test fixtures, and RF hardware.
- Coordinates and support engineering design and lab activities by procuring a variety of materials.
- Assists engineers in working with manufacturing support personnel (i.e., manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, production control and material control) in order to ensure the smooth transition of new designs into the prototype manufacturing group.
- Maintains records of all capital equipment used in the RF labs. Monitors the calibration requirements for test equipment signed out to the RF lab.
- Performs RF engineering evaluation tests on a variety of RF components, subassemblies and systems using data sheets, schematics, wiring diagrams.
Capital Construction Manager, Nassau Community College
- Basic project and construction management services for all campus construction, renovation, and repair
- Preparation and review of detailed project take-offs, project estimates and change order estimates
- Completion of value-engineering studies and recommendation of project cost-saving measures
- Coordination of construction to assure conformance with design documents
- Act as liaison to, and coordinate with, physical plant and any other NCC departments in the design and implementation of construction, renovation, and repair projects
- Review project designs for adherence with college material and equipment standards
- Performs preventative maintenance and completes minor repairs on gasoline vehicles.
- Diagnoses and repairs braking systems, air conditioning, basic electrical systems (starting, charging, lighting), engine cooling systems, and steering.
- Changes oil, replaces filters, checks and replaces belts and hoses, replaces windshield wipers and headlights.
- Completes most repairs with little or no assistance.
- Completes necessary paperwork.
Specialist, Communications I, Syosset Hospital
- Answer requests for emergency medical service utilizing provided Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) cards / ProQA for proper prioritization and pre-arrival instructions.
- Adheres to NAEMD guidelines.
- Post units following the Deployment Monitor in an expedient manner.
- Takes requests and dispatches the appropriate resources following approved policies and procedures.
- Maintain accurate records for ambulances.
- Ensures scheduled transports are handled in a coordinated and timely manner.
- Recommends changes to improve service, better clarify policies or procedures, and any other matters that may occur, as appropriate.
- Participates in all required safety and back-up drills.
Senior Copywriter, Wilen Group
• Understand client objectives and marketing strategies.
• Develop work that exceeds internal and client expectations.
• Adhere to client branding guidelines.
• Develop ideas in brainstorming sessions.
• Readily take direction from the creative leadership team and the client.
• Act as a mentor to junior and mid-level copywriters.
• Work with an account manager to meet client goals and deadlines.
• Provide copywriting support on internal communications projects as assigned.
Assistant to the Director, Stony Brook University
- Manage state and The Research Foundation personnel appointments for the Institute from recruitment through termination or retirement.
- Administer appointment/reappointment paperwork for all employees (regular and part time faculty, staff, postdoctoral and research scientists and students, temporary staff, non-salaried affiliates or visiting faculty, extra service appointees, student workers, work study students, project and research aides).
- Prepare all aspects of visa paperwork as related to appointments associated with the Institute, working closely with International Programs.
- Oversee payroll and ensure prompt and accurate payment to employees.
- Resolve promptly all problems associated with this area.
- Educate and assist faculty, staff and students in navigating University regulations, any and all policies and procedures in a variety of areas (e.g., travel, moving, reimbursement expenses, and benefit packages).
- Maintain close communication with director on all personnel issues, including related budget matters.
Elementary School Teacher, North Shore CSD
Elementary classroom teacher, leave replacement starting Feb. 1.


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District meetings aim to preserve recreation area
Northwest Park and Recreation District (NWPRD) commissioners held the first of several meetings aimed at generating ideas from its constituency Tuesday night at the Blaine library.
The five NWPRD commissioners want residents to let the board know which recreational opportunities they'd like to see added or enhanced, and what natural areas should be preserved.
The district covers the same area as the Blaine school district without Point Roberts, which has its own park and recreation district.
One thing that came through clearly in the free-ranging round table-style discussion at Tuesday's meeting was the importance of responding to the area's strong growth in order to minimize the ways it could compromise the quality of life that draws people here in the first place. About a half dozen residents attended the meeting.
Morris, who is NWPRD board president, said that two primary ways in which this happens are the lack of sufficient recreational facilities as the region's population grows, and the loss of natural sites and habitat.
"This area
grew 87 percent from 1990 to 2000," Morris
said, "and we can see how the things that help make
this a place people like to visit and live in start to
dribble away, slowly at first but before you know it they're
gone. If you think about what you want to have here in
20, 50 or 100 years then we hope to use the NWPRD as a
way to help get there."
Realtor and board member Jeri Smith said a comprehensive, area-wide approach works well for developers interested in finding projects to invest in as a way of enhancing the appeal of their developments.
"These people want to cooperate with someone because they know that a park or a bike trail through their land enhances its value, and for that to work it has to be more than piece-meal.
"You'd be surprised at how many call me about this."
The meeting included Jim Kenoyer from the Blaine school district, whose recreational facilities are heavily used by outside groups, and Mike McFarlane, director of Whatcom County parks.
When asked why another funding agency is necessary, Morris said that as with a fire district or school district, the NWPRD is able to go after sources of funding and provide long-term stability that otherwise might be lacking.
"It all boils down to whether or not people will be willing to support an agency dedicated to helping preserve those things that keep us all interested in being here," Morris said, "and we think they will be, and enthusiastically so. We're not competing with the others because we'll bring in funding from grants and working partnerships with other agencies that otherwise probably wouldn't happen."
As an example, Morris pointed out that a developer has offered NWPRD an eight-acre parcel that connects Maple Street with Harborview Drive. "It's perfect for a bike trail connecting an area near the waterslides with a public beach while avoiding the Harborview and Birch Bay Drive intersection, but we couldn't have accepted it without [McFarlane's] help and that of the county parks."
Three of the five commissioners have long-term roots in the area. Betty Robertson, board treasurer, and Smith, vice president, both grew up in Birch Bay.
Patrick Alesse has lived in the area for over 40 years as a teacher in the Blaine school district as well as the owner and operator of Birch Bay's C Shop along with his wife Pat.
Red Goodwin has a long history in local amateur youth sports, and Morris, board president, has worked in area parks for many years, becoming manager at Birch Bay State Park in 1998.
Three more meetings with short presentations and open discussions have been scheduled: Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m. at the Blaine Library, and Tuesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. both at the Birch Bay Bible Community Church, 7039 Jackson Road in Birch Bay.
For more information call Morris at 371-5139.


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Cobra HH475 Floating VHF Radio w/Bluetooth Wireless Technology
HH475 Floating VHF Radio With Bluetooth Wireless Technology
Backed by 40 years of Cobra quality, this unique compact floating radio features Bluetooth Wireless Technology to keep your cell phone safe and dry while communicating loud and clear. It also features Cobra's exclusive Rewind-Say-Again digital voice recorder so you will never miss a VHF transmission.
This product ships in 1 business day.
Add to Cart and enter your Postal Code to determine the shipping charges and estimated delivery date.
* Most products and orders leave our warehouse in 1 business day. However, select items may take more processing time. Alaska and Hawaii orders please add 1 additional warehouse processing day.
Standard Shipping Policies
Please be careful when ordering this product, it has limitations that differ from our General 30-day Return Policy. After all, we want you to be satisfied with your order so you'll return again and again as an iboats.com customer, and to also recommend us to your boating friends


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Fayetteville police are searching for two men in the shooting death of a Special Forces soldier who was killed in his home.
Police responded to a report of a shooting just before 9 p.m. Monday in the 7000 block of Beaver Run Drive.
Police identified the soldier as 35-year-old Sean Wayne Wells. They say they don't believe the shooting was random because they think the family had some sort of relationship with the men.
The investigation revealed that at least two suspects were at the home during the incident and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Police Chief Harold Medlock says investigators don't know if the two men were invited into the home or if they forced their way inside. Authorities say a woman and child inside the home were not hurt.
One of the men separated the woman and child from Wells. During the incident, Wells was shot and killed.
Officers say a car stolen from the home has been recovered. In addition to the stolen vehicle, the suspects also may have been operating a Dodge Dakota pickup truck.
Anyone with information concerning the homicide or the identity of the suspects is asked to contact detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department at (910) 433-1856 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted by clicking here and completing the anonymous online tip sheet.
200 South Parker Street, Tampa, FL 33606
Telephone: 813.228.8888
Fax: 813.225.2770
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: English Program Welcome to the English Department! News and Announcements May 8, 2012: Professor Sophia Andres, along with Professor Nancy Hart in the Art Department, are leading a trip to Paris and London in the 2013 Maymester session! For more details, click here. September 22, 2011: Professor Sophia Andres wins prestigious Regents' Teaching Award! For more details, see this article in the Odessa American: http://www.oaoa.com/articles/faculty-71313-first-university.html. May 2, 2011: The Fall 2011 issue of English Notes is out! Click to read the English department newsletter (.pdf). February 9, 2011: Details announced for 2nd Annual Graduate Program Informational Fair, scheduled for February 24th, 2011 from 4:30-6:30 PM in LL 001. For more details, click here (.pdf). March 30, 2010: A poem by Professor Jason Lagapa: "How I Became a Posthumanist, Pre-Raphaelite, Transcendentalist, Rhet-Comp Specialist". February 19, 2010: UTPB Graduate English is now on Facebook! Follow us at UT Permian Basin - Graduate English Program. February 19, 2010: UTPB Graduate English is now on Twitter! @utpbgradenglish


text:
Product Information
- Dora the Explorer Alphabet Journey from VTech
- Part of the Dora the Explorer brand
- We recommend this product for ages 3 and up
- 2 AA batteries required TTPM trusts
What It Is
The Dora the Explorer Alphabet Journey features Dora's real voice with six interactive activities. The activities can be found on the right side under the on/off button, and you use the big Dora button and the letter buttons to play. The activities introduce letters, counting, colors, shapes, logic, and more. In Letter Time, the 26 letter buttons identify words associated with each letter in both English and Spanish. In Sound Adventure, Finding Adventure, and Guessing Game, kids are asked to find words on the board or solve riddles using the words. While the activities are mostly in English, there are a few Spanish words that your child may not be able to identify right away if they don't speak the language. For example, Dora will ask to find something using the Spanish word, and that may be challenging at first. But the English word will be given if your child doesn't get the answer right away. In the Star Catching activity, kids are asked to identify different colors. Our blue stars look more like aqua green than blue, but we're not sure if all of the toys have that same issue. Dora's Alphabet Journey also plays melodies and kids can make their own music using the Singing Stars activity where the letters function as piano keys. Its carry handle makes it easy to take on the go.
Is It Fun?
The Dora the Explorer Alphabet Journey is a fun learning toy whether or not your child is a fan of Dora. Kids will like all the different activities and hearing Dora talk and interact with them as they play. This learning toy is a nice introduction to letters, counting, colors, shapes, logic, and the Spanish language.
Who It's For
The Dora the Explorer Alphabet Journey is for ages 3–6.
What To Be Aware Of
Two AA batteries are included for in-store try-me features, so it's recommended that you replace them before you play for best results.
See more products from our All Educational Toys category
Lil' Speller Phonics Station
from VTech
SmartGlobe Infinity
from Oregon Scientific
Science X Fueling Future Cars
from Ravensburger
Scholastic Rhyming Bingo
from Tara Toy
Scholastic Money Bingo
from Tara Toy
Scholastic Telling Time Bingo
from Tara Toy
Scholastic Sight Words Bingo
from Tara Toy
K'NEX Education Simple and Compound Machines
from K'NEX
Scholastic Alphabet Sequencing Puzzle
from Tara Toy


text:
Decadent chocolate desserts, dainty tea sandwiches, satisfying sips, and hit-the-spot scones are just a sampling of the delightful recipes we have assembled. Choose from any of these tried-and-true dishes to create a sensational tea menu of your own, or simply gather inspiration to put together an afternoon treat for friends. Whatever you decide, these printable recipes are great additions to your recipe book, or you can always come back to the site later for more ideas!
Pictured: Brownie Bites


text:
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The Classic
This classic Swedish massage utilizes both strong and gentle techniques to relieve tension, circulate blood flow and help the body restore an overall sense of well-being.
30 minutes $35.00
60 minutes $60.00
90 minutes $85.00
Therapeutic Deep Tissue Massage
Penetrating massage aimed at releasing deep muscle tension and spasms, relieving pain, and alleviating dysfunction with slow, even pressure. Being properly hydrated before your massage appointment and drinking plenty of water after a deep tissue massage is highly recommended.
60 minutes $80.00
90 minutes $110.00
Integrated Thai Massage
Enjoy a relaxing Swedish massage that incorporates Thai yoga stretches and Reflexology techniques for deep relaxation, increased flexibility and restored mental and physical balance.
60 minutes $60.00
90 minutes $85.00
Body & Sole Massage
Combine a Classic Swedish, or a Therapeutic Deep Tissue massage with a reflexology foot massage, for total body rejuvenation.
60 minutes $70.00
90 minutes $90.00
Hot Towel Massage
A soothing, therapeutic massage using steamed towels to ease sore muscles. Moist heat from steamed towels penetrates deeply into the muscles, joint and soft tissues for maximum pain relief.
60 minutes $60.00
90 minutes $85.00
Hot Stone Massage
This unique massage combines Swedish techniques with the use of hot, oiled stones. The body is gently massaged with hot oiled stones allowing the heat to penetrate deep into the muscles for a therapeutic effect and for deep relaxation.
60 minutes $80.00
90 Minutes $110.00
Cellulite Massage
Soft silicone cups use gentle suction and vibration to massage the skin, mobilize the connective tissue and increase circulation. All of this combines to facilitate the exchange of fluid and clearance of fat. The ultimate result is a decrease in the appearance of cellulite. This technique is also used to relieve muscle aches and relax muscle spasms. This therapy works best with a minimum of 10 sessions, preferably done once each day. You will start seeing results after 2 or 3 sessions. This therapy is for the person who is serious about tackling the issue.
60 minute $80.00
90 minutes $110.00
Dry Brush Exfoliation Massage
This technique will improve, smooth and tone your skin. Dry brushing helps to support the lymphatic drainage system by flushing out accumulated wastes and fluids, helping to improve the appearance of cellulite with regular use. It also removes dead skin cells and opens pores. This treatment integrates detoxifying therapies with a specialized massage that is deeply relaxing and at the same time leaves your body and skin vibrant and exhilarated. This treatment begins with a dry brushing followed by a massage using specially blended oil intended to compliment the detoxifying process.
30 minutes $35.00
60 minutes $60.00
Sports Massage
Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics. Engaging in sports is harsh on the body and can often lead to injuries in both the short and long term. Sports Massage enhances performance and prolongs a sports career by helping to prevent injury, reduce pains and swelling in the body, relax the mind, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates. Sports Massage is also highly effective in aiding the rapid recovery of an athlete from an injury by encouraging greater kinesthetic awareness and in turn promoting the body's natural immune function.
60 minutes $80.00
90 minutes $110.00
Organic Back Treatment
Flip over for a deep cleanse and effective exfoliation. Then a rhythmic back massage with a customized herbal mask will be sealed in with hot steamed towels. Enjoy a luxurious scalp massage while you relax.
45 minutes $65.00
Fire & Ice
The use of hot and cold during the massage produces both sedative and re-energizing responses within your body. The result is deep relaxation and increased circulation. The benefits of thermo-therapy have long been scientifically and medically proven and can help with muscular aches and pains, poor circulation, rheumatic and arthritic conditions, fibromyalgia, and more.
60 minutes $85.00
90 minutes $115.00
Mommy-To-Be Massage
Taking time for yourself during pregnancy can be uplifting emotionally. The soothing touch of massage during pregnancy allows the mommy-to-be to unwind and feel comforted from the stress her body is in due to increased weight, shifting posture and adjusting hormone levels. This massage is done with the client lying on her side, with her head, legs and stomach supported with cushions and pillows. The therapist can then work safely on her back without creating any increased pressure.
30 minutes $35.00
60 minutes $60.00
Spellbound Aromatherapy Massage
Your therapist will help you choose the essential oils that best fit your needs and will blend them into your massage oil. Soothing, kneading and stretching massage strokes will leave you thoroughly rejuvenated.
60 minutes $70.00
90 minutes $90.00
Body Bliss Exfoliation Massage
Start with a full body exfoliation treatment to gently remove dry, dull skin, then experience a soothing massage, followed by a moisturizing body butter application. The intoxicating scents of our scrubs will transport you to some exotic locale! Your therapist will help you choose the from Chocolate, Brown Sugar Vanilla Orange, or Champagne and Roses.
60 minutes $80.00
90 minutes $110.00
Muscle Melt Treatment
Maximize relief from tension and pain with a combination of massage techniques and our homeopathic massage oil. Using the law of "like cures like," our oil features 8 different remedies at a 30x strength. A fusion of deep tissue and Swedish massage allows for relaxation and penetration of the massage oil while also delivering focused attention to congested areas.
60 minutes $80.00
90 minutes $110.00
I Deserve It All!
Can't decide between a hot stone massage or a Body & Sole Massage? Want an aromatherapy massage but need a Muscle Melt massage? Why choose! You can have it all! You decide what combination of services you want. Some treatments require additional set up time so when scheduling your appointment please let us know what treatments you want to combine.
60 minutes $85.00
90 Minutes $115.00
Body Wrap
Our wraps improve the texture and appearance of your skin by helping to rid the body of excess fluids and toxins. Benefits include detoxification, boosting of the lymphatic system and metabolism, body contouring, inch-loss, skin tightening, and skin softening. Our scrubs are delicious blends of fruits, salts, sugars, and oils that will leave your skin smooth and firm. You will be wrapped tightly in warming blankets that create a thermal effect to promote sweating.
Approximately 90 minutes $150
Add any of the following services to a massage.
Breathe Easy
A gentle and relaxing massage of the face, neck and head, using pressure point therapy to relieve sinus pressure & congestion, and the pain and achiness caused by it. Add essential oils of eucalyptus or peppermint for an additional benefit!
15 minutes $15.00
Head Trip
Studies show that scalp massage can improve circulation to the scalp, relieve headache pain and increase seratonin production. Combined with some attention to the neck and shoulder area, this add-on will produce an overall "feel-good" result!
15 minutes $15.00
30 minutes $25.00
Happy Feet
The feet have thousands of nerve endings with trigger points that correlate to the entire body. Using acupressure points to stimulate relaxation throughout the entire body, a foot massage is a great treat and helps reduce stress and assists in overall relaxation for better health.
15 minutes $15.00
30 minutes $25.00
Get Steamed
Steam hydrotherapy can be added to any massage. The benefits of steam incorporated into your treatment include muscle relaxation, body detoxification, stress relief, inflammation reduction, improving circulation, clearing sinuses, smoothing and hydrating your skin, and improving the immune system. Ask your therapy to include essential oils for an aromatherapy if you wish. Add to any massage.
Steam only, $10.00
With Aromatherapy, $15.00
Beyond a foot massage, this modality is designed to address specific conditions of the body by applying pressure to specific points on the feet.
15 minutes $15.00
Foot Bath and Reflexology
This invigorating treatment will start with a foot bath in aromatic mineral salts to sooth aches and eliminate toxins. Try it for a quick lunch break pick-me-up!
15 minutes $20.00
30 minutes $35.00
901 Willow Drive, Suite 1, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 * 919-213-1772
Content copyright


text:
The Open Knowledge Foundation has launched version 1.0 of the Open Data Handbook.
The Handbook is aimed at a wide audience, with relevant information for researchers, journalists, developers and civil servants.
The Foundation describes the book as an 'organic' project that will be refined and updated following feedback and suggestions.
As the Handbook is being translated into many languages, volunteer translators are also asked to contribute.
Source: The Open Knowledge Foundation blog.