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Christmas Cupcakes
Happy First Sunday of Advent!
In Norway, the four Sundays of Advent are marked, if not celebrated. Most homes has a wreath with four candles, or a modernised version of it, and often, a poem will accompany the lighting of the first candle. I tried to find a translation of the most popular one, by Norwegian poet Inger Hagerup, but I couldn't find one, please let me know if you know of a source.
So, it being already almost December and Christmas is a month away, I thought it would be appropriate to whip out the Christmas recipes. I will share some Christmas Cookies recipes over the next weeks, I will focus on some Swiss Christmas Cookies this year, to change things up a bit – but first these Christmas Cupcakes.
I usually make these to have for parties closer to Christmas, but I was in the mood to share them today. They are based on a recipe by Nigella Lawson, slightly adapted to make them my own.
Recipe Christmas Cupcakes
- 100g butter, softened
- 150g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon mixed Christmas spices *
- 3 tablespoons plain or greek yoghurt
- 125ml boiling water
- 75g dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
For the Christmas spices:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- pinch of ground cloves
For the icing and decoration:
- 200 g powdered sugar
- a couple of tablespoons water or milk to desired consistency
- festive cupcake decorations
Preheat the oven to 200° C.
Prepare a cupcake/muffin pan with paper liners, this recipe will give 12 regular sized cupcakes or 24 minis.
First, mix together the ingredients of the spice mix in a small bowl.
Then, prepare the chocolate mixture by breaking the chocolate into small pieces and placing them in a bowl. Add the instant coffee. Cover with the boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes until the chocolate is soft and stir until smooth.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well in between. Mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and spices and add to the batter, alternating with the yoghurt. Fold the chocolate mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula.
The cupcake batter will be very thin, so I find it best to transfer it to a measuring jug to pour it into the cupcake pan. Divide the batter between the cases and bake for about 20 minutes. If you are unsure (as I often am with my oven), you can test with a cake tester to see if it's cooked through.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan first, then on a wire rack.
Mix together the powdered sugar and the milk/water to make the icing. The consistency should be quite sturdy, just runny enough that it will spread on the cupcakes. Ice the cupcakes with as much icing as you'd like and top with cupcake decorations.
These cupcakes are also delicious with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting, as seen here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Working out which side of this divide you sit on could, in my opinion, be one of the most impactful pieces of self-reflection that you could engage in. Many people struggle for years to balance their diet, constantly giving in to temptation, only to later discover that, if they abstain completely, they are able to better manage their nutrition. The opposite is also true, some try to cut foods out completely yet get pulled back in and binge excessively at regular intervals when having a little bit every now and then could have worked for them.
Working out which side of this divide you sit on couldn't be simpler; take your favourite cheat food item and stick it in the cupboard. Now, after a day, take a bite. If the food is still there in the morning then, congratulations, you are a moderator. If you fail this test then purchase another treat and leave it unopened in the cupboard. if it is still there after a week then, congratulations, you are an abstainer. If the treat gets eaten in both experiments then you are perhaps just greedy or require some new willpower strategies. I'd recommend reading 'The Marshmallow Test' by Walter Mischel as a starting point.
Now that you have your dominant strategy you can start structuring your life accordingly. With your diet you now know whether a bite of chocolate every other day will keep your cravings at bay or whether having the entire bar once a week will work best. The same rule rings true for all other aspects of life; think alcohol, social media use, Netflix TV series and so on. Organising your weeks based on your lead factor will help you stick to your goals, save energy on willpower and feel a more successful person. all of which can have tremendous ripple effects.
Finally you should also consider your dominant strategy for creating positive habits as well as managing negative ones. If you are hoping to start writing a book for example then moderators would find writing a few pages a day a successful way to go about it. Abstainers on the other hand may prefer to have 1 or 2 big days of writing a week or, the opposite, of writing a set amount every day without fail.
I, personally, 100% fall into the abstainer camp. I can stick to diet, exercise and habit protocols very easily for long periods of time yet if I have 1 crisp then the entire bag will be deleted. Knowing this gives me the power to make informed choices!
If you find this topic interesting then I recommend you read more with Gretchin Rubin on her blog which you can access by clicking here. I would also be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences on both sides of the camps. please comment below to let me know.


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Heat the oil in a large skillet. Gently saute onions, garlic and hot peppers, then add beans and vinegar and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the rice to the beans, then stir in stock, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, chives, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and serve.
Copyright 2006, Robert Irvine, All Rights Reserved


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ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Channel 2 Action News has been reaching out to Alpharetta police all morning to find out what caused an explosion that rocked an apartment building at Jameson Pass, but a sign left on the front door of a unit appears to be the answer.
Residents told Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach they heard the blast coming from the second floor around midnight at the Alara North Apartments.
Alpharetta police left behind a warning on the door that
reads in part, "A clandestine laboratory for the manufacture of illegal drugs and/or hazardous materials was seized."
Neighbors are also trying to figure out what caused the loud blast that woke them up early Saturday.
"I heard what sounded like an explosion and something giving way," said neighbor Kate Hill.
far, police have been tight-lipped about what happened, but tenants are speaking out.
"Kids hang out here late at night. At the time I didn't think anything of I, then I heard it could have been an explosion; possibly a meth explosion," Hill said.
The blast was so
powerful it blew the French doors right off the back of the apartment where the explosion happened and blew the railing into the back, leaving pieces of it in the bushes below. Gehlbach said the force of the mysterious explosion at the unit blew a set of mini blinds into a tree.
Hill and Eddie Zingleman said they woke up hours later to police cars, fire
trucks and Hazmat crews.
"It was crazy," Hill said.
The couple, who took photos of the scene, watched as police pulled out chemicals,
containers and cookware from the apartment. Police also searched a garage that was linked to the unit.
"Pots and pans and pitchers with all kinds of brown and red liquid in it; air filters, Tupperware," Zingleman said.
Alpharetta police confirmed no one was inside at the time of the explosion and no one was hurt.
"It's crazy, you don't expect that to happen here in Alpharetta," said Hill.
Gehlbach is working to find out if police made any arrests. Check back for updates.


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Actors Private 01:
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Linda Gray: BAD Hairday...
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Sheree J. Wilson with Doggie
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Sheree, Paul and baby Luke
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Monday, 31 March 2014
The best and worst car in the world
I was outdoors because I was reassembling the Wreck's engine. Nothing too challenging, just a long sequence of parts to put together.
Well, I say nothing too challenging. But I was struck as I have been before: with my engineer's eye I look at some of the assemblies and wonder why on earth they designed them as they did. The nut at the rear of the carburettor that requires either a 1/2" spanner with a 45 degree bend, or else a 2" long shaft. Or the exhaust manifold, the centre two fixing nuts of which can only be done up slowly by hand with a ring spanner.
I once saw a documentary about the Wreck and its derivative cars. It had a section on the factory which was newly built for the Wreck's model line. I am guessing my car would have been built in its first few months. The documentary went on at length about how advanced the production line was, and how it was one of the first major factories to use CCTV for inspection. Very impressive, but I can only now think of those manifold nuts. If it's such an efficient factory it's churning out Wrecks at an impressive rate, right up until the point at which they attach the exhaust manifold. At which point there's a bloke with a ring spanner laboriously tightening up those two middle nuts by hand. No super-quick air tools will fit on them. It took me a couple of minutes to do each one, I'm guessing someone practiced could shave 30 seconds from the time. Or more likely not tighten them up properly, which I suspect is why the original manifold gasket had burned away around the two central exhaust ports.
When Austin unveiled the Mini in 1959, the engineers at Ford famously bought one and dismantled it completely to cost its production. Their concerns that it would affect their Anglia model were muted when they concluded that it cost more to build than its list price. Looking at the Wreck's design, sometimes ingenious yet more often downright baffling, I can only conclude that the disease of poor manufacturing design was not limited to Austin's engineers.
There are many theories about the decline of the indigenous British motor industry. In the 1950s and 1960s cars like the Wreck, the Mini or the Anglia were ubiquitous here and in many other countries, by the 1980s and 1990s their successors were something of a national embarrassment. The misty-eyed will cite trade unions, dodgy Russian steel, bad management and disloyal consumers, but they rarely look at the cars and admit that some of them just weren't very well designed. Comparing the 1980s Austin Metro I had in the mid '90s with the 1980s Volkswagen Golf I had at the end of the '90s was a revelation for me. Instead of a machine that required all sorts of know-how for fixing hard-to-reach parts which kept failing I had a car that just worked. And kept on working, even though it had had a hard life before I owned it and drank cheap oil as a down-and-out drinks Special Brew.
I love the Wreck, with all its quirks. It's a slow car with major handling flaws and woeful brakes, but it's fun to drive and I like its period styling. But that won't blinker me as to why its successors are no longer in production and the site of the factory where it was built is now a housing estate.
8 comments:
I heard a story once that sums it up for me. The Japanese factories bought some British bikes that were the best at the time.ReplyDelete
They took them apart to see what worked, and to see what could be improved. Then they produced their own machines based on it (some of them were really simply things like splitting the engines horizontally rather than vertically to improve compression and reduce oil leaks).
The British engineers thought they would do some of that as well, except rather than accept that the world had moved on from the 50's the engineers were told by the ageing management that the British did not need to learn about bikes from the Japanese and just carry on as you are.
Looking at the design of my 1980 Spitfire vs just about any other car from that period I have to agree! I love the Spit dearly, but it was a dinosaur years before mine was made! Why on earth did they not keep the styling but update the components used in it!
I do also have a soft spot for 1980's VWs as well though. The LED dashboard warning lights and location of the stereo... Shame they undid it all when the accountants took over and introduced the Golf III (Ug!)
I loved my 60's Singers but compared to modern cars they were cold noisy and unreliable, and they were quite up market models in their day. I enjoyed the style and performance that I got from Jade (A green lightly modified 1966 Singer Vogue) but in the end I had to sell her as it was just taking too much time and money keeping her going, whereas her grand son a Pug 405 just kept going, comfortably cheaply and effortlessly.ReplyDeleteReplies
Memories! Throughout my childhood my dad drove a 1965 Singer Vogue Estate, with a few of his own mods to help keep up with modern traffic...Delete
I adored that car (especially the linear speedo) and have so many memories of going on holiday to the Isle of White in the back of it...
It wasn't his classic car, it was just what he could afford (and being a mechanic / body working he didn't have the bills for repairs that I have with the Spitfire!) and I remember it in two different paint schemes when it rotted away and needed restoring, and remember it breaking down with a horrible smell one time when the clutch died.
It was boiling in the summer, and freezing in the winter (though he did fit a heater to the rear of the car to keep me and my brother warm). And in shorts you stuck to the seat somewhat painfully!
But even with all that, what a car! (The wings on the back!!!!)
Stace (with a rose tinted reminisce smile on my face now!)
Sounds pretty much like the designers (I use the tern loosely) of electrical light fittings. They look nice but some of them are incredibly awkward to assemble and fit. Many of them are designed thinking a little three-core flex is going to supply it and there is absolutely no space for the usual circuit cables found in modern houses, sometimes as many as twelve cores in the ceiling roses. I carry a magicians wand in my toolbox maybe you need to do the same Jenny....LOLReplyDelete
Shirley Anne x
- Anonymous6 April 2014 at 13:54
Out of curiosity what make of car is the wreck. I don't know why but I seem to have come to the view it is a Triumph Herald....just wondered? I have owned many of the cars you talk about and have many memories. EmilyReplyDelete
- Anonymous7 April 2014 at 12:39
Or is it the ubiquitous Morris Minor?ReplyDelete
Hi all, Not the most conscientious of comment repliers here, to put it simply I've had a sod of a month.ReplyDelete
Yes, the Wreck is one of Canley's finest. I mentioned bad designs, well I'd put the Minor's underfloor brake cylinder firmly in that bracket.
Personally I think car design peaked in the 1980s. They conquered rust, oil, and dodgy metalurgy, but hadn't picked up the taste for pointless computerisation of everything that puts a mechanically perfect modern in the scrapyard when its thousand quid digital dash fails. And I'm an electronic engineer, I should be all for it.
Having removed much skin to no avail I would say that the minor had a major design fault there! We had to pump the breaks before setting off and I taught my partner to drive without breaks and anticipate. Worked fine until some idiot caused a need for lack of speed and the foot went straight to the floor!ReplyDelete
Unlike cars, humans can self heal to some degree and time helps. Hope that sod of a month is replaced by something better.


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Globe BowlBash - European Skateboarding Freakshow
Independently produced media event series that brought together the best European BOWL skateboarders ON MTV
With a series of five events we created a stage for the best European bowl skateboarders. A stage for them to jam with their peers and an opportunity to show their skills to the world. In partnership with media such as MTV, Eurosport and Extreme Sports Channel we created TV shorts that brought this core scene to a broad audience. All together the TV, DVD, web and print coverage reached millions of people and generated valuable brand exposure for its partners Globe, Braun, Independent and others. Three editions of the Globe BowlBash were produced over the period of three years.
Independent production. Partners; Globe, Braun, Independent, MTV, Eurosport, Extreme Sports Channel
Concept, direction and production by Alrik Swagerman
Art direction by Mark Rooker
Contest production in cooperation with SFN;
Bram Waterman, Stan Postmus, André van Dijk
Film direction by Billy Pols
Photography by Ruud van Bragt
Thanks to Matt Grabowski, Eduardo Saens de Amibilia, John Magnusson, Casper Friedl, Chrissie Stegt, Hans Dijs, Abdul Q, Evelien Zwart, Mick Johan, Matthijs Booij, Kiki Kouthoofd, Aziz, Roy, Ramoen, Tasso Heijnen, Bas Ackermann, Paul Swagerman and everybody else who made the BowlBash happen.
The total organisation consisted of over 30 people; local organizers, event technicians, DJs, film crew, photographers, writers, designers, media managers. Also see Globe BowlBash films and shorts


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1 comment:
ano po ung requirements for clerical errors?.ung NSO issued na birthcertificate walang enye ung ung N ng Marinas..pero ung original copy po ng birthcertificate sa civil registrar meron naman po...pano po yun?..pwede bng mapalitan ung record s civil registrar para sundin nlng ung record s NSO?
- January 3, 2012 at 8:26 PM
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Saturday, June 1, 2013
Tea Party
7 comments:
- Castles Crowns and Cottages said...
Oh Violet, if we had it in our power to create an IN THE FLESH world wide tea party, I think it would certainly be an event to always remember and hold so dear.
What can I say but that I wish I would have been there. The laughter, the tears...OH, I CAN STIR THAT UP! The dressing up? EASY. The gobbling up of the food? NO PROBLEM!
You make magic. Those sweet little place cards in the frames; what a keepsake from a tea party hosted by such a queen. I would love to take my little canvas paintings and use them a table place holders! HOW FUN?
The details here are numerous, special and a gift. Oh how we need a tea party in Blogland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE ! Anita
- June 2, 2013 at 3:47 AM
- Martina said...
What a wonderful tea party Violet, it looks and sounds just perfect! You are so right - dressing up and having fun is VITAL at times and doesns't allways need a big event your food looks very yummy too! Have a lovely sunday! xx
- June 2, 2013 at 7:51 AM
- Castles Crowns and Cottages said...
I am back for another cup of tea, a strawberry or two and a chat with you. Thank you my dear sister for coming by again! Oh the change that has occurred in this house...it is unbelievable when I look at the photos over the last 17 years. WOW how times flies, but it sure seasons your efforts as long as you maintain what you sow. Hmmmm...another life lesson! LOVE YOU! Anita
- June 2, 2013 at 3:09 PM
- Createology said...
Violet Dear this is a wonderful way to celebrate and make a day special with friends. Love the dress up with hat. Yummy food, fun, laughter and sharing...Life is Good!
- June 2, 2013 at 6:59 PM
- The Dainty Dolls House said...
This is so wonderful, love stuff like this. Tea parties are great and it's lovely everyone dressed up and had a sweet time, the dessert looks marvellous :))) Wish you a gorgeous week :) xx
- June 3, 2013 at 2:02 AM
- Castles Crowns and Cottages said...
Precious SOUL!
I just saw that you visited my blog! You are not able to access your email? The internet is having bizarre difficulties. I can't wait to see some pics of your new fairy garden! OH THE JOY that is happening in our green worlds. LOVE YOU SO, and hopefully we can access emails today! Anita
- June 6, 2013 at 3:27 AM
- Palomasea said...
How lovely!!! A fabulous and beautiful party, dear Violet...I love all of the happy colors, and your dear friend is stunning...
A splendid weekend to you!
- Irina
- June 14, 2013 at 12:00 AM


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Chapter 337: Soloer
Translator: Strivon
Zhang Yingying stammered a bit when Luo Nan asked this question. The words she just spoke were all driven by her emotions. They were an attempt to evoke Luo Nan's emotions, so Zhang Yingying didn't pay particular attention to her choice of words. How was she to know that this guy, Luo Nan, would be apathetic to the extreme, and even have the leisure to answer her question with a question?
Zhang Yingying had no choice. She could only improvise on the fly, "Yes, you understand now. When one wears a mask, one gains an additional layer of protection. It is easier to let loose with this protection. Aren't there performance styles with people wearing masks on stage? In those performances, the expressive power of the limbs is regarded as more important than the face. You don't need to worry about ugly appearances. The audience will even naturally imagine it. Don't people say that imagination is more beautiful than reality?"
Zhang Yingying's logic was a complete mess by the end. Even she was about to facepalm.
But she never expected that Luo Nan would really be dragged into the ditches by her. "You're saying that this is a show, and I am to engage as a new character. This way I can lessen the pressure?"
The power of imagination had exploded!
Zhang Yingying had accidentally saved Luo Nan with her completely broken logic. She immediately seized this chance and fiercely nodded her head from the other side of the call, saying, "Yeah, yeah! Haven't you seen those Internet trolls? A lot of them make good money and have good education in real life. They express themselves so virtuously in front of people in everyday life, but they talk bullshit when they go online in anonymity. That's how they vent and relieve stress! Just think. This is human nature. Your behavior on the Internet and your own nature are certainly different!"
Luo Nan conscientiously thought about his own Internet life before responding, "It seems like there's not much difference for me."
Zhang Yingying took in a deep breath before spitting out word after word with gritted teeth, "Then you go learn. Learn how others vent. Learn how others let loose. Otherwise, you will just keep on stressing out like this, and you'll break down sooner or later! You don't need to think about much else. In the entire firm, only me and the boss know your identity—"
"Peony doesn't know?"
"Of course she doesn't. She's a newcomer—"
"A newcomer? What does she do in your firm?"
"What else can she do? The boss just unearthed her and has yet to arrange a specific task for her. Then a project just so happened to come along, so we let her coordinate for experience."
Luo Nan felt like his heart was stabbed with a knife. Not only did he not relax, he turned gloomy. "A newcomer is this amazing. What did she do before?"
Zhang Yingying lost her patience. "It was boss's good eyes. I think she had been observing her for quite some time. It was only recently that the boss recruited her. I'm not too certain of her past. She wasn't part of the Society, nor an Order. She also has no relationships with the military. Who knows where she spawned from? She's super mysterious…. Oh right, don't you be intimidated by her. She's just a stage performer, just an assistant and messenger. The important person in question is you!"
Luo Nan wanted to say, "You wouldn't think so if you were in this meeting," but the words only reached the tip of his tongue when he suddenly felt that something was off. The topic was the same, but today's Zhang Yingying was much more emotional than last week's. She was clearly perturbed.
As soon as the thought formed, the words within Luo Nan's mouth changed, "Uh, do you not like Peony or something?"
Zhang Yingying instantly went silent.
Luo Nan thought back on Zhang Yingying's attitude and suddenly realized, "You can't be competing with her, right!? Are you jealous of the newcomer?"
"...Just go die!" Zhang Yingying was really mad now. She hung up the call.
Luo Nan went, "Uh." His evaluation grew firmer.
Luo Nan was able to make an assessment out of Zhang Yingying's nature, words, and actions. Zhang Yingying probably had a very special position in the Hidden Indigo Firm. She was very much a favorite of Her Majesty Empress Wu. But all of a sudden, the newcomer Peony came out of nowhere. She was extremely brilliant in handling affairs, and her abilities were very powerful. She likely gave Zhang Yingying a dangerous feeling.
These thoughts and feelings were very subtle, subtle enough that perhaps even Zhang Yingying wasn't conscious of them. But they were laid bare in a few words by Luo Nan in quite a rude and impetuous manner. Honestly, this was very disrespectful of Luo Nan. He got off easy with Zhang Yingying merely hanging up the phone and not blocking him.
Luo Nan scratched his head. He started getting a headache over figuring out how to apologize to Zhang Yingying. In the end, he wasn't someone who was good with words. He could only leave a message on the Psychic Wave Network.
"I spoke wrongly. I'm sorry…. Also, thank you. I understand now."
Luo Nan's prior words were very clumsy, but they were also very sincere. However, the later few words had false intentions.
Understand? He understood in principle, but in practice, his thoughts were far from clear. As time passed, Luo Nan even felt that doing these things wasn't that significant.
Relax? Would relaxing let those enemies, who were akin to tigers watching their prey, give up? Would it change the pursuit of their goals?
He had the time to mull over these matters. He might as well sink into his mind and do some school work exercises.
But then someone in the shuttle made a low cry all of a sudden. A muffled boom soon followed. Something heavy had smashed into the vehicle's window, and this brought new and louder shouts.
Everyone in the vehicle all turned to look. Most of these people were messaging others online. They had been unaware of what was going on outside the windows. During their befuddled states, a fellow wearing a baseball cap was spotted through an open window. He cursed from afar and gave the middle finger.
"F*CK! We lost another, zero to three. I'll kick you all in the balls!"
Luo Nan understood now. The electric shuttle had passed the open-air field. An athlete in the middle of training had lost control of his foot, kicking the ball into the shuttle's window.
This was supposed to be a minor matter, but some of the students in the shuttle found a common topic, and someone faced the fellow wearing the baseball cap. He said, "Team Pathfinder's level this year is full of drunkards, losing to even Yunshang, zero to three. They even recruited Clark."
"Clark, what a soloer. He just knows how to run a hundred meters down the sidelines. He must be using this as a chance to train for track and field. How much is the track and field society giving him as a sign-on bonus?"
"Hellooo, he ran down the entire field. That's nearly twenty kilometers. Are you up for the task?"
"Up for picking weeds? I'll break an ankle on the turf by the time we get through the whole field…."
"You're right. Lando Field is very crappy. It's absolutely not suitable for our school. We should switch to a more responsible sponsor. Who wants to start a petition with me?"
The atmosphere in the shuttle grew livelier and livelier. A lot of people who had been silent while the vehicle was in motion broke their silence. They participated in the game discussion. Some people even went to the school message board to petition, while some took the opportunity to get the female students' numbers. There were plentiful gains.
Luo Nan didn't care for such things. He raised his eyes to look, and was about to go back into his own train of thought and world when he saw that Xue Lei was also exchanging numbers with people, and was discussing topics involving Clark.
Luo Nan was inexplicably shocked. "You know this person?"
"Of course, Clark Kembo, the athletic star of the school. Lightning of the field. Rumor has it that soon he'd be able to enter the city's team. I saw his matches before, back when school started. He wasn't as rough with his feet as people are saying now."
Xue Lei spoke as if this was the most obvious thing on earth. Then, he became shocked as well. "You don't know!? His posters are all over the classroom buildings in the school!"
Luo Nan's mouth gaped. He looked once more at his peers chattering away within the vehicle, and his heart inexplicably fell. He opened his mouth again several seconds later and asked, "Do you also know about Jungle Owl and what it is?"
"Of course, man. They're our school's gaming clan. They play Ten Days in the Wilderness. They lost quite horribly in the Autumn Games last month…. Did you run into a member of Jungle Owl? Who?"
"I didn't," Luo Nan muttered. He turned his head to look out the window, scanning the campus subconsciously.
Xue Lei was completely confused. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing. I just feel that I stay at home too much," Luo Nan laughed, not saying much else.
Actually, he had spoken another lie. His current assessment of himself couldn't be merely described as staying at home too much.
Xue Lei concentrated on his martial arts, while Peony joined the Hidden Indigo Firm. They each engaged in their own activities, acquiring a certain distance from the world of normal people. However, they didn't lose perception of their surrounding environment.
Luo Nan was far too dull in comparison.
The shuttle made its way leisurely to the auditorium, and the student passengers went off and on in-between. The subject of the soccer ball had vanished into thin air, as if nothing had happened.
Luo Nan got off the shuttle and deliberately turned his head to look around. His gaze soon cut into the area surrounding the bustling auditorium. A week ago, it was here that he tempered the eyes orifice. He was familiar with each blade of grass and each tree. He also had the number of steps in the flight of stairs in his mind. The faces of people who were often active here were a bit familiar looking to Luo Nan, but that was all.
After all, these were merely temporary targets of his observation. There wasn't any deeper information to be acquired. There wasn't any meaning.
Luo Nan harbored this sort of understanding all this time. But as he returned to this place today, a certain feeling suddenly dawned upon him: He and this auditorium, the surrounding plaza, and even the entire school, were totally incompatible.
Things were like this two months ago when he had just entered the school, and things were still like this now.
This feeling of his was not a good one.
Luo Nan and Xue Lei didn't have time to waste. They simply entered the forest that surrounded the north bank. They made a few turns and arrived in front of Gear. The smell of smoke and ash seemed to remain.
The construction team had finished today's work by now. They left one by one, reducing the presence of people.
Hu Huaying was already waiting at the entrance by the time Luo Nan arrived. Besides him, there waited also the supervisor and the project manager. It looked like today's activity was going to be a formal inspection.
Hu Huaying immediately introduced everyone, being positioned in-between, and Luo Nan nodded in greeting. Luo Nan didn't intend to go deeper into conversation. He also didn't immediately go inspect. Instead, he went to ask for Xie Junping.
Previously, the young master of the Xie Family was forging on ahead, but all of a sudden he was nowhere to be seen. Luo Nan really did want to see him. With Xie Junping present and chatting up a storm, wouldn't things be lively?
"Old Xie has been acting quite mysteriously lately. It probably has to something to do with Sissy Du. They're doing some fasting cultivation."
Luo Nan accidently heard the biggest joke in Xia City. He couldn't help grinning. Hu Huaying also couldn't but laugh, "Waking up at six a.m. Going to sleep at nine p.m. He has maintained this for five days."
"Oh, that's not easy…. But having order in life is a good thing. He has perseverance."
The Sissy Du who Hu Huaying just mentioned was the former president of the Mystic Arts Research Society, Du Yong. Luo Nan only met him once before. He wasn't too familiar with him. He just knew that Du Yong was a bit neurotic, albeit a decent person.
They started to talk about Gear after a few words of idle chatter.
The project manager maintained his silence, while the supervisor explained. Luo Nan didn't really listen. Nothing but the installation of wiring, the maintenance of various systems, and related things were said.
Luo Nan made grunts and okays in response. He wasn't a technical person; he just checked the contract commissioned to the supervisor. It was just that things didn't merely involve construction. The supervisor's spy work was played quite swimmingly, protectively, and so on.
Luo Nan would be damned to trust him!


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Yoga as an Enlivenment Practice
My classes focus on connecting with and bringing healing to body, mind, heart and spirit as a pathway to integration and union, yoga. I create a safe and sacred space for going inward, challenging and letting go of negative patterns and behaviors, turning on to new ways of moving and being and committing to the process of transformation. My sequencing comes from the wisdom of Forrest yoga and I focus on deep breath and core work, sweaty and sustained asana to develop stamina and stability, and attention to the senses as a guide into the present moment. I love the fire and thrill of strong abs, inversions, arm balances and back bends. I also love the fluidity of vinyasa and strive to infuse my classes with time for play and creativity. I am passionate about helping my students extend their range of comfort, strength and confidence and journey to new places. I am certified RYT 200 with training from Ana Forrest through the Forrest Yoga Foundation Training and the Samadhi Yoga Center in Seattle, WA, under the guidance of Kathleen Hunt. In addition I have completed 2 years in the Forrest Yoga Mentorship Program with Forrest Yoga Guardian Colleen Millen. I have trained closely with and assisted inspirational yoga teachers such as Ana Forrest, Les Leventhal, Howard Cohn, and Kristin Lovelace. I completed the Forrest Yoga Advanced Teacher Training in September of 2014.
What is Forrest Yoga?
Ana Forrest has spent 30 years developing Forrest Yoga specifically to address modern day stresses and challenges, both physical, mental and emotional. Forrest Yoga uses intense pose sequences, compassionately taught, to develop skills in awakening each of the senses. It teaches you to bring aliveness, using breath, into every cell of your body, igniting your passion for living. The pillars of Forrest Yoga are Breath, Strength, Integrity and Spirit. The mission of Forrest Yoga is to create in each of us a sense of freedom, a connection to our spirit and the courage to walk as our spirit dictates; thus, doing our part in "Mending the Hoop of the People". The practice will teach you to go deeper, find your truth and encourage you to take these gifts you have earned beyond the mat into the rest of your life. www.forrestyoga.com
What you can expect from a Forrest Yoga practice:
Expect to be challenged! While not the non-stop flow of a typical vinyasa class you will sweat and get stronger and get your "workout". Unlike a vinyasa class you will have more time to stay with postures to go deeper, a process that can bring both pleasure or discomfort and offers you greater benefits. Expect some unfamiliar cues and postures unique to Forrest Yoga that are designed to help you unravel neck tension, help stretch and bring awareness to your hands and feet, unlock stiff shoulders, and decompress your low back. Expect skillful and caring hands-on assistance. The style can especially benefit those who suffer from chronic injuries or health conditions, have a history of physical or emotional trauma, have sedentary repetitive-task jobs (ie lots of sitting and typing), and high-impact athletes prone to repetitive-stress injuries. Overall Forrest Yoga is a great complement for any physical activity and can suit any body who is looking to reduce stress, breathe more fully, and have a greater sense of freedom in their bodies and lives.


text: Hi - my name is Megan and this is my creative corner of the universe in Sydney Australia. I will be posting my creative adventures here and you can also go shopping on my site for fabric, books, art doll patterns and fibre goodness too. I'm hoping to also add some of my own creations here and there as well as create some youtube video how-tos and so on. Please enjoy!


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Florida Panthers
Former Panther Stephen Weiss returns as a snowbird
Unlike most former Panthers who keep a home in South Florida, Stephen Weiss didn't stay at his condo when he returned to town with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.
"My place is empty," Weiss said. "I'll be at the team hotel like everyone else."
Weiss will play his first game at BB&T Center on Tuesday since leaving the Panthers as a free agent last summer. For the first time, he will be escaping the cold and dressing in the visiting locker room.
"It's going to be strange, yeah," he said.
Weiss may have been born near Toronto and played junior hockey in Michigan, but almost a decade in South Florida had all but turned him into a local.
An avid golfer, Weiss would often leave practice in shorts and sandals and make the quick drive to his local course for a quick 18 holes.
He's not doing that any more.
"The first time I came out and saw ice on my windshield, I couldn't believe it," Weiss said near the Red Wings locker room on Saturday. Outside, it was 22 degrees.
"I had to go out and buy a scraper. Gloves, too."
The weather isn't the only thing Weiss had to get used to after moving from near obscurity following a decade with the Panthers to life in Hockeytown.
There is pressure here to not only make the playoffs, but do something once there. Weiss' Panthers infamously have made the postseason just once since 2000. The Red Wings haven't missed the playoffs since 1990. The Panthers' first season was in 1993.
"Confidence has been a struggle for him," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "I think when you go to a new place, just not being comfortable makes it hard on you. The reality is — hockey is hockey. He's been a good player his whole career. I don't imagine it's going to take him too much longer."
If Weiss is feeling the pressure of playing under serious expectations, he won't admit it.
It does seems like something he needs to get adjusted to as he has only two goals and two assists in 25 games with Detroit. Weiss didn't find the scorecard in Florida's 2-1 win at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday.
"Trying too hard sometimes can backfire on you," Weiss said. "I think that was the case early on. I came here to be a part of something, to win hockey games. We've been doing that. It's fun seeing your team at the top of the standings. That's been a lot of fun. Personally, I'll get that going soon."
Said Henrik Zetterberg: "We play a little different system than they do down there and it takes time to adjust. But he's playing well, doing a lot of little things on the ice that he doesn't get credited for. He's going to be here for a long, long time. We're happy to have him."
Weiss had become the face of the Panthers over his time in South Florida as his NHL career literally started in Sunrise when Florida made him the fourth overall pick of the 2001 draft held at what is now called the BB&T Center.
Over the next nine seasons, Weiss became the franchise's all-time leader in games played and one of its all-time leaders in various categories.
Yet when it came time for a new contract, the Panthers didn't have any money. The team was for sale and Weiss had missed most of the previous season after opting for major wrist surgery. Florida let him walk away to Detroit without putting up any sort of fight to keep him.
On July 5, Weiss signed a five-year deal with the Red Wings worth an average of $4.9 million. Weiss averaged $3.1 million a season over his past six years in Florida.
Weiss would have been the big news on the first day of free agency had the Red Wings not also lifted Daniel Alfredsson from Ottawa.
"It's been fun, but it's been an adjustment; the weather, getting settled, all those things," Weiss said. "It's something I'm not used to. But I played junior hockey in this area so I have friends here. I really enjoyed my time here so far. Being a part of this organization is something special."
Weiss has most definitely been missed by the Panthers, although some within the organization look at his current stats and figure not offering him a contract was the right decision.
When Florida made the playoffs two seasons ago, the line of Weiss, Kris Versteeg and Tomas Flesichmann led the NHL in scoring.
The band was broken up soon after. Versteeg, who signed a four-year deal with the Panthers in 2012, was traded back to Chicago last month.
"I already miss him here," Fleischmann said. "He was a great player in Florida for a long time. I think it will be special for him."


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It's so.. full of energy, so much fun and quite easy to remember.
The meaning..? I'll try to get back to that someday, when I've cooled down from this happiness =P
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On this page some basic physical principles are introduced:
Direct Current and Alternating Current:
Direct current is fixed with time, like the current that is drawn from a battery. So, direct current always flows in the same direction. Alternating current is different. It switches direction after a fixed period of time. The rate at which it reverses direction is it's frequency. The mains power supply we receive in our homes is based on alternating current and is supplied at a frequency of 60Hz. This means that it changes direction 60 times every second. These concepts are illustrated below:
The uppermost trace depicts direct current so it has a fixed value and is constant with time. The middle trace depicts alternating current with a frequency of 2Hz. This means that it completes two full cycles in a second (the time span of the trace). The bottom trace depicts alternating current with a frequency of 60Hz so now the pattern is repeated sixty times across the trace. This might seem like a lot but when we do impedance analysis we often look at much higher frequencies, for example up to 10MHz. This means 10,000,000 cycles in just one second! This illustrates that frequency is inversely proportional to time. In other words, a lower frequency takes a longer time to trace out. From the traces above it can be seen that for the 2Hz signal it takes half a second (1/2 seconds) to map out one cycle whereas for the 60Hz cycle it only takes sixteen thousands of a second (1/60 seconds). This is important to bear in mind for the discussion about reactance below.
Resistance & Reactance:
Resistance is defined as the capacity to oppose. So, in electrical terms resistance is a measure of the capacity of an object to oppose the flow of current. To put it another way, it is a measure of how much charge can be transferred through an object in one second. This quantity is measured in Ohms (Ω), named after the German physicist Georg Ohm. Since resistance is a measure of the charge transfer per unit time, it is will remain the same regardless of the frequency of the current.
Reactance is similar to resistance in that it describes the opposition to current flow but it specifically refers to charge storage rather than charge transfer. Storing anything takes time and so the reactance depends on how long it has to store charge or, equivalently, it depends on the frequency of the alternating current (since, as shown above, frequency is inversely proportional to time). The lower the frequency the longer there is to store charge and therefore restrict current flow (since these charges can't now contribute to direct current flow). An object that exhibits reactance rather than resistance is one that has an ability to store rather than simply transfer energy.
We can put these concepts together to examine the behaviour of biological samples. Tissue can be split up into three main compartments: the cell membranes separate the tissue into the extracellular space and the intracellular space. The intracellular and extracellular spaces contain various ionic species, e.g. proteins, sodium ions and calcium ions. The presence of these charge carriers mean that these spaces act as resistors. The cell membranes are different. Charges cannot simply flow through these boundaries. Instead they build up. This charge build-up (or charge storage) means that the electrical behaviour of the cell membranes can be represented by a capacitive reactance.
Impedance quantifies an object's complete capacity to oppose the flow of current including both it's reactance and it's resistance. Tissue has an impedance since it is a combination of the resistive intra- and extracellular components as well as the charge storing nature of the cell membranes. The term bioimpedance specifically refers to the electrical impedance of biological samples be it tissue, cell cultures, whole body, etc.
To investigate the behaviour of a tissue it is helpful to create a model of it's electrical behaviour. We can do this by using electronic components to represent each of the compartments discussed above. This means that in the simplest case we have three components: two resistors (one each for the extra- and intracellular spaces) and a capacitor (for the cell membrane). To configure these components in an equivalent electrical circuit, we have to consider how the current flows through the tissue. There are two options. Either current can flow outside the cells or inside the cells. In electrical circuit, options are represented as parallel paths (one path for each option). If the current flows through the intracellular path then it will not only have to pass through the intracellular resistance but also through the cell membrane. For this reason the model that results is as shown below:
Here RE is the extracellular resistance – a measure of the resistance to current flow in the spaces outside the cells; RI is the intracellular resistance – a measure of the resistance to current flow within the cells – and Cm is the membrane capacitance – a measure of how much charge accumulates at the boundary of the cell. The route through the cells only becomes viable at high frequency. At low frequency the cell membrane blocks the current flow because all of the charges accumulate at the interface. At higher frequency the direction of current flow changes very quickly and so charges no longer build up and the membrane no longer limits the amount of charge that flows.
This equivalent circuit model of the electrical behaviour of cells is referred to as "The Cole Model" after the Cole brothers who first proposed it. The values the components have is dependent on the composition of the tissue. It is this dependence that gives us the opportunity to distinguish between different tissue types based on their electrical parameters.
The impedance profile that results from such a model is discussed in greater detail here


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Preparations for the 2012 Africa Village Moscow festival have already started. During the last visit to the city of Moscow, Russian capital, Makhaya delegation has concluded many agreements and started cooperation with large number of local partners from Russia.
One of the agreements was participation in ''EtnoMir'' project. ''EtnoMir'' is one of the largest cultural and educational tourist Russian centers, that is presenting the people, traditions and culture of many world nations. In order to demonstrate the diversity of our world, each country is presented through authentically recreated ethno-yard, which harmoniously accommodates ethnic buildings intended to be hotel, craft shops, museums, traditional cuisine restaurants, souvenir shops and other facilities, radiating flavor of traditional life. Africa Village team will contribute in this project to a better presentation of remarkable South Africa people and cultural heritage.
There is no doubt that Moscow festival will be a real spectacle. The preparations for the festival continue at full speed.
We can definitely say that by the interest caused among visitors that came in large numbers on the exhibition opening and also in next 3 days. All visitors were rewarded by remarkable art pieces made by 15 top South African artists.
Belgrade audience will soon have a chance to see the incredible ''Meeting point'' art exhibition that was premierly showed at Vienna SOUTH AFRICA IN COLOURS FESTIVAL.
''Meeting point'' exhibition comprises many unique pieces of South African art including Moya Afrika decorative elements and Ardmore ceramics. South Africa Meeting Point exhibition will be held from 22nd – 25th of September.
One of the South Africa in Colours main music stars, Caitlin, famous electric violinist is preparing the special ''treat'' for all visitors of South Africa in Montenegro live show. Don't miss it.
Only 2 days left until opening of South Africa in Colours Montenegro festival that will be held in Budva, city that presents tourism centre of Mediterranean region.
Festival will be held on several locations in the city - on the square in front of the old city walls, Slovenian beach and Avala hotel. In that way all locals and tourists that visit Budva in this period will have a chance for the first time to experience the South Africa vibrant energy – LIVE!
South Africa in Colours festival held in Vienna from June 23 – 26 was visited by a large number of demanding Vienna visitors who enjoyed the South Africa in Colours live shows, workshops, lectures, art exhibition and many other programs organized during the festival.
They had a chance to ''visit'' South Africa and experience its incredible culture and people. In 4 days, festival was visited by more than 20.000 people. Having in mind the large number of competitive events taking place in the same time, this is really great success. South Africa was also in all main national media, talking about South Africa in Colours festival as ''must visit'' event and South Africa as ''must visit'' country. Thank you Vienna! We hope that we will visit Vienna again.
Find out more about South Africa in Colours Vienna festival...


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We are constantly making choices, every day, all the time, the majority of which seem relatively simple and somewhat subconscious. However, as the array of choices available to us grows, we are collectively becoming worse at reaching decisions efficiently.
Barry Schwartz called this "The Paradox of Choice" (Schwartz, 2005), and suggested that we are becoming progressively paralysed by an excess of choice. "With so many options to choose from, people find it very difficult to choose at all", which as Schwartz explains, after making an eventual decision, we are then dissatisfied if the outcome is not what was expected, therefore "subtracting from the satisfaction you get out of the decision [originally] made" (Schwartz, 2005).
Bounded rationality, a term founded by Herbert Simon is the concept that decision making is restricted by an individual's ability to cognitively process the presented information in a given circumstance. Therefore it is easy to become overwhelmed by data overload because we cannot process this effectively. Christopher Wickens devised a set of principles to most effectively design displays. It was suggested that to "avoid absolute judgement limits" (Wickens et al., 2004) between five and seven levels of discrimination should be used to provide enough understanding, enabling the consumer to make a decision. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky developed the theory of bounded rationality, forming insights that suggest 'people are often not the best judges of what will serve their interests' (Schwartz, 2014) but that institutions like the Government may be able to alter the structure of these choices to enable better choice making.
Nudging, shoving and smacking are new terms that have been coined over recent years by behavioural economists to describe methodologies that alter the way consumers react to stimuli. The Nuffield Council's Bioethics Ladder of Intervention suggests that guiding a consumer to make certain choices begins with option reduction. The first level of restriction is nudging. If you provide the calorie count on a restaurant menu, this will encourage people to become more aware of their calorie consumption and therefore promote healthier living. The second level of restriction is shoving; this uses disincentives to make a choice less attractive. For example taxation on cigarettes could, in theory reduce their desirability, lowering the amount of people smoking. The third level of restriction is smacking; choice elimination leads to a definite result. Banning alcohol consumption in public places forcibly stops an action with fear of prosecution being the driver. Nudging pioneers like Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein have developed a concept of libertarian paternalism. The words appear conflicting; libertarian is defined as a freedom of will and paternalism as an authoritative restriction of freedom. However, as explained thoroughly in Nudge and Why Nudge? Sunstein and Thalers aim is to promote the use of cognitive psychology and behavioural science to "improve peoples' welfare by influencing their choices" (Sunstein, 2014). But will this be used as a positive ethical tool or a means of which to control and coerce consumers 'freedom of choice'?
In a commercial context companies can take advantage of this information overload by developing socially considered solutions. Identified as choice architects, they harness and analyse the cognitive and behavioural nuances that cause the inability to decide. In doing so they can produce; systems, environments, brands and products that are seemingly more desirable. In England, within the Cabinet Office there is a specialist group named the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) which aim to adapt public services to encourage "people to make better choices for themselves" (Behaviouralinsights.co.uk, 2016). As a government run initiative they have taken the theory of 'soft paternalism' to try and improve sectors like healthcare and finances to promote better decision making.
The BIT has completed numerous trials and studies using behavioural economics to underpin the methodology used. Two examples of these look at the healthcare sector, one highlighting a patient driven project and the other showing a health provider driven project. The first project undertook two randomised controlled trials to reduce the amount of patients that miss hospital appointments. A series of SMS reminders were developed to encourage patients to attend. Three approaches were selected; Easy Call, Social Norms and Specific Costs. Easy Call outlined the simplicity of cancelling an appointment; Social Norms used a statistic to suggest that the 'dominant social norm was to attend' (Hallsworth et al., 2015) and Specific Costs directly advertised the cost incurred by the NHS for not attending an appointment. Each of these methods aimed to persuade the patient to attend an appointment for both their own benefit and for the benefit of the NHS. These trials saw a statistical increase in attendees. Would you consider this a guilt initiative or supportive reminder? In contrast an unrelated randomised trial was conducted with the intention to combat unnecessary prescription of antibiotics by general practitioners. GP practices that were in the top 20% prescribing rates were randomly assigned a letter. The letter stated that the targeted practice was prescribing at a higher rate than 80% of the local practices. This letter caused a reduction in the amount of antibiotics prescribed within the target practice. This Social Norm tactic worked both in a patient driven project and in the provider driven project. So does it matter whether it is a guilt initiative as long as the intentions are ethically grounded?
Behavioural intervention is a relatively new area of study that is up and coming, which has established itself worldwide with Nudging Networks in Denmark, Sweden, Europe and Australia. Nudging theory has been criticised as a manipulation of the public. Criticised for being a way of "covert coercion" (Local Government Association, 2013), using behavioural change to convince subjects to make altered decisions. With the combination of these statements intertwined with governmental power. There is an understandable question; why should we trust a government's decision making ability rather than our own. After all, we are continually told to learn from our mistakes, not to be afraid of making them in the first place. It feels uncomfortable to be told that there are people that are analysing behaviours which are then used to guide, push, encourage and change consumer choices. So, is it manipulation or is it preventing choice disappointment?
Written by Francesca Oldfield (LinkedIn/Email)
[1] Hallsworth, M., Berry, D., Sanders, M., Sallis, A., King, D., Vlaev, I. and Darzi, A. (2015). Correction: Stating Appointment Costs in SMS Reminders Reduces Missed Hospital Appointments: Findings from Two Randomised Controlled Trials. PLOS ONE, 10(10), p.e0141461.
[2] Local Government Association, (2013). Changing behaviours in public health. To nudge or to shove?. London: Local Government Association, p.6.
[3] Schwartz, B. (2005). The paradox of choice. [online] Ted.com. Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
[4] Schwartz, B. (2014). Why Not Nudge? A Review of Cass Sunstein's Why Nudge – The Psych Report. [online] The Psych Report. Available at: http://thepsychreport.com/essays-discussion/nudge-review-cass-sunsteins-why-nudge/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
[5] Sunstein, C. (2014). Why nudge?. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p.58.
[6] Behaviouralinsights.co.uk. (2016). Who we are – The Behavioural Insights Team. [online] Available at: http://www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk/about-us/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
[7] Wickens, C., Lee, J., Liu, Y. and Gordon Becker, S. (2004). An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering. 2nd ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, p.187.


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Scott Taylor (Artshack) showed how to set up an Android TV box straight out of its retail packaging. He then demonstrated a fairly complex configuration process, followed by streaming of Netflix content, and some URLs for schedules and and extensive variety of content.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
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Sunday, January 9, 2011
CROQ Zine #12
CROQ Zine has published my comic, Foundation Year. The two-page comic is about my first year of school at Virginia Commonwealth University. I received my complementary copies in the mail today, but created the comic in 2008. They recently received funds thru Kickstarter to finally publish the issue in full color and it looks really good. CROQ is also donating many issues to libraries.
Here is the blog I wrote in 2008 about the project if you want to know more about the story: http://curls-studio.blogspot.com/2008/07/foundation-year.html
Thanks to everyone who donated via Kickstarter to make this project happen. It's good to see something you did come alive eventually. If you'd like to order CROQ #12, it is available for $5 with free shipping.
Posted by Curls Studio at 12:39 PM
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Counselor is published 13 times a year and is
the "voice" of the promotional products industry.
Leading a team during various situations – good times, challenging periods, times of great change – takes a variety of approaches.
May 6, 2014 – by Counselor
Howard Seeger, the owner of supplier firm HTT Apparel & Headwear, passed away on April 24 after suffering from illnesses over the past few years.
He Was 76 »
May 1, 2014 – by Dave Vagnoni
Wake up, people. It's 6:30 a.m. – time for a trip to the bathroom, a first cup of coffee, and the anticipation of that pothole fest you call a commute.
It's Time To Let Your Employees Work From Home »
May 1, 2014 – by Counselor
Data released by ASI today shows that distributor sales grew by 6.4% in Q1 of 2014, the highest quarterly gain since early 2012.
Counselor Confidence Index (CCI) Hits Record Number »
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced this week that it is recalling a retail mobile power charger because the item can overheat and pose a fire hazard.
Popular And Growing Product Category »
Top 40 supplier Cutter & Buck has named Joel Freet its new CEO, replacing Jens Petersson.
Joel Freet Has Worked At Cutter & Buck 15 Years »
Counselor Top 40 supplier Ennis, Inc. has announced its sales for its fiscal year ended February 28, 2014, rose 1.7% to $542.4 million.
Apparel Sales Up $3.7 Million »
May 1, 2014 – by Betsy Cummings
Numbers are currency in marketing these days. They provide the information that guides marketing plans.
Here's How To Help Them Use Data In Their Marketing Efforts »
May 1, 2014 – by Shane Dale
Experts interpret research data about four age groups and discuss how distributors and their clients can market to each generation accordingly.
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This is a chronicle of my adventures and misadventures as I ride the short bus to motherhood. New and improved, with extra infertility!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Eggbert is...how do I put this kindly...freakishly small for her age. She was under the 3rd percentile for height (well, length, I guess, in a newborn) when she was born, and around the 10th for weight, and she has stayed pretty close to those numbers throughout her life so far, floating between the 3rd and 10th percentiles for height (but mostly sticking closely to the 3rd). Good things come in small packages, right? At age 4, she is just barely over 36 inches (91.5 cm) and 30 pounds (13.6 kg). So, if she were only 3, she'd still be on the small side (the 41-42nd percentile for height and weight), but for a 4-year-old she is tiny. She doesn't seem to have noticed yet that her classmates at preschool tower over her, but I have certainly noticed the other parents and even the teachers sometimes grouping her in with the 3-year-olds, or even the 2-year-olds, when they are talking about ages. The "up" side is that this makes her seem wildly precocious--people often tell me how well she speaks, for example, as if being able to communicate effectively at age 4 is an unusual accomplishment, but the down side is that she is often babied and not challenged to act her age.
Anyway, a few days ago, we went to I*kea. We live in the middle of nowhere, so this is an epic journey for us--over 2 hours each way--but necessary in light of a recent move and the subsequent discovery of how little furniture we actually owned. So off we went. And I'll tell the truth. I was excited. It's not that I*kea is my design ideal, but I just find the bright colors and do-it-yourself attitude enchanting, and the prices are affordable enough that I don't agonize over purchases there like I do over most things. Our plan was to arrive there around lunchtime, have lunch in their cafe (one of rare venues that has something that each of the 3 of us really likes), then take Eggbert to the playroom while Mystery and I shopped.
At first things went off without a hitch. The drive was good. Eggbert was cheery, Mystery and I were happy, and we made good time. Lunch was reasonably enjoyable, and we trotted off to the playroom with eager anticipation (Eggbert), and only mild misgivings (me). There was a queue, so we waited our turn. We watched the staff check in child after child, and then it was Eggbert's turn. We got to the front. The staff member frowned.
"They have to be potty trained!" she said. "
Of course she's potty trained!" I said.
"They can't be wearing a pullup!" she insisted.
"She's not!" I said, beginning to feel annoyed.
"She's too small!"
I took her up to the "children below this height cannot enter" sign and showed the staff member that Eggbert was right at the line.
"Take off her shoes!" she crowed.
We did. She was about 1/4 inch below the line. The woman said "see! we can't take her."
I whined "but she's four!" The woman just shook her head.
A lively conversation ensued among the parents behind us. "She's four? There is no way that child is four! Is she really four? How could she be four?"
We skulked off. Eggbert was crushed about not being able to go to the playroom, although she didn't really understand the reason. I was furious at myself for putting her through that, but also furious at the staff for being so unbending. On one level I get it, they don't want kids of too many different sizes playing together because someone might get hurt, but the upper limit was based on age, not height, so apparently they will let in 6-footers that are 7, but not 3-footers who are 4, so it's not just a size disparity issue. Ultimately, I'm sure they have their reasons, but that knowledge doesn't actually make me feel any better about the fact that my child was excluded based on a physical feature that she has no control over.
Sigh. It probably won't be the last time.
11 comments:
- Bionic Baby Mama said...
what ashøles.
poor eggbert. i hope she got to have some good times jumping on the furniture and falling in love with 100 $1 stuffed toys and riding on the flat cart.
the bean's size causes some eyebrows to raise, too, sometimes -- notably BFF's, who looked very concerned when i showed her the bean was wearing one of her son's old outfits. she gingerly crept up to telling me that her son had worn it much, much younger than the bean. ...which is not a big shock, since she is almost a FOOT taller than i am. heh.
- December 11, 2011 at 7:28 PM
- Panamahat said...
Awww. So mean. I am small, and there have been distinct disadvantages to that, (and continue to be), but I don't have to crunch up in cattle class on the airplane, at least! Give her my love and tell her she'll be just fine. xx
- December 11, 2011 at 9:29 PM
- Reba said...
oh my goodness, that's awful that they were so unyieldingly discriminatory. i am short and my daughter seems to be heading in that direction too. sorry to hear the world is not getting to be a more accepting place...
- December 12, 2011 at 6:54 AM
- Antropóloga said...
That's very much too bad!
I wonder if that height thing is based on Swedish kids. Swedish kids are taller anyway and have a different growth chart! My kid is short compared to the Swedes,too.
- December 12, 2011 at 7:05 AM
Lily was born 50th percentile, then gradually slid down to 3rd percentile and has settled there since she was about 2. After tests and more tests, the collective medical knowledge and my maternal opinion since all this started has boiled down to: she's just small. I looked up "small - so what?!" in the medical encyclopedia and there were two entries: Lily + Eggbert. Now they each have a friend!
Rose xx
- December 19, 2011 at 6:56 AM
- JENN said...
Poor customer service at I***... That stinks. Hopefully, she had fun in the store anyway! Daughter #1 & my niece had similar issues when they where younger. After a while their small size didn't matter. Little Bean, however is tall for her age so that raises different issues. Eggbert will rise above these times and hopefully, never see her size as a problem.
- January 28, 2012 at 4:43 AM
- Marie-Baguette said...
Hello there! Well do not worry, Max has been having the same issue. We used to worry a bit and then I discovered that I was very small when I was a kid, just like my brother and my sister were. Plus, here in Canada, my sons still look small but they do not look as skinny as they used to in the US compared to the other kids. I am sure your daughter is big compared to International Babies of Mystery! Good luck with everything
- July 20, 2012 at 6:20 PM
- Marie-Baguette said...
Hello there! Well do not worry, Max has been having the same issue. We used to worry a bit and then I discovered that I was very small when I was a kid, just like my brother and my sister were. Plus, here in Canada, my sons still look small but they do not look as skinny as they used to in the US compared to the other kids. I am sure your daughter is big compared to International Babies of Mystery! Good luck with everything
- July 20, 2012 at 6:20 PM
- jhl said...
I have to tell you ... this happened to my son, too. And I hated them for it.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today ... I am feeling blessed to be surrounded by so many supportive people, who are sending good thoughts winging towards the children left behind. xo.
- September 9, 2012 at 12:35 PM
- korinthia said...
I would have left a complaint because that was all rude and unnecessary. Taking off her shoes? Please.
My kids are at the other end of the height spectrum being the tallest kids in all their classes and my oldest is already "Too tall to ride this ride" on some things her friends can do. That can be tough, too.
- March 14, 2013 at 11:03 AM
- torthúil said...
Bah! Poor Eggbert!! what rude people!
- March 18, 2013 at 9:43 PM


text:
I caught part of a story on CNN. A mother took her autistic son, 2-3yr old, to a hair salon to get his hair cut. They were kicked out by the owner because the child was "out of control" and it was "unfair to her other clients" to have to listen to his crying. They finished the hair cut outside. There is also a post about it on Facebook somewhere.
Now one of their correspondents, I think, was saying that there are dentists offices, hair salons, etc, that have special hours for their special needs patients. That's great. M's argument? "Why would you take him to a public place to get a haircut? You know he doesn't like it so do it at home?" Me? Why do I need to hide my child? There is nothing wrong with him that means he can't be in public. There are plenty of "normal" children who don't like haircuts, who freak out at people touching their heads, etc. so what makes an autistic child so different? Autistic children, in whatever degree of autism, need people to understand that yes, they have special needs, but they are still children. They can't explain everything that is happening to them, they don't always have the words to define what they are experiencing or are able to understand what they are feeling.
To parents of special needs children, I am sending you a HUGE hug today.


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text:
Last year we had another day of play and we made an very large pile of A4 paper. We had no idea what we would do with it at the time.
Yesterday we designed a thermofax screen, printed a length of fabric with it for one project and selected the fabric for another project!
The fabric Georgie picked for the journal she wanted to make for her soon to be born sibling was one of the fabrics I made for a swap I was involved in towards the end of last year. I was really pleased because I had no idea what I would do with it! We used the paper from last year and worked on how to make the journal. After lots of discussion we come uop with a plan!
We even made the cord that closes the journal!
This was my first attempt at binding a book!
We are both very happy with the result (there are only two holes in my fingers!).
Georgia decided that red binding cord and a red cord the tie the journa lclosed would give a very Japanese effect to the journal. I think we achieved that!
I just love the hand made paper! Lots of colours (we dropped the red - all wrong for this).
Now I think I need to make one for me!


text:
Women have been subjected to unattainable beauty standards for decades. Restrictive behaviors intended to modify women's bodies, like dieting and wearing corsets, have largely been part and parcel of the female experience. But tattoos turn this limiting standard of modification on its head by empowering women to determine how they modify their bodies.
"I've never loved my body," Carolina Gerlach, who works in the theater industry, told Mic. "That just seems like a foreign concept to me. My body has always felt like something I could never quite control. There was always a few more pounds to lose or an inch of skin I wished would go away."
Her decision to get a tattoo was partially because "I wanted my body to feel like my own," she said. "It was the first time I've ever felt a sense of control over how my body looked. It became a reminder of my strength and the journey I've been on with my body."
I can definitely identify with the feeling of reclaiming my body as my own. My life over the past many years has been devoted to caring for others-- supporting my husband through his career, including many moves across state and international lines; managing our household; caring for our two boys. My body has spent years literally nourishing, through pregnancy and breastfeeding, my children. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, that those are negatives-- they are choices I have made freely, happily, that I continue to make every day. I could choose differently, if I wanted to."We're pressured to look a certain way," feminist writer Melissa Fabello told Mic. While more women may be getting tattoos than ever before, "I'd argue that they're still not considered 'conventionally attractive.' And neither, I guess, would the many men who try to start conversations with me with 'I usually don't like tattoos on girls, but...'"Perhaps that's why so many women find tattoos empowering — they're not trying to be more attractive to others, but to celebrate and amplify their own beauty."It's not something the commercial beauty world prescribes for you; you choose the look for yourself," Mifflin said. (source)
I like my choices.
But they have meant that almost everything I do is in service of others, at least in part. Even outlets like blogging and photography are both for my own benefit, but also for others-- for family and friends who are far away to keep in touch, for doting grandparents and aunts to see their growing grandkids/nephews from afar, for my boys to have a record to look back on one day when they are old enough to be interested.
My stars tattoo is a family tattoo, a collective tattoo, and I love it for everything it represents. But my first tattoo is a tiny heart on my wrist. It is a simple, generic heart. "Flash art," not exactly a sophisticated piece of art like so many tattoos are. And this may seem silly to some, but it is symbolic for me, liberating. I decided to get that tattoo, my first ever, after years of thinking it over and over. I went by myself. I got it for me, not caring what others might think. It is one of the few, rare moments when I have done something purely and entirely for myself and no one else. It's a powerful thing.
I want more tattoos. I have ideas floating around in my head (and in a board or two on pinterest). I don't know how many of them will become a reality. Zach has expressed his preference for me not to get more, and I am taking my time weighing my desire to respect his wishes versus how much new tattoos may matter to me... my need to do this thing just for me. My current tattoos just make me happy when I look at them... it's hard not to want to add more.


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Monterey Bay and Beyond TV Show, Oct 2015, Hosted by Fourtané Jewelers
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text: Max Tinglof believed in making a difference in the lives of at-risk children in his community. He dedicated his dynamic personality as well as countless hours of service to the children served by Westside Children's Center. His family continues his legacy of generous support through the Max Tinglof Memorial Fund.


text:
For the second year in a row, Embassy English is honored to participate in Thai Royal Scholarship Program for English language studies. We recently visited the Chitralada Palace in Bangkok, Thailand to offer two scholarships to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for exceptional Thai students. This week, we caught up with Pandhita Naraviroj who received a scholarship to study at Embassy Brighton.
How good are you at speaking English?
Well, I have to say that my speaking skill is fair but it should be better because I am a teacher. Actually, I could say that my other skills are better than speaking. Speaking English is the most important thing I eager to improve. Of course, my country, Thailand normally do not use English to communicate so I do not have opportunity to practice it.
It was a day that I went on a trip. Suddenly, I got a call which informed me that I got a scholarship from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in order to study at Embassy Brighton for 8 weeks. At that moment, I was surprised and happy!
On the first day of my school, I got very warm welcome from everyone: new friends, teachers and staffs. It's much better than I expected to have. After that, I was graded to be in Upper-Intermediate Class.
I met teachers with good skills of teaching. They provided us many activities and encouraged students to speak by using English. I cooperated a lot of useful games with my friends in the class. It was so fun and applied. I like the way teachers always have learning activities for students.
They make studying more practical and enjoyable. I could practice speaking a lot with teachers and friends.
My best memorable moment was my teacher told me that I was going to be in another class which was a higher level, Advanced Class. She told me that I was very good and I was strong enough for the next level. At that time, I was proud of myself but I missed my friends and my teachers.
When I told them after the class, they looked at my face and told me that "We are going to miss you so much, Pandhita" I was about to cry at that moment.
After I went to Advanced Class, I met new friends and teachers. I had opportunities to speak using more complicated English.
It was so good for me to practice. In the first week of my new class, I got a tutorial with my teacher, she told me about progress of my studying, my weak points and how to improve them in several ways. That was good and useful for me.
She also recommended me to have vocabulary notebook and record my speaking in order to improve my English.
On my 6th weekend in Brighton, I joined the Windsor, Eton and Oxford tour. I booked the tour from Student Service, which provided a lot of activities for students and helped students in need, with my friends.
I enjoyed a lot of beautiful views and went to many interesting places. I liked Oxford very much but Brighton was still the best city for me.
The city "Brighton" is as bright as its name. Although it may not big and have a lot of tourist attractions like other cities, it is beautiful, comforted and pleasantly warm. You can walk to the beach, face the sunshine and see seagulls fly which make you feel good and joy.
All I want to say is I really fall love with this city.
Finally, I want to say that I have a wonderful time in Brighton. Thank you to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Chitralada School for offering me a scholarship. I'm very grateful that I could have a chance to have such marvelous experiences here.
Also thank you to Embassy English for everything. I have learned a lot to improve myself. So far, my English skills improved very well especially, speaking. I can speak more fluently.
Moreover, I learned my techniques for teaching from my good teachers here. I am going to apply them for my teaching as well.
Thank you very much to you all.
To learn more about studying English in exciting Brighton, United Kingdom, contact us today!« Previous post
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text:
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A new report is highlighting some the most pervasive problems and hidden hazards at day care facilities in New York City.
Among the findings are that close to 20,000 violations were given out to group day cares in the city over the last three years.
The study, done by The Independent Democratic Conference, also found that of the top 10 violators in a November 2015 report, four have shut down.
On average, there are 8.69 violations on record for each of the 2,244 group day cares on the New York city website, and Brooklyn facilities had the most violations with nearly half of all recorded violations in that borough.
Brooklyn also had the highest average of violations per program.
Critical violations, which must be corrected within two weeks, account for nearly half of the violations on record, and a third of programs have been issued violations in the past year. In the past year alone, 3,048 violations have been issued.
The percentage of violations that are critical has gone down over the past year, while the percentage of general violations has increased. The percentage of public health hazard violations, however, remains similar.
Brooklyn programs received the most violations in the past year, followed by Manhattan and then the Bronx.
The worst offender was My Little Language School, Mi Pequena Escuelita, Inc. in Manhattan, which managed to rack up 74 violations and 12 public health hazard citations in a one-year span.
Half of the programs with the most violations in the past year were issued violations for failing to conduct the necessary criminal and safety background checks on members of their staff.
Of the worst violators, the report said, 51 percent denied to undercover investigators that they had committed such violations.
CLICK HERE to read the full report.
UPDATE: In response to the report, the My Little Language School issued the following statement disputing the claims.
"My Little Language School disputes entirely the characterizations made today by Senator Jeffrey Klien, his reporting was based on false and faulty information. This is clearly a blatant attempt to further smear the name and reputation of My Little Language School to affect the outcome of litigation against the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
"The violations that were cited were written on four days which occurred over a 14 day period which included the Thanksgiving holiday. My Little Language School was successful in appealing the violations and ultimately 70% of the violations were dismissed, in fact in one docket 17 out 17 violations were dismissed and remanded for a new hearing with some of those duplicative violations having been already dismissed on the merits by OATH. The rest of the violations are currently being appealed in an Article 78 petition that was filed July 26, 2016. The violations were duplicative, exactly the same in some cases, and written on consecutive days with no time to respond.
"The school had been in existence since 2011 and been through many inspections which it passed, in fact it had all of its operational documents reviewed and its license renewed in September just weeks prior to the violations being written. You may ask if in September the school was reviewed and there were no fines and the school was found to be fully qualified, how could all of that change in 8 weeks? The only thing that changed was the Principal was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Cancer of the spine and was hospitalized on an emergency basis, thereafter he underwent surgery which left him a paraplegic and had chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He left the school for a period of 8 weeks, while he was in the hospital the school was in the care of the Administrative Director and Educational Director, he returned to the school just two weeks out of the hospital, on the day he returned to the school it was fined, for the next 14 days the school was fined excessively for documents that expired when he was in the hospital.
"The majority of the fines that were dismissed were dismissed on the merits. My Little Language School feels it was unfairly targeted and the inspector wrote excessive duplicative violations in an attempt to intentionally fine the school out of business. Many schools would not fight back or would not have the capability to fight back, however My Little Language School will continue to fight until it has cleared its name from this unfair and untrue characterization."
New report highlights hidden dangers of New York City day cares
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