text:
- Research
- Open Access
Models of epidemics: when contact repetition and clustering should be included
- Timo Smieszek1Email author,
- Lena Fiebig2 and
- Roland W Scholz1
© Smieszek et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2009
- Received: 05 March 2009
- Accepted: 29 June 2009
- Published: 29 June 2009
The spread of infectious disease is determined by biological factors, e.g. the duration of the infectious period, and social factors, e.g. the arrangement of potentially contagious contacts. Repetitiveness and clustering of contacts are known to be relevant factors influencing the transmission of droplet or contact transmitted diseases. However, we do not yet completely know under what conditions repetitiveness and clustering should be included for realistically modelling disease spread.
We compare two different types of individual-based models: One assumes random mixing without repetition of contacts, whereas the other assumes that the same contacts repeat day-by-day. The latter exists in two variants, with and without clustering. We systematically test and compare how the total size of an outbreak differs between these model types depending on the key parameters transmission probability, number of contacts per day, duration of the infectious period, different levels of clustering and varying proportions of repetitive contacts.
The simulation runs under different parameter constellations provide the following results: The difference between both model types is highest for low numbers of contacts per day and low transmission probabilities. The number of contacts and the transmission probability have a higher influence on this difference than the duration of the infectious period. Even when only minor parts of the daily contacts are repetitive and clustered can there be relevant differences compared to a purely random mixing model.
We show that random mixing models provide acceptable estimates of the total outbreak size if the number of contacts per day is high or if the per-contact transmission probability is high, as seen in typical childhood diseases such as measles. In the case of very short infectious periods, for instance, as in Norovirus, models assuming repeating contacts will also behave similarly as random mixing models. If the number of daily contacts or the transmission probability is low, as assumed for MRSA or Ebola, particular consideration should be given to the actual structure of potentially contagious contacts when designing the model.
- Degree Distribution
- Cluster Coefficient
- Transmission Probability
- Basic Reproduction Number
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
The spread of infectious disease is determined by an interplay of biological and social factors [1]. Biological factors are, among others, the virulence of an infectious agent, pre-existing immunity and the pathways of transmission. A major social factor influencing disease spread is the arrangement of potentially contagious contacts between hosts. For instance, the distribution of contacts among the members of a population (degree distribution) strongly impacts population spread patterns: Highly connected individuals become infected very early in the course of an epidemic, while those that are nearly isolated become infected very late, if at all [2, 3]. For a high dispersion of the degree distribution, the transmission probability above which diseases spread is lower than for a low dispersion [2–4]. If the degree distribution follows a power law, the transmission probability necessary to sustain a disease even tends to zero [5–7].
Another important structural property influencing the spread of diseases is the clustering of contacts. Clustering deals with how many of an individual's contacts also have contact among each other. High clustering of contacts means more local spread (within cliques) and thus a rapid local depletion of susceptible individuals. In extreme cases, infections get trapped within highly cohesive clusters. Random mixing is known to overestimate the size of an outbreak [8], whereas the local depletion caused by clustering remarkably lowers the rates of disease spread [9, 10]: Clustering results in polynomial instead of exponential growth, which can be expected for unclustered contact structures [11].
For most of the diseases transmitted by droplet particles or through close physical contact, the number of contacts that can be realistically made within the infectious period has a clear upper limit. The mean value of potentially contagious contacts can be interpreted in a meaningful way, since the distribution of daily contacts is unimodal with a clear "typical" number of contacts [12–15]. Potentially dominant properties of the underlying contact structure are the clustering of such contacts and their repetitiveness, i.e. whether contacts repeat within the infectious period or not.
A recent study combining a survey and modelling showed that the repetition of contacts plays a relevant role in the spread of diseases transmitted via close physical contact. Contrarily, the impact of repetitiveness seems to be negligible in case of conversational contacts [16]. However, the generality of these findings is limited, as they are based on a small, unrepresentative sample and as the specific patterns of such contacts vary depending on the national and cultural context [12]. A more theoretical work showed that the dampening effect of contact repetition is further increased by contact clustering and is more pronounced if the number of contacts per day is low [10].
The aim of this paper is to better understand the conditions under which the inclusion of contact repetition and clustering is relevant in models of disease spread compared to a reference case assuming random mixing. This is pertinent, as many researchers still use the random mixing assumption without thoroughly discussing its adequacy for the respective case study [17–21]. In particular, we test and discuss the influence of transmission probability, number of contacts per day, duration of the infectious period, clustering and proportion of repetitive contacts on the total outbreak size of a disease. This helps modellers and epidemiologists make informed decisions on whether the simplifying random mixing assumption provides adequate results for a particular public health problem.
Stochastic SIR models
Under the random mixing assumption (in mathematical terms denoted by index ran), n contacts are randomly chosen out of the whole population (including susceptible, infectious and recovered individuals) for every individual and every day. There is neither contact repetition nor clustering, as our algorithm ensures, that no contact partner is picked twice by the same individual.
In fact, clustering is neither properly defined nor is it a reasonable concept under the random mixing assumption for theoretical and practical reasons: In this paper we refer to the common definition that the clustering coefficient CC is the ratio of closed triplets to possible triplets [23], where a closed triplet is defined as three individuals with mutual contact. This definition is based on static networks. As in random mixing models contacts change daily, different clustering coefficients could be calculated for every single simulation time step. However, no epidemiologically relevant effect of such clusters could be observed, because any new infection comes into effect only in the following time step when contacts are already rearranged. As a consequence, there is no local depletion of susceptible individuals observable under this definition, even for high clustering coefficients. If clustering would be defined for an extended time interval (e.g., the infectious period), an enormous amount of closed triplets would be necessary to attain only slight clustering coefficients as the total number of contacts over such a long time is very high. For such huge cliques, there is no meaningful interpretation and no analogy in the real world.
Repetitive contacts (in mathematical terms denoted by index rep) are implemented by generating a static network with n links for every individual. The links of this network represent stable, mutual, daily contacts between individuals. As mentioned, the model type assuming repetitive contacts exists in two variants. For the variant without clustering, individuals are linked completely at random. Nonetheless, for repetitive contacts, clustering is a meaningful concept as contacts are static and as clusters correspond to observable entities in the real world: Family or work contacts, for instance, are usually clustered and tend to be highly repetitive. In this paper, predefined average clustering coefficients are achieved by alternately generating random links and triplet closures, as suggested by Eames [10], until the clustering aim is achieved in average for the whole population. When the target value of closed triplets is reached, the network is filled up with random contacts until all individuals have n contacts.
This paper compares most parameter settings for a model assuming either full random mixing or perfect repetitiveness of contacts. This comparison allows for estimating the maximal possible difference between both antipodal simplifications of reality. However, real world dynamics of networks are far more complicated; therein some contacts are repeated daily, others on certain days of the week and others only once in a while. In order to investigate the effect of different proportions of repetitive contacts, we vary the fractions of repetitive contacts.
Parameter space to be tested
In the following section, we describe some important factors in the spread of infectious diseases that will be systematically tested for their influence on the difference between the random mixing model and the model assuming repetitiveness (with and without clustering).
Important biological factors influencing the spread of infectious diseases are the duration of the infectious period τ and the per-contact transmission probability β.
Key transmission parameters of selected diseases
Transmission pathways[32]
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Direct contact, airborne, droplet, contact with infectious material
2.13[43]c, a
3.07[43]c, b
Direct contact, contact with infectious material, monkey-to-person
1.3; 1.8; 3.1[17]d
1.58; 2.52; 3.41[52]e
Direct contact, airborne, droplet [57]
7.17–45.41[33]g, h
16.32[33] g
Direct contact, airborne, droplet, contact with infectious secretions
as long as purulent lesions continue to drain[40]
Direct contact, contact with infectious material[40]
Direct contact, airborne, droplet, contact with infectious secretions
Direct contact, droplet (vomiting), contaminated food[38, 39]k
Close direct contact
Whooping cough (Pertussis)
7–10 [3]
Direct contact, airborne, droplet, contact with infectious secretion
The transmission probability β is defined as the probability that an infectious-susceptible pair results in disease transmission within one single time step of the simulation. β is equal for every infectious-susceptible pair. The effect of β on the impact of repetitive contacts compared to the reference case (without repetitive contacts) is analyzed via systematic variation.
In the results section, we show all results for β·n·τ values instead of pure β values to assure comparability of the outcomes: β·n·τ equals the basic reproduction number R0 for the random mixing model and thus models with the same β·n·τ result in a similar total outbreak size. Referring to β·n·τ values assures that model comparisons are always made for a relevant range of β. The effect of repetitive contacts is tested for β·n·τ values between 1.2 and 4.0 in increments of 0.2. The epidemic threshold of random mixing models is β·n·τ = 1.0. As we are only interested in diseases that can cause an epidemic, we set the lower boundary to 1.2. The upper boundary is chosen arbitrarily.
Social factors considered in this paper are the number of contacts per day n, the proportion of repetitive contacts and the clustering coefficient.
For every single simulation run, the number of contacts per day n is constant and equal for all individuals. n counts every contact an individual has within one simulation step, regardless of the alter's infection status (susceptible, infectious or recovered) and regardless of whether the contact is repetitive. The effect of repetitive contacts on the simulation outcome is tested for n values between 4 and 20 with a step width of 2 (mean values for conversational contacts lie in this range [12]).
In order to investigate the effect of varying fractions of repetitive contacts, we simulate the total outbreak size for 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% repetitive contacts. Thereby, 25% repetitive contacts means that one fourth of all contacts on a given day repeat daily but that three fourth of the contacts on a given day are unique.
In the case of repetitive contacts, clustering coefficients between CC = 0.0 and 0.6 with a step width of 0.2 are accounted for. This span covers a wide range of existing transmission systems from highly infectious diseases with a high number of contacts per day and with clustering coefficients close to zero to highly structured settings with a considerable proportion of clustered contacts like in hospitals [24].
For all runs of the simulation model, the total population N was fixed to 20000 individuals. As initial seed 15 randomly chosen individuals are set to infectious every simulation run. For each combination of model parameters 350 runs were performed to achieve stable mean values of the outcome variables. A simulation run was terminated when no infectious individual was left.
Overview on performed analyses
Parameter settings of the analyses
Proportion repetitive contacts
Analysis 1
4 – 20; 2
2 – 14; 1
.0 vs. 1.0
4 – 20; 2
1.2 – 4.0; .2
.0 vs. 1.0
2 – 14; 1
1.2 – 4.0; .2
.0 vs. 1.0
Analysis 2
4 – 20; 2
1.2 – 4.0; .2
.0 – .6; .2
.0 vs. 1.0
Analysis 3
8 – 20; 4
1.2 – 3.0; .6
.0 – .6; .2
.0 – 1.0; .25
In addition to the total outbreak size, we present further epidemiologically relevant indicators in the additional files. Epidemic curves can be found in additional file 2, findings on the model differences regarding the average peak size of the outbreaks and the average time to peak are given in additional file 3.
Results and discussion
Analysis 1: The effect of contact repetition depending on τ, n and β
Effect of contact number
The increasing difference between and with decreasing n can be explained by two lines of reasoning.
First, in the case of contact repetition, there is always at least one out of the n contacts per day that is already infected (and thus not available for new infection): As contacts are stable over time, the infector of a susceptible individual is included in the subsequent contact list of that individual even when said individual has changed to the infectious state. Thus, at the least, the contact that originally transmitted the infection is not susceptible. In contrast, contacts change in every time step under the random mixing assumption: Hence, the infector is not more likely to appear in the contact set than any other individual. This difference between and is more pronounced for small n because one non-susceptible individual out of a small set of contacts means a relatively higher decrease in local resources than does one out of a large set of contacts.
Secondly, any new infection means that the infector will have one susceptible contact less for all subsequent time steps. This local depletion of resources is more pronounced for small n for the same reason as in the first argument. Further, stochasticity acts stronger in small local environments than in large ones [25].
In this equation the number of susceptible individuals in the local environment is reduced by 1 compared to the random mixing case, as we assume that every contact except the one that originally transmitted the infection is susceptible. This number of susceptible individuals (n - 1) is multiplied by the probability that such an individual becomes infected during the infectious period τ. As (n - 1) is smaller than n and [1 - (1 - β) τ ] is smaller (or equal for τ = 1) than β·τ, the expected number of secondary cases caused by an infectious individual in a population with a huge number of susceptible and few infected ones is always smaller in the repetitive case.
Effect of the per-contact transmission probability
The difference between and decreases rapidly with increasing β. The reason is that practically every individual will be reached and infected in case of large transmission probabilities, regardless of the underlying contact structure. Differences between both models may appear in the shape of the outbreak curve (cf. to additional files 2 and 3), but in terms of I tot both models are equivalent. In case of small transmission probabilities, differences in the effective number of secondary cases generated by an infectious individual can become visible, as only a fraction of the whole population will be infected under both assumptions.
Effect of the infectious period
As expected, the difference between and increases with increasing τ. However, the change in difference is largest for Δτ in a range of low τ values, but is almost irrelevant for high values of τ. This observation is explained by the τ-dependence of R0,rep(equation 1, see also figure 3b): The longer the infectious period, the smaller the chances for a specific contact to remain uninfected. However, this increase in individual infection probability is partly compensated by a lower per-day transmission probability, which is needed to achieve constant R0,ran. The interaction of these antagonistic effects results in a stabilization of R0,rep/R0,ranfor a large τ.
Analysis 2: The effect of contact repetition combined with clustering depending on n and β
The further dampening of disease spread by clustering can be explained by increased locality of resources: While repetition limits the number of available susceptible individuals by keeping previously infected ones in the set of contacts, clustering reduces the number of susceptible contacts because there is a higher likelihood that contacts of an infector have already become infected by others during the infectious period, as infections spread rapidly within cliques. The reason why this effect is more pronounced for small n rather than for large n is the same as in the case of unclustered, pure contact repetition: Any reduction of susceptible individuals in the set of contacts weights relatively stronger in the case of few contacts than in the case of many. The right shift of the peak of can be explained by the increased transmission probability β needed to pass the epidemic threshold under increased clustering compared to the constantly low levels of β necessary under the random mixing assumption [26].
Analysis 3: Varying proportions of contact repetition, clustering and β
One mechanism driving this non-linear relation when clustering is present is the local depletion of resources. Repetitive contacts of an infector have a much higher chance of becoming infected than do non-repetitive contacts. Moreover, if these repetitive contacts are also highly clustered, it is likely that the disease will become trapped in those cohesive social subgroups. However, if only a few non-repetitive, non-clustered contacts are added per day, the chances of spreading the disease between otherwise unrelated regions of the social network greatly increase.
This paper systematically investigates a variety of epidemiologically relevant parameters needed to describe real-world transmission systems of diseases spread by droplet particles or direct physical contact. However, real-world social and biological processes involved in the transmission of infectious diseases are far more complex than captured by the archetypical model structures presented. Conceptual decisions and simplifications which could have potentially influenced the results are critically discussed in the following:
Model structure
We designed our two model types as SIR models, assuming that every individual is either susceptible, infectious or immune with respect to a certain disease. Transitions are only allowed from susceptible to infectious or from infectious to immune. The SIR structure is a fairly good representation for many diseases which lead to full immunity after recovery (e.g., measles). However, many diseases require other representations, as relevant intermediate states need to be covered, e.g., as with a long latency period in SEIR (Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered) models. Another common deviation from the SIR structure arises, when recovery confers only partial or no immunity. In such cases, SIS (Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible) representations are often chosen. In SIR or SEIR models, a total outbreak size can be defined (because the disease fades out at the end of an epidemic), whereas SIS models typically achieve an equilibrium I(t) in the long run, but the disease does not die out. Despite all the differences in model behaviour, we expect the rough picture to be the same for SIR, SEIR and SIS models, as the mechanisms behind the observed differences for SIR models that we discussed also apply to SIS and SEIR models. Thus, the general conclusions derived in this paper should also hold true for these model types.
Degree distribution
The number of daily contacts n is fixed and equal for the entire population in both modelling approaches presented. This is a reasonable simplification for the purpose of this paper, as it keeps the investigated number of interactions manageable. However, in real world systems, the number of daily contacts appears to follow a negative binomial distribution [12, 14] with some people having a relatively high number of contacts and others being almost isolated. It is known that the variance of the degree distribution impacts the spread of infectious disease, for instance, by decreasing the transmission probability needed to cause an epidemic [27]. Particularly relevant for the difference between random mixing models and models accounting for contact repetition and clustering are the correlations between the number of contacts per day and contact repetition and clustering, respectively. It is plausible to assume that individuals with many contacts tend to also have many unrepeated contacts, whereas individuals with few contacts tend to have disproportionately high levels of repetitive contacts. If the proportion of repetitive contacts and clustering is correlated with the number of contacts, individuals with few contacts are likely to be dead-end streets for infectious diseases. In contrast, highly connected individuals could be structurally more important than expected, as they bridge distinct cliques.
Occasional contact repetition
In our simulations, contacts repeat either daily or never. Intermediate states between both extremes of complete random mixing and complete contact repetition have been investigated by combining both models in defined proportions. However, in reality, specific persons can be met at any frequency between never and daily. It is plausible to assume that intermediate frequencies reduce the effect of repetitiveness depending on the duration of the infectious period τ: For short infectious periods, those with low contact frequencies might appear as unrepeated contacts whereas they unfold their full dampening potential for long infectious periods.
Contact intensity and duration
In our models all contacts between an infector and a susceptible individual are equally likely to result in the transmission of the infectious disease. This simplification is not a good representation of the real world: The transmission probability depends on the amount of infectious material ingested by a susceptible person [28, 29]. The uptake correlates with contact duration and intensity. Contact duration is long for highly repetitive contacts, while unrepeated contacts tend to have short duration (unpublished data). Accordingly, it can be expected that the interaction of clustering, contact repetitiveness and contact duration leads to a rapid infection of all closely tied clusters (primarily families, then workgroups and cliques at school and childcare institutions), leaving behind the people connected via mainly short, unclustered, occasional contacts.
Distribution of infectious period
The infectious period τ is fixed in our model, which contrasts to the design of classical mean-field models assuming exponentially distributed infectious periods [3, 22]. Keeling and Grenfell argue that R0 is smaller for exponential period models than for fixed period models under otherwise identical conditions, because individuals with a long τ rapidly exhaust the susceptible in their local neighbourhood and, therefore, cannot compensate for the large majority of individuals with extremely short infectious periods [25, 30]. However, the often assumed exponential distribution is highly unrealistic, as observed infectious periods tend to be closely centred around a mean period and are thus less dispersed [31]. Thus, assuming a fixed infectious period is a reasonable simplification of the reality that is not likely to have a major influence on as only very few individuals will use up their local susceptible resources during the infectious period in most cases. Moreover, if the infection probability is high enough to exploit almost the entire local environment (such that deviations of τ could affect the individual reproduction ratio), will reach the order of magnitude of the population size in either the fixed or the exponential case.
Implications for some exemplar diseases
Information on the per-contact transmission rate β and the number of potentially contagious contacts n is often not easily accessible or available and has to be measured (or fitted) if included in models of disease spread. However, rough estimates of both variables can be obtained when R0 estimates are available and when the possible pathways of transmission are known, because β and n are linked to the basic reproduction number by R0,ran= β·n·τ and the possible pathways reveal information on the possible number and structure of contacts at risk: At one extreme there is transmission via close physical contacts, which correlate mostly with intense social relations and are typically rare, repetitive and highly clustered. The other extreme is airborne transmission via tiny droplet nuclei that remain suspended indoors for a long time. In this case, vast numbers of persons can potentially be exposed, and such casual contacts are neither highly repetitive nor strongly clustered.
Table 1 provides information about the infectious period τ, R0 estimates and the possible pathways of transmission for a variety of infectious diseases. The implications of clustering and contact repetition for models of the diseases listed in this table are discussed below.
Typical childhood diseases like mumps, measles, pertussis (whopping cough) or chickenpox have comparatively high R0 estimates [3, 32–35], which means that one infector generates many secondary cases if a sufficient number of susceptible contact partners are available. These diseases are highly communicable – in fact, measles is one of the most highly communicable diseases in the world [36] – and thus, very short and non-intense contacts have the potential to confer infection. Accordingly, both the number of contacts per day n and the per-contact transmission probability β are very high. We further assume that a high proportion of the contacts are casual contacts, because the threshold for a contact to be potentially contagious is very low with respect to duration and intensity. Consequently, the levels of repetitiveness and clustering are low, which means that the contact patterns for such childhood diseases are structurally similar to random mixing. Considering that high numbers of daily contacts n make both types of models that we discussed behave similarly and considering that under high transmission probabilities β almost every individual will be reached, random mixing models achieve almost the same results as more elaborate models including a certain amount of contact repetition and clustering. Also in case of Norovirus, the difference is probably small, as the infectious period of this infectious agent is very short [37] and as at the same time the basic reproduction number is comparatively high [37] (because the disease is easily communicable [38, 39]).
On the other side, there are diseases with comparatively low R0 estimates and typically low numbers of contacts that still qualify for potential transmission. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), for instance, is an infectious agent mostly transmitted in health care and nursing institutions. It needs close physical contact for transmission [40] and R0 estimates given in the literature are close to the epidemic threshold [41]. Accordingly, both β and n are low. At the same time, health care settings tend to be highly structured regarding who cares for whom and who shares a room with whom. Hence, high levels of contact repetitiveness and clustering can be assumed [24]. Modelling MRSA under the random mixing assumption is likely to overestimate the total number of cases for given n, β and τ. If, in contrast, a random mixing model is fitted to measured data from an outbreak, either the infectivity or the number of potentially infectious contacts will be underestimated to meet the measured outbreak size. A similar argumentation applies to Ebola, which is transmitted via direct contact with infected blood, secretions, organs or semen (thus, n is rather low) and seems to be only moderately infectious [42–45]. As a consequence, random mixing models of Ebola [46] are of limited validity.
Finally, there are some diseases not easily attributable to one or the other class. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Influenza, for instance, have a range of R0 estimates between 1.43 and 3.7 [43, 47–50] and between 1.3 and 3.77 [17, 51–56], respectively. No definite consensus has been reached on whether Influenza is transmitted predominantly by large droplets and close contact or by very small droplets that disseminate quickly and stay suspended in indoor air for a long time [57]. In the latter case, a large amount of people would be at risk of infection, so random mixing would be a reasonable approximation of the real contact patterns. In the case of transmission by close contact and large droplets (that fall out quickly), the mean number of potentially contagious contacts per day lies between 8 and 18, depending on the national and cultural context [12]. Considering that not all contacts are equally likely to transmit influenza, but that long and intense contacts (such as household contacts [58]) are more prone to do so and that such contacts also tend to be more repetitive and clustered, it is likely that random mixing models also overestimate the outbreak size for given n, β and τ. However, problems will definitely arise when the impact of social distancing measures (decrease of n) or of antiviral treatment (decrease of β) are estimated under the random mixing assumption: Both interventions will be much more effective in a more elaborate model than in a random mixing model when n, β and τ are the same for both model types. This argumentation is consistent with recent findings on the impact of other network properties on influenza spread: Heterogeneity in degree distribution does not influence the outbreak size in case of highly contagious influenza strains, but does so for moderately contagious strains; however, it does influence the total outbreak size when interventions are simulated – even in case of highly contagious strains [4].
Real-world contact patterns are complex. They typically show all kinds of intermediate states ranging from contacts repeating on a daily basis to and never again. There are various clearly defined, cohesive groups with typically high intra-group clustering coefficients (e.g. households, workgroups, peer groups at school) and, at the same time, random contacts, e.g., in a leisure setting. Moreover, contacts differ in intensity and duration, which further complicates the dynamics of disease spread in such settings. This paper simplifies these complex patterns to a manageable model and parameter space that can be investigated systematically. Our research applies to diseases transmitted via conversational or direct contact, for which a typical number of contacts per day can be defined. For such diseases, our findings can help modellers judge whether a specific transmission system consisting of a specific infectious agent and a specific human system at risk can be represented by a simple random mixing model or if more elaborate models are necessary.
Random mixing models result in acceptable estimates of the total outbreak size even if the real world contacts are highly repetitive and clustered
• if the number of potentially infectious contacts per day is high and
• if the transmission probability for a single infectious-susceptible pair is high and
• particularly, if the infectious period is just one to three days.
If the number of contacts per day or the transmission probability is low, particular consideration should be given to the actual structure of potentially contagious contacts in designing the model.
TS is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (project 320000-114122), LF is funded by the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office (project 1.07.05). We thank Jan Hattendorf, Esther Schelling and four anonymous reviewers, who made valuable comments that helped to improve the quality of this paper. Further we thank Devon D. Brewer, Istvan Z. Kiss, Peter de Haan, Fadri Gottschalk and Philippe Peter, whose support and comments in earlier stages of this research is greatly acknowledged. Sandro Bösch created the final layout of the figures. Stephanie Keller revised the language of this paper.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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14 comments
Love all of your projects, but especially the baby quilt - and my bee blocks of course!ReplyDelete
These are all so great!ReplyDelete
A great month of makes there C! JxoReplyDelete
Oooh the custom order is rather gorgeous as is of course your churn dash...great month!ReplyDelete
Great makes and the siblings together bee sounds a wonderful idea xReplyDelete
Loving your churn dash and the custom order. Happy sewing in June :)ReplyDelete
You have achieved a lot in a month. I do like the churn dash quilt. Di xReplyDelete
Love the greys in the custom oder - I am guessing sewing machine cover??? Or footstool!ReplyDelete
Great month, so excited to be sewing with you in ST Bee!ReplyDelete
I love the baby quilt! The custom order is exciting!!! Can't wait for the STQB to get started - I've seen Lynne's block and it's gorgeous!ReplyDelete
P.S. Your block for Sarah is stunning - I'm going to 'Pin' it. If that's not okay just shout and I'll remove it!
I love the churn dash quilt. The siblings together bee is great - I missed out on the first one so joined a second one!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous Churn Dash - all my fav colours!! Yummy!ReplyDelete
Thanks very much for stopping by my blog and for the follow! You have a great blog here, love the baby quilt it's such pretty colours. I'm glad to see you're in the siblings together quilting bee, look forward to following how it progresses.ReplyDelete
Love the churn dash - one of my fav blocks! The custom order is gorgeous - show me more!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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TS Eliot prize for poetry 2008
by Jen Hadfield, winner of the TS Eliot prize 2008, announced this week
When was it that that TS Eliot became Britain's pre-eminent prize for poetry? It hasn't been around forever, though it now feels as if it has. It isn't without its peers - the Forward Prize is longer established and valuable in its own right. But as Andrew Motion has said, it is the TS Eliot that poets most want to win
'Remarkably original' newcomer takes prestigious £15,000 award whose previous winners include Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes
The poet Mick Imlah, whose volume of poetry, The Lost Leader, won the 2008 Forward prize for best collection and is shortlisted for tonight's TS Eliot prize, has died, aged 52.
A poem from Theories and Apparitions, the latest collection from Doty. Doty is a previous winner of the TS Eliot prize, in 1996
A poem from the collection Yellow Studio, the fourth from a poet who also teaches in the English department of Tours University in France
Sunday January 11, 7.30pm onwards
News: Mick Imlah's first collection for 20 years is the favourite to win this year's TS Eliot prize for poetry


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These no bake gluten-free energy bites make for the perfect snack that hit the spot when you have a sweet tooth or need that energy boost. They are deliciously satisfying without the guilt afterwards! These babies are raw, dairy-free, no added sugar and gluten-free. What more could you want? 🙂
I have found that the success to eating and maintaining a healthy diet, and especially a raw food diet is to always be prepared. When I am prepared with my own delicious snacks I am never tempted to cheat. And in case of emergency if I get super hungry instead of caving in to something I would later regret, I have my handy-dandy snacks to tide me over. Of course the best snacks to keep on hand are fresh, whole fruit. But sometimes it's nice to just change it up a bit and that's where these energy bites come in handy. I like to make a big batch and freeze them, keeping a few in the fridge to have ready to eat.
The beauty of these no bake gluten-free bites are that you can easily make a variety of flavors with them, just by changing the nuts, seeds, or fruit used. Feel free to use which ever combinations you prefer. So if you don't like tart Bing cherries use cranberries or raisins, or instead of pepitas use sunflower seeds. Kids also love these little bites, they are fun to make and roll into little balls and then of course to eat.
So I hope you love them as much as I do!
Makes 12 Bites
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 pepitas
1/4 cup gojii berries
1 3/4 cup medjool dates, pitted (about 18 if they are medium size)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried unsulphured tart cherries
Directions: 1) Set aside a few pepitas and goji berries, in a small bowl. 2) Combine the rest of the goji berries and pepitas along with all the dry ingredients in a food-processor and pulse it a few times just until it becomes chunks (be careful not to overdo it because you want texture not fine powder). 3) Add the dates and cherries and continue to pulse blend until it becomes a dough-like consistency. 4) Then roll the mixture into bite size balls adding in the rest of the pepitas and goji berries. 5) Freeze for about an hour.
Serve and enjoy!


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Mrs H was injured as she made her way home from the corner shop, tripping on a board left to cover a hole in the pavement, and f…
YouClaim is trading name of JMW Solicitors LLP which is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales under registration number OC338958. Authorised and Regulated (under SRA number 508380) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.)
Registered in England. Company number 03482666
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This is .45 ACP Independence 230gr. Full Metal Jacket Ammo. CCI introduces the Independence line of ammunition. This ammunition is manufactured using modern processes and components that yield a quality product ideal for target practice and recreational shooting. Independence loads offer consistent performance at a very competitive price. Independence ammunition features fully reloadable newly manufactured brass cases, non-corrosive primers, and it is boxer primed. This ammo is imported by ATK, the parent company of Federal and CCI. This non-magnetic ammo is packed in 50rd. boxes, 1000rds. per case.
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Cashanova is a 5 reel, 30 payline video pokie game from Microgaming. Based on the well-known Italian romantic, Giacomo Casanova, the game has an amusing twist in that the main character is a chicken. You can benefit from the Barn Bonus that offers cash prizes and the Get Lucky feature, as well as the Free Range Bonus with its free spins, multipliers and extra coin prizes.
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The World's Most Popular Education Blog. One million visitors can't be wrong (Sorry, I should say "can't have achieved deferred success") Read my books to discover the barking madness that goes on in the British State Education System...
Monday, January 09, 2012
Thousands of pounds for Laptops
You might think that whoever was in charge of procurement would bother to read the small print and perhaps show the contract to a solicitor if they didn't understand it.
What? You wouldn't think they would do that at all. Oh, ok then.
All readers should check to see if their local school has fallen victim to these disgraceful opportunistic companies who prey on the innocent. If they haven't, could you please forward their contact details to Chalk Enterprises' newly formed Laptop Leasing Department immediately.
7 comments:
- Tom Paine said...
"It does show the unforeseen dangers of giving schools more autonomy and moving them from under the LEA's protective umbrella and into the nasty real World."
It rather shows once again the wisdom of Milton Friedman's analysis of the four different types of spending. You will recall that the fourth category - spending someone else's money on someone else - produces least value for greatest cost.
I can't believe you actually think of any local authority body as "protective" when all their spending is fourth category.
- 08:47
- Kimpatsu said...
@Tom Paine
Because Friedman is wrong. The practical evidence shows otherwise; LEAs get better value for money than individual schools. The real world is sobering, yes?
- 22:13
- markjacktechnicalsupport said...
Very informative & helpful.
Microsoft operating system support
Home network support
Computer optimization support
- 11:44
- level revision in oxford said...
Nice analysis and interesting blog.
Innovation in education is without doubt a complicated issue. I think that one of the most relevant things to achieve that goal is empower teachers to adopt new technologies.
- 11:55
- Bystander said...
Half a dozen year ago the Courts' Service was paying £3600 for a laptop,plus £800 p.a for maintenance.
- 17:54
- diansusanti said...
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I am satisfied that you simply shared this useful information with us. Laptop specification
- 05:02
- sager said...
Very informative and well written post! Quite interesting and nice topic chosen for the post.
HP - Pavilion Sleekbook 14" Laptop - 4GB Memory - 640GB Hard Drive - Black
- 07:40


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Alyono wrote:cycloneye wrote:@RyanMaue
Seems the experts that were warning about the GFS "false-alarm" hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico were right. Or, you could have just looked at the answer key. (e.g. ECMWF)
Maue and his horn tooting are getting annoying
How about he explain the clear phantom his favorite EC spewed off of the East Coast
Being married to any model, be it Euro, GFS, UKMET or any other, is hazardous to one's forecasting health. A model consensus, including ensemble members, along with considering each model's strengths, weaknesses, and biases and long term climo, is much better.


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Ex-Blagojevich chief of staff talks Obama Senate seat, money linkage
From the Blagojevich on Trial blog:
As the November 2008 election neared, Gov. Rod Blagojevich was focusing more on the possibility of filling the U.S. Senate seat of Barack Obama, and he was exploring the notion of using the pick to get something for himself after he left the governor's office, a former aide testified.
Ex-chief of staff John Harris recalled two conversations with Blagojevich in late October 2008. In the first, Harris said, Blagojevich talked about how much "he might get for the Senate seat" from wealthy people with political ambitions such as multimillionaires Blair Hull and J.B. Pritzker.
Harris said Blagojevich also floated the notion of getting money for his campaign fund or some advocacy group he would champion in exchange for the pick.Harris said he and general counsel Bill Quinlan, also in on the meeting, both told Blagojevich he shouldn't even consider such ideas. A few days later, however, Blagojevich brought it up again, Harris said. This time, Harris said, Quinlan cautioned Blagojevich, "Don't even joke about things like that."
A few days before the election, Blagojevich asked Harris to devise a process for filling the vacancy, but he said the governor did not follow his suggestions.
Harris also drew up talking points for Blagojevich to mention in public statements about the selection process, and Blagojevich did repeat some of those.
"I will embark on fulfilling my duties under the United States Constitution and Illinois law to appoint his replacement," read one of the talking points. Another read: "I will follow a thoughtful and deliberative process. It will be orderly and timely."
On Nov. 2, two days before the election, Harris said he was shopping for shoes with his son when he got a cell phone call from Rahm Emanuel, the North Side congressman who was soon to become Obama's chief of staff.
To read more of this story, please click here.
To read more of today's trial coverage, please click here.
To read background stories, timelines and other enhanced coverage, please click here.


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Why WordPress? Plus List of My Top Dozen WordPress Plugins
Filed Under Best of 2009, Blogging, Web Marketing, WordPress
What's the big deal about WordPress?
In Website vs. Web Presence, I emphasize the role of social media in web marketing.
Darren Rouse, the author of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, shares in a video his blog-centric approach to web marketing in which social media sites (which aren't under our complete control) serve as outposts for our blogs and web sites (which we do control).
For further discussion about the control issue and the trade-offs, read How to Start a Blog Made Easy and Creating a Home for Your Blog.
Choosing WordPress for Blogs
WordPress is popular software for setting up and managing our own blogs and web sites which we are able to control.
Using popular software is like buying a popular car. It's easy to locate parts and easy to locate mechanics. With WordPress it's easy to customize using add-on modules and easy to locate technical help when we need it.
Bloggers who use WordPress appreciate the way its functionality can be expanded or customized using plugins, which are add-on software modules (that are easy to append from within a blog's control panel and often about as easy to use).
Choosing Plugins for WordPress
The best way to choose plugins is through word of mouth recommendation. Most WordPress plugins are free. However, if we don't choose the plugins that are correct for us, our blogs will not perform the way we wish.
I'm sharing my top dozen WordPress plugins. I use more than twelve, and I've tried many others. These are the twelve WordPress plugins which I find the most handy for social marketing:
- AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget - One of many widgets available which enables readers to easily share and bookmark blog content. There's an option to register with AddThis and track the widget's usage.
- Akismet - A must have! Without this SPAM filter, life can be quite unpleasant.
- All in One SEO Pack - Has had competition, but apparently, this plugin has proven to be reliable and well maintained. It provides control over meta tags and other aspects of SEO.
- Easy Icon - Helps set and determine the blog's icon so the visitor can see the logo on browser title bar. Really is easy!
- Google XML Sitemaps - Another must have. Helps Google find all the blog's content. Works quietly behind the scenes.
- Link to Me Textbox - Not a must have at all, but this plugin makes it easier for readers to link-in from their own blog and gives them a not too subtle hint. Cough. Cough.
- Nofollow Case by Case - This is the plugin which I referenced in The Blogger's Guide to Links and Comments. I love it, but not everybody wants a dofollow blog.
- Really Simple Sitemap - Strongly recommended! Helps create a site map like mine that's helpful for both readers and search engines.
- Simple Tags - Has many features. My favorite is the auto-complete feature.
- Tag Managing Thing - Offers basic tag management. I like the combination of this plugin and the previous plugin.
- Ultimate Google Analytics - In my opinion, the easiest way to incorporate Google Analytics in one's blog.
- WordPress Mobile Edition - Creates an interface enabling mobile users to access the blog. Why not?
Your choice of plugins depends upon your needs and objectives.
Be Careful About User Registration
I have a suggestion that has nothing to do with plugins but is important to mention. Disable blog registrations! Do not let blog visitors set up accounts. Letting in strangers creates an unnecessary security risk.
Instead, set up a subscription system that enables readers to subscribe by RSS feed or email. I've found that FeedBurner and Aweber work very well together.
What Are Your Favorite WordPress Plugins?
It's your turn to share some of your favorite WordPress plugins. You can share as many as you like, but please, explain what each does.
Do not list any plugins which have already been listed. However, if you've had a bad experience with a plugin that has been listed, feel free to explain.
I'm especially interested in hearing from other social marketers.
Here ya go. Comment away!
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Simply copy and paste the code below into your web site (Ctrl+C to copy)
It will look like this: Why WordPress? Plus List of My Top Dozen WordPress Plugins
24 Responses to "Why WordPress? Plus List of My Top Dozen WordPress Plugins"
DeBorah Beatty on
November 16th, 2009 1:35 am
Personally there are a few that you already mentioned, like Akismet, and Google XML Sitemap, but I also love Woopra and Followme, My Page Order and let's not forget WordPress Database Backup.
My whole site is built on WordPress. So nice to have everything so easy to manage.
Mel Smith on
November 16th, 2009 1:52 am
I like the WP-ShortStat plugin, It gives the visitors time and where they come from and which page they end up on, with unique and hits stats along with RSS info.
I tried to get Google Analytics set up but it never matured so I gave up on it.
I'll check out some of yours I haven't tried yet. Thanks, Larry
Larry Brauner on
November 16th, 2009 2:22 am
@DeBorah Which of the database backups do you use?
Debbie Morgan on
November 16th, 2009 10:34 am
Hi Larry,
I haven't set up a blog yet but this information is very helpful for when I do. Thanks so much. This is a gold mine!
Watch Anime Online on
November 16th, 2009 1:08 pm
I use All in One SEO, XML Sitemaps, GD Star Rating, Post-Plugin Library, WordPress.com Stats, WP-Polls, WP Post Thumbnail, and a couple others, but I don't remember them lol. I do agree Wordpress is the king of blogging, however!
Dawn on
November 16th, 2009 1:28 pm
Hi Larry,
I love Wordpress! All of the plugins make it so versatile for just about any type of industry. I put many of my clients' business websites into Wordpress because it's easy for them to manage and cost efficient if they make their own website updates and modifications.
A couple of my favorite plugins are NextGEN Gallery which is a nice and easy to use photo gallery with a Flash slide show option and Contact Form 7 which is a contact form that is very flexible. It allows quizzes, drop down menus, check box fields and so much more on your contact page. My client has found these features to greatly enhance his initial consultations because he gets an overview of exactly what his clients are looking for before he even meets them for the first time!
Larry Brauner on
November 16th, 2009 1:46 pm
Thank you Dawn for your long response and your cool suggestions.
DaisySoapGirl on
November 16th, 2009 2:09 pm
Fantastic overview of WordPress. Right now I blog with Blogger but see a need to investigate WordPress more. Thanks for this helpful post.
Market Segmentation on
November 17th, 2009 1:06 pm
Hi Larry,
Thanks for this great list of Word Press plug-ins.
I've had the All In One SEO tool on my blog for a long time, but after a Word Press upgrade a few months ago, it quit working. It still shows but doesn't save what I put in it.
Do you have any idea what's wrong with it?
Linda P. Morton
Larry Brauner on
November 17th, 2009 5:32 pm
Off the top of my head I have two suggestions.
- Make sure you're using the most recent version of the plugin.
- Make sure that the plugin settings still seem to make sense
The first is my main concern.
Eunice Coughlin on
November 17th, 2009 9:24 pm
I like your list. Some I've heard of, some I haven't and wish I had before using another one that does a similar job. I use Google Sitemap Generator and it was a real bear to set up.
One I use that you haven't mentioned is YARPP (Yet Another Related Post Plugin). It lists posts related to each other, which is a great time saver when linking to other pages on your site.
Larry Brauner on
November 17th, 2009 9:52 pm
Not sure exactly which sitemap generator you're using Eunice.
YARPP is another good one. Only one problem: What is the correct way to articulate the double "P" at the end of this acronym?
Tina T on
November 18th, 2009 11:23 pm
I agree about Akismet, an absolute lifesaver. I just disabled All In One SEO because I was too lazy to upgrade it, but maybe I'll rethink this since everyone has such good things to say about it.
I like CommentLuv and the WP Backup plugin. Apparently WP databases can be quirky when you back them up through your host instead of using the plugin. I discovered this the hard way, and now I only back up using the plugin.
Pauline Bennett on
November 19th, 2009 5:26 am
Hi Larry, I am just starting out and have not got anything set up yet so your information is great for me, thanks. I am a complete newbie so I am gathering all the information I can before getting started.
April on
November 20th, 2009 3:34 am
Wow, there is so much I don't know about WordPress! I am learning as I go. This post is very helpful. I am going to try a plugin now.
Will on
November 20th, 2009 6:47 am
Hi Larry,
Thanks a lot for this list and glad to have discovered the tag plug-ins which I'm now using.
One plug-in not on the list which I find very useful is Broken Link Checker - as it "does what it says on the packet" … and has saved me quite a bit of time in that respect.
By the way, with regard to blog registrations, I've just unticked "Membership" in "General Settings" … but am not absolutely sure if this was the right (or only) thing to do. Could you please confirm it's ok … or point me in the right direction? Thanks!
Wishing you a great weekend
Larry Brauner on
November 20th, 2009 12:50 pm
That's right. In Settings > General > Membership, you're un-checking "Anyone can register."
You have a great weekend too Will.
Will on
November 20th, 2009 2:49 pm
Thanks Larry, will do !
Warren Contreras on
December 19th, 2009 8:17 pm
I am still learning about all this, but since I also use Twitter I like the TweetMeme Retweet Button plugin. It gives visitors a quick easy way to provide a plug if they like what you write.
- Ramit on December 25th, 2009 9:35 pm
Larry Brauner on
December 26th, 2009 9:03 pm
I think Sociable is a useful plugin. It's largely a matter of personal preference.
WordPress Blog Sites are Perfect for Your Small Business on
July 8th, 2010 3:55 pm
[…] blog site is any website, which has been created and is managed with a blog tool like WordPress — even if that website has no blog at […]
Frank Roberts on
April 7th, 2011 5:18 pm
Wordpress is the single best thing for anyone wanting to set up their own web presence and your list of plugins help make a good thing great! There are so many plugins to choose from now that offering the benefit of your experience and knowledge is a huge help to those of us who are drowning in information overload. Thanks!
Webmaster and Plugin Fan
Dropshippers on
April 19th, 2011 7:59 am
Backup buddy - I learned the hard way and lost my site,I now always backup with this.
No index, no follow - helps the flow of PageRank go to the right pages instead of the pointless ones like privacy, contact e.t.c.
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Bonner Bellew
Chief Creative Officer | Soda & Lime
As the current Founder and CCO of Soda & Lime and previous ECD at bpg, CCO at Rocket XL (Dare, Camp Playa), Bonner has created integrated advertising campaigns for top lifestyle, sports, and entertainment companies around the world including P&G, Nike, Lexus, Sony, Disney, HBO, The NHL, MLB, The EPL, and more. He regularly speaks to, advises, and educates interactive professionals and creative leaders around the globe. Frequently recognized for creating groundbreaking experiences and award-winning never-before-done ideas, he continues to pave new paths for a growing roster of top tier clients.


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When I run I am empowered!
A being all should regard
Long graceful steps
And speed! NONE can match my speeds
My finest hour
Is captured in the chase
When I lock my sights on
Terrified victims of prey
I am the KING!
I am to be feared!
Respect me, not by force
But by observing
Habits of my life
This is me alive
Now watch as I go
Take flight!
Friedrich can be purchased here.


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Fill in your registered email, and we will send you a link to reset your password.
A kit of five protection grids for the d:screet™ Miniature and d:fine™ Headset Microphones. When fitted the grids introduces a 10 dB soft boost around 12 kHz for applications where the Miniature Microphones need to be placed on the chest of the performer. The metal grid is anodized stainless steel.
Sold as a set of five pcs.
Order numbers: DUA6002, DUA6004, DUA6006, DUA6018.
Be the first to hear about new products, workshops, events, contests, offers and more. Get DPA information sent straight to your mailbox. When signing up to our newsletter you agree to our Privacy Policy (dpamicrophones.com/privacy-policy). You can unsubscribe at any time.
This website uses cookies, and also collects some information using Google Analytics. Please review our Cookie Policy, which can be found here.


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Monday, April 6, 2009
Historic Glendale/Cycling Mash Up
Here's the base image of the history ride flyer that I put together using an old postcard of downtown Glendale that I own and a creative commons licensed flickr photo from Ben Ostrowsky. Note that 108 N. Brand is visible in the postcard, and that the Pacific Electric rail depot is still at the corner of Brand and Broadway. The Security Trust and Savings bank was built on that site in 1923, so the postcard pre-dates that.
Posted by Scott at 10:22 AM
3 comments:
- Jett said...
Seeing these guys riding parallel to the tracks is killing me ;).
- April 6, 2009 at 7:32 PM
- Scott said...
I knew someone would notice! I almost did a disclaimer about that!
- April 6, 2009 at 9:23 PM
- A. Erik Yesayan said...
Great job with this, Scott! I definitely plan on coming.
- April 7, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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40th Anniversary Marine Corps Mermorial 26 August 2017
Click on any of the photographs to see it enlarged.
Pikes Peak Detachment
Marine Corps League
May 2019
Pikes Peak
Marine Corps League
Commandant Steve Schwartz
Detachment Schedule
About Us
Join Us
Upcoming Events
Recent Events
Toys For Tots
In Remembrance
Forms, Links, Newsletters
The Marine Corps League
Where the new Corps and the old Corps meet
If you served in our beloved Corps and received an honorable discharge then maybe you should thinking about joining us. The Marine Corps League has been dscribed as "the best kept secret in the Corps". I do belive that anyone who has earned the right to wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor ever truly separates completely from the Corps once their active duty/reserve days have come to a close. A membership in the Marine Corps League is a great way for Marines and FMF Corpsmen to stay connected.
Once a Marine, Always a Marine.
Here are three ways to get your hands on a application:
Click here!
2. Come to one of our detachment meetings.
3. Semper Fi Magazine
We always welcome new members; however, to join you will need to show a copy of your DD-214. We need to see this, we will not make a copy of this, in order to prove your elegibilty to join.
$41.00/Year - New Members
$36.00/Year - Renewals
Semper Fi
If you are interested in becoming a Life Member, we currently have the Life Membership Dues Schedule is as follows:
Age Group As Of January 1st, 2009
0-35 $500.00
36-50 $400.00
51-64 $300.00
65-Over $200.00
NOTE: To become a Life Member you must already be a Member in "GoodStanding".


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We provide software and service, primarily in PLM arena, to companies like PTC, IBM, ITT, Xylem, Google, LAM research, Motorola, PTC's value added resellers and several other international companies. ...
We provide software and service, primarily in PLM arena, to companies like PTC, IBM, ITT, Xylem, Google, LAM research, Motorola, PTC's value added resellers and several other international companies..
We have an impeccable track record of providing timely solutions that are supportable, scalable and upgradeable.. All our clients have been with us for a long time because of our great software, service and commitment to be available at a moment's notice.
Our goal is to retain our clients for a long term and to achieve this goal we are committed to delivering great products and service and customer care. We are here to stay. With us, client's get solutions from experienced resources who think of long term and design solutions accordingly – solutions following standard practices and methodologies that are supportable, maintainable and easily upgradeable.
We quote per project and thus clients do not require keeping us on their payroll when they do not need our service. With our on demand service, clients save a lot of capital as they use our service only when needed. Clients call us with their requirements and we provide quotes. Once approved, we deliver solutions within agreed timeframe.
We stand by our products and are available to support them anytime – that's right anytime.
You can chat with us, call us or email us to discuss your projects.


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The Love Sundays Weekly Roundup
The weekend is here and we're challenging you to make a special plan this Sunday. Forget the laundry, shut down your social media and leave the washing up to soak, the moment has come to reclaim your Me Time and eHarmony is here to help!
In the first of a regular series of weekly Love Sundays posts we will be bringing you challenges to help you relax, a fantastic competition to win a box full of goodies and an insight into the perfect Sunday for an eHarmony member.
We've put together the ultimate box of goodies to help you relax and make the most of your Me Time on a Sunday and, because we don't like to make things complicated, we've made it super easy to win. Simply email us at email@example.com with the subject line "Love Sundays" and next week you could be putting your feet up with goodies including the following:
- 1 free month of eHarmony membership
- Molton Brown stress relieving bath salts
- Clipper seriously velvety hot chocolate
- Champagne Truffles
- Burt's Bees naturally nourishing body lotion
- Wild Jasmine candle
- My Future Listography book
All this and some extra little treats could be yours, just remember to email us to be in with a chance of winning before midnight on Monday November 17.
Love Sundays challenges
It's not always easy to relax and if you find your hectic lifestyle has put the squeeze on your Me Time then we've got just the inspiration to help you reclaim it. Every week we will be bringing you expert challenges to help you revitalise your body, mind, soul and heart this Sunday.
The challenge: Say hi to five matches on eHarmony this Sunday.
Why: This weekend it's free to use eHarmony and because we take the time to get to know you and find you really meaningful matches, you can be sure that the people you reach out to are likely to give you butterflies, not the brush off.
Tip: Use our guided communication system to send ice-breakers to your matches. That way we do all the hard work, and all you have to do is click!
The Challenge: If you've yet to try yoga, get off to a good start with Tadasana (aka The Mountain Pose). This fundamental and grounding posture will exercise the foundation of your body and give your feet a treat too.
Why: Surprise yourself by what a positive influence this small movement can have over your entire body – calms the mind too. Tadasana brings balance to mind and body and is a great way to start the day. According to yoga and aromatherapy the endings of the body's energy points are located in the soles of the feet, so it makes perfect sense that this simple pose works from toe to tip.
Tip: Start with bare feet and spend time noticing your breathing before you begin the pose. Don't actively change your breathing – noticing the breath is enough to slow you down and begin relaxation. When you're in the pose, you could visualise your feet sprouting roots that draw you into the ground and when you breathe in, grow upwards and breathe out, ground down to the earth.
The Challenge: Discover how easily you can change your state of mind with meditation.
Why: It's been around for thousands of years and since the 60s there have been many research studies that demonstrate the benefits of regular meditation, both physical and mental. You don't have to belong to a specific group, it can be done it in the privacy of your own home or anywhere you please. But if you like the idea, you might want to join a practice group, it's also a great place to meet like-minded people.
Tip: People often believe that to meditate you have to 'stop thinking' completely and because of this, many give up before they even start. However, it's not possible to stop thinking, but you can control your thoughts rather than allowing your thoughts to control you.
The Challenge: Make time in your day to set a clear goal using the medium of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).
Why: You owe it to yourself to live the best life you can and being in charge of your future is one way to achieve this. Although simple in essence, this exercise has the power to change lives and has done just that! It ensures that your motivation is positive and that you will explore all the pros and cons that surround your goal.
Tip: Give yourself enough time. When this is done on a training session it takes around 1.5 hours. Research has shown that people who set clear goals and write them down are much more likely to achieve them, so have pen and paper at the ready.
My Perfect Sunday
We asked eHarmony member Jo McCourt, 30, of Weymouth to share her perfect Sunday with us:
"I always like to get up after only a few hours sleep and meet the girls to get some breakfast and fresh air!
"There's a lovely little café on the beach called the Oasis so it's nice to sit there in the sea breeze and gossip about our antics from the night before! In the evening it's time for a carvery or home cooked Sunday dinner (depending if one of us offers up our culinary skills – this doesn't happen often!).
"And then I get to chill out with some Me Time and catch up on some easy watching TV, as this is the only day I tend to sit and watch any telly, or put on a good film about 8pm."
If this article gave you the confidence to find your match, try eHarmony today!Join Now
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In Work
A factsheet aimed at dyslexic young people completing an Apprenticeship in England has been released. The document is the collaborative work of the British Dyslexia Association; The Dyslexia SpLD-Trust; Department for Education; and The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. To download it please follow this link.
Employees who may be experiencing performance issues or stress at work which may be a result of previously undiagnosed dyslexic difficulties should discuss the matter in confidence with HR/Occupational Heath/their Manager. Employers have a duty under the Equality Act to ensure that employees with disabilities (including dyslexia) are not treated unfavourably and are offered reasonable adjustments or support. For many office based jobs, a full understanding of the individual profile is necessary in order to offer the most effective support. Most large employers and the public sector would be expected to fund an assessment for an employee. A smaller employer may help with the costs.
It is preferable to have a current diagnostic assessment so that current strengths and challenges in processing information and memory can be identified. Workplace needs assessment should then be arranged with a dyslexia specialist Workplace Needs Assessor. in order to determine the most appropriate accommodations, training and support that would be successful in mitigating any weak areas and reduce stress. This is not something that either the individual or the employer would be able to work out for themselves. The B.D.A. provides workplace needs assessments using qualified assessors who have committed to the B.D.A. ethics and standards policy. For further information on such assessments see our Assessments Page.
For further details, on Government funded reasonable adjustments go to Access to Work site and Identifying Reasonable Adjustments.
For some people, dyslexia can present a serious obstacle to finding a job. A bad experience of education may result in a lack of confidence and self-esteem. Problems with reading and writing can make it difficult to apply for jobs. It may also be difficult to do some aspects of a job without the employer making some adjustments. The information on this page is designed to help you towards a successful career.
Careers Advice.
When considering a career or a job move, it is important for the dyslexic candidate to carefully and honestly think about their strengths, weaknesses and skill sets. What do you find difficult? There are many reasonable adjustments and types of support that can be offered to employees with dyslexic tendencies to successfully help with areas of difficulty. However, there are situations and jobs where these may not be sufficiently effective to ensure adequate performance.
Avoiding stress: People with dyslexia can be particularly prone to stress, and struggling to cope in the workplace can often lead to stress related illness. What are you good at? It is important to choose a type of work which you would enjoy, would be good at and would be likely to play more to your strengths than your weaknesses. Supporting the weak areasThere are many successful adjustments which can be offered to employees with dyslexic difficulties to address their weaker points, such as effective assistive software and training to help with written work and the use of a digital recorder instead of note taking.
Dyslexic strengths:
Many dyslexic people have above average talents in a number of important areas. While not everyone will have outstanding gifts, all will have strengths. Skills such as big-picture thinking, lateral thinking and problem solving, visual strengths and an intuitive understanding of how things work are often the hallmarks of successful dyslexic people.
People with dyslexia are frequently successful in entrepreneurship, sales, art and design, entertainment, acting, engineering, architecture, I.T., computer animation, technical and practical trades and professions. Analyse your profile of strengths and weaknesses. You may find it helpful to draw up a table of your strengths, your weaknesses and skill sets. Then look at the job description and see how closely you match.
Seeking Employment
Job Centre Plus
Jobseekers who have dyslexic difficulties, whether formally diagnosed or not, would be advised to make an appointment at their local JobcentrePlus. The staff there are able to seek information from their Disability Employment Adviser. Dyslexic jobseekers are only required to apply for a maximum of 5 jobs per week. Some Job centres have contracts with specialist providers who can support dyslexic adults.
You may also be referred to organisations such as the Shaw Trust and Remploy who specialise in helping people with disability into the job market.
Work Choice.
Resolving these difficulties will not always be easy. However, people with dyslexia may be eligible for help from government Work Choice scheme, via the Disability Employment Adviser. Work Choice helps people with disabilities whose needs cannot be met through other work programmes, Access to Work or workplace adjustments. This might be because you need more specialised support to find employment or keep a job once you have started work. If Work Choice is for you it will be tailored to meet your individual needs. It will focus on helping you achieve your full potential and moving towards being more independent.
For further information follow this link to the Work Choice website.
Help with starting your own business.
If you are on Jobseekers Allowance and want to start your own business, there is now help available through the Jobcentre. You could be offered a mentor to help with your business plan, a loan and a weekly allowance for 26 weeks.
Princes Trust
The Princes Trust offers courses, opportunities and support for young people who may be unemployed, struggled at school, have been in trouble with the law, or have been in care:
- Young people aged 14-16 years who are not expecting to receive 5 GCSEs,
- Young people aged 16-25 years not in education,
- Training or working,
- Grants and support for people 18-30 years to become self-employed.
- For more information on the Princes Trust please follow this link
Organisations supporting job seekers with disabilities
National Careers Service:
A government funded organisation which gives you access to information, careers advice and resources, which can help you make more effective skills, work and life choices.Tel: 0800 100 900.
Web: www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk
University Careers Services:
Most University and Further Educaton establishments will offer a service to their students to support them into the workplace.
An organisation providing the essential link for disabled and dyslexic students and graduates to ease the transition from education to employment, giving free guidance and advice on internship and graduate opportunities with top employers, as well as recruitment processes including how to seek disability related adjustments. For more information on EmployAbility follow this link.
Applying for Jobs and Promotions
CVs and Application Forms.
A well presented C.V. or application form is essential for a job application to progress further. You may need help with this, and it is always a good idea to get a friend or family member to proofread and check it over before it is sent off. People with dyslexia are often not good at spotting their own mistakes. If you have difficulty with handwriting and filling in forms accurately with good spelling, you should request an electronic version from the employer. With an electronic version, you can draft your entries, spell check, and then copy and paste into the form.
Employers have an obligation under Disability Discrimination legislation to offer 'reasonable adjustments' to people with disabilities, including dyslexia. If an electronic version of a form is not available, the employer could be asked to accept a C.V. instead of a handwritten form. A good covering letter tailored to the particular application and employer is also recommended.
Should I disclose Dyslexia?
There is no legal obligation to disclose dyslexic difficulties, and many people feel that they would prefer to leave this information off a C.V. or application form because of possible discrimination. Some application forms have a section asking about disabilities, many people with dyslexia do not see themselves as having a disability. Dyslexia is a neurological condition and therefore a protected characteristic that is covered under the Equality Act. If you were invited to interview, you may be required to do written tests or other assessment exercises. You may feel that disclosure would be appropriate at this point order to request accommodations, such as extra time and other arrangements, depending on the nature and severity of your particular dyslexic difficulties.
Evidence of Dyslexia.
If you disclose dyslexia, the employer may request a copy of an adult (post 16 years) assessment report as evidence of disability. Many people have not been formally identified as having dyslexic difficulties, and others were only assessed at school and there may be no available documentation. This can be a problem for many people as dyslexia assessments are not funded, or available from the NHS and cost several hundred pounds. In some circumstances an employer may be encouraged to accept the results of a screening test. A list of suggested screeing test can be found by following this link.
Accommodations in Written Tests
If you are required to do written tests as part of the recruitment or promotion process, you may request appropriate accommodations. Extra time (+25%) is normal. In some cases you may need a specific recommendation from a suitably qualified assessor for particular accommodations in tests and exams. On-screen tests may be challenging for dyslexic people, as we all read less efficiently on screen. You may wish to request hard copy on a paper colour of your choice, and in a font and font size of your choice. Multiple choice and psychometric tests can be very challenging for many dyslexic people, you may wish to request an alternative style of assessment.
Under stress, dyslexic difficulties can become more pronounced. For instance taking on board the questions you are being asked, remembering information, organising your reply and finding the right words may all become problematic. If you feel that you are going to have difficulty giving a good account of yourself at interview because of this, you would be entitled to ask for accommodations. These could include:
- Having a list of the question areas in advance;
- Requesting that the interviewers ask about only one issue at a time, avoiding multiple questions;requesting that you be offered plenty of time to reply and not be hurried;
- Requesting that questions relating to events are asked in chronological order, not jumping about in time (to help your memory).
- Case Studies and Scenario excercises.
- If the interview process includes a case study or scenario exercise, you should request the case study well in advance to give you time to process the information and prepare your views. You should be allowed to take your notes in to the interview.
Prepare well.
In any event, careful preparation before an interview will always pay off. Try to anticipate the questions you are likely to be asked and organise your response, but avoid sounding rehearsed. You may be invited to ask some questions of your own about the job or the company: try to think of some interesting ones.
Organisations supporting Jobseekers with disabilities.
National Careers Service
Provides support with job search advice, skills tests and helping to choose careers. Open 7 days a week, over the phone or a face to face appointment.
Tel: 0800 100 900
Web: www.nationalcareersservcie.direct.gov.uk
Job Search: www.disabilityjobsite.co.uk
For Graduates and Students: www.employ-ability.org.uk
How to Help Your Dyslexic Employees
Please click here to view tips on how managers can help their dyslexic employees.