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Support us
There are several ways you can support the Ākina Foundation:
1. Partnerships
We love working with other organisations to help us achieve our goals and contribute to theirs. Our current partners include the Department of Internal Affairs, Foundation North, the New Zealand Post Group, and Macquarie.
2. Compass Network
We work with a growing number of organisations and individuals across New Zealand who support our ventures with their time and expertise. Find out more about the Compass Network and see if it sounds like a good fit for you or your organisation.
3. Ākina Angels
Ākina Angels are individuals who support our work and believe in our ability to grow social enterprise across New Zealand. The benefits of becoming an Angel include:
- supporting a progressive organisation in a developing sector within New Zealand
- the opportunity to mentor and coach some of the country's most talented social entrepreneurs
- potential investment opportunities as our ventures approach graduation from our incubator
- access to networking opportunities with other supporters and partners
- access to events and international guests hosted by Ākina
- recognition (to your comfort level) within our marketing materials
- charitable tax exemption
If you'd like to discuss becoming a Ākina Angel, please contact Rachel for more information.
4. Regular or one-off donations
Regular giving
Supporting Ākina via a regular donation will help us to manage our operating costs – salaries, travel and spaces for our staff and volunteers to work from.
You can donate directly to our bank account: Kiwibank, The Ākina Foundation, 38 9012 0550086 00
If you'd like to know more, please get in touch.
Payroll giving
Why not speak to your workplace about including Ākina on your payroll giving scheme? Payroll giving enables employees to make donations directly from their salary or wages to a nominated organisation. Donations made via payroll are eligible for an immediate tax credit. You can find more information on the IRD website. You'll also need our Charities Commission Registration Number: CC27868.
One-off donations
You can also make a one-off gift to us via our Givealittle page or directly to our bank account.
If you would like to find out more about working with us, please contact Rachel, our Partnership and Development Director.


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I hate shopping for clothes. I really do! I know what you are thinking. You think I am insane and ask, "What's better than a couple of hours away from the kids, indulging in modeling fabulous outfits in sizes you never dreamed you'd reach before kids?" And truly, while I've come to grips with the size battle, I still can't stand shopping. So what's my problem?
The pain of it all
I can't get away from the kids. Occasionally, I bring my girls shopping. It's always a mistake. Whether they are fashioning the store mannequins as zombies, hiding in the racks, or complaining loudly, I rarely try anything on and have to leave. Once in a great while, when I actually try on a piece, it's usually the last thing I try on that day. It's just not worth it.
I rarely get to shop alone. Our city has limited stores and limited stock. As an average woman who wears an average size, if I don't get out the week the clothing appears in stores, I don't usually get a chance to buy any of the clothes I like. And then I look online and all the mediums are gone there too. If they aren't and I order them, I often have to take them back because the cut isn't quite right. Tragic I know.
Never accept defeat
This past weekend, I was away with the kids in the city known to be the shopping centre of the Maritimes. You may know it as Moncton, New Brunswick. My friend Jessica told me I needed an updated wardrobe and suggested I hit Ricki's. "Oh yeah! I remember Ricki's." Inexpensive clothes that might be perfect for a cool mom like me (at least my kids say I'm cool). I decided I'd try again with a promise to visit Toys R Us if we all survived.
Immediately, the store gained Zombie mannequins. I tried to conceal my amusement as I chastised them. It was time to leave.
And then there was Rebecca
Rebecca came over and suggested I take a quick photo before she fixed the mannequin arms. She was the salesperson that witnessed my rapid defeat. After I shot the photo she asked, "Girls, can you help me make up outfits for display?" Everything she said beyond that was a blur of relief for me. She kept the kids busy, while delivering me clothes that she knew I'd love.
The kids took their stylist role very seriously, examining every item one by one, before settling on which pieces to include in each outfit. I didn't even notice until the end after I tried on nearly every item in the store and spent my Christmas money. I took photos of the girls with their ensembles, while I was rung in. I couldn't believe it!
For the first time in years, I actually purchased more than one item of clothing outside of a grocery store.
And I was with the kids!
I'm not certain that Rebecca has wings, but she was an angel for me that day. After that experience, I'd go back to Ricki's in Champlain Place in a heartbeat. Thank you Rebecca. And thank you to the other staff that also joined in.
You made my day! And when my friends read this, they may visit, so you can make their day too! I can't wait to feel like a stylish woman at work this week.
Thank you all so much!
Rebecca provided the best service ever! Ricki's Salesperson 50753 Transaction 15974.

subset: commoncrawl


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Let's face it. The banking system hasn't always been there for everyone.
The less you have to rely on big government and banks the more control you will have over your own wealth.
Throughout history, precious metals have had intrinsic value. The same can't always be said for paper based assets whose value is constantly fluctuating. When you diversify your portfolio with precious metals from Rosland Capital, you are heading down the path to true financial independence. Hedge your bets against inflation and and potential stock market volatility by talking to a Rosland Capital specialist. It's the first step in securing your financial future.
When we send you your Rosland Guide to Precious Metals, you will get a detailed guide explaining how you could benefit from diversifying your portfolio.
Learn about:
- What to look for when buying gold coins
- The role of precious metals in a balanced asset portfolio
- How to help protect your future with a gold-backed IRA
- The options available in gold and silver
- The difference between bullion and premium coins
- What to look for in graded coins - which are one of our specialties
- Access to exclusive specialty products: F1® & Lady Liberty GOLD COINS
Rosland Capital is known for having a higher level of customer service - something you should take comfort in when discussing your financial future.


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With this one, convenient number, there's no more wondering who to call or where to turn when you...
WPB-TV frequently covers stories across West Palm Beach that no other news agency covers.
City Commission, CRA, Mayor/Commission Work Session, and Workshops Agendas.
The widely supported bill makes texting while driving a primary offense
South staging dock, ramps to open; North staging dock remains under construction through June.
The results of a hurricane often present major safety hazards. After the storm, BE SAFE!
Please follow these guidelines to prevent accidental injury:
• Never use a generator indoors including garages and patios. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent carbon monoxide from building up in the home.
• Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet, a process known as "backfeeding". This is an EXTREMELY dangerous practice and presents an electrecution risk to utility workers and neighbors same served by the same utility transformer.
• Before refueling your generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite.
• Protect your generator from coming into contact with water.
• Do not let any protection impede air flow that cools the engine and generator.
• Ensure you have correct cords and connectors.
• Don't fill the fuel tank until just before the storm.
Never store fuel in your home. Gasoline, propane, kerosene, and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers that are strapped down securely prior to the storm's arrival. Do not store fuel near a fuel-burning appliance such as a natural gas water heater in a garage. If the fuel is spilled, or the container is not sealed properly, invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and be ignited by the appliance's pilot light or by arcs of electric switches from the appliance.
Home fires are a threat after a natural disaster. Fire trucks may have trouble getting to your home. If your home was flooded, look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet and throw them away to protect from shock or fire. Have a professional evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, circuit breakers, and fuses that have gotten wet during a flood.
Never touch a downed power line or anything in contact with one. If a power line falls on your car, remain inside unless the car catches fire or authorities tell you to get out. Shut off the electricity and natural gas in your home, and do not turn power back on until equipment has been inspected by a qualified technician.
After a storm, many roads may be flooded. Avoid driving through these areas, especially when the water is moving fast. Drownings can result from driving through water. In fact, as little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle, and as little as two feet of water will carry most cars away.


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The marijuana business is anything but legal on the federal level, but maybe it should be -- because these states are capitalizing.
Marijuana's medical benefits can't seem to convince some of the more conservative and anti-drug members of the United States federal government to legalize it, but maybe its potential revenue can: The recently-released State of Legal Marijuana Markets 4th Edition report projects that legal marijuana sales will reach around $23 billion per year by 2020.
Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington state, and Washington D.C. have already legalized recreational use of marijuana and 23 states allow its medicinal use. Yet on the federal level, weed is a Schedule 1 controlled substance along with heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and peyote.
Revenue from the states permitting recreational usage of the drug have shown that there is definitely a market demand for it: Recreational adult use sales totaled $1.3 billion last year in the four states that allow it. At a broader level, legal marijuana sales equaled $5.7 billion in 2015.
In Colorado's first year of legalization alone, more than 10,000 jobs were created.
That's not to say that legalization doesn't come with its own market problems, though: A 2015 Ohio legalization law was voted down because it essentially created a legalized monopoly on the market.
At least 10 states will have marijuana legalization on the ballot come November 2016, including states with huge potential markets, like California and Florida. California has more than double the population of the states that currently allow recreational marijuana use — a market that grew 232 percent last year and accounts for a little over half of the $23 billion by 2020 projection.
If what we've seen so far holds true, the social acceptance of marijuana may be coming sooner than you think — and a big, taxable market will be right there beside it.
Next, check out 13 examples of ridiculous 20th century anti-marijuana propaganda.


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South Africa mob kills suspected arsonist
|bbc.com 07 Dec 2018 at 06:05
The BBC s Pumza Fihlani says vigilante killings are common in poor areas where crime is often high and communities feel frustrated with the police.
The densely populated township of Alexandra is north of the city of Johannesburg
Although it right by the affluent Sandton neighbourhood, which is known as Africa s richest square mile, poverty and unemployment are high there, our reporter says.
One eyewitness, who posted a video of the inferno on social media, shared a theory that the fire had broken out because of a fight.
two people were fighting, one decided to burn the opponent s shack.. using petrol.. all the other shacks caught the fire. #AlexFire #AlexandraFire pic.twitter.com/qvgA4wDULx
Many people were at work when the blaze started out on Thursday. No other deaths or injuries have been reported.
Fire fighters attended the scene but struggled to contain the blaze. Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Nana Radebe told eNCA TV channel, "."
Water in fire engines only lasts four minutes, so access to water hydrants was essential, she said, adding that residents had built over those installed for factories that were once in the area.
The water pressure in one available hydrant was so low it could not be used and a water tanker had to be brought in, Ms Radebe said.
An aid worker told South Africa s TimesLIVE that 690 shacks had been destroyed, affecting 2,000 people , including a woman who had given birth on Thursday.
"We found her sitting on the side of the road. She lost everything," Emily Thomas of Gift for Givers was quoted as saying.
Many people slept outside on Thursday night. As the clean-up operation continues, police are investigating the cause of the fire.
Alexandra has bricks and mortar houses, but many people live in shacks made of corrugated iron and wood. They are often insulated with cardboard and plastic bags, making them highly combustible.


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The Clinical Clerkship Program at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry is an integrated 52-week course in the third year of the four-year MD program which is distributed across various sites in Southwestern Ontario. During Clerkship, the student becomes an active member of clinical care teams in the following medical disciplines: family medicine, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery. Under the supervision of faculty and more senior housestaff, clerks are given graded responsibility in the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients in hospital, clinic and outpatient settings. All students in third year are required to complete a community/rural Clinical Clerkship rotation for a minimum of four weeks.
The Clinical Clerkship Program in London is being delivered at the Medical Sciences Building and the Dental Sciences Building at Western University, at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care and at other regional education sites through the Distributed Medical Education.
The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry expanded its clinical clerkship program to the University of Windsor in 2002. In September 2008, the complete undergraduate medical education program was launched in Windsor with the entry of 24 first-year students to the class of Meds 2012. The Windsor Campus welcomed 30 new first-year students in September 2009, 38 first-year students in September 2010 and 38 in September 2011.
The Clinical Clerkship Program in Windsor is being delivered at the Medical Education Building on the campus of the University of Windsor, at Windsor Regional Hospital, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital and at other regional education sites through the Distributed Medical Education.
Distributed Medical Education includes faculty located in over 45 communities in the region from Tobermory to Leamington. Students learn clinical skills in various geographic sites. The objective is to ensure that Western students at all levels gain an understanding and experience of the practice of Medicine from both a rural/regional and tertiary care/urban perspective.
For more information, including Polices, Guidelines and Curricular Information for the Clinical Clerkship Program at each of our sites, please choose the correct program above.


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Improving Homes in Auburn-Gresham
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 18 October 2016 17:14
An Urban Partnership Bank loan funded the rehabilitation of 101 housing units in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, which will provide tenants high-quality, affordable housing. This deal is one of many we have made to improve access to quality housing on the South and West Sides of Chicago.
- Details
- Published: Monday, 17 October 2016 16:08
Financing from Urban Partnership Bank helped build a new, modern campus in the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's West Side for UCAN, a 145-year-old youth social services organization that provides a wide range of services to at-risk youth.
All About Kids
- Details
- Published: Friday, 22 March 2013 14:55
Tess McKenzie knows firsthand the power of small business loans to create jobs and improve communities. In 2002, McKenzie launched her All About Kids day care facility and saw it grow to serve more than 60 children and employ eight people. In 2010, she added two more classrooms and created five more jobs.
Fresh Start Day Care Center
- Details
- Published: Wednesday, 13 February 2013 16:00
For Corey Britt, the founder and owner of Fresh Start Day Care Center in Chicago, a partnership with Urban Partnership Bank is literally opening new doors for his business.


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Star Wars Fanatic (487)
2006-10-08 23:11
|Despite being dated, I have always liked this game and prefer it to its sequel. Midtown Madness 2 went a bit more over the top, especially with crash physics as the cars just bounced out of your way, although the original had fewer cars. A classic.
2006-10-09 05:06
|Yeah, I liked MM1. It was my introduction into the world of internet forums and chat. There was a lot of add-ons available for download for this game. I even made a few. Awesome game in its heyday. I didn't really like the sequel either. The physics was just too weird in MM2.
2006-10-09 19:32
|These screenshots are from MM2??? The MM3 crashes were even more crazy, hit a car with a car and it goes flying. Drive a bus into a group of cars and its like something from the Matrix Reloaded.
-- Last edit: 2006-10-09 19:33:34
2006-10-11 07:43
|No, this is MM1. I'm just saying I didn't like MM2.
2006-10-12 15:00
|oh yes, I see now. Funny, the car graphics hardly changed at all
takumi (391)
2009-08-22 11:00
|My pics its only the trafic's cars
-- Last edit: 2009-08-22 11:00:46
sajmon14 (232)
2009-08-22 12:40
|The limo looks more like an Mercedes
insanecow (8)
2009-08-23 17:38
|here's a video on this game I helped make with my friend (he owns this game, I don't) www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnhS881-Nmw&feature=channel_page my youtube channel is C96B1.
takumi (391)
2010-01-02 15:15
|I don't remember if this game have a level in San francisco also
dodge1970 (9)
2010-01-02 15:55
Your thinking Midtown Madness 2, this game has only 1 location Chicago which is listed.
takumi (391)
2010-01-02 15:56
|yes yes you right
strike9 (13)
2010-06-03 22:06
|wasnt there an el camino in this game?
sajmon14 (232)
2010-10-12 15:28
No, but there was El-Camino add-on car in this game
By the way some traffic cars were playable by the cheat, as I remember
2010-10-31 06:44
|All the Traffic Cars are playable using cheats... and i don't know if upload pics of all the downloable cars... Greetings
sajmon14 (232)
2010-11-28 15:11
|Don't put downloadable cars, they are made by fans, not Microsoft.
-- Last edit: 2010-11-28 15:13:18
sajmon14 (232)
2011-02-06 20:25
|Developer was Angel Studios, they have changed name to Rockstar later
Antti-san (38)
2011-02-06 23:34
They developed the Midnight Club games, correct?
sajmon14 (232)
2011-02-06 23:45
|1st Midnight Club was made with Angel Studios in name, later they moved
Star Wars Fanatic (487)
2011-02-06 23:53
|It's also a game we don't seem to have on here.
sajmon14 (232)
2011-02-06 23:58
|Yes, and it's really needeed, I hope Racingfreak can make the pictures, he has ripped few MC models snice they similar to MM2
RacingFreak (98)
2011-02-08 09:12
Taking pictures and game information is in progress. I`ll upload these in next few days, hopefully
Takumi (391)
2011-02-08 11:14
|yes but a nice screenshot like CA_NES and black bart ps2 picture please, because the first MC have a nice selection of cars, traffic and playable !
RacingFreak (98)
2011-12-03 15:16
|As talking about beta/unused cars in Midtown Madness 2's page, Midtown Madness: Chicago Edition is having one special and unused vehicle, it's an yellow Monster Truck. It is a left-over vehicle in the Trial version of the game, which with additional info files can be put in-game easily. I will not submit it as vehicle here, but will post pictures of this secret vehicle soon.
sajmon14 (232)
2012-06-19 18:55
|There was also a vehicle used as a sample in a Vehicle Creation Kit, made by game developers, dunno if it should be listed. Btw I've added map pictures for all Midtown Madness games
2012-12-30 20:09
|This game was, and is beast! One of my first video games I've ever played!
-- Last edit: 2012-12-30 20:09:39
mm2mm1fan (5)
2016-04-17 14:17
|Added the Red Rocket
Speedevil (169)
2016-04-17 16:16
|Why did the traffic cars become playable? Also the Red Rocket isn't available in a vanilla game so it should be removed.
sajmon14 (232)
2016-04-17 16:19
|they are playable with a cheat
mm2mm1fan (5)
2016-04-17 16:35
|Plus the Red Rocket came with the official VCK by Angel Studios so it should stay here, it's a downloadable car
-- Last edit: 2016-04-17 16:37:14
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100+-mile kayaking trip from Albany to Peekskill scheduled for July 29 to Aug. 5 Albany, N.Y. - The 10th annual Great Hudson River Paddle, an eight-day, 100+-mile kayaking and camping trip from Albany to Peekskill, is scheduled for July 29 to August 5, 2010. Registration for the event is now open. A group of paddlers will depart from the Capital City and travel down the most pristine and productive estuary on the east coast, ending at the southern entrance to the majestic and historic Hudson Highlands. The paddlers will be camping out in state and local parks along the way or, new for this year, staying at a local inn. Opportunities will be available for paddlers to visit heritage and cultural sites in local communities. Options are available so that paddlers can join the trip anywhere from three days up to the full eight. The Greenway is celebrating the Paddle's tenth year by adding an over-night option at a Hyde Park Inn for the last five nights of the trip. This year, paddlers may either camp or spend their nights at the Inn. The new option was added with an eye toward attracting even more people to come experience and explore the Hudson River. Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, stated, "This event is an exciting and interactive way to highlight the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, New York State's efforts to revitalize our waterfronts, and the commitment of partners throughout the valley to provide better access to the Hudson River. This is our tenth year leading this event and we are proud to continue to celebrate the Hudson River with our public and private partners. I'm pleased that we were able to work with our partners to offer a new overnight option that will help the event cast a wider net and attract even more people to our great Hudson River." For further information on the Great Hudson River Paddle, visit http://www.hudsongreenway.state.ny.us/Trailsandscenicbyways/GHRP.aspx or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or call 518-473-3835. The Hudson River Valley Greenway is a New York State agency within the Executive Department, established by the Greenway Act of 1991. Presently, 260 out of the 324 eligible municipalities within the Greenway area have joined the Greenway and over 800 miles of trail have been designated as part of the Hudson River Greenway Trail System, including 90 sites on 256 miles of Water Trail. The Greenway is designed to encourage Hudson River Valley communities to develop projects and initiatives related to the criteria of natural and cultural resource protection, regional and local planning, economic development, public access to the Hudson River (as well as other regional and local resources), and heritage and environmental education. It provides technical assistance and small grants for planning, capital projects, and water and land-based trails that reinforce the Greenway Criteria. In keeping with the New York tradition of home rule, the Greenway program has no regulatory authority. The participation of municipalities in Greenway programs and projects is entirely voluntary. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area was established by Congress in 1996 to recognize, preserve and interpret the nationally significant historical, cultural and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley region. Encompassing four million acres, the Heritage Area follows the 154-mile length of the Hudson River including highlands, rolling countryside and scenic shoreline. The area extends from just north of Manhattan to the Capital Region near Albany. The roots of American art and American landscape architecture, early settlements of the Dutch and French Huguenots, and major Revolutionary War sites can all be found in the Heritage Area. The Heritage Area is managed by the Hudson River Valley Greenway. Visit http://www.hudsongreenway.state.ny.us/ for more information on the Greenway Visit http://www.hudsonrivervalley.com/ for more information on the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.
###Contact: Mark Castiglione (518) 473-3835


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Recognise the face of Ben Kelly? There's a good chance you might! Ben is one of Ireland's best talents and he first came to our attention via his awesome Youtube videos years ago and then last year he was on The Voice where he became our favourite member of team Jessie J!
Since The Voice, Ben has been busy at work on his debut album as well as performing for the Queen and all over the UK! This week Ben has released his debut EP, 'City Boy' and to celebrate, there was an exclusive gig in a trendy North London venue. MP reporter Jon Hornbuckle went along to see Ben take to the stage.
The 'City Boy' EP (which you can preview here) is a collection of fun, catchy upbeat pop with big ballads and buckets of personality and you can't go wrong with that formula! Alongside the title track, our favourites include 'Criminally Gorgeous' which is a slice of pop magic that would put even the poppiest popstars in popworld to shame!
Another highlight is the big ballad of the EP, 'Lionheart' – this is one you will be listening to on repeat over and over again and is a chance for Ben to unleash his inner Kelly Clarkson if you will. This song is BIG.
If the EP is as good as this then we cannot wait to see what Ben's debut album will be like!
Download the EP on iTunes and visit Ben's website or twitter to keep up to date with all upcoming gigs and releases.


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- Research article
- Open Access
Expected value of the additional state in evaluating the method of quantification and uncertainty of additional states in an analytical model of grade I hypertension
© Uchikura et al.; licensee BioMed Central. 2015
- Received: 25 June 2014
- Accepted: 30 October 2014
- Published: 28 January 2015
In the construction of pharmacoeoconomic models, simplicity is desirable for transparency (people can see how the model is built), ease of analysis, validation (how well the model reproduces reality), and description. Few reports have described concrete methods for constructing simpler models. Therefore we focused on the value of additional states and uncertainty in disease models with multiple complications.
The objective of this study was to examine the possibility of ranking additional states in disease models with multiple complications using a method for evaluating the quantification and uncertainty of additional states.
The expected value of additional states (EVAS) was formulated to calculate the value of additional states from the variation between analytic models using the net benefit method, and uncertainty was subtracted from the variation. We also verified the usefulness and availability of this method in grade I hypertension as a verification of the disease model. We assumed that stroke was recognized as an associated complication of hypertension in the basic model. In addition, stroke recurrence, coronary heart disease (CHD), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were assumed to represent other complications of hypertension. Ten thousand Monte Carlo simulations were performed, and the probability distribution was assumed to be the beta distribution in clinical parameters. The ranges of clinical parameters were ±6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, and 50% of the standard deviation from the mean value.
The EVAS in complications of CHD showed the greatest uncertainty. In contrast, the EVAS of ESRD differed from stroke recurrence in the value ranking by uncertainty.
The EVAS has the potential to determine the ranking of additional states based on the quantitative value and uncertainty in disease models with multiple complications.
- Expected Value of the Additional State
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Hypertension
- Quantification
- Uncertainty
Pharmacoeoconomic model analysis is conducted to combine various parameters (effect, side effects, quality of life [QOL], and cost data) using modeling techniques, e.g., the Markov model [1]. The construction of analytic models is a key issue affecting their results. The guidelines for modeling analysis refer to internal validity, e.g., the course of a disease or clinical process, and external validity, e.g., comparing model results with real-world results [2,3]. Thus, The Joint Report of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research and the Society for Medical Decision Making (report of the ISPOR-SMDM Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force-2 [4]) mentions that the simplicity of models is desirable for ease of analysis, description, transparency (people can see how the model is built), and validation (how well the model reproduces reality) [5]. However, few reports have described concrete methods for constructing simpler models.
Generally, in the construction of analytical (disease) models, we assume that multiple complications may occur as the outcome of a specific disease. The complications in the analytical model are selected based on their importance (generally referred to as "a state"), but currently there is no evaluation method for that purpose. Furthermore, it is important to consider the influence of the uncertainty of the state itself, but that is not done at present. Therefore, if we could attempt to estimate the quantitative value of additional states in an analytical model and examine the possibility of ranking additional states in disease models with multiple complications, it would contribute to the establishment of useful analytical models. Therefore, in this study we attempted to estimate the quantitative value of additional states and rank those additional states, in addition to evaluating the robustness of ranking while considering uncertainty.
The objective of this study was to examine the possibility of ranking additional states in disease models with multiple complications using a method for evaluating the quantification and uncertainty of additional states.
Method to evaluate quantification of the value of additional states and uncertainty of transition probabilities
where CA = the cost of analytical model A, CB = the cost of analytical model B, λ = 5,000,000 yen (the value of 1 QALY), EA = the effectiveness (QALY) of analytical model A, and EB = the effectiveness (QALY) of analytical model B.
Using Eq. (1), we can calculate each value of multiple complications (states) assumed in a specific disease based on costs and QALY and rank these complications (states) in the analytical model. Furthermore, we can estimate the robustness of the results based on the uncertainty of each state itself by estimating the EVAS from Eq. (2). Therefore, we can select a specific complication among multiple complications of a disease, because this method ranks multiple complications that consider the values of additional states and the robustness of the value of uncertainty of additional states.
Disease model used for examining the ranking of the values of additional states
Transition probabilities, QOL, and cost data on states in the disease model
Clinical parameters
Annual incidence of stroke in grade I hypertension (1000 people/year)
Men [10]
Annual incidence of CHD in grade I hypertension (1000 people/year)
Men [10]
Annual incidence of ESRD in grade I hypertension (1000 people/year)
Men [11]
Recurrence rate of stroke [12]*
First year
Second to fifth year
Mortality after stroke [13]*†
First year
Second year
Third year
Fourth year
Fifth year
In hospital
One year (1000 people/year)
Mortality after ESRD [16]
One year
The degree of disability after stroke was scored using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) [18,19], and allocations of patients were derived from the proportion of stroke type and mRS score at hospital discharge [20,21]. The degree of disability was assumed to remain constant over time.
The cost of stroke treatment in the acute phase was obtained from the average number of hospitalized days based on the highest number of diagnostic procedure combinations in patients with each type of stroke [25]. The cost of recovery-phase rehabilitation facility care was calculated based on an average of 88 hospitalized days [26]. The annual cost of care was estimated from the amount of maximum payment for the categories of allowances for nursing care per month [27], which correspond to mRS scores of 2–5, and it was calculated until death. In addition, we calculated work lost until the age of 65 years if the patients died at age 64 years or younger.
Categorization of assumed costs related to medical treatment and others after stroke, CHD, and ESRD
Acute-phase hospital care cost
Recovery-phase care cost
Ambulant treatment cost
Nursing care cost
Work lost*
After stroke
First year
Second year or later
(for clinic visits)
After CHD
First year
● (in hospital)
Second year or later
● (for clinic visits)
After ESRD
● (hemodialysis or conservative management)
● (for clinic visit)
The data on medical costs were obtained from official prices in Japan [25,30,31]. The costs of work loss reflected the average wages of each age cohort for regular employees [32].
This study assumed that the discount rate was 3% and 0% (no discounts) for reference values.
External validity
The external validity of analytical models compared the overall mortality from grade I hypertension patents in the JPHC Study [10] with the overall mortality of each analytical model.
Statistical analyses
Ten thousand Monte Carlo simulations were performed for each evaluation. The probability distribution for transition probabilities was assumed to be the beta distribution [33]. The ranges of transition probabilities were ±6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, and 50% of the standard deviation (SD) from the mean. The simulation software TreeAge2013 (TreeAge Software, Inc. USA) was used.
Evaluation of external validity
The overall mortality rate per year from the JPHC Study [10] was 0.0084, in the basic model (stroke alone) it was 0.0086, in the stroke-recurrence model it was 0.0087, in the stroke-CHD model it was 0.0087, and in the stroke-ESRD model it was 0.0086.
Evaluation of the value of additional states
Expected value of additional state (EVAS) of each complication
Value of additional state*
Recurrence of stroke
116 (140)
7 (8)
109 (132)
13 (16)
102 (124)
26 (32)
89 (108)
52 (60)
64 (80)
295 (356)
15 (18)
280 (338)
30 (36)
265 (320)
60 (72)
235 (284)
117 (142)
178 (214)
ESRD: Dialysis treatment
137 (167)
7 (8)
130 (159)
14 (16)
123 (151)
27 (33)
120 (134)
53 (64)
84 (103)
Conservative treatment
53 (65)
3 (4)
50 (61)
6 (7)
47 (58)
12 (15)
41 (50)
23 (28)
30 (37)
Evaluation of the EVAS
The EVAS when uncertainty was considered tended to become smaller if the variable of the transition probabilities of the state grew larger. However, the ranking of additional states did not differ markedly when uncertainty was not taken into consideration. Therefore, the EVAS of CHD was the greatest of the additional states examined, even when the SD was ±50%, and the EVAS of ESRD with conservative management was the least in each case. In contrast, the EVAS of ESRD with dialysis was greater than that for stroke recurrence when uncertainty was not considered and reached 84 when the SD was ±50%. This estimate was less than the 89 for the EVAS of stroke recurrence when the SD was ±25% (Table 4).
In an attempt to construct a simpler model, this study ranked the importance of multiple complications in hypertension to estimate the value of additional states in a quantitative analytical model including transition probabilities, QOL, and cost data. In addition, we evaluated the robustness of the ranking of these values when considering the uncertainty of transition probabilities for the EVAS. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first experiment on quantification and ranking of the value of states along with uncertainty.
The ranking of the value of additional states was in the order CHD, ESRD with dialysis, stroke recurrence, and ESRD with conservative management in the analytical model of 55-year-old men with grade I hypertension. The differences in the assumed treatment in ESRD influenced the ranking of the value of the additional state, because the cost of dialysis treatment is 100, but that of conservative treatment is 16 (the value of QALY conversion). Thus, the ranking of ESRD with dialysis and stroke recurrence will change with an assumption of the uncertainty of transition probabilities of the EVAS.
In the development of analytical models, the difference in internal validity and results of analytical models must be weighed [34,35], particularly in analytical models constructed by academic groups in competitions like the Mount Hood Challenge Meeting [36]. Few reports referred to concrete methods for constructing simpler models. If our method enables the ranking of multiple complications in a specific model based on analytical values, more important and robust additional states could be identified. This would contribute to the development of a simpler model for pharmacoeconomic evaluation.
The limitations of this study were that: 1) only grade I hypertension was examined; 2) the setting of the threshold (λ) in this method could be refined; and 3) the variation in all transition parameters was assumed to have the same range in a state. Although only grade I hypertension was considered, Eq. (2) shows that there would be no difference in the ranking of the value of the state based on the EVAS in other diseases. Therefore, this method has sufficient potential to be widely applied. The threshold (λ) was set at 5 million yen for 1 QALY because 1 QALY in Japan was reported to be between approximately 5 and 6 million yen [37]. However, care must be taken because the results (the value of states) will change based on the setting of the threshold (λ). Finally, the ranking of states (complications) may be different in some results from the EVAS based on variations in transition probabilities. The variation of all transition parameters was assumed to be in the same range in a state in this study. However, the actual uncertainty of transition probabilities can differ. It will be necessary to consider this in an actual analytical model in future.
This is the first report on devising a method for the evaluation and ranking of the quantitative value of additional states with uncertainty. It allows cumulative evaluation of transition probabilities, QOL, and cost data of a state using the EVAS. Generally, when we construct a pharmacoeconomic model, we consider states based on transition probabilities (e.g., incidence or mortality rate), but QOL and cost data are also components of a state. This evaluation method is useful because it quantifies the value of a state. In addition, the ranking of additional states in a disease model with multiple complications can be determined to identify which have less impact on a pharmacoeconomic model. The EVAS can therefore take into consideration the value of additional states with the uncertainty of transition probabilities. In the next phase of this continuing study, we plan to demonstrate the relation between the EVAS and pharmacoeconomic evaluation, i.e., the analytic results of interventions, and/or to examine the results in other chronic diseases that have multiple complications, e.g., chronic hepatitis C, etc., because we think that it is necessary to verify that this method will help to construct a simpler analytical model.
Yuma Higashino contributed to data collection.
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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.


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Fighting Breaks Out in Ivory Coast
Fighting broke out in Ivory Coast's war-torn west on Thursday, one day after two rebel factions agreed to halt hostilities and take part in peace talks in Paris, rebel and French military sources said.
Rebel leader Sgt. Felix Doh said government helicopter gunships attacked his forces at Grabo, a town near the Liberian border, on Thursday morning.
Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
French soldiers at Pont-Yaka, 30 miles south of Grabo, confirmed fighting in the region, but said it was taking place at Olodio, a village 12 miles south of Grabo.
The fighting came despite pledges by all sides to try to resolve nearly four months of war in the former French colony, the world's largest cocoa producer and a regional economic powerhouse.
The government and main northern rebel movement agreed last weekend to respect a repeatedly violated cease-fire and attend a peace summit slated for Jan. 15 in Paris.
The two western rebel factions never agreed to the cease-fire signed in October. But French Ambassador Gildas le Lidec secured promises from them Wednesday to suspend hostilities and take part in the talks.
West African mediators were expected to meet with the western factions on Saturday about joining the northern rebels in signing a formal, countrywide cease-fire.
Doh said he still planned to attend the meeting and had reported Thursday's fighting to the French army, which has more than 2,000 troops in Ivory Coast to enforce the shaky cease-fire and protect foreign nationals.
"For the moment, I am putting my trust in the French," he said.
Hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in the war, which began in September with the northern rebels trying to oust President Laurent Gbagbo in a coup.
The western rebel factions emerged in November and have been joined by Liberian fighters, notorious for their lawlessness, extreme violence and drug use.


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League of Legends Gameplay Survey
Let us know how you feel about the most successful online MMORPG. We much appreciate you taking the time to participate in this survey - thank you!
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How old are you?
What's your gender?
Would you consider yourself a team fighter or a lone warrior?
Team fighter
Lone warrior
Do you lead rushes, red / blue hunts etc. ?
Where's your focus?
Do you farm regularly?
Tell us a bit more why you play League of Legends and what you like most:
Our little introductionary guide for League of Legends:
The sport is performed in a chart region called 'fountain' with equally the groups at reverse finishes. There's something called 'Nexus' and the purpose of every group will be to ruin the 'Nexus' of the reverse group. Nexus is the risk that's checked inside the adversary's foundation. The match will probably be started in the bottom degree, Stage one and may continue up to some highest of Degree 18. You will see hurdles stored in the likeness of systems called "Turrets". Additionally, there are a number of additional challenges in the likeness of spawns tossed at you called "MinionsI, assaulting reverse group gamers these have to be murdered and likewise some creatures that assault equally the groups. You get additional existence or 'coins', when you endure these and additionally transfer onto the following degree. Each foundation where these 'Turrets' are set is known as a "Street". The chart region is named the ISubject of RightsI and the gamers may select from your three accessible ISubmitted of RightsI called Summoner's Very Keloid, Rift and Turned Tree-Line. All of them vary in the amount of "Street"s it provides and how many gamers that may perform. While Turned Tree-Line permits just 2 counters and just three gamers Summoner's rift permits the perform of 5 gamers each aspect with three shelves. Very Keloid is introduced for the newly-developed sport sort called 'Dominion'. Each group may be having a foundation which may have a piece store, nexus and r e -spawn level. You will see turrets in the street participating opponents. It's forever ruined that can't be restored because program, once a turret is destroied by a team. You will see minions additionally fighting the foes in the street. Additionally, there are some other sort of components called 'inhibitors' for each group. Minions with an increase of energy to ruin the other group will soon be created, if your group eliminates the chemical of the other group. The wrecked Inhibitors might be restored after some period.
Despite the fact that Leagues of Stories is a session-based sport, the constant aspect in the sport is the 'Summoner' who monitors the numbers of the match such as the results of every participant. 'Summoner' may help determine the match of perform by getting experience points and sway factors from every program (conflict) of perform. They're going to the very next degree of perform with one of these factors. Apart from 'Summoner' that may help determine the sport, there may also be Runes and Commands which impact game play in some specific manners. The shop in the bottom of each and every group may be used to buy added choices from the 'Summoner'. It might be bought possibly utilizing real-money or through factors made throughout the sport.
To realize additional factors or 'gold', each moment needs to ruin 'creatures' that stay in the rainforest. These reward realized by eliminating 'creatures' may be used to the group's edge in obtaining more strength for the assault to the adversary or to take apart some strength of the adversary. There's also still another component called 'cleanI in the game you can use to create wait from the other group. The first-team to ruin the other group's nexus is the victor of the match. A high ELO helps a lot in winning a match, hence
elo boosting
is becoming more and more popular among LoL players. In case that among the group surrenders the match can be determined by means of a voting method. This can occur just after specific period of time considering that the sport begins and it changes with respect to the Isubject of rightsI you are enjoying in. It's 1 5 moments for Turned Tree-Line and 20 moments for Summoner's Rift.
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My friends made the most out of the long weekend. 12 people packed in one Multicab in a span of 3 days. And yes, we did fit! Here is the full story of how me and my friends made a way to squeeze in Php 1500.00 all-in.
My friends rode an overnight boat trip from Cebu to Bohol. It is the most effective way of coming to Bohol if you're just going there for the weekend. In that way, you wouldn't waste your day time traveling to the island. Another advantage is that it is way cheaper than fast crafts especially if you're traveling to Tagbilaran City.
They arrived around 3 in the morning and I had to pick them up with our family's multi cab (which is our main vehicle all throughout our trip around Bohol) so that they can still continue resting at my house before we start our trip to different places in Bohol.
Around 7 in the morning, some people in our group went back to Tagbilaran (I live 3 towns away from the city) to buy their tickets back to Cebu and buy the things needed for the trip, food included. We predicted that a lot of people will be traveling since it is a long weekend and it is the Halloween weekend. The rest of the group, left at home, prepared the things to bring so that everything is ready for the rest of my friends who're assigned to buy the tickets are back.
We had a very systematic and very organized way in which everyone has a role of responsibility to take care of. By 10:30, everyone was already at home, done eating their breakfast, already taken a bath and ready to take on an adventure.
We are first heading to Anda. It is 2-3 hours away from the city. We had checked the weather forecast before the trip and had known that it will rain during the day. HA! I finally learned my lesson of checking the weather forecast first to know what to prepare (see my tragic story about NOT checking the weather forecast here). True to what the forecast was, it did rain right before we were heading to Anda. Good thing we brought a lot of trash bags and tarp to keep our things dry. But most of us were wet during the trip. Good thing the rain stopped when we were already in Anda around 1:30.
We first ate our lunch behind the public market in Anda. We cooked our own rice at home so the only thing we have to buy for lunch is our viand and drinks. We also brought our own paper plates and plastic gloves for eating. Told you, we were prepared. Haha.
After we ate our lunch, we headed to one of the cave pools first. Our first stop was the Cabagnow Cave pool since it is the closest cave pool to where we were currently at (which is the Poblacion of Anda). We didn't stay long because there were a lot of people enjoying the cave pool and the water is quite murky because it just rained. We decided to visit Cabagnow the next day before we head back to the city.
We then went to Combento Cave Pool and prayed that it would be less crowded than Cabagnow is. Combento Cave Pool is conveniently just one barangay away. We had to pay Php 10.00 each for the entrance fee. There was supposedly another payment for the environmental fee but nobody asked us for the payment (and I'm not one to complain). We were glad when we arrived that we had the cave pool all to ourselves. We stayed there for 3 hours and just played around the cave pool before we had enough. We then headed to the Quinale White Beach, where we intended to camp for the night. We went there before it got dark to prepare our stuff. When we arrived at the public beach, we were asked to pay the environmental fee which is only Php 10.00 each.
We cooked our own food for the night. Normally, you wouldn't be allowed to make a bonfire because it will destroy the white sands of the beach. But we had an ingenious plan to make a bonfire without destroying the sands. We brought a basin with us. We dug a hole and placed the basin there. The basin now acts as a makeshift coal holder where we placed the coals for grilling.
We, of course, asked permission from the police assigned in the area. They approved our plans.
We ate our dinner around 7 in the evening. After dinner, it freakin' rained. Too bad for some of my friends whose tents had to be moved under a tree because their tents had holes in them. That, of course, didn't stop us from enjoying the rest of the night. We rented a table and some chairs from a bar nearby so that we can chill for a while. It only cost us Php 75.00 for a square table and Php 5.00 each chair. We only rented 6 chairs so the total damage was Php 105.00. We had a few drinks, played some card games before we ended the night.
Wake up call was at 6 in the morning. We were hung over and had too much fun that we woke up later than our call time. Not complaining though because we had a fun night. We then packed up all our things so that we can skedaddle. But before anything was packed, I had a little photo sesh with my tent, which I'm loving (Find out here why I love my Tent).
When everything was packed, we headed to Cabagnow Cave pool. Normally, I would suggest eating breakfast first. We were in a hurry so that we can reach Panglao by the afternoon which is roughly 3-3.5 hours away from Anda. We just ate some left over bread which we brought with us for the trip.
Thank God we were the first group up in Cabagnow. The water was clearer that day than the day before. Out of 12 people in our group, only 4 brave souls were courageous enough to jump inside the cave. The rest chickened out and made excuses. One of my friends didn't even know how to swim yet he was determined to jump. The three of us who were already down the cave was ready to save him after his jump. It went okay at the end.
Note: There is a Php 50.00 per head fee for the cave. You could also rent floaters for Php 10.00 each. The best time to check the cave pool is during the dry season. Better water quality than what we've experienced.
By 9, we were ready to go and head back to the city. Around 10:30, we had a stop over in Jagna to eat our brunch. After that, we were all set to go home.
By 12:30, we arrived at home to drop some of our stuff and poop (shhhh). We strictly decided that we only had 30 minutes to stay, so whatever we may need to do, we should do it fast. And that was the fastest poop + bath + preparation time I had. We can't use the bathroom too long since there are 12 in our group and I only have 2 bathrooms at home.
If only the weather cooperated with our plans, we would've been to Panglao 30 minutes earlier than planned.
Initially, we wanted to go to Isola Di Francesco, a free island near Panglao (know more about the island and how to get there for free here), but it was raining that the plan didn't push through. We wouldn't enjoy the island anyway due to the rain.
Note: If you're planning to go to the island for free, their last boat trip to the island is 2:00 in the afternoon. They'll close at 3:30 PM.
Since Isola Di Francesco was out of the plan, we headed straight to Alona White Beach, a popular destination in Panglao.
Although Alona's sand quality isn't the best one in Panglao, there is something in Alona that I will always love. It must be the people (or the afam HAHA!). Alona is like the Boracay-ish part of Panglao (though I can't really confirm this since I've never been there). There are a lot of stores and bars by the beach. A lot of possibilities to choose from. And the best part? There are no entrance fees. It is free for all (yeyyyy!!).
Since it was drizzling a bit, we decided to try out one of the stores by the beach. I suggested to the group to try out The Buzz Cafe.
If Dumaguete has the famous Silvanas, Bohol has the Buzz Cafe. The cafe is a product of The Bohol Bee Farm. They serve an all organic menu. The most remarkable product they have are their home-made ice cream. You can never go wrong with choosing a flavor. Their ice creams are priced at Php 50.00 per scoop. Trust me, It'll be one of the best scoops you'll ever have.
After we ate our snacks, we were all excited to just relax by the beach and even swim. BUT before anything else, we took some photos. There is a nearby changing room where my friends had a quick change. There is also a bathroom near the parking lot where you could wash up.
Since it was a Halloween weekend, I decided to bring my costume with me. I almost didn't want to wear my costume since there were a lot of people walking down the beach. Good thing I have a thick skin and did it anyway (haha).
After sundown, we decided to go home because most in our group booked a ticket later that night back to Cebu.
Before some of my friends went back to Cebu, we first had a quick dinner at a fast-food restaurant. Too bad they didn't have time to shop some "pasalubong" at the mall. They, however, did a little "pasalubong" shopping at a convenience store near the pier.
Ok, only four of us left to continue our Bohol trip.
We woke up late, scratch that, I woke up late (lol) on our third day. Instead of getting out of the house by 7 in the morning, we got out at 11. You can't really blame me for exhaustion. The past 2 days were intense. Ok, back to the topic, we were all set for the third and last day in Bohol.
Our first stop over was in the infamous Hanging Bridge in Sevilla. We didn't stay long since there was nothing to do other than to cross the bridge to and from the other side. There were a lot of tourists too which was a bummer.
Our next stop was the Mahogany Man-made forest. No matter how many times I've had the privilege of coming back here, I am still amazed at how Boholanos made something wondrous.
What I liked about this precious place is that it is just by the road. You don't need any entrance fees. We took a lot of time here because we were trying to snap some photos along the road. It was tricky because we were like playing "patinteros" with passing vehicles.
Note: Be careful and be on the lookout while taking photos when you're in the Mahogany Man-made forest. It is in between a National Highway which means a lot of vehicles pass by this area. You are in-charge of your own safety.
We then went to the Butterfly Sanctuary. Frankly, it is a waste of money coming here. I've been here a lot of times since I was a kid and I wasn't amazed, not even once, with what they have. Though they have an excellent guide who will tour you to the place, it was let down every time that there were no diversity of butterflies in the area.
One thing I love about the place though is that they serve home-made ice creams. I ordered the cacao flavored ice cream. My only regret is that I didn't buy another one.
We had a quick lunch in Batuan, we are just one town away from the Chocolate Hills. We just bought some rice in a carenderia and bought some lechon manok. While having lunch, my friends grab the opportunity to take some pictures of the Boathaus but didn't have a tour inside because we were running out of time.
Our last stop for the trip was the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park. This is my second time here. They have more rides now than the last time I was here. Too bad I didn't bring a lot of cash with me and can only afford their entrance fee which is at Php 60.oo.
They offer different rides and the most popular is their Bike zip. I've tried it the last time I was here and believe me, it is worthwhile. Unlike the regular zip line experience, you're in control with the bike zip. You can speed up, slow down or even stop during the ride. It is scary especially if you're just getting the hang of biking in midair. You'd be scared by the fact that it is windy and thought you might fall. But it is perfectly safe to ride. I'm still writing here aren't I? (haha).
Check their website to know more of the rides they have as well as their rates here.
Before sundown, we were already at home. There is still plenty of time to pack and catch the mall for some "pasalubong" before riding their 10:30 PM boat back to Cebu.
- Ride an overnight boat rather than a fast craft. It is cheaper and it'll save you time. (check the boat schedule here).
- Rent a car than riding a bus. It's way cheaper and faster especially if you're bringing a lot of stuff. This works especially for a big group. (Check car/van/motor rentals here).
- If you're planning to travel using your own car (or rented), please check first your vehicle before traveling. Check the tires, water, brake fluid and all. You don't want to run into any problems with your main means of transportation. Vulcanizing shops are happy to check them for you if you don't know any of it.
- Plan out where you want to eat or if you plan to bring your own food. Anyway, you want it, it'll all work out. Most public markets have carenderias. The quality of food? well, that's another thing. haha.
- Be responsible with your trash. I LOVE MY ISLAND. Please have the decency to pick up after yourselves.
- Boholanos are kind-hearted people. If ever you're asked, please reply and if ever they offer something and you know you don't want it, decline them respectfully. They are loving people and not replying to them isn't loving AT ALL.
- Check the weather forecast. Trust me, I've neglected this and I don't say this lightly, I REGRET IT.
- Check your tents. It might stand on its own, but will it be good against the rain? You don't know? Well, time to "know". haha
- When you're in a big group, do split the responsibilities so that you wouldn't burden one person in the group.
- Don't let your group mates wait for you, in other words, "mahiya ka bes" haha.
- Buy your "pasalubong" inside the malls.
Day 1
3:00 AM – ETA to Bohol
3:00 – 3:30 – Travel time to Loay (my home)
3:30 – 6:00 – Rest
6:00 – 8:00 – Preparation (taking a bath & preparing our stuff)
8:00 – 9:30 – breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 – Continuation of preparation
10:45 – Departure to Anda
1:45 – 1:30 – Travel time to Anda
1:30 – Arrival
1:30 – 2:00 – Lunch
2:00 – 2:05 – Travel time to Cabagnow Cave pool
2:05 – 2:30 – Checked the cave pool but decided to try it the next day
2:30 – 2:35 – Travel time to Combento Cave pool
2:35 – 4:30 – Swimming at Combento Cave pool
4:30 – 4:45 – Travel time Quinale White Beach
5:00 – setting up the camp site and started cooking
6:30 – 1:30 AM – dinner time, Drinks & Games
1:30 AM – End of Day 1
Day 2
6:00 AM – Initial wake-up call
6:45 – wake up time
6:45 – 7:00 – packing up our stuff
7:15 – departure to Cabagnow Cave Pool
7:15 – 7:20 – travel time to Cabagnow
7:20 – 9:00 – swimming at Cabagnow Cave Pool
9:00 – 10:30 – travel time to Jagna
10:30 – 11:00 – Brunch
11:00 – 12:30 – Travel time to home
12:30 – 1:30 – Preparation (left some of our things, took a bath etc)
1:30 – 2:15 – Travel time to Panglao
2:15 – Arrived at Alona Beach
2:30 – 4:00 – snacks at the Buzz Café
4:00 – 6:00 – swimming by the beach
6:00 – 6:15 – preparation time before going home
6:15 – 7:00 – travel time back home
7:00 – 8:15 – preparation (packing up and took a bath)
8:15 – 8:30 – Travel time to Tagbilaran City (my brother drove us and he's a fast but cautious driver)
8:30 – 9:30 – dinner at a fast-food restaurant
9:45 – 10:00 – Pasalubong shopping at a convenience store
10:00 – 10:05 – travel time to Pier
10:20 PM – went home & end of day 2
Day 3
7:00 AM – Initial wake-up call
10:00 – wake up time
10:00 – 10:30 – breakfast at home
10:30 – 11:00 – preparation before departure
11:00 – departure
11:00 – 11:30 – travel time to Sevilla, Hanging Bridge
11:30 – 12:00 – Sevilla, Hanging Bridge
12:00 – 12:30 – Travel time to Mahogany Man-made Forest
12:30 – 1:15 – Picture taking at Mahogany man-made forest
1:15 – 1:40 – Travel time Bilar, Butterfly Sanctuary
1:40 – 2:30 – Butterfly Sanctuary
2:30 – 2:50 – Travel time Batuan
2:50 – 3:30 – late lunch
3:30 – 3:45 – Travel time to CHAP (Chocolate Hills Adventure Park)
4:30 – 5:45 – Travel time back home
5:45 – 6:20 – preparation time (going to Tagbilaran)
6:20 – 7:00 – travel time to Tagbilaran city
7:00 – 7:30 – Pasalubong shopping
7:30 – 8:45 – waiting game (free time and just mindlessly walking around)
8:45 – 8:50 – Travel time to Pier
8:50 – early check-in to the boat
Grocery includes:
- Pork belly
- Fish (Tulingan)
- Calamondin (lemonsito)
- Spices (Garlic, Onions & Tomatoes)
- 3 Kilos of rice
- Junk Foods
- Biscuits
- Alcohol drinks
- Soft Drinks
- Playing cards
- Paper Plates
- Plastic Cups
- Plastic Gloves
- Alcohol
- Wetwipes
- Metal Basin (use for grilling)
- Ice
Things we brought from home:
- Chairs
- Tents
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Towels
- Ice bucket
- Mat (banig)
- Grill (Sugbahanan)
- Pot (Kaldero)
- Washable Plastic Plates, Cups
- Plastic Containers (for leftovers)
- Pitcher
- Chopping Board
- Spoon & Fork
- Knife and Tongs
- Inflatable bed
- Trash Bags
If you like to know more about Anda (here)
If you like to know about the free island in Panglao (here)
If you like to know more about places in Bohol (here)
If you like to know more about the tent I'm using (here)
I had a blast with these guys. 'Til the next long weekend guys!
Follow my friends on Instagram
From the left:
Mike – guy with the flowery shorts
Michael – guy wearing a tank top
Blessed – Girl wearing a black tank top
Janica – Girl in white
Stephen – Topless guy at the back
Hannah – Girl at the very back
Master – Girl behind me
Jyn – Girl beside me
Paulette – Girl wearing a black tank top
Janlo – Guy wearing a black tank top
Maria – Girl at the very right
Sorry for the VEEEERRRY long post. But hey, it is the ULTIMATE guide anyway. haha


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Two New York developers are seeking to raise EB-5 money for the construction of the first Edition Hotel on the West Coast, The Real Deal has learned.
Howard Lorber and Steve Witkoff are trying to raise $75 million in mezzanine financing through the program, which grants foreign investors green cards in exchange for a minimum investment of $500,000 in job-creating projects in the U.S.
The program is one of the most popular — and most controversial — fundraising vehicles for developers in New York, L.A. and Miami. Other L.A. developers leveraging the program include MacFarlane Partners, which is seeking to raise $60 million for the construction of two residential buildings across from Pershing Square in DTLA., and hotelier Beny Alagem's Oasis West Realty is looking to raise $150 million for the Waldorf Astoria.
Lorber's New Valley and the Witkoff Group previously scored a $260 million loan for the construction of the West Hollywood hotel from Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors. They're developing the hotel and condo property in partnership with Marriott and hotelier Ian Schrager.
It's slated to have 190 hotel rooms, 20 condominium units, a restaurant, bar, two rooftop pools and nightlife venues.
Source: http://therealdeal.com/la/2016/08/24/witkoff-lorber-raising-75m-in-eb-5-financing-for-hollywood-edition/
Read more by clicking below image


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As reported last week, 15 lucky MPs, including New Democrat leader Tom Mulcair, are about to be promoted to the private members' business priority list, which is scheduled to undergo one of its semi-regular updates, known within parliamentary circles as 'replenishment,' on Wednesday afternoon.
Some of the highlights of the next batch of bills and motions headed for the House floor:
Following last weekend's news that the government will now require warning labels for tanning equipment, Conservative backbench MP James Bezan has abandoned his long-standing private members' bill that would have also banned the use of such services by under-18s.
Instead, both he and his Conservative caucus colleague David Sweet will continue the governing party's unofficial tradition of using private members' business to bring forward comparatively minor - and occasionally questionably Charter-proof -- law-and-order initiatives.
Bezan will bring forward a bill to "increase parole ineligibility" by giving judges the power to impose longer waiting times for parole hearings -- up to 40 years, in cases of truly heinous offences, while Sweet hopes to further ensure "fairness for victims" at parole stage with a series of amendments to give concerned parties a bigger role in the process.
Conservative Phil McColeman, meanwhile, has apparently chosen to break the trend; instead of coming up with still more ways to make life just a little bit more unpleasant for involuntary guests of Her Majesty, he plans to put forward a non-binding resolution on the labour market for disabled workers.
Also making it in under the replenishment wire: New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair, whose bid to boost the power of the parliamentary budget officer will be unveiled in the House tomorrow.
Other precedent list-bound NDP bills: Francois Pilon's plan to tweak the Old Age Security Act to provide for funeral arrangement without incurring any additional cost on the treasury, and Charmaine Borg's move to strengthen the power of the privacy commissioner.
Meanwhile, Liberal MP John McKay intends to continue his efforts to impose greater transparency on Canadian resource companies with overseas mining operations.
Moving on to the flurry of motions headed for the House agenda, only two of those currently up for consideration would be binding if passed:
NDP MP Kennedy Stewart's bid to set up an electronic petition system for the Commons that would include "the possibility" of triggering a House debate, if a certain number of signatures were received and no fewer than five members of the House were willing to act as sponsors, and Conservative backbencher Brad Trost's pitch to put committee chair elections to a preferential ballot in the House of Commons.,
Given the relative lack of success that opposition members have had in passing even seemingly non-contentious requests for Commons consent, it seems unlikely that Stewart's e-petition pitch will manage to attract enough support from the Conservative backbench to make it to committee, although it's worth noting that Trost, at least, has signed onto as a seconder -- the only MP from outside the NDP caucus to do so, at least at press time.
As for Trost's proposal to strip the government of its current control over who wields the gavel at committee, his Conservative credentials likely won't be enough to assure him the same cabinet support that Bezan and Sweet will almost certainly enjoy.
Meanwhile, non-binding though it may be, Conservative MP Mark Warawa's bid to "condemn discrimination against females occuring through sex-selective pregnancy termination" will almost certainly command considerably more public attention than most private members' business -- not to mention provide fresh fodder for those who believe his party is seeking to restrict abortion through the back door.
Introduced in the immediate aftermath of the defeat of fellow Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth's high-profile campaign to critically examine the Criminal Code definition of 'human being,' Warawa's motion, if passed, would simply express the will of the Commons, with no obligation on the government to actually do anything in response.
Even so, word in the back corridors is that the Prime Minister's Office may have M-408 in its sights, which could lead to another very visible caucus split when it goes to a vote.
Meanwhile, non-binding though it may be, Conservative MP Mark Warawa's bid to "condemn discrimination against females occuring through sex-selective pregnancy termination" will almost certainly command considerably more public attention than most private members' business -- not to mention provide fresh fodder for those who believe his party is seeking to restrict abortion through the back door.
Introduced in the immediate aftermath of the defeat of fellow Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth's high-profile campaign to critically examine the Criminal Code definition of 'human being,' Warawa's motion, if passed, would simply express the will of the Commons, with no obligation on the government to actually do anything in response.
Even so, word in the back corridors is that the Prime Minister's Office may have M-408 in its sights, which could lead to another very visible caucus split when it goes to a vote.
Over the coming weeks and/or months, the House will also debate Liberal MP Judy Foote's case for a "full review" of the Last Post fund (M-422), her fellow Newfoundlander and caucus colleague Gerry Byrne's appeal for action on the enrollment and registration of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band, and pleas from Conservative MPs Mike Wallace and Dean Allison that the government recognize the serious health risks posed by obesity (M-425) and anaphylaxis (M-230).
A few things to keep in mind before finalizing your must-watch list for the upcoming PMB cycle: Before being added to the schedule, all private members' business must go before a House subcommittee, which will determine whether they will be deemed votable.
Although those deemed non-votable can still be brought forward for debate, most MPs faced with such a ruling will drop the original item and choose another one from the list. Those truly committed to their original initiative, however, can challenge the decision of the subcommittee, which ultimately leads to a secret ballot vote in the House on whether or not to overturn it.
The speaker will also be called upon to rule out of order any bills or motions that would "impose a cost on the treasury" without a ministerial co-signor.
Finally, as pointed out earlier, there's always the possibility that an MP could change his or her mind between now and Wednesday's refresh. If I hear anything to that effect, I'll post an update.
With those procedural caveats out of the way, here's the full list of pending private members' business as it stands right now:
Private members' bills
Charmaine Borg (NDP) C-475 - An Act to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (order-making power)LegisInfo Summary: "This enactment amends the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act to, among other things, give the Privacy Commissioner the power to make compliance orders and the Federal Court the power to impose fines in cases of non-compliance."David Sweet (Conservative) - C-479 An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (fairness for victims)LegisInfo Summary: "The purpose of this enactment is to amend Part II of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act in respect of the following matters:(a) the parole review of offenders who are serving a sentence of at least two years for an offence involving violence;(b) the attendance of victims and members of their family at parole review hearings;(c) the consideration of victims' statements by the National Parole Board when making a determination regarding the release of an offender;(d) the manner of presentation of victims' statements at a parole review hearing;(e) the providing of information under consideration by the Board to a victim;(f) the cancellation of a parole review hearing if an offender has repeatedly refused to attend, or waived his or her right to attend, previous hearings;(g) the providing of transcripts of a parole review hearing to the victim and members of their family and the offender; and(h) the notification of victims if an offender is to be released on temporary absence, parole or statutory release."John McKay (Liberal) - C-474 An Act respecting the promotion of financial transparency, improved accountability and long-term economic sustainability through the public reporting of payments made by mining, oil and gas corporations to foreign governmentsLegisInfo Summary: "This enactment requires mining, oil and gas corporations to submit annual transparency reports that disclose all payments provided by them or their subsidiaries to a foreign government for the purpose of furthering mining, oil or gas industry activities. It also makes it an offence to fail to comply with this requirement and establishes a penalty for such contravention."Anne-Marie Day (NDP) C-473 - An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act (balanced representation)LegisInfo Summary: "This enactment amends the Financial Administration Act to achieve balanced representation in the number of women and men serving as directors on boards of parent Crown corporations by establishing the minimum proportion of each sex on those boards"James Bezan (Conservative) C-478 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (increasing parole ineligibility)LegisInfo Summary: "This enactment amends the Criminal Code to provide that a person convicted of the abduction, sexual assault and murder of one victim is to be sentenced to imprisonment for life without eligibility for parole until the person has served a sentence of between twenty-five and forty years as determined by the presiding judge after considering the recommendation, if any, of the jury."Francois Pilon (NDP) C-480 An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (funeral arrangements)LegisInfo Summary: "This enactment amends the Old Age Security Act to exclude from the calculation of income, for the purposes of the monthly guaranteed income supplement, the lesser of the amount of benefits received from a registered retirement savings plan or a registered retirement income fund and the amount -- not exceeding $2,500 -- paid to or under an eligible funeral arrangement.Tom Mulcair (NDP) C-476 An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Budget Officer)LegisInfo Summary: "This enactment provides for the appointment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer as an officer of Parliament."
Private members' motions
Gerry Byrne (Liberal)M-432 -- February 27, 2013 -- Mr. Byrne (Humber--St. Barbe--Baie Verte) -- That, in the opinion of this House, in relation to the enrollment and registration process for the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band, the government should commit: (a) to completing the enrollment and registration process for all applicants who applied on or before November 30, 2012 by agreeing to extend the 2007 Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band beyond March 21, 2013 until all such applications are processed; (b) to ensuring that the rules of eligibility for membership are followed by all government decision makers in any continuation of the enrollment process; (c) that all previous interpretations, precedents and rulings on matters affecting enrollment that were not specifically addressed within the 2007 Agreement but were established instead through the records of decisions made by the Enrollment Committee and the Appeals Master be made known to all participants in any future enrollment process and that the decision makers in any future enrollment process be instructed to guide their decisions in a manner consistent with such previous interpretations, precedents and rulings; (d) that the same standard of evidence as well as the same thresholds for the quantity and quality of information that was previously deemed acceptable by the Enrollment Committee for the remaining 75,000 unprocessed applications to the Band; (e) that an independent Appeals Master will continue to be employed in any future enrollment process for the assessment of the remaining 75,000 applicants and that this person will be drawn from outside of government, from outside of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and from outside of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band and that this Appeal Master will be vested with the same powers and authority and be drawn from the same legal and administrative background as the previous Appeals Master to ensure consistency with the rules and standards established under the previous enrollment process; (f) to maintaining all existing memberships, except in cases where fraud can be established that is material to the application; and (g) to ensuring that no eligible applicant who submitted an application in good faith prior to the November 30, 2012 deadline is disenfranchised from enrollment.Mark Warawa (Conservative)M-408 -- September 26, 2012 -- Mr. Warawa (Langley) -- That the House condemn discrimination against females occuring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.Judy Foote (Liberal)M-422 -- January 30, 2013 -- Ms. Foote (Random--Burin--St. George's) -- That, in the opinion of the House, the Last Post Fund is currently underfunded and excludes deserving veterans causing unnecessary stress and hardship to families of veterans, and that the House call on the government to do the following: (a) accept the recommendations of successive Veteran Ombudsmens' calling for expanded and enhanced financial access to the Last Post Fund; (b) accept the advice from the Royal Canadian Legion made in the years 2008, 2010, and 2012 calling for expanded access and financial support for the Last Post Fund; (c) accept three year old advice from departmental officials to expand and enhance financial access to the Last Post Fund; (d) review the Last Post Fund's current burial assistance cap of $3,600 with the goal to establish a standard consistent with burial assistance provided to current members of the Canadian Forces; (e) review the "means tested" standard applied to the Last Post Fund that currently excludes many veterans with the goal to improve and lower the qualification standard to access the Fund; and (f) provide stable long term funding to the Last Post Fund with consideration given to establish a financial escalator tied to the Consumer Price Index.Dean Allison (Conservative)M-230 -- June 15, 2011 -- Mr. Allison (Niagara West--Glanbrook) -- That, in the opinion of the House, anaphylaxis is a serious concern for an increasing number of Canadians and the government should take the appropriate measures necessary to ensure these Canadians are able to maintain a high quality of life.Mike Wallace (Conservative)M-425 -- February 6, 2013 -- Mr. Wallace (Burlington) -- That, in the opinion of the House, the government should continue to: (a) recognize the long-term health risks and costs of obesity in Canada; (b) support, promote and fund organizations and individuals who are involved in the physical well-being of Canadians; and (c) make the reduction of obesity of Canadians a public health priority.Kennedy Stewart (New Democrat)M-428 -- February 13, 2013 -- Mr. Stewart (Burnaby--Douglas) -- That the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be instructed to recommend changes to the Standing Orders and other conventions governing petitions so as to establish an electronic petitioning system that would enhance the current paper-based petitions system by allowing Canadians to sign petitions electronically, and to consider, among other things, (i) the possibility to trigger a debate in the House of Commons outside of current sitting hours when a certain threshold of signatures is reached, (ii) the necessity for no fewer than five Members of Parliament to sponsor the e-petition and to table it in the House once a time limit to collect signatures is reached, (iii) the study made in the 38th Parliament regarding e-petitions, and that the Committee report its findings to the House, with proposed changes to the Standing Orders and other conventions governing petitions, within 12 months of the adoption of this order.Phil McColeman (Conservative)M-430 -- February 25, 2013 -- Mr. McColeman (Brant) -- That, in the opinion of the House, the government should endorse the report of the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities entitled "Rethinking disAbility in the Private Sector", and its findings, and commit to furthering public-private cooperation by: (a) building on existing government initiatives, such as the Opportunities Fund, the Registered Disability Savings Plan, the ratification of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities; (b) issuing a call to action for Canadian employers to examine the expert panel's findings and encouraging employers to take advantage of private sector-led initiatives to increase employment levels for persons with disabilities in Canada; (c) pursuing greater accountability and coordination of its labour market funding for persons with disabilities and ensuring that funding is demand driven and focussed on suitable performance indicators with strong demonstrable results; (d) establishing an increased focus on young people with disabilities to include support mechanisms specifically targeted at increasing employment levels among youth with disabilities, through programs such as the Youth Employment Strategy; and (e) strengthening efforts to identify existing innovative approaches to increasing the employment of persons with disabilities occurring in communities across Canada and ensuring that programs have the flexibility to help replicate such approaches.
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This year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions received the largest number of applications ever submitted to Yale College, with 32,891 applying to the class of 2021 as of Jan. 26.
He said the admissions committee would meet from the middle of February through March to review applications and release its decisions on March 30 along with those of the other Ivy League schools.


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We have released a new Active Content Slider 1.0.4 version
Today we deliver to you an updated version of Active Content Slider. This version fixes some known bugs and adds a couple of new features. Overall, our slider became more stable and responsive. In addition, the new automatic code generator will save you time when setting up.
Also we are pleased to announce the availability of Active Content Slider for Magento Enterprise users.
It is worth recalling that the Active Content Slider is not just a simple image slider but a powerful tool to display rich media including advertising images, text, and video. You also have an ability to insert a widget with any type of content into the slide. Modern animation effects will make your store look more attractive.
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I'm not sure that "teaching polygamy" is the right term here. The issue is as follows: do parents have a right to express their religious views to children?
Now, when expressed in that way the question does not perhaps seem very controversial. Most of us would easily answer it "Yes." However, in this case the father's teaching concerns polygamy (AKA "plural marriage"). The reason the case ever went to a court of law was that the minor's mother objected to the father teaching the kid about polygamous marriages. She sued and took him to court. Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in favor of the father in a 5-1 decision, basing its ruling on the combination of the father's parental rights as well as his right to the free exercise of religion.
While the right to a free exercise of religion is not comprehensive, it goes fairly far. States and Congress may limit this right in certain ways (polygamy is in fact illegal in all 50 states, as are animal sacrifices and the ingesting of peyote in some states). However, since the father was only expressing his beliefs to his daughter, she was not placed in any danger by his actions or speech.
The court's decision can be found here:
Here's a clip from the decision:
- "…we conclude that a court may prohibit a parent from advocating religious beliefs, which, if acted upon, would constitute a crime. However, pursuant to Yoder, it may do so only where it is established that advocating the prohibited conduct would jeopardize the physical or mental health or safety of the child, or have a potential for significant social burdens."
- Note: "Yoder" refers to a U.S. Supreme Court case, Wisconsin v Yoder (406 U.S. 205). Yoder is another religious freedom case. In that case, the Supreme Court held that states may not restrict Amish parents from removing their children from school after the 8th grade on the basis of the parents' religious beliefs. The court did so because it found that the state's interest in promoting universal education was not strong enough to override the parental rights when conjoined with the 1st Amendment right to religious freedom.
Here's a news clip about the case:
Perhaps the issue is not "Do parents have a right to express their religious views to their children." Perhaps it should be stated as follows: "Do parents have a right to express religious views to their children even if those views — if acted upon — would lead to criminal behavior?"
Either of these two issues would make for a decent argument.
Filed under: Uncategorized


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Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Orange Peel "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Skinny" Quilt
8 comments:
Adorable quilt and I'm glad that it worked out like you planned, that surely makes a great finish even better doesn't it.ReplyDelete
Looks amazing and I love the name of the quilt too!! hahahaReplyDelete
Adorable quilt, love all on it, pattern, color, quilting, tag, photos, good for you , you did a great job on this quilt.ReplyDelete
It's a beautiful quilt (love the photo with Olivia). Your quilting is amazing! Those feathers look gorgeous! CongratsReplyDelete
Love this. It's on my to do list ; )ReplyDelete
That fabric is stunning, and your quilt is beautiful. Baby girl makes it even prettier!ReplyDelete
I like the skinny look and think your feathers are beautifully shaped. What great curves!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 23, 2015 at 9:10 AM
I love the bright colors of the orange peels! Great finish!ReplyDelete
Thanks for leaving your thoughts! I LOVE to hear from you :) I cherish every word :) I read ALL of your comments and try to reply to every single one.... but it sometimes takes me a few days xoxo
***If I don't get back to you, it is likely that you are a "No Reply Blogger" :( ***


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Original Paintings, Art Prints and Note Cards by Leigh Cypres
My paintings are a reflection of my yoga practice. When I began yoga, it was all about figuring out the pose. How do I get into the pose? Where do my arms and legs go? How do I breathe? Similarly, my first yoga inspired paintings were the pose.
As my physical practice becomes deeper. I am learning to grow in the discomfort. Then you realize it is not even about the pose. It is about what you are discovering. You are changing, you start to notice things about yourself, about your connections to the world around you..
You are breaking down to your essence, remembering your true nature.