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Press Release
|Medtronic Presents Strategic Growth Roadmap at 2018 Investor Day; Outlines Plan to Create Shareholder Value
Company Provides Long-Range Financial Targets
NEW YORK CITY - June 5, 2018 - Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) today is presenting its strategic roadmap and outlining its long-range plan for creating shareholder value at the 2018 Medtronic Institutional Investor and Analyst Day in New York City. The company is unveiling its pipeline across multiple businesses, asserting its commitment to be the industry leader in technology - innovating, inventing and disrupting to create new growth drivers and develop new markets in healthcare.
"We are highly focused on creating shareholder value, and that starts with technology. We are leaders in many of the fastest growth markets in our industry, and we continue to invest in the technology of tomorrow that will fuel our long-term growth," said Omar Ishrak, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer. "We are committed to continuous innovation to stay ahead of our competition, inventing new therapies and markets, and disrupting existing markets. We will be showing technology examples across all of our business groups at today's Investor Day."
Medtronic is investing in higher growth markets, which is expected to result in a higher weighted average market growth rate for the company. The company is outlining that when it leads in technology, its other initiatives - globalization and economic value - further enhance its growth profile and increase its competitiveness. Medtronic expects continued growth from its emerging market businesses, and it is an industry leader in the development of new business models to realize the economic value of its technology.
In addition to its focus on technology, the company is also outlining its long-range financial targets, with its primary focus on driving operating leverage and improving its free cash flow conversion. Specifically, to drive sustainable growth and return, the company is providing the following long-range targets:
"We have increased our focus on our core growth drivers, on allocating capital efficiently across our businesses, and on optimizing our portfolio," said Karen Parkhill, Medtronic chief financial officer. "And, as we execute and deliver on growth, leverage, and cash flow conversion, we expect that to result in sustainable returns and durable value for our shareholders."
At its Institutional Investor and Analyst Day, leaders from each of Medtronic's four groups will present their long-term strategies for technology leadership. In addition, leaders from Medtronic's four regions will join the group leaders for a panel discussion on the company's strategies in globalization and economic value, as well as discuss its Enterprise Excellence program. Enterprise Excellence leverages the company's global size and scale to improve effectiveness, efficiencies, and drive sustained productivity, which is expected to enable reinvestment in growth and drive long-term operating margin expansion. The day concludes with a detailed presentation on the company's long-range financial plans.
"We are excited to share our long-range plans at our biennial Investor Day," said Ryan Weispfenning, vice president of Medtronic investor relations. "Investors and analysts will hear specific examples of how our management teams are executing to create value in healthcare markets around the world."
Webcast Information
About Medtronic
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.


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Last summer professor John T. Manning re-designed his popular 2D:4D digit ratio theory about finger length ratio development in the hand. While he had already mentioned the role of prenatal sex steroids, now the updated theory now focusses on the balance between sexe hormones (androgens) testosterone & oestrogen during the development in the whomb!
Professor Manning presented his revised theory in the PNAS magazine under the title: 'Resolving the role of prenatal sex steroids in the development of digit ratio'.
Manning's new working hypothesis now includes e.g. the following 7 key-elements:
1 – The 2D:4D digit ratio results from the balance between prental androgens testosterone & estrogen;
2 – A high 2D:4D digit ratio results from relatively low testosterone concentrations – OR relatively high estrogen concentrations;
3 – A low 2D:4D digit ratio results from relatively high testosterone concentrations – OR relatively low estrogen concentrations;
4 – The ring finger (= digit 4D) is featured with many more hormone receptors compared to the index finger (- digit 2D), therefore the 2D:4D digit ratio is mostly driven by changes in the length of the ring finger (due to prenatal hormone concentrations);
5 – Studies in human & animals indicate that the link between prenatal androgens and 2D:4D digit ratio is generally stronger for the right hand;
6 – 2D:4D Digit ratio varies with sexe: males generally have longer fourth digits relative to second digits than females;
7 – 2D:4D Digit ratio varies with ethnicity.
A quote from Manning's article:
"Armed with this list of skeletogenic genes linked to 2D:4D, we can now be more focused in our examination of the links between 2D:4D and the etiology of sexdependent behaviors and diseases of the immune system, cardiovascular disorders, and a number of cancers."
"Prenatal sex steroids [i.e., prenatal testosterone (PT), prenatal estrogen (PE)] are often implicated in the etiology of behaviors and diseases. They show sex differences (higher concentrations of PT to PE in males), with PT peaking at the end of the first trimester, and cause permanent "organizational" changes in the brain and other organ systems. It has een suggested that relative levels of PT and PE may have differential effects on fertility, speed, strength, aggression, autism, many cancers, and heart disease."
Full report:
Professor John Manning revised his 2D:4D finger ratio theory

subset: commoncrawl


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3 years ago


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I am currently on holiday with my daughter, she has finished her exams and this was treat for her.
Today, we walked along the beach in the sun dipping our feet in the water and then we stopped and sat with out feet in a rock pool, with little tiny shrimps and fish that were swimming around our feet and legs.
The water was really warm, the sea was coming in behind us on to the rocks, the sun was out and we were sat overlooking a volcanic island.
Simple things are definitely the most special.
These are the moments that matter in life. Make sure that you take time to have as many as you can.
We rarely look back in life at the end on the things that we owned, but we remember all the special moments and often regret not having more of them.


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GTCS Global expands its IT Operations in Middle East & Africa region.
GTCS participates in Telecom CEO Summit in Abu Dhabi.
Management Team of GTCS participates in 6th Arabian Business Forum
GTCS forms IT & Telecom Project Team for Africa.
GTCS is Hiring ELV Engineers for Saudi & Qatar
GTCS has been Shortlisted for a Large Passport Conversion Project in UAE
GTCS has been selected for Automation of one of the Largest & Prestigious Shopping Malls in India.
GTCS and Tech Mahindra has signed an agreement towards Joint Business Engagement in Middle East & Africa Region.
GTCS is providing IT Consultancy for large Infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE & India.
GTCS and Unify (Siemens) Enterprise Communications has signed an agreement towards Joint Business Engagement in Middle East, Africa, India and South East Asia Region.
GTCS InfoTech Pvt Ltd has won the Prestigious Bangalore Metro Station Automation Order.
GTCS and Solson's have joined hands together to Market International Awards Winner " Solsons Industrial & Spark Free Safety Tools " in Middle East


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I attempted journaling for several years. What actually occurred is that I journaled sporadically in my attempts to record five things I was grateful for each day. I still journal. Sometimes sporadically. Often, in my head, rather than pen to paper. A few years ago I made a decision, that in spite of the ups and downs of life's circumstances, I was going to find at least one thing, just one simple thing, that gave me joy for that day.
Even if I could not focus on my usual five reasons for gratitude I could certainly find one simple thing that brought me joy! It was a paradigm shift for me. A focused effort to find a daily joy in life.
As I started focusing on joy, I began to look forward to what would bring me joy! Things happen in life and some days it may be a real challenge to find your joy. But there is always something to be joyful about (e.g., breath in your body). Life is all about change. It's how you deal with life challenges that matters.
I'm a smiler. I love to smile and do it all the time. I smile because I'm thankful. Thankful for God's faithfulness every single day, His compassion and new mercies every morning. Thankful for the trials, challenges and closed doors in life because they mean God has something else in store for me. Something better as in Ephesians 3:20. I smile because I know with God on my side everything will be alright and that is the source of my joy.
I believe as Sisters in Christ we need to encourage one another more than we do, in actions, not just words. Our individual journeys must be walked alone but often having a hand to hold, or someone who understands, helps make the journey more bearable as we look for our joy.
My hope is that this blog will be a source of encouragement, healing, and hope.
Your life has shaped you and molded you into the woman you are today and the woman you are becoming. Smile. Be joyful. Be grateful. Wear it well my sister. It becomes the story of you. ♥
I hope you take time each day to experience a little joy!


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I've read a ton of similar posts that describe the same error message but they don't seem to match what i'm experiencing.
I have recently started using Web API and ripped all my MVC methods out where I was returning JSON etc, so MVC will just render the html and I will call down the models via ajax from my webapi controllers.
Here's the strange thing, I can GET and POST from my Home apiController (so I can login/signup etc) but I can only GET from an API Controller in an area I have created. I get a 405 (Method Not Allowed) even though its decorated and called the same way as other controller. I guess the routing is okay otherwise it wouldn't return my initial get?
public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)
name: "DefaultAreaApi",
routeTemplate: "api/{area}/{controller}/{action}/{id}",
defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
name: "DefaultApi",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{id}",
defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
// Returns Model
public HttpResponseMessage SelectAgent()
// The requested resource does not support http method 'POST'.
public HttpResponseMessage SelectAgent(Guid id)
// Works fine
type: 'POST',
url: '/api/Home/Login',
headers: options.headers,
contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
dataType: 'JSON',
data: ko.toJSON(self.serverModel),
success: function (response) {
// Works fine
$.getJSON("/api/Account/Users/SelectAgent", function (model) { ....
// 405
type: 'POST',
url: '/api/Account/Users/SelectAgent',
headers: options.headers,
contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
dataType: 'JSON',
data: "{'id':'" + selectModel.agentId() + "'}",
success: function (response) {....
data being passed seems fine (or at least it was for the MVC controller that it used to work with).
I haven't modified the Home API Controller at all, I don't understand how I can post to that and not my other controller. Argh.
Any pointers in the right direction would be awesome.
Web API is only looking at your querystring parameters for basic data types. Thus your post is just looking at the url of
/api/Account/Users/SelectAgent when you are making your post. The data being submitted is not being considered when matching against the function, since you are not marking the
Guid with a
[FromBody] attribute. So the "Method Not Allowed" error is being returned because it is sending your POST request to your GET method (no params).
You can read more about this on asp.net:
If the parameter is a "simple" type, Web API tries to get the value from the URI. Simple types include the .NET primitive types (int, bool, double, and so forth), plus TimeSpan, DateTime, Guid, decimal, and string, plus any type with a type converter that can convert from a string. (More about type converters later.)
To fix this, try doing one of the following:
Change the url that you are submitting to include the
idin the querystring of the email
url: '/api/Account/Users/SelectAgent?id=' + selectModel.agentId()
Change the Action signature to read the Id
public HttpResponseMessage SelectAgent([FromBody]Guid id)


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The feedback we receive enables us to locate the possible problem areas of the operations and to identify the future needs of our customers.
Seppo Riikonen, Director, Sartorius Biohit Liquid Handling Ltd.
Intranet has unified our corporate culture and the best practices have been introduced throughout the organization.
Juha Hirvonen, ICT Manager, Loomis Suomi Ltd.
Solu Digital's Project Manager deserves special thanks for his project management skills and his SharePoint expertise.
Leena Linnamäki, Communication manager, VR Group
Definition phase before the actual implementation increased our understanding in project management. Our internal processes are now unified and standardized.
Harri Heinonen, ICT Services Architect, Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY
We are looking for software developers, project managers and consultants to join our growing team. Working at Solu Digital means continuous development and self-renewal. Our desire is to help every team member to recognize one's own core competences and to develop them for one'äs career and personal growth. Our aim is to combine your professional development with company's growth strategy.
We are proud to be able to serve, among others, the following clients


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Northburn 100 this weekend, held on Northburn Station just outside Cromwell, seemed to have a bit of everything. The race itself is crazy hard, with the 100mile having over 8000 vertical meters of climbing, but what stood out for me this past weekend was the weather- easily the most changeable weather I can remember- gale winds that knocked people to the ground, warm temps, heavy rain, clear, starry skys and even a hail storm and a dusting of snow.
I guess I feel a little burnt out on the NB100 after doing the live updates- but far out that was a blast! This is not a personal blog, so I will not get into it too much, but as my first "official" outing for this new website it was a really good time and the feedback and support we were getting via the live feed and from the amount of traffic this website has gotten during its first week of being up and running has been pretty choice- thanks for the support!
Back to the Northburn100!
The racing was exciting and not just for those top spots, but as the day wore on and a new one started, following all of those racing was a real treat. Below are a few of the highlights
- Blair McWhirter- not only is Blair super-fast, he is also one of the nicest guys around. I ran and videoed him coming into the 39km check point and he chatted away about his race. You couldn't tell he had run 39km, 2000+ vertical meters and we were jogging uphill during the video! No surprize he smoked the 50k, winning by 40mins.
- Damien Seller- the Frenchmen picked the Northburn 100km as his first 100k race and nailed it. He was all smiles. Best part of the day Damien? "right now… if someone can get me a beer"
- Ray Sanchez- he was the favourite on paper pre-race and that was before he started talking about finishing the 100mile in 20hrs! Ray's ultra-résumé is impressive and the article in the OTD where he stated his finishing time goal really brought an extra element of excitement to the race. Never mind that he got lost for 4hrs just before Mt Horn and DNFed at 100k, during the early stages of the race it was all Sanchez. Best part, chatting with him on Sunday morning it sound like he might be back next year.
- "Grand Central Station"- that's what the big tent at the start/finish area was like, (where runners came back to at the end of each of the 3 laps), especially at the end of lap 1. It was madness, as runners, pacers, crew and supporters beavered around. Rachael and Emma kept the score board up to date, while the Cromwell Loins Club had the cheeseburgers cranking.
- Terry and Ed (Highland Events), Lisa and Tom- they put on a great event- seeing Tom fang around on his dirt bike was a highlight.
- Glenn Sutton- 5+hr faster than last year – 26hrs33min and the overall win! Didn't see THAT coming did you? Great run Glenn!
- Andre and Gordi- this side story is a gem. Gordi's light was playing up during the 2nd lap and as a result they spent the next 20 or so hours together. Strangers on the start line, these 2 lads could not have had more opposite NB build ups. Gordi injured and hardly trained couldn't stay away and was a late entry- about 1 week before the race. Andre on the other hand has raced his ass off the last few months, including TuM a week before. Following these 2 along during the race was really good fun.
- Sam Gash- she won the woman's 100k, smiling the whole way I am sure!
- Jim Kerse- yeah Jim dnf'd during the 2ndlap of the 100miler- but the guy is 60+yrs old and a total legend in the NZ ultra-scene. You simply can't not have huge respect for Jim.
- Jean Beaumont – she won the woman's 100mile, was only 14mins behind Glenn, and her new course record will be very hard to beat! It was her first 100mile race- no pacer, no crew, no support team. I was lucky enough to run a few sections with her getting photos and video and was so impressed. Jean also busted out the quote of the weekend to one Matt Bixley "So…you just got Beaumonted"- this is because she ran faster than Matt's 2nd place finish time from 2011. She is also my new hero- sorry Marty Lukes, you are last week's news buddy.
- All those that had the guts to stand on that start line at 6am Saturday morning! It was a real pleasure to track your progress throughout the day(s).
1st Place Finishers-
50km- Blair McWhirter and Emma Bilous
100km- Damien Seller and Samantha Gash
100mile- Glenn Sutton and Jean Beaumont


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A well-deserved break for you filled with food, fun, shopping, and a spa relaxation. This is an all in one holiday that gives you a peek into the Indian culture through its food and flavors. It also gives you an opportunity to take a fully guided shopping tour of Jaipur to pick the best of gems and jewellery, hand block printed fabrics, hand crafted shoes, and many more from the best of the shops. All fun with a relaxed finale with an Ayurvedic massage.
Srihara Bed & Breakfast is a unique bed and breakfast program designed by keeping in mind the lone female traveler or a group, students, or businesswomen, couples or families travelling to Jaipur, India. The idea is to offer a safe, secure, and comfortable homestay in Jaipur with all modern facilities, yet affordable. All rooms have air-conditioner.
Srihara Bed & Breakfast, is located in a posh colony of Shyam Nagar comfortably situated with 15 minutes drive each from airport, railway station, and bus station. They are a bed and breakfast with a difference.
They have opened not only their house and their heart, but also offer their time and guidance, if you wish so to have. Also, for the eager tourist wishing to take a peek into the rich culture and heritage of Jaipur, a guided sightseeing and shopping experience can be arranged with a female guide escort.
The accommodation offers a luxury home stay, with a home-cooking school, to give you a tailored experience. Offering immense facilities, the rooms have a unique and personal touch. You can choose between deluxe, twin-bedded room, or double-bedded rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Enjoy the sunrise with a cup of tea, while relaxing in your private balcony or in the terrace garden. Comfort is essential and after a good night's sleep, you can savor a hot and healthy vegetarian breakfast in the privacy of your room or in their dinning hall.
For this holiday, you will enjoy street food tour and a guided shopping tour. You will also have an opportunity to go on a Rajasthali Resort day package, which includes swimming. On your last day, relax with an Ayurvedic spa massage before heading back home.
Self Taught
Payal is a home cook, occasional writer, and occasional painter. She and her husband, Anurag, whose passion is travel, have combined the two best things in the world, travel and food, and created a tailored tour for world tourists that makes them discover the real India through its food heritage. They are a travel and food enthusiast family and love to wander to different places, just to experience its food and cultural heritage. There is nothing professional about them. They are foodies, travelers, and now hosts too.
A city of gems and jewels, palaces and princely air, rich culture and heritage, and region of mouthwatering delicacies, Jaipur, is the destination for an avid traveler. It is a city that is draped in rainbow leheriyas and gota patti work, and adorned with Kundan Meena jewellery and Lakh bangles. A unique amalgamation of old and new world, this is the city of Jaipur.
You will be served with freshly prepared home meals, mostly vegetarian. Srihara Bed & Breakfast would be happy to make you taste different flavors of India.
There is lot to do in Jaipur. Srihara Bed & Breakfast suggests you take another day and visit the forts of Jaipur, ride elephants, or better, spend time at the Elephant Village.
You will be enjoying an Ayurvedic spa time on the last day of your holiday, which is included in the price. Indian oil massage by a local female masseuse can be organized, as well. Please send an inquiry to Srihara Bed & Breakfast for more information.
Jaipur International Airport
8 km
Transfer included
Please book your flight to arrive at Jaipur International Airport (JAI). Transfer from and to the airport is included. Srihara Bed & Breakfast will pick you up from the airport.
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'Tis The Season: Authors Talk Holidays with Claire Legrand
'Tis The Season: Authors Talk Holidays is a special seasonal feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which some of my favourite authors help me to celebrate the spirit of the season and spread a little holiday cheer. So, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle in by the fireside as they answer the question: "What does the holiday season mean to you?" You can find a complete list of the participants and their scheduled guest post dates Here!
About Claire Legrand
Claire Legrand used to be a musician until she realized she couldn't stop thinking about the stories in her head. Now she is a full-time writer living in Princeton, New Jersey. She is the author of The Cavendish Home For Boys And Girls, The Year Of Shadows, Winterspell and its prequel, Summerfall, and the upcoming Some Kind Of Happiness. She is also one of four authors behind The Cabinet Of Curiosities.
It took me a while to figure out what to write about for this post, because the holiday season means a lot of things to me:
There's the annual white elephant gift exchange at my grandparents' house, during which my younger cousins will inevitably burst into humiliated, furious tears because they ended up with a roll of Santa-print toilet paper and not, like, an actual cool present.
Then there's snuggling up with my mom on the couch to watch our favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas. We drink hot chocolate, sing along with every song, gush over the gorgeous 1950s wardrobe, and of course cry at the end when the snow finally falls and the gang saves General Waverly's ski lodge.
And of course there's that warm-and-fuzzy rush when my family and I all gather by the tree, the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack playing in the background, and they open their gifts from me. The joy on their faces makes the stress of the holiday season worth it.
While thinking about all of this, however, more than anything else I kept coming back to The Nutcracker.
As most of you know, I wrote Winterspell, a Nutcracker re-telling. I hesitated to write about The Nutcracker again for this post because I've talked about the ballet many, many, many times over the last couple of years. I didn't want readers of Jen's wonderful blog (Hi, Jen!) to think I was writing about it yet again because I was just jumping at another chance to promote my book.
But the truth is, The Nutcracker sums up what Christmas secretly meant for me as a child. Of course I loved the conventional parts of the holiday — baking and watching the movies and listening to the music and driving around to look at Christmas lights.
More than that, though? I loved the mystery of Christmas. The magic of it, and the possibility.
I started watching The Nutcracker on PBS when I was very young. Every year they showed what is still my favorite Nutcracker — the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Stowell/Sendak production, which PNB sadly retired last year. The PNB adapted their production for film in 1986, and it's wonderful and bizarre and unsettling, and you should all watch it and then come tell me about it so we can talk about how strangely attractive Drosselmeyer is.* (No? That's just me?)
Anyway, the story captivated me — the weirdness of it, how gorgeous and even scary it can be. Drosselmeyer swooping into the Christmas party in his swirling cloak, bearing gifts and promises of adventure. Clara falling in love with an ugly little toy whose beauty only she could see. Clara sneaking downstairs at midnight, the windows black and snow-dusted, the darkened Christmas tree casting strange shadows across the floor. And the music! Familiar and extravagant and more than a little bit sinister.
As much as I loved my cozy family Christmases, I yearned for a holiday like Clara's — one of adventure and danger and romance, all of it glittering with the snow that we so seldom saw in Texas. I would watch and re-watch The Nutcracker countless times every holiday season, and go to bed every Christmas Eve with my heart pounding. I wasn't excited about Santa Claus and Grandma's house. No, I was full of hope that something magical would wake me in up the middle of the night — a toy who was secretly a prince in disguise, a cloaked magician, sparkling fairies. Maybe even giant rats…as long as I was the one to vanquish them (while wearing a fabulous dress, of course).
It was my secret fantasy to be just as brave and adventurous as Clara, to fight a battle in a gigantic ballroom, to step through a door into a kingdom silver with snow. I never shared this dream with my parents or my brother or my friends. I kept it hidden safely in my heart, and every Christmas season, I felt like maybe this would be the year. My adventure would finally begin.
Even now, listening to or watching The Nutcracker fills me with that same sense of wonder and excitement that came to define the holiday season for me as a child. Even now, quite grown up and far beyond my I-hope-giant-rats-wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night phase, the holiday season never officially begins until I listen to The Nutcracker and pull out my copy of the Stowell/Sendak production.
As Clara and her prince whirl across my television screen, I arrange my collection of nutcrackers around the house, hang my Clara ornament on the tree, and once again feel what I did as a kid: With Tchaikovsky's sparkling music filling the air, anything is possible.
* If you're interested in watching the Stowell/Sendak production of The Nutcracker, you can purchase it from the PNB Shop, as well as on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Target, and lots of other places. (But consider buying from PNB to support their company!)
Title Some Kind Of Happiness
Author Claire Legrand
Pages 304 Pages
Target Audience & Genre Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magical Realism
To Be Published May 17th, 2016 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon.com ● Chapters
Things Finley Hart Doesn't Want To Talk About:
• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they're not.)
• Being sent to her grandparents' house for the summer.
• Never having met said grandparents.
• Her blue days — when life feels overwhelming, and it's hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)
Finley's only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents' house and realizes the Everwood is real – and holds more mysteries than she'd ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn't allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.
With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she'll first have to save herself.
4 responses to "'Tis The Season: Authors Talk Holidays with Claire Legrand"
I love that Christmas movies are apart of what the holiday season means to her. Instead of White Christmas, my family prefers the cheesy hallmark ones. I still need to read Winterspell, but it is so sweet to hear how much The Nutcracker means to Claire Legrande!
DanaSquare recently posted…Titans by Victoria Scott {Giveaway and Sneak Peek}
I'm so enjoying this series of posts! Love hearing what memories stick in our minds and hearts.
Kathleen recently posted…STATIC
This is such a lovely post! I'm planning on reading Winterspell next week (closer to Christmas!) and my book club is going to be posting our video review of it toward the end of the month so I am really excited to see that Clare is your guest author today! I just texted my fiance to see if he would watch the version of The Nutcracker she mentions when we get home from work tonight. I've promised hot chocolate to go along with it!
Kristin recently posted…5 Fandom Friday: Christmas Wish List
Oh, I LOVE The Nutcracker! It's been a favorite story of mine since I was very little (and got to dance in the ballet), and I like revisiting it. My friend Rachel & I are actually going to watch the ballet this weekend (the first time I'll get to see it in YEARS), and I think it'll be fun to revisit!
Alexa S. recently posted…Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2016


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Ah ... cheese fondue. It combines my two favorite things in the world. Cheese ... and a really sharp object (the fondue fork). Ever go to a place like the Melting Pot and wish you could make something similar at home? Hell no ... but here it is anyway. I'm only posting this because it is Valentines Day ... and chicks dig a good fondue and a vacuum cleaner for a valentines gift.
Here is a simple recipe that I thunk up all by myself. Tastes pretty good if I do say so myself. Hopefully you have a fondue pot ... if not, a double boiler will do. And if you don't have that ... then a regular sauce pan is fine. Just don't burn the cheese.
This is what you need for the magic to happen:
16 oz shredded Mild cheddar cheese
1 cup beer
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
pinch of black pepper
Put the fondue pot on the stove and turn it on medium heat. Pour a cup of the beer into your fondue pot and promptly chug the rest of the bottle. No miller lite or other crappy beer like natural light. A nice lager is good. Heat that up until it is nice and hot. Toss in the minced garlic and let that cook for a minute or two. Start adding your cheese while stirring a bit. Once you get all the cheese in and it is melting, add the worcestershire sauce and a little black pepper. Mix it up and make sure the cheese is melted. Take it off the stove and put it over the heat from the fondue pot base (I'm assuming that you have a sterno lit to keep it warm). Make sure you have some good stuff to dip into the cheese. My favorites are pumpernickel bread, granny smith apples, carrots and celery. Feel free to come up with your own stuff to dip.


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Safety of This Fungus-Derived Food Product
If you shop for meat substitutes, you may have noticed something in the freezer section called Quorn (pronounced "kworn"). It's the brand name for food products made with mycoprotein, derived from the soil fungus Fusarium venenatum.
The fungus is fermented in vats and the resulting paste is mixed with egg whites and flavorings and shaped into various meat-like forms, such as burgers, cutlets and chicken-like nuggets. Compared to other meat substitutes, it has a more "meaty" texture and taste.
Quorn is high in protein and fiber and is a good source of selenium and zinc. Marketers say it helps control cholesterol, blood sugar and weight. Sounds like a perfect vegetarian option—but it has been the subject of much controversy.
What's in a name? Quorn was originally promoted as "mushroom in origin," which sounds more appealing than calling it a fungus. But mycoprotein is not a mushroom (not all fungi are mushrooms), and the American Mushroom Institute, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and even some other food companies took issue with the labeling. It's now described as an edible fungus, like mushrooms and truffles—which, as opponents say, is still somewhat deceptive. And it's hardly "all-natural," as it's often touted, since it is highly processed.
A matter of safety. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes mycoprotein as GRAS (generally recognized as safe), but more than 1,500 adverse reactions have been reported to CSPI, including severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and hives. Several people have suffered breathing difficulties and even anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).
Not surprisingly, a mycoprotein website lists a very low estimated risk of adverse reactions and says the most common side effect is just flatulence, due to the fiber. CSPI is urging the FDA to revoke Quorn's GRAS status, or at least to require warning labels.
What about the health claims? Several studies, most from the early 1990s, suggest that mycoprotein may have positive effects on cholesterol, blood sugar, and satiety. But they were small, short, and often flawed. The only recent study, a small company-funded one in 2010, suggested a link between mycoprotein and improved cholesterol—but this study had problems, too. The potential health benefits may be due to the specific types of fiber in mycoprotein (beta-glucans and chitin).
Bottom line: There are other meat alternatives, including those made from soy, that don't carry the risk of serious adverse reactions that have been reported from Quorn (unless, of course, you're allergic to soy or their other ingredients). Keep in mind that all processed meat substitutes, including Quorn, tend to be high in sodium and sometimes saturated fat from added cheese and other ingredients.
Source: Originally published in The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter (May 2011)


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Irish Argentine
This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (April 2009)
|Total population
|(500,000[1] – 1,000,000[2])
|Regions with significant populations
|Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe
|Predominantly in Spanish. Minority speak Irish[citation needed] or English
|Predominantly Roman Catholicism
|Related ethnic groups
|Irish, Scottish Argentine, English Argentine, Welsh Argentine, Irish American, Irish Brazilian, Irish Chilean, Irish Mexican, Irish Uruguayan
Irish Argentines are Argentine citizens who are fully or partially of Irish descent. Irish emigrants from the Midlands, Wexford and many counties of Ireland arrived in Argentina mainly from 1830 to 1930, with the largest wave taking place in 1850–1870. The modern Irish-Argentine community is composed of some of their descendants, and the total number is estimated at 500,000–1,000,000. Argentina is the home of the fifth largest Irish community in the world.[1]
Reasons for emigration
|Part of a series of articles on
|Irish Latin-Americans
Most of those who left Ireland arrived in Buenos Aires attracted by the possibility of better living conditions, as the economic, social and political conditions in Ireland at the time were quite poor, though the emigrants came from counties and social segments where the economic conditions were not the worst (Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, Wexford). Others, in turn, left after receiving favourable descriptions of the country from friends and family who had already arrived in Argentina. The real or perceived possibility to becoming landowners in the Río de la Plata region (Argentina and Uruguay), and consequently joining the South American landed gentry, was the most important factor attracting thousands of young men to the area. Others had arrived earlier as merchants, artisans and mercenaries, such as William Brown, who fought for the cause of Argentine independence and the Argentine war against Brazil. For Irish immigrants, the new lands of the Southern Cone of South America brought further interest for immigration to purchase large land tracts for bargain prices, working first as labourers, then in "halves" or "thirds" in the sheep-farming business, and finally renting and purchasing land.
One of Che Guevara's forebears, Patrick Lynch, was born in Galway, Ireland, in 1715.[3] He left for Bilbao, Spain, and traveled from there to Argentina. Francisco Lynch (Guevara's great-grandfather) was born in 1817, and Ana Lynch (his grandmother) in 1868. Her son, Ernesto Guevara Lynch (Guevara's father) was born in 1900. Guevara Lynch married Celia de la Serna y Llosa in 1927 (one of her non-lineal ancestors was José de la Serna e Hinojosa, Spanish viceroy of Peru), and they had three sons and two daughters.
Numbers of immigrants
It is difficult to accurately calculate the exact number of immigrants. Many Irish newcomers declared themselves to be ingleses, as all of Ireland at the time was still part of the United Kingdom, and others were simply assumed to be English by the authorities. The immigration records in Buenos Aires lack any entries dating from before 1822 and the years 1823, 1824, 1836, 1840, 1841, 1842 and 1855. The records in between these years are also incomplete, due to conflicts of who was Irish, English and Scottish in South American demographics.
Between 1822 and 1829, at least 7,160 Irish immigrants arrived, being 1889 the peak of this migration (on 15 February of this year 1,774 people arrived on the steamer SS Dresden). Based on incomplete passenger list records, as well as on census returns (Buenos Aires 1855, national 1869 and national 1895) transcribed by Eduardo A. Coghlan (1982, 1987), researchers made elaborate calculations of the total number of immigrants. Juan Carlos Korol and Hilda Sabato estimated that the total number of Irish immigrants in the nineteenth century was between 10,500 and 11,500 (Cómo fue la inmigración irlandesa a la Argentina, 1981 p. 48). However, further research conducted by Patrick MacKenna shows that Coghlan, Korol and Sabato did not consider return migration and re-migration, which was significant after the 1880s, as well as the high mortality ratios for the Irish immigrants in certain periods before the 1869 census (e.g. during the 1868 cholera outbreak in the Buenos Aires province).
For the nineteenth century, one out of every two Irish emigrants to Argentina went back to Ireland or re-migrated to England, the United States, Australia and other destinations. MacKenna says that Korol and Sabato "greatly underestimated the number of Irish immigrants" and considers that the total number of Irish immigrants in Argentina in the nineteenth century should be estimated in between 45,000 and 50,000 (M.A. thesis at NUI Maynooth, 1992, p. 83). The neglect of Anglo-Irish, Scot-Irish and in general Protestant Irish immigration in Argentina should add further numbers, particularly in the last peak of immigration after the 1920s Anglo-Irish War of Independence. The southernmost tip of Chile and Argentina, in places like the city of Punta Arenas and also the Falkland Islands, were other destinations for Irish and Scottish immigrants which are frequently underestimated.
Eduardo A. Coghlan reported 16,284 Irish Argentines in Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires Province at the turn of the twentieth century. Only 4,693 of these had actually been born in Ireland, just 28.8% of the population, while another 11,591 individuals had been born in Argentina. At present, roughly 500,000 Argentines are of Irish descent.
Economic activities
The Irish immigrants settled mainly in Buenos Aires, the homonymous province, and the littoral provinces. Those in urban areas worked as labourers, merchants, employees, artisans, teachers, professionals and, increasingly after the 1860s and especially for women, as domestic servants. The Irish in the countryside worked as rural labourers, cattle dealers, and shepherds. Those in the flourishing sheep-farming business of 1840–1890 were most likely to succeed working as shepherds and sharing a half or a third of the produce in wool and lambs. In this way, some of them managed to rent and later purchase land.
In Curumalal, Buenos Aires, and Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Eduardo Casey helped populating the agriculturally barren provinces, inviting more Irish and other immigrants to Argentina to work for him. This recommendation system was very active, and, with almost limitless amounts of land available, many Irish immigrants went on to do very well economically. This industry expanded to other places, eventually flourishing in the rest of Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Córdoba.
The Dresden Affair
The Dresden Affair marked the end of mass Irish emigration to Argentina.[4] Less fortunate Irish immigrants were recruited in the 1870s and 1880s among poor segments in Dublin, Cork and other counties, and sent as colonists to Argentina. Irish-Argentine agents hired by the Buenos Aires provincial government actively worked in Ireland and were paid by the state and the shipping companies. In 1889 the Dresden Affair occurred when agents Buckley O'Meara and John Stephen Dillon sent 1,774 emigrants in the steamer City of Dresden. Many died due to the conditions of the journey or upon arrival in Buenos Aires. About seven hundred were carried to Bahía Blanca to establish the Irish Colony of Napostá, which in a few months was a failure. The vast majority of these immigrants did not stay in the country, and struggled to go back to Ireland or re-migrated to the United States and other places.[5] Following the Dresden Affair, in 1889, Archbishop of Cashel, Thomas Croke wrote: "I most solemnly conjure my poorer countrymen, as they value their happiness hereafter, never to set foot on the Argentine Republic however tempted to do so they may be by offers of a passage or an assurance of comfortable homes."[6]
The Irish priests and nuns that arrived in Argentina did not leave any family, but they did leave a spiritual impression on the people that they served as teachers, nurses and ministers. The Irish non-Catholic priests and missionaries were also fundamental in many cases to develop new works in the poorest places of the country. Those who arrived for economic, professional or political reasons had families and their names have been handed down to this day.
Irish Argentines
- Guillermo Brown, Admiral and founder of the Argentine Navy
- Gustavo Cerati, musician
- Edelmiro Julián Farrell, former de facto President of Argentina
- Oscar Barney Finn, Argentine film director
- Guillermo Patricio Kelly, (1922 - 2005), Argentine entrepreneur, journalist, and politician
- Arturo Kenny, polo player and medalist at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Benito Lynch, writer
- Che Guevara Lynch, Marxist revolutionary
- Billy MacDermott, Argentine cricket captain
- Ricardo López Murphy, Argentine politician and presidential candidate
- Norma Nolan, Miss Universe 1962
- Guillermo O'Donnell, political scientist
- Mario O'Donnell, writer
- Camila O'Gorman, 19th century socialite and victim of state repression
- Santiago Phelan, Argentine rugby player and former manager of the Argentine national team
- Dalmacio Vélez Sársfield, author of the Argentine Civil Code
- Maria Elena Walsh, writer
- Rodolfo Walsh, writer and founder of Argentine investigative journalism assassinated in 1977 by military forces
Irish Priests
- Patrick Joseph Dillon (1842–1889), priest and politician
- Anthony Dominic Fahy (1805–1871), Dominican priest, missionary and head of the Irish community
- Juan Dillon (1819–1887), landlord and politician.
First Irish emigrants
- The first Irishmen that arrived in present-day Argentina were the brothers Juan and Tomás (John and Thomas) Farrel in 1536. They were members of Pedro de Mendoza's expedition.[7]
Current Irish community
This Irish community in Argentina is the largest in any non-English speaking country in the world and is the fifth largest in the world. The Irish community in Argentina still try to keep up the inherited traditions and to rescue those other traditions that have been lost over time. It is estimated that there are over one million Irish descendants in modern-day Argentina. [8][citation needed]
- Coghlan, Eduardo A. Los Irlandeses en la Argentina: Su Actuación y Descendencia (Buenos Aires, 1987).
- Coghlan, Eduardo A. El Aporte de los Irlandeses a la Formación de la Nación Argentina (Buenos Aires, 1982).
- Healy, Claire. Migration from Ireland to Buenos Aires, 1776–1890 (PhD Thesis, NUI, Galway, 2005). James Hardiman Library, NUI, Galway.
- McKenna, Patrick. Nineteenth Century Irish Emigration to, and Settlement in, Argentina (St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare: MA Geography Thesis, 1994).
- Murray, Edmundo (2008). Ireland and the Americas. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-614-5.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- Murray, Edmundo. The Irish Road to South America: Nineteenth-Century Travel Patterns from Ireland to the River Plate in: Irish Migration Studies in Latin America.
- Murray, Edmundo. Irish Settlers in Argentina in: Irish Migration Studies in Latin America.
- Sabato, Hilda and Juan Carlos Korol. Cómo fue la Inmigración Irlandesa en Argentina (Buenos Aires: Editorial Plus Ultra, 1981).
See also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 [1]
- ↑ http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishpost/featurearticles/anirisheasterrising.asp
- ↑ Rohan, Brian. "Che Guevara's Irish Roots". http://www.irlandeses.org/. (SILAS) Society for Irish Latin American Studies. Retrieved 23 March 2015. External link in
|website=(help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Geraghty, Michael John (17 March 1999). "Argentina: Land of Broken Promises". Buenos Aires Herald. Retrieved 6 August 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Murray (Ireland and the Americas), page 273
- ↑ "The Irish in Argentina". Wander Argentina. Retrieved 6 August 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ La Nacion: Irish people in Argentina: a green passion.
- ↑ Records of the Irish in Argentina, by Santiago Boland. Bahia Blanca, Argentina
- CS1 errors: external links
- EngvarB from October 2013
- Use dmy dates from October 2013
- Articles lacking in-text citations from April 2009
- Articles with unsourced statements from April 2011
- "Related ethnic groups" needing confirmation
- Articles using Template:Infobox ethnic group with deprecated parameters
- Articles with unsourced statements from August 2015
- Argentine people of Irish descent
- Irish Argentine
- Irish diaspora by country
- Immigration to Argentina


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DUSHANBE, March 3, 2012, Asia-Plus – Several Internet providers in Tajikistan have blocked access to a number of independent websites, including Facebook.
An official source in one of Internet service providing company told Asia-Plus that several Internet service providing companies on Friday (March 2) received official written or verbal notice from the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan to block access to a number of websites "in connection with the accrued necessity."
"Lists of websites to be blocked differ from each other, but all of them include three websites: Facebook.com; Zvezda.ru; and Tjknews.com," said the source, "The fourth website – Maxala.org -- was put on the list little later."
Not all Internet service providing companies have blocked access to Facebook so far. Meanwhile, practically all the Internet service providing companies on March 2 blocked access to Zvezda.ru, which posted a critical material about Tajikistan on February 28.
Asia-Plus has failed to get comments from the Communications Service.
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook Inc. As of February 2012, Facebook has more than 845 million active users


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Singapore-based shipbuilder Sembcorp Marine announced today a $4 million investment to acquire a 12 percent stake in GraviFloat AS, a Bergen-based firm that has developed a modularized, re-deployable gravity-based LNG/LPG terminal concept.
GraviFloat's terminals can be designed as either LNG import/regasification or export/liquefaction terminals, as a mobile unit for stranded gas production and liquefaction, or perhaps for temporary production of associated gas to support oil production, notes Sembcorp.
The system can incorporate either Moss-type or membrane LNG containment systems and can be tailored for use in many different bottom types, according to GraviFloat.
GraviFloat was incorporated in Norway in 2006 as a spin-off of European naval architecture/marine engineering firm LMG Marin. Should this concept take hold in the industry, Sembcorp Marine has been given the right to increase their equity stake by up to 20% via a subsequent equity investment.


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Yes. Both sets of output connections may be used simultaneously. However only one input may be used at a time. If you combine a unbalanced 1/4" with a balanced XLR you could create a ground loop problem. See "Sound System Interconnection" below.
If the above options don't answer your question, or it's urgent...
Phone 425-355-6000, 8:30 AM to 5 PM PST, Monday through Friday.
If it's less urgent, you can email the factory.
For local service within the USA, find a service center.


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So this summer has flown by and I realized I have been neglecting my blog only because I don't have a decent camera! Many of you have been able to see some pictures thanks to my sisters camera, but all of the blurry ones are from a camera/video camera combo. So here is a little history on the cameras in our family:
-Reggie bought me my first digital pocket camera when we were dating in December of '04. Since Maggie has been born.. the camera has gone to crap because Reggie used it for work. We were able to replace it but it takes like 5 years to take a picture, so by the time the picture is actually taken its blurry cuz the kids have moved, and it just doesnt work any more.
-Camera 2 was purchased by Reggie again (another point and shoot.) A red one to be exact. That camera has also been used for work. And that camera still is a piece of crap.
-For my birthday on '08 Reggie purchased a video camera. It works GREAT for video taping, but the pictures are crap. Its not even worth posting a picture cuz you cant even tell who is in it.
-I for sure though Christmas of '08 was my year to get an awesome camera.. dont care what brand, just as long as it was a big and nice one and when you clicked to take the picture it would immediately take it. When Christmas morning came I watched Reggie open presents and I didnt open a single present (don't worry, reggie has gotten enough crap for that Christmas, valentines, and Mothers day. Lets hope he has learned his lesson.) So later Christmas morning Reggie proceeds to tell me that store did not have to camera and it is being shipped so it should be here in the next week. Well I hate to tell you Reggie, but you either lied or the post office lost it! Still aint here!!!!!!!!
Well of course when I bug Reggie about getting a camera, he blames ME for all the camera problems.
Will you PLEASE tell him that a video camera is not a camera? And the RED camera was purchased for work??? I think I will have a much cuter blog and everyone will be able to see my 2 beautiful girls!!! Maybe ill even digi scrap!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
So this summer has flown by and I realized I have been neglecting my blog only because I don't have a decent camera! Many of you have been able to see some pictures thanks to my sisters camera, but all of the blurry ones are from a camera/video camera combo. So here is a little history on the cameras in our family:
With LOVE Kyla at 12:26 PM
4 comments:
- LeslieK said...
Mine's just a point and shoot, but I REALLY like it. It's a sony...cybershot I think?? I noticed Kate Gosselin has the same one =). Not too pricey (under $200) and so easy to work with. There's a setting where it takes pics quicker than usual.
- August 19, 2009 at 3:43 PM
- {Rollins Family} said...
we bought our camera at costco, its a casio exilim, it does pictures AND video and I love love love it!!
We also just bought nice nice camera, a Nikon, but thats for like heavy duty stuff (it was like $1000) so we returned it and got something inbetween, a Sony cyber shot...i LOVE it so much.
Look into them :) (but ours wasn't under $200, it was about $500 but we got the newest one...its the DSC-HX1 ???
*i'm a pictre FREAK, you won't be disappionted with either of those!
- August 19, 2009 at 4:36 PM
- kanabanana said...
Seriously the best cameras are Nikons or Canons. You don't need their expensive fancy ones, their low models are awesome! I loved the ease of use when I picked up the Nikon 60D. I have a Canon 40D, and it is way too much camera for me. So I would start with a lower model and you can always by better lenses later. You will never be sorry if you buy a dSLR camera. There is so much you can do with it besides point and shoot! Tell your husband you are missing so many memories of your children's early years.
- August 19, 2009 at 7:32 PM
- The Vances said...
Definitely need to see more pictures of those cute girls! My camera takes about 10 seconds to take a picture too, and a long for a nice one to fulfill my photography skills! And don't feel bad... two years ago for my birthday I asked for Kyle to install cabinets and a counter top in my laundry room, I got dinner... still waiting on the laundry room, maybe I will get it when you get your camera, then you can take a picture of it :)
- August 20, 2009 at 2:06 PM


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Media Kit for Shelley Wilson, Author
I give permission for any and all of the information from my media kit to be used to promote my books. I adore blogging and am available for interviews and guest posts, please feel free to send me a message via the contact page.
Long Bio:
Shelley Wilson is a multi-genre author of self-help non-fiction and teenage fantasy fiction. Her first self-published book, How I Changed My Life in a Year was released in 2014 and hit the number one spot on Amazon's best seller list for Self-Help and Women's Biography two years in a row. It continues to hold a position in the top 20. In 2016 it attracted the attention of a big five publisher who are interested in acquiring the title for their ever evolving catalogue of personal development books. How I Changed My Life in a Year is a unique blog-to-book story about a year-long challenge Shelley set herself one New Year's Eve. Unhappy with her regurgitated resolution list, she decided to publicly blog about her aim to complete fifty-two challenges in one year. The blog is still going strong today and has evolved into a home for all her personal development and motivational advice.
She went on to release two 'handbag self-help guides' under the series title of Wellbeing Workshop, both topics are covered in her physical workshops. The first, released in 2015 is Meditation for Beginners, and the second is Vision Boards for Beginners, another 2015 release.
In 2016, Shelley designed a set of Oracle Motivation Cards which she used with her clients during their meditation groups. They proved to be so popular she decided to produce them for sale. Due to the high cost of production and shipping, Shelley and her design team at BHC Press chose to turn the project into a book and so Motivate Me! An Oracle Guidebook was born.
Following the success of How I Changed My Life in a Year, Shelley wrote a sequel-that's-not-a-sequel about the organisational process of surviving the year that changed her life. How I Motivated Myself to Succeed, released September 2017 is full of advice, tips, case studies, and exercises for achieving success, setting goals, and allowing time and space in your life to accommodate this.
In addition to her self-help titles, Shelley also writes fantasy fiction for the young adult/teenage genre. She wrote the first draft of all three books of her Guardian Series during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Guardians of the Dead 2013, Guardians of the Sky 2014, and Guardians of the Lost Lands 2015. She then went on to produce a standalone title, Oath Breaker which was released in June 2017. All her fiction contains supernatural or mythical elements. She loves to explore witchcraft, faeries, dragons, and werewolves and tries to include insights which mirror her self-help background. In Guardians of the Dead her main character discovers the Chakras and working with energy, something Shelley did every day in her Holistic Spa. Her favourite mythical character is a vampire but she is yet to write a book featuring the children of the night!
Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Shelley moved to the West Midlands as a youngster and has lived there ever since. She is a single mum to three teenagers, a fat goldfish, and a black cat called Luna. She is an avid list writer, enjoys trips to the cinema, reading YA fantasy, and eating pizza!
Short Bio:
Shelley Wilson was born in Leeds but moved to the West Midlands when she was a youngster. She is a single mum to three teenagers, a fat goldfish and a crazy black cat called Luna. Her favourite things (apart from her children) are vampires, mythology, history, and pizza. Shelley is an avid reader and book blogger with a passion for Netflix marathon-binge watching sessions.
She divides her time between blogging and writing motivational non-fiction books for adults, and the fantasy worlds of her YA fiction.
Her non-fiction books combine lifestyle, motivation and self-help with a healthy dose of humour, and her YA novels combine myth, legend and fairy tales with a side order of demonic chaos. You can check out all Shelley's books here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00G5KPMJI
Shelley can be found lurking on Twitter and Facebook all the time (she wishes to add procrastination to her favourite things list!)
Contact Information:
Author Website: http://www.shelleywilsonauthor.co.uk
Author Blog: http://www.shelleywilsonauthor.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shelley-Wilson/e/B00G5KPMJI
Personal Development Blog: http://www.motivatemenow.co.uk
Facebook (Personal Development): http://www.facebook.com/MotivateMeBlog
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ShelleyWilson72
Facebook (Young Adult): http://www.facebook.com/FantasyAuthorSLWilson
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorslwilson
Pinterest: http://uk.pinterest.com/MotivateMeBlog
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7362789.Shelley_Wilson
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShelleyWilson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-wilson-b001a210/
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- Highly commended in the Writing Magazine Self-Publishing Book Awards 2014 (How I Changed My Life in a Year)
- Winner of Most Inspirational Blogger Award at the 2016 Bloggers Bash Awards (ABBA's)
- Second place in Most Inspirational Blogger Award 2017 at the ABBA's
- 'Official Selection' Award in the New Apple E-Book Summer Awards 2017 (Oath Breaker/YA)
Book Information:
Title: How I Changed My Life in a Year
Genre: Self-Help/Memoir/Women's Biography
Length: 158 pages
Released: May 2014
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KAAUE88
Book Blurb:
Straight-talking, honest and with touches of humour, Shelley Wilson shares her journey as she sets out to prove that being a 40-something, single mum with back fat and grey hairs isn't the end of life as we know it. From fighting flab to writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days, Shelley covers a wide variety of themes as she tackles twelve challenges in twelve months. Packed with affirmations, tips, steps and links, 'How I Changed My Life In A Year' will keep you motivated for the year to come and beyond. Based on the popular Resolution Challenge blog, Shelley shows how one year can change your life.
Title: Meditation for Beginners
Genre: New Age/Mind Body Spirit
Length: 33 pages
Released: June 2015
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G5D68VG
Book Blurb:
'Meditation for Beginners' will escort you through the benefits, science and the step-by-step process of meditating to help you achieve a calm and balanced life. If you don't know your chakra from a chorizo or prefer a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes over walking barefoot on dew-covered grass, then this is the book for you. The Wellbeing Workshop guides are designed as a 'handbag mentor' for when you want to dip your toe into the world of spirituality and self-help. Every edition is a down-to-earth, practical, quick read, with a touch of humour. The range of guides in the Wellbeing Workshop Series cover topics such as Meditation For Beginners, Vision Boards For Beginners, and Reducing Anxiety & Fear With EFT.
Title: Vision Boards for Beginners
Genre: New Age/Mind Body Spirit
Length: 40 pages
Released: June 2015
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0106A0D3C
Book Blurb:
Vision Boards for Beginners, takes you through the creative process of visualising what you want in your life, and putting the pieces together in such a way as to attract your wishes. A practical, down-to-earth guide to get you started with this highly beneficial motivational tool. Vision boards are something the entire family can enjoy. The Wellbeing Workshop books are designed as a 'handbag mentor', for when you want to dip your toe into the world of self-help. Every edition is a down-to-earth, practical, quick read, with a touch of humour. The range of guides in the Wellbeing Workshop Series cover topics such as Meditation for Beginners, Vision Boards for Beginners, and Reducing Anxiety & Fear with EFT.
Title: Motivate Me! An Oracle Guidebook
Genre: Spirituality/Mind Body Spirit
Publisher: BHC Press/H20
Length: 61 pages
Released: December 2016
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MRSNTJ0
Book Blurb:
Your weekly guide for happiness! Designed to give you a weekly boost of motivation, this sixty-four page guidebook will offer you a positive dose of inspiration throughout the year. Listen to your inner voice, pick a page, and then take meaning from the message you receive.
Title: Guardians of the Dead (Book 1 of the Guardian Series)
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: BHC Press/H20
Length: 227 pages
Released: February 2015
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071DKVXG6
Book Blurb:
One girl holds the key to an ancient pact that could destroy the world… When sixteen-year-old Amber Noble's dreams begin to weave into her reality, she turns to the mysterious Connor for help. His links to the supernatural world uncover a chilling truth about her hometown and a pact that must be re-paid with blood. As her father alienates her, and the Guardians take her best friend, her true destiny unfolds, and she begins a quest that will see her past collide with her present. Drawn deeper into the world of witchcraft and faeries, it is only at the end of her journey that she realises how much she could lose.
Title: Guardians of the Sky (Book 2 of the Guardian Series)
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: BHC Press/H20
Length: 218 pages
Released: January 2016
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0718TLHF9
Book Blurb:
Can one girl sacrifice herself to save the one she loves…? Following their daring escape from the demon realm, Amber and her friends become caught up in a war between good and evil. They must join forces with the Queen's warriors to overthrow a malevolent force that has spread across Avaveil, the land of the Fae. But, as her powers grow, Amber is faced with the real possibility that she is a danger to the ones she loves. Her full strength is yet to be tested in a way she can't comprehend. Dragons, faeries and humans stand side-by-side as they are drawn into a cunning battle of magic and surprising revelations. Can Amber survive long enough to see her dreams fulfilled?
Title: Guardians of the Lost Lands (Book 3 of the Guardian Series)
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: BHC Press/H20
Length: 178 pages
Released: November 2016
Purchase: Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N3UI2WF
Book Blurb:
Amber's final quest could claim her soul, but it's a journey she must make. The evil that lurks in the Lost Lands threatens to infest the realms unless Amber, Redka, and Connor can destroy it. But Amber is more concerned about her father's safety as he is held captive by the wickedness that terrorises them all. Amber faces isolation and mistrust from her friends as they travel across land and sea to meet their most dangerous foe. Will she be able to stay true to her destiny as the last Oracle, or will she be tempted by the darkness? The fate of the realms is in her hands. Amber's final quest will be her most terrifying yet. This time, it will be deadly.
Title: Oath Breaker
Genre: Young Adult/Horro
Publisher: BHC Press/H20
Length: 178 pages
Released: June 2017
Purchase: Amazon
Book Blurb:
Will she follow the pack…
Or will she destroy them?
A dead mother.
A violent father.
A missing brother.
When Mia's father is murdered, it's her estranged uncle that comes to the rescue, but what he offers her in return for his help could be worse than the life she is leaving behind.
Taken to Hood Academy, a unique school deep in the forest, she discovers friendships, love, and the courage to stand on her own.
As she trains hard, Mia takes the oath that seals her future as a werewolf hunter, but not everyone wants Mia to succeed.
Screams in the night. Secret rooms. Hidden letters. Mia becomes an important piece in a game she doesn't want to play.
Will the truth set her free, or will it destroy her?


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When I reviewed L.A. beat producer Matthewdavid's Outmind, one of my issues with the release was that its best moments didn't last very long. Some of the lightly etched drones and rhythms on that LP seem to peter out a little too quickly for me to grab hold of what's really going on. Plus, the intentionally hazy production only makes that task more arduous. Well, it seems that on this new tape of more beats, ambient interludes, and loose sketches, I get my wish. The tape is split up into two, uninterrupted listens that last 25 to 35 minutes.
If you're looking to space out, explore textures, and contemplate life, here's your chance:


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Hello all.
I recently stumbled across this forum; been lurking for a few days and joined up.
I am a beginner at poetry, although I have over the past couple of years attempted to have a go at it.
I will educate myself by reading the work of you seasoned poets. I'll also attempt at giving feedback on others work, but please bear in mind I am a beginner and, in time, be better equipped to give more meaningful and constructive criticism.
Anyway, thank you to the admins and moderators for allowing me to join this forum.
Best regards,
Hello from the midlands
If you're new to the forum and want to introduce yourself, this is the place.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Hello from the midlands
Welcome to PG, Vox
Best wishes,
Best wishes,
We fray into the future, rarely wrought
Save in the tapestries of afterthought.
Richard Wilbur
Save in the tapestries of afterthought.
Richard Wilbur
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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AFP – Google is stepping up its efforts to move into the Internet "cloud," taking on rivals like Amazon and Microsoft in competition for business customers.
The California tech giant said Tuesday that its cloud platform's key compute engine was now "generally available" after a test period, and that it has lowered prices by 10 percent and dropped storage prices by at least 60 percent.
"We're looking forward to this next step for Google Cloud Platform as we continue to help developers and businesses everywhere benefit from Google's technical and operational expertise," said Google's Ari Balogh in a blog post.
Cloud computing is one of the fastest-growing services in the tech sector, enabling companies to store data and provide services from a cloud provider without having to install their own servers and maintain them.
Google cloud customers include Snapchat, the fast-growing social network which handles hundreds of millions of messages each day, and Rovio, creator of the "Angry Birds" online game.
Romin Irani, who blogs at the website Programmable Web, said Google "is positioning itself as a major player to help mobile developers get off the block fast."
He added that Google has worked out ways to "provide infrastructure and security management automatically," simplifying the task of creating mobile applications.
"Will Google be able to make inroads into Amazon's domination of the IaaS (infrastructure as a service) landscape? Developers will tell," Irani said.
Amazon, a big player in cloud computing which recently won a CIA contract, saw its stock price fall 2.0 percent to $384.38 after the Google announcement. Rackspace, another big cloud player, was down 5.5 percent at $35.43.


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The Livestock Taiwan Expo & Forum is returning for its second edition with themed pavilions to target specific visitors
The event which will be held at Taipei World Trade Center from 26-28 July in conjunction with Aquaculture Taiwan and Asia Agri-Tech.
Livestock Taiwan Expo & Forum will have more than 40 seminars and conferences and also contains one-on-one business matchmaking programmes.
The second edition of the event is expected to see more than 200 effective buyers from more than 25 countries and will be 1.5 times larger in scale than its debut.
Themed pavilions around "Veterinary Medicine," "Biogas Power" and "Feed & Feed Additives" will be set up at the event to provide visitors with various farming techniques.
"The Southeast Asia governments' promotion on biogas energy has created wide commercial opportunities for swine business. Livestock Taiwan Expo & Forum makes 'Biogas Pavilion' debut which is launched in due time. It is not only a professional platform in guiding market trends but also a good path in exploring international business," said Sabine Liu, general manager of UBM Taiwan.
Exhibitors such as San Heh Pharmaceutical, Tafong Pharmaceutical and Spiregene Biotech among others will display their animal healthcare and vaccine products.
Alain Charles Publishing, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London, SW1W 0EX, UK
T: +44 20 7834 7676, F: +44 20 7973 0076, W: www.alaincharles.com


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The Christ Hospital Physicians – Ohio Heart & Vascular (formerly Ohio Heart and Vascular Center, Inc.) was founded in 1995 through the merger of five of the highest quality cardiovascular practices in the Greater Cincinnati area. The goal of this merger was to create a larger, unified, geographically diverse practice that would provide opportunities to improve the delivery and quality of cardiovascular care to our patients. Specifically, we wanted to have a group large enough to support the subspecialty expertise and program development that would provide a level of care previously unavailable in our region.
Over the past 20 years, the results of this endeavor have exceeded even our most optimistic expectations. We have grown in size from our initial 17 founding partners to 40 cardiovascular physicians and surgeons. In 2008, we affiliated with The Christ Hospital, creating the region's most comprehensive heart and vascular program, enhancing and expanding leading-edge cardiac care available in the Greater Cincinnati and surrounding regions. This partnership was a first of its kind in greater Cincinnati, bringing a prominent cardiovascular physician group together with the premier heart hospital in the region. The synergies achieved by the alignment of these two nationally recognized medical organizations has provided our community the most advanced cardiovascular care attainable anywhere, with subspecialty programs in cardiac electrophysiology (arrhythmias and pacemaker devices), coronary intervention (angioplasty and stents), peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, cardiac surgery, structural heart disease and advanced cardiac imaging.
These programs are not only the largest and most comprehensive subspecialty programs in the Tristate, but have each introduced many previously unavailable cutting edge technological advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Through our relationship with the The Christ Hospital Lindner Research Center, we are able to bring to our patients the newest and most promising treatment modalities well before they are available to the general public.
We are also one of the few groups in the country to have high quality cardiovascular surgeons so that the full range of cardiac treatment modalities can be offered to our patients "under one roof" facilitating the most appropriate treatment decisions for each patient.
Our growth and success have come largely from our ability to recruit some of the finest young medical talent from premier training programs, all over the country. They have been attracted by the unique practice and subspecialty opportunities that can only be offered by a group of our size and scope. Many have brought with them new skills and innovations that had not previously been available in our community.
By increasing our size, we're also able to provide more comprehensive care to the many geographically diverse areas we serve by providing as much care as possible in offices close to the patients' own community. We strive to maintain a compassionate and personal doctor-patient relationship while simultaneously providing the patient easy access to our subspecialty services. We currently have offices in thirteen communities and are integrally involved with several hospital systems in the Southern Ohio and Southeastern Indiana regions. By working closely with these local and regional hospital systems, we strive to provide the most technologically advanced care in the most convenient, accessible, and seamless way possible.
The Christ Hospital Physicians – Ohio Heart & Vascular is proud to serve the cardiovascular needs of the Greater Cincinnati area. We pledge to continue in our mission to provide the most technologically advanced and effective care to the greatest number of people in the most easily accessible and caring environment possible.
John F. Schneider, MD, FACC
President & Chief Executive Officer
The Christ Hospital Physicians – Ohio Heart & Vascular
The Christ Hospital has been named among the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals in U.S. by Truven Health Analytics for 10 years.


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Help to create a positive place for kids to learn and grow.
The Boys & Girls Club of Meriden benefits tremendously from the efforts of volunteers across all of its program offerings. If you would like to volunteer your time at the Club, you can complete our convenient online form below or print out the pdf version of the form and submit it to us. A member of our staff will review and respond to all volunteer applications submitted.
Please fill in the days and times that you are available to volunteer. Limited volunteer opportunities exist before 2:30 PM and after 7:00 PM. Club is closed on Sundays.


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Gerard Depardieu Granted Honorary Citizenship In Belgium
But the actor, who has moved around Europe, claims he "still loves" France and "lives there regularly."
PARIS – Gerard Depardieu has added another citizenship to the growing roster of countries and cities he calls home, becoming an honorary citizen of the Belgian area of Estaimpuis, just across the border from his native France.
Depardieu established residency in Belgium last year in an effort to escape France's now-scrapped supertax on the rich, a move that quickly escalated into a very public exchange of insults with French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault before Depardieu renounced his French passport. He was quickly granted Russian citizenship from President Vladimir Putin, in a move that caused controversy in both Russia and France.
STORY: Gerard Depardieu Returns to France to Shoot Soccer Film
"We are glad you made your nest in Nechin," said Estaimpuis municipal Mayor Daniel Senesael of the village where Depardieu owns one of his many homes during the citizenship ceremony. "Gerard, Estaimpuis loves you," Senesael added.
The actor then hosted 200 townspeople at a postceremony barbecue.
After being granted Russian citizenship, Depardieu said that he holds seven passports and is a "citizen of the world," but in an interview with Le Figaro Magazine he called the entire episode a "huge misunderstanding."
"I've never left! I refuse to be trapped within borders. It is completely different. I'm a free man. I feel at home everywhere in Europe," said the famous bon vivant, who spoke at length about his culinary passions, his restaurants and the vineyards he owns across France.
STORY: Gerard Depardieu Talks Heavy Drinking, His Seven Passports, Putin and Pussy Riot
The provocative gourmand, who owns Le Fontaine Gallion in Paris and played a chef in Vatel (2000), The Last Holiday (2006) and Life of Pi (2012), decried the stigma of eating fatty foods, calling it "absurd" and compared the current culinary climate to "the one created by this terrorist who stashed explosives in his shoes and now everyone must take off their shoes before boarding a plane!" He also sung the praises of Japanese and Italian chefs, and expressed his love for New York's Gemma restaurant.
Perhaps looking to make his highly publicized political fight with the government here a culinary one, Depardieu added that he would serve Ayrault a cold fish with vinaigrette and President Francois Hollande a chicken casserole and two slices of lard.
However, he also said he "still loves" France. "I live there regularly," he said of Paris, having just wrapped a 20-day shoot on an untitled soccer film to be released in time for the World Cup in 2014.
Depardieu's historic Paris home, put on the market a year ago when he made the move to Belgium, is still for sale at the asking price of $66 million (€50 million).


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It's Your Nature
University of Dayton first-year students will experience Dayton Ballet?s performance of Romeo and Juliet as they explore nature under the third annual Rites. Rights. Writes. series.
The series brings artists to campus and offers concerts, performances and exhibitions while challenging students to engage artistically and academically with the theme, "It's Your Nature."
"The concept of Rites. Rights. Writes. is based on the mission of the University and the essential question that we ask our students to think about: What does it mean to be human?" said Richard Chenoweth, Graul Endowed Chair in the Arts and Languages.
"Another goal of the series is to connect students to the community. Going to college is not about just checking off a bunch of boxes and getting a degree, at least not at the University of Dayton," said Chenoweth. "The arts experience is a shared community experience. It leaves a deep impression."
The "It's Your Nature" theme is open to interpretation, Chenoweth said, because "the word 'nature' can hold a variety of meanings."
It raises the questions: How does our understanding of nature make us human, as in human nature? How does being natural reflect our talents and gifts? And, what is the nature of science, of philosophy, of anything?
The special ballet performance on April 3, which will feature the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, will be the series' culminating event for an estimated 2,000 first-year students. The Schuster Center performance follows classroom study of the art form and the ballet itself around the series theme.
"Working with the University allows our performances to have an impact that goes well beyond a single weekend, as the academic collaboration provides context for and connections to the chosen work that would not otherwise be possible," said Paul Helfrich, president and CEO of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance.
Romeo and Juliet will also be explored through free events open to the public, including:
* Music to Hear, 8 p.m. March 10, Sears Recital Hall. A recital featuring original works composed by Joseph Summer and musical settings of Shakespearean texts. Part of the Joseph and Lisa Summer music residency.
* Love, Censorship, Art and the State: Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, 10 a.m. March 30, Sears Recital Hall. A panel discussion.
"It's Your Nature" also includes new partnerships with local organizations and artists.
Students have free admission to the Dayton Art Institute, and faculty and staff accompanying students are also admitted to exhibitions, lectures and panels at no cost.
Award-winning sculptor and musician Michael Bashaw is partnering with faculty and staff throughout the year as the University's first sustainability artist-in-residence. Bashaw, a local artist, will challenge the campus community to think about the environment in new ways.
A complete list of events and more information on program partners is available online.