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Contact us
E: email@example.com
P: Monometer House, Rectory Grove,
Essex, SS9 2HN
All about the Dry Mouth Foundation
Our Aims are:
- To provide treatment that may enable sufferers of dry mouth to benefit from relief from its symptoms and restore a quality of life.
- To provide training to practitioners in the therapies that the Dry Mouth Foundation advocates, namely that created and developed by Dr. Niemtzow.
- To endorse commercially available products that we believe provide continuity of the results of the treatment in the stimulation of saliva and moist mouth.
- To research and enhance knowledge of the condition in order that those currently with the condition, and those yet to suffer, can have access to a therapy that we understand and know can improve the quality of life for Dry Mouth sufferers.
- To raise through donation and sponsorship, sufficient charitable funds to enable those without sufficient financial means to receive the Niemtzow Dry Mouth treatment protocol and to conduct research on enhanced treatment protocols.
How can Dry Mouth be assessed
Dry Mouth is mildly identifiable through the onset of age and acutely identifiable after cancer treatment. Common presentations will include some or all of the following and this list is not exhaustive in content.
- sticky teeth when touched together,
- grinding teeth even with no food present,
- difficulty retaining dentures,
- sensitivity to hot food or drink,
- difficulty maintaining voluntary saliva production,
- difficulty swallowing food and talking without assistance of fluids,
- difficulty sleeping without fluids or other lubrication,
- bad breath,
- sore gums,
- receding gums,
- skin tags inside the facial cheeks where little or no moisture exists,
- acceleration in tooth decay and cavity growth,
- identifiable irritation at back of throat when generally swallowing,
- excessively dry and/or Parched oral cavity,
- severe dry and sore mouth upon waking,
- general feeling of soreness at back of mouth when swallowing food or drink,
- the inability to masticate certain foods due to the lack of sufficient saliva or wet oral cavity,
- red – cracked – blistered and furred tongue.
In patients where radiotherapy/chemotherapy has been undertaken the condition is best assessed following recovery and subsidence of the mucositis condition associated with these treatments which is approximately 3 months after completion of the treatment.
Our History:
The Dry Mouth treatment protocol that our foundation advocates was discovered, developed and still practiced by Dr Richard Niemtzow. MD. PHD.MPH US Air Force Colonel (retired), Radiology Oncologists. It is in Dr Niemtzow 's private capacity that our foundation advocates his Dry Mouth protocol. Dr. Niemtzow practices privately in Rockville, Maryland. USA and you can request a consultation and treatment with Dr Niemtzow by visiting. Dr Niemtzow' s acclaimed protocols which include "battlefield acupuncture" is in use with the US Armed forces and also now in use as far afield as Australia with introduction to other armed forces across various continents. Our foundation refers to his Dry mouth protocol as The Niemtzow Dry Mouth treatment protocol. It is a protocol that our foundation is entirely compliant with and ensures that only trained and approved practitioners on behalf our foundation would undertake.
You can also read and learn more about Dr Niemtzow and his career by linking to his website here www.n5ev.com.
The statements and images on this website do not represent the views, opinions or endorsements thereof by the Department of Defense of the United States of America or any agency, department thereof. Any questions relating to the protocol may be addressed to The Dry Mouth Foundation.
This website
Please explore our website which provides comprehensive information and links to Dr Niemtzow's data. If you require further details please do not hesitate to email us or join the Forum. You can learn more about, or visit Dr Richard Niemtzow in Maryland, USA if you wish, or book your treatmentthrough a foundation approved practitioner here in the UK, all of whom undergo the intensive training required to practice this approved technique using assessment and test procedures
set down by Richard Niemtzow himself in order to allow them to practice this particular therapy protocol.
No one can practice this foundation approved therapy on behalf of the foundation using the title the Niemtzow Dry Mouth treatment protocol without having undergone the training and certification required. Whilst others may offer a similar protocol we cannot be held responsible for its affect, or potential failure.
There are 3 primary stages and 1 follow up stage to the Niemtzow dry mouth therapy. Stage 1 Pre treatment, Stage 2 treatment process and Stage 3 exercise regime and Stage 4 follow up and what to expect from the treatment click here to see these stages


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The last 8 months have been, well, blissful. Brian is still a dream baby - so sweet and full of love and constant cuddly hugs. He adores his big sister, Elmo, Barney and of course, his very own muppet Annie dog.
He takes swim classes hre in Plano, and we enjoy the backyard pool several evenings a week. He loves helping Mom and big sister feed the ducks at the local library pond. He loves Little Gym and playing with Travis, Dustin and Brit. He loves his GeeGee and comes running to her smiling when he sees her.
He enjoys going places and always loves to have his prime seat squarely on my left hip. His laughter and giggles are so adorable - I'll never forget the sound! He honks Mama's horn (pinches my nose), can never get enough of "ride a little pony" and thinks Chuck E. Cheese's is so much fun!
He eats everything under the sun. 10 teeth now and counting! He went through a biting phase for a couple of weeks, but thank goodness he isn't doing that anymore. He says Mama and Thank you. He got down crawling last week, started breathing heavy and crawling around behind the dog acting like her. Precious. We are working on him saying Jordan or sister, but he's not there yet.
He can sign many things - "more", "please", and "thankyou" and uses them appropriately. He loves to knock down blocks and bath time rings in laughter and smiles. He goes to bed easily, sleeps all night and has just been a dream baby. I sure do love my little boy!
What a blessing from God.
P.S. This closes out the Bac Ninh for Baby Brian blog. Stay tned to my Facebook page for the next Montgomery Family blog. We have many adventures ahead! Thanks for reading and for all the warm wishes and love shown to us. God Bless You!

subset: commoncrawl


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High street console specialist GAME has come up with a clever Christmas concept, creating what it calls the Christmas Tinner -- a full day's festive food in a can. So you can concentrate on pretending Knack, Ryse and the rest of the next-console launch games are any good without worrying about feeding yourself.
It is, of course, entirely pretend just like the myth of Father Christmas himself (sorry, children, but it's your dad who buys all that stuff from Argos, and he's not happy about it). We've seen much worse for sale in Aldi and would quite like to try one, even if that Brussels sprout layer does look a bit thick for comfort. [The Drum]


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International, Trade and Logistics at Liverpool Chamber Training Ltd
Course description
Apprenticeships provide a great opportunity to pursue a career. The current job market in Liverpool is tough and employment rates are below the national average. An apprenticeship placement enables you to be trained in a job through a mixture of practical experience and other learning. It can lead to a long and successful career at the organisation or in another company.
How to apply
If you want to apply for this course, you will need to contact Liverpool Chamber Training Ltd directly.
Last updated date: 02 September 2015


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Many of our myths contain the idea of sacred marriage between the goddess of the land, Maeve, and the mortal temporal king. Maeve, from the Old Irish name...
By Carmel Ni DhuibheanaighOctober 20, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Blessed is this sacred isle
with sites of great antiquity
but beloved the county royal
where High Kings ruled with equity
Blessed was the land of Fail
for its shrines of weeping waters
but hallowed are Tara's halls
for love's buds and Danu's daughters
Manifold are the monuments
the bounty of spirits ancestral
for Meath's silver raiment
shadow's the noble Kestral
Erin has her multitudes
of stones and mounds and fields
the pious make their platitudes
on Tara's hills – golden auras yield!
Close by that great philosopher
that wise old Goddess the Boyne
lies Tara's Hill the Muses' dream –
its book an erect spine
Where Eochaid spoke a salutation
and the Druids music crafted
where art and honour stabled their station
and annals and sagas drafted
Where Cormac MacArt was the patron
of the Brehon Laws sagacious
and Conn of the 100 battles run
where Clan and Royal were gracious
The matrix of Eriu's first born
our forefathers spirit catalyst
where Lia Fail would cry and mourn
on Tara's Hill a sparkling amethyst
Blessed is the land of Banba
for whom the bards extoll
but time's acclaim eludes Tara
if it bleeds we'll lose our soul!
© Roibeard McElroy 2004
Many of our myths contain the idea of sacred marriage between the goddess of the land, Maeve, and the mortal temporal king. Maeve, from the Old Irish name...
Last year I was listening to a program on the origins of Irish Horse Fairs. The program said that the first fair was held under the rule of King Ollamh...
The mythological cycles of our literature tells us that in the Gabhra valley a great battle was fought between Na Fianna and the army of the King of Tara. Na...
The Tara Skryne Valley is a beautiful area to visit and it holds a special place as the cultural centre of Irish heritage and history.
If you are out and about in the valley and you see something that concerns you or you are curious about e.g. surveying, diggers etc, please let us know so we can investigate.
It may be something that we're already aware of but on the other hand, it may not, so the sooner we're advised of any activities the better.
We appreciate your support. Thank you!


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Macarone Electronic Press Kit
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Secondary Genre: Urban/R&B
Anaheim, California
Contact at email@example.com or (714) 616-4283
DOP Inc Records stands for the Definition of Propaganda.
What is PROPAGANDA anyway? The dictionary defines PROPAGANDA as information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc. Macarone is the Definition of Hip-Hop Propaganda!
Mac is what happens when "GANGSTA" rappers wake up!
Mac is what happens when "GANGSTA" rappers wake up and use their skills to build versus tear down! Macarone is the founder of DOP Inc Records, an underground independent label out of Santa Ana/Anaheim CA. We describe our music as "SPONTANEOUS STREET INSPIRED POETRY" or "GANGSTA POLITICAL LOVE & LIFE MUSIC". To quote Macarone, "I want my music to compete with what you hear on the radio or in someone's trunk, but with a real message in between snares".
Macarone is more than a rapper; Mac is a Rap Activist and he is also a father of two. "It's important that I make music that I would want my boys to be able to be able listen to. Not all watered down, but real like I got growing up". He began his music career as one of the founding members of the groups NuttHouse and another called County2County. NuttHouse was Macarone's first group. Based out of Santa Ana and Anaheim CA NuttHouse started back in the late 90's, with their first underground CD, "Some Shit from the Garage". County2County was a group compiled of many rappers and singers from Orange & Los Angeles Counties. Over the years Mac's music has evolved to a more political nature. "My music is aggressive and progressive, however I also consider myself a buffer and translator between Politics and the Streets."
Inspired by artists from several different genres of music including Tupac & NWA all the way to Rage Against The Machine, Cypress Hill & Sublime. From Public Enemy & Immortal Technique all the way to Jimi Hendrix & Janis Joplin, Macarone is moved by them all and it shows in his music.
DOP Inc Records prides itself on being the VOICES of the Po, Broke & Lonely! Our music is REAL, we promise you that! With that said, no one can be GANGSTA POLITICAL 24/7 so you can party with us too!
Facebook (DOP Inc Records)
Twitter @macaronedopinc
Youtube (youtube.com/dopincrecords)


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Contactor relays are switching devices for control and auxiliary circuits and are used to control, provide signals and interlock switching devices and switchgear panels. It goes without saying that the 3RH2 SIRIUS contactor relays have connection designations in compliance with the standard and use a connection system which is both time and cost saving – fulfilling the requirements from the field. The 3RH2 contactor relays and the size S00 motor contactors are the same size and have the same optical design; this represents a significant advantage, especially when it comes to accessories.
They are designed for AC or DC operation and are available with screw or spring-loaded technology. The basic version of the contactor relays has 4 poles but this can be extended up to 8 poles using auxiliary contact blocks which can be snapped-on.
The SIRIUS coupling relays to switch motors and auxiliary and control circuits have been especially designed to operate with electronic control systems.
The contactors distinguish themselves as a result of their low power drain and the wide operating range of the solenoids. The high contact reliability of the auxiliary contacts guarantees that there are no fault signals – even at low switching powers.
Sensitive output stages are protected against switching over voltages of the coil using an integrated sure suppressor.


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It's the season of the witch. That means it's the season for schlock movies at my place. Kansas City's up-and-coming psych powerhouse "Merlin" feels the same way. Riding the tide from their well received "Christ Killer" album; their new single "Night Creep" and B-side "Robe of Bones" (a re-imagined version of a song from an earlier release) are nothing if not fantastic tributes to the genre of crap movies.
The a-side opens with a long synth etude. For me, it instantly made me think of Argento's serial killer flicks. PROBABLY THE POINT. Then, it kicks in, and I mean kicks the door down. The song deals with imagery familiar to anybody who has seen said Italian movies: first person killer shots, knife in hand, stalking a bosomed young woman. That fast paced, heartbeat intensity so well done in all those flicks is mimicked here with skill and precision.
I've listened to almost everything this band has released, and this is their best work to date. Both as song writers and as studio musicians. If this is a view of things to come, Merlin is poised to take a much more prominent space in the rogues gallery of American psychedelia.
The release date is (or was, depending on when you're reading this) October 13. They are planning for a physical release, so look out for the 7" to be dropping before too long (call it a hunch). You'll want it. Also, they're playing a show with Orange Goblin at the Riot Room in Kansas City on December 18th. Catch them if you get the chance.
- Headshot


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What is homeopathy?
Published evidence for and against homeopathy
Homeopathic solutions
Does homeopathy work?
The placebo effect
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance,
it is the illusion of knowledge" Stephen Hawking
Homeopathy is a branch of alternative medicine, b, i created in 1796 by the disillusioned doctor Samuel Hahnemann, that is based on the surmise that an individual may be treated using minute doses d of natural materials which in larger doses would be expected to cause the same symptoms (the 'like cures like' principle). h Remedies start with such a natural material that is diluted and then subjected to a sequence of further dilutions in purified water or aqueous ethanol with considerable agitation (called succussion, see below) between dilution steps. Each dilution (as shown) results in about a 100-fold dilution and many cycles (e.g., 20, 50, 200) are performed before the remedy is used. a, g
The initial popularity of homeopathy was partially due to the unhygienic crudeness of medical procedures in the 19th century, such as bloodletting. However, 200 years later, homeopathy is still gaining popularity even if its efficacy is often disputed. The cornerstone of homeopathy that the whole clinical picture is considered, on an individual basis with generally lengthy consultations, is not in dispute. In fact, consideration of the 'whole' person is becoming more important as information concerning an individual's genome becomes clearer. However, criticism is leveled at homeopathic 'drugs', particularly as it appears to be 'just water'. Belief in whether or not dilution and shaking can have any effect on the health benefits of water (for an overview of homeopathy see for example, [484a], for a review of homeopathy research see [484b] and for a recent debate concerning Homeopathy see [1363]) depends on the presence of an acceptable working hypothesis for the mode of action (see also magnetic effects) of such shaken and overly diluted material. Certainly, a confounding aspect of any examination of the efficacy of homeopathic treatments seems to be the highly variable nature of supposedly similar homeopathic remedies from different manufacturing sources. [Back to Top ]
In spite of many (most?) people knowing of success stories (and the opposite) concerning the use of homeopathy where it is practiced [120], scientists have difficulty in regarding this form of alternative medicine as any more than a placebo effect. e The 'memory of water' is a popular phrase that is mostly associated with homeopathy [1211] following his and others' allergy research work [132]. These research teams reported that solutes subjected to sequential physical processing and dilution show biological effects different from those apparent using just the water employed for the dilutions. The subject has drawn much controversy with many 'scientists' simply rejecting it outright without studying the evidence; this 'confirmation bias' is a well-established phenomenon where evidence that supports pre-existing beliefs is readily accepted whereas evidence that undermines pre-existing beliefs is readily discarded. Whether or not this work is correctly interpreted, the value of homeopathy depends on whether it can treat ailments not on whether water has 'memory'.
Meta-analysis of 89 placebo-controlled trials failed to prove either that homeopathy was efficacious for any single clinical condition or that its positive clinical effects could entirely be due to a placebo effect [121a], thus leaving the scientific door open both ways. Further analysis of this data, however, indicated that some of these studies may have failed to avoid bias and that studies using better methodology yielded the less favorable effects [121b]. A recent analytical review has reinforced the, more negative, view concerning the clinical effectiveness of homeopathic remedies [527]. Further, a recent quality assessment of published experiments on homeopathic preparations has concluded that many were performed with inadequate controls [651]. Although a scientific trial of homeopathy conducted for the BBC and similar work reported on ABC News' 20/20 program both failed to show any homeopathic effect, the experiments they reported have been subject to serious criticism including that of careless scientific methodology and faulty protocols.
In August 2005 [840], the medical journal 'The Lancet' controversially argued for halting any further research into homeopathy concluding it has no effect other than as a placebo. This judgment was based on its simultaneous publication of a comparative study of 110 matched placebo-controlled trials of homeopathy and conventional medicine [841]. The conclusion was reached, however, in spite of the study apparently showing little evidence of differences between the two groups (homeopathy and conventional) when all the data was considered. There were differences when a tiny percentage of unmatched larger trials were cherry-picked for further analysis (that is, 102/110 of the homeopathy studies and 104/110 of the conventional studies were discarded, even though these studies had been carefully chosen in the planning of the study using a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria). c The remaining 6% of the studies, however, still showed positive (if not conclusive, possibly as the number of trials left in this final grouping was so small and unmatched) evidence in favor of a homeopathic effect over placebo. The more negative nature of the eight chosen homeopathy papers was mainly influenced by one single trial. Although Shang's study [841] has come in for considerable and rightful criticism, and there is a strong case for its retraction, as above and [1381, 1382, [1524], it is often put forward in support of the view that homeopathy works no better than as a placebo; a fact that it clearly does not deliver.
There have been several quality studies that support the effectiveness of homeopathy. In one, thirty doctors at six clinical sites in four countries enrolled patients with acute respiratory problems. 281 patients were treated with homeopathy and 175 patients treated by conventional medicine, both with mostly 5-15 minutes consultation times. After 14 days, 83 % of the homeopathy-treated reported a positive response compared with 68% of the conventionally-treated, with 22% of conventionally-treated reporting adverse events compared with 8 % for the homeopathy-treated [2450].
An independent report commissioned by the Swiss health authorities [2457], concluded in 2011, "There is sufficient evidence for the preclinical effectiveness and the clinical efficacy of homeopathy and for its safety and economy compared with conventional treatment." However, a 2013 review concluded that "There is a paucity of good - quality studies of sufficient size that examine the effectiveness of homeopathy as a treatment for any clinical condition in humans", there remains questions over the clinical effectiveness of homeopathy with neither proof for nor proof against being conclusively proven. Nevertheless, a 2014 systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials of individualized homeopathic treatments concluded that they might have small, specific treatment effects [2276].
Homeopathy is possibly effective in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Using a small study involving twenty children age 5-16 followed by ten 'controls' treated similarly but without the 'homeopathic substance', the intervention was associated with improvements in
criminality and anger [2910]. It has been shown that ultra-highly diluted homeopathic remedies have demonstrable anti-viral effects [3487].
Some of the most convincing evidence promoted in favor of homeopathy has been its use with animals. It is challenging to propose how animal studies can show any placebo effect, especially if the study is double-blinded. For example, the homeopathic preparation from the Cocculus indicus plant (cocc 30c) has been demonstrated, in a randomized double-blinded trial, to ameliorate the effects of sleep deprivation in rats [2374]. However, systematic reviews of homeopathy used in veterinary conditions studied by randomized trials have been published with the conclusion that although there is some very limited evidence that such clinical intervention is distinguishable from placebo, evidence concerning the effective use of homeopathy in animals remains indecisive [2447]. A comprehensive literature review of the peer-reviewed literature into the efficacy of homeopathy in replacing the use of antibiotics in cattle, pigs, and poultry has been completed [2826]. From 52 trials performed within 48 publications fulfilling the predefined criteria. 28 trials were in favor of homeopathy, with 26 trials showing a significantly higher efficacy in comparison to a control group, whereas 22 showed no therapeutic effect. Cure rates for the treatments with antibiotics, homeopathy or placebo varied to a high degree, while the remedy used did not seem to make a big difference with homeopathy being sometimes more effective than antimicrobials and sometimes vice versa. However, it was noted that no trial was repeated in a comparable manner and so the efficacy of homeopathy remained unproven [2216].
Recent claims to show that homeopathic treatment can ease pain in rats [3442] are somewhat invalidated by the lack of care in the experimental procedures, the paper's poor preparation, and the small sample size [3443]. The publication of such fault-ridden papers does not help the public's perceptions of homeopathy, nor the science behind homeopathy.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has assessed the evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathy [3282a]. It concluded that there are no health conditions for which there is reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective. Somewhat surprisingly, it had no homeopathic experts on their 'panel of experts'. This report has been subject to a commentary [3282a], significant criticism [3282c] and reports that it had been significantly rewritten.
The ad hominem dismissal of homeopathy by many in the medical professions is promulgated by the off-hand attitude of the medical teaching staff without the time for a proper examination of the evidence. The debate continues, with an excellent overview of this area [2449] concluding 'Plausibility bias has introduced more heat than light into the debate around homeopathy: it has fired the debate without illuminating its information content. We do not deny that homeopathy raises major scientific issues, but we remain convinced that these will eventually be resolved by application of authentic scientific method, especially in the context of further in vitro experiments'.
[Back to Top ]
A thorough investigation into the structural differences previously reported between homeopathically potentized (that is, succussed and extremely diluted) and unpotentized nitric acid solutions showed that the effect was lost or changed if different glassware was used [495]. Changes in the thermoluminescence of ice produced from ultra-diluted water have been noted [500 a] but can be explained by remaining trace amounts of material (due to poor mixing, impurities, absorption, nanobubbles (that is, nanocavities) [500d] or other causes) being concentrated between ice crystals [500b]; an explanation supported by later work [500c]. A series of papers from Academician Konovalov has proposed that physical and biological effects of highly diluted aqueous solutions differ from those expected from simple dilution and may be due to the formation of nano-sized (up to 400 nm) molecular assemblies [2207]. Also, maxima in the biological activity at very diluted concentrations (≈ 10-15 - 10-18 M), below measurable concentrations, have been widely reported [2232]. It has been shown that surface active nanoparticles may be formed during the early succussion/dilution steps. As they concentrate in the solution-air interface, they are not diluted as expected and may still be present in solutions even diluted by factors of 10400 far greater than the Avogadro limit (1023) [2375]. Thus it is probable that nanoparticles remain in homeopathic dilutions and possible that even such low concentrations have biological effects.
Changes in the NMR relaxation times [1620a, 1620c], thermochemistry [1644] and UV absorption [1620b] of water have been reported in some homeopathic preparations. There is now evidence from (blinded) NMR of a clear memory effect upon dilution/potentization of different substances (water, lactose, copper, gelsemium) as determined by 1 H spin-lattice T1 and spin-spin T2 relaxation time and average H/H distances [3055]. These experiments showed a considerable slowing down of molecular movements around water molecules up to a distance of 0.37 nm. This reinforced the evidence that homeopathic solutions cannot be considered as pure water and that there is a clear memory effect upon potentization.
Solvatochromic dyes allow intramolecular charge transfer, such as (4-[(E)-2-(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl]phenolate shown below. It has been demonstrated that homeopathic solutions influence the supramolecular chemistry of such solvatochromic dyes, enhancing either dye aggregation or dis-aggregation, depending upon the dye structure. Comparable dyes lacking charge transfer are unaffected by homeopathic potencies, suggesting potencies require the oscillating dipole of solvatochromic dyes for effective interaction [2911].
A systematic assessment of the in vitro research on high potency effects has shown positive, if only partially reproducible, effects [2238]. This may indicate a stochastic influence similar to that occurring in the (now accepted) Mpemba effect.
A key feature of any difference between water before and after its use in preparing homeopathic dilutions is likely to be the vigorous shaking (succussion) that must be carried out between successive dilutions. This may produce significantly increased concentrations of silicate, sodium and bicarbonate ions [335, 1207] by dissolution of the glass tubes a. Also, the shaking increases the nanobubbles, and changes their size [1771], and increases the redox molecules [1066, 1751] from the atmosphere. The amount of succussion has been proven to have a significant influence on treatment effectiveness [2983]. Nanobubbles may be insignificant due to their extremely high surface area/volume ratio as it is well known that organic molecules prefer to lie at aqueous interfaces [1889] allowing such solutions to absorb greater amounts of organics from the laboratory atmosphere. Indeed, there is now a body of evidence that diluted salt solutions containing nanobubbles, formed by vigorous stirring, can have clinical effects on immunological diseases [2002] and can promote growth in plants [2014] and animals [2015]. Some molecules (e.g., detergents) preferentially partition at interfaces by many orders of magnitude. Recently, a paper from Nobel prize-winning Luc Montagnier has declared that quite dilute solutions (of DNA) show entirely different properties from the less diluted solutions. The authors propose that these differences are determined by interactions with the ambient electromagnetic field [1602]. f How water may show memory is explored further in the 'memory of water' page.
[Back to Top ]
Many ridicule homeopathy out of serious consideration as a clinical practice, sometimes resorting to unscientific, unbalanced and unrefereed editorial diatribe. One of the main reasons concerning this disbelief in the efficacy of homeopathy lies in the difficulty in understanding how it might work [2065]. If an acceptable theory were available, then more people would consider it more seriously. However, it is difficult, at present, to sustain an argument as to why a truly infinitely diluted aqueous solution, consisting of just H2O molecules, should retain any difference from any other such solution. It is even more difficult to put forward a working hypothesis as to how small quantities of such 'solutions' can act to elicit a specific response when confronted with large amounts of complex solutions in a patient. A major problem in this area is that, without a testable hypothesis for the generally acknowledged potency of homeopathy (except, perhaps, flawed dilution assumptions [2375]), there is a growing possibility of others making fraudulent claims in related areas. Perhaps this is evidenced by the increasing use of the internet to advertise 'healthy' water concentrates using dubious (sometimes published but irreproducible) scientific and spiritual evidence. [Back to Top ]
a Note that 'memory of water' effects (if proven) not only require the solution to retain information on dilution but clearly require this information to be amplified to negate the effect of the dilution. [Back]
b Homeopathy is one of a wide range of historical health-care practices like traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, yoga, faith healing, chiropractic manipulation, aromatherapy, massage, hypnotherapy and folk medicines such as ginseng. Although there is much testimonial evidence supporting the efficacy of each of these practices, they all remain contentious due to lack of sufficient scientifically-rigorous proof. [Back]
c The 'cherry-picking' is clear although a rationale for some sort of selection is presented post hoc. This analysis suffered from HARKing (Hypothesizing After Results are Known) (N. L. Kerr, HARKing: Hypothesizing After the Results are Known. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2 (1998) 196-217). The study does not appear to have used a pre-determined rationale, or pre-determined parameters, in discarding trials. It completes no sensitivity analysis and ends up 'dredging' the data in an unbalanced manner, to falsify the conclusions [1524]. Further analysis of the data, provided post-publication, shows that the conclusions would have been different for almost all alternative cut-off points [1524]; that is, they would not support the conclusions that homeopathy is no more than a placebo effect or that homeopathy trials are less competent than conventional trials. [Back]
d This 'dilution' is usually so extreme that no molecules of the starting material are expected to be found in the final 'solution'. In spite of this, the efficacy (and cost) of the homeopathic remedies are often thought to be greater, the greater the dilution. [Back]
e The placebo effect. It should also be noted that placebo (from the Latin 'I will do good') effects constitute real clinical effects [121c] even though they contain just filler, such as lactose, and no active ingredients. They are widely used as control medication in medical trials. Placebos should be judged positively and probably account for a significant proportion of the success of prevailing established medicine [1474]. They may act primarily by relieving anxiety. Curiously, placebos have a greater effect in trials that do not inform patients about the possible placebo intervention, unless the placebo is presented in a positive manner. The cheerfulness and interest of the doctor in the patient also increase the placebo's effectiveness. Additionally, there must be a range of 'placebo effects' of different potencies and having different effects in different situations. As such, they surely overlap with true clinical effects. As an example, it seems clear that antidepressant medications used for many years are not efficacious and any perceived difference from placebo is due to the reduced responsiveness to placebo in the severely depressed [1455]. It should be noted that many modern medications have no effect in most people; for example, statins, commonly used to lower cholesterol, benefit only 1 in 50 and esomeprazole only benefits 1 in 25 heartburn sufferers. It seems strange to this writer that so many of those that dispute homeopathy's efficacy, saying without proof that they believe there is nothing there, are quite happy to accept that there exists a 'placebo' effect where it is known absolutely that there is nothing there. [Back]
f The extraordinary results given in this paper have yet to be independently confirmed. [Back]
g Another dilution method utilizes a clean glass vessel for each dilution step with each step involving a 10-fold dilution. [Back]
h An example is the common onion (Allium cepa), well known to cause stinging of the eyes and as a cause of tears to form. Because of this and the 'like cures like' homeopathic principle, it is thought of as a treatment for the common cold and hay fever when used at a wide range of homeopathic dilutions between 103 - 10400 fold.
Another example is mountain arnica (Arnica montana, Leopard's bane), a daisy-like mountain flower (see right). By itself, it can cause skin irritation and can be fatal if eaten. Because of this and the 'like cures like' homeopathic principle, it is thought of as a treatment for bruising and muscle pain, often by athletes. Typically, medium dilutions of between 1012 - 1060 are used as tablets or in creams.
Arsenic poisoning causes severe vomiting and diarrhea. Because of this and the 'like cures like' homeopathic principle, it is thought of as a treatment for gastroenteritis and food poisoning. The homeopathic derivative (Arsenicum album) is used at a wide range of dilutions between 103 - 10400 fold. [Back]
i Some supposedly scientific sites concerning homeopathy are governed by negligent irrational dogmatists. For example, Wikipedia states explicitly that it encourages mention of studies that show that homeopathy does not work and also states that it does not allow mention of any peer-reviewed published double-blind study that shows homeopathy works. Many authors have been hounded off Wikipedia pages for trying to present a balanced view. On this site, I look carefully at the evidence. [Back]
[Back to Top ]
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This page was established in 2001 and last updated by Martin Chaplin on 1 May, 2019


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Tom Sims, Executive Director of Cape May Film Society, reviews "Get Low"
I'm not sure if I've ever said this about a movie: I wanted it to be so much better. And don't get me wrong, Get Low, starring Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and Bill Murray, was very good — better than most movies today. It has all the ingredients of a superior film: excellent dialogue, some of the best performances from a stellar cast, and beautiful cinematography. But maybe there was too much exposition, or too little interest in a core story event. Whatever the case, the movie fell a little flat after starting with such effervescence.
That said, it's still better than most films out there. Robert Duvall gives one of the best performances as outcast town hermit Felix Bush. Town folk tell stories about Felix, although none of them have particularly outlandish stories to tell. Felix wants them to tell all these stories at his funeral… with him present. Bill Murray plays Frank Quinn, the local undertaker who complains about how slowly people die in this town. He's approached by Bush to host the funeral and is more than willing to oblige.
Sissy Spacek is also wonderfully cast as Felix's long-lost companion, Mattie, who stirs up the secrets of Felix's past. I wasn't so impressed with those secrets as I was with the slowly-crafted and wonderfully-shot sequences leading up to it. The rest of the cast was all properly placed, especially Bill Cobbs (one of the busiest and finest character actors in history) as Reverend Charlie Jackson, who seems to know the secret to Felix's past. The film was directed by Aaron Schneider, a relatively new director who won an Academy Award for his short film Two Soldiers in 2004.
I would recommend this film for its stylish cinematography and performances from an Oscar-winning cast. Trivia Question: For a free weekend pass to the Cape May Film Festival, name one of the Academy Awards won by Sissy Spacek or Robert Duvall (two passes goes to the first person who can name both plus the Oscar nomination for Bill Murray). Send answers to firstname.lastname@example.com.
We are also reviewing films for the 10th annual Cape May Film Festival, and there are some notable films, including Wake, which will have its New Jersey premiere at our festival. This is an uplifting and poignant story of loss and honor. Beautiful camera work and tender storytelling will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression. Join us October 22-24 at the Chalfonte Hotel, and email us for more frequent updates.


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Hey, we promised you an exclusive interview from the KUDURO DONS and here we have it.
The GODFATHER OF KUDURO, TONY AMADO is interviewed by the GODFATHER OF KUDURO IN THE WEST, FREDERIC GALLIANO.
Galliano (our brother, whose a very good looking boy too…hahahaha) did this exclusively for your homies' GENERATION BASS!
Tony was in France to do a live gig and some dance performance show-cases and luckily Fred was there with him too and took the time out especially to do this short "fun" interview for US!
What can we say, THANK U Mr Galliano and Mr. Amado!
Wow, it means a hell of a lot to us to be mentioned in such ground-breaking and innovative company. Tony and Fred are artists, who we have admired for a long time!
Not only do we have a short video interview for you but also a free inedit TONY AMADO track for download!!!


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Houses of worship of many faiths and denominations are using tablet-powered touch screen kiosks and iPad kiosk stands to streamline rituals and ensure a safe environment for families. Connected to databases and complementary technologies, Armodilo-secured tablets are making the routines of worship better.
Whether churches, temples, synagogues or mosques, there are practices that have been passed along for decades that are made more efficient by applying interactive display technology. Check out our case studies and inspirations page for great examples of tablet and iPad kiosks in use in worship settings.
Award-winning intuitive design makes Sphere a natural for e-giving, interactive signage and children's check in.
Free-standing, elegant, lightweight & sturdy. Floor is perfect for giving-kiosks, sign-in stations and information stands.
Elegant and minimal, Curve is secure counter or desktop tablet enclosure that's easy to move from area to area as needed.
The times before and after services and other gatherings can be mayhem for the volunteers who run drop-off childcare services in places of faith, particularly churches hosting thousands of worshippers at a single service.
Sign-in/sign-out sheets used by parents and volunteers to keep track of children at the front desk are being replaced by tablet-powered touch screen kiosks equipped with software that much more efficiently and accurately tracks the whereabouts of children.
Some congregations are using tablet-powered check-in kiosks that take photos of a parent on check-in and generate a print-out for that parent, who then needs to produce that and match the image against what's in the system for the kids.
The timeless practice of passing donation plates through the seats of a chapel are starting to be replaced by more efficient self-service kiosks for e-giving. Tablet kiosks equipped with magnetic stripe readers or other technology are allowing worshippers to walk up and use their credit card to make a donation, instead of resorting to writing checks or ensuring they have sufficient cash with them. It's making it easier for members to contribute, and reducing the need for cash and check handling by the house of worship's staff and volunteers.
Places like churches are not traditional retailers, but many houses of worship sell items like books and services. New, inexpensive, and attractive tablet and iPad POS systems are using tablets and cloud-based management and payment systems to allow organizations to process transactions easily while looking good and lasting as long as they are needed.
A lot goes on at a house of worship week to week - between services, meetings, fundraising activities and more. The old means of communicating all that was bulletin boards, leaflets and newsletters. The new, more efficient means involves interactive digital signage consisting of counter or wall-mounted tablets and iPad kiosk stands that can provide easily-updated events and meetings calendars, directories, notices, or even volunteer registration.
Tablets are particularly well-suited to houses of worship challenged by communications issues, even under tight budgets. Tablet-powered digital signage can deliver great value at relatively low-cost, on a platform all members of your congregation will find familiar and friendly.


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This is from The Florida Times Union.
Some hopey changers had their house party broken up.
So they decide to go to Wal-Mart to trash the store and steal.
They feel they are owed some thing by white folks.
A huge house party broken up by police in a North Jacksonville subdivision didn't end there Saturday night as hundreds of young partygoers ignited a flash mob at the Lem Turner Road Walmart Supercenter.
They caused havoc that was recorded and posted on YouTube until Tuesday afternoon, while one person reported being shot during the party.
The Sheriff's Office said investigations into both are "active and ongoing." The shooting is being investigated by the aggravated battery unit detectives while patrol officers follow up on the Walmart incident.
Walmart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said she learned of the incident Saturday night, then spoke with the shift manager at the 12100 Lem Turner Road store. She said the YouTube video is being reviewed, and that the employees did as they were trained by steering clear of the chaos and calling police.
"The actions of these teenagers was deplorable and put at risk the safety of innocent bystanders, staff and customers," Gee said. "We are committed to assisting law enforcement in any way we can to identify the people responsible for the commotion, including acts of vandalism and thefts at the store."
It started with officers being called to the Sampson Road subdivision in the 12600 block just before 10 p.m. They radioed for help to provide crowd and traffic control, according to the police report.
As police cleared the scene, they learned a 20-year-old was at Shands Jacksonville saying he had been shot in the right leg as he was leaving the party. He told officers he heard gunshots as he reached Sampson and Percy roads, so he started running, then realized he had been shot.
He said he didn't see a gun or anyone who could have shot him since "the crowd of people was so large," according to the report.
The Sampson Road homeowner couldn't be reached for comment. Neighbor Cynthia Cue said she didn't hear any gunshots that night but heard sirens as police arrived to handle what she was told was a party mimicking the new movie, "Project X." That film follows three high school students who throw an unforgettable party that gets way out of hand.
"I heard the party, I sure did," she said.
People left the "massive house party" and went about two miles to the Walmart, where more shots were fired about 11:20 p.m., according to a second police report.
Men and women, most appearing to be teens on the YouTube video, threw produce around as they crowded into the store. The three-minute video shows people riding shopping carts and mugging for the camera in what apparently lasted several minutes.
Gee said snacks and sodas were stolen, but no one was hurt and damage was minimal. A store security scanner also was damaged as everybody fled, the police report said.
No identifiable Walmart employees are seen during the video. The gunshots were fired into the air outside the store, but no cars or people were hit, the report said.
Flash mobs are usually a group of people who dance or sing together in a public place, captured on social media. But so-called "flash robs" like this one are a recent phenomena. Late June 18 a group of about 40 teens took over a supermarket in Portland, Ore., stealing items and terrorizing patrons before they were chased out, according to KGW-TV. And late Saturday, about 50 people crowded into a Silver Springs, Md., convenience store and stole snacks and drinks. Police said they dealt with a similar mob in August at another convenience store in Germantown, Md., according to WMAL-AM radio.


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Premier Range
The Premier Range Oak Doors, Designed and Precision Manufactured by Experts If you're looking for a designer-quality bespoke oak door at an affordable, off-the-shelf price, then you'll find exactly what you're looking for in our exclusive Premier Range. Each Premier Range oak front door is fitted with a 2.5mm oak fascia veneer at both the back and front, presenting you with an unbeatable finish that will suit any home or commercial property. And because this veneer stains so well, your new oak door can be easily customised and coloured, quickly fitting in with your interior or exterior designs. 20x40mm lippings in Grade A oak are also available across the Premier Range. Our doors offer more than just an appealing look. Solidly built around a hardwood oak core, the Premier Range are completely secure. In fact, here at frontdoorshop, we trust the Premier Range oak doors to protect our own property! Because we're so familiar with these doors, we're able to alter them to meet your exact requirements – changing the door's size to fit any entrance or exit. We'll even swap out the standard opaque glass for clear glass or stainless steel inserts to meet your design and security needs. You simply won't find a better quality door at a more affordable price. So take advantage of our amazing rates by calling 01702 421 199, or by selecting the door you need from our online store.
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Amid brouhaha, suspended IAS officer quietly reports to revenue board
Suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal on Tuesday reported to the Board of Revenue here on Tuesday.lucknow Updated: Jul 31, 2013 11:48 IST
Hindustan Times
Suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal on Tuesday reported to the Board of Revenue on Tuesday.
The 2010-batch officer, who was attached to the board after her suspension as the sub-divisional magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar, kept it a hush-hush affair to avoid the media, sources said.
Her cell phone was found to be switched off the whole day.
"She came to the board office around 4pm, met chairman Jagan Mathews and left shortly afterwards," the sources told Hindustan Times.
On the other hand, the suspension of the young officer, who was cracking down on the sand mafia, was keenly discussed with different officers interpreting it differently.
"The officer may have been a bit rash in razing the wall of a religious place, but the government could have taught her a lesson by shunting her out. The suspension could have been avoided since she had just begun her career," said a senior IAS officer, adding, "We must not lose sight of the fact that she is a young IAS officer and we all used to be rash and full of zeal when we joined the service."
But justifying her suspension, another IAS officer said her action could have flared up communal tension in the state.
"She should not have bulldozed the wall of an under-construction place of worship even if the construction was illegal," he said, adding, "She should have first served a show-cause notice on the parties concerned instead of demolishing the wall outright."
He claimed the officer's crackdown on the sand mafia had nothing to do with her suspension. "She had been launching the drive against the sand mafia, seizing their dumpers and lodging FIRs for over a month," he said and asked: "Can any officer do this for so long without the government's support?"
However, sources close to Nagpal claimed the crackdown on the sand mafia had hit the interests of a local Samajwadi Party leader's brother and this was the main reason for her suspension.
"The SP leader called up the CM secretariat at night and blew the 'wall razing issue' out of proportion. Claiming that her action could spark off communal riots in the region, he got her suspended," said an official posted in Ghaziabad and close to Nagpal.
He said that it was also wrong to call the wall a place of worship.
"How can a wall become part of a place of worship unless the entire structure is in place and prayers are offered there ?" he questioned and insisted that it was simply a structure coming up on public property in violation of the Supreme Court ruling.
"It also important to note that a Muslim CO was with Nagpal on the spot in the village and was equally responsible for demolishing the wall."
Nagpal, originally from the Punjab cadre, shifted to UP cadre after she married an IAS officer Abhishek Singh from UP.
First Published: Jul 31, 2013 11:44 IST


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7-9 Leytonstone Road
Maryland point, stratford, London E15 1JA.
About Us
Take Away
Contact Us
Welcome to thailander! A true taste of Thai Food is Awaiting for you!
Immerse yourself in Thailanders authentic atmosphere: its decor of ornate Thai artifacts, wall hanging, and tranquil ambiance. Relax your senses and experience the subtle flavours of traditional Thai food. Our Thai chefs have devised some truly mouth-watering feasts as well as a very extensive menu.
We offer a large selection of Thai dishes including appetizers, entrees, soups, and desserts. Be mesmerized by our flavourful tom yum soup, original Thai green curry, or seafood dishes. Freshly prepared from local produce our menu can be tailored to suit all tastes including vegetarians and those who do not like their food too spicy. Please take a moment to read through our menu, a huge variety of Thai food is for your selection. If you come across some unfamiliar ingredients, please do not hesitate to ask our staff, who will be happy to assist you.
We strive to offer you the best Thai food experience youd ever have! Let us introduce you to the authentic flavours of Thai.
Copyright © 2009 Thailander.
website design london
- Blue IT Services


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I can't remember when I first decided that the psychiatric classifications I'd learned in medical school had outlived their usefulness. It was probably a gradual process, but by 2005 I wrote to a colleague "DSM IV was great in its day, but new knowledge is breaking down the simplistic classifications of the 1960s and 1970s. Schizophrenia, autism, etc -- bah, humbug. Those labels are better than nothing, but humans tend to confuse labels with reality …".
A few months later I took my rants public and went on for about 30 posts or so. Soon I learned I wasn't alone, and by 2010 victory was in sight. I was a solitary crank no more.
After a bit of a hiatus the end came quickly, first with a frontal attack by the director of the National Institutes of Mental Health, then, amazingly, a NYT editorial. I mean, really, an editorial?
It's been one heck of a ride over the past 8 years. This rebellion must have been brewing for much longer in the research community, but I've been following this area pretty closely and it was cool to see it grow from nowhere to become a consensus. (I may be a crank, but I'm not crazy. I know my posts had no effect on this transformation.)
Okay, science has won. So now what ….
Well, for now, we keep on using our legacy classifications -- either DSM IV or V, they're equally valid and equally invalid. Terms like "autism" [1], "schizophrenia", "depression", OCD, ADHD, and "bipolar disorder" will remain guides to initial pharmaceutical therapy. Even more importantly, they will be the basis of reimbursement, regulation, disability support, and legal process for years (decades?) to come.
At the same time researchers will be using new terms to group people who seem to share common biology, including genetic programs and common protein expression. Those groups will cross traditional boundaries like childhood schizophrenia and autism; they will include some atypical minds that may be highly functional or advantageous in certain environments -- but that share traits with persons who live with disability.
From new classifications will come better prognosis, better guides to treatment, and better outcomes. Our best guide to what lies ahead is to look back to the early 20th century, when people like William Osler and his colleagues rewrote the medical textbooks. In those days terms like "dropsy" were used to describe patients with heart failure, renal failure, lymphatic obstruction and venous valve failure. Four very different biological processes were assigned the same label and similar treatments. Reclassifying those patients was a first step towards scientific medicine.
Psychiatry, powered by the neuroscience renaissance of the past thirty years, is now taking the same journey.
[1] Aspergers', traditionally considered an autism variant, was dropped in the revised classification of disorders called DSM V. I understand the logic, but I actually think Aspergers was a relatively useful label. Ironic that we lost that one first.
Update 5/18/13 - my favorite psychiatrist blogger summed up our past and future worlds in two short posts:


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HONG KONG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A
(Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a" of KB
Insurance Co., Ltd. (KB Insurance) (South Korea). The outlook of these
Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.
The ratings reflect KB Insurance's balance sheet strength, which A.M.
Best categorizes as strong, as well as its adequate operating
performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk
management (ERM). The ratings also consider the strategic importance and
support KB Insurance receives from the parent company, KB Financial
Group Inc. (KB Group).
KB Insurance's risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's
Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is at the very strong level. The company
has a conservative investment portfolio and growing capital and surplus,
having benefited from improved profitability and a relatively low
dividend payout ratio. Asset leverage has declined over the past five
years but remains high, exposing the company's capital and surplus to
asset valuation change.
KBI's operating performance has improved over the past five years albeit
with moderate volatility. The improvement was driven mainly by
increasing net investment income. The company's combined ratio, which
had underperformed its major peers historically, has caught up over the
past three years. However, the company's overall operating performance
still trails its major peers.
KBI is the fourth-largest non-life insurer in South Korea. The company
benefits from the KB brand and from being a wholly owned subsidiary of
the KB Group. Nevertheless, KBI's overseas business profile is limited,
and in particular, the company's U.S. business has struggled with poor
operating performance for the past years.
A.M. Best considers the company's risk management capabilities as
appropriate for its risk profile. KB Insurance has been improving its
risk management framework as it prepares for upcoming regulatory
changes. The company benefits from the group's risk management expertise
and its integrated ERM.
KB Insurance is important to the group in terms of business
diversification and enables the group to provide a wider range of
financial services. The group provided KB Insurance with capital support
in 2015 and 2016, and turned it into a wholly owned subsidiary in 2017.
KB Insurance also benefits from implicit support in areas such as
investment, human resources and business infrastructure.
Positive rating action is unlikely in the near term. Negative rating
actions could occur if there is a material deterioration in the
company's risk-adjusted capitalization. Negative rating actions could
occur if there is a significant decline in the parent company's
financial strength and credit profile.
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication.
Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published
on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the
release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office
responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in
this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent
Rating Activity web page. For additional information
regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding
Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media
use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide
for Media – Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating
Action Press Releases.
A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a
unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com
for more information.
Copyright © 2018 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its
affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
A.M. Best
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Associate Financial Analyst
2827 3407
Director, Analytics
+852 2827 3413
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
Director, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644


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Insert a unique token like the following into your page and see who references it on the Internet,
To generate your own unique reference you can do something like the following,
echo -n yourname | shasum -a256
Replace the "yourname" string with anything sort of random and you will receive your own hash you can place into your page. I'm not suggesting any of this is new or novel I'm just interested to see if this shows up in search results. Enjoy!


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Top Ten Reasons to Make Sausage White Bean Kale Soup
1. It's got sausage.
2. It's a one pot meal.
3. It tastes like all day flavor, but it's not.
4. It makes leftovers.
5. It looks like Christmas.
6. It's an easy way to eat kale without tasting it, if you're into that.
7. My husband declared it the best soup ever.
8. It's easily substitute-able; kidney for white, swiss chard for kale, pork sausage if you declare.
9. You don't need stock. Yeah that's right.
10. It takes 30 minutes. Real time 30 minutes.
Did a search on my blog yesterday for soup.
I believe "are you kidding me?" was the exact language expelling from my lips when I realized there was only one soup recipe on The Talking Kitchen. And it's not even original.
Lauren, "no soup for you!"
So obviously I had to make some, seeing as how it's cold outside, and I may or may not be fighting off a multitude of viruses from all the sick kids parents send to school. (sorry, but at that age they don't get the whole personal space thing too well :))
Ah, who cares, soup heals all. Especially soup that tastes this good.
Although I hadn't made this exact variation before, this recipe 'idea' spawned from living alone after my husband
abandoned me had to move to California a few months early and left a plentiful cooker to prepare for just one. Trader Joes chicken sausage to the rescue! One sausage browned, shallot sauteed, pan deglazed and whole wheat couscoused later, dinner for one was served.
I'm not living alone these days, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with the whole work thing, holiday thing, gotta get all my work done so I can go on vacation to then come back and make up all my work thing.
30 minute soup is exactly what the food doctor called for!
Good thing too cause I was feeling too much wear with all this recipe restriction from baking these and these. "I'm a peacock, you gotta let me fly!" (name that movie) So I did, I flew right into the kitchen, opened up the pantry doors, and let it speak to me.
This is what I got:
A can of diced tomatoes and cannelloni beans spoke to me, they said, "get some chicken sausage out of the fridge and one of those onions from the counter top, Let's Have a Party!"
Yeah, they really said that.
Your food doesn't talk to you?
What, you don't have parties with your food?
What are you eating?
And then for a moment I felt bad. I thought I was gonna have to tell my Beans and Tomatoers that we couldn't have a party cause Stock is out of town.
And then I was like, "forget you stock, you're missing out. Water is ALWAYS in town.
And so it was.
30 minutes later, party in my mouth.
Here's an informal invitation from The Talking Kitchen to have a party in your mouth too.
Have at it!
sausage white bean kale soup
serves 4-6
5 chicken sausages
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried spices mix (I used oregano, parsley, onion, garlic, paprika)
1 bay leaf
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 c. filtered water or stock
6 stalks of kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
1. In a medium-large saucepan heat the oil over medium high heat, add the sausage (by squeezing it out of it's casing) and cook until browned, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add onions and cook 3-4 minutes then add shallot and garlic. Add all the spices, stir and sauté for 1-2 more minutes.
3. Next, start by adding one cup of the water, using the back of a wooden spoon, scrap all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. THIS STUFF IS GOLDEN. Then add in the tomatoes, rinsed beans and cooked sausage. Add the rest of the water, plus or minus a cup depending on your soup-thickness preference.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for at least 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
5. The kale can be added right before serving (about a stalk per serving) or at the end. (which is now.)
6. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Tags: Beans, Garlic, hearty, kale, Onion, sausage, soup, tomatoes


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Gem Club is an American chamber pop band formed in Somerville, Massachusetts in 2010 by singer-songwriter Christopher Barnes.
Using little more than piano, cello, and Christopher Barnes' heartbreaking, glacial vocals, the Boston duo with Barnes on the piano and Kirsten Drymala on cello creates music that wafts by like a cloud.
- Find this tune on iTunes @ Breakers.
- Find their new 2014 album here: In Roses.
- Gem Club Bio: iamgemclub.com. Gem Club on Facebook.


text:
Claims Analyst - Schaumburg, IL
- Company
- Location
- Schaumburg IL
- Salary
- Posted
- February 23 2018
- Industry
- Insurance, Securities
- Position
- Claims
Functional Area:
CL - Claims
Estimated Travel Percentage (%): No Travel
Relocation Provided: No
AIG Claims, Inc.
The Claims Analyst must have the ability to handle automobile claims assigned across various regions.
Position Responsibilities:
- Investigate claims, and make timely decisions by analyzing information gathered during investigation, appropriately analyzing coverage, determining liability and evaluating damages.
- Interact with insureds, brokers, and other claims professionals.
- Ability to operate independently within authority limits.
- Position will be expected to deliver an exceptional level of customer service throughout the claims.
Job Requirements:
- Three to five years' experience handling personal lines automobile physical damage claims.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
- Knowledge of negligence laws, state regulations, statutes and procedures.
- Possesses sound judgment and decision making ability.
- Ability to prioritize workload to respond to changing workplace demands.
- Experience with high net worth markets desired.
It has been and will continue to be the policy of American International Group, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, age, gender, gender expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected categories.
At AIG, we believe that diversity and inclusion are critical to our future and our mission - creating a foundation for a creative workplace that leads to innovation, growth, and profitability. Through a wide variety of programs and initiatives, we invest in each employee, seeking to ensure that our people are not only respected as individuals, but also truly valued for their unique perspectives


text:
Studies on the Antidiabetic and Antinephritic Activities of Paecilomyces hepiali Water Extract in Diet-Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Sprague Dawley Rats
Studies on the Antidiabetic and Antinephritic Activities of Paecilomyces hepiali Water Extract in Diet-Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Sprague Dawley Rats - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.
Journal of Diabetes Research - Volume 2016 2016, Article ID 4368380, 10 pages -
Research ArticleSchool of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Received 3 November 2015; Revised 27 January 2016; Accepted 1 February 2016
Academic Editor: Carlos Martinez Salgado
Copyright © 2016 Juan Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Paecilomyces hepiali is a fungus widely used in Asian countries for various potential pharmacological activities. The present study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic and antinephritic effects of the Paecilomyces hepiali mycelium water extract PHC in diabetic rat, which is established by eight-week high-fat diet administration followed by one-week tail intravenous injection of 25 mg-kg streptozotocin STZ. After four-week 0.12 g-kg metformin and PHC at doses of 0.08, 0.4, and 2.0 g-kg treatment, an increment of body weight, a decrement of plasma glucose, low levels of total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in diabetic rats were observed. PHC promotes glucose metabolism by enhancing insulin, pyruvate kinase activity, and increasing the synthesis of glycogen. PHC normalized the disturbed levels of superoxide dismutase, methane dicarboxylic aldehyde, and glutathione peroxidase in kidney. The inhibitory effects on the levels of interleukin-2, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor- in serum and kidney revealed the protection of PHC against diabetic nephropathy. Compared with nontreated diabetic rats, four-week PHC treatment resulted in a decrement on nuclear factor kappa B expression in kidney. These results show that Paecilomyces hepiali possesses antidiabetic and antinephritic effects which are related to the modulation of nuclear factor kappa B activity.
Author: Juan Wang, Lirong Teng, Yange Liu, Wenji Hu, Wenqi Chen, Xi Hu, Yingwu Wang, and Di Wang
Source: https://www.hindawi.com/


text: MLC is a leading Professional Business Mandarin program provider in Malaysia. MLC is founded by a group of experienced and highly qualified Mandarin trainer who are well-acquainted with corporate programs. The company's vision is to provide a Mandarin learning experience that is effective, interactive and fun for participants of all ages.


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Before we even started our foster parent classes, I had already searched the internet with a fine tooth comb, looking for ways to prepare for our Home Study. I could not find a really good list, all in one place, that would help me to get my house in order. I say 'in order' because I wanted to make sure that I crossed every 't' and dotted every 'i'. I knew that there were things that wouldn't cross my mind, things that most people do not think of. The list that I have compiled actually comes from many different lists from several different states. Everything on this list is designed to prevent or protect a child…..and you can be sure that if it is on these lists, something has happened to make it necessary to be on a safety check-list.
Let me be clear…..this list is not an official 'Foster Care Home Study List'. Nor must you do everything on this list or you will not be approved. My family just decided to be extremely prepared, so as not to hold up the process….we were that excited! At our Home Study, our social worker was very surprised at how well prepared we were. She only needed to tell us to straighten up our wood pile, but I have included that in the list now, so no worries. But, remember, your state could have just one thing extra that is not on this list…so don't be discouraged if you have one or two things left to do, even if you followed this list to the letter. So, without further ado, here is the list that you can print off and check off as you prepare.
Outside in the Yard:
_______Hot Tubs, ponds, or wading pools, if applicable, has a lockable cover or is surrounded by a five (5) foot fence with a lockable gate and is only used by children with adult supervision.
_______Above ground swimming pools must have a removable ladder that is removed when the pool is not in use, or a barricade preventing access to the pool.
_______Swimming pool at the home, condo, apartment complex or sub-division, is fenced with at least a five (5) foot high fence with a lockable gate. If a lockable cover is used, it has to support the weight of an adult. The lock is no more that six (6) inches from the top of the gate. Toxic pool maintenance products are kept in locked storage. Life preservers must be readily accessible and the area must be kept free of glass, sharp objects and debris.
_______Fence, if applicable, is in good condition with no broken parts, sharp edges, or points.
_______Yard is free of debris, spare auto parts, appliances, scrap metal, etc. Non-operational vehicles are kept locked, repaired promptly or towed off the premises.
_______Wood piles must be stacked neatly and in a one location.
_______Swing sets, play houses, sand boxes, slides, and other children's play equipment must be in good working order with no splits, cracks, tears, sharp edges, splintering, points, etc.
_______Sheds that house lawn equipment, pesticides, gasoline, poisonous substances, etc., must have a working door that remains locked.
_______All poisonous and combustible materials must be stored away from food items and lock up at all times. These items include, but are not limited to, paint thinner, glue, paint, oil, gasoline, washes, chemical cleaners, disinfectants, insecticides, etc.
_______There is a trash can with lid.
_______Old appliances not in use that are stored on the premises are kept chained shut, lock, or have the doors removed.
_______Garage is uncluttered. If used for storage, items are stored in a safe manner with no loose materials left lying around. Boxes and cartons must be stacked safely so as not to fall over.
_______Garage door to outside, and if it is an attached garage, the door to the house, remains locked at all times.
_______If washer and dryer is housed in the garage, they are free from clutter and are in good working order.
_______Power tools and equipment are stored safely and are inaccessible to children.
_______Garage is well lit.
_______Floors are swept and uncluttered.
_______If vehicles are parked inside the garage, there must be adequate walk way space around the vehicle to the entry and exit doors.
_______All cabinets that house chemical cleaners or anything dangerous or hazardous to children must be locked or have safety latches in place on cabinet doors.
_______Refrigerator and freezer are in good working order, maintain appropriate temperatures to prevent food spoilage, and are clean.
_______Counter tops, sinks, and work areas are clean, sanitary and in good repair.
_______Stove/oven are free of grease and grime and operate properly.
_______Dishwasher, if applicable, is working properly at appropriate water temperatures assuring sanitation.
_______Cooking and eating utensils are in good condition. Adequate place settings and seating in dining area for all household members to eat together.
_______Sufficient kitchen area for food storage and preparation according to the family's size.
_______Home canned foods are processed in accordance with UCAES standards.
_______All food that has been prepared or opened (cans) are stored in airtight containers at appropriate temperatures.
_______Alcohol (beer, wine, liquors) are stored in a locked cabinet.
_______Sharp tools such as scissors, knives, etc. are stored in a place inaccessible to children.
_______Matches or lighters are stored in a place inaccessible to children.
_______One week supply of perishables and two weeks supply of staples.dry food on hand, and adequate space to store food. Fresh fruit, fruit juices, and milk are always available.
_______Floors are swept and free of food and dirt.
_______All medicines are in a locked box, inaccessible to children.
_______First Aid kit is complete and stored in a conveniently reachable place. First Aid kit should contain:
___thermometer (non-mercury)
___band-aids in various sizes
___medical tape
___sterilized bandages
___health care gloves (latex free)
___ace bandages
___cotton balls
___antiseptic wipes
___rubbing alcohol
___burn ointment
___triple antibiotic ointment
___anti-itch ointment
___Calamine lotion
___allergy Medicine (such as Benedryl)
___pain reliever
___children's pain reliever/fever reducer (small bottle so you do not waste due to expiration dates)
___hand sanitizer
___heating pad or hot water bottle
___teething gel (if you will accept infant/toddler foster children)
___first aid guide
___anything else that the American Red Cross suggests to put into your home first aid kit.
_______Sinks, tubs, shower heads, faucets, and toilets are all clean, clear of mold and mildew, and in working order. No chipped tiles, or anything cracked or sharp.
_______Electrical appliances are not used or stored around sink or bathing areas (this includes curling irons, flat irons, blow dryers, curlers, etc.)
_______Have enough towels and wash clothes for each member of the family.
_______Non-skid mat on bath tub floor, if floor is slick.
_______Trash can in place.
_______No more than two children per bedroom (this may be different in different states and within different local agencies. Always check before purchasing furniture, etc.)
_______Children five (5) years and older must share a room with a child of the same gender.
_______Children two years and older cannot share a room with an adult.
_______The upper bed of a bunk bed must have a safety railing. Ladder must be of sound construction. Children under the age of five (5) may not sleep on the top bunk.
_______All mattress's and pillows must be in good repair.
_______Sheets should be clean and in good repair.
_______Adequate blankets and comforters should be provided.
_______No more that one infant may be placed in the master bedroom with parents.
_______No room commonly used for other purposes can be used as a bedroom and a bedroom cannot be a passage way to another room.
_______A clothing inventory form will be completed prior to placement. (Clothing Vouchers are sometimes given when a child is placed in your care, especially if the child does not have clothing with them. Clothing Vouchers are also given twice annually in my state, one in the spring and one in the fall. It is important for you to keep a list of the clothes and shoes that you purchased with these vouchers and a list of the clothes and shoes that you acquired in that particular size before the child was placed with you. That way, if the child is later placed with relatives, returned home to their parents, or adopted, you know which clothes to send home with them. You may only keep clothing that you purchased or acquired yourself).
_______A land-line phone may be required in certain states or local agencies, and a cell phone may be sufficient in others. Best to check. We have both to be on the safe side.
_______All firearms (certain types of weapons are banned, so check with your local agency) must be stored unloaded in a locked cabinet with trigger locks. Ammunition must be locked in a box, separate from the actual weapon and in a different location.
Fire Safety:
_______Fire extinguishers must be readily available and fully charged. One fire extinguisher per floor is required. The minimum required capacity must be 2A10BC in size.
_______Smoke detectors are working and installed in the following places: every bedroom, living room, kitchen, laundry room, garage, and family room.
_______A Fire Evacuation Plan is posted by all bedrooms and by all doorways (if you need help with this I have a post devoted to fire evacuation plans)
_______Second story fire evacuation ladder. These can be purchased for about $20.00 at Wal-Mart, for a one-time use type of fire evacuation ladder. Keep it in the box by the window that you have deemed your escape window. You just open the window, secure it on the window sill, and throw the ropes down. The one-time use models cannot be practiced with.
General Household:
______House appears reasonably neat and clutter free.
______Windows have screens in good repair.
______Windows have curtains or shades to provide privacy.
______Windows are intact and can be opened and closed easily.
______Carpets are clean and are in good repair.
______Floors are clean and are in good repair.
______Ceilings, corners, closets, and window frames are free of dirt and cobwebs.
______Electrical switches and receptacles are in good working order.
______Heating is in good working order, well vented, and able to be turned off.
______Heating capable of heating entire house to comfort. If not, what are alternative modes of heating>
______Air conditioning system is operable and in good working order.
______Hot water source is large enough for household needs and area around it is clean.
______Hot water is between 105 and 120 degrees at the faucets.
______Fireplaces, wood stoves, and open faced heaters shall be made inaccessible to children by the use of screens or other barriers.
______Hallways and bedrooms have clear passages, and all rooms including hallways, passages, and outside doorways and walkways have adequate lighting.
______Furniture is free of sharp edges and broken pieces.
______All doors, doorways and screen doors, are in good repair, and can be locked from the inside.
______Flashlights are readily available in case of power failure and batteries are checked regularly (every three months).
______BB guns, paintball guns, and airsoft guns must be locked in a closet or cabinet, away from small children.
______All pets must have a city license and a rabies shot (some agencies might require more shots, so always check).
Tips for further organization and safety:
1. Medicines and cleaning supplies. We have a closet downstairs that we have shelves in. We store all of our cleaning supplies, including dishwasher and dish soap. We also have clear plastic shoe box size containers labeled 'syrups' (cough syrups, etc.), 'pain relievers', 'first aid', 'daily medicines', and 'prescription medicines'. All of our medicines are organized into these boxes on another shelf within the closet. We have installed a lock on the door that is at adult head level. This way, we do not have to lock up any cabinets in the kitchen, as we do not store any type of cleaner, even dish soap in there. It took us a while to get into the habit of going to the closet to get our supplies, but now it is commonplace and we do not have to worry about a child getting into anything that could hurt them. We also do not keep any type of medicines in the bathrooms. We keep a black security style box that has a key lock (which can be purchased at Wal-Mart for about $15.00) which we keep upstairs in our linen closet (locked of course). We have children's medicines in it, and any duplicate medicines from downstairs that we may need in the middle of the night. This way, it is never a question of safety and always secured and worry-free.
2. Thermometer. If you have a child who has been physically or sexually abused, has spent a considerable time in the hospital or has had numerous doctor's appointments for that abuse, you may have an issue getting a child's temperature. Forget an anal temperature, some children may resist you trying to get a reading under their arm or using an ear thermometer. We have such a child, and we found a miracle answer to our prayers! A forehead thermometer that takes a temperature in 2 seconds. You just swipe it over their forehead and wha-la!…your done before they even realized that their temperature was taken. I am sure that most of the young mothers have already heard of and own these new fan-dangled contraptions, but when my kids were little over 13 or 14 years ago, they didn't have this style!
3. Clothing. As soon as we nailed down the decision to foster, I began the nesting phase. I visited my local thrift stores weekly, until I had acquired five (5) days worth of outfits and shoes for a boy and a girl in various sizes according to the age group of children that we would accept. We also put the word out with our friends about any clothing that anyone was giving away. There is a wardrobe for summer and a wardrobe for winter. I have I store these clothes in cardboard Banker Boxes, then I write the gender and size on the front of the box. I have all of these boxes stored neatly in my garage, off of the floor in case it floods. When I receive a child, I can check the size of the outfit they are wearing when they walk in the door (presuming that it is a good fit and not too big or too small) and go right to that box without any hassle. It may seem that this is overkill, but it is always best to be prepared and these clothes can be used child after child, as you have acquired them yourself. I also want to keep costs down, so I never pay over $1.50 for any one article of clothing, and never more than $3 for a pair of shoes. If you cannot afford to have several sizes with five outfits each, then at least have one outfit in each size, each gender, and for each season. You would be surprised to see what type of disheveled clothing these children show up with. Thrift stores are awesome, most of what I buy is a brand name, and not even Wal-Mart can beat those prices!
Here is a check list so you can put together a week's wardrobe for a new child:
___(3) sleepers (infant) pajama short sets (if toddler or older)
___(5) onsies (if infant)
___(5) training pants (if toddler is not potty trained)
___(5) underpants (if already potty trained)
___(1) bathing suit
___(1) bathing suit Cover-up (if a girl)
___(5) pairs of white socks
___(5) shirts
___(5) shorts
___(5) dresses (if a girl)
___(3) sleepers (if infant) footie pajamas (if toddler), or long sleeve pajamas (if older)
___(5) under shirts
___(5) underpants (can use underpants from summer wardrobe)
___(1) heavy coat
___(1) light jacket
___(1) baby bunting (if infant)
___(1) stocking hat
___(1) mittens
___(5) long sleeve shirts
___(5) pairs of pants
___(5) dresses (if a girl)
___(2) pairs of tights, one in white and one in black (if a girl)
___(5) pairs of white socks (can use socks from summer wardrobes
___Newborn Summer
___Newborn Winter
___0-3 Months Summer
___0-3 Months Winter
___3-6 Months Summer
___3-6 Months Winter
___6-9 Months Summer
___6-9 Months Winter
___9-12 Months Summer
___9-12 Months Winter
___12 Months Summer
___12 Months Winter
___18 Months Summer
___18 Months Winter
___24 Months Summer
___24 Months Winter
___2T Summer
___2T Winter
___3T Summer
___3T Winter
___4T Summer
___4T Winter
___5T Summer
___5T Winter
4. Shoes. We purchase a pair of brown shoes and tennis shoes for boys for the winter. We purchase a brown pair and a black pair for girls, but may also purchase something to match dresses for winter. For the summer we purchase a "Croc" style shoe for water activities, and a pair of tennis shoes for the boys. For girls, we purchase sandals in various colors, and tennis shoes.
We only accept children, ages birth to 3 years old, so these sizes are the norm for those ages. You can adjust the sizes according to the age of the children that you are willing to accept.
5. Cribs and toddler beds. All 'drop-dwon-side- cribs have been recalled. It is best to get the new models if you are willing to accept babies. Sometimes, a voucher can be given from the agency if a crib is needed and you do not have one, but this is not always the case. If you already know that you want an infant, or infants plural, then be prepared to already have that crib(s) in place. Most cribs convert to toddler beds. We have two cribs because we wanted two children, but it didn't matter what age as long as it was between birth and 3 years old. Our cribs convert to toddler beds if needed.
6. Bed linens. We purchased these in advance as well. We have unisex crib bedding for both cribs, and (1) boy toddler bedding and (1) girl toddler bedding. We also have several baby blankets and receiving blankets for infants, spit-up pads, and burp cloths. If you accept older children, you should have (2) sheet sets, (1) blanket, and (1) comforter per bed (all of these can be purchased at thrift stores).
7. Baby equipment. We got the basics for infants and toddlers. Two high chairs (one that is a regular high chair, and one that is a compact model), a baby swing, a baby bouncer, a rocking horse (its actually a caterpillar), an exercauser, an umbrella stroller, a full size stroller, a Moses basket, a portable playpen, a baby gate, and a baby carrier that you strap onto you like a reverse backpack. If you used something that was a life saver when you had babies, then by all means get it again! If you do not have children yet, the list above will definitely get you started.
8. Bath equipment and toiletries. We got the basics again for infants and toddlers. A baby bathtub, a baby seat that goes into a regular tub, bath toys, a Frog thing that sticks to the bathtub wall and holds all of the bath toys so that they can drain and not collect mildew, two training potties, one for upstairs and one for downstairs and a baby grooming set that includes a hairbrush, comb, nail clippers, etc. We also purchased (1) baby shampoo, (1) baby wash, (1) hair detangler, (2) child-size tooth brushes, and (1) child's toothpaste. If you are accepting older children, then it would be (2) regular toothbrushes, (1) hairbrush, (1) comb, (1) nail clippers, (1) kids or regular shampoo, (1) kids or regular conditioner, (1) hair detangler, and (1) body wash.
9. Bath linens. We purchased baby towels, and I make my own washcloths with old flannel baby receiving blankets. Otherwise, have two towels and two washcloths per family member.
10. Diapering and toilet training. We use cloth diapers (I have a post on this if you want to try it out and save a ton of money). However, for visits with their biological families, it is best to put babies and not-yet-toilet-trained-toddlers in disposable diapers. I have 20 sets of cloth diapers for my own use while they are at home with me, and one (1) small package of each size of diapers. The sizes for diapers are newborn, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and then pull-ups. We do not use pull-ups for potty training while at home, because they feel just like diapers to the child. We use thicker potty training pants, regular underwear, and plastic pants over top of the underpants. However, when they go on visits, we send them in pull-ups. Maker sure to get a diaper bag and check out my blog about visitations to learn what to pack when your foster child goes to see their family.
11. Toys. We purchased baby and toddler toys such as rattles, teething rings, a few stuffed animals, stacking rings, a little piano, Weeble Wobble houses, blocks, puzzles, cars, dolls, etc. Yes, I went completely overboard, but after we finally got our first foster child, I am so happy that I did. Everyone thinks that they will just 'get it when the child gets here'. However, if you do not do it slowly over several months, it will hurt the pocket book all at once. If you cannot afford to buy it all at once, then the child suffers for toys and necessities once he gets to your home because you are not prepared for him or her. If you pre-plan before the child gets to you, you can slowly get things at a price that you can afford. If you wait until they are with you, there is more pressure to get certain items, and you cannot always get the best price. Again, never buy new toys….ever. For example, a Weeble Wooble house, with 2 Weeble Woobles runs about $35.00 at Wal-Mart. I picked one up at a thrift store for $3.00. I just brought it home, sprayed it all over with Lysol and wiped it down good.
12. Books. Reading to children is one of my favorite past times. I will repeat, never purchase new. Most thrift stores sell children's books from $.25 to $1.00. Pick up just a few for the first few bedtimes with your new foster child, or a whole library because you are absolutely obsessed with books like I am!
13. Feeding Equipment. If you are accepting older children, just make sure that everyone in the family has a plate, bowl, cup, glass, and eating utensils. If you are accepting infants and toddlers, you must purchase bottles, baby spoons, pacifiers, sippy cups, plastic toddler plates and bowls, and toddler utensils (not completely necessary but sometimes helpful depending on the child). I purchased Avent bottles on Ebay because they are very well made and will last for many babies. They are very expensive at $17 for 3 bottles at Walmart, however, I was able to pick up 10 bottles from a lady off of craigslist for $20, and the same amount of bottles for close to that price off of an Ebay auction. I purchased the same brand of sippy cups and pacifiers, again because they are well made. Those are pricey as well, so back to craigslist and ebay. You can pick up toddler plates and things easily enough at thrift stores in like new condition. Every now and again you can find a good bottle or sippy cup at a thrift store, but not often enough to build a good collection. I have only seen pacifiers once, and I was lucky enough to get a package of them brand new, but it was so rare. You could try yard sales too.
14. Formula and Baby Food. I did get formula in several different brands and types (there are may different types, from fussy to advanced), because I did not want to have to rush to the store if an infant came to my door. You can get tons of coupons if you register online with Similac and Enfamil. They even send you free cans of formula, so I actually only purchased one can of the six cans that I have! I will donate the formula if it is not used closer to the expiration date (they usually have a 2 year shelf life). I do not purchase baby food in advance, due to expiration dates, and I also purchased a cookbook on how to make your own baby food. Baby food, price per ounce, is extremely expensive compared to making it yourself. It is not hard either!
15. Car seats. We got an infant carrier type that clicks into a base. That way the base stays in the car strapped in, and the baby stays strapped into the carrier. We also purchased a bigger car seat for a baby and toddler.
Well, that's all the things that I did before we were even approved as foster parents! Our social worker thought we were crazy, because after all, you are reimbursed monthly, but it is not nearly enough to buy everything that you need if you buy new. I was really happy that I planned ahead with my thrifty second-hand shopping when we received our first foster care child placement. We received (2) vouchers upon his arrival, one for clothing and one for baby equipment. I was only able to purchase (5) outfits, (4) pairs of shoes, (2) packages of socks, a baby gate, a step stool for the bathroom, a package of bath squirters, swimmie diapers, a swimsuit, and diapers (remember, I only pre-buy a small package of each size diaper). Wow, that did not even touch the surface of taking care of an infant or toddler. So, see? Pre-plan, buy used, never be so un-prepared that you are forced to over spend on something because it is now an immediate necessity, and you will never feel the financial pinch of having a foster child join your family! You will also be completely ready, not only for your Home Study, but for anything that crops up once your foster children arrive. If God leads you to it, he will lead you through it, and will always provide what you need.