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Contraception: the ins and outs
Varsity Living
Did you know that there are 15 methods of contraception available to you?
Don't worry if you didn't – an overwhelming 92% of us are unaware of the range of options available. Different methods suit different people – there is no one-size-fits-all with contraception. That's why it's important to explore the best option for you with your nurse or GP. There is a contraceptive out there to suit your lifestyle. So, for example, if you keep forgetting to take the pill, you may want to find a method that doesn't rely on your memory. Here's a run-down of the 15 methods that might suit you better.
Your chosen contraception protects you against pregnancy, but don't forget, using condoms and contraception together is the only way to protect yourself and your partner against both unintended pregnancy and STIs.
If, after reading this article you have further questions, then please ask in the sexual health forum or speak to your nurse or GP. For further information on contraception see the FPA information guide
a. Condoms
You'd think it obvious, no? But some people still don't realise that condoms are the only form of contraception that actively protect against pregnancy AND STDs including HIV.
They are relatively expensive in shops, but can be obtained for free from your local family planning clinic. They can also be obtained for free at various places around universities and colleges where they are given away for free.
Why Worry?
There's no need to be embarrassed about buying condoms. Personally, I think people ought not to have this stigma if they're actually doing the right thing by getting condoms. If you are too embarrassed to be buying them – sex ought not to be on the agenda. But anyway…!
Condom boxes always carry leaflets explaining the how/when/why aspects, so there'll be no step by step right here.
Do's and Dont's of Condoms:
Always check the use by date. A condom that is out of date is not an effective one.
Check that they are European and have been certified. There should be a mark on the packaging. Cheap and often unsafe imports are around.
Open the foil package with your fingers, not your teeth. Do this gently so that you don't risk damaging it
Check the condom is intact
Hold the teated end and roll it on
Dispose by firmly holding the shaft, and sliding it off
Tie a knot in the end and dispose in a BIN. They do not flush down toilets
Dispose of them before going to sleep, condoms do go pop when you stand on them
No, its not funny to put one over your head
• Condoms are not made for recycling
• Wearing two does not improve your chances of preventing pregnancy and STDs. In fact, the friction makes them more likely to tear
• You can also get femidoms, which are a condom alternative to be worn by women. I personally think they're really good, as I have had issues using regular condoms in the past and the newest sort don't rustle like it is commonly thought. They can be really useful for couples who don't like using regular condoms.
b. Oral Contraceptives
Basically, pills contain two hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. They stop the production and release of eggs from the ovary. [it's easier to think they "trick" your body into thinking it's pregnant if you get confused] They also thicken your cervical lining to make it harder for sperm to get anywhere near your womb [that's why you might have them fall right back down after sex – nice.]
Pills are based on 28 day cycles. Sometimes you'll get 21 pills in a pack with an instruction to take all of them then take 7 pill free days for a bleed. Some contain 21 "active" pills and 7 sugar pills just to serve as reminders.
You may have heard of the mini-"pop" pill. This contains only one hormone – progestogen. Taking this pill lowers the side effects that you can get from taking the 2 hormone contraceptive pills, but it is also less effective at preventing pregnancy. The other disadvantage to most POPs is that they need to be taken at the same time each day (within a 3 hours window) in comparison to combined pills where the window is 12 hours.
Another mini-pill that is more commonly used is Cerazette. It is progestogen only but gives you the 12 hour window. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict the side effects of this pill but approximately one third will stop having periods all together, another third will have periods but far less frequently than previously and the final third can end up having no effect to their periods, or constantly bleeding. Cerazette is taken every day (all the pills are active) and there is no pill-break like you have with combined pills.
When you get your pill, you generally start it on the first day of your period for instant protection. However, if you start it on another day, mid cycle or whatever, make sure you use other forms of contraception [ie condoms] for at least seven days. When starting the pill for the first time, you ought to take it on the first day of your period. This protects you from pregnancy immediately. If you take your pill at exactly the same time each day, you're likely to get up to just-under 100% effectiveness. Effectiveness lessens when you don't take it within the same hour each day.
You can take packs back-to-back. I'd only really recommend you do this if you have to for holidays or exams or whatever, but I wouldn't take more than 3 packs in a row. You can delay your period as long as you take the pills, but it is important to bleed at least 4 times a year in order to clean out your uterus and to decrease the risk of bone thinning – something which is currently being investigated in relation to birth control.
⎫ Missing Pills
The leaflet in you pack details what to do if you miss a pill, however, here's a quick rundown.
If you have missed one pill – don't freak out. Take it as soon as you remember – even if you're taking it the next day at the same time as the pill for that day. If you want to be super careful, take extra precautions such as the condom for the next week.
If you have missed more than one, especially near the beginning or end of your packet, you ought to use extra protection during sex. If you've already had sex without a condom, consider emergency contraception.
⎫ The pill can generally be affected by
Diarrhoea and vomiting Antibiotics Epilepsy medication St Johns Wort – which can interfere with more than just the pill, actually. Definitely consult the warning label if you're on the pill, patch, implant or injection to be on the safe side
You should always "double dutch" [if you really want to have sex whilst you're vomiting and having diarrhoea….(!)] if you're experiencing the above problems. This means to use both the pill and the condom.
Side effects:
Side effects vary between the 23 brands available, and of course, the millions of women taking them. Here are some general ones:
• Headache
• diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
• Breast tenderness/swelling
• Spotting
• Fluctuation in sex drive
• Weight changes
• Depression/mood swings
• Irregular brown patches on the skin
• Alteration of bleeding
• Problems wearing contact lenses
• Infrequent or no periods after stopping the pill
The more serious side effects come in to play especially if you're a big migraine sufferer or smoke. Yes, honestly, you are at a higher risk of thrombosis and clots if you are on the pill. You are also at an increased risk of breast cancer, which is why you should check your breasts monthly. Happily, the pill can protect against certain cancers of the womb and possibly the bowel. It can also help with acne.
⎫ Contraceptive Injections
In England, the contraceptive injection used is generally Depo-Provera [12 weeks] or Noristerat [8 weeks]
They both contain progestogen and therefore thicken the cervical lining and stop ovulation much like the pill.
⎫ Good Stuff
The difference to the pill is that you don't have to remember to take it every day, and also that your periods should eventually stop. Poof! Gone. [obviously the downside is this bone-thinning risk that everyone's been going on about. If you take calcium supplements or keep your levels up with a glass of milk [as all women of childbearing ages should anyway] you should be okay]
It also works to prevent womb cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.
⎫ The Down Side
yes. Sadly.
If you're experiencing side effects like headaches and skin problems, you can't just stop them or remove the hormones from your system, because it's been injected and will remain there for at least 8 weeks.
Your periods may take a long while to return after you stop the injection, so bear that in mind if you're planning babies.
Obviously, this will not prevent STIs or anything of that sort. So condoms are to be used in conjunction until you're sure your partner is disease free.
You totally should not have the injection if you suffer or have suffered from:
• cancer of your reproductive organs, [breasts/womb]
• unexplained bleeding of vagina
• a heart attack or stroke
• severe depression
• active liver disease
⎫ Effectiveness
generally 99% effective. Which is rather good, thanks.
c. The Implant
For further information, explanation on how to get it and how it's put in and personal experiences see The Contraceptive Implant.
The implant has been met with heavy scepticism, with one type even being taken off the listing because it caused so much scarring. It has been predominantly discontinued in South Africa. This lasts 5 years.
It's a small, flexible tube that is about the same size as a Kirby grip, containing progestogen. It releases it steadily into the bloodstream from the comfiness of your upper arm. It lasts for three years.
It basically does what most contraceptives in the body do; thicken mucus around your cervix, thins your uterine lining and also prevents egg release [and therefore bleeds, in time].
When it is put in [usually first day of period], you are likely to be given a local anaesthetic, then have the implant injected. You will probably be bruised and sore for a few days. You'll be able to feel and fiddle with it, but resist that temptation for a while! You will be protected from the word go!
When you're getting it removed, it is cut out. You can get another one popped in right away if you want. However, if you want it permanently removed, you must use condoms during the week before it is removed, because sperm can live inside you for 7 days, and you lost protection as soon as the implant is taken out.
You ought to have a checkup after the first three months, then just once a year providing you're not having problems.
The Good Stuff
• The implant really is the most effective form, at over 99% pregnancy prevention
• It's not like you have to remember to do anything!
• It does not interfere with sex.
• You still breastfeed
• It is good for those who can't take oestrogen for whatever reason
• It can be removed if you have trouble with it, and you can get pregnant right after removal
• It offers protection against pelvic inflammatory disease.
The Bad Side
• It can go a few ways; you could have irregular bleeding, no bleeding at all, or prolonged bleeding for a while. This is annoying, but it can't harm you
• Your usual headaches, spots, dizziness, weight gain, sore boobies
• Very rarely, infection in the site
• It can be difficult to remove. There have only been 2 or 3 cases of migration, though
• Harmless ovarian cysts, with a little pelvic pain
• Mood swings
• No STI protection [duh]
• Liver disease
• Unexplained bleeding from the vagina
• Cancer of the reproductive organs
• Heart attacks or strokes
Or if you could be pregnant
d. The Patch
This patch [amusingly] comes in three different colours, and you pick the one that matches your skin tone the best. [or whatever goes with your outfit, I guess]
They're about 5×5 cm, and you splat them on your upper arm, shoulder or bottom for a whole week. It should be changed on the 8th day for three weeks and then you should give yourself a patch free week. DON'T put it on your breasts or broken skin. Just don't.
It acts just the same as the pill, in that oestrogen and progestogen are pumped into your system, thickening the cervical mucus, and preventing egg release. You're protected right away if you take it on the first day of your period.
Good Side
Protects you and stays on even when you're a hardcore swimmer.
You don't need to remember to take a pill every day.
It's 99% effective.
It is not affected by diarrhoea or vomiting
Bad Side
The patch has had its fair share of bad press recently. But it shouldn't harm you if you've gone through the right channels to get it, and aren't suffering from certain conditions/diseases mentioned below.
Obviously there's the obligatory risk of skin/headache problems and the fact that it will not protect you from STIs.
You can gain or lose weight, have mood swings and get a little bit of skin irritation.
People can see it [and say OMFG SLUT ]
Then there's the increased risk of certain cancers and thrombosis/clotting
Yes, it can fall off – but you ought to be able to reapply it.
Do not use this if:
• you think you might be pregnant
• you are breastfeeding
• you smoke and are over 35
You have or have had • thrombosis (blood clots) • a heart abnormality or circulatory disease, including raised blood pressure • severe migraines or migraines with aura • breast cancer • active liver/gall bladder disease • diabetes • unexplained bleeding from your vagina
e. NuvaRing
This is pretty newish, and it's not really as mainstream over here as the pill and whatnot (it is not currently available on the NHS in the UK), but it's a pretty novel idea. In layman's terms, it's a flexible ring that you put in the vagina [much like a diaphragm] and you leave it there for 3 weeks [21 days] as is the normal cycle, and then remove it for your seven day bleed. http://www.nuvaring.com can give you their lowdown on it.
The website is pretty unhelpful when it comes to asking whether you can "run nuvarings together" as is possible with the pill. That is something you'd have to take up with your doctor.
It contains oestrogen and progestin just like your average pill.
Good Stuff
You don't have to remember a pill every day
It's 99% effective
8/10 men can't feel it during intercourse. [although I guess it sucked for the 20% who could]
You don't really feel it and it can't get "lost"
Spotting is dead rare
It's low dosage and steady release mean less hormonal ups and downs
Bad stuff
The common side effects are:
Vaginal infections and irritation
Vaginal discharge
Upper respiratory tract infection
Weight gain
The rare:
Change in appetite
Abdominal cramps and bloating
Breast tenderness or enlargement
Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
Changes in menstrual cycle
Temporary infertility after treatment
Fluid retention
Spotty darkening of the skin, particularly on the face
Weight changes
Intolerance to contact lenses
So it's much like other hormone based contraceptives.
f. Diaphragms/caps
It is a silicone/rubber flexible dome that is inserted into the vagina before sex. It has to be left inside for about 6 hours after sex to ensure sperm cannot pass through the cervix. Spermicidal jelly must be used with it to kill any that gets past the diaphragm.
It may be embarrassing to have one fitted, the doctor/nurse has to feel inside the vagina, to see where the cervix is, and how wide it is. Several sizes of diaphragms may be tested (placed inside you and the doctor/nurse feels around) before the right one is chosen.
It can be inserted hours before sex – so sex does not have to be postponed whilst the diaphragm is prepared. Before sex begins, additional spermicide does need to be reinserted.
Good Stuff
• It protects against some STIs and is 92-96% effective against pregnancy
• It's good for you regardless of your medical conditions [except if you're allergic to rubber/silicone]
• When inserted correctly, it cannot be felt by either partner.
• Non-hormonal.
Bad stuff
• You have to have it fitted by a doctor/nurse first time around.
• It can interrupt passion.
• You have to use it in conjunction with spermicidal jelly.
• You have to leave it in 8 hours after sex [otherwise the little guys will fight their way in]
• It can cause cystitis.
• If you put on weight/miscarry/abort you have to get it refitted.
g. The Intra-Uterine System [IUS] – Mirena
Whilst it sounds like a hot new car feature, it's actually a T shaped contraption that is fitted up there by a doctor or nurse. It releases small amounts of the hormone progestogen to thin the lining of your uterus so fertilised eggs cannot implant in it. It also thickens the cervical mucus to make it harder for sperm to get through.
It's not generally a "young persons" contraceptive device. It's more suited to women who have had children, really, though it is possible to have one even if you have no kids. They take about 15 minutes to put in – but I suggest some painkillers before, since it can be uncomfy
Good stuff
• It lasts for 5 years
• It's 99% effective
• It can lighten your periods [yaaay]. In fact, Mirena is commonly recommended as a treatment for heavy periods.
• The hormone levels are low and mainly localised to the uterus, so if you have had problems with hormonal contraceptives in the past, this could suit you.
The down side
• It can move out of place and become less effective – so regular checkups are needed, and you need to make sure you know how to check the threads that hang down from it
• No STI protection
• You can get irregular bleeding, breast tenderness and skin problems at first
• You can be subject to harmless cysts, but with a little pelvic pain
• Occasionally infections up to 20 days after insertion can occur
• Perforation of the womb [this is totally rare, albeit serious] and may require surgery
• Don't go for this if you've had strokes, thrombosis, cancer of your reproductive organs, or if you are currently suffering from an STD.
• If you are very sensitive to hormones, you may still suffer from hormonal side effects – headache, mood changes, low sex drive etc – especially in the first few months after insertion
• Your partner may be able to feel the threads during sex. If this is the case, you can have them trimmed.
h. The Intra-Uterine System [IUD] – Paragard,
Similarly to the IUS, this is a T-shaped device fitted into the uterus. Unlike the Mirena, however, it has no hormones; instead, it is made of copper which acts as a spermicide.
It's not generally a "young persons" contraceptive device. It's more suited to women who have had children, really, though it is possible to have one even if you have no kids. They take about 15 minutes to put in – but I suggest some painkillers before, since it can be uncomfy
Good stuff
• Depending on the make you go for, it lasts between 3 and 10 years.
• It's 99% effective
• No hormones, so if you're especially sensitive to them, it might be a good choice
• Can be fitted as emergency contraception.
The down side
• It can move out of place and become less effective – so regular checkups are needed, and you need to make sure you know how to check the threads that hang down from it
• No STI protection
• It can make your periods longer, heavier and more painful.
• Occasionally infections up to 20 days after insertion can occur
• Perforation of the womb [this is totally rare, albeit serious] and may require surgery
• You may have some mild cramping and bleeding after insertion as your body adjusts.
These are all general, reversible forms of contraception. The next step up is the more permanent solutions of vasectomies and tube tying. Tube tying itself is only 99% effective anyway, and way ahead of most of our time right now, so let's not get into that right now.
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Breaking Down the Presumed Correlation Between Commodities and Emerging Markets
The divergence this year in the performance of the emerging markets stock index and commodities prices reflects improved earnings quality and valuations of developing country stocks, not to mention big changes at the top of the index.
Among the lingering misconceptions about emerging markets is that they are proxy plays on commodities, prices of which presumably drive returns in developing country stocks. Historical correlation, though, should never be confused with causation.
The performance of emerging markets and commodities this year makes the point starkly. From the beginning of the year to July 20, Brent crude is down around 12%, and the S&P GSCI, a broad-based commodities index, is off nearly 9%. Meanwhile, developing country stocks are having a banner year so far, with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index climbing 23%. Is this an aberration that will sooner or later revert to mean, falling back in line with stumbling commodities prices?
Probably not. As Thornburg's Charlie Wilson noted recently, cyclical tailwinds have combined with structural drivers, which we discussed last week in Emerging Views. The cyclical tailwinds, particularly the earnings outlook and associated valuations, are significant. Forecast EM index earnings per share at the end of June stood at $79 in 2017 and $88 in 2018, both of which are still well below the peak of $111 in expected EPS set six years ago, even though they're also nicely off the recent February 2016 trough.
Figure 1 | MSCI EM EPS Has Room to Grow
Source: Bloomberg, as of 6/28/2017.
Interestingly, "the composition of earnings from the prior peak has substantially changed and has improved in terms of quality," Wilson notes. In mid-2011, energy and materials comprised slightly less than 30% of the index, more than double their 13.8% weighting today, he points out. Conversely, information technology has climbed to 26% of the index currently, versus 12% back then.
Figure 2 | Change in MSCI EM Index Leadership since 2011
Source: MSCI, Bloomberg.
Three of the top five index components in 2011 were "national champion" natural resources companies focused largely on export markets, replaced today by mega-cap internet and e-commerce companies. "The transition in the top five index weights since 2011 reflects the change in the overall index. Gazprom, Petrobras, and Vale have been replaced by Tencent, Alibaba, and Naspers," Wilson points out. "The leadership within emerging markets has become companies with more of a domestic orientation and less driven by global trade and commodity prices." Even as earnings quality and potential upside of top index constituents have improved, their price-to-earnings ratios, as Figure 1 also shows, are hardly demanding relative to the index's own history and to those of developed country indices, particularly versus the S&P 500 Index.
Figure 3 | EM Remains at a Discount to the S&P Index
Source: Bloomberg. (Blended 12 Months)
To be sure, volatility in emerging markets hasn't gone away, particularly in those reliant on energy and commodities exports. In the second quarter, the dollar-denominated MSCI Russia Index dropped nearly 10%, while the MSCI Brazil Index swooned almost 7%. Yet their pain didn't overwhelm the gains in the MSCI China Index or MSCI India Index, which were up 11% and almost 3%, respectively, in the period. The latter two are part of the roughly 80% of EM market capitalization countries that are net oil importers.
Of course, the broad EM stock index isn't immune to steep draw downs and rebounds, either, often driven by intense currency market swings.
Figure 4 | The Importance of Downside Protection in Emerging Markets (as of 12/31/2016)
Source: Morningstar
Investors can partially mitigate such swings by focusing on select companies that exhibit resilient earnings growth, low financial leverage and steady free cash flow generation. Such firms can both protect on the downside and participate on the upside. They may not be first out of the gate in a recovery cycle, but by compounding off a higher base over the long run, they should ultimately return more and with less volatility. This, in fact, has been evident over the last 18 months, when deep value resource plays were the first to rebound off the early 2016 lows, only to be overtaken by lower leverage, higher return on equity segments this year.
Figure 5 | Low Quality Leads to 2016, Leadership Change in 2017
Source: Bloomberg, Thornburg Investment Management.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
This isn't to say there aren't attractive natural resource plays in emerging markets. But the lower quality, more indebted, state-affiliated energy and commodities "enterprises" don't hold as much sway over the broad index as they used to, which should continue to reduce the EM index's erstwhile high correlation with commodities markets and reflect steadier earnings growth ahead. It's not your father's emerging markets index anymore.

subset: commoncrawl


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in the United States of America
in the United States of America
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This House has a Foundation/
Indeed, our house has been started! We met with our (new) sales agent a week ago today and met our house's project manager for the first time. I must say, Fox Ridge has some great employees as they catered to our needs and somehow continued to laugh at my stupid jokes. The project manager definately seems to know his stuff and appears to be a hardworker (he was drenched with sweat when we got there). We've been told that the average build time for a Fox Ridge home once it gets started is 80 days. However, because of the dry season we've been having, some of the houses in our neighborhood have been built in as few as 55 days! This means we can expect to be moving in between August 14th and September 8th. Excitement abounds. So right now, our house is a big pile of wood. It's kind of odd thinking how much that pile of wood is going to cost us. It's also amazing to think that it's going to transformed into a home we'll be living in, creating memories in, raising children in, eating with friends in, crying in, fighting in, breaking things in, and praying in. Ashley and I are looking forward to building this house together and turning it into a home. In the meantime, we're moving to an apartment. But that's a whole other story...Read More


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About the journal
emecon is an international online journal for the study of the economic life in Central and Eastern Europe. Its perspectives are multi-disciplinary, coming from political economy, economic sociology and industrial relations. It aims at a better understanding of contemporary socio-economic life in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on the link between society and economy, presenting current and comparative studies using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
A special concern is close temporal proximity. Often research results on the region are dispersed and difficult to find, or their publication takes a long time given the high restrictions by many journals. For these reasons, emecon offers a rather quick review process to enable that research can be timely presented timely to its readers.
Also, access to the content is free. Therewith we hope to contribute to a not only profound but also wide exchange of ideas, research, and analysis, thus building a tool of expertise of the region.
The journal has two numbers per year. We encourage to submit papers covering the following topics:
- Industrial relations
- Labour market policies
- Restructuring of companies
- Transnationalisation and FDI
- Work and society
- Work and working conditions
- Employment and workers
- Labour migration
- Demographic change
- Lifelong learning
- Social policy and welfare states
- Civil society
Papers should be of high quality, but do not necessarily need to comply to the formal standard of a journal article, they can be shorter being a discussion note or longer allowing for more details on case studies - e.g. special editions by guest editors are also possible on request.
If you like emecon, your friends might too. So please download the banner for your personal or institutional website.
Editorial Board
Katharina Bluhm, FU Berlin
Dorothee Bohle, Central European University Budapest
Béla Galgoczi, ETUI Brussels
Juliusz Gardawski, Warsaw School of Economics
Elena Iankova, Cornell University
Krzystof Jasiecki, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw
Epp Kallaste, Estonian Centre for Applied Research, Tallinn
Marta Kahancová, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI) Bratislava
Lawrence King, University of Cambridge
Guglielmo Meardi, Warwick Business School
Aleksandra Sznajder Lee, Richmond University
Miroslav Stanojevic, University of Ljubljana
Vera Trappmann, Leeds University
The editorial board consists of senior researchers with a high reputation in the field, representing a diversity of disciplines and different countries.
Editorial office
The editorial office is situated at the Institute for East-European Studies at Free University Berlin.
Chief editors
Prof. Dr. Katharina Bluhm
Associate Prof. Dr. Vera Trappmann


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Genamics JournalSeek
Journal of Magnetic Resonance - Series A
J Magn Reson
ISSN (printed): 1064-1858. ISSN (electronic): 1096-0864.
The Journal of Magnetic Resonance presents original papers in the fields of nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, and nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy, as well as in related experimental techniques. The subjects covered include the principles underlying these methods; significant experimental results, especially those leading to spectral correlations likely to be of general interest to scientists in these areas; and descriptions of apparatus, experimental techniques, procedures of spectral analysis and interpretation, and computational methods. The unified format as of 1997 integrates methods, data, and substances of interest to those working with systems of biological or biochemical significance. Together with the results of studies of structure, dynamics, and interactions of biomolecules, as well as analyses comparing results from magnetic resonance methods with those deduced from other techniques, the journal also publishes papers on in vivo imaging methods and localized spectroscopy. Research Areas include: Multiple-quantum spectroscopy, Gradient-enhanced spectroscopy, Spin-echo methods, Quadrupolar nuclei, Pattern recognition in magnetic, Studies of structure and resonance interactions of biomolecules, Magic-angle spinning of solids, Localized spectroscopy and imaging, Time-resolved EPR, Coherence pathway selection, Physiological applications of spectroscopy, Spectral editing, ENDOR and ELDOR methods, Nuclear Overhauser experiments, Data analysis by non-FT methods, Indirect detection methods.


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Solara An-Ra
Courses &
News &
Solara An-Ra
Recent Channellings
Message for 2019 from the Star Councils of Light
Message for the June Solstice 2018
The Star Councils on: THE GREAT ACCELERATION!
Message for 2018
Higher Dimensional Re-set for Planet Earth (English & Spanish)
Connecting with your True Purpose
Entering the New Reality ~ March Equinox 2017
Babaji Speaks ~ on Samadhi
Pleiadian Protection Technique
June Solstice 2016: Message from the Pleiadian Councils of Light
The Councils of Light ~ Message from Teotihuacan
Message for March Equinox 2016
Entering 2016: the Star Councils of Light
Stabilisation & Integration: Arcturian Light Councils
Activating Your Star Codes & 12-Strand DNA
Accelerating Your Path
Energy Fluctuations & Mood Swings on Planet Earth
Grounding during THE SHIFT
The 3 Paths of Humans
Owning Your Power
Keys to Nirvana: No 3 ~ 'I am a Divine Being of Light & Love'
Keys to Nirvana: No 2 ~ Expand Your Awareness Inwards
Keys to Nirvana: No 1 ~ Expand your Awareness Outwards
The 3 Paths of Humans
ENERGY A-B-Cs: Core of Light
Prana Tube Activation
Message from the Pleiadian Councils of Light
March Equinox 2013 - Councils of Light
Jan 2013 Message
Dec Solstice 2012
Essentials for Your Transition
Message for 21/12/2012 - Star Councils of Light:
A message on BEINGNESS - Brotherhood of Light
The Importance of Energy Awareness & Control
Chambers of Light
Full Moon transmission - Pleiadian Council of Light
11.1111 Message from the Pleiadian Council of Light - suggestions for ceremonies
Teachings of Atlantis PART 1
11.11.11 Transmission
Spanish OM NEELAMA SHANTI - 11.11.11 Mantra
Gifting Crystals into World Waters
Charging Crystals for Light Work
Solstice Message June 2011
Dealing with Lies & Manipulation
Ascension Symptoms & the Physical Body
Divine Dispensations on Gaia Now!
The Pleiadians on Crystals
Connecting with the Elements on the March Equinox
Light & Love Frequencies
Egypt Channellings Jan 2011
The Significance of finding feathers
Internet Protection & Energy Techniques
Christ's Message (& Number Synchronicities)
A Lesson in Manifesting
Guardians of the Land; Pluto Caves
10-10-10 Message from the Star Councils of Light!
Ascension Tools: Light, Electricity & Downloads
Grand Cenote: Waters of the World
Conscious Convergence
26 June: Galactic alignment
June Solstice 2010 - Call to Celebrate!
Ascension Initiations
Crop Circle Debate Channelling
Singing Stonehenge Awake!
Channellings from Peru: March 2010
Manifesting Abundance: Oct 2009
Star Alliances: August 2009
Councils of Light: June 2009
Pleiadian Message on Singing
March Equinox: The Equinox of Gratitude
Medicine Wheels: Web of Light
Garden of the Gods & Cahokia Mounds
Pleiadian Channelling on 2012
Live Andromedan Channelling
21:12 (12:21) Alchemy Through Gaia Connection
11-11-11 Stargate Transmission
Pleiadian Transmission October 2009
The Councils of Light - Manifesting Abundance
9-9-9 Urgent Transmission to the Tribe of Gaia
Secrets Revealed: Pleiadian-Sirian Transmission
Urgent Request - Councils of Light
Oct 14th & Starlight
Urgent Message - Spring Equinox
Pleiadian Answers to Questions
Pleiadian-Sirian Transmissions Dec 2008 Part 2
Pleiadian-Sirian Transmissions Dec 2008 Part 1
Assist Solara An-Ra in raising the vibration of our tribe!
The Importance of Energy Awareness & Control – Star Councils of Light through Solara An-Ra
Councils of Light we have been named. Our mission, certainly, is to increase the human's ability to hold Light - and now is the time when you discover that
your ability as humans to hold Light is directly in proportion to your ability to
your own Light.
For without this ability to perceive the Light within your physical and energy body, and to control it - why then, you are simply speaking of theories!
The theories of love and Light, these have been taught through all religious texts, and in your modern day Mystery Schools also - but their practical usage has been limited by your limited understanding of yourselves
as the agents able to use these forces to transform your worlds
! You have the perceived the agents of love and Light as outside of your selves, in the form of the Saints and Masters; the Gods and Gurus of your time. Now comes the moment of truth, when
your knowing that YOU are of the highest Light
is put to the test! And it is in the practical usage of Light that we encourage you to experiment now - for when your Light is strong, you are more powerfully able to transform your world through the force of love.
Think on this for a moment now, dear Earth people. Think for a moment on whether you are able to perceive Light within your own physical body. By 'perceive', we mean see, feel, touch – even taste and hear, with your physical sensory apparatus. The Light we refer to is PRANA, the energy of which all in the universe is composed – the energy which originates from Source itself. You are aware, we assume, that Source energy is creative in its essence and nature – and that Prana is therefore the God-Goddess essence which created all which is visible and invisible also on your planet.
And so, you are made of Prana, of Light-force - we feel that all of you can accept this fact. But can you feel and see the Light-force of which you are made? Can you tell when this force is low, and is in need of a top-up? Do you know how to top it up – how to recharge your Light-force when you are low in energy and Light? This is the matter at hand – this is the purpose of the 'Lessons' which we gift to you now through Solara An-Ra.
It is time to learn your energy A-B-C's dear tribe of Terra, so that you take control of your own Light-force. Replace your scientific understanding of 'life-force' with the concept of
, and you will come to understand that the Age of Light which dawns, dawns only because YOU recognise yourselves as beings of the Light - and more importantly still, it dawns as you increase
your ability to hold Light, and to use this power to spread Light and awaken others
Babaji, the Christ-child of India, works with us through Solara An-Ra to awaken you to your powers now. You will learn, like the yogic masters of old, to hold sufficient Prana in your bodies that you are able to transcend the need to breathe through the physical lungs. You will learn to use your breathe to move into transcendent states of bliss. You will learn to control your energy and Light bodies; to contract and expand your Light as the situation demands. And thus will you step outside of the sphere of influence of the manipulators entirely – you will be fearless Warriors of the Light that are the new leaders of Gaia.
And so it is! Namaste.
NOTE: the learning referred to is the weekly 'Lessons' I have put up on my site and YouTube.
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Solara An-Ra. All rights reserved.


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Ladies Wristlet Wallet Woven Design 111 016 2 WV
This is a great ladies wristlet that has plenty of space! Â With multiple slots for credit cards and a zippered pocket for change, this item maintains a slim design with great functionality. Â A zippered enclosure on the wristlet helps to ensure safety while carrying this item.


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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What Is Art For? Reflections on Ellen Dissanayake
"What Is Art For?" "Homo Aestheticus"and "Art and Intimacy" are three books that Ellen Dissanayake has published. Her work has been described as burning a new path in the way art is critically addressed and defined. "Although human ethologists have speculated about the origin and evolutionary function of many kinds of human behavior, art, which is after all a universal characteristic or "behavior" of humankind has not yet received much serious biologically based attention." Ellen Dissanayake gives art some serious biologically based attention in her books while addressing subjects varying from what does art do for people, the evolution of the behavior of art and the importance of feeling.
At a recent lecture held at UCM, Ellen gave a brief introductory to the underlying anthropological philosophies used in her three books. Ellen broke down the information into three categories and them elaborated on each one. The major themes included;
1. Social and material lives for modern(industrialized) and premodern(non industrialized) life
2. Making and Material and its importance
3. Everyone is an Artist
According to Ellen, premodern life on the human timeline stretches back much farther than the short time that is considered modern life for current industrialized humans. With this shift in life styles there has also been a shift in the way our social lives have been treated, and in her opinion many base needs that were once met have become neglected.
Premodern life was described as;
1. hunter gatherer society - no food storage
2. small intimate groups - 10-20
3. kin organization - everyone is considered family(biologically or not)
4. shared ideas - group mentality same ideas/goals
5. assigned identities - everyone had a position they had to fill
6. ritual ceremonies pervaded life
7. everything made with hands
Modern life was described as;
1. earn money buy things/accumulation is available
2. societies of strangers
3. Nation states
4. pluralistic culture - no one mind set
5. create own identity - you don't necessarily have a position that has to be filled
6. scientific explanation - instead of mythological
7. push buttons or non physical creation
8. nature at a distance - no direct relation/AC Central Heat
9. elitist idea of Art
Ellen then went on to describe five emotional needs premodern life provided that modern life neglects
1. mutuality - one love with another / baby to mother / lovers
2. belonging - an identity within a group
3. Meaning - for what you do and who you are
4. Competence - being able/ watching and doing (incompetence - computer illiterate people = helplessness)
5. Elaboration - showing that you really care about something / embellishment
Making and Materiality was the second subject that Ellen addressed in her lecture. She began it with the basic history of the liberation of the first humans hands for locomotion and their ability to be used in a creative manner. This was then developed into the pleasure of creating something new with your hands, body, and mind. This pleasure is something that has been neglected in everyday Modern life. Art was then proposed as the process of transformation. Linked back to the earliest example of culture or transformation and the example used by Bill Reid in his Book "The Raw and The Cooked", the act of processing food or cooking food was considered the earliest sign of culture or art. A more recent example was given with Herbert Cole's appropriation of the title with "The Raw the Cooked and the Gourmet." The idea that culture or art is created by the transformation based on aesthetic and high culture or art is the refinement or Elaboration of that transformation. Ellen then proposed that the term art be gotten rid of in total and that "ordinary and extraordinary" be instated in its place.
This statement transitioned the lecture into her final theme We Are All Artists. We all have the capability to make the extraordinary and to acknowledge things that are extraordinary therefor we are all artists. Through our most basic ceremonies and rituals we all make extraordinary events and objects. Whether it is the super bowl or the symbolic items we keep secret in our safest places, everyone has the capability to embellish and create symbolic significance.
As a whole this lecture made since to me in its most basic principles but i wasn't completely satisfied with the information. I will ask you the same question i asked her to see if i can gain some more clarity with this information. If we are all Artists and we can all make the ordinary extraordinary, what role do you think the Museum spaces and gallery spaces have in the definition, presentation and path of art and the artist?
Posted by Anonymous at 11:15 PM
3 comments:
- 是誰 said...
- March 16, 2010 at 4:46 AM
- March 28, 2010 at 4:48 AM
- Ryan T. LaFerney said...
Lea, I think the roles of museums and their functions are to demonstrate and educate why we need and have developed the core principles Ellen discusses. For example, Intimacy can be seen in lactation motifs-the most common human experience besides birth and death. I mean there are tons of other examples. I don't think she was dismissing museums. Museums achieve a social function as well, you must remember.
- March 30, 2010 at 10:22 AM
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i just finished Revenge of the titans yesterday at lunch and holy crap that was probably the toughest end boss/last level Ive ever faced !
Its really great to see the right art married to the right genre of game and i think this is a fantastic example .i was immediately immersed in the simple little story and the art was able to convey the same feel both during the game play and with the cut screens and UI .I would call this almost a high resolution pixel art .Beautiful.
nerdy game play note:
In the last level i finally figured out that linking up 4 radars to turrets dramatically extends their reach and ended up being key in taking out the final boss .If i would have known this early on it would have greatly changed my approach to the game i am sure.


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Okay this isn't a service I would expect to be provided by libraries YET--but it does fit in the "This is cool and I can see it in a couple of years" category:
Google can now send localized information to your mobile phone. You just text message what you're looking for and your zip code. I did pizza 43017 [the ZIP/postal code for OCLC in Dublin, OH] and sent it to 46645. I got back 4 results in about 15 seconds. They even filtered out my most un-favorite pizza place in Dublin, which will not be named. Is this Sheer Genius on Google's part or what?
It's a short step from finding the closest pizza place to finding the closest library. And then from finding the closest library to the closest book/CD/content available from the closest library.
So when can Open WorldCat move to my mobile phone? With Google's SMS, it looks like it's pretty soon!
Monday, November 08, 2004
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Our client, a leading multinational Technology firm, are looking for an Experienced Finance Manager to join their London team.
The position has been created due to rapid growth within the firm and a notable amount of recent promotions within the team.
You will be a Qualified Accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA / CPA / ATT / CTA), experience in a similar role, either as a Financial Controller or Finance Manager, financial or management accountant, or within a Big 4 Firm, excellent Analysis and Reporting skills, up to date with changing Accounting regulations, and preferably experience in Technology, Media or Telecommunications.
If this sounds like something that would be of interest, then please apply below now.
If you require further information please apply on the button or email me, Rhys Edwards on rhys"at"consultrpm"dot"com (decipher first) at your earliest convenience.


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Hello Richard
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Polysynthi Manual
Polysynthi Manual PDF
Posted by zagoba at 16:25 1 comment:
Labels: exclusives, PDFs, synths
Do you remember when the guys from G-Force came to my studio to sample some of my synths? Here is the post. Well the top secret project that they were working on was a collaboration with the very clever people at iZotope who have made some software synth that uses an FFT interface. It is really incredible and well worth checking out here. So what they did was sampled tons of pure notes from the Moog, VCS3, Serge, ARP 2500 etc, and they form the basis of some of the Iris sounds - pretty cool!!!!
Posted by zagoba at 16:03 No comments:
Labels: synths
Ebay Fiesta
1) You need a modular synth. They are all the rage. How about an original Moog 3P to get started - $36,200
2) You are going to need a large Polysynth. This is one of the best ever made - 1976 Yamaha CS80, $12,900
3) And you need a drum machine. This will be the one then - Linn LM1 from 1982 - $7,800
4) OK, so now you need an effects unit to make them all sound awesome, why not use one of these - EMT stereo valve plate model 140, $3,900
5) All thats left now is a mixing desk, so my recommendation would be one of these - Neve 5300 series vintage 70s console, just $47,000
Posted by zagoba at 15:37 1 comment:
Labels: ebay
Theres a really good article about one of my musical heroes Conny Plank HERE. There are some interesting contributions from Foxxy in there, and Eno tells of Plank's inventiveness - check out his solution to mixing desk Total Recall:
Plank also rigged a special system to take a photograph of the entire mixing console, to 'save' his work in the days before digital. 'He was an inventor,' says Eno. 'When I was working there he'd developed an early automation system which consisted of a specially developed camera lens mounted above the console, so that you could take a picture at the end of the session of the state of the console. Then if you wanted to set the desk up in the same way at some point in the future, you'd project the picture you'd taken down through the same lens so that the image perfectly lined up with the desk. Thus you could move every knob back to its original position. It was an insane idea that probably only a German would have a) thought of and b) made work
Posted by zagoba at 14:51 1 comment:
Labels: consoles, interviews, studios, vintage pix
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Theres a nice new in-depth interview with me and Foxxy HERE
Sample text: The studio is clearly a one-off, with Edwards somehow in command of the array of equipment. "In here we've got everything connected, so you can put extra things in, and you get a signal change you'd never get if you did it on a computer. If you ever tried to reconstruct a sound here you wouldn't be able to, and that's one of the penalties! That's nice though because you have to commit to things, you spend the time getting it right and then committing, so it's a different way of working."
Posted by zagoba at 17:39 No comments:
Labels: Benge Studios, interviews, the maths
Free Modular
Check out this online modular synth. Its really cool. Its just like owning your own vintage modular synthesiser system except you don't have to sell your car before you can use it. The best thing is that you can enter your own sequencer data in the MML format (in the text field under the synth) and it plays it, then you can change the sounds as it plays. Its VERY powerful actually
What you need to do is change the MML sequence code straight away because their one is horrible, so use something like this to get an idea:
t250 dfgfdcde
Posted by zagoba at 12:34 No comments:
Labels: matrixsynth, synths
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Big Midi Machine
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Douglas Fir
Its from here, which is a good place to dig around in for a while
Second Homes for Leisure Living
Rainy Weekend
Posted by zagoba at 07:34 No comments:
Friday, 1 June 2012
Home Taping
Posted by zagoba at 15:22 1 comment:
ER on the FB
Posted by zagoba at 10:07 No comments:
Labels: Expanding records
Into The 80s!
Posted by zagoba at 08:48 1 comment:
Labels: matrixsynth, vintage music
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One Step Vending Corp. (OTC: KOSK), a holding company specializing in self-serve vending for consumer products, this morning announced its appointment of Mark Bentley to the position of Director of Business for its CRS-Micro Markets subsidiary. Bentley brings well over a decade of industry experience to the One Step Vending team, including time as an operator, supplier and manufacturer. Per this morning's update, the company anticipates that this diverse expertise, as well as his contacts in the vending industry, will play a key role in One Step Vending's efforts to expand its presence and promote financial growth both within the self-service food and beverage market and beyond.
"One Step Vending is leading innovation in our field and I am thrilled to be joining this team of forward thinking professionals," Bentley added in the news release. "Micro markets are the logical next step for vending, as the customers get exactly what they want with greater profit for the business."
The company's decision to add Bentley to the CRS-Micro Markets management team comes less than a month after it announced its installation of four new micro markets at a San Diego pharmaceutical facility. While these four micro markets are expected to serve roughly 250 employees over the coming months, they could also represent an opportunity for One Step Vending to generate recurring revenue and increase its presence in the evolving self-service vending market. The company noted that the pharmaceutical corporation currently has offices in over a dozen countries and numerous states in the U.S.
The micro market segment has been heating up in recent years as consumers look for healthier alternatives to standard snacks. In 2012, research firm Bachtelle & Associates projected that these self-service kiosks will be in about 35,000 U.S. locations by 2022, generating $1.6 billion in revenue. With the option to implement web-based inventory management systems and customized components, micro markets allow operators to ensure fresher inventory and less downtime than traditional vending machines, and consumers seem to notice. A report by Kiosk Marketplace indicates that micro markets attract roughly 18 percent more visits per day on average, as compared to traditional vending machines.
"We are ecstatic to be getting out in the field, inking new deals, and installing new micro market locations," CEO Daniel Garfinkel added in a news release issued last month. "Each location presents us with tremendous revenue potential, so we're expecting to see our cash flows grow over the course of 2017."
For more information, visit the company's website at www.OneStepVending.com
Let us hear your thoughts: One Step Vending Corp. Message Board


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Tag Archives: Mo Williams
O'Neal Gets Good First Impression of Cleveland
Shaquille O'Neal was welcomed to town Sunday with a star-studded party that included sports celebrities and Average Joes looking to rub elbows with them. O'Neal arrived in an SUV at 11:15 p.m. as fans cheered on the sidewalks and took
Is Mo the special ingredient to a championship recipie?
A 6'1 stud from Jackson Mississippi, Mo Williams, is now playing for his third team in his brief six year NBA career. He was drafted in the second round (47) of the 2003 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. He
Cavs crush Celtics 107-76
The Cavaliers handed the Celtics their worst loss of the season and they are now one win away from matching the 1985-86 Celtics for best home record. They are also one win away from clinching best record in the League
Cleveland's One-Two Punch Knocks Out Heat
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were the headline acts but Mo Williams stole the show with a game-high 29 points as Cleveland beat Miami 99-89 to improve to 28-1 in the friendly confines of Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs are
Lebron Drops 55 Points over Bucks, Cavaliers win (111-103)
Lebron James put on one of his tremendous offensive displays of his career and it was probably one of the most entertaining games behind Game 5 of the Conference final at Detroit two years ago. He nearly broke his own
Jameer Nelson has torn labrum
MRI results came out today and it was not good for Jameer Nelson and the Orlando Magic. Jameer Nelson could miss the rest of the season for the Orlando Magic because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Nelson
Cavaliers Beat the Kings behind Mo's 43 Points
[youtube width="425″ height="344″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euK3QrJB_es[/youtube] It was a hot night for Mo Williams last night at the Q as the Cavaliers continued their winning streak at the Q to 21-0, to remain unbeaten at home. Williams had 43 points, smashing his career
West is Cavaliers Best
Delonte West might not be getting enough credit for the Cavaliers success. Other than Lebron James Mo Williams has been getting much of the attention to the Cavaliers amazing run so far this season. Not to take anything away from


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Join in Drumming Circle – Healing Circle
The beat of the drum resonates with the human heartbeat. The pounding sound of a drum can help us to take notice of our own heartbeat. It is our heartbeats that keep us alive and vital. A low, steady beat can create calmness whereas a stronger upbeat can stir us into action or frenzy.
Feeling out of balance?
Low energy?
Need a change?
Are your emotions bottled up and ready to explode?
Do you feel unsupported in life?
Desire community?
Need a new vocation?
Have you wanted to help people but don't know how?
Need guidance and wisdom?
Looking for a sense of purpose?
Experiencing grief?
If you participated in the Drum Building Workshop or Shamanic Journey Workshop, this is a perfect way to tie it all together.
Drumming circles serve many purposes.
- A supportive place to practice shamanism, especially journeying;
- Can be a powerful way to deepen in the knowledge and practice of shamanism.
- Strengthening the participants' connections to their helping spirits through practice;
- Healing for individuals and for the community.
A drum circle provides an opportunity to connect with your own spirit at a deeper level, and also to connect with a group of other like-minded people. Group drumming alleviates self-centeredness, isolation, and alienation.
Using the sound energy of the drum to disrupt and reconfigure the energy of the parts of your life that are misaligned, shifts this energy to help you create what you want in your life, allowing the things that no longer serve you fall away — effortlessly and delightfully.
Join in this 2-hour Circle
Energy Exchange is $25.00 per person


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You can still participate in the Smart Commute Bike to Work Day contest- simply bike to work and log your trip on the Smart Commute Online Tool for a chance to win 1 of 3 $500 VIA Rail vouchers. Contest ends June 30.
On May 30th the Halton Region celebrated the 2016 Bike to Work Day with an outpouring of support from local businesses and residents. At Burlington City Hall, speeches and raffles accompanied the celebrations with city staff and over a dozen vendors and community groups.
The biggest group yet came out to celebrate Bike to Work Day in Halton Hills with the annual lunchtime ride for town staff and local residents alike. Halton Hills Regional councillor Jane Fogal joined the group and described the accompanying picnic lunch as 'idyllic'. Riders enjoyed free tune-ups courtesy of Velofix, a mobile bicycle repair shop. Check out the Halton Hills Cycling Challenge for more summer fun.


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Fishtec stock the best waterproofing materials for all clothing garments. Treat your match fishing clothing, with the latest in re-waterproofing formulas from Nikwax to get the full benefits from your waterproof clothing.
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Benzodiazepines were as safe as and more effective than placebo for out-of-hospital status epilepticusPDF
ACP J Club. 2002 May-Jun;136:86. doi:10.7326/ACPJC-2002-136-3-086
Source Citation
Alldredge BK, Gelb AM, Isaacs SM, et al. A comparison of lorazepam, diazepam, and placebo for the treatment of out-of-hospital status epilepticus. N Engl J Med. 2001 Aug 30;345:631-7. [PubMed ID: 11547716] (All 2002 articles were reviewed for relevancy, and abstracts were last revised in 2008.)
In patients with out-of-hospital status epilepticus, are benzodiazepines safer and more effective than placebo when given by paramedics for terminating the condition?
Randomized {allocation concealed*}†, blinded {patients, clinicians, data collectors, and outcome assessors}†,* placebo-controlled trial with follow-up to time of arrival at the emergency department.
San Francisco, California, USA.
205 patients (258 enrollments) who were ≥ 18 years of age (mean age 51 y, 63% men, 50% white) and had an out-of-hospital diagnosis of status epilepticus. Exclusion criteria included pulse < 60 beats/min, systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg, and a history of long-term use of or sensitivity to benzodiazepines. Only data from the first enrollment of each patient was reported. {Follow-up was 100%.}†
Patients were allocated to intravenous injection of lorazepam, 2 mg (n = 66); diazepam, 5 mg (n = 68); or placebo (n = 71), given over a 1- to 2-minute period and only during generalized tonic-clonic seizure activity. If seizures recurred or continued ≥ 4 minutes after the first injection, an identical second injection was given. Open-label diazepam was immediately available for a difficult or unsafe extrication of a patient or if a patient was at high risk for a life-threatening complication.
Main outcome measures
Termination of status epilepticus and out-of-hospital complications.
Main results
{Analysis was by intention to treat.}† Lorazepam and diazepam groups did not differ, but each were more effective than placebo for terminating status epilepticus (diazepam vs placebo comparison was of borderline statistical significance) (Table). An out-of-hospital complication occurred in 11%, 10%, and 23% of patients who received lorazepam, diazepam, and placebo (P = 0.08), respectively.
In patients with status epilepticus, both lorazepam and diazepam were as safe as and more effective than placebo when given by paramedics for terminating the condition.
*See Glossary.
†Information provided by author.
Source of funding: National Institutes of Health.
For correspondence: Dr. D.H. Lowenstein, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Table. Lorazepam (Lor) vs diazepam (Dia) vs placebo (Plac) for out-of-hospital status epilepticus until arrival at the emergency department‡
|Event rates
|Termination of<br/>status epilepticus
|Lor vs Dia
|59% vs 43%
|37% (−13 to 80)
|Lor vs Plac
|59% vs 21%
|166% (60 to 268)
|3 (2 to 8)
|Dia vs Plac
|43% vs 21%
|80% (0 to 190)
|Borderline significance
‡Abbreviations defined in Glossary; RBI, NNT, and CI calculated from adjusted data in article.
Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a neurologic emergency. Prolonged CSE leads to brain damage and neurologic morbidity and could also increase the risk for death. Furthermore, delaying treatment could result in CSE becoming more difficult to control (1). The study by Alldredge and colleagues shows that out-of-hospital, intravenous administration of lorazepam and diazepam by paramedics is as safe as and more effective than placebo. Such early, out-of-hospital therapy is particularly important if the time to arrival at the emergency department is prolonged—a common scenario in clinical practice (2).
The study by Alldredge and colleagues should help alleviate doubts about the safety of these intravenous drugs at commonly recommended doses. Fewer cardiopulmonary complications occurred with benzodiazepines than with placebo, but groups did not differ statistically. Lorazepam, commonly preferred by clinicians because of its longer anticonvulsant effect, had more CSE terminations than did diazepam, but groups did not differ statistically.
Finally, the intervention was ineffective in about 40% of patients, a higher failure rate than previously reported (2, 3). However, the definition of success in this study, termination of CSE at arrival in the emergency department, differs from previous studies.
In applying the study findings, 3 conditions should be met. First, patients should have good respiratory and hemodynamic function. A higher frequency of cardiorespiratory complications may occur in patients who are sicker than those in this study. Second, paramedics require training. Third, clinicians at participating emergency departments must actively support this out-of-hospital intervention.
Samuel Wiebe, MD, MSc
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
1. Lowenstein DH, Alldredge BK. Status epilepticus at an urban public hospital in the 1980s. Neurology. 1993;43:483-8. [PubMed ID: 8450988]
2. Treiman DM, Meyers PD, Walton NY, et al. A comparison of four treatments for generalized convulsive status epilepticus. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:792-8. [PubMed ID: 9738086]
3. Leppik IE, Derivan AT, Homan RW, et al. Double-blind study of lorazepam and diazepam in status epilepticus. JAMA. 1983;249:1452-4. [PubMed ID: 6131148]


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Android is under attack from patent vultures
Apple and Microsoft are after blood
THE INCREASINGLY POPULAR mobile operating system Android is under attack from all sides, according to one of Google's legal experts, and faces a real challenge from the consortium that bought Nortel's patents
That consortium is made up of some unlikely bedfellows, not least of all the curious pairing of Microsoft and Apple. This gathering of dark forces has the big software company concerned.
"I have worked in the tech sector for over two decades. Microsoft and Apple have always been at each other's throats, so when they get into bed together you have to start wondering what's going on," writes David Drummond, SVP and chief legal officer.
Drummond said that Android was becoming more and more popular and winning more and more users, however he added that its successes were being tarnished.
"Android's success has yielded something else: a hostile, organized campaign against Android by Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and other companies, waged through bogus patents," he explained.
"They're doing this by banding together to acquire Novell's old patents (the 'CPTN' group including Microsoft and Apple) and Nortel's old patents (the 'Rockstar' group including Microsoft and Apple), to make sure Google didn't get them."
Referring to earlier reports, Drummond added that these Rockstars could demand a $15 license fee for every Android device be placed in their rider once they take control of their patents.
"Patents were meant to encourage innovation, but lately they are being used as a weapon to stop it," he added.
"Our competitors want to impose a 'tax' for these dubious patents that makes Android devices more expensive for consumers. They want to make it harder for manufacturers to sell Android devices. Instead of competing by building new features or devices, they are fighting through litigation."
Drummond added something that we have all started to work out for ourselves, particularly if you followed the Nortel auction, that patent land grabs are raising the cost of intellectual property.
"We're not naive; technology is a tough and ever-changing industry and we work very hard to stay focused on our own business and make better products," he continued.
"But in this instance we thought it was important to speak out and make it clear that we're determined to preserve Android as a competitive choice for consumers, by stopping those who are trying to strangle it."
This is becoming a recurring theme at Google. At the end of June general counsel Kent Walker likened the patent buying game to a battlefield. "The tech industry has a significant problem," he said. "Software patents are kind of gumming up the works of innovation."
"We want to make sure Google and the companies Google partners with aren't shut out of the opportunity to bring great new products and features to consumers... We'll be fine. We have the resources to balance the scales here."
Google, which we should have mentioned earlier is fighting Oracle over Java patents in Android, is doing all it can to balance the scales, and just last week bought 1,000 patents from IBM. µ
INQ Latest
South Korea is switching to Linux ahead of the Windows 7 shutdown
Tabs to more Ctrl and less Win. Such Fn.
It looks like John McAfee has gone on the lam in the Bahamas
Either that or it's a really intense holiday
Slack fixes bug that could have let hackers nab downloads
Slack attack whacked
Pixel 3a XL price, deals and specs: Pixel 3a borked by random shutdown bug
Power glitch is thought to be hardware-related


text: Aviation & Maritime Security Intelligence National Security ASISSMArticleImage ASISSMArticleImageCredit Aviation & Maritime Security Intelligence 01 November 2013 by By Hassan Eltaher; Reviewed by Michael Edgerton, CPP November 2013 Appears In Print Issue ASISSMCalloutImage ASISSMArticleBody * **** Aviation & Maritime Security Intelligence by Hassan Eltaher. E&W Communications; Available from ASIS, item #2014; 242 pages; $35 (ASIS member); $39 (nonmember). This book provides a basic overview of some intelligence functions in transportation security, but it omits a number of important elements. For example, it focuses on the bureaucratic and organizational issues surrounding intelligence management rather than the fundamental concepts and potential solutions that could improve the effectiveness of intelligence support to key transportation modes. It focuses on intelligence support for an organization with regulatory oversight of security measures rather than organizations responsible for executing security operations or programs. As a result, this book is unlikely to be useful for professionals with a background in intelligence or transportation security. The first half of the book focuses on basic concepts of intelligence and the structure of intelligence units or agencies. It includes additional material on cultural bias in the analysis and threat of terrorism. While the problem of bias is important in determining the quality of analysis, it is not the only issue affecting analytical quality. Analysts also need to understand operational contexts and structured methodologies, assess sources for accuracy and bias, and be able to defend their findings. Unfortunately, the focus on organizational constructs results in an incomplete description of the intelligence cycle. While analysis and intelligence-sharing issues among government agencies are discussed, there is little acknowledgement of intelligence requirements for consumers who may be in a position to act, including front-line security and law enforcement personnel. The second part of the book focuses on the aviation and maritime security operating environments. The author provides general descriptions of possible threats to maritime and aviation targets, but the context is within the international regulatory codes for maritime and aviation. The threats cited are primarily terrorism and piracy and do not focus on other issues such as organized criminal activity and smuggling. As a result, ports, ships, aircraft, and airports are treated as targets, not conduits for illicit activity. This book's lack of a complete description of the intelligence cycle is likely to be misleading for novice practitioners. For experienced intelligence and security practitioners, this book is unlikely to offer any new or valuable information. Reviewer: Michael Edgerton, CPP, is a security consultant based in the Middle East and a member of ASIS Global Terrorism, Political Instability and International Crime Council. He has more than 28 years of military, government, and private sector experience in security and intelligence with a focus on maritime and port security. National Security Transportation


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Recovery: Hope Changes Everything
MSS is excited to distribute the video, Recovery: Hope Changes Everything.
Also there is the "Recovery-Oriented Practice Video Discussion Guide." The Guide was created to compliment the provincial recovery video developed by the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society in partnership with the Provincial Recovery Champions Committee, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and Manitoba Health, Seniors, and Active Living.
The purpose of this Guide is to provide viewers with ideas for using the Recovery: Hope Changes Everything video to enhance their own understanding of recovery and to support others to learn more about recovery and recovery-oriented services. The guide has five main subsections to target specific user groups: service providers, people with lived experience, families & natural supports, policy makers & leaders, community members, and schools.
This guide is best used in group settings where discussion can flourish, but can also be used individually to reflect on your own ideas about recovery and recovery-oriented practice.
Thank you for your continued involvement in the movement towards creating a recovery oriented mental health system and services!


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Fat Transfer
Dramatic restoration of youth to an aging face, contouring the breast, and fixing contour irregularities in the body can all be achieved with the fat transfer procedure. Fat is removed from the abdomen or hips, specially treated, and carefully placed where it is needed in the face, breast, or body. Fat transfer can be done under sedation or general anesthesia with a MD anesthesiologist. It should always be performed in an operating room setting. Incisions are no longer than an eighth of an inch and recovery from surgery is relatively pain free. Swelling can take two to three months to completely subside and reveal the final result. The fat transfer procedure achieves results that were not previously possible with older tissue filler technology. The grafted fat lasts forever and is not associated with any of the problems of a synthetic filler.
In conjunction with a face lift, fat that is grafted in the temple area, the tear trough, lower lids, cheeks, nasolabial fold, lips, and jawline restore volume and shape to an aging face in a way that cannot be achieved by any other technique. Fat transfer in the face can also augment the cheeks and lips in younger as well as middle-aged or older patients.
Patients looking for better breast shape or mild increases in breast size may choose fat transfer instead of more traditional augmentation with synthetic implants. Patients who have some contour irregularities, either natural or caused by previous surgery, can be corrected with fat grafting surgery.
Patients can return to driving and regular activity as soon as they no longer need narcotic pain medication and can resume regular levels of exercise and activity three weeks after surgery. Incisions are so small that they require no glue or suture.
Fat grafting to the breast or body can be done alone or in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures.


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I've also been thinking about a quilt-along and showing how to make my Mod Times quilt. It's a quilt I've had a lot of questions about and people wanting a pattern, so I thought it might be fun for a quilt-along. Anyone interested? This is the small baby quilt that I made:
I would show you how to make that size of quilt, and you can adjust the rows and columns if you want something larger. You would learn set-in seams... it's really not hard to do, otherwise it is a simple quilt to sew. So, I'm thinking that might be fun to start in the next couple of weeks.
I better get finished with my pattern writing and then work on this quilt-along. Are you ready?
I hope you have a great afternoon!


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Advocating for the End of Policies that Exclude Justice-Involved New Yorkers
from Public Housing
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the largest public housing authority in the United States, with nearly 180,000 units housing nearly 400,000 low-income individuals and families in 334 developments throughout the city. While the NYCHA plays an important role in providing affordable housing, it also discriminates in problematic ways against justice-involved individuals and their families. Under its overreaching permanent exclusion policies, even minor contact with the justice system can result in eviction and a lifetime ban from all NYCHA housing. This devastating result can occur even when the criminal justice involvement at hand poses no risk to other tenants. NYCHA residents do not even have to be convicted to face eviction and permanent exclusion. Eviction proceedings are often initiated before charges are even adjudicated. And once one's name is on the permanent exclusion list, it's almost impossible to get the ban lifted.
This policy has resulted in thousands of people who cannot live with, or even visit, their families who live in public housing, with harsh effects on the young and old alike. Youth under the age of 18 can be excluded from public housing even if their families – who are legally responsible for them – are still living in NYCHA, and even if they have nowhere else to go. Many elderly residents have also been forced to exclude family members who act as their caretakers, leaving them without the vital assistance they need to manage the tasks of daily living.
PRI is advocating for change. In August 2014, deeply troubled by the effects of NYCHA's exclusionary policies on justice-involved individuals and their families, PRI convened a cross-section of organizations working in housing, legal services, and criminal justice to review NYCHA practices concerning permanent exclusion and ineligibility due to criminal history. The work group recently completed an analysis of current practice to identify areas in need of reform, generated policy recommendations, and met with the City Council, officials from the City, and tenants and tenant organizers. This group of engaged stakeholders is working to promote alternatives to eviction, permanent exclusion, and eligibility bars that would ultimately:
- Better serve public safety needs;
- Preserve families; and
- Increase affordable housing opportunities.
Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE)
Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES)
Engaged Youth Empowerment Squad (E.Y.E.S.)
In partnership with GOLES, CVH, FUREE, and our partners in the NYCHA Permanent Exclusion Working, PRI is working ensure that youth living in NYCHA have a say in the policies that impact them. E.Y.E.S. is engaging young people directly in developing the most innovative ways to reach their peers, to educate them about the current Permanent Exclusion policy and their rights as public housing residents, and to ensure they have a leading voice in shaping how we advocate for brand new, more inclusive policies. E.Y.E.S. is working to ensure that youth who have been in contact with the criminal justice system have a supportive environment—a cornerstone of preventing recidivism and protecting our communities. By including young people in NYCHA public engagement spaces traditionally dominated by older adults, our goal is to deepen the discourse, bringing together experience and innovation, and generate alternatives to punitive policies that will present a better public safety result. E.Y.E.S. is a multi-year campaign to spark new levels of ownership and engagement for young people who live in public housing, creating the next generation of community leaders in public housing.
Recent Press Coverage
Evictions Aren't the Answer, Say Advocates, After Investigations Dept. Slams NYCHA (City Limits, April 2017)


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The Sandy Hill After School Enrichment Class is an after school program for the enrolled Pre-Kindergarten children(MWF) at Sandy Hill Nursery School. The program provides an alternative afternoon activity that will engage the children and enhance their learning experience through a developmentally appropriate, "hands on" approach. We will stay true to Sandy Hill!
The Enrichment Program is an expansion of exploratory learning, and an addition to the well established Sandy Hill curriculum. The activities are geared towards the Pre-K audience and will involve a variety of subject matter, such as: science, art history, physical and cognitive exercises, music and games. The main objective for every one of the activities is that children will learn by doing. The activities will be held in a positive, fun and educational atmosphere where children will also build the skills of working in groups and following 3-5 step directions. The Enrichment Program offers a beneficial opportunity for the eager minds of the children, as well as an additional option in the afternoon hours at Sandy Hill Nursery School.
"Is this another Enrichment class day Mommy?" When Mom said that it wasn't, Maryam responded with a sad face; "Oh, I really liked it. I want to do that again!"
Each week, a new theme (or project) will be explored. In other words, in any given week, the Monday class is the same as the Wednesday class. Each class/lesson is limited to eight children.
The Enrichment Program will be offered every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (unless otherwise listed) for Pre-K children during the 2013-2014 school year.
Time: 1:00-1:45
The traditional school day will still end at 12:30. Your child will then head down to EDC for a short play time. In other words, enrolling in the Enrichment Program will still allow your child valuable play time during EDC. Once the Enrichment class is over, Miss Erin will take the children back to EDC for you to pick up at your convenience . You will be charged for EDC less the 45 minutes when your child is enjoying the enrichment class with Miss Erin. EDC ends at 3:00. When you sign out at EDC please write the time you arrive and place a check in the space provided under the heading "Enrichment Class?"
To register for the enrichment class:
Registration for the enrichment class is done the same way as your participation days. Go to the online calendar and click on Enrichment Class. Please count how many children are already registered. If it is less than 6, feel free to register, following the same steps as you would for your participation days. If there are more than 6 already registered, please choose another day. Once you have registered, you will be charged whether your child attends or not. Remember to mark on the sign out sheet for the days your child will be attending enrichment. This way you will not be charged for EDC while your child is enjoying Enrichment.


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RERUNS takes away the ANIMA 2019 Grand Prix
The curtain came down on the 38th ANIMA, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival in Flagey's Studio 4 in ultra festive style Sunday evening with, as opener, a delightful cinematic performance from 1914, Winsor McCay's famous Gertie the Dinosaur, before the announcements of the winning films followed by the premiere of the latest from duo Patar and Aubier featuring more crazy adventures with Cowboy and Indian in The Agricultural Fair.
Anima's organizers were also feeling good as, just before the big 40, the Festival can once again announce a constant increase in attendance, with 46,000 festivalgoers, including 32,000 from Brussels, which is 1,000 more than last year!
The jury for the international competition – made up of Maureen Furniss (US), Hisko Hulsing (NL) and Jakob Schuh (DE) decided to reward Rosto's final short film RERUNS, an explosive cocktail of live pictures reworked in 3D and an invitation into the artist's mind and especially his childhood memories... The Dutch filmmaker, writer and musician sadly passed away on March 7th, while preparing his first feature. The Festival dedicated its closing ceremony to this great artist whose career had accompanied the Festival with his innovative and original works.
The Anima 2019 Grand Prix comes with a grant of 2,500 Euros offered by the Région de Bruxelles-Capitale.
The jury awarded their special prize to Osman Cerfon's JE SORS ACHETER DES CIGARETTES, while the prize for the best student film went to BLOEM? by Jorn Leeuwerink. Finally, the junior jury, made up of representatives from webtv Ceci n'est pas un Buzz and Ouftivi, rewarded ONE SMALL STEP, by Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas, with their prize for the best short film for a young audience.
The jury for the national competition – made up of Anders Narverud Moen (NO), Julia Ocker (DE) and Ron Dyens (FR) - awarded the prize for the best Belgian short film offered by the SABAM to Lia Bertels' NUIT CHERIE. The Grand Prix for best short film from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles went to SOUS LE CARTILAGE DES CÔTES, by Bruno Tondeur.
Anima's audience chose to reward FUNAN as the best feature for adults, while the votes went to MIND MY MIND, by Floor Adams, to take away the prize for best short film. The Animated Night spectators decided to give their prize for best short to BLOODY FAIRY TALES.
Finally, the Festival hosted a VR competition for the first time this year. The jury of experts, François Fripiat, Marine Haverland and Ioana Matei, chose GLOOMY EYES, by Fernando Maldonado and Jorge Tereso, to win this first award for best VR film.
It should be noted that the European films awarded at the Anima Festival are eligible for the Emilie Awards and the Anima 2019 Grand Prix is eligible for the Oscar® for best animated short film.
The Festival welcomed 763 badge-holders this year, along with over 60 international guests coming from 20 different countries including the USA, Japan and Egypt, who were visiting to present their films or take part in the Futuranima professional conferences.
You can check out the photos, the full list of prize-winners and photos of the winning films on www.animafestival.be.
And, don't forget to note down the dates for next year's Anima, which is set to take place in Brussels from Friday 21st February to Sunday 1st March 2020.
Kids' Workshops with Zorobabel
Check out what the kids got up to at the Anima workshops and other clips on our YouTube page.
Workshop for Teens with Loup Blaster
Check out what they got up to at the Anima workshop and other clips on our YouTube page.


text: Posted by: Installer Online on March 25, 2013 in Product News Leave a comment EndoTherm™ solution to reduce heating costs EndoTherm™, a new, innovative central heating system additive, has been proven to significantly cut heating costs in offices, homes, public buildings and commercial properties. Hospitals and homeowners are among the many different energy users who have seen their energy bills reduced significantly by using EndoTherm, a scientifically developed, proven technology that is added to the water in heating systems. For example, East Ayrshire Community Hospital (EACH), a 64 bed hospital with a large day centre, is heated by a low pressure hot water system, which circulates hot water through radiators and calorifiers, providing heating to the hospital. After EndoTherm was trialled in the hospital heating system, Scott Gibson, Energy Manager at EACH, confirmed a reduction of between 10 and 11 per cent in energy usage, compared with comparable months in previous years. He added: "EndoTherm has now been present in the hospital heating system for more than 8 months and the energy improvements have been sustained." Similar results have been demonstrated in domestic tests, producing annual savings of more than 10 per cent in a typical three bedroom house. With a 500ml application lasting a typical domestic house two years, EndoTherm's current RRP of just £30 makes it inexpensive and cost effective, in addition to being very simple to install. EndoTherm improves the thermal conductivity of water, accelerating the heat transfer to the bulk fluid and therefore increasing the efficiency of the heating system. It has been extensively trialled, tested and proven over the last five years. Carshalton Power Assessment Centre, (CPAC), has also established that EndoTherm has no corrosive effect on a heating system and produces significant energy savings, thereby satisfying CSR commitments. According to Alan Harris, former Curriculum Development Manager at CPAC explained: "An inspection of the heating system after 21 months confirmed, that the system was in excellent condition and there was no deterioration whatsoever in the Buderus boiler aluminium heat exchanger, or in the copper pipework of the system. "In addition, the energy saving characteristics that had been evidenced in the initial trial period, were maintained throughout the extended trial period." Phil Buchanan, Managing Director of Endo Enterprises commented: "This is a superb way for businesses and public sector organisations both to save substantially on costs and to implement their CSR commitment by reducing their energy consumption. It is an opportunity not to be missed." For more information please visit, endoenterprises.com/index.php/our-products/endo-therm Share ! tweet


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Shipping and Return Policy Shipping & Fulfillment Center Location
Orders normally ship within one business day of receipt. Exceptions to this schedule may occur on the day following a three-day weekend and during the weeks of the Christmas season. Our fulfillment service operates Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST. Please remember that orders are not processed or shipped out on the weekends.
Our fulfillment center, situated in the northwest region of Michigan`s mitten. The address is 807 Airport Access Road, Unit D, Traverse City, MI 49686. Shipping Confirmations and Tracking Information
We`ll e-mail an order confirmation to you, including a tracking number.
We use FedEx Ground and USPS Mail 3-5 business days delivery service to deliver our orders in USA, depending on the size of the order. If you wish we can send your order by Priority or Express Mail for additional charge. You can choose this method during checkout.
For International orders we use USPS Priority Mail 6-10 business days service. If you wish we can send your order by Express Mail for additional charge. You can choose this method during checkout.
Shipping Rates
We ship free of charge within USA and UK. You only have to pay additional postage cost if you wish your order to be sent by Priority or Express delivery.
For International orders outside of USA and UK there will be additional shipping charge.
For International Shipments:
Please order this product only if you are confident that it is allowed for importation into your country, and you are willing to assume complete responsibility for your shipment being delayed, returned, confiscated, and/or destroyed by your country's customs or postal delivery services. If in the event that your country's customs refuses clearance for your item we will issue you a refund 100% of your purchase price (excluding shipping costs) only if we receive your returned item within 90 days.
Return Policy
We aim to provide the highest levels of quality and service. If we do make a mistake, please let us know and we will do all we can to put things right. If for any reason you decide you no longer wish to continue taking our supplements. You may simply return any unopened bottles to our fulfilment warehouse. Upon receipt of the bottles we will refund you for any unopened product. You will not be charged a restocking fee, you will receive a full refund, for each unopened bottle, excluding the original postage cost. Please note, unfortunately we cannot offer refunds on opened, used or partially used bottles.
How to Return an Item
If you wish to return the item please notify us by e-mail [email protected] that you intend to do so.
USA warehouse address to return goods:
Returns Department, Ben Ong LTD, 807 Airport Access Rd., Unit D, Traverse City, MI 49686. Please include a copy of packing list with the shipment.
Refund Policy
We will credit your card once the goods have been received by our warehouse.


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NDP Leader Brian Mason glides to victory
New Democrats hope to double number of seats
A happy NDP Leader Brian Mason welcomed two more members to his caucus Monday night.
"At the risk of repeating myself, we're going to need a slightly bigger phone booth," he said to his supporters.
NDP candidate Deron Bilous was leading Tory incumbent Tony Vandermeer in Edmonton–Beverly–Clareview, while David Eggen was ahead by a couple hundred votes in his battle with Tory Bev Esslinger in Edmonton–Calder.
"There are a few others I would have liked to have joined us in the legislature," Mason said, noting that the party won more votes in many ridings than ever before.
But he vowed a renewed NDP opposition in the Alberta legislature, fighting for fairly priced electricity, enhanced public healthcare, more jobs and a cleaner environment.
Mason acknowledged his surprise as he congratulated PC Leader Alison Redford.
"I never thought it was going to happen," he said. "You can never count the PCs out."
Mason easily won his Edmonton–Highlands–Norwood seat, as did NDP incumbent Rachel Notley in Edmonton–Strathcona
If Eggen holds on, it will be the second time he will represent the NDP in the legislature, after winning in 2004 but losing his seat in 2008.
- An earlier version of the story described Deron Bilous as a first-time candidate. Bilous ran in Edmonton Centre in 2008.Apr 24, 1970 9:30 AM CT


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Top 10 reasons why Utah Jazz might beat San Antonio Spurs
My Top 10 tongue-in-cheek reasons why the Utah Jazz just might "shock the world" (as Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward put it) and pull off the upset over the heavily favored San Antonio Spurs:
10. The One That Got Away From San Antonio (a.k.a. Blake Ahearn) provides valuable insider info acquired from Spurs during his short stint in 2008.
9. Talented Spurs forward Manu Ginobili unable to play after breaking his flopula in a dramatic display.
8. Eva Longoria becomes a Jazz Dancer and distracts Spurs.
7. Last time Jazz, winners of five straight, ended a season on a winning streak, they went to the NBA Finals (4-0 in 1997).
6. Last time Josh Howard and Devin Harris were on the same playoff team together, they went to the NBA Finals (Mavericks in 2006).
5. In a ravenous moment, San Antonio's beefy Boris Diaw mistakes Tony Parker for a French fry.
4. Aging Spurs suffer unfortunate repercussions after accidentally overdosing on Metamucil.
3. Tim Duncan's eyeballs literally pop out of their sockets (think: Large Marge) while protesting a referee's call.
2. Spurs unwittingly contracted tankitis from the Warriors after playing them in Thursday's regular-season finale.
1. Resting his Big Three for the second round backfires on Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
One comment
I like the new photo, Jody. Thanks for the light-hearted list; it's good to have some fun.
Popovich's use of minutes and his coaching in general has been BRILLIANT this year; I've never been more impressed with him.
I think the Jazz are strong where the Spurs struggle, so the serious could go 7 games if the Jazz don't lose heart when playing from behind.
BTW, didn't Eva leave Parker because Parker was unfaithful? And isn't Big Al having trouble with his girlfriend?
Maybe Eva should show up with Big Al and cheer for him… that ought to distract Parker from the great season he's been having.


text: I parked in a parking spot but turned too soon while pulling out and and drove over the curb. I didn't think anything was wrong until I heard scraping from underneath and noticed that I tore the plastic from under my car (see pics). I'll be taking it into the service center tomorrow unless someone might have any other suggestions. Car is only two months old, can this be fixed under warranty? Thanks for any help you might be able to offer. Marcus