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Personal Time Off FAQs
Personal Time Off (PTO)
We're moving to a tiered PTO plan where accrual rates will be based on job function, years of service and number of scheduled work hours. You can find your PTO accrual rate by searching our database using your MyWay – PeopleSoft Empl ID at TEAMHMH.COM/PERSONAL-TIME-OFF. This will also be available in your My Time Statement on MyWay – PeopleSoft, starting April 12, 2019.
You can find your PTO accrual rate by searching our database using your MyWay – PeopleSoft Empl ID at TEAMHMH.COM/PERSONAL-TIME-OFF. This will also be available in your My Time Statement on MyWay – PeopleSoft, starting April 12, 2019.
Under most circumstances, you can take as much time as you will earn in an anniversary year, except while on a leave of absence. The total of your accrued PTO and your PTO "yet to be earned" will be viewable into MyWay – PeopleSoft on your PTO Anniversary Date. You cannot go into the negative beyond that number. You will be able to see your current/available PTO in the My Time Statement section of MyWay – PeopleSoft starting April 12, 2019.
Eligible team members will be able to carryover up to 80 hours of PTO regular each year. This will be pro-rated for team members scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week. The number of hours you have in your frozen or "draw down" bank has a separate schedule.
Eligible team members below director level who are participating in one of the PTO accrual plans, will have their existing PTO banks frozen and transferred to the new MyWay – PeopleSoft system. This time will be available for team members to use over a specific period of time, called a draw-down period.
Your individual draw-down period is based on the number of hours you have: the more hours you have to use, the more time you'll have to use them. As always, you'll need to work with your leader to schedule your PTO. You can see the PTO draw-down schedule at TEAMHMH.COM/PERSONAL-TIME-OFF.
We believe that taking time off is an important part of overall health and wellbeing. We want you to enjoy time off, and PTO enables you to do so without any loss to pay.
There is a draw-down schedule based on the number of hours you have in your frozen or "draw down" bank. However, how (and when) you use the hours within your allotted draw-down time is up to you (and subject to your leader's approval, of course).
For example, if you have 200 hours in your PTO draw down bank, according to the draw-down schedule you have until April 1, 2022, or three years, to use it. So, you could spread those 200 hours over the next three years or look to schedule a five week break (200 hours) all at once. In another example, if you had 81 hours in your PTO draw down bank, you would have until April 1, 2021, or two years, to use it.
Just remember, you need your leader's approval for scheduling purposes, so we encourage you to have those planning discussions as soon as possible. Also, please keep in mind that any hours that are not used within the specific draw-down deadline expire and can no longer be used or paid out upon leaving Hackensack Meridian Health.
As part of our Growing Together process, we took a look at the market and reviewed the best practices of leading healthcare systems throughout the Northeast. Our new PTO plan is based on these findings and is designed to support eligible team members in every function throughout the network and attract the best talent throughout the state.
Please double check to make sure you are entering your MyWay – PeopleSoft Empl ID in the PTO database. If you still have questions about the results you're seeing, please reach out to your leader.
The PTO Anniversary date is the date that a team member becomes eligible for PTO benefits. This is generally the same as a team member's hire date anniversary, rehire date based on the rehire policy or transfer date to a benefit-eligible position. Eligible team members begin accruing PTO 90 days after their benefit service date. PTO time is pro-rated for newly hired or eligible team members during their first year of employment.
Earned Sick Leave (ESL)
No! In addition to the PTO plan, there is a separate ESL plan and separate accruals for holiday time. Some team members will also have frozen PTO draw down and/or frozen ESL banks that they will be able to draw from over a period of time. So, when reviewing the new PTO accrual rates, be sure to compare that only to your current PTO/vacation time.
Paid Time Off (PTO) can be used for time off related to personal matters, including, for example, vacation, personal days, and religious days of observation. Earned Sick Leave (ESL) is another type of time off that can be used for reasons covered by the NJ Paid Sick Leave Act. CLICK HERE to see reasons covered by NJ Paid Sick Leave act.
No. For eligible team members who have already accrued time, here's what will happen starting 3/24/19:
For PTO, there will be a period of one to five years in which eligible team members below Director level can draw-down accrued time. Eligible team members who leave before their draw-down period has ended will be paid out any remaining accrued time in their draw-down bank, per the HMH PTO Drawn Down Bank policy.
Your individual draw-down period is based on the number of hours you have: The more hours you have to use, the more time you'll have to use them. As always, you'll need to work with your leader to schedule your PTO and enter the request into MyWay – PeopleSoft. Any time left in your bank after your specific draw-down period will no longer be available for use and you will not be paid out for them after your draw-down period has expired.
All PTO hours will be shown in your MyWay – PeopleSoft profile. When you go to request PTO, you will have the option of selecting hours from your bank of PTO draw down hours (accrued before the 3/24/19 pay period, and subject to the draw-down schedule) or newly accrued hours (starting the 3/24/19 pay period and after).
For ESL hours (sometimes referred to as EIB or sick time), any hours accrued before the 3/24/19 pay period will be frozen into a bank of hours for future use. There is no cap on the number of hours you can have in this frozen bank.
Yes, all of the time that is available to you and time you have taken in your anniversary year will be reflected in the My Time Statement section of MyWay – PeopleSoft, starting April 12, 2019.
Yes. Team members are eligible for the Short Term Disability Wrap on the first day of the month following 90 days of employment.
Other Personal Time Off
Team Members may be eligible for and granted unpaid leaves of absence for a variety of reasons. Eligibility for leave is dependent on a number of factors including but not limited to the type of leave requested, the length of service, hours worked and business needs. For most leaves, team members must have completed at least one year of service with Hackensack Meridian Health by commencement of the leave and have declared intent to return to work after the leave. Leaves of absence categories are as follows:
- Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
- Medical Leave of Absence
- Military Family Leave Entitlement to Care for an Injured Service Member or Family Member's Exigency
- New Jersey Paid Family Leave (NJFLI)
- Short and Long Term Disability
- Intermittent Leave of Absence
- Personal
- Education
Eligibility for benefits during the leave, length of leave, and other conditions depend upon the circumstances of the leave and certain other qualifying factors. Please refer to Hackensack Meridian Health Leaves of Absence Policy to review the complete policy governing Leave of Absence.
Under the new policy, eligible team members must first notify their leader of their intent to take a leave and then call The Hartford's toll-free number at 1-888-924-4155 to request Family and Medical Leave, disability and other available leave types (including personal or educational leave). If you are requesting a personal or educational leave, you should first get approval from your leader before reaching out to The Hartford. You should call 30 days in advance of the leave, if possible. If the leave is unexpected, you should call the same day or following business day in which the need for leave is known.
Medical, Family Leave, Intermittent Leave, Domestic Violence, Personal, Military and Educational leaves are all handled by The Hartford and should be reported to them through the proper channels. Jury duty is handled in house by your leader.
Once a team member has exhausted their ESL they will receive a weekly payment from the Hartford. Team members should ask for the "Statutory Claim Payment" when they call Hartford about the payment.
Yes, you should call The Hartford if you are in need of time off to care for a covered family member or to care for your newborn or adopted child. They will record your NJ Family Leave time. This leave law gives you job protection while you are out to care for your family member.
Team members who take leaves to care for a family member will be paid up to two (2) weeks of accrued, unused Paid Time Off (PTO) for the first two (2) weeks of a continuous leave. NJFLI benefits will be supplemented to 100% of pay with PTO from Frozen PTO draw-down banks first, then from accrued PTO, if time is available. Effective 4/1/19, the current PTO accrual bank cannot be drawn down below 80 hours.
- Team members who take leaves for their own serious health condition will be paid first from ESL banks (Current first, Frozen second) until ESL banks are exhausted. Should a team member remain disabled, short-term disability benefits will begin upon exhaustion of ESL and after the approval of the leave by Hartford. The STD benefit of 2/3 of base pay will be supplemented to 100% with PTO from Frozen PTO draw-down banks first, then from current accrued PTO bank, if time is available. Effective 4/1/19, the current PTO accrual bank cannot be drawn down below 80 hours when being used in this manner.
- Team members who take leaves to care for a family member will be paid up to two (2) weeks of accrued, unused Paid Time Off (PTO) for the first two (2) weeks of a continuous leave. NJFLI benefits will be supplemented to 100% of pay with PTO from Frozen PTO draw-down banks first, then from accrued PTO, if time is available. Effective 4/1/19, the current PTO accrual bank cannot be drawn down below 80 hours when being used in this manner.
- Once NJFLI is exhausted, team member will continue to be paid through their Frozen PTO draw-down banks first if available, and then current accrued PTO bank. Effective 4/1/19 the current PTO accrual bank cannot be drawn down below 80 hours when being used in this manner.
- Team members will be paid any accrued, unused PTO time for an intermittent leave to care for an ill family member. It will be paid at the base hourly rate for a team member's primary benefit-eligible position (excludes secondary positions which are not benefit-eligible), subject to the revised NJ ESL law.
No, The Hartford does not handle the payment portion for the NJ Family Leave. You must go online to The State of NJ website to complete the NJ FL-1 application or contact Team Member Support Services at 551-996-2877 who will guide you through the process in order to receive payment from The State of New Jersey when used in this manner.
- The state will not accept any NJFLI (FL-1) forms until your leave has started. If they receive forms prior to the start date, they are returned directly to the claimant.
- Under our current LOA policy, team members who are taking a leave to care for a covered family member or a newborn/adopted child are paid out any unused, accrued PTO time to a maximum of two (2) weeks. Payroll must calculate the payout of these hours in the pay period in which the leave starts and report them on the FL-1 form.
Typically it takes at least three weeks from the day you submit your form or apply on-line to receive a communication from the state informing you that a debit card is forthcoming.
When medically necessary, a leave taken because of a serious health condition of a team member or a family member, or to care for a Covered Service Member may be taken on an intermittent or reduced work schedule basis. If a team member takes a leave intermittently or on a reduced work schedule basis in order to obtain planned medical treatment, the team member must, when requested, attempt to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt HMH's operations.
Please call Hartford at 1-888-924-4155 to request an intermittent leave.
- Team members with approved intermittent leaves for their own health condition or during pregnancy will draw from their ESL for each intermittent leave day taken. This excludes team members taking intermittent leaves that are not for a purpose permitted under the ESL policy, for example, baby bonding, family military exigency, or military caregiver.
- Team members will be paid any accrued, unused PTO time for an intermittent leave to care for an ill family member. It will be paid at the base hourly rate for a team member's primary benefit-eligible position (excludes secondary positions which are not benefit-eligible), subject to the revised NJ ESL law.
- Team members who are actively taking continuous leave will receive a transition letter with instructions from The Hartford.
- Team members who are actively taking intermittent leave will receive a transition letter from The Hartford, and should report any hours missed starting January 1, 2019, to The Hartford.
- Team members who have applied for a continuous leave, to begin after January 1, 2019, using a prior claim reporting process, must contact The Hartford to initiate a claim.
- Team members who are returning to work from a leave will need to call The Hartford to be cleared prior to starting work.
- Notify your leader of your intent to request a leave of absence.
- Please call The Hartford at 1-888-924-4155 and they will tell you what you are eligible for and explain what you need to do. Please see below for information you should have on-hand when calling.
- Team members also have the option of filing a claim on-line 24/7: thehartford.com/mybenefits.
- Actual approval of the leave will be dependent upon providing the proper documentation to The Hartford within 15 business days of the leave request. The Hartford will notify you within five business days whether you are or are not eligible for the leave based on hours, service and remaining leave time available.
- When you call, be prepared to supply the following information:
- HMH Group Policy #: 402125
- Your name, last four digits of your Social Security Number, date of birth, date last worked and date of hire
- Your leader's name and telephone number
- Your physician's name, telephone number and fax number
- A description of your or your family member's illness or injury
- A description of your occupation
Notify your leader.
Notify Hartford by calling their toll-free number at 1-888-924-4155.
Step 1: Please call The Hartford at 1-888-924-4155 to report your return to work date.
Step 2: After speaking with The Hartford, you must submit your Return to Work note from your physician, along with your phone number, to the Accommodations Team. You can submit these items via e-mail, to firstname.lastname@example.com, or via fax, to 848-245-8453.
Step 3: After submitting your physician note in step 2, you may need to complete additional steps depending on your specific situation.
- If your physician clearance note includes work restrictions, do not report to work until the Accommodations team contacts you, which will be within 24 hours (except on weekends), to discuss your work restrictions and the protocol for your return to work,.
- If you have a communicable disease or are out on a Workers Comp leave, you must report to your local Occupational Health office to be cleared prior to returning to work. After you report to Occupational Health, they will then follow up with the LOA Accommodations team regarding your Return to Work date.
- If neither of these situations applies to you, please move on to step 4.
Step 4: After submitting your physician note in step 2, you may need to complete additional steps depending on your specific situation.
Step 5: Once you have completed the necessary steps, The Hartford and the LOA Accommodations Team will determine the proper Return to Work date. The LOA Accommodations Team will then update your status via MyWay – PeopleSoft and you and your Leader will be notified of your official Return to Work date.
Step 1: E-mail the LOA Accommodations team at email@example.com or fax at 1-848-245-8453 to notify them of your return to work date and provide a contact number. The LOA Accommodations team will then update your status in MyWay – PeopleSoft and confirm you return to work date with your leader. Please note: Failure to submit this information to the LOA Accommodations team well in advance of your planned return could result in a delay in pay and system access.
Step 2: Call The Hartford at 1-888-924-4155 to report your return to work date.
Step 3: Call your leader to coordinate your return to work.
- Short Term Disability will begin once the team member has exhausted their ESL.
- Temporary disability benefits are paid up to a maximum of 26 weeks as required by NJ state law - this is administered by Hartford. This payment will be sent to the team member directly from Hartford.
- For team members with salaries above the maximum NJ weekly benefit amount of $650 (for 2019), HMH will provide an additional STD benefit that will bring the benefit to a full 66.66% (2/3) of their base weekly salary. This amount can be supplemented to a full 100% with accrued and banked PTO.
- Payment is made through Payroll on a biweekly basis.
- Long Term Disability (LTD) is a benefit that HMH provides to eligible team members. The LTD Plan is designed to replace a portion of your income should you remain disabled after exhausting the 26 weeks NJ TDB benefit/STD Wrap. These benefits are administered by The Hartford.
- Eligible team members have the opportunity to purchase additional LTD coverage as a buy-up option during the Annual Open Enrollment period, or within 31 days of the date a team member has a Change in Family Status.
- Evidence of Insurability is required for team members who do not enroll within 31 days after first becoming eligible for the buy-up option.
- Call The Hartford at 1-888-924-4155. They will record your FMLA/NJFLA leave time.
- Team members covered under the New Jersey State Plan can obtain information pertaining to the program and an application for Family Leave Insurance benefits by calling Team Member Support Services at 551-996-2877.
- Team members may also contact the Department of Labor and Workforce Development: on the web at nj.gov/labor; by telephoning the Customer Service Section at (609) 292-7060; or by mail at PO Box 387, Trenton, NJ 08625-0387.
You will continue to accrue PTO, ESL and Holiday time if you are in a benefit eligible status for 30 days. After 30 days your accruals will stop and resume when you return from your LOA.
- As long as you are receiving a paycheck from HMH your medical deductions will be taken out of your paycheck, as is standard. Once you are no longer receiving a paycheck from HMH you will receive a bill from HMH for your monthly medical deductions that are usually deducted from your paycheck.
- If you experience a work-related injury or illness, immediately contact your leader and report to Occupational/Employee Health.
- Occupational/Employee Health will report your leave to The Hartford for tracking purposes and The Hartford will send you FMLA forms.
- Questions regarding your Worker's Comp leave and payments should be directed to Occupational/Employee Health.
- Before returning to work from a Worker's Comp leave you must be cleared by Occupational/Employee Health.
- If you lost time due to a work-related injury or illness will be paid in one of two ways:
- If seven (7) or less calendar days are lost, the hours lost must be charged to extended sick leave (ESL) first, then ESL frozen, then PTO.
- If there is lost time which extends beyond seven (7) calendar days due to the disability, a workers' compensation claim is filed and the time lost will be paid by the Workers' Compensation Program Administrator. The Worker's Compensation program benefit will pay you 70% of your gross pay to the maximum compensation rate. If you are receiving temporary workers' compensation payment you may use extended sick leave (ESL) first, then ESL frozen, then PTO to supplement your wages to 100% of your salary.
- The Workers' Compensation Program Administrator is responsible for mailing checks for the first payment 14 days from the date the claim is filed, provided it is not a contested claim. The check will be mailed directly to your home address.
Eligible full-time and part-time team members will be paid their regularly scheduled hours for up to three (3) consecutive scheduled days from the time of death through date of services for the loss of spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, grandparent, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step-mother, step-father, step-son, step-daughter, domestic partner, civil union partner, parent of your child, or guardian.
Scheduling for holidays will follow your department policy.
- If you are an hourly team member working one of the 6 Hackensack Meridian Health holidays, you will be paid 1.5x your rate (premium pay), plus any applicable shift differentials. Then you will get to take another day off for your holiday. Please note that the holiday premium pay is only applied to all hours worked between 12:00am at the start of the holiday and 11:59pm at the end of the holiday (the holiday differential zone).
- Team members who have standard work hours of 36 or more will accrue 48 hours of holiday pay during the year.
- Team members with standard work hours of more than 20 and fewer than 36 hours per week will accrue pro-rated holiday hours.
- If you are normally scheduled for 12 hours and wish to receive 12 hours of pay, you can supplement the 8 hours of holiday pay with 4 PTO hours.
Eligible team members will be able to carryover one day (the 12/25 holiday) to the following year, if not used in the year it is accrued. Eligible team members will need to take the other five holidays in the year they occur.
Do you still have questions and want to speak with someone directly? Support is available at the following call center:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Schedule an Appointment


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Learning. Personalized.
Education Enrichment Services (EES) provides students of all ages with supplemental classes and individual tutoring to achieve mastery in the desired content areas. We inspire a desire to learn through marked moments of achievement, followed by the lasting effect of success. EES assesses students to determine individual performance levels and learning styles, enabling us to teach directly to the specific needs and educational goals.
EES draws from a team of credentialed teachers, educators and specialists in the fields of speech therapy, audiology, and psychology. This brings a holistic approach to creating, implementing and documenting programs that generate both academic results and a more confident and capable student. Families, teachers, specialists and schools throughout the Sacramento area choose to partner with EES because of our proven track record; our professional educators are dedicated to your child's long-term goals.
At EES, we cultivate relationships with families, and are committed to the student and their specific needs. We instill in your child the confidence to succeed in school and in life.EES has extensive experience and documented results in assisting students with a broad range of learning abilities, including behavioral and learning challenges such as;
Sacramento4Kids is an online family resource guide for kids within the Greater Sacramento area. From Events, Arts & Music, Birthday Parties, Camps, Child Care, Classes, Deals, Discounts, Schools, Field Trips, Health Providers, Kids Eat Free venues, Places To Go, Sports, and for Special Needs children.
9245 Laguna Springs Dr.
Suite 200
Elk Grove CA 95758

subset: commoncrawl


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Our business's website is the single most important tool in marketing for our business. Matt Roberts listened to our ideas and goals and developed an attractive, creative, and highly functional site that made the launch of our website a gigantic success. AdInfusion went above and beyond our expectations in suggesting creative approaches to our marketing plan that were much more than just logo or website design.With Matts's expert advice, AdInfusion got us better positioned to take advantage of search-engine optimization techniques that make our company more noticeable and more accessible to our clients. We have a user-friendly portal for our potential clients to check out our company and we have an easy way to communicate with our client base through a simple but effective blog. I know a lot about marketing, but I couldn't have begun to do any of this myself. Matt Roberts and AdInfusion gave my business the professional look that I wanted and the internet advantage that I needed!
If you're looking for Sacramento web designs then there's really no better choice for your business. Matt Roberts and the team at AdInfusion have shown us more about how to dominate with Sacramento SEO services and digital marketing than some of the companies we actually paid to provide services for us. If you're looking for a company who can get you to #1 and get you there fast, then take it from me, call AdInfusion, and you won't be disappointed!!


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The Presidency, Friday, described as "patently untrue" allegation by demonstrators in Bayelsa State that the federal government was after the family of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement issued by Garba Shehu, presidential adviser on Media and Publicity, he said: "We have confirmed with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) that the former President and the other past leaders were paid their allowances up to the second quarter.
"The past leaders have not been paid third quarter allowances but will get their dues when remittances are received by the SGF from the Ministry of Finance.
"Also, the story of account closure is false. It is not known to the investigation agencies.
"The National Security Adviser to the President is not aware of this bank account closure; the DG SSS is unaware of it, the EFCC is unaware and the IG of Police is not in the know."
He added that "With all of these agencies not being involved, how then could a thing like that happen? In a dream perhaps!
"To put it starkly, we believe there is a clear motive for the demonstration that is different from that which was being canvassed.
"This is a premeditated attempt to blame President Muhammadu Buhari for something he knows nothing about.
"These claims are false and poorly sourced to present a picture of vendetta; and they should be disregarded by well-meaning members of the public.
"President Buhari remains committed to the ideals of justice and fairness to all irrespective of creed, religion and political leanings. His administration will not engage in vendetta."


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casper wrote
This is really neat. I didn't know it's that easy to shield EMF from these lights. But their products are extremely expensive.
The bulbs look similar to the Philips IR bulbs that most people use. I wonder what the difference is with these and the Philips ones.
I have 3 of the Philips bulbs myself (BR125), but without the faraday cage they produce a field measurable 1-2m from the bulb. I'm assuming it's just the metal grill around the bulb that is preventing (low-frequency) EMF leakage.


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Melbourne Daily Photo
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Garden Urns
Don't you just love the warm earthy tones with a touch of the rustic about them? I do and these wonderful examples are at our local nursery. And yes, that is water springing forth from the urn in the right foreground. I tried for a better shot but as there is a high wire fence around this section, I had to hold the camera between the wire "squares".
Today's Quote: Oh, tenderly the haughty day fills his blue urn with fire ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
10 comments:
- Luis Gomez said...
Beautiful shot! Really lovely.
- 15 September 2010 at 12:36
- Miranda said...
I love those pots. I've got a perfect spot for one of them. ;)Nice shot!
- 15 September 2010 at 13:01
- ~Cheryl said...
Yes, these are beautiful! Isn't it fun to shoot inside those squares? Great job!
- 15 September 2010 at 13:39
- Hilda said...
Such beautiful textures! I love them too.
- 15 September 2010 at 15:59
- brattcat said...
Not only wonderful colors, but such pleasing shapes...and the wire fence at the back of the shot adds to the richness of the composition. And, as always, a brilliant quote to go with the image.
- 15 September 2010 at 21:52
- Mel_Cole said...
I like the antique effect of the scene. :)
- 16 September 2010 at 04:11
- irinapictures said...
i want to feel these textures. Great find!
- 16 September 2010 at 04:16
Great photo - and yes, these colors are much more desirable than white, grey, yellow etc.!
- 16 September 2010 at 20:16
- Unknown said...
All of them look fantastic!
- 16 September 2010 at 21:59
- arabesque said...
this is already perfect!
i like earthenware pots and what nots but those are just too big for us! ^0^
sadly, space is an issue.
- 17 September 2010 at 01:10


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The medical bill included:
The names of four medical services.
How much Medicare paid on each.
How much the supplemental insurance paid on each.
How much I should pay on each, which always equaled $00.00 — except for the total at the balance, which said I owed $8.66 for something called: "Transferred from insurance."
I was wondering how four $00.00s totaled $8.66.
Earlier in the bill, the $8.66 was listed as paid by insurance.
Having no idea what "transferred from insurance" meant, I called the billing people.
"I don't know what that means, but I am not paying for your paperwork," I told the lady.
"I don't know what paperwork you are talking about," the nice lady replied, but Medicare does not pay for a TB test, so the computer moved it from being paid by the insurance to being owed by you.
"Ah, " I said. "OK, I'll pay it. But isn't there a better way to have said it?"
"Not with our present software," the lady, whose tone of niceness was edging toward annoyance.
I don't know if that piece of software is officially called that Artificial Intelligence stuff everyone is talking about, but it seems to be, what with the insurance computer, not a human, making the decision to stick me with the $8.66. Truth is the computer never should never have charged the insurance company the $8.66 in the first place. It was correcting its own mistake.
Which raises an important question: Are we teaching computers how to say things, how to do things, how to spell things, how to interpret a phrase and, scariest of all, how to set policy?
Or are computers teaching us?
I attended a town meeting in Vienna, Maine, because I owned property there. We were told after approving the annual budget that we no longer could pay our taxes monthly, quarterly or any thing less than annually. We had to pay the whole year at once.
"Why?" I asked, knowing that a big annual payment could be a real hardship on people who lived paycheck to paycheck, or even day to day, chopping down and hauling out trees. It is called "working the woods," or living just above poverty, if that.
"Because the new computer system you just approved will only send out an annual bill," the town treasurer said.
I asked for a revote, but my request was turned down.
Town meetings aren't always the purest form of democracy. Much of what goes on is controlled by the person conducting the meeting. Power corrupts, in case you've forgotten.
The young people, those who grew up with computers, are using computer lingo as a substitute for proper English. Then they proceed going through life bending to the ways of some programming nerd. Programming is a computer term designed to obfuscate what is really happening — they are changing our lives without our permission.
Great universities should study such trends, then find a way to turn things around so humans are once again in charge.
Harvard, perhaps?
Dan Warner is a veteran newspaper writer and editor.


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'I Should Have Gone to Uni' sees hotly tipped grunge rockers Allusondrugs articulating the anxieties and pressures of young adulthood as only they can.
The band, whose touring schedule alone surely puts them in the running for the title off the hardest working musicians in the UK, recorded and mixed this track as well as producing, filming and editing the video themselves, in a two day break between gigs!
'I Should Have Gone To Uni' is a stomping, retro-fuelled grunge single inspired by the anxiety of growing up and moving on that will be airing on Kerrang! Radio, Kerrang! Television and with the Kerrang! website as part of their new Fresh Blood feature. The track's available as a free download on SoundCloud and it's up for a play on Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC on Sunday the 9th November.
"This song was written about 3 years ago while i was at a particularly low point" explains guitarist and songwriter Damo Hughes "I was watching all the people I used to know starting up families, moving towards higher education and going on to do great things while I wasn't really doing anything with my life."
"It's basically about being depressed and feeling like you've done all the wrong things and don't really have a place in the world. Musically I think the song is fairly upbeat though, I've always really liked the juxtaposition of dark, depressing lyrics over optimistic sounding music."
The five self-confessed fuzz-junkies from Castleford, West Yorkshire formed in the autumn of 2012 and their unique sound and DIY approach to releasing music (online as-and-when they like, sometimes before it's even finished… streaming practices live on the web… hosting debauched release parties), coupled with growing praise for their explosive live shows, has seen Allusondrugs build a rabidly loyal following locally and beyond.
NOVEMBER 2014 (headline tour with Lyger + Forever Cult + Prom)
Tues 25th MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL
Wed 25th GLASGOW 13th NOTE
Sat 29th LEEDS THE WARDBROBE
Sun 30th STOKE THE UNDERGROUND
Mon 1st NORWISH EPIC STUDIOS
Wed 3rd LONDON BLACK HEART
Thur 4th TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM
Fri 5th CARDIFF CLWB IFOR BACH


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Darina Allen is the queen of Irish food. She champions Irish producers, fights for political issues that will affect the production of Irish food, is an ambassador for Irish food abroad and gives so much time to teach and educate people about food... Not to mention just a lovely human being. We're fans.
That's why we're absolutely delighted to be giving away two copies of her latest cookbook – Simply Delicious: The Classic Collection – behind today's door of our advent calendar!
Darina's RTÉ show was first aired on Monday 13th March 1989. Entitled Simply
Delicious, it showcased the tried and tested Ballymaloe favourites and demonstrated
just how easy it was to make simple and delicious food with beautiful fresh local
produce. The accompanying book went on to make Irish publishing history, topping the
bestseller list for many months and selling more copies than any previously published
cookbook in Ireland. Darina continued to write a further six Simply Delicious books to
accompany the series and has published a grand total of 18 books so far and counting.
Now for the first time, 100 classic recipes from Simply Delicious 1 and 2 and Simply
Delicious Vegetables have been collected together in this timeless cookbook. Choosing the recipes proved a difficult task, with so many having stood the test of time to become
perennial favourites, while some have been tweaked over the years or added more
contemporary garnishes or complementary flavours and spices.
Divided into Soups and Starters, Meat, Poultry, Fish, Vegetarian, Salads, and Desserts, the
dishes range from firm winter favourites like Leek & Potato Soup, Ballymaloe Irish Stew,
and Ballycotton Fish Pie, to Roast Red Pepper, Lentil and Goat's Cheese Salad, Ballymaloe
Chicken Liver Pâté and Caramel Mousse with Praline.
Summing up the food that Darina loves to cook, this classic collection of time-honoured
favourites are guaranteed to be relished and enjoyed for at least another 30 years.
How to enter...
Simply answer the following question and fill in the form below to be in with a chance of winning a copy of this amazing cookbook.
Q: What is the name of Darina Allen's cookery school?


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ODOT announces construction update
Ohio Department of Transportation has announced the following area construction updates.
Ashland County
n Ohio 58, between Ohio 89 and the city of Ashland, is restricted to one lane of two-way traffic as part of a resurfacing project. One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times with flaggers. The project will be completed by Aug. 31.
Ohio 58 traffic, just south of County Road 1175, is maintained by a traffic signal for bridge repair work through May 31.
n Interstate 71 in both directions, between mile markers 188 and 192, is reduced to two lanes of traffic between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. as part of a bridge painting project. Bewteen 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., I-71 is reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction. The project will be completed on Aug. 31.
n Ohio 89, between U.S. 42 and the village of Jeromesville, is restricted to one lane of two-way traffic as part of a resurfacing project. One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times with flaggers. The project will be completed on Aug. 15.
n Ohio 89, at the Interstate 71 underpass (0.3 mile north of County Road 1302), is closed for bridge deck rehabilitation as part of the Ohio 89 resurfacing project. The detour route for northbound motorists is Ohio 89 to U.S. 250, west on U.S. 250 to U.S. 42, north on U.S. 42 to Ohio 89, and reverse for southbound motorists. The road will reopen on May 21.
n Ohio 179, between County Road 2175 and Township Road 405, is open. The road was previously closed for the replacement of three culverts.
Richland County
Interstate 71, between Ohio 97 and the Morrow County line, may have daytime intermittent single lane closures for finalization work as part of the I-71 widening and reconstruction project. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times in each direction. The project will be completed by May 31.
Ashland board sets
special meeting
Ashland City Schools Board of Education special meeting will be 4 p.m. Monday in the small conference room next to the EMIS coordinator's office at the Central Office Building, 416 Arthur St., for the purpose of holding an executive session.
Orange Township meeting Tuesday
Orange Township Zoning Commission work meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the fire station in Nankin.
MHRB committee meeting Tuesday
Mental Health and Recovery Board Executive Committee meeting will be 5:15 p.m. Tuesday and the regular board meeting will be 6 p.m., both at the board office, 1605 County Road 1095.


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The hustle and bustle of everyday life can drain you both mentally and physically. Between the pressures of work life, the emotional hurdles and unpredictability of the dating scene, financial burdens, empty freezers with no ice cream…you get it, life can be "tough".
But I've gotten a hell of a lot better at noticing when these activities become a serious energy suck and focus on redirecting my actions elsewhere. The last thing you want is to lose your sense of self — which can be very easy to do.
One way I like to refuel and refocus is to escape the confines of the city and spend some time in nature. I strongly believe that nature is one of the best healing tools out there. Its simplicity forces you to focus on that very moment — allowing you to just, be. And it enables you to let go — trusting that the universe will bring whatever and/or whoever into your life if it's meant to be.
by Chris Garafola, Founder of Stop Breathe Bump.
"Life is too short for bad music."


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A rare masterclass opportunity with Spymonkey joint artistic director and internationally renowned teacher of clown, Aitor Basauri
In the Spymonkey clown masterclass, you will learn to discover what makes you funny, hone your skills and practice making an audience belly laugh! Through clear and specific instruction, Aitor will support you to develop and hone your comedic skills in a safe and fun environment. This positive group dynamic will allow you focus on following your impulse, being adventurous and taking risks. You will learn how to shine as a individual and improve on every spontaneous opportunity. In this highly enjoyable workshop you will play games, do exercises developing trust and complicity with the group. In this atmosphere of discovery and revelation, you will be developing and showing new material. Be prepared to find the pleasure in your own ridiculousness, stay optimistic, discover your comedy gold, and get ready to laugh until your face hurts. Technically there are many other engines to make people laugh: status games, parody and improvisation. In Spymonkey's workshops we will touch on all of them, creating an enjoyable and revealing atmosphere to discover the unique way in which you're funny. You will learn how to begin to trust your instinctive and spontaneous self. We will teach you technically how to make people laugh through status play-offs, parody, improvisation and many more games and exercises. All the sessions will be about creating a fresh, trusting and highly enjoyable workshop in an atmosphere of revelation to discover you're funny.
Cost: $600
For bookings please email Devin Shacket firstname.lastname@example.com
AITOR BASAURI, Spymonkey founder and joint artistic director, is one of the most sought after teachers of clown and physical comedy in the world. His masterclasses in London, Europe and New York regularly sell out, and is a staff tutor at the Ecole Phillipe Gaulier in Paris, and for Cirque du Soleil's Cirque du Monde foundation in Las Vegas. He has taught at New York Clown Theatre Festival, Celebration Barn Maine, The Clown School LA, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Las Vegas Theatre Hub, and at universities, institutes, and festivals to students, professionals and clown doctors all over the world including Madrid, Berlin, Damascus and Taipei.
Aitor studied at the Centro Andaluz de Teatro in Seville and at the Philippe Gaulier School in London. He has performed in every Spymonkey show to date, including Stiff (1998), Cooped (2001), Zumanity (for Cirque du Soleil 2003), Moby Dick (2009), Love In (2011), Oedipussy (2012) and The Complete Deaths (2016). Acting credits include The Servant of Two Masters (Sheffield Crucible 1996), Axomate (Seville Expo 1992), Eulenspiegel (1991) and in Karl's Kuhne Gassenchau's Grand Paradis and Stau (Zurich 1997 and 1998). He directed Little Prince for Donkey Productions (1997), Un Vento Impetuoso for La Canoppia (1996) and Meci Y Me Fui for Pez Enraya ( 1997). In 1999 he appeared in Circus Knie, the Swiss State Circus, and in 2000 formed his own company Punto Fijo, based in Bilbao. He also appeared in Cirque Images' 2003 series 'Solstrom' for Bravo Cable Network, performed in Zumanity – Another Side of Cirque du Soleil at the New York New York Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, 2003-05, and in Bertold Brecht's Senor Carrera's Rifles at the Young Vic, directed by Paul Hunter (2007). He has worked as physical comedy director for Sacha Baron Cohen on 'Grimsby' (2014) and Chichester Festival Theatre's 'Mack & Mabel' (2015).
More information and testimonials about our workshops on our Clown Masterclass page.


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Do you questions whether there is such a thing as good fats and oils?
I want you to get over your fear of fat!
Repeat after me "Fat does not make me fat."
Natural fats provide your body and brain with clean, lasting energy. They keep you satiated long after the carbs have burned up.
Fat is an incredibly important part of a healthy diet. Americans have been shunning fat over a quarter century, all the while packing on pounds and suffering increasing amounts of degenerative diseases. The truth is that fake foods are making all of us sick and fat. Our body just hasn't evolved to utilize artificial ingredients and highly processed foods, so they stick to us in odd ways. I urge you to clear your cupboards of the so-called "food" that has ingredients you can't pronounce, and go back to cooking with some old-fashioned butter, lard, or coconut oil. People were eating these fats for centuries and NOT having heart attacks!
To get you back in to a healthy relationship with fats, here are examples of the healthy fats that you should be incorporating into your diet:
Omega 3's – these are NEVER to be heated – you only need about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon a day:
- fish oil
- flax seed oil
- wheat germ
- walnut oil
- hemp oil
- pumpkin oil
Omega 6′ s – you only need about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon a day:
- sunflower oil
- sesame oil
- safflower oil
- peanut oil
- black currant seed oil (never heat)
- evening primrose oil (never heat)
- borage oil (never heat)
Omega 9's:
- extra virgin olive oil
- hazelnut oil
- almond oil
- avocado oil
- macadamia nut oil
Saturated fats:
- palm oil
- coconut oil
- eggs
- butter
- raw dairy
- fats from animals that have lived on pasture (lard, tallow, suet)
All oils should be minimally processed. The label will say something like "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." It's best if it's in a dark container, and try buying the smaller bottle so it doesn't have the chance to go rancid before you use it. The Omega 3's & 6's should be kept in the fridge at all times – they will remain liquid even when cold. The Omega 9's will harden a bit in the fridge, but keep most of your supply in there anyway to avoid rancidity, reserving a few days worth in a bottle in the cupboard. Saturated fats are very stable and are the least likely to go rancid.
The ratio of Omega 6's to Omega-3's in the diet should be approximately 1:1.
It is appropriate to fear partially hydrogenated fats, in addition to food that is deep fried using the same oil again and again, like french fries. These fats have been altered and can no longer be considered natural. Avoid them!


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I want to start out by thanking Representative Mark Sanford for his years of public service. I voted for him every time his name was in the ballot from 1994 to 2018. He was a staunch fiscal conservative and a model for accessibility to the voters and transparency on his voting decisions. However, his Facebook page rant on December 26 unfairly criticized President Donald Trump for threatening a free press. There is nothing in our First Amendment that prevents an elected official or anyone else from criticizing the media. President Obama frequently went after Fox News and talk radio and was never accused of interfering with a free press.
James Madison, the framer of our Constitution, wrote in the Federalist Papers, "For people to rule wisely, they must be free to think and speak without fear of reprisal." That intent has been followed by the Trump Administration. The government has not silenced any media outlets or sent the IRS after those who disagree with administration policies. We all remember the IRS targeting political opponents during the Tea Party movement from 2009 to 2012. Filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza was actually imprisoned on a minor campaign finance violation after releasing a documentary critical of President Obama.
Sanford specifically takes issue with President Trump's use of the term "fake news." Trump never said all media were fake, but he frequently goes after media like CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post, which often unfairly cover the results of Trump Administration policies. We have historically low unemployment at 3.7% and American manufacturing is surging for the first time in decades. Consumer confidence is extremely high, and Christmas sales increased 5.1% from 2017 levels. The economy will grow at more than 3% this year for the first time since 2005. A study by the Media Research Center revealed that 92% of the ABC, NBC and CBS coverage on Trump is unfavorable. That usually bleeds over onto local news coverage.
The Founding Fathers envisioned a robust media with varying points of view. That does not describe today's media. You can look at reporting from several different outlets on a particular topic, such as the current partial government shutdown, and the reports will all look the same and include the same talking points. Political debates are often unfair, because media panelists ask biased questions. In the first Republican Presidential Primary debate in 2015, the Fox News moderators all took shots at candidate Trump. In the only debate for Sanford's 1st Congressional District seat, Democrat Joe Cunningham, who will replace Sanford on January 3, wasn't asked any questions about tax policy, impeachment, the military or foreign policy.
The media is free to criticize elected officials, fairly or unfairly, and so to may elected officials (or anyone else) criticize the media. The rise of talk radio, social media and blogs give more voices an opportunity to be heard. If you don't like the news coverage on the major networks, there are other outlets to tune-in, including live-streaming on the internet. If you don't like your local newspaper, you can read blogs like Lowcountry Source. We have exactly what Madison envisioned.


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Managing End of Life Care in the Critically ill Child:
Family, Legal and Professional Perspectives
6th July 2018
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust,
Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road,
Manchester M13 9WL
Who is the course for?
Expert Professional Speakers have agreed to present at this eagerly awaited event. This one day conference is aimed at all professionals involved in End of Life Care in paediatric patients.
For full details see flyer


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I love this picture…
That's my granddaughter on her daddy's lap in church. Can you tell she is paying attention. That's a six-month old sport fans! You tell me that a child can't learn to be in church. Sure they can. You want to know when kids learn? When we expect them to learn. Too simplistic. It's really not that hard.
Parents train their children to learn in their homes and the same is true in church. Truly, from the moment a child is born and entrusted to his or her parents, the job of teaching and training that child begins. We teach our children things as elementary as holding a fork or drinking from a cup and progress to how to handle money and become responsible. We don't wait to teach children how to hold a fork until they are eight or nine. The same is true for our children spiritually. We must begin teaching them when they are very young.
Have you ever asked yourself if the first church 2000 years ago had a nursery? What did Jesus do when He taught? When Jesus taught and delivered his sermon on the mountain, did he teach just the parents? Did Jesus tell Peter, James and John to take the children down to the bottom of the hill and play with them or have a children's church, so he could teach, without distraction, at the top of the hill? Did Jesus do this on any occasion? Not that I can find in Scripture. How about the Apostle Paul? In the Ephesians 6 passage he addresses the children in verse one and then just three verses later the fathers. Were the children siphoned off somewhere else when the letter was being read to the believers in Ephesus? No, without question children were included in the church meeting and they were physically present.
This fact seems almost strange in our day and age when, in many churches, we send our children off to "Children's Church" to eat snacks, color and watch videos. Yet, as we study the Scriptures, we can't find any verses in the entire Bible where the children were pulled out of the meeting. It would have been completely unorthodox to do so. There is never a time or an instance in Scripture when the children were separated from the parents/family when the people of God met together. At this point, I'm reminded of Jesus and his rebuke of the disciples for not allowing the children to come to him recorded in Mark 10:13-14:
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
I know for many churches, the idea of having young children in our services is very counter-cultural. Many church leaders and members say the children are too noisy and disruptive and people can't worship the Lord. Yet, when we say these things, we are much like the disciples when they tried to shoo away the children. Consequently, in our day, we have lost the blessing of the full body being together in the meeting. Sadly, we have become comfortable with some of the body missing. How have we gotten to this point? The Church wasn't this way in the New Testament or even 40 to 50 years ago. It has happened, because it's convenient. Many years ago, it would have been unheard of to have a nursery in the church. Ask someone who went to church in this nation in the 1950s or 1960s. There were very few, if any nurseries in our churches, until well after WWII, when many women entered the workforce. Yet today, we would rather not be bothered with children, ours or someone else's, because they may make noise in the service or can be disruptive. However, pulling the children out of our meetings was simply not a normative practice in Scripture.
Think about it. When we go to a restaurant, there is not a place for the children to go sit and eat by themselves with people to help them cut up their food and feed them. So, what do we do when we go out to eat and order food for our children? We go through the process and the inconvenience of cutting their food for them into bite-size portions. We teach our children how to behave in a restaurant. If we go to the movie theater, there isn't a section of the theater where we send the children to watch the movie with other children, while someone else watches them for us. No, we take care of our children and teach them how to be quiet and listen during the movie. We help them through these seasons of their lives. I call these times seasons because they will quickly pass and we'll wonder where the time has gone. The same is true at ball games, concerts, recitals and the like. We are with our children and we help them at each of these events. We teach them. So, why do we hesitate to do so at church? We can just as easily help the children digest the meeting or service, just as we would help them with cutting their spaghetti into bite-size pieces at a restaurant or even at a meal at home.
We should want our children to experience being in the presence of the Lord, being taught by a shepherd in the church. I know that I want my children to experience everything in the meeting of our people at church. Children miss so much when they are in a room somewhere watching a video, eating snacks. They miss seeing the body worship together. My children experience seeing people raising their hands in praise to the Lord as they lift their voices in song. They get to hear testimonies of those who have come to Christ at the end of our services. They see people weeping under the conviction of the Holy Spirit at the altar. They see fathers praying over their families. They get to hear the Word of God taught by men whom the entire church trusts to teach them. Why shouldn't the children hear this teaching corporately as well? Why should this job be handed off to someone else in another place in the church? Certainly, there are always reservations. Children are messy. They talk out loud. They cry and make noises. Well, you name it and they'll do it. Yet, over time something wonderful happens. They learn. Yes, they learn to listen and be still and, oh do they listen! They are sponges taking in all that the body gets to see and hear. Those experiences will stay with them for a lifetime.
Let me show you this six-month old again…
I've shared this before, but it's been a while. When we brought Andrew, our son, home from China he was 3 1/2 years old. We got him home to America on a Thursday and we had him in church on Sunday. He couldn't speak a word of English. In fact, he could barely speak any Chinese. He had never been out of the orphanage in China until two weeks prior to meeting us. He had never been in a car, a bus and certainly not on a plane. He was taken out of everything he knew and thrust into a brand-new, frightening world. He had club feet and numerous other health issues that had not yet been addressed. Yet, we had him in church on Sunday, four days after his arrival in the U.S. and if that wasn't enough, we had him on the front row! (That's where my family and I sit in church every Sunday).
Do you want to know how he did that first Sunday? He was terrible! No, he was worse than that. He was absolutely awful! He talked out loud! Broken Chinese at that! He crawled on the floor, under the chairs, on us; you name it, and he did it. Was it embarrassing? Yes. And the same was true when we brought Clara home as a one-year-old, three years earlier. But, thankfully our church welcomes children and understands this behavior as being a part of the learning process. The next Sunday Andrew struggled again, but he was learning. Slowly but surely, he was learning how to act as we taught him. By the fourth week, you couldn't even tell he was in the building. Literally in just one month, you couldn't even tell he was there. What happened? He had been trained and taught to know what to do and how to act in church. Certainly children will have moments of restlessness, (I know some adults who are like this too :)); however, we all adjust and acclimate over time.
It's true that a child will learn anything in life, when we make up our mind and decide to teach them. It doesn't matter if they are three years old and from a foreign country. It seems around the age of four years old, most parents don't have a choice but to train their child to be a part of the church. Most churches tell parents their children can no longer come to the nursery at that age. So, it seems many children learn to behave in church at age four, unless there is a children's church. If there is children's church, they get a few more years segregated from the body until they must learn to be a part of the church family. Yet, at some point in time, we teach the children what to do in church. Sooner or later they learn. Children are a blessing of a growing church, not a nuisance.
I am grateful for a church that is literally willing to suffer for the children. I'm grateful for my granddaughter's church, Parkview Baptist, in Morehead City, NC. They allow Charlotte to be with them. Thank you Pastor David Mills!
Yes, a church should allow families to worship together as a part of the one family. Churches have the opportunity to tell the body, (a family of families), that all are welcome at the Lord's Table, even our youngest. I know for many reading this, seeing church life in this way is a total paradigm shift and would be a significant change in philosophy, church culture and practice at your church. But, I promise you what I've described to you embodies biblical patterns that can successfully be integrated in the fabric of any church if we'll take the risk of being biblical versus convenient. 🙂


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Michelle of Midwest Quilt Company wants you to know that your satisfaction is her highest priority. Beyond carrying a large selection of high quality fabrics and notions, Midwest Quilt Co. also offers express quilting services, machine sales and repair, and a variety of classes for all skill levels. Midwest Quilt Company - where your ideas are turned into heirlooms!
Making a quilt was always one of Michelle's bucket-list goals. Instead of scratching it off her to-do list when she was done, she kept quilting. As she says, "Like potato chips, one is never enough!" She opened up shop in 2014 and has been helping people achieve their quilting goals ever since.
"Don't be in a hurry when putting your final border on. Be sure to pin it from the center going out to the end to have the least problems for when it goes on the quilting frame. You will be glad you took the extra step to do this."
GPS navigation to Midwest Quilt Company can be a little unreliable, but never fear - the shop is easy to find. Take the Shelbina exit off Hwy 36 and head north on North Center St. Cross the overpass bridge and turn onto West Elm. From there, turn left on Shelby Plaza and take an immediate right on Hall Street. With a large parking area accessible to buses, Midwest Quilt Company welcomes all travelers. Wheelchair accessible.
Midwest Quilt Company
102 Hall Street, Shelbina, Missouri 63468, United States
Open today
09:00 am – 05:00 pm
Missouri Highway 36 Quilt Trail
Copyright © 2019 Missouri Highway 36 Quilt Trail - All Rights Reserved.


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This Popular Deodorant Causes Cancer and Breast Growth in Men
There isn't a person in the world that does not use some kind of commercial cosmetic product. Unfortunately, many of them can be extremely harmful for our health since they are packed with dangerous chemicals, and we are not even aware of that fact.
You must have heard about the deodorant for men, Axe. Follow reading, and find more about this popular man product.
In most advertisements, Axe is presented as a deodorant that will easily attract women. However, most women cannot even stand the smell of this deodorant. Nevertheless, that is not that much important as it is the effect this deodorant can have on the health and on the overall well-being. If you have not been familiar with the fact that these sprays in fact are packed with endocrine disruptors, then it is about time to find out about this negative effect of the popular deodorant Axe. Namely, endocrine disruptors imitate the function of the human hormones thereby immensely confuse the body.
Here it is the explanation from the Endocrine Society:
"Endocrine disruptors have effects on male and female reproduction, breast development and cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrinology, thyroid, metabolism and obesity, and cardiovascular endocrinology."
But, this is not all; Axe products contain even more harmful compounds, we shall name all of them:
- Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly – is an active antiperspirant ingredient that stays on the underarm so that it prevents wetness during the24 hours period. However, the skin easily absorbs aluminum ions which buildup in time and cause breast cancer, kidney damage, nerve damage, and Alzheimer's.
- BHT – is an antimicrobial preservative, however it is easily absorbed into the skin which can lead to organ damage, cancer, and reproductive toxicity.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine–attributes to the foamy nature of some Axe products. But, it actually interacts with other chemicals and creates nitrosamines, which most of them are harmful, therefore detrimental to health because they are highly carcinogenic. According to many researchers they cause over 40 types of cancer both in humans and animals.
- PPG-14 Bustyl Ether – if you keep your underarms all the time dry which is not natural at all, then they will buildup static cling, and this paraben reduces it. Yet, it is traced in 99% of all breast cancer tissue.
Likewise, it belongs to the group of toluene derivatives, which contains chemicals which are linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity.
You can still prevent the smell of your armpits by using natural replacements to the commercial ones; you can make your own natural deodorant as there are many available recipes on the net. Here below are some safe deodorants:
- Green Tidings Deodorant
- Clark's Zinc Deo
- Lafes Twist-Stick Deodorant
Other sources included:


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Ivey Homer received an advanced degree from a Climb partner school, American College of Education (ACE), to help her advance her educational technology practices and her career.
Ivey began her career in education as an English teacher at Lexington Middle School in 2011.
It was at the start of her career while teaching English at Lexington Middle that she initially enrolled and began taking classes at ACE. Ivey knew that her school was shifting to 1:1 devices very soon, and with that shift new technology tools would be implemented. After speaking with a colleague who went through the program at ACE, Ivey figured that the skills ACE offered could help her work through the rollout and impactful application of these devices: "I took three courses that I paid for out of my pocket. On a first year teacher salary, to pay for it I had to work a weekend job. But, it got to be too much to handle for me both financially and mentally, as I was still trying to survive as a first year professional and live on a salary that limits opportunities. So, I decided to take a break from ACE."
With school, extra jobs, finding her place as a first year teacher, and important life events, it was difficult for her to maintain payments to continue the graduate program.
Between getting married and starting her education career, finishing the degree just wasn't in the cards at the time. Yet Ivey still kept thinking about returning to ACE at some point in the future. After visiting the Teacher's College for the Digital Media Literacy Institute, she felt like she needed more knowledge to backup the new practices she was "aspiring to implement from the institute."
Ivey realized it was time to pick up where she left off with ACE.
It wasn't too long (the next week, in fact) that she got the push she needed to head back to ACE — she received an email letting her know that if she didn't return before a specific day, her credits wouldn't transfer, and she'd have to start all over. But now, she found herself in a better position to go back to class.
More than that, it would be a great benefit to return to the graduate program: "…with getting the Masters it would pay itself off in the rate that I would receive for the payscale bump within two years. So I thought it would be silly not to finish."
First, however, there was once again the matter of tuition. When Ivey initially attended ACE, Climb financing was not yet an option, and she had to take up a weekend job to help pay for the classes. This time around, though, Ivey was able to skip the side job and take a loan with Climb instead.
Securing the financing was an important step to help her get back to school.
With other things to worry about, she didn't want to add tuition payment on top of everything else. So Ivey gave it try, and within 48 hours of submitting the necessary documents for her application, she was approved for tuition financing.
Now, it was time to get her M.Ed. in Educational Technology. To Ivey, her education at ACE is "a huge advantage to [her] forward-moving district and is to thank for [her] ability to keep up with all the educational technology advancements and initiatives."
After Ivey picked up her courses, she was quickly able to apply her lessons at work.
One of the most valuable aspects of her time at ACE was that — as a classroom teacher and graduate student — there were several instances where she was able to take what was being taught and immediately apply it to her classroom for quick action research. Having courses, content, and assessments that are so applicable to her current career gave her the opportunity to "live the process" and come back to class with "deeper, insightful reflections."
According to Ivey, this could be what made her stand out "not just as a leader, but as an educational technology leader," and she attributes that to why her principal switched her role from classroom teacher to the school's Instructional Coach for Digital Learning the month before she finished the Educational Technology masters program at ACE.
And though people saw the role as more IT-focused at first, she is hard at work helping to rebrand the position, as her district has partnered with the Dynamic Learning Project (DLP) — Digital Promise, EdTech Team, and Google for Education — "with the goal to increase educational equity and impactful uses of technology through instructional coaching."
The lessons she learned put Ivey ahead of the curve when it comes to education.
While at a conference recently, she was one of only a few who were familiar with various concepts such as the SAMR Model and Everett's Law of Diffusion (Diffusion of Innovations), even as the newest digital learning coach on the team: "And I would not have known that had it not been for the high-quality experiences and the relevant exposure to current trends in educational technology that I received through the American College of Education."
The only thing that Ivey would have done differently? Go back sooner.
"I should have checked into it sooner than I did. In the very beginning, Climb Credit was not available … but I should have probably started earlier and sought out other ways to fund my degree advancement. However, it worked out great with Climb Credit … better late than never.
"I do want to go back within the next couple of years to pursue either an Education Specialist or Educational Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership or Principalship as a way to open up opportunities for possible advancement to administration or district-level leadership in the future — and I will likely use Climb Credit when the time comes to return to school."
Want to create your own student success story?
Ivey is a client of Climb's. However, she was not paid or otherwise compensated for this testimonial. This testimonial reflects the real-life experiences and opinions of Ivey; however, it should not be assumed that all users will have the same experiences. Individual results may vary.
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School-Age Curriculum
Our school age program focuses on helping children establish life skills, and become responsible citizens within their communities. We present students with the opportunity to develop their problem solving skills, and become successful communicators. Students are able to participate in age appropriate centers focusing on social and academic skills that follow monthly themes. During the summer, we offer a program called "Carrier Explorers," where children participate in weekly field trips. Topics include in house activities such as sea creatures, reptiles, and farm animals, and out-of-center trips including local parks, museums and libraries!
Carrier Explorers Summer Weekly Themes
- Carrier Explorers Summer Kick-off
- The Star Spangled
- Fun and Fitness
- The Science of Gross Things
- Epic explorers
- Rockin Robots
- Kids Got Talent
- Wet–n–Wild
- Amphibian Adventures
- Circus Circus


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iKON Releases Making Of Video for MV "Dumb & Dumber"
Robert Young, Dec. 22, 2015, 10:32 a.m.
iKON looks like they're making a very big push to end this year, and they have just released their making of video for the music video of "Dumb & Dumber"! The music video serves as a teaser, and it reveals the sets and costumes for the music video. There are so many different things going on, ranging from a pajama party to throwing things at each other's faces in a car ride, or becoming werewolves, this video has it all!
The members have all stated that the track "Dumb & Dumber" is their most exciting track yet, and it looks like it's the perfect song for the holidays. The group's album "Welcome Back" and their music videos will be released on Christmas Eve.
iKON (Hangul: 아이콘) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment. The group's seven members are B.I, Bobby, Kim Jinhwan, Koo Junhoe, Song Yunhyeong, Kim Donghyuk and Jung Chanwoo. According to YG CEO Yang Hyun Suk, the "C" in "ICON" was replaced with a "K" because he wanted them to become an 'icon' for Korea.
Although iKON made their official debut in 2015, the members were well known as Team B pre-debut due to the survival shows "Win: Who Is Next" which was aired in 2013 and "Mix & Match" which was aired in 2014. The group made their official Korean debut on 1 October 2015 through their Debut Half Album - Welcome Back digital release and made their first debut broadcast on 4 October 2015 on SBS's Inkigayo.


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Do your eyes reflect a bright, energetic person or do your tired eyelids hide the real you?
Perhaps it's time to change the message you're sending. Skin care and cosmetics are helpful in preventing and combating the changes to an aging face, but they cannot always succeed on their own.
One of the first and most noticeable changes with an aging faces occurs around our eyes. Overexposure to the sun, heavy smoking, and even gravity can all contribute to eyelids that are sagging and drooping. Over time, the eyelid skin stretches, muscles around the eyes weaken, and fat begins to accumulate around the eyes, all leading to that tired appearance.
Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, can be performed on the upper and/or lower eyelids. It is procedure used to correct the drooping of the upper lids and the puffy bags below the eyes. A more refreshed appearance is achieved as excess fat is removed and the skin and muscle of the upper and lower eyelids are repositioned. The end result is to give you a firmer and more contoured appearance. In addition, the re-suspending the supporting tissue and muscle back in place ensure the results will be long lasting.
Each person's eyes are unique and vary by the shape, surrounding muscles, tendons and bony support. Eyelid surgery techniques can also vary from surgeon to surgeon, so best one for you should only be determined after a comprehensive examination and consultation by a qualified physician. Regardless of the technique, the procedure should offer long-lasting effects and should not alter the shape of your eye. Dr. Compton is careful to use techniques that will not reposition the eyes or change their shape. Use of the wrong technique can leave you with scarring, a rounding of the corner of the eye, or eyelids that will not function properly.
Eyelid surgery is an elective surgery and therefore is not covered under health insurance, except in documented cases of ptosis. In the event of ptosis, eyelid surgery can improve eyesight previously compromised by heavy, drooping upper eyelids. An ophthalmologist (eye specialist) can perform a special vision test to determine if this medical problem pertains to you.
The procedure begins with small incisions made in the natural creases or folds of the eyelids. In some cases, an incision on the undersurface of the lower eyelid can be used to avoid external incisions. The loose skin and extra fat tissue are then carefully removed while the eyelid muscles and supporting tissue are tightened and repositioned. The procedure is complete when the initial incisions are stitched closed.
A follow up appointment will be scheduled four-to-seven days post-surgery to have the stitches removed. Some bruising is expected and will be more noticeable within the first week. Although recovery times can vary from person to person, most patients are feeling comfortable within ten days to resume their normal daily activities including work.
A short time after eyelid surgery you will be able to resume wearing makeup and contact lenses. Within a few weeks, the thin surgical scars will become less visible and gradually blend into your eyes' natural lines. Eventually, the incisions will fade to a thin, nearly invisible line. The results is a more alert and youthful look usually lasts for years, although for many people these results are permanent.
Upper eyelid surgery can be performed in Dr. Compton's office, while lower eyelid surgery is performed in a surgery center on as an outpatient. With either procedure, the amount of time required to be off-work is normally seven to ten days.
Eyelid surgery can be performed on its own or combined with a facelift or with other enhancing facial procedures. Most often it is accompanied by a brow lift for a complete upper facial rejuvenation to encompass the forehead and upper and lower eyelids.
Get in touch with Dr. Compton by calling
(248) 855-7530 or fill out the contact form below.
"Dr Andrew Compton is a very thorough and meticulous practitioner. He always took his time to go over any questions I would have or what I would expect following the surgery. Making sure I am completely comfortable and clear with the procedures and what to expect. I am extremely pleased with the outcome."
Patient Testimonial
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This is an original historical mansion which was built in 1850. It was converted into a boutique hotel without ruining its original appearance and was renovated in 2011. There is a total of 21 guest rooms at this air-conditioned establishment. Guests are welcomed in a lobby with 24-hour reception and check-out service. Facilities include a currency exchange and a breakfast room. Wireless Internet access is available. The hotel offers its guests fabulous views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The outdoor pool and terrace face towards the same fantastic view. Those guests who are arriving by car may leave their vehicle in the hotel's car park.
## Location
The unique historical and tourist sights of the Old City are within walking distance of the hotel. Süleymaniye Mosque is just 200 metres away, the Grand Bazaar is 350 metres, the tram is 300 metres, the Spice Bazaar is 300 metres and the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia are just 2 km away from the hotel. Atatürk Airport is only 20 km away from the property and Sabiha Gökcen Airport is approximately 43 km away.
## Rooms
The atmospheric rooms are decorated in Ottoman style and equipped with modern amenities. Each room has an en suite bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. Guests can enjoy a good night's rest on their double or king-size bed. Facilities include a direct dial telephone, satellite/cable TV, Internet access and a safe. There is also a minibar and tea and coffee making facilities. Air conditioning and heating are standard features in all accommodation units.
## Sport
Guests may enjoy the stunning views from the rooftop sun terrace while relaxing in the swimming pool (seasonal only) or by the poolside snack bar. They can also unwind in the hotel's sauna and hammam, which are perfect for relaxation. Massage treatments are available for an additional fee.
## Payment
American Express, MasterCard and VISA are accepted as methods of payment at this hotel.
Club Travel Destinations


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Let's ask the Iraqi people if U.S. forces should leave
What is missing from the debate over withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq? Any discussion of what the Iraqi people themselves want.
The opinions of those most affected by the war count most. So a nationwide referendum should be conducted in Iraq on the question of whether U.S. troops should stay or go, in which every Iraqi can vote directly on this question.
Some polls have asked Iraqis specifically about the presence of U.S. troops, and guess what: They want us to leave.
A February poll by the U.S. military, cited by the Brookings Institution, found that 71 percent of Iraqis "oppose the presence of Coalition Forces in Iraq." This poll was taken only in urban areas, but others have found much the same sentiment.
According to a January 2005 poll by Abu Dhabi TV/Zogby International, 82 percent of Sunni Arabs and 69 percent of Shiite Arabs favor the withdrawal of U.S. troops either immediately or after an elected government is in place.
A nationwide poll taken by Iraqi university researchers for the British government found that 82 percent of all Iraqis surveyed in August are strongly opposed to the presence of coalition troops and 67 percent feel less secure because of the occupation, the Sunday Telegraph of London reported last month.
But an opinion poll does not carry the weight of a referendum, in which all Iraqis could clearly and definitively vote on whether or not U.S. troops should remain in their country.
This can be done: Kurdish activists organized a referendum on independence during the January national elections in Iraq, which found that more than 90 percent of Kurdish voters want independence for the region.
On Oct. 15, Iraqis voted in another referendum, to accept a new constitution.
It appears that we as a nation are so self-absorbed that both the hawks and the doves among us have forgotten to ask what those most affected by the war, the Iraqi people, desire. Let us remedy this situation by supporting a referendum and then abiding by the results. Let the Iraqi people decide.


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Schizophrenia as a Disorder of the Self
"Schizophrenia as a Disorder of the Self"
Dr. John P. John, M.D.
Professor of Psychiatry &
Adjunct Faculty Member, Department of Clinical Neuroscience
PI:- Multimodal Brain Image Analysis Laboratory (MBIAL)
NIMHANS, Bengaluru
Chairperson: Prof. Sangeetha Menon
NIAS Consciousness Studies Programme,
National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
26 August, 2015, 9.30 am
Lecture Hall, NIAS
All are cordially invited
* * *
Abstract: Schizophrenia is a disorder of brain functioning which appears in some individuals typically in late adolescence and early adulthood. It affects 1 of every 200-300 individuals in the world. It typically affects the entire personality of the sufferer and therefore can substantially affect the ability of the individual to function as before. The change in personality in schizophrenia is accompanied by (i) certain new experiences or beliefs which appear real for the individual, but illogical and unreal for his/her family members and friends (delusions and hallucinations); (ii) dulling of certain abilities that the individual previously had, for e.g., his/her motivation to work, ability to interact socially, ability to enjoy work or hobbies or ability to efficiently perform functions that he/she had been carrying out well/reasonably well till then (negative symptoms); and (iii) behaviours, speech or emotional expressions that do not seem logical to others (disorganization). A given individual with schizophrenia may show one or all of the types of problems listed above. Most of the classical symptoms of schizophrenia can be understood as arising from aberrant self-consciousness or self-awareness. Such a conceptualization would potentially allow researchers to examine the neurobiology of aberrant self-awareness in schizophrenia. The talk would focus on providing a basic understanding of schizophrenia as a neuropsychiatric disorder and its conceptualization as a disorder of conscious awareness. In a subsequent presentation at NIAS, the neurobiology of this aberrant self-awareness in schizophrenia is hoped to be dealt with.
About the Speaker: Dr. John P. John is a Professor of Psychiatry as well as Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore. He heads the Multimodal Brain Image Analysis Laboratory (MBIAL) at NIMHANS. He is also an Adjunct Faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). Dr. John underwent post-graduate training in Psychiatry (M.D.) at NIMHANS. He underwent Post-doctoral fellowship in analysis of magnetic resonance images of the brain at the Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA. His research interest is in linking multi-modal brain imaging techniques (sMRI, fMRI, MRS, DTI, EEG, ERP, PSG) with neurochemical and molecular genetic approaches in understanding the neurobiology of schizophrenia, dementia as well as of different cognitive states. Dr. John has published his research findings in various international and national journals of repute and has won national and international recognition for his work. Some of the awards that he has received include Prof Raguram Distinguished Young Teacher Award, 2014; Young Psychiatrist Award in the Asian Region, by the Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia, 2008; Young Investigator Award for the best paper at the International Congress of Biological Psychiatry, 2007; Tilak Venkoba Rao Oration Award of the Indian Psychiatric Society, 2007; Fogarty International Research Training in Clinical Sciences Fellowship Award, 2003; and Marfatia Award of Indian Psychiatric Society for the best research paper, 2002.