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Everyone is talking about electability —and that's totally understandable, considering how badly Democratic voters want to beat President Trump. But it's not totally clear from the polls which candidates can win a general election and, perhaps more importantly, which can't. One set of polls released last week found former Vice President Joe Biden would only narrowly defeat Trump in six key swing states while the other top-tier candidates would be underdogs. Other polling finds all the top-polling Democrats — Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders — would be very likely to defeat Trump.
So we're left to mostly speculate. I'd expect electability talk to continue to be one of the defining features of this primary. But in my view, that conversation is lacking both nuance — at times veering too close to "Candidate X obviously can't win" — and sophistication. Based on the coverage, you would think Medicare For All is the only policy position that really matters in terms of a candidate's electability.
So I'm hoping, with less than 100 days before the Iowa caucuses, for a somewhat better discussion of electability. What might that sound like? Here are my three suggestions:
We should acknowledge and emphasize the uncertainty around electoral outcomes
Put simply, the amount we do know about the likelihood of different Democratic candidates defeating Trump may be greatly outweighed by what we don't know.
Start with the polls, which have sparked much of the recent electability conversations. Surveys testing the eventual nominees conducted about a year before Election Day missed the actual margin by a huge amount, on average, in elections from 1944 through 2012.1 Year-out polls in 2016 and 2012 were closer to the mark, likely because partisan polarization has made presidential voting more predictable. Polls are inexact enough this far out that I just don't think it's worth making much of one candidate doing a few percentage points better than another against Trump in this or that poll.
That polarization, meanwhile, also probably limits the electability advantages or disadvantages of particular candidates. To put this bluntly, many voters are looking to back either a Democrat or a Republican — and that person's party matters way more than their gender, race, sexual orientation or other individual factors.
"Electability is certainly still a thing, but the effect size has probably shrunk," said Robert Griffin, an expert on voter demographics and the research director of the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. He estimated that various presidential nominees from the same party would earn the same vote share, plus or minus 2 to 3 points, in a general election — although he emphasized that there is limited research on this question.
As Griffin's estimate shows, there are surely some candidate effects on electability. Political science studies, particularly at the level of congressional elections, for example, have found that candidates closer to the political center do better in general elections. But even if that is true, I suspect that a fairly extreme candidate can still win in 2020 just by rallying co-partisans. Take 2016. It's likely that a less controversial Republican, like former Ohio Gov. John Kasich or Sen. Marco Rubio, would have done better than Trump in the general election. But Trump still won.
Indeed, given Trump's fairly low approval ratings and the high level of partisan polarization, Trump's vote share likely has both a clear floor and ceiling. The 2020 Democratic nominee will probably enter the general election limited by a similarly narrow bound. Given this floor, Sanders and Warren are electable, even if they might be marginally less electable than Biden.
"It might make sense to talk about things in terms of a threshold, that someone is 'electable enough,'" said Hans Noel, a Georgetown University professor and expert on party politics.
I'm not arguing that voters should disregard arguments about electability. I get why it matters. But I worry that some of the coverage in the press reads close to, "Candidate X can't beat Trump." Indeed, polling shows lots of Democratic voters have come to think about electability in those kinds of absolute terms. We need the coverage to hew more towards, "We don't have much certainty about electability. Lots of candidates could win or lose. That said, Candidate X may have a slightly better chance against Trump than Candidate Y."
It's worth contextualizing electability
In addition to recognizing uncertainty, the electability conversation could use a lot more specifics, too. Democratic candidates could be "more electable" in different ways. Here are some common ones, all of which stem from areas where Hillary Clinton fell short against Trump in 2016:
- Winning more white, working-class voters in the Midwest (the much-discussed Obama-Trump voters, especially in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, the states Clinton narrowly lost) by taking more centrist policy positions.
- Winning more white, working-class voters in the Midwest by being more populist.
- Winning 2012 Obama voters, particularly blacks, who stayed home or voted for a third-party candidate in 2016 in the Midwest and in Florida in particular. I don't think this strategy necessarily has an ideological bent — these voters might be reached by policy positions and perhaps just a candidate they connect with more, like Obama.
- Winning states with big Latino (Arizona, Florida, Texas) or black (Georgia, North Carolina) populations by maximizing turnout among people of color.
Much of the electability coverage in the news media revolves winning the white working class. It assumes that Biden, in particular, is best positioned to win the general election because his more moderate ideological positioning will better appeal to white Obama-Trump voters in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. That might be correct. But the evidence we have now doesn't totally support that conclusion: Biden (+10) is doing best in head-to-head polls against Trump, followed by Sanders (+8), then Warren (+7), then Harris (+5) and Buttigieg (+5), according to averages of national polls from RealClearPolitics. That doesn't line up with being more moderate on policy making you more electable, since the candidates are probably Biden-Buttigieg-Harris-Warren-Sanders, in terms of who is most centrist, at least on the policy positions they have proposed in this campaign.2 It should also give some pause about relying so much on early polls. Since Buttigieg in particular is less well-known than Biden, that probably hurts the mayor's numbers right now.
And the electability discussion mostly ignores the other options: being more populist, or winning over more black and Latino voters. (It also ignores other, more speculative ways to gain an electoral advantage, like, say, a surge in youth turnout.) Take running a more populist campaign or appealing to black voters, respectively: Casting Warren and Sanders as less electable than Biden essentially assumes that the two most populist candidates in the primary won't be able to appeal to white working-class voters, and that the two most liberal candidates can't win over Jill Stein voters or inspire young blacks who might have stayed home over backing Clinton. Those assumptions might be true, but I'm not sure.
Even the conversation about winning the Midwestern white working class may be missing the mark. I think it's entirely possible that Biden is perceived to be a better general election candidate because of factors unrelated to ideology and harder to talk about in public. He may be perceived as more "likable" or relatable than other candidates, a quality that might carry gender or racial undertones. Is that perception because of his actual policy stances, or because he is an older straight white man? (Also, even perceptions of his ideology might be affected by his race and gender. Research suggests that voters view women and people of color as more liberal than their actual issue positions.)
Here's another way that electability and policy might be being linked too closely. The news coverage I read about Warren often casts her as a risky general election candidate largely because of her left-wing positions. But when I talk to Democratic voters, they often worry that her gender is the problem and that some voters won't back her because of sexism. This is a challenging subject to talk about — but if a big part of the election is electability, it's worth being more explicit and detailed. In assessing Warren, Democratic voters are weighing policy positions but also gender and sexism. Why is this important? Because if Warren doesn't win the nomination and a big factor was Democratic voters felt that her Medicare for All position was a potential general election killer, that's Warren's fault. If we learn that voters were wary of nominating Warren because she is a woman, that's not really Warren's fault and speaks to more general societal challenges.
We should talk more about trade-offs
In the context of a Democratic primary, some types of electability may come at a price — a price many Democratic voters might not want to pay. That price should be more of a factor in the electability debate.
Democratic candidates trying to maximize electability, for example, may be more cautious on policy, particularly by taking stands on racial issues that prioritize America's white majority over its people of color. In his 1992 campaign, for example, Bill Clinton went out of his way to criticize a black rapper and activist named Sister Souljah at an event put on by Jesse Jackson Sr.'s civil rights group. Black scholars bemoaned how little President Obama spoke about poverty or racial issues from 2009-12, as he positioned himself for reelection.
When Biden was asked about the "legacy of slavery" in a debate earlier this year and segued into talking about black parents needing to play records to their children, that was covered as a gaffe by the candidate. It was. It was also Biden invoking racial language that might be more appealing to Obama-Trump voters than Black Lives Matter activists.
In this campaign, several candidates are supporting a proposal to study the idea of reparations for black Americans as restitution for slavery and Jim Crow-era discrimination. Biden, though, has been noncommittal about the proposal. Reparations aren't popular: Only 29 percent of Americans support the idea, according to a recent Associated Press-NORC poll. (So that explains Biden's wariness.) But there's a huge racial split on the issue — 74 percent of black Americans support reparations, compared to 15 percent of white Americans.
When we're talking about electability, it's worth explaining this trade-off ("Biden is wary of embracing a reparations study, likely to preserve his electability"), particularly since the 2020 campaign has focused a lot on the reverse version of this dynamic (essentially, "Sanders embraces Medicare For All, potentially reducing his electability"). In other words, to maximize electability, what liberal goals are considered expendable by Democratic candidates? Some Democrats want a female president. But is that desire outweighed by the desire to beat Trump?
To conclude, I think it's natural that, because Democrats desperately want Trump out of office, the Democratic nomination battle has turned into a debate over electability. I just want that debate to be more appreciative of the complexity and uncertainty around all of this.


text:
Jan Kardaun
Amsterdam, Netherlands
|Hospice De Bicetre Credit: Wellcome Library, London (nr L0002974). Engraving by Letitia Byrne, 1829, after T. Nash after A. Pugin.
Most people associate a hospital with medical care but would like to stay there as briefly as possible. In 1656, King Louis XIV of France created a General Hospital for all who needed care. It was spacious, elegantly designed, situated at the outskirts of the city of Paris, and free. But there was one drawback: once you were admitted, you could not get out. Was it a prison? Not really, even though it had a ward for convicted prisoners. It was a refuge for all who had no other means of existence or could not lead a life of their own.
The Hôpital Général des pauvres was an organisation consisting of two sites, Bicêtre (men) and Salpêtrière (women). During the Ancien Régime (1500 – 1789) one could enter l'Hôpital – it was known and feared by this abbreviated name – in one of two ways: voluntary or enforced. Volunteers had not done anything wrong – they were known as the bons pauvres – but had no other means of life, shelter, food. Begging was not allowed; it could result in whipping or the galleys. L'Hôpital offered them a roof, bread, soup, clothing (frock style), a straw mattress (without sheets) to be shared, and no heating. There was plenty of stench, noise, dirt, unrest, but it was a better option than life on the streets and in the gutter. Those sent to l'Hôpital could be categorized as prisoners (convicted by a judge), persons arrested with a lettre de cachet (executive order), orphans, and lunatics (the latter with a fair share of dementia paralytica, syphilitics). The madmen were divided into the peaceful and the aggressive. The latter were usually chained to the walls, and most of their guards carried arms. This situation lasted until 1798, when the Enlightenment and the French Revolution introduced some changes and improvements – some of dubious reputation: in the court of the Bicêtre, in 1790, a new and humane instrument, later to be called the guillotine, was demonstrated on the corpses of three freshly deceased inmates and shown to work splendidly.
Hospitals can be famous for medical discoveries or when their reputation is so great that their name becomes a household word. The ultimate level of fame, however, is when a hospital is referred to in the literature, in books, or in a film.
Such was the case with Abbe Prévost's 1731 novel about the adventures of a gentleman and Manon Lescaut. It was the kind of book that was forbidden and ordered to be burnt, which did not prevent it from becoming so popular that in the nineteenth and twentieth century half a dozen operas and movies were based on it. In the book the heroine has to spend some time confined in the Salpêtrière because of her alleged immoral behavior. The word Salpêtrière does not occur in the text, mentioning of The Hospital being enough to raise the association with desolate confinement.
In 1839 a short novel by Gérard de Nerval was situated in the Paris of King Henri II mid sixteenth century. This is at first thought amazing, as the General Hospital had not yet been established for another one-and-a-half century, and it would take almost that time before a military hospital would be built on the ruins of a castle at Bicêtre. The protagonist is a young lawyer who looks very much like the king and gradually identifies with him, so he thinks he is the king. His confrères arrange a legal restraint, and have him sent to the Bicêtre, where amidst all the madmen his delusions become even worse. There is no treatment, no cure, but the story ends rather like a fairy tale.
From nineteenth century perspective, Gérard de Nerval describes the situation in the hospital rather mildly though not particularly appealing: barred windows and iron gates throughout, noise, tormenting by other patients, by guards, and by day-trippers who come to look at this "human zoo". The novel contains several anachronisms and does not aim at historical accuracy, but gives a colorful background to the story of a delusion, based more or less on a historical example. The fact that the hospital described in his novel was called the Bicêtre is only clear from the title of the second edition (Le roi de Bicêtre) , the word is not used in the text. Apparently a brief and vivid title was preferred over the rather long and dull title of the original edition.
The change in the attitude towards possession and lunatism that occurred around 1800 is described by Marie Didier in her 2006 book Dans la nuit de Bicêtre. This period was a turning point in French, European, and psychiatric history. The author side-steps the well-known doctor Philippe Pinel of the well-known painting of liberating the insane of their chains – and focuses on one of his assistants, doctor Jean Baptiste Pussin, who started his career as one picked up from the streets and sent to l'Hôpital as one of the bons pauvres without rights. Hence, he may well have felt consideration for the inmates after he later became Gouverneur des fous de Bicêtre (and in the related womens hospital La Salpêtrière: Médecin des folles). In 1790 the strait-jacket was introduced in Bicêtre, another example of a more human approach – compared to iron chains fastened to the walls. Pussin has always been in the shadow of Pinel, and could have been forgotten entirely, but the archives of Bicêtre have kept him alive.
In this very same period (1797), the Bicêtre briefly had another inmate of low standing who became respectable and famous later in life. As a young man of about twenty-one years, leading a drifting life of theft and swindle, Vidocq entered the Bicêtre in chains, waiting to be transported to the forced labor prison in Brest, but after many escapes and adventures stepped over to the other side of the law. In his later life he became a successful policeman and detective who could easily disguise as a criminal in undercover capacity. In the Bicêtre, he had (according to his memoirs) the opportunity to learn the art of kick-boxing, which shows that prisoners must have had some freedom of movement.
In the nineteenth century the Bicêtre continued to have a mixed role as hospice, asylum, and prison. In the Salpêtrière the select patient population presented an ideal situation to develop a then new branch of medicine, and a school of neurologists originated whose names are still used almost daily in modern hospitals: Charcot, Lasègue, Duchenne, Babinski, Gilles de la Tourette.
It is a big step from there to the 1960ies, where the novel of Georges Simenon Les anneaux de Bicêtre is situated (The bells of Bicêtre). Or, is it? Even though Bicêtre is at that time a modern hospital with excellent neurologists, the main character looks during his recovery and rehabilitation out of the hospital window onto the court of Bicêtre, and sees there the permanent residents. They wear hospital clothes (suit like), spend time smoking, hardly speaking, seemingly having no contact with anyone. They are allowed to leave the compound at certain hours, but seldom do so. They are the modern bons pauvres, who "do not posses anything, have no relatives, no pension, and they are admitted to Bicêtre to save the society the awkward sight of homeless people dying in the streets."
Yet, this was a vanishing world. In the 1950ies and 60ies, a series of modernization programs were undertaken, and the Bicêtre became a university hospital where princes and princesses and (former) presidents received treatment. In future, we will find out whether this modern hospital can gain a similar place in the literature as the old one.
- Abbé de Prévost, Histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut. Amsterdam: 1731. English translation: Manon Lescaut (Oxford World Classics). New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Both French and English texts available on www.gutenberg.org.
- Gérard de Nerval, Biographie singulière, Raoul Spifame, seigneur des Granges, 1839. Second edition, 1852, titled: Le Roi de Bicêtre (XVIe siècle) Raoul Spifame. English translation in: De Nerval. Selected Writings. (Penguin Classics). London, etc.: Penguin, 1999; included under the title: The King of Bedlam; Raoul Spifame. French text available from fr.wikisource.org.
- Marie Didier, Dans la nuit de Bicêtre, Paris: Gallimard, 2006.
- Georges Simenon, Les anneaux de Bicêtre, Paris: Presses de la Cité, 1963. English translation: Bells of Bicêtre. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & World, 1964.
Further reading: the search engines on Internet and Wikipedia offer plenty of detail about the persons, books, and institutions mentioned in this Brief.
JAN W.P.F. KARDAUN studied medicine and was trained in epidemiology and public health.
Spring 2015 | Sections | Hospitals of Note

subset: commoncrawl


text:
England, George III – 1831 Half Guinea
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King (reign): George III (1760 - 1820)
Denomination/metal: Gold Half Guinea
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Obv. Seventh laureate head right.
Rev. Quartered shield of arms upon crowned garter, date below, legend surrounding, edge, obliquely grained.
GEF – Good Extremely Fine
With a light tone, underlying proof-like brilliance good extremely fine and a rare date.
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HOUSTON — Gov. Greg Abbott has announced plans to build a border wall. But can he?
RELATED: Gov. Abbott allocates $250M in funding for border wall; urges private citizens to help pay for it
The VERIFY Team is working hard to make sure you have the facts about the process.
At a news conference on June 16, Abbott made clear his commitment to pick up where former President Donald Trump left off.
"Today, we are announcing that Texas will build a border wall in our state to help secure our border," Abbott said.
But can Texas build its own border wall?
The VERIFY Team has three sources for this, CUNY Brooklyn College Associate Professor of Political Science Anna Law, University of Houston Constitutional Law Professor Seth Chandler, and Laura Pena at the American Bar Association's Commission.
"Maybe," Chandler said.
"It's complicated. It's very complicated," Law said.
One of the hurdles is the land. It is owned by the state, the federal government and by individuals.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush has authorized the construction of the wall on state-owned property. The federal land is more complicated.
Abbott said he is sending a letter to President Joe Biden's administration ordering that the federal government return land it acquired from Texas.
"I am demanding that the Biden Administration immediately return to Texans land that the federal government took to build the wall," Abbott said.
"Abbott is assuming or hoping that the federal government will return the land to Texas for the purpose of building the wall. But I think the federal government has more options ... because it's not up to him anymore," Law said.
"It seems it is a reasonable request to say, hey, if you're not using it, maybe you'd like to give it back. On the other hand, if we're talking about things like national parks, the federal government is not under any obligation to give back (land for) national parks to Texas," Chandler said.
Chandler is referring to national park land such as Big Bend, which consists of 118 miles on the border.
Abbott could also face legal challenges with private landowners.
Immigration attorney Pena said, to date, the federal government has filed suit against more than 130 property owners in Texas for the rights to their land along the Mexico border.
So, whether or not Texas can build a border wall is not clear-cut.


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Last week's Supreme Court result (see Supreme Court Allows Individual ERISA Suits in Landmark Ruling) could perhaps have been anticipated – certainly there has been little of late to suggest an interest in depriving participants of their right to sue – but the margin of victory – 9-0 – was striking.
The case – LaRue v. DeWolff – involved a participant that claimed he had instructed his plan administrator to transfer his balances to different funds. Those instructions were either ignored, or never presented in the first place, depending on who you choose to believe – but the lack of attention to those instructions allegedly cost James LaRue $150,000. What really happened, why LaRue chose to sue when he chose to sue, and how much damage was done as a result has yet to be established – the case was dismissed by two lower courts that, relying on an earlier Supreme Court precedents, determined that ERISA did not permit individual participants to bring suit on behalf of their own interests, only on behalf of the plan as a whole.
I can't say, however, that I was impressed with the rationale presented by Justice Stevens, who authored the court's decision (he was joined by Justices Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Alito, while Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, and Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring only in the judgment, which Justice Scalia joined). Essentially, Justice Stevens admitted that the Supreme Court had previously held in Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Russell, that ERISA didn't permit individual participant suits (1) – but that while "Russell's emphasis on protecting the "entire plan' from fiduciary misconduct reflects the former landscape of employee benefit plans. That landscape has changed.'
Change "Parse'?
How has it changed? Well, to put it simply, because defined contribution plans have individual accounts, and – here I'll let Justice Stevens speak for himself – "Russell's emphasis on protecting the "entire plan' reflects the fact that the disability plan in Russell, as well as the typical pension plan at that time, promised participants a fixed benefit. Misconduct by such a plan's administrators will not affect an individual's entitlement to a defined benefit unless it creates or enhances the risk of default by the entire plan….Thus, Russell's "entire plan' references, which accurately reflect §409's operation in the defined benefit context, are beside the point in the defined contribution context.'
Of course, defined contribution plans were not "beside the point' when the Russell case was decided, and the justices then ((in an interesting touch, Stevens also authored that opinion) addressed what ERISA allowed, not what it provided for suits brought in a non-individual account context under ERISA. Consequently, to my eye, anyway, it's as though the Supreme Court sought to "excuse' its prior decision as not being applicable to ALL plans covered by ERISA (you'd think that could've been mentioned at the time), or worse – to suggest that because the "landscape' has changed, so has the law.
I suppose some will appreciate the "vitality' such flexible interpretations give the law, but it's precisely those kind of situational determinations that unduly complicate our lives, IMHO. Defined contribution plans (and those individual accounts) have been with us more than a century, ERISA for a generation. What about the prevalence of defined contribution plans relative to defined benefit programs warrants a reinterpretation of the latter to adequately address the former – other than perhaps the fact that the justices themselves didn't "get' individual accounts in 1985 when the Russell case was decided? Or, more cynically, that the justices messed up in their Russell decision, and wanted to rationalize what could plausibly be viewed as a repudiation of the previous decision?
A Loss is a Loss
That's why I much prefer the rationale expressed by Justice Thomas in his concurrence – a concurrence that "is not contingent on trends in the pension plan market. Nor does it depend on the ostensible "concerns' of ERISA's drafters.' Thomas goes on to affirm the statutory right of a participant, beneficiary, or fiduciary to bring suit ("obtain relief'), and then goes on to state what common sense dictates – losses to individual accounts in a plan are losses of the plan – and recoverable as such (2).
Whatever the rationale, the law of the land now affirms that participants can bring suits based on injuries to their individual accounts. Frankly, the court's previous sense that an injury to a participant in a plan was not a plan injury smacked of the kind of legal hair-splitting that only lawyers (and I have a JD) and politicians relish. Now, in the wake of the LaRue decision, I can understand and appreciate the concerns expressed on behalf of employers – that this case will simply set off a wave of new and expensive litigation.
No doubt the coverage of the LaRue case will serve to discourage some who were contemplating offering a 401(k), but I doubt that it will lead to the demise of plans already in existence. Much as I hate to contemplate the prospect of more red meat for the plaintiffs' bar, I suspect the individual participant lawsuit "shield' pierced by the LaRue decision was unappreciated by most plan sponsors. Perhaps most obviously, why else would so many have sought the protections of ERISA's 404c, but to avoid the possibility of an individual participant suit?
Still, one need look no further than the rash of so-called stock drop cases or the revenue-sharing challenges to see the potential – and the LaRue headlines certainly convey the sense of a new way for workers to sue their employers. But I think plan sponsors – certainly the ones attentive to their fiduciary responsibilities – have long been concerned about participant lawsuits.
Of course, they're also probably not the ones who should be worried.
(1) ERISA Section 409(a) provides: "Any person who is a fiduciary with respect to a plan who breaches any of the responsibilities, obligations, or duties imposed upon fiduciaries by this title shall be personally liable to make good to such plan any losses to the plan resulting from each such breach, and to restore to such plan any profits of such fiduciary which have been made throughuse of assets of the plan by the fiduciary, and shall be subject to such other equitable or remedial relief as the court may deem appropriate, including removal of such fiduciary. A fiduciary may also be removed for a violation of section 411 of this Act.' 88 Stat. 886, 29 U. S. C. §1109(a).
(2) "The allocation of a plan's assets to individual accounts for bookkeeping purposes does not change the fact that all the assets in the plan remain plan assets.'


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Whose music is it?
Kamal Kothari has a problem. As director of Rupayan Sanasthan, an institute of Indian folklore in Jaipur, he has been collecting all the songs composed by Rajasthani singers and suing music directors of Hindi films for infringement of copyright.
His latest campaign is against the chart-busting Nimbuda number filmed on Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis runaway hit, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The composition is credited to Ismail Durbar i n the film.
"The song was
actually composed by a little-known folk singer, Ghazni Khan
Manganiyar," informs Kothari. "Its original Rajasthani
version was even recorded in a private album. And now, somebody from
Bombay comes, steals his song and takes all the credit!"The worst
part, according to the archivist, is that Manganiyar cannot sing his
song any more. "He has to take permission and perhaps, even pay
royalty to the Bombay composer for singing his own song," says
Kothari. "This is grossly unfair."
"We are aware of this problem," admits a spokesperson of the Film Federation of India. "But there is little anybody can do about it because Hindi film music gets automatically registered with the Indian Performing Rights Society. It takes care of protecting the intellectual property rights of the composers."
In the absence of a similar body to protect the rights of folk artistes, it is left to organisations like the Ruayan Sanasthan to take up the issue on their behalf. Their only precedent is what the Vishwa Bharati University has done to protect the commercial exploitation of Tagores music, or Rabindra Sangeet.
"You cannot just run a Tagore composition in a film without inviting the wrath of Vishwa Bharati," says Amitabh Mukherji, a Bengali playback singer. "From Satyajit Ray in Charulata to Kumar Sahani (Char Adhyay) and Jagjit Singh (Yaraana), everybody has had to take permission, even as Tagore is no more."
Ironically enough, folk artistes themselves are still much too naive and humble in their innocence to fathom the complexities of the issue. For most of them, too much is being made of their creative talent, which is essentially god-gifted.
Some even argue that the more people "steal" from them, the more popular does their art become. As Suguna Ram, ravanhatta minstrel from Jodhpur puts it: "Since we are all concerned about keeping the traditional arts alive, what is the harm if some of our music is popularised in films?"
Ram moves from village to village with his string instrument, singing the legends of a Rajput deity, Pabuji. He carried with him a scroll called Pabuji Ke Phad that illustrates his narration. It is a sacred piece of document inherited from his forefathers that binds him to his profession as a balladeer.
Singificantly, Ram is least disturbed when he finds copies of the scroll being hawked indiscriminately at roadside stalls, airport emporiums and railway platforms. "I am delighted to see Pabujis image at all places, " he says. "I want our culture to go out in the world and be shared by all human beings alike."
"It is precisely this simplicity that Hindi film composers are out to exploit,"counters Kothari. "They have the power of money, the right contacts, they can engage the best lawyers and bulldoze their way in any law court.... What do these poor musicians have?"


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Electric Arc Flash
Arc Flash, defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is "a dangerous condition associated with the release of energy caused by an electric arc." It occurs when electrical insulation or isolation between conductors is broken or can no longer withstand the applied voltage. More specifically, arc flash defined by NFPA 70E Annex K.3 is - "When an electric current passes through air between ungrounded conductors and grounded conductors, the temperatures can reach 35000° F. Exposure to these extreme temperatures both burns the skin directly and causes ignition of clothing, which adds to the burn injury. The majority of hospital admissions due to electrical accidents are from the arc flash burns, not from shock. Each year more than 2,000 people are admitted to burn centers with severe arc flash burns. Arc flash can and will kill at distances of 10 ft."
The massive energy released in the fault rapidly vaporises the metal conductors involved, blasting molten metal and expanding plasma outward with extreme force. A typical arc flash incident can be inconsequential but could conceivably easily produce a catastrophic explosion. The result of the violent event can cause destruction of equipment involved, fire and injury or death, not only to immediate workers but also to nearby people. In addition to the explosive blast of such a fault, destruction also arises from the intense radiant heat produced by the arc. The metal plasma from an arc produces tremendous amounts of light energy from far infrared to ultraviolet. Surfaces of nearby people and objects absorb this energy and are instantly heated to vaporising temperatures. The effects of this can be seen on adjacent walls and equipment - they are often ablated and eroded from the radiant effects.
The rapidly expanding superheated vapour produced by an electric arc flash can cause serious injury or death and the intense UV, visible and IR light produced by an arc can temporarily or sometimes permanently blind or cause eye damage. The extremely loud noise which accompanies an electric arc flash also has the potential to permanently damage hearing.
There are four different arc type events to be assessed when designing PPC safety programs. Only the first two are usually considered in ATPV calculations and standards. In workplace 480-volt or higher environments, the open air arc can quickly turn into an ejected or tracking arc. The tracking arc is most common at very high voltages or during an electrical contact.
The four types of electric arcs are:
Open Air Arc - the primary arc used in arc testing.
Arc-in-a-box - used in one form for arc testing in the EU.
Ejected Arc - when arc plasma hits the worker.
- A Tracking Arc - most common at higher voltages; arc plasma conducts on the skin or through the clothing.
Westex Arc Flash Testing Overview
This Westex arc flash testing video was conducted at an independent laboratory with the assistance of 70E Solutions. The goal was to create 'real-life' arc flashes using common 480-volt equipment to help companies understand the magnitude of the arc flash hazards that exist in nearly every facility in the world and highlight the importance of complying with the NFPA 70E standard. This video clearly demonstrates that if you work on or near energised parts and equipment, wearing market-proven flame resistant clothing and other PPE can and does dramatically reduce injury and saves lives.
An electric arc flash incident at an Exxon Mobil Corporation refinery.
Arc Flash Blast
Arc Flash Blast is the result of a rapid release of energy due to an arcing fault between a phase bus bar and another phase bus bar, neutral or a ground. The cause of the fault normally burns away during the initial flash and the arc fault is then sustained by the establishment of highly-conductive plasma. The plasma will conduct as much energy as is available and is only limited by the impedance of the arc. This massive energy discharge burns the bus bars, vaporising the copper and thus causing an explosive volumetric increase, the arc blast, conservatively estimated as an expansion of 40,000 to 1. This fiery explosion devastates everything in its path, creating deadly shrapnel as it dissipates.
WARNING – NFPA 70E does not have a PPE Category above 40 cal/cm2. Working in environments above 40 cal/cm2 should be avoided because of the blast hazards caused by arc flash. Arc flash levels above 40 cal/cm2 can be fatal and usually result in a massive pressurised blast with sound pressure waves and projectiles. PPE is available for 100 cal/cm2 however the force from the pressurised arc blast can be fatal regardless of the PPE.
Catastrophic Arc Flash Incident Costs
Arc flash incidents are extremely prevalent in the electrical industry with the most severe burns and fatalities being a consequence of ignition of non-FR work wear, not the arc flash itself. Burn injury is the second most costly hospitalisation in the US today, trailing only neo-natal ICU care. Burn units are isolation wards; burn treatment generally requires weeks or months of hospitalisation and often multiple surgeries sometimes spanning years. This type and duration of care is extremely expensive and hospitalisation is only one major cost of an arc flash burn injury. When a worker's garments ignite during an arc, resultant burn injury costs to the employer will be enormous. Conversely, if a worker in the same arc is wearing FR clothing, which will not ignite and will also insulate against the heat hazard, there will be little or no burn injury and therefore little or no cost. Many corporations have concluded that any cost of an FR clothing program is more than paid back by avoidance of injury costs over time.
OSHA's current NFPA 70E and Electrical Safe Work Practices presentation states that the cost of arc flash burn injuries to the employer is now between USD $1m and $3m per incident, with a few exceeding USD $6m. A corporation who avoids these costs even once in a ten year period may be able to pay for any FR "premium" many times over. Initial and life cycle garment costs are most important but are only a part of the true uniform cost equation when workers are potentially exposed to electric arc flash.
Electrical Hazards
Each year in the US, several hundred workers are injured or killed due to inadvertent contact with energised conductors: surprisingly, over half those killed are not employed in the traditional electrical field but are from related fields such as painters, labourers and drivers.
Studies have revealed the three major hazards of electricity as:
Electric Shock - it takes a very low value of current flowing through the human body to cause death or serious injury.
Electric Arc Flash - there are two different issues with this hazard:
The arc temperature - the main concern being the flash flame and ignition of clothing.
- The incident energy - a radiant energy, which can pass through the clothing, igniting undergarments and/or burn the skin.
Electric Arc Blast - the main concern is that the pressures developed by an electric arc can be extremely high. Heavy duty PPE will protect workers against the flash flame and incident energy hazards of the arc flash but may not protect against the pressures of the arc blast.
The issues to be considered with electric arc flash and electric arc blast, noting that an electric arc is a multi-hazard event, are:
Electric Arc Flash:
Flash/flame temperature
Incident energy
Electric Arc Blast:
Fragmented metal
Molten metal
Vaporised metal
- Pressure


text: One of my favorite tunes from the week is "Zero Vector" from Yoonbell. Released through Heavy Bubble's Lift-Off compilation, this techno treat took me by storm in an instant; the eight minute song goes by just as fast thanks to how enjoyable this one is. I've been getting more styles that are more similar to this (thanks Taleen), with this being the star of all the techy action so far. Yoonbell hit the nail on the head, providing bustling basslines and energetic grooves that will have you dancing like no other. Usually, free music is what I post most, however even if this was on Beatport for the more expensive price, you know it'd be worth it. Snag it through iTunes below and enjoy your Friday with it!


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Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR): What It Is and How to Reduce Yours
LTIFR is a crude indicator of safety performance and it should be considered alongside other metrics.
As businesses work to reduce incidents and injuries among their employees, it's natural to look for some way to quantify that progress. While it may be subject to some controversy, the lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) is one way to do it.
According to the WSIB, lost time injury rates in Ontario – which were already quite low to begin with – declined by about 39 percent over the last decade, suggesting that employers are making solid progress towards creating safer workplaces. The rest of Canada has followed suit, with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec also seeing significant decreases.
Let's take a look at what LTIFR is and what you can do to improve yours.
Understanding LTIFR
An organization's lost time injury frequency rate is a proxy measurement of its safety performance. It represents the number of lost time injuries that have occurred within a given accounting period, relative to the total number of hours worked in that period. It's a lagging indicator of safety performance that can help businesses benchmark the HSE performance of their industry.
A lost time injury happens when an employee suffers a work-related injury that results in any of the following:
- Being off work past the day of the accident
- Loss of wages
- Permanent disability or impairment
Since the LTIFR number is always quite small, it's standard practice to multiply it by 200,000 (though note that some companies and industries use a base rate of 1,000,000 instead). Companies, then, report the figure as the number of lost time injuries per million hours worked.
Limitations of LTIFR
It's important to note that this number does not include two key things:
- The severity of the injuries
- Pre-existing conditions not sustained during the reporting period
It's also critical to understand that a low LTIFR does not equal a safe work environment, nor does a high rate mean a company is unsafe or not committed to safety. It can be a somewhat superficial way of looking at health and safety, but it's often used because it's simple to calculate and is a convenient way to compare safety performance across workplaces and industries.
How to Calculate Your LTIFR
You only need two pieces of information to calculate your organization's LTIFR:
- Number of lost time injuries in given accounting period
- Number of hours worked in given accounting period
Once you have that information at hand, you can figure out your LTIFR by plugging the data into the following equation:
LTIFR = # LTIs in accounting period / # hours worked in accounting period
To make it easier to interpret and benchmark, multiply the (very tiny) number you get by 200,000 (or one million).
For example:
A construction company had 14 people suffer lost time injuries at work last year. The total hours worked in this period (for all employees) was 800,000.
Then, the number is multiplied by 200,000 to make it easier to use and interpret.
LTIFR = (14 / 800,000) x 200,000 = 3.5
With their LTIFR calculated, this company can compare it to the rate for the construction industry as a whole. It won't give them a comprehensive picture of their safety performance, but they'll know whether their injury rates are higher or lower than the industry average.
Improving Your LTIFR for Better Workplace Safety
First and foremost, we need to be clear about one thing: taking measures to avoid loss of work time is not an acceptable way to improve an LTIFR. False reporting doesn't benefit anyone, and an inaccurate LTIFR can produce a false sense of progress towards safety in the workplace.
So how can you improve your rate? The best answer is one you might not expect: stop focusing on it.
Health and safety professional emphasize that a preoccupation with outcome-based performance measures drives underreporting, which actually increases the dangers that workers face on the job (see How to Build an HSE Incentive Program that Works to learn more). Instead, focus on implementing controls that address identified hazards and minimize employee risk.
What might this look like? Here are some examples:
- Providing workers with appropriate PPE
- Require employees to complete comprehensive safety training, and monitoring them to ensure the knowledge is being applied
- Gamifying safety by offering rewards and recognition to the workers who engage in safe work practices
- Conducting annual audits and inspections to identify any new or persisting hazards
- Securing buy-in from top-level management to help foster a culture of safety and transparency within the company
A Word of Caution About Using LTIFR
A lot of ink has been spilled over the drawbacks of using lost time injury frequency rate to measure safety performance. Despite this, it remains the most commonly used safety metric across North America. For businesses that are tracking it, it's important to keep a couple things in mind.
Benchmarking Inaccuracy
Unless two businesses are working on the exact same projects in the same conditions and have the same culture of transparency, an LTIFR is not a reliable way to compare their performance.
Lagging vs. Leading
LTIFR is a lagging indicator of safety. While it may tell you where you once were, it gives no indication of how you should move forward or what might help you get better. It's focused on the past – you want to focus on the future (learn more about Leveraging Leading Indicators to Drive Safety).
None of this is to say that LTIFR is inherently bad or good – it's simply one measure that can help you gauge your company's safety performance. It should be considered alongside other lagging and leading indicators.
In addition to measuring your lost time injury frequency rate, be sure to consider things like:
- Injury severity
- Frequency of management walkthroughs
- Frequency of safety audits
- Worker participation in safety programs
- Percentage of workers who have completed HSE training
You'll only know how to improve and move your organization forward if you have the whole picture.
Related Terms
Written by DCM Group | DCM- Admin


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Colorado Springs and the surrounding area is proud of its rich military heritage. With five bases in the area, you will be hard pressed to find a location that is more friendly to those who sacrifice daily to protect our nation's freedoms and interests. The Pikes Peak region is home to more than 37,000 active-duty military personnel and almost 60,000 civilian, contractor, Guard and Reserve support personnel, and is a popular retirement location. For those who have already served, the booming defense industry is geared towards leveraging the unique talents of our retirees and veterans and offers the hope of continued service and a second career.
Many establishments in the Pikes Peak region cater to the military and offer various discounts as a way of saying thank you for the service, sacrifice and values that you embody. Click here for a list.
Many of our REALTORS® have served our nation and are aware of the unique challenges you face as you relocate to the area. They will be able to guide you through the process of finding your new home, in many cases even before you arrive. Click here to find a REALTOR® who is certified in military moves.
We understand that it is not just the active-duty member who has to move, so our REALTORS® look forward to working with you to find the area you wish to live, the schools that meet your needs, and the house that will become your home.
About Schools...


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Oryx presents its new World wide web virtual showroom. Oryx was founded in 2005 by Gulf Craft, as its entry level cruiser brand. Today Oryx builds four models from the entrance to the range, the 27, to the flagship 42. The Oryx line represents versatility and currently its 40 Fly is one of the few flybridge cruisers at twelve meters to be offered in twin outboard power option. Oryx new web-site takes you around with the following buttons; Discover Us, Oryx 27, Oryx 36, Oryx 42, Oryx 40 Fly, Representatives, Request a Quotation, After Sales, News, and Contact Us. Oryx and Gulf Craft are also available in various social media pages; Tweeter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google Plus, YouTube, and Blogger. A link to these pages is at the top right of the page.
October 4, 2014
Web: Oryx New Web Site
Posted by PowerYacht at 10:10
Labels: Oryx, Web, Yacht Builder Story
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Making the most of your move to Office 365
Moving to a cloud based solution such as Microsoft Office 365 is an easy decision to make, but successful migration depends on meticulous planning – and integration with a unified email management system delivered from the cloud helps to maximise your investment.
Your organisation's needs
In these hard-bitten times, organisations are increasingly required to get more for less – to identify and implement new technologies while reducing overheads. It is easier said than done but, when it comes to email management, a transition to cloud-based solution means this challenge is not insurmountable.
Microsoft's Office 365 gives businesses a cost-efficient alternative to on-premise email infrastructure, and enables organisations to move to the cloud without losing Microsoft's familiar applications and interfaces. It offers a simplified, streamlined infrastructure along with improved scalability and lower total cost of ownership. It does not, however, entirely remove the need for effective email management.
It is impossible to overstate the importance and value attached to a reliable, robust and secure email service. Research suggests around 60% of people now spend half their working day on email, creating vast and ever-growing repositories of critical information, while around 86% of end users rely on email as a search tool. In short, email and email management have become central to organisations' daily operational needs.
Indeed, the management of such a fundamental and vital business asset demands a holistic approach. First and foremost your network must be rigorously protected against the constantly-evolving threat of viruses, spam and malware, but data leakage prevention and regulatory compliance is also a necessity.
Email management challenges
In-house email management can place a heavy and expensive burden on IT departments, which are expected to provide uninterrupted service in a demanding, ever-changing and increasingly austere environment. Ancillary services such as email archiving, anti-spam, anti-virus and policy management are labour intensive and can consume significant resources – and such a fractured, disparate set of systems only increases the risk of outages and data leakage.
The challenge is to find an email management system which streamlines the processes into one, manageable and efficient solution, providing greater reliability and stabilising costs.
For many, the answer lies in the cloud.
While the decision to move to a cloud-based email solution like Office 365 may be straightforward, the transition itself can be more problematic and, as with any major change to an organisation's infrastructure, technical challenges abound. The holistic planning involved in moving from a traditional in-house infrastructure is a major undertaking, and it is imperative that both the long-term and the day-to-day needs of business are fulfilled.
Critical data must be moved securely to the new platform, while the migration must not hinder the constant flow of business communications. Regulatory compliance and litigation readiness must be ensured, and once implemented users need to be able to easily access and retrieve old and new email data. And this must all be achieved within budget.
The cloud-based solution
The key to any major migration is meticulous preparation and one option is to move all email data to a unified email management solution in the cloud prior to migration, simplifying the process and guaranteeing 100% uptime throughout. With all data stored safely and securely in the cloud, there is no longer any need to transfer email data as part of any server upgrade, so you're always migration-ready.
In this way, deploying a cloud-based email management solution prior to moving to Office 365 greatly negates the risk of downtime and data loss during migration. Some solutions are designed to enhance the Office 365 experience, adding further layers of security, scalability and functionality, including a self-service email archive, while a 100% service availability SLA guarantees continuous service even in the event of planned or unplanned outages during or post migration.
Mimecast's Unified Email Management for Microsoft Office 365 delivers all of the above – a centrally-managed cloud-based service that provides enhanced archiving, continuity and eDiscovery capabilities. Mimecast integrates with Office 365 seamlessly, and is able to store email messages for up to 10 years – including user deleted messages. Together, Mimecast and Office 365 provide a viable solution to myriad migration challenges, helping to mitigate risk, stabilise and reduce costs, and ultimately ensure an automated, seamless migration.


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It's not exactly a drug commonly used in anxiety treatment but is nevertheless considered a good option to tackle anxiety, coupled with bipolar disorder. Neurontin, the brand name for Gabapentin, is seen to work quite well in the alleviation of anxiety symptoms in those suffering from bipolar condition. So it's not really a medicine for bipolar disorder; rather, it's a drug that's well suited to minimize the anxiety related symptoms that are usually seen in bipolar disorder patients.
Medically speaking, Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant which has no chemical relationship with any other anticonvulsant medication or with drugs that regulate the mood. Interestingly, in fact, the drug's original use was in prevention of epileptic seizures. Its transformation from an anti-epilepsy drug to an anti-anxiety drug for those with bipolar disorder came much later. But, despite its accepted use in treating anxiety symptoms linked bipolar disorder, Neurontin is not approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for this use. The FDA approved Gabapentin in 1993 for use as an anticonvulsant and for the treatment of certain pains, tremors, and other psychiatric problems.
The best drug-free method to completely curb anxiety and panic attacks
Efficacy of Neurontin in Anxiety Treatment
Neurontin (which has a chemical structure similar to that of GABA but doesn't seem to have any effect on GABA receptors) works well in helping cope with anxiety if supplemented with other treatments. By itself, Neurontin appears generally to give mixed results in the treatment of anxiety symptoms but does seem to be effective in providing relief from bipolar disorder related anxiety. The drug is seen to control rapid cycling and mixed bipolar conditions in people who are prone to high levels of anxiety or agitation, and don't seem to respond to carbamazepine or valproate, or even a combination of both. Considering its effectiveness in treating mood disorders in bipolar patients, it's widely believed that Neurontin may prove to be a useful therapy for other anxiety problems in unipolar patients as well as victims of depression. But research on this is yet not complete. In any case, it's best to go by your doctor's advice before taking recourse to this medication in the treatment of anxiety, even if it's linked with bipolar disorder.
Side Effects of Neurontin
Unfortunately, like most other anti-anxiety drugs, Neurontin also comes with a multitude of side effects, some of which can be seriously detrimental for your health. Dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain and nausea are commonly seen in people taking Neurontin. The side effects are more pronounced among the elderly. A serious problem with the use of Neurontin is its addictive effect. Use of Neurontin seems to lead to some kind of dependency, which is difficult to get rid of. So it's not uncommon to see withdrawal symptoms among people who stop taking the drug. An even more severe implication of Neurontin use is the increased suicidal tendencies witnessed among users. The ideal thing to do would be to take the medication under your doctor's guidance and supervision. In rare cases, it can also lead to manic effects, paranoia, agitation, reduced sex drive and detachment.
Considering the seriousness of the side effects of Neurontin, it's advisable not to take it for anxiety alone. For those suffering from anxiety without bipolar disorder, it's best to explore other treatment options. In any case, this medication should never be taken without being supplemented with some other kind of anti-anxiety treatment approach, such as diet, lifestyle changes etc.
Precautions in Taking Neurontin
Adequate precautions are naturally a prerequisite for taking any potent drug. Neurontin should also be taken only with due precautions. It's generally advisable to go for a complete medical evaluation before taking recourse to this medication. Urine and blood tests should be done to rule out any medical conditions that can aggravate an anxiety or mood condition. Patients suffering from thyroid problems are generally asked to avoid taking Neurontin.
It's also important to go slow with the dosage, starting with just 300 mg at bedtime, and then progressively increase it every 3-5 days. While some patients respond well to a 600 mg a day dosage, others may need as much as 4,800 mg a day before they start showing some positive signs. The dose should ideally be spread through the day, in 3-4 installments.
Neurontin, incidentally, is safe to take along with valproate, carbamazepine and lithium, showing no signs of a harmful interaction with these drugs. The only way in which it's seen to interact with certain drugs is by a decrease in its absorption when taken with antacids. There's also a slight increase in the concentration of certain oral contraceptives if used with Neurontin. But these interactions are not deemed very significant or important.
Alcohol, however, should be avoided by those taking Neurontin as it can aggravate the side effects of the drug. It's generally considered safe to be taken by pregnant women, and even children and adolescents, though the U.S. doesn't allow its use for those under the age of 12. However, the dosage may need to be minimized in kidney patients.
Start YOUR way to an anxiety-free life already today!
The time-frame for the positive effects of Neurontin to start manifesting usually varies from one individual to another. In some patients, the treatment begins to show results within a week or two, while in others it may take up to a month to show signs of change. While waiting for the results to show, an efficient self-help program to relieve anxiety is recommended to quicker start the recovery process and to bring better results in the end. Continuous monitoring and supervision by a qualified medical practitioner is also important before and during the use of the drug, as well as at the time of stopping its use. Only in cases of severe side effects should Neurontin usage be stopped abruptly; ideally, the patient should be slowly and gradually weaned away from it.


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The versatility of choice and excellent service are two things we pride ourselves on at Tentickle Tents Germany. We offer a wide choice in style and size, colour and a long or short term hire or buy solution for your event tent needs. Tentickle stretch marquees look great as both an addition to your current venue or as an alternative setting for an occasion. The unique designs and internationally certified fire retardant organic fabric creates a venue that you can be proud of with the peace of mind that your guests are safe and comfortable. Our highly trained distributors across Germany are experts in the stretch tent marquee industry and will confidently and professionally attend to your needs, recommending the best solution to your event tent requirements and ensuring you are satisfied with both structural and aesthetic results.
We have clients right across Germany from Berlin to Hamburg, and will create a beautiful versatile Stretch Tent venue in Dortmund, Frankfurt, Dresden, Koln, Munich, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Essen and Nurnberg. In fact, our distributors are willing to bring their excellent service and create the finest venue using Tentickle stretch marquees anywhere and everywhere in between!
Outstanding Quality Stretch Tent, Canopy & Marquee Hire
Did you know that Tentickle Stretch Tent Marquees are not only used in Germany but also cover events in over 25 countries in 5 continents! All of them have been tested against the harsh weather conditions from raging storms to strong winds and blistering heat, and they all passed with flying colours. Our unique stretch tent fabric has been scientifically designed to ensure that you and your guests are protected and kept safe from any weather conditions that may unexpectedly occur at your special event. Our fabrics have been approved and certified by many of the world's strictest health and safety codes.
Why choose a Tentickle Stretch Tent Marquee in Germany?
- Versatility – Create your own venue or extend an existing venue with a stretch marquee tent that suits your event needs.
- Safety – Every tent is fire retardant and IFR (International Fire Regulations) compliant and can be securely fitted to any surface. Each one is over 100% waterproof and offers full UV protection.
- Beautiful and Practical – Our choice of sleek styles, available in various colours means you don't have to sacrifice the aesthetics of your venue for a practical and versatile area solution.
- All Weather and Environments – No weather condition or terrain is a match for the resistance and stability of a Tentickle stretch marquee.
Wedding and Corporate Marquee Hire in Germany
Brides and Grooms most often turn to us to provide a uniquely inspiring and beautiful venue for their outdoor marquee weddings. At Tentickle Tents Germany we love being a part of special occasions and understand how important and special the day should be, and of course we know that the perfect venue sets the scene for every other element of a wedding day. We pride ourselves on giving our clients peace of mind that the type and style of any occasion, whether it is private or corporate, is enhanced with our unique Tentickle stretch marquees.
Let us know about Your Stretch Tent Marquee Needs
We are waiting to discuss your stretch marquee needs today, hire or buy. Be sure to get in touch with us directly by completing the form at the top of the page and one of our expert consultants will help you create a perfect event in Germany that will be talked about for years!


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Tooth Grinding & Jaw Pain
If you are experiencing pain associated with your jaw joint, you may be suffering from TMD. TMD, or temporomandibular dysfunction, is caused by stress or injury to the jaw joint. However, this dysfunction can manifest in a variety of ways. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from TMD.
- jaw pain
- neck pain
- earache
- popping or clicking of the jaw
- unexplained headaches or migraines
- shoulder or upper back pain
- facial pain
Please contact one of our convenient area locations if you are experiencing these symptoms. We can help you get the treatment you need to feel better.
Relieve the Pain
I grind my teeth at night. Is that making my jaw ache?
Very possibly. Teeth grinding or clenching, known as bruxism, is a common neurological affliction and is associated with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain. In addition to jaw pain, grinding or clenching can also cause major damage to your teeth. The excess pressure can wear down or even break your posterior teeth. Bruxism is common in children (who often grow out of it) but can also persist in adults and people of all ages.
What can the team at Sunrise Dental do to help?
The team at Sunrise Dental can help you get the treatment you need to feel better. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort due to TMJ or bruxism issues, we can help. We can create a mouthguard designed to be worn at night. This mouthguard temporarily adjusts the position of the jaw and alleviates pressure on the jaw joint. It also protects the teeth from unnecessary pressure and damage due to grinding or clenching. Our mouthguards are a great way to manage your discomfort and let you lead a normal life.
We craft these mouthguards by first taking impressions of your mouth. We then send off the impressions to a lab for the mouthguard to be created. At your next appointment, we can then make sure the mouthguard fits properly and adjusts the position of your jaw in a comfortable way. These custom-designed guards are made to fit comfortably and help alleviate your discomfort.
Schedule an Appointment
If you think you are suffering from TMJ or bruxism issues, please contact one of our four convenient locations. A member of our team will get back with you as soon as possible. We will be happy to help alleviate your pain and get you back to living your life!
What Our Patients Are Saying
Don't just take our word for it! Our patients' testimonials reflect the same high standard of dental care that Sunrise Dental always strives to achieve. Listen to the stories below, and hear for yourself about how we always place our patients and their needs as a top priority.
Creighvon Rodgers
Phil Loscalzo
Lisa Earle
New Patient & VIP Specials
We're always looking to give you more at Sunrise Dental! Schedule your first appointment today, or register to be a VIP member of our practice for exclusive specials and deals, including:
- Reduced Waiting Times
- No Annual Maxiumum
- Annual Cleanings, Consults, and More
- Discounted Treatments
- Discounted Cleanings and Procedured
- And more!


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How to Have a Spiritually Rich Mom-life
Motherhood is saturated with hidden opportunities for profound spiritual growth. Often those opportunities are hidden directly behind the most stressful, frustrating, and toughest parts of parenting. But with some spiritual determination and a bit of creativity, we can find them.
Commune with God—Any Time, Anywhere
While extended quiet times may be few and far between in the mom-life, short snippet prayers can abound! We can foster a different type of intimacy with God by connecting with Him throughout the day.
My heart may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart" (Psalm 73:25-26)
Live in Holy Reliance
hidden behind the how-do-I-do-this moments of motherhood is an invitation into humility, brokenness, and grace-empowered God-reliance. Motherhood reminds us of how little we have, drawing us to our abundantly generous God.
Receive God's Parental Love
As mothers, in all our working and giving and serving and providing for our own children, we're given a divine privilege: a glimpse, a small sliver of experiencing God's unconditional, intimate, abundant, grace-filled love for us.
"As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you" (Isaiah 66:13)
Live on the Lookout
As moms, we simply need a determined mindset, seeking to discover the hidden opportunities before us that invite us into deeper intimacy with God. So live on the lookout!
Those faith-deepening opportunities are there in your life—they may even be hidden away in parenting's hardest moments. Keep searching. Behind even the exhaustion and frustration, God is there!💓😇
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- Tags: Blog, Christian blog, Encouragement, Family Values, Mommy moments, motherhood, Teaching Children


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Travel Waterproof Feeding Highchair
$41.99 Regular price $48.99
SKU: 3582569-blue
This portable feeding chair folds into a compact bag making it easy to transport. It quickly and easily unfolds to securely hold your child in place with the attached straps for meal times when away from home.
- Colors: Yellow, Blue , Pink
- Material: Cloth


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Honeymoon Island State Park At Dunedin, Florida
Our day trip to Honeymoon Island State Park was phenomenal to say the least. We walked over 5 miles of beach front enjoying the water, waves, wildlife, shells and each others company. We talked about how we'd love to maybe photograph weddings and engagement sessions in this beautiful location. We marveled at the jellyfish that had washed ashore and mostly we just held hands and dreamed about the days to come and all the adventures we hope to explore. Breath taking leisurely enjoyment :-) And even though we ended the day with sun burnt red faces it was… A perfect day!Read More


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My View
I started a new Blogging U on Poetry. It's a two-week course with a new prompt, form lesson, and poetic device each day. The prompt for today is screens, the form is haiku, and the device is alliteration. I decided to focus on the prompt and write a three-stanza poem made up of haiku.
My View
I view this world through
screens of my experience
I will share with you
What I believe is
colored by where I have been
and what I have done
My view is mercy
and compassion I needed
I'll offer to you
2 Responses
Thank you. I don't like messy, so I appreciate that you saw the order in this. Peace, Linda


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Bad boy Romeo Garcia never understood why Evie stood him up at the prom. When he rescues her from a flying coconut in the dumpster, he is determined to dig into her heart for the reason. Their mutual attraction and unresolved feelings ignite in a scintillating night of daring sex, and Romeo shows Evie what she'll miss the rest of her life if she walks away again.
Evie lands a part as Romeo's co-star and falls into her role, totally in love. He plays his part, too, with his romantic gestures and skillful lovemaking. But is the fantasy real or revenge? Evie and Romeo are about to discover if their buried feelings will explode in pure delight or utter disaster.
Taming Romeo is a contemporary romance featuring family secrets, delicious food, and hot, steamy loves scenes.
Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+.
""Second chance love is always the sweetest." – Jessica Cassidy
"Sexy and funny, a unique take on love reignited." – Racquel Reck
"Wow! I didn't want to put my Kindle down! Talk about a fun and sexy romp. Rachelle Ayala continues to entertain! Taming Romeo is different from her past romantic suspense books, being full on romance, but I loved it!" - review from Amazon
"Talk about sexy and hot this book was one I couldn't put down. I don't want to tell you about the ending that is something you will have to find out. Just say there is a twist that the author throws in there."- review from Goodreads
Rachelle is an active member of online critique group, Critique Circle, and a volunteer for the World Literary Cafe. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.
"Pop on over to my Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Goodreads pages"
Buy the book from.....
1st prize - $20 Amazon Giftcard
2nd prize - Signed Book of Taming Romeo
3rd prize - Rachelle Ayala ebook (winner's choice)
1st prize - $20 Amazon Giftcard
2nd prize - Signed Book of Taming Romeo
3rd prize - Rachelle Ayala ebook (winner's choice)
Open Worldwide
Ending on Thursday 15th May at 11.59pm EST
Enter Below and Good Luck !!
Are you a book reviewer or book blogger? Join our book tours reviewers team - Apply Here x


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MacPherson Community Club
MacPherson Community Club located in MacPherson, provides a variety of enrichment courses and facilities ranging from arts, culinary, dance, language, and sports for you and your family during your free time. With just less than 5 minutes walking distance right across the road from The Antares.
Book An Appointment to view The Antares ShowFlat & get VVIP Discounts (Limited Time), Direct Developer Price, & Hardcopy E-Brochure. Guaranteed with Best Price Possible.
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I'm so excited to have my story, "The Writer's Glass Slipper," included in the latest edition of the Weird and Whatnot! This story started when I was cleaning my glasses and thought, "What if I wrote a story about haunted spectacles?" Creativity is a beautiful thing.
Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies: A Guide to 18th Century England's Prostitutes
Before the "Adult" section on Craigslist or hookup sites, there was Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies. Printed annually between 1757 and 1795, this pocket-sized guidebook acted as a directory to Georgian London's prostitutes. a a Each issue featured 120-190 prostitutes who worked in or near Covent Gardens, often giving erotic details and reviews on the... Continue Reading →
Publication, A Review, and So Much More… Gah, I'm Overwhelmed!
Happy New Year, readers! Quite a bit has already happened since the start of 2019. For one, a publication! What better way to ring in the new year than a story from yours truly? "Do You Hear the Coffin Bell?" was published in the January 2019 issue of The Blotter Magazine, "The South's free, unique,... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer in Ireland 2018, Part 6
Ireland sure had a watery adventure in store for me on my 6th day in the country, but this didn't come until the afternoon. And honestly, I had no idea how much of a thrilling adventure awaited me, nor how much my calf muscles would be worked. I thought it was going to be another... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer in Ireland, Part 3
Day #3 in Ireland really spurred my excitement. I'd been on Irish soil for two days, and I had already seen so much. I had visited Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, the James Joyce Tower, and the eerie site of Glendalough (which had my imagination spinning with possibilities for stories). But one... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer in Ireland, Part 2
Please read about my first day in Ireland if you'd like to keep with chronological order! My second day started with jet lag hangover. I stumbled about my hotel room finding my clothes and shoes for the day. Although, all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed. I mean, the blankets in my... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer in Ireland 2018, Part 1
Let me start this blog post by saying I hate heights. I hate flying. I hate when an airplane torpedoes into the sky. I sat in a cramped seat in economy, gripping the arms of my chair, feeling like my skin was about to shed from my bones. I was shaking, I was hyperventilating. But Ireland... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer: My First Publication, Rose of the Sea
My first publication. My pride in this achievement has no boundaries, because the art of writing is difficult. From putting words to a page to publication. Each of the steps requires endless dedication and belief in yourself as a writer. It's moments like these that glimmer in a writer's memory to chase away self-doubt and... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Writer: My First Publication!
Every writer suffers from periods of doubt. Voices whisper in the writer's ear asking questions that can't be brushed aside. Will my work standout? I know I'm a good writer, but will anyone else see that? Are my stories enough? These questions can cripple any aspiring writer before the pen touches the page. Why should... Continue Reading →
The British Museum
One part of researching for a story is not including every detail you dig up. I've begun working on an idea for a novel, which includes researching angles for the professions of one of the characters. Originally, I was going to have this character work for the British Museum, but this angle fell through with... Continue Reading →


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The Hart Business Park is strategically located adjacent to the Santa Fe Airport, just of Highway 599, in Santa Fe, NM. Located 30 miles from Los Alamos, NM and the Los Alamos National Labs and 50 miles from Albuquerque, NM and the Sandia National Labs. Easy access to I-25 and Highway 599 access to Highway 285. Ground lease and build-to-suit possible. Co-tenants are FedEx and Coca Cola. Fully Entitled lots with paved streets, curb, gutter & sidewalks. $5.00 per sq. ft. All lots in Free Trade Zone
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Listing information provided courtesy of the Santa Fe Association of REALTORS, Inc. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, and it may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The data is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Updated: 26th September, 2023 4:24 AM (UTC)
Listing Agent: Christine McDonald
Listing Office: Santa Fe Properties


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Bloggie – Free WP Theme
Bloggie is a free WordPress theme for blogging, with a minimalist, clean design. Theme has a fully responsive layout, and comes with many useful customization options. It supports and comes with custom widgets, SEO friendly structure, unlimited colors, logo upload, drop-down menus and lots of other useful features. Theme can be used for personal, photography, fashion, nature, health or any other creative and minimalistic style website.
About Bloggie – Free WP Theme
Bloggie is a free WordPress theme in the standard blog structure. The theme is designed specifically to get users to read your posts, and to turn one visitor into multiple pageviews using the sidebar widgets and the related posts option. Plus, did we mention that it's free?


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Bruce Boxleitner Interview: "Television Is Very Cynical Nowadays," Calls for a Return to "Good Old-Fashioned Shows"
Written by Melissa Parker, Posted in Interviews Actors
Image attributed to Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce Boxleitner is known for starring in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Babylon 5. He is also known for his dual role as the characters Alan Bradley and Tron in the 1982 film Tron, a role which he reprised in the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy and the animated series Tron: Uprising.
Other television appearances include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Gunsmoke, Police Woman, Hawaii Five-O, Tales from the Crypt, Touched by an Angel, Chuck, Heroes, NCIS, CHAOS and GCB. The versatile actor appeared in the films Murder at the World Series, The Baltimore Bullet, Kenny Rogers as the Gambler, The Babe, The Secret, Perfect Family, Free Fall, Gods and Generals, Snakehead Terror, Love's Everlasting Courage and 51, just to name a few.
"It's just my opinion, but I think, Melissa, that we do need the TV shows and specials like Silver Bells because television is very cynical nowadays. I think we need more good old-fashioned shows, something where we're uplifted at the end. Do you know what I'm saying? I'm not a goody two shoes here, but the landscape that I function in, television basically, is very cynical and dark."
The longtime fan favorite currently co-stars with Andie MacDowell on Hallmark channel's first-ever primetime series, Cedar Cove, stars in Hallmark's The Thanksgiving House and can be seen in UP TV's world premiere holiday movie Silver Bells that airs Sunday, December 1, 2013, which also features Antonio Fargas, Kenton Duty, Bridgett Newton and Laura Spencer.
Boxleitner resides in Los Angeles and has three sons: Sam, Lee and Michael.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Bruce, I can't believe the Christmas season is already here! Do you have holiday traditions?
Bruce Boxleitner: Well, my kids are all grown, and it's hard to get everyone together (laughs). That seems more difficult now than ever because they're all spread out all over the place. But, yeah, I'm going home to see my mother and father. They're up in years now, and I want to spend some precious time with them back in Illinois for Christmas. That's what I'm doing. Then we'll have a get together with the kids and everybody when I get home. It's kind of a different Christmas this year.
I grew up having wonderful family Christmases where everyone went to my grandmother and grandfather's farm for a big family gathering. We had dinner, exchanged presents and just had a celebration. Sort of a Norman Rockwell kind of Christmas I always lived, you know?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How lovely! Silver Bells is a very sweet Christmas movie, but the message is actually relevant for anytime during the year.
Bruce Boxleitner: Oh yeah. I think it's a message that just happened to fall at Christmastime, but it applies to anytime of the year. It's the story of the rise and fall of a guy and his redemption in the eyes of his wife, son and family and his "guardian angel," Antonio Fargas' character. It sort of reminded me of a Frank Capra movie similar to It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart which, I think, is just about anyone's favorite holiday movie. Silver Bells kind of has the same message.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Absolutely. Your character, Bruce Dalt, is a very competitive guy. Was that good casting?
Bruce Boxleitner: (laughs) Yeah. I would say I am competitive. I don't think I'm overly as competitive as perhaps Bruce Dalt is, and that's what tickled me about the character. I just took my own competitive nature and sort of kicked it up a bit. He's a bit obnoxious (laughs). But he pays for it. He's made aware of it. He's made aware of the goodness he can do for others. That's what I loved about it.
Bruce is redeemed at the end, and he's not so concerned with who gets the credit for a good deed as the fact that a good deed is done and that he helped do it. He lets somebody else take the credit for that. Bruce has quite a journey though. I loved his journey.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You also star in the Hallmark channel's first-ever original scripted series Cedar Cove. The show has been described as TV comfort food. Is that something you feel is necessary in the world today?
Bruce Boxleitner: It's just my opinion, but I think, Melissa, that we do need the TV shows and specials like Silver Bells because television is very cynical nowadays. I think we need more good old-fashioned shows, something where we're uplifted at the end. Do you know what I'm saying? I'm not a goody two shoes here, but the landscape that I function in, television basically, is very cynical and dark.
We've got a lot of serial killers, bad cops and vampires. That whole thing. And that's all well and good. But we could use a little variety and have something that people feel safe going to or watching with compelling storylines and characters they can identify with. I don't know if you can identify with many vampires or walking dead zombies, but I think the people in the series Cedar Cove or in Silver Bells are people you can relate to in your own everyday lives.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You've played so many "good guy" roles that I doubt anyone would believe you as a serial killer in Criminal Minds (laughs).
Bruce Boxleitner: (laughs) Actually I've played a serial killer or two. But that was a long time ago. Well, I don't mind that. I don't mind.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I have a blast from the past for you – From the Dead of Night (1989) with Lindsay Wagner!
Bruce Boxleitner: There you go (laughs). Lindsay and I just had a movie on that other channel now that you mention it … The Thanksgiving House (on Hallmark). I seem to be "Mr. Christmas and the Holidays" this year on television. But, yeah, I was a good guy in From the Dead of Night. I got the girl in the end, and the bad guy lost.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): In the 1980s, I was glued to the TV watching Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Cagney & Lacey on Monday nights!
Bruce Boxleitner: Yes. We had some good shows in the 80s. That's for sure.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Have you kept in contact with Kate Jackson?
Bruce Boxleitner: I haven't talked to her in a while. It has been about a year since we talked on the phone. I haven't seen her in many years, but I've talked to her.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): During that time, you were named one of TV's "Top 10 Hunks." Do you sort of tongue in cheek handle that whole sex symbol thing?
Bruce Boxleitner: Oh of course. You can't really take that seriously (laughs). I never did. It's kind of a joke. I'll be looking back and say, "Who are they talking about?" That's mainly stuff publicists put out there (laughs). Hunk? Do they still use that word?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I think "hunk" is outdated (laughs). Is there any news about Tron 3 other than the script is being written now?
Bruce Boxleitner: That's all I know. All I know is it's in the works. It takes a while to get the whole creative team back together. There are many steps that go into a big motion picture like that. I think the director/producer was on Tron: Legacy four years on pre-production before we ever got to casting and shooting it. But I love it.
It's the one character that's kept with me for 30 years now. I'm told I'll be in it, so that's all I know. And I'm told that I'll be very happy with it. But I don't know the when and where and that sort of thing yet.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You career has spanned 40 years. Any regrets?
Bruce Boxleitner: Oh my gosh. I don't think there's anyone in this business that doesn't have regrets. Maybe you should have gone one way, and you didn't, or there was a role you were offered, and you turned it down. Everybody has those in this business. But, no, I've got to tell you that I'm very blessed. Actually I've been very, very blessed for the most part for the paths my career has taken.
I don't know where some of my contemporaries have gone, so I feel very blessed that I'm still doing it. I'm not ready to stop by any means. I'm in my 60s, and I'm feeling better about it and more excited about it than I was in my 30s and 20s. I feel really good about it.
© 2013 Smashing Interviews Magazine. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written consent of the publisher.


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Facebook is set to expand its presence in UK automotive retail after ramping up is car listings in the US, according to social media experts Radar Video.
The world's most popular social media network with 2.07 billion monthly active users worldwide has ramped up the number of car listings in its Marketplace tab in the US and "significant expansion" in the UK will follow, Derek Blair, founder of Radar Video believes.
Facebook has already introduced features that will make it easier for car shoppers in the US to browse stock from dealers through new partnerships with Edmunds, Cars.com, Auction123, CDK Global and SOCIALDEALER.
Blair said: "A significant expansion into car listings is imminent, and it creates enormous opportunities to put your stock in front of a highly engaged audience.
"Perhaps more significantly, Facebook provides dealers with the ability to track the customer through the purchase journey and target them with personalised offers. It has the potential to drastically lower marketing costs."
Facebook users in the US can visit an enhanced vehicles section and filter listings by year, make, model, mileage, vehicle type and transmission.
It also gives access to car values and allows buyers to communicate directly with dealers through Messenger.
Radar Video argue that automated messaging or chatbots in Messenger can help to speed customer response and lower costs for dealers.
Blair said: "Facebook chatbots can change the way consumers and brands interact. Data shows there are over 100,000 bots being used on Facebook Messenger to collect information, make recommendations and even take orders."
A recent study by Radar Video shows that 42% of the largest dealer groups are wasting budget on Facebook by not using the platform's tracking capabilities.
The study of the UK's 50 largest dealer groups shows that while most dealers have a Facebook page and advertise on the social network, only six out of ten use a Facebook Pixel, which allows companies to track individuals who click on ads and serve them bespoke offers.


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Headquartered in Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific is a flag carrier airline that offers its customer's scheduled flights and cargo services to over 190 destinations. Further, to ensure that the passengers enjoy their travel, the airline even introduced various online services that one can avail of once they book a flight ticket with the airline. Besides, the airline also introduced Cathay Pacific managed booking service which one can opt for once they need to make changes to their reservations.
Furthermore, to help you out here is the simple procedure that you can follow for managing your Cathay Pacific Reservations online.
Furthermore, the passenger can also the manage booking service for booking seats with extra legroom or booking a car on rent. And in case, if the passenger still has queries regarding these online services, they can contact the airline by dialing the Cathay Pacific phone number and get desired assistance.
Thus, this was the simple procedure to manage your Cathay pacific reservations. And in case, if you still have issues or queries regarding these procedures simply reach out to the airline directly and make changes to your itinerary instantly.