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SOURCE: UPnP Forum
July 23, 2014 07:53 ET
UPnP+ Demonstration for Cloud and IoT to Take Place at IBC 2014
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS--(Marketwired - July 23, 2014) - Global home networking standards group, UPnP Forum, is driving UPnP+ forward, using the Cloud to connect the Internet of Things (IoT) to the things you will have in your home and make those things even more capable. UPnP Forum, which is exhibiting at this year's IBC (12-16 September), will demonstrate UPnP+ capabilities using sensor management control over a Cloud network to show how UPnP can integrate devices into the IoT.
UPnP Forum has created a strategy around using new and existing UPnP device control protocols (DCPs) and UPnP Cloud architecture to provide UPnP protocols specifically for IoT applications. UPnP core technology provides a base for IoT, creating bridges to both wide-area networks and non-IP devices. The Forum has already produced DCPs for lights, thermostats, automatic blinds and security cameras, and is now developing support for new IoT devices, specifically those with constrained resources.
Scott Lofgren, President, UPnP Forum, said: "UPnP+ provides an improved, seamless experience for the consumer and creates new values and opportunities for manufacturers, developers and integrators. We're leveraging existing UPnP protocols, taking them into the Cloud to bridge the IoT while continuing to support legacy UPnP devices.
Incorporating IPv6, capabilities for discovering Cloud services and new grouping/pairing capabilities, UPnP+ includes a host of enhancements and will deliver improved interoperability baselines. It also mandates energy management and security features that were previously optional for gaining UPnP certification.
"By upgrading interoperability baselines with UPnP+, the market will benefit from device protection, security, energy management, protocol bridging and sensor management capabilities," added Lofgren. "UPnP+ demonstrates our commitment to updating and maintaining specifications to support the billions of devices already connected by UPnP. UPnP+ provides even greater value to the industry as Cloud connectivity and the IoT enable new and exciting digital experiences."
The UPnP Forum booth will be in Hall 14, stand L17 at IBC 2014. A UPnP+ demonstration will be included in the Content Everywhere hub demo presentations at 11:30am on Sunday 14 September in Hall 14. For all media enquiries, or to arrange a meeting at IBC, please contact Dana Hare at email@example.com or call +44 1636 812152.
For further information about UPnP Forum visit www.upnp.org/, follow on Twitter @UPnP Forum or join the Forum's Facebook community.
About UPnP ForumUPnP Forum, established in 1999, is a global alliance of more than 1,000 industry-leading organizations working to enable device-to-device interoperability and facilitate easier and better home networking. The Forum promotes the adoption of uniform technical device interconnectivity standards and certifies devices conforming to these standards. UPnP Forum is an impartial group enabling member companies to participate and develop extensions to the UPnP Device Architecture, which defines how to use the Internet Protocol (IP) to communicate between devices, and Device Control Protocols (DCPs), which are services between devices. Members of UPnP Forum include market leaders in computing, printing and networking, consumer electronics, home appliances, automation, control and security, and mobile products.
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Super Soft Wild Blackberry Cookies
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Author Notes: It's a warm, tart, sweet crumbly bite. —Courtney Elizabeth
Makes: 12 cookies
cup fresh blackberries
1 3/4
cups all-purpose flour
cup granulated sugar
tablespoon baking powder
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon kosher salt
cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
tablespoon vanilla extract
cup whole milk
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and drop in the cubed butter. Put the bowl in the freezer and leave it there for 30 minutes. Bag your berries or lay them on a sheet pan and also freeze for up to 30 minutes. This will help keep the berries distinct and from mashing into your cookie batter.
- Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
- Using a pastry cutter or a fork, work the chilled ingredients together in the bowl until the butter cubes are the size of peas. Make a well in the center. Combine the vanilla and milk in a separate bowl, and pour the mixture into the well. Mix the ingredients with a spoon to form a shaggy, slightly crumbly mass. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to let the flour absorb the liquid, then fold one more time. If the dough seems simply too dry to come together, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time until it just barely comes together.
- Add the frozen berries and gently mix them in.
- Using a spoon, scoop the batter on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Or you could spread the batter across the baking sheet and slice the cookies when ready to serve.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the center is still soft and the edges are golden brown.
- Serve immediately with a glass of cold milk.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Berry Recipe
More Great Recipes:
Fruit|Breakfast|Cookie|Dessert|Snack|Make Ahead|Serves a Crowd|Vegetarian|Spring|Summer

subset: commoncrawl


text:
West Mersea Marine
West Mersea Marine
Deep Water Swinging Moorings, Drying Moorings, Pile Moorings, General Boat
and Yard Work, Boat Handling, Boat Sales and Boat Storage...
West Mersea is a beautiful, tranquil setting on the River Blackwater on the East Coast of England. West Mersea Marine has served local yachtsmen and women for decades.
West Mersea is the most Easterly inhabited island in the British Isles, a sailing haven arguably better than that of the overcrowded Solent. To the Eastern end of Mersea Island lies a large bird sanctuary.
It's a short journey from here to the river Colne, Brightlingsea and the Walton Backwaters. Within the Blackwater lies Osea Island, Bradwell on Sea, Maylandsea & Maldon. Further south is Burnham and the Thames Estuary.


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Best FitBit Fitness Tracker Review 2018: Which FitBit is Right For You?
updated August 3, 2018
The Fitness Tracker industry may still be in it's infancy, but that hasn't stopped it's competitiveness. There are more than a dozen companies vying for that real estate on your wrist and they will sell more than 247 million devices this year. Yet, one of them has already emerged as the acknowledged market leader . . .
In this mega article we you will discover everything you ever wanted to know about the FitBit. You'll discover why you should prefer the this brand. Then we'll look in depth at each of its product and provide a thorough review so that you can compare the features and benefits of each model.
What is a FitBit?
A FitBit is an activity tracker. Some of them can be worn on the wrist, while others attach to your belt or sit in your pocket. The wrist trackers look like a wristwatch and, indeed, many brands do display the time. However, the key functions of the device are to record and display measures of the user's . . .
- Distance traveled in steps
- Calorie consumption
- Heart beat
- Sleep activity
- Steps Climbed
Fitness Trackers are remotely connected to an App which provides for detailed analysis of the collected health and fitness data. There is also social media connectivity, which provides for challenges and competition with friends.
Does FitBit Monitor Heart Rate?
Some of them do, but not all. If you are wanting to monitor your heart rate, you'll need one of the following :
FitBit History
FitBt is the brainchild of a couple of ordinary guys, James Park and Eric Friedman, who back in 2007, were overwhelmed by the advances in wireless and sensor technology. They were among the first to connect these innovations with the world of health and fitness. As a result, they set about creating a portable product that would transform the way people moved and exercised.
Six months later, the brand was born. The first prototype was shown at "TechCrunch 50" on February 9th, 2008. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive with reviewers impressed by the device's wearability, price and lack of subscription requirement.
The first device was designed to be clipped onto clothing. It tracked steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, and sleep.In 2011, a new version of the device, the FitBit Ultra was released onto the market. It featured the following extra features . . .
- An altimeter to allow measurement of floors climbed
- A digital clock
- A stopwatch
- Different color options
Powered by a lithium polymer battery, the Ultra was still a clip on device. The shape of the tracker had to narrowing towards the top, which proved to create problems with the plastic shell. The attachment process created tension which caused cracking of the plastic at this weak end of the device.
New versions of the brand over the next couple of years brought such advances as better digital display, a wireless sync dongle and Bluetooth 4 technology with the FitBit One. The FitBit Zip, which is a mini tracker, incorporated the first disposable battery on an activity tracker.
Its first wrist worn activity tracker appeared in 2013; the FitBit Flex. The Flex remains the most water resistant of all the FitBit trackers.
The brand has introduced new products to its range every few months over the last several years. Scroll down to read more about each version.
The newest member of the family is the new Fitbit Blaze in 2018.
Is FitBit the Best Fitness Tracker?
There are a number of very high quality fitness tracker companies in the marketplace including Garmin, Jawbone, Misfit. So, what is it that makes FitBit stand out?
The brand was the original Fitness Tracker innovators. Since 2007, they have remained the leaders in tracker innovation. They were the first to introduce automatic wireless synchronization, the first to provide an open API, the most advanced GPS sensor, the lightest and most stylish devices. FitBit trackers also have the longest battery life of any devices in the market.
In a recent survey that focused on inaccuracies among popular fitness trackers, its products had the lowest inaccuracy rates of any brands tested.
They also allow for advanced social connectivity. You are able to easily plug into your social media support group for the support and encouragement that can make all the difference.
FitBit fitness trackers are easy to wear and they look minimalistically stylish on your wrist. The apps that support the FitBit are solid, reliable and feature packed. In addition, they offer price points that will cater to every need.
With all of these factors in mind, it is our humble opinion that, yes, indeed, these devices provide the best quality, style and price of fitness tracker devices on the market today.
FitBit Fitness Tracker Reviews 2018
The Surge is the most premium offering in this brand's portfolio. It's been called a super watch or a super fitness tracker. The design is quite beefy in terms of its size, which make it look more like a watch than any other trackers in the range. However it does have fitness friendly qualities such as a textured rubber strap which is available in different colors and sizes. The strap is adjustable and is pretty comfortable.
The touch sensitive display is effective. However FitBit Surge only has a monochrome screen with backlighting. It is still very visible outdoors, though. Buttons are on the side of the unit. A single button on the left allows you to scroll through the various modes. On the right, there are two buttons which allow you to perform specific functions with the interface.
On the underside of the unit you have the heart rate sensor and the proprietary charging port. The heart rate monitor is always on, meaning that your heart rate is constantly being monitored. This is great when you're exercising, as you'll probably want to know what your heart rate is consistently. However, it does tend to churn through the battery power.
The interface is pretty straight forward. You simply swipe through the displays with your finger. The functions available are time, date, steps taken, heart rate, floors climbed, distance covered, and calories burned. When you push the left button, you can access the fitness modes. This allows you to select different types of exercises, including specific variants of an exercise. For example, from running you could do free running, treadmill running, or lap running. You can also select such options as weight lifting, elliptical training or spinning. This will allow you to gear the heart rate sensor toward those specific exercises.
It's good that you can access all of the information that is collected directly on the unit. However, you only have access to the current day's results, not the previous days. The Smartwatch functionality of the Surge is pretty light. You can get text message notifications but there is no access to weather information, or the ability to make calls.
The companion app allows for an in-depth analysis of your data. The Surge has built-in GPS. This means that you can actually track, and see on a map, your route when you're running. In addition, the heart rate sensor will measure your resting heart over a period of time. This can provide you with some interesting analysis by way of graphs on the app.
For a stand alone fitness tracker it does a great job. It's great for working out, it will constantly measure your heart rate, it has a very good battery and it also has automatic sleep mode. Just don't expect it to replace your Smart Watch.
The FitBit Flex has a simple and minimalistic design. At its core is a rubberised band. However, the heart of the unit is the small module inside of the band. This device is easily removable and is about the size of a small USB stick. Inside this device are all the components that run the FitBit Flex.
The FitBit Flex has 5 LED lights on the front, an internal battery, and a proprietary charging port on one end. The Flex will measure your steps taken , calories burned, distance traveled and even your sleep quality.
The battery life of the Flex is about 7 days, with the device taking 1-2 hours to charge. To charge the Flex you have to plug it into a proprietary charger. There is no button to push with this device. Rather, you tap the screen below the LED display to move between functions.
The Flex gathers all of the necessary data. To view it, it is synced to your computer or mobile app.
The FitBit Flex is water resistant, rather than water proof. That means that it will be ok in the rain or occasionally in the shower. However, you wouldn't want to go swimming with the Flex on your wrist.
FitBit Flex PROS
- Very easy snap on, snap off. No inconveniently loosening a strap, and no Velcro that gets dirty over time.
- The screen on the Flex uses a 5-dot system to show you how many steps you have. Though it's very simple, it's effective and you get a pretty good idea of how many you have.
- The small screen may seem annoying to some people, but I think it's worth it for the small space.
- When walking, the step count is fairly accurate. It's not always 1 for 1, but it's close.
- The app is very easy to use.
- You can set a silent alarm, which will vibrate at a certain time to wake you up. Is it effective? Depends on the person. It usually wakes me right up, but it may not wake up very heavy sleepers.
- You can get it to monitor your sleep, which is very neat. It shows you when in the night you were awake and how well you slept.
- The app sends you achievement messages of day-records or how far you've walked since you first started using the device.
The One is a small, compact device that comes in a silicone case. The unit is about the size of a USB stick. It's design is sleek and stylish. It comes with a USB dongle that allows you to charge the tracker in your computer.
The FitBit One also comes with a velcro band to allow you to wear the tracker on your wrist. This allows you to wear it at night in order to track your sleep. The tracker also comes with a small black receiver which you plug into a USB port on your computer. This acts as a receiver to allow you to sync the data from the tracker to your computer.
The One will display the times, steps taken, the floors climbed, the distance traveled and calories consumed. This unit is easy to use and compact. It can easily fit into your pocket. Your data can be accessed through various means, including an app which you can download to your iPhone. It connects with your computer via Bluetooth. It also connects with the MyFitnessPal app.
As well as recording your data, the FitBit One gives some impressive analysis. For example, it will analyse when you are most active during the day. It will then present the information in chart or graph form to give a visual representation of your physical day.
The One holds a good battery charge. The sleep tracker, which you operate by wearing the device inside of the arm band sleeve at night, will tell you how many times you woke during the night, and will assess the quality of your sleep.
Overall, the FitBit One is highly functional compact fitness tracker that offers a full range of capability at a very competitive price point.
FitBit Zip Review
The Zip is a clip-on as opposed to a wrist worn activity tracker. The package comes with the actual FitBit Zip device, a clip-on carry case, and a small black receiver, similar to the FitBit One. This is to sync the device to your computer.
The Zip has Bluetooth functionality to allow you to connect it to your SmartPhone. You simply tap the device once the app is open to synchronize between the tracker and SmartPhone.
The device will tell you how many steps you have walked, how many miles you have covered, the number of active minutes, and how many calories you have burned.
The battery should last about six months. However, it is not a rechargeable battery and you will have to purchase a new one when the current one runs dies.
FitBit Blaze Review
The Blaze is an activity tracker, sleep tracker, heart rate monitor, fitness watch, Smart watch, and fashion accessory all in one. The Blaze is extremely lightweight and comfortable. It looks very stylish on the wrist. You can style the unit even more by purchasing separate watch bands - leather, and metal bands are available.
The Blaze comes in small, large or extra large and in three colors (black, chrome, blue). The band is made from a very soft, textured silicone material. It provides a good balance between looking good and working well while working out.
The actual fitness module is detachable from the wrist band housing. The detachability allows you to upgrade to the leather or metal bands. It also allows you to place the unit in a charger that comes with the package. The battery life on the Blaze is around five days, but this clearly depends on how often you use it.
The display of the Blaze is very impressive. It is extremely clear, uses great colors and the touch screen is responsive. The unit has an in-built ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display's brightness.
The Blaze is also fitted with a gyroscope. This means that if you flip your tracker to reference the watch, the display immediately turns on so you can see the time. This saves battery life.
The FitBit Blaze is not water proof. This means that you should not submerge it or swim with it. It is just rated for sweat, and light water exposure.
If you turn the watch over, you'll find an optical wrist based heart rate sensor. This works well for traditional cardio exercise like running and cycling and has improved its accuracy with plyometric and high intensity interval training. However, when it comes to exercises that involve a lot of muscle flexion and contraction, such as weight training, the Blaze will not give you a terribly accurate heart rate report. It will not be as accurate as a heart rate sensor.
The Blaze does not connect with any external heart rate sensors.
The Blaze records your number of steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, active minutes, floors climbed and your heart rate. It also automatically monitors your sleep. All of this information will be synced to your FitBit profile via Bluetooth. You are given a daily goal. This is set to steps by default. However, you can manually change this.
In terms of being a fitness watch, the FitBit Blaze does not have GPS or GLONASS. But it is able to utilize the GPS information from your Smartphone. So, if you go on a run, the Blaze will display the distance, pace and speed information that your watch is collecting. It will work with Android, iOS and Windows phone applications.
The Blaze tracks all sorts of workouts beyond running and cycling. It monitors your treadmill workout, weights sessions, circuit training program, yoga and much more. You can change which sports profiles are loaded onto the device. The Blaze automatically recognizes certain activities such as running and cycling.
There are three pre-loaded Fitstar exercise routines loaded on the Blaze. You get a warm up regimen, a seven minute workout and a ten minute abs circuit. The tracker will monitor all of your fitness details throughout the workout. It will also walk you through each exercise, showing you an avatar of what you should be doing.
The Smart features of the Blaze allow you to see your film notifications, text messages, calls, calendar and reminders - so long as you are within 20-30 feet of your phone. It does not give you email notifications.
You can also control music playback on your Blaze. It works well for both stored and streamed music.
Using the Blaze is a satisfying experience. It will provide you with all of the features you need to keep on top of your workouts, while also integrating with your other technology and looking very stylish while it does it.
The Charge comes in three sizes. You can get it in small, large and extra large. If buying in-store you can actually check your wrist size against the box to find the right size for your wrist. You can get between 7-10 days battery life from the Charge. It takes about two hours to recharge.
The Charge is water resistant. It is not water-proof. This means that water still has a chance of getting inside the mechanism. So, it would pay to take it off before showering.
The band itself is made from a very flexible, durable material that is used in many Smart watches and bands. It has a stainless steel clasp of high quality. The screen is extremely bright and vibrant. That's because it uses a OLED display.
In terms of syncing the Charge, this is very easy to do. It either syncs to your computer via Bluetooth or your Smartphone. You get seven days of tracking with the device. So, if you don't sync it within seven days, you will lose the stored data.
The step calculator on the Charge is very good at counting steps when you're taking the steps. However, the steps calculated when you are doing other things, like driving or sitting at a computer, are not that accurate. To overcome this, you can manually input the type of activity you are doing.
On the display panel of the FitBit Charge you will be able to see the time, the steps you have taken, distance traveled, floors climbed, calories burned and your active minutes (the times you were actually working out). The active minutes feature, however, is not overly accurate, especially if you are doing weight training.
The Charge also has a built-in stop-watch. It also has an automatic sleep tracking feature. With the FitBit Flex you have to tap the unit a number of times to activate the sleep function. You don't have to do that with the FitBit Charge. It will track when you fall asleep, when you're restless and when you wake up in the night.
You can set up goals through the FitBit app. These may be to lose weight, build muscle or they may revolve around the activities that you do to get in shape. The app also has a water tracking feature to allow you to stay on top of your H20 consumption. There is also a social media function where you can compete against your social media contacts.
If you are doing a lot of activity, this band may not give you what you need. You will be doing too much activity and not getting the challenge you need. The FitBit Charge is ideal for people who are trying to lose weight or trying to get achieve a basic fitness goal. It will provide you with the motivation and the self awareness to be able to achieve your goals.
FitBit Charge HR Review
The Charge HR is the most popular fitness tracker out there. It is an activity and sleep tracker and all day heart rate monitor. It is designed to do the following two things:
- Catalog your daily activity markers
- Motivate you to do more physical activity
The Charge HR is not fully water-proof, so you can't swim with it. It is sleek and stylish, coming in a number of color profiles and sizes. It is so comfortable that you may well forget that you are wearing it. It has an efficient monochrome LED display. You can double tap on the face of the unit to illuminate the display. You can also use the wrist turnover feature to illuminate the display.
The Charge HR is very ease to use. It has just one button to control all the functions. Bluetooth is built in to wirelessly and automatically sync your data to your technology. It has iOS, Android and Windows compatibility. It will give you access to your phone calls.
On the underside of the device is a wireless heart rate sensor. This runs 24/ 7, including during your workouts. It's pretty accurate for aerobic steady state moves like running and cycling. However, it's not that accurate for dynamic moves such as weightlifting and boxing. To get the most accurate results when exercising, wrist positioning is critical. You should place your band one to two finger widths above your wrist bone. When you aren't exercising just make sure that it is snug enough on your wrist that the heart rate sensor can make contact with your skin.
The constant running of the heart rate monitor does affect your battery life. You can expect to get 4-5 days charge out of the battery. When you plug it in for recharge, it requires a proprietary cable.
Rather than wearing the FitBit Charge HR all day long, you should take it off for a couple of hours each day to let it, and you wrist, breathe.
The Charge HR tracks steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, floors climbed, active minutes, sleep and heart rate. The default goal is steps, but this can be changed to focus on any of the other metrics. There are no move reminders on this device. A move reminder is a prompt to get active when you have been doing nothing for too long.
The Charge HR works in conjunction with the FitBit Aria scale. This allows you to track your weight, body mass index, lean mass and body fat percentage. It displays weight statistics and progress trends in easy to read charts and graphs. The statistics are synced wirelessly to your fitness trackers and your FitBit app.
The Alta is a simple device that features an activity and sleep tracker. It is designed to keep health and fitness front and center. It does this by keeping you motivated and on track as it quantifies your life. There is also a big emphasis on style with this device. They want you to be able to wear it in every situation. As a result, this unit is a lot more stylish than many other models out there.
The Alta features a range of Smartphone features in addition to automatically logging your all day steps, calories burned, distance traveled, active minutes, steps climbed and sleep. All of this data is displayed on your wrist as well as on the FitBit app. The Alta also displays the time of day, and the date. It also shows whether you have a silent alarm on. You can actually set a full range of alarms via the mobile app.
There is no button on the Alta. This enhances its sleek design look. However, it also means that, in order to interact with the tracker, you need to tap it in the side. This generally works, but you will find times when you are tapping away and nothing happens. There is also no way to manually record activities on the device.
The Alta does not come with a heart rate monitor. It also is not compatible with any existing heart rates monitors on the market. However, the Alta does come with Smart Track. This allows it to automatically recognize certain activities if you do them for more than ten minutes. This works well on exercises like running and walking. For activities such as cycling and aerobic activity, however, it is not so reliable.
The Alta is a stylish looking fitness tracker. You can even get different bands to make it even more attractive. The band that come a standard issue is a sport watch band. You can purchase metal and leather bands in various color options. It is easy to switch out the bands. However, you will notice a bit of wiggle between the band and the tracker, even when it is fully locked in place. You won't actually notice this when you are wearing the device, however.
The Aria is a scale that also measures your body fat. It doe this by running an electrical charge through your feet. On the basis of the amount of charge going from foot to foot, it calculates your body fat percentage. To get an accurate reading, you need to be standing on the device in bare feet. This is then compared to your weight and your height, giving you an idea of what your body fat percentage is.
There are two modes of Aria for the body fat reading. The first mode is the average person, with the other being for athletes. When you switch between the two, you'll get a lower body fat percentage when you're in the athlete mode.
The Aria connects to your wireless network. It will send your readings to the account that you create at the FitBit website. All of the information from your scale is uploaded to the cloud. The information is then redistributed to your other devices, such as your iPhone, iPad and fitness tracker. This syncing process takes place in less than twenty seconds.
All you need to do is to step on the sale to have your weight and body fat percentage displayed. Up to eight people can use the scale, with personal details for each being recorded. When you step on the scale, it can tell who it is based on the weight. If the scale is not sure, you can simply tap the scale with your foot to let it know who is using it.
In terms of graphing your weight fluctuations, the FitBit portal or app, depending on which device you are using to view it, will provide you with detailed graphic information of your changes over time. You can choose between different graphic representations, including raw weight, lean muscle versus body fat and body mass index.
When you first get your FitBit Aria scale, you need to sync it to the FitBit website. You will receive full instructions on how to do this on a hard copy sheet that comes with the device. The sheet does not show you how to set up the Aria on your mobile device, even though that is easier than doing it through the FitBit website.
The surface of the Aria is made out of glass. This is reflective, allowing for smudges and fingerprints to show up. However, when it is clean it looks very elegant. There is a silver ring around the LCD screen. The underside has a neat looking uniform bubble design. There are rubber feet in all four corners. This ensures that the weight scale will remain stable at all times, while evenly distributing the weight as it is measuring it.
The power to the Aria is supplied by four double A batteries.
The Aria is a fantastic complement to any of the FitBit fitness trackers. When used in conjunction with the tracker, it will provide you with a very complete health profile.
The Fit Bit Aria is not cheap. It comes in at more than double the price of many other digital scales on the market.
- Solid Construction
- Sleek design
- Easy and simple set up
- Accurate readings
- Expensive
Which is the Best FitBit to Buy?
The range encompasses all price brackets and user needs that goes from the budget FitBit Zip, right up to the premium Surge.
The budget model FitBit Zip measures your steps, estimates your calories and distance traveled. It's a little clip on tracker which runs off a button battery.
FitBit Comparisons
The FitBit One is about $30 more expensive than the Zip and comes in two different colors. Measuring your steps, calories and distance, it has a clock on it. It will track your sleep if you wear it on your wrist with the fabric wrist band that is supplied with it.
The FitBit Flex is the cheapest wrist band that FitBit produce. It is the same price as the One. It comes in a range of different colors. It doesn't really have a display. It simply has several different LEDs that show you your progress throughout the day. It doesn't have a clock, However, it will track your sleep.
The FitBit Charge and the Charge HR look exactly the same. The difference with the Charge HR is that it has a more traditional watch style buckle, whereas the FitBit Charge has a clasp with a plastic popper which holds it in place. Unlike the Charge HR, the Charge doesn't have a heart rate monitor. In every other respect, however it is the same.
The Fitbit Charge HR is about $20 more than the Charge.
The Alta is the replacement for the Charge. The screen is bigger. It works by tapping as opposed to pushing a button. The Alta costs the same amount as the Charge. A big difference is that it has a changeable strap. This allows you to wear a stylish strap when you're going out in the evening, and a rubber one when you are going to the gym.
Unlike the Charge, the FitBit Alta does not have an altimeter. This means that it won't tell you how many flights of stairs you have climbed. However, it will give you call notifications. It will also give you calendar and text message notifications. You do not get these features with the Charge or the Charge HR.
The FitBit Blaze is the first color screen tracker that FitBit have released. It is cheaper than the Surge but doesn't have a GPS. The tracker has a touch screen, so you can swipe between screens. It will connect to your phone in order to use its GPS. Apart from not having built-in GPS, the Blaze does everything else that the Surge will do. So, as long as you are happy to take your phone with you, you can have the same capability as the FitBit Surge for about $50 less.
The Surge is the brand's flagship tracker. It is being promoted as a super fitness watch rather than a Smart watch. Unlike the Blaze, it doesn't have a color screen. When you select an activity, the GPS is switched on. This means that the GPS is not constantly on, which saves battery life.
With all of those trackers you get to use the same app. Depending on the device that you've got, you'll get a different number of readouts. Virtually all of the trackers will monitor your sleep. Some will not measure floors climbed because they don't have an altimeter. They all do active minutes and steps and they all estimate calories burned.
It is likely that before long FitBit will replace the Charge HR with a new Alta HR which will be fitted with a heart rate monitor.
The FitBit App
The Sleep mode is a favorite function of many people. It will tell you how many hours and minutes of sleep you got in the night, how many times you woke up and how long you were restless for. The way that this calculated is that the FitBit App takes the time that you went to bed and woke up. It tells you how long it took you to fall asleep. The minutes that you are awake and restless are subtracted from the time that you are in bed. The bar graph will show you the times you woke up and the times you were restless. You can toggle the bar graph to provide either the asleep view or the awake view.
So, how accurate is FitBit sleep tracking?
Under advanced settings, you'll see an option called 'sleep sensitivity'. By clicking it, you'll find two options:
- Normal
- Sensitive
You may find that sensitive will pick up things that will skew the accuracy of the data, such as your cat walking on you as you sleep! It will pay to have this set to normal.
You are able to manually log your food and water intake as well as your weight. You can either scan your food or manually enter it. If you are on a weight goal, it will also calculate, from your food inputs, how many calories you have available to eat throughout the remainder of the day.
If you choose a weight loss goal, you can enter how much weight you would like to lose. At the bottom of the dashboard, you'll find challenges. These are little goals that you can set for yourself. You can also send stickers and challenges to friends.
By clicking on the account icon at the bottom of the dashboard you are able to set up your goals. You can choose how much activity, sleep, and calories you wish to consume in a day.
The FitBit app is a very user friendly, basic application that allows you to generate a wealth of information from your fitness tracker. This can provide you with the motivation to reach out and achieve your fitness goals in a healthy, self competitive way.
Are FitBits Worth It?
It depends what you want it for? It you are after a device that will precisely and accurately monitor your heart rate steps and mileage, you will probably be disappointed. Earlier this year, the brand faced a lawsuit by disgruntled buyers who were dismayed to find their heart rate readings were wildly inaccurate. Steps taken will also be off by a percentage.
If, however, you are after a device that will provide you with a baseline from which to build, you're in luck. The real point of the device is not the accuracy but the motivational factor that you receive when you get your data. Tomorrow you'll want to do more than you did today, and you'll be able to monitor your progress toward that accomplishment.
The bottom line is, if you are an internal motivator with a high exercise drive, you probably don't need the extra motivational boost that such device will give you. But, if you're among the vast majority who find it hard to build up enthusiasm to exercise, then a FitBit may be just the thing you need to help get you to your fitness goals. Check out this guide to help you find out more.


text: Back Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn 02 May 2017 New exhibition honours Islington's Spanish Civil War heroes 'Banners for Spain' exhibition 1 View | Download ( JPG - 2.43 MB ) A gripping new exhibition shares the stories of Islington's valiant men and women who made the arduous journey to civil war-torn Spain between 1936 and 1939 to fight the fascists. The display – by Islington Museum and the Marx Memorial Library – features six striking banners from the 'Aid Spain' movement in the UK, set up to raise funds for food and medical supplies, as well as aid for refugees fleeing the brutal conflict. The standards became symbols of protest at marches against the British government's policy of 'non-intervention' in the war and were used to rally support for those fighting the fascists in Spain and for Spanish civilians left destitute. The exhibition showcases tales of local heroes such Islington East MP, Leah Manning, who, in 1937, was instrumental to the evacuation and settlement of 4,000 refugee children in Britain, from the Basque region in Spain. Visitors can discover the compelling tale of Bosco Jones, who busked with a barrel organ in the streets of Finsbury to raise money for the anti-fascist cause before travelling over the Pyrenees to fight in Spain. Also on display are photographs, flyers, and newspaper articles from Aid Spain events – including Islington's 1937 and 1938 'Spain Week' – as well as moving memos from members of the International Brigades – volunteers from Britain and Ireland who supported the Spanish republic during the civil war. In addition to the exhibition, Islington Museum and the Marx Memorial Library are hosting a number of free Spanish Civil-themed film-screenings, guided walks, workshops, and much more. To see what's on, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/islington-museum-6665948277. For the guided walks, click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/susan-hahn-10776978448. Islington Council's Heritage Manager, Cheryl Smith, said: "We're delighted to be hosting this fantastic presentation of the personal and powerful stories of local people whose efforts were pivotal in the fight against fascism in Spain, in one of the darker chapters of Europe's history." Meirian Jump, Archivist and Library Manager at the Marx Memorial Library, said: "These newly conserved banners – on display for the first time in decades – tell a fascinating and inspiring story of international solidarity. We hope that their exhibition at Islington Museum, accompanied by local accounts, brings the experiences of activists, volunteers and artists to life." The exhibition is hosted in partnership between Islington Council's Heritage Team and the Marx Memorial Library and will run from 5 May to 8 July 2017 (except Monday 29 May – closed). The banners can only be displayed thanks to conservation funded by Textile Society and the General Federation of Trade Unions. Islington Museum is open from 10am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday every week. Entrance is free. For more information contact: Eugene GrantSenior Media Officer 0207 527 firstname.lastname@example.com Downloads 'Banners for Spain' exhibition 2 View | Download ( JPG - 2.62 MB ) 'Banners for Spain' exhibition 3 View | Download ( JPG - 2.25 MB ) Share release Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Back


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With the seasons officially changing today, we're all about fall. And so are our magazines: the October issues are arriving in our app full of autumnal fashion, recipes, TV previews and travel ideas.
We've handpicked four must-read magazines that introduce the best of the new season. Just answer the questions below and make note of your responses (A, B, C, or D) to find out if you're the Fall Fashionista, the Fall Foodie, the Fall Media Maven, or the Fall Traveller – and see our recommended cover story to match. Not yet a subscriber? Start your free trial for full access to the best features for fall and beyond.
Which October cover star would you want to spend the day with?
Gwyneth Paltrow (A)
Jimmy Fallon (B)
Lupita Nyong'o (D)
Anthony Bourdain (C)
What's your favorite first sign of fall?
Watching the Emmys close out award season (B)
Sipping on your first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the year (A)
Keeping up with the trends from New York Fashion Week (D)
Planning your holiday-season travels (C)
It's Black Friday. What are you searching for?
A tablet, to keep yourself entertained on long-haul flights (C)
A widescreen HD TV, perfect for enjoying all the new TV shows that premiere in October (B)
The NutriBullet – you like to keep up with the latest kitchen gadgets (A)
Headphones that double up as a stylish accessory, as well as making your music sound great (D)
Where do you spend most time when it comes to social media?
Twitter, to live-tweet through your favorite shows (B)
Instagram, searching for style inspiration (D)
Pinterest, pinning recipes, table settings and entertaining ideas (A)
Facebook, clicking through friends' vacation photos (C)
We say 'Thanksgiving', you think:
Holiday sales (D)
Pumpkin pie (A)
Weekend getaway (C)
Time to kick back and watch the parade (B)
You should read
Mostly As
Food is a big part of fall, especially for those who mostly picked As. We suggest the latest issue of Châtelaine for recipes that will make Thanksgiving easier than ever, including braided pie crusts and spiced pork tenderloin.
Mostly Bs
If you mostly picked Bs, chances are you're a TV and film fan. So make sure to download Entertainment Weekly's biggest issue in nine years: it's devoted entirely to new-season shows.
Mostly Cs
Travel addicts will have picked mostly Cs, and can join Sunset on a mile-by-mile journey through three of the West's most exciting wine regions: Napa, Santa Barbara, and Southern Oregon.
Mostly Ds
Who doesn't love fall fashion? If you picked mostly Ds, you're probably already ahead of the new-season trends. But the Harper's Bazaar Shopping Issue should serve as a stylish reminder.


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No. 1 Minnesota breaks NCAA wins record in shutout of No. 8 Wisconsin
The stage was set for No. 1 Minnesota on Friday as they attempted to garner sole possession of the NCAA all-time unbeaten streak. The Golden Gophers were matched up against co-record holder and rival No. 8 Wisconsin. Two first-period goals were all the Gophers needed to defeat the Badgers and make history.
The Gophers' unprecedented mark of 33 consecutive wins dates back to Feb. 18, 2012 when the Maroon & Gold defeated North Dakota 5-2 at Ridder Arena. The streak led the Maroon & Gold to the 2012 national championship and has given them an unblemished record of 25-0-0 for the 2012-13 season.
It only took the Maroon & Gold 4:28 to claim a 1-0 lead as the team's top line skated to a three-on-two advantage. Freshman Maryanne Menefee carried the puck into the Wisconsin zone and attacked the net. As she drew a defenseman, the left winger dropped the puck back to junior Amanda Kessel, who made a quick pass across the face of the goal to freshman Hannah Brandt in the slot. Brandt drew back and slid the puck through the five hole of Wisconsin's goaltender Alex Rigsby to give Minnesota the early lead.
Brandt's go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal was her 24th of the season. Kessel and Menefee were credited with the assists.
Minnesota put the pressure on again late in the period by garnering a power play in the final minutes. A one-skater advantage turned into a two-skater advantage at 17:01 and remained that way for the next 62 seconds.
With one second remaining on the two-skater advantage, Minnesota aimed to get a quick shot off the ensuing faceoff. Junior Sarah Davis won the faceoff and had the puck slip back to sophomore Rachel Ramsey. Ramsey swung the puck to senior Mira Jalosuo at the opposite faceoff circle, where she one-timed a shot over Rigsby's shoulder.
The 2-0 lead held for the remainder of the period as the Gophers outshot Wisconsin 12-7.
Minnesota's attempt to escape the feared 2-0 lead was failed despite bombarding Rigsby with 15 shots on net. The Badgers only challenged Noora Raty five times in the period.
Raty, who has been in net for 31 of the games during the streak, made 25 saves in the game to garner her 36th career shutout and 99th career win. She is now just one win from tying the NCAA record for victories in a career (100, Hillary Pattenden).
In the final minutes of the game, Minnesota was called for back-to-back penalties, which allowed Wisconsin to produce 13 shots on net. Despite being shorthanded, the Gophers' defense executed their penalty kill for the final 3:27 to shut out the Badgers.


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Book Reviews Home
2/16 It's been quiet here for a few months. I've been considering closing down this site. It's a lot of work that I wasn't sure I wanted to keep it up. It's a small site, rarely visited. The comments I receive are all spam (tons of it!). Finally I realized I wasn't going to quit reading. Sometimes I feel I have to share my book. So for now, Jandy's Reading Room remains. The review additions won't be as frequent as in the past. My occasional contributor, Molly, will be glad to know we're sticking around.
Science Fictionn.
Fantasy and Paranormal
Mystery and Suspense
General Fiction
Children and Young Adult


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Living Gems Holdbacks: Litter 2013-C
As the rainbow community is now well into baby season (except us, who are still waiting on our first girl), we wanted to update our readers on some of our past holdbacks. Note that only the adults who make the end collection as breeders get formal names, so our younger snakes will be referred to by number (this both saves names, as there are only so many good gem ones available, and lets customers choose their own name for any we rehome).
Hailing from our 2013 "C" litter, we have #060. These babies were born on December 13 to Franklin, a golden yellow-orange male, and Agate, an orange female who was an early bullseye model. Juvie #60 was the top male from litter by a narrow margin. While he has great color, he has sporadic *partial* regurg issues that have slowed his growth. Here is Juvie #60 as of his most recent photo shoot:
He weighed around 175 grams of his last weigh-in.
As always, thank you for reading.
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook
|08/19/15 01:34pm


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His hat? Any wealthy Tudor man may have worn his hat.
It's not the jewels either. Though there are lots of them in this painting, they suggest that this man is very rich. They do not tell us that Henry was a king.
The correct answer is nothing. There are no real clues to tell us that the man in the painting was a king. Royal portraits usually had symbols to show who the person was and how powerful they were, e.g. crowns. Holbein did not use such symbols in this portrait. Henry is wearing a special garter (the Order of the Garter) but this only tells us that he was high-ranking nobility or a prince.


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White Paper: Senator Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio was first elected to the U.S. Senate from Florida in 2010. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was a State Representative and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Rubio received a score of 92% on the Club for Growth's 2014 scorecard and has a lifetime score of 93%. The average Senate Republican score from 2011-2014 was 76%.
The Club for Growth is committed to lower taxes – especially lower tax rates – across the board. Lower taxes on work, savings, and investments lead to greater levels of these activities, thus encouraging greater economic growth.
As a U.S. Senator, Rubio's record on taxes has been outstanding. He has consistently voted for tax cuts and opposed tax increases. For example, Senator Rubio voted:
- FOR repealing the Death Tax[1]
- AGAINST the NAT GAS Act[2]
- FOR repealing the tax credit for ethanol[3]
- FOR extending the Bush tax cuts for one year[4]
- AGAINST the "fiscal cliff" tax increase that raised the top marginal rate[5]
- FOR repealing Obamacare's tax on medical devices[6]
- FOR eliminating energy tax credits[7]
- AGAINST establishing a carbon tax[8]
Not only does Rubio have an excellent voting record on federal tax policy, he has also helped lead the fight for pro-growth tax reform. In 2015, Rubio, along with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), released a comprehensive proposal to completely overhaul the tax code. The plan contains many strong, pro-growth changes to the tax code, including, but not limited to changes that would:
- Lower the top marginal rate from 39.6% to 35% and replace the current seven tax brackets with two (35% and 15%).[9]
- Eliminate taxation of dividends and capital gains entirely.[10]
- Cut the business tax rate to 25%[11]
- Eliminate extraneous business tax credits known as "tax extenders"[12]
- Eliminate the estate or "death" tax.[13]
- Eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax.[14]
- Eliminate all itemized deductions except the home mortgage deduction and the deduction for charitable giving.[15]
Overall, Senator Rubio's proposal is massively and unquestionably pro-growth. It would be a huge step forward for the economy and for limited government. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimated that over the next 10 years it would add 15% to Gross Domestic Product over current law.[16] In short, the Rubio plan cuts marginal rates and eliminates taxes on investment, while at the same time eliminating billions in wasteful loopholes and deductions.
However, some of the proposals in the plan may strike free-marketers and supply-siders as robbing Peter to pay Paul. For example, instead of using the savings from eliminating various loopholes and deductions to further reduce marginal rates and promote more economic growth, Rubio's plan adds a new $2,500 per child tax credit.[17] According to Rubio, this is because parents not only pay payroll taxes to fund America's entitlement programs, but also bear the cost of raising the very children who will pay the cost of entitlement programs in the future, which he describes as the "Parent Tax Penalty".[18] The expanded child credit and emphasis on "family fairness" is a government-determined economic incentive for a very specific behavior, albeit with a much broader application and better intentions than cronyist breaks like those for race track owners or ethanol manufacturers. In addition, the Inspector General of the Internal Revenue Service estimated that in Fiscal Year 2013 the IRS distributed nearly $6 billion in potentially fraudulent child tax credit payments, a number that would likely increase if the size of the credit was expanded.[19]
While Senator Rubio's proposal for tax reform completely eliminates "tax extenders," Rubio did vote to continue them at the end of 2014.[20]
The top marginal rate of 35% in the Rubio plan has raised some concerns. President Ronald Reagan's 1986 tax reform slashed the top marginal rate to 28%, a rate that Mitt Romney proposed returning to in 2012. The Cato Institute noted that the:
35 percent top tax rate will be imposed on any taxable income above $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married taxpayers. Since the 35 percent and 39.6 percent tax rates currently apply only when income climbs above $400,000, that means a significant number of taxpayers will face higher marginal rates.[22]
As a member of the Florida legislature, Rubio held a generally good record on taxes. He voted to eliminate Florida's horrendous intangibles tax,[23] to eliminate taxes on communications equipment[24] and alcohol,[25] and to require a two-thirds super majority vote by the public in order to approve future initiatives that might raise taxes or fees.[26] He also voted for a massive net tax cut that would have eliminated Florida's property tax while raising the state sales tax.[27] He later supported a property tax cap at 1.35% of assessed home value,[28] and Rubio twice voted against increasing the cigarette tax.[29]
Rubio endorsed Mike Huckabee in 2007, in part because of Huckabee's Fair Tax platform. Rubio said he believed "that a consumption tax is fairer than an income tax or a property tax".[30]
There are some blemishes in Rubio's otherwise good record on taxes in Florida. He voted for a tax on cruise ships to help pay for a new stadium for the Florida Marlins.[31] He voted for film production tax incentives[32] and some fee increases.[33] In his book, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, Rubio also proposed some tax incentives "to encourage homeowners and businesses to purchase energy-efficient appliances"[34] and "for clean alternative-fueled vehicles and hybrid passenger vehicles."[35]
The Club for Growth is committed to reducing government spending. Less spending enhances economic growth by enabling lower taxes and diminishing the government's economically inefficient allocation of resources.
As a U.S. Senator, Rubio has a strong record on reducing spending. Rubio voted:
- FOR the Toomey budget in 2011 and 2012[36]
- AGAINST the Budget Control Act, which raised the debt limit by $2.1 trillion[37]
- FOR cutting highway pork projects[38] and YES to barring funding for bike paths and scenic beautification[39]
- FOR a permanent ban on earmarks[40]
- FOR devolving the Highway Program back to the states[41] and AGAINST the bloated Highway Bill[42]
- AGAINST the Ryan-Murray budget that partially unwound sequestration cuts from the Budget Control Act[43]
- FOR an amendment by Senator Mike Lee (UT) supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution[44]
- AGAINST the Farm Bill[45]
- AGAINST disaster aid for Hurricane Sandy relief without an offset[46] and FOR offset emergency spending for the Hurricane Sandy disaster with an across-the-board cut to discretionary spending. [47]
Taken together, these votes place Rubio among the best spending cutters in the Senate.
He has also publicly called for the elimination of the federal Department of Education and the Export-Import Bank.[48]
While Senator Rubio has an overall stellar record on spending at the federal level, there are a few blemishes. In 2011, Rubio voted against reducing funding for the Rural Development Agency by $1 billion,[49] and in 2012 he voted against both Rand Paul and Mike Lee's FY13 budget proposals, both of which contained massive reductions in federal spending.[50] He also voted against Rand Paul's FY14 budget proposal, which likely would have produced great reductions in federal spending.[51]
Rubio's record on spending while in the Florida legislature was quite good. He proposed a constitutional amendment prohibiting Florida's government from growing faster than income growth.[52] He voted for a similar amendment that would have capped increases in government revenue to population growth and inflation plus one percent.[53] He also voted for legislation that allowed private companies to operate most of Florida's toll roads.[54]
During Rubio's time as a state lawmaker, however, many budgets contained "turkeys," which are roughly equivalent to pork barrel projects in Washington. In 2007, Florida's budget contained $270 million in pork, including $800,000 "to install artificial turf on a South Florida recreational field where House Speaker Marco Rubio plays flag football,"[55] and in 2008 the budget contained $3.6 million for a "children's zone" supported by then-Speaker Rubio for helping "youngsters avoid crime".[56]
America's major entitlement programs are already insolvent. The Club for Growth supports entitlement reforms that enable personal ownership of retirement and health care programs, benefit from market returns, and diminish dependency on government.
In general, Senator Rubio has expressed strong support for reforming our entitlement programs. He supports changing Medicare into a premium support system.[57] Rubio has also voted to repeal Obamacare[58] and he stood with other fiscal conservatives in the fight to defund Obamacare.[59] He has voted to restrict eligibility for food stamps and to block grant the program to the states.[60] Rubio also voted to block legislation to extend unemployment benefits without offsetting spending cuts, [61] and proposed replacing the current employer-based system of tax credits for health insurance with an individually based one.[62]
There are a few questionable votes and statements in Rubio's record. In 2013, he voted to prohibit making Medicare into a voucher program, contradicting his earlier support.[63] The following year he voted twice for delaying reasonable subsidy cuts to the federal flood insurance program, which mainly benefits coastal states such as Florida.[64] In principle, this runs contrary to his outstanding vote, as one of just four Republicans, against continuing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.[65] Rubio has also called Medicare Part D a "success story" because the estimated cost of the program has come in well under projections, despite the fact that the program itself is a massive expansion of the entitlement state.[66]
In the Florida legislature, Rubio voted for legislation that would allow insurers to offer "bare-bones" health insurance plans for "about $150 a month."[67] Such a plan would have been consistent with principles advocated for by the Club. He also voted for Gov. Jeb Bush's "empowered care" plan which allotted money for Medicaid recipients to purchase health care from private medical networks in two pilot counties.[68] And, Rubio voted for a bill which cut automatic annual cost-of-living increases in payments to Florida hospitals and nursing homes.[69]
Rubio did support an entitlement change that should give pro-growth conservatives pause. He voted to expand the qualifications for enrollment in Florida's KidCare program and for an expansion of premium assistance to enrolled participants.[70]
Excessive government regulation stymies individual and business innovation necessary for strong economic expansion. The Club for Growth supports less and more sensible government regulation as a critical step toward increasing freedom and growth in the marketplace.
Senator Rubio has strongly opposed anti-growth regulations. In the U.S. Senate he voted:
- AGAINST Davis-Bacon wage requirements[71]
- FOR blocking the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases[72]
- AGAINST increasing loan limits for Fannie and Freddie[73]
- FOR postponing price controls on debit card interchange fees[74]
- FOR nullifying the FCC's "net neutrality" rules[75]
- FOR nullifying the EPA's rule regarding cross-state air pollution[76]
- FOR the Keystone XL pipeline[77]
Rubio has proposed creating a "National Regulatory Budget" which "would be tasked with estimating the cost of all existing federal regulations and setting an amount that each agency's regulations would be allowed to cost the economy."[78]On the topic of cronyism between business and government, he has blamed both political parties for giving businesses "a competitive advantage": "Big business uses its influence to create regulations— typically under the guise of public safety or some other seemingly unassailable good— that it can afford to comply with, but smaller companies can't."[79]
Strangely, Rubio has made two bad votes with regard to the U.S. Postal Service; he was one of just 12 Republicans to vote against an amendment aimed at preventing costly buyout incentives for postal workers eligible for retirement, [80] and he voted against prohibiting collective bargaining by postal workers.[81]
As a member of the Florida legislature, Rubio sponsored legislation to prohibit eminent domain solely for the purpose of economic development,[82] and as Speaker he expressed support for drilling off the Florida coast.[83] However, Rubio did vote for a bill to mandate autism coverage[84] and vowed that he would "negotiate all night, every night if needed" to pass a "more expansive and more costly" mandate that would also require coverage of cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other conditions.[85]
Rubio also supported a plan that exposed the state of Florida to more of the risk from hurricanes. It temporarily stopped increases in rates paid by customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida's state-backed homeowner's insurance company, and it offered state-subsidized reinsurance as a way to entice private insurers into the state.[86]
Rubio also proposed, in his 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future,to "foster the development and use of alternative energy sources and ethanol production"[87] and he voted for legislation containing an ethanol mandate that authorized – with legislative approval required for implementation – Florida's Department of Environmental Protection to pursue a system of cap-and-trade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[88]
Free trade is a vital policy necessary for maximizing economic growth. In recent decades, America's commitment to expanding trade has resulted in lower costs for consumers, job growth, and higher levels of productivity and innovation.
Senator Rubio is a strong proponent of free trade. His record in Congress includes voting:
- FOR Free Trade Agreements with South Korea,[89] Panama,[90] and Colombia[91]
- FOR Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Russia[92]
- FOR reinstating Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)[93]
- AGAINST reauthorizing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)[94] and FOR reducing TAA to pre-stimulus levels[95]
- AGAINST reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, a taxpayer-backed fund that distributes export subsidies to some of America's biggest corporations[96]
- AGAINST legislation targeting China for so-called "currency manipulation"[97]
- AGAINST "Buy American" legislation[98]
In his book, Senator Rubio expounded on his support for TPA, writing that "carefully crafted trade policies could be a boon to tens of thousands of American small businesses, not to mention consumers." He also noted support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.[99]
Overall, Rubio's record on trade is strong, with the exception of three votes against efforts to reduce or phase out America's protectionist sugar program.[100] These parochial votes may give free traders pause, but even the most protectionist presidential candidates have become strong free traders once they were elected President.
The Club for Growth supports broad school choice, including charter schools and voucher programs that create a competitive education market including public, private, religious, and non-religious schools. More competition in education will lead to higher quality and lower costs.
Senator Rubio voted for redirecting current education funding towards vouchers.[101] He has also sponsored the Educational Opportunities Act; inspired by state-level school choice programs in Florida, Rubio's bill would offer federal tax credits to private businesses that fund scholarships for private primary and secondary education.[102] Additionally, Rubio has co-sponsored a school choice bill offered by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).[103]
While serving in Florida's legislature, Rubio voted for the expansion of Florida's school choice program,[104] vouchers for disabled children,[105] and vouchers for students from impoverished families.[106] He also sponsored legislation that would have put protections for school voucher programs into Florida's Constitution.[107]
The American economy suffers from excessive litigation which increases the cost of doing business and slows economic growth. The Club for Growth supports major reforms to our tort system to restore a more just and less costly balance in tort litigation.
In his time in the U.S. Senate there have been few votes on the topic of tort reform, but Rubio did vote for pro-growth medical malpractice reform.[108]
Rubio had an outstanding record on tort reform during his service in Florida's legislature. He voted for legislation to limit punitive damages against nursing homes,[109] cap liability of emergency room facilities for noneconomic damages,[110] and to limit liability for utility companies and retail stores.[111] He also voted for legislation that eliminated joint and several liability.[112]
Maximizing prosperity requires sound government policies. When government strays from these policies, citizens must be free to exercise their constitutional rights to petition and criticize those policies and the politicians responsible for them.
Senator Rubio voted against a constitutional amendment offered by liberal Democrats to target political speech,[113] and he rightly called the Supreme Court's pro-free speech decision in Citizens United,"a victory for those who truly value the freedoms outlined in our First Amendment."[114]
In Florida, Rubio voted for an amendment, to a campaign finance bill, that would have removed a $500 per year limit on contributions to 527 and 501(c)(4) advocacy groups.[115] If left in place, such a limit would have made the bill substantially more restrictive of free speech. However, he also proposed legislation to "reduce the growth of the paid petition business and the influence of moneyed special interests in the citizen initiative process."[116] He also supported legislation that would have increased disclosure requirements for advocacy groups,[117] and voted for a bill that would prohibit organizations from using money received within five days of an election until after the election.[118] These votes do not exhibit support for unfettered political free speech.
Robust political activity is essential to producing a federal government that is more respectful of free markets and produces more pro-economic growth policies. The Club for Growth's PAC has been active in some of the more central battles within the Republican Party nominating process in recent years, supporting pro-growth candidates over pro-government ones.
Marco Rubio's senate election in Florida in 2010 was a watershed moment in the modern conservative movement. Rubio had the courage to take on then-Republican (later turned Democrat) incumbent Governor Charlie Crist in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Rubio should be commended for his willingness to fight the Washington and Florida Republican establishments in a very uphill battle, and to do so because he was convinced that Crist did not stand for limited government principles.
Beyond his own election, Rubio has almost never made an endorsement in a contested Republican primary for federal office. There is one particularly onerous exception: he endorsed liberal former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for President in December of 2007, well after many fiscal conservatives had made their distaste for Huckabee's record clear.
While Marco Rubio's career in the Florida legislature was largely positive, though somewhat uneven on pro-growth issues, there's little to argue about on his record in the U.S. Senate. Rubio has made bold proposals that would fundamentally reform the tax code and the entitlement state. He has a consistent record of supporting policies like free trade and tort reform, and he supports commonsense regulatory reforms. Some fiscal conservatives may disagree with a few of the details of some of his policy proposals, such as the top marginal rate in his tax plan, but overall Senator Rubio's agenda would make America much freer and more prosperous. We are confident that Marco Rubio would be a pro-growth President.
[1] Senate Roll Call Vote 67, 2013
[2] Senate Roll Call Vote 41, 2012
[3] Senate Roll Call Vote 90, 2011
[4] Senate Roll Call Vote 183, 2012
[5] Senate Roll Call Vote 251, 2012
[6] Senate Roll Call Vote 47, 2013
[7] Senate Roll Call Vote 40, 2012
[8] Senate Roll Call Vote 58, 2013
[9] Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Mike Lee, "Economic Growth and Family Fairness Tax Reform Plan", Pg. 7-8
[10] Ibid., Pg. 8
[11] Ibid., Pg. 8
[12] Ibid., Pg. 9
[13] Ibid., Pg. 16
[14] Ibid., Pg. 20
[15] Ibid., Pg. 20
[16] Tax Foundation, 3/4/15
[17] Ibig., Pg. 19
[18] Ibid., Pg. 19
[19] Politico, 12/9/14
[20] Senate Roll Call Vote 364, 2014
[22] Cato Institute, 3/4/15
[27] HJR 7089, 4/18/07; Palm Beach Post, 4/19/07; Politifact Florida, 3/28/10
[28] HJR 949, 4/23/08; Florida Today, 4/16/08
[29] Politifact Florida, 11/25/09
[30] Sun Sentinel, 12/12/07
[33] SB 2962, 4/29/04; Miami Herald, 10/24/01; SB 1350, 5/3/06
[34] Marco Rubio, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, #72
[35] Marco Rubio, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, #76
[36] Senate Roll Call Vote 79, 2011; Senate Roll call Vote 99, 2012
[37] Senate Roll Call Vote 123, 2011
[38] Senate Roll Call Vote 170, 2011
[39] Senate Roll Call Vote 190, 2011
[40] Senate Roll Call Vote 8, 2012
[41] Senate Roll Call Vote 36, 2012; Senate Roll Call Vote 255, 2014
[42] Senate Roll Call Vote 48, 2012
[43] Senate Roll Call Vote 281, 2013
[44] Senate Roll Call Vote 30, 2011
[45] Senate Roll Call Vote 21, 2014
[46] Senate Roll Call Vote 4, 2013
[47] Senate Roll Call Vote 3, 2013
[48] Politico, 4/28/15
[49] Senate Roll Call Vote 189, 2011
[50] Senate Roll Call Vote 100, 2012, Senate Roll Call Vote 101, 2012
[51] Senate Roll Call Vote 69, 2013
[52] Marco Rubio, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, #93
[55] Orlando Sentinel, 6/14/07
[56] Orlando Sentinel, 5/12/08
[57] Senator Marco Rubio, Reclaiming the American Dream Policy Booklet, Pg. 48
[58] Senate Roll Call Vote 9, 2011
[59] Politico, 7/11/13
[60] Senate Roll Call Vote 120, 2012; Senate Roll Call Votes 130 & 132, 2013
[61] Senate Roll Call Vote 2, 2014
[62] Senator Marco Rubio, American Dreams, Pg. 123-124
[63] Senate Roll Call Vote 48, 2013
[64] Senate Roll Call Vote 19, 2014; Senate Roll Call Vote 78, 2014
[65] Senate Roll Call Vote 231, 2014
[66] Senator Marco Rubio, American Dreams, Pg. 149-150
[71] Senate Roll Call Vote 11, 2011; Senate Roll Call Vote 243, 2012
[72] Senate Roll Call Vote 54, 2011
[73] Senate Roll Call Vote 180, 2011
[74] Senate Roll Call Vote 86, 2011
[75] Senate Roll Call Vote 200, 2011
[76] Senate Roll Call Vote 201, 2011
[77] Senate Roll Call Vote 61, 2013
[78] Senator Marco Rubio, Reclaiming the American Dream Policy Booklet, Pg. 35
[79] Senator Marco Rubio, American Dreams, Pg. 23
[80] Senate Roll Call Vote 71, 2012
[81] Senate Roll Call Vote 79, 2012
[82] Tampa Tribune, 7/19/06
[83] Bradenton Herald, 6/19/08
[85] Tampa Tribune, 4/30/08
[86] Orlando Sentinel, 1/11/07
[87] Marco Rubio, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, #75
[89] Senate Roll Call Vote 161, 2011
[90] Senate Roll Call Vote 162, 2011
[91] Senate Roll Call Vote 163, 2011
[92] Senate Roll Call Vote 223, 2012
[93] Senate Roll Call Vote 141, 2011
[94] Senate Roll Call Vote 149, 2011
[95] Senate Roll Call Vote 143, 2011
[96] Senate Roll Call Votes 91 and 96, 2012
[97] Senate Roll Call Vote 159, 2011
[98] Senate Roll Call Vote 174, 2011; Senate Roll Call Vote 123, 2013
[99] Senator Marco Rubio, American Dreams, Pg. 42-43
[100] Senate Roll Call Votes 119 & 151, 2012; Senate Roll Call Vote 134, 2013
[101] Senate Roll Call Vote 63, 2013
[102] Washington Times, 2/13/13
[106] Sun Sentinel, 5/5/01
[107] HJR 1573; Sun Sentinel, 3/13/06
[108] Senate Roll Call Vote 78, 2013
[113] Senate Roll Call Vote 261, 2014
[114] Politico, 1/21/10
[115] SB 716 Amendment 2, 5/5/06
[116] Marco Rubio, 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, #38


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Jessica Dehn
Jessica Dehn Poems
- Conform DO not DO that do Not be YOU. In this world of ...
- Pretty Lies Tell me again your pretty lies. Say them softly ...
- Wash Away I can hear it now. That mystic tap. I can hear ...
- It Is Back Dear Sir, That feeling is back. I try to ...
- Burden Time has slowed, Or is it only me? They say some...
- See Look around. Do you see that place there? What do you ...
- Valid I am Valid! Every thought, every feeling, ...
I love to write! Most of the time they are just musing from my mind but every now and again some special spark will help me to transform these musing to something extra, which i hope you will enjoy. I have many intrest in life that fill me with joy, but if i could make a living of dreaming I would! :) I find that the complex nature of people puzzles me the most in life. Although i think of my ... more »
Click here to add this poet to your My Favorite Poets.
Comments about Jessica Dehnmore comments »
Amos O. Ojwang'
I like the diction as depicted in each line of the poem. The theme is also quite significant to the present moment. Generally the work is great and I have to thank you for the creativity. Please write more, more and more. Kudos
Amber Griggs
FOUND YOU! ! ! :))))))) TEEHEE! I have no idea how to make you my friend on here...
DO not DO that
do Not be YOU.
In this world of inform and standard
we preach to be ones self,
when the truth beyond the words are....
NO be all the same.
We talk of peace and loving
each others differences,
but that is what separates us
and has created the fear and hate.
A little boy filled with dreams and aspirations
looking forward to the new day,
until that moment when his heart is crushed
by other to shortsighted too see his gift.
A day dreamer laying on the grass
creating art within the clouds
until the pain of the ...
PoemHunter.com Updates
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A Song About Myself
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Dorothy Parker


text:
Career Acceleration Modules
Get advanced academic training in business, personal contact with leading industry experts, and hands-on career experience - all in seven weeks.
It's a revolutionary concept. The Mason School's exclusive Career Acceleration Modules (CAMs) offer specialized academics and dynamic immersion opportunities that are both richly rewarding and brilliantly effective.
The modules are intensive, but so are the results. You'll visit corporate settings, work on real-world consulting projects, study case analyses, and engage in business simulation exercises. And - you'll benefit from our team of Executive Partners, distinguished faculty, and an impressive lineup of expert speakers and industry specialists. Their diversity will give you the practical content, far-reaching perspectives, and great ideas you need to succeed.
You'll emerge from this total immersion opportunity with the field-specific experience and interdisciplinary savvy that will wow potential employers and open doors to success.
The William & Mary Advantage
Strategically located near Richmond, VA (recently named one of the nation's top ten up-and-coming tech cities), Norfolk, VA (home to the world's largest naval station), and just 2.5 hours from Washington D.C., William & Mary offers students a distinct geographical advantage.
With easy access to some of the nation's top employers, our Career Acceleration Modules help to connect our students to key operational managers and executive leaders from a variety of industries. Students have visited the Securities Exchange Commission, the World Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Bank, and major employers such as Anteon Corporation, Morgenthaler Ventures, Johnson & Johnson, the Campbell Soup Company, and Capital One.


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Clearing places are still available for this course. Call us on 03455 76 06 06 or message us on WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter
Have you always wanted to teach but don't have a degree? Are you enthusiastic about mathematics and ICT and want to share your enthusiasm with others? This secondary teacher training degree enables you to be fully qualified teacher in two years.
This initial teacher education degree, which is unique in Wales, is an integrated university and secondary school-based programme, with a focus on development of subject knowledge and the practical skills required to become an effective and innovative teacher. With a shortage of secondary school teachers in mathematics and ICT, graduates can expect excellent job prospects and rapid career progression.
|UCAS Code
|Study Mode
|Start Date
|Campus Code
|2 Years
|Newport City
The Initial Professional Development module is delivered in collaboration with outside speakers who are at the cutting edge of their field. In recent years student teachers have benefited from a two-day pupil health and well-being conference.
The secondary teacher training course is delivered by a team with a breadth of experience of working with student teachers in a range of contexts and settings.
At University, you will undertake degree-level study in your specialist subjects, as well as initial professional development to introduce you to educational issues.
The school-based element involves block teaching practices, where you work with school mentors and University tutors to develop your teaching skills. These experiences are key to becoming a confident and competent secondary school teacher. School-based experiences are in carefully selected secondary schools that work in partnership with the University. If you are fluent in Welsh, you may undertake school practice in a Welsh medium school.
This secondary teaching degree teacher offers:
Assessment includes written coursework tasks, seminar presentations, projects and examinations. Practical teaching will be assessed each year in relation to the Professional Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.
Student teachers have the opportunity to support STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) activities through collaboration with the Smallpeice Trust.
The school-based element of your teacher training degree involves block practices where you work with school mentors and university tutors to develop your teaching skills. Careful consideration is given to the distinctive nature of education in Wales and Y Cwricwlwm Cymreig and, if you are Welsh-speaking, you have the opportunity to undertake your school placement in a Welsh medium school. There is also an opportunity to undertake your final block school placement in a British International School.
On campus, you can learn in an environment that fully prepares you for the world of work. We have a simulated classrooms, which provide our student teachers with authentic learning opportunities, allowing you to develop confidence for the workplace in realistic settings.
*If you wish to apply for the course and you currently hold GCSE C grades in Mathematics and/or English, you may apply to study the new B grade equivalence modules available at the university. Further information available at B grades at GCSE for English and Mathematics
Information for Applicants
This guidance will assist you as you prepare to apply for teaching courses at the University of South Wales.
More Information
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees in full or by payment plan.
This course is eligible under the Enhanced Learning Credits scheme for Ex-Armed Forces personnel.
International Scholarships are available for self-funding international students.
Students have access to a wide range of resources including textbooks, publications, and computers in the University's library and via online resources. In most cases they are more than sufficient to complete a course of study. Where there are additional costs, either obligatory or optional, these are detailed below. Of course students may choose to purchase their own additional personal resources/tools over and above those listed to support their studies at their own expense. All stationery and printing costs are at a student's own expense.
* Obligatory
|Kit (Uniform and Equipment): Scientific calculator and lab coat
|£35 - £45
Year 1
|Field Trips
|£500 - £1500
Year 2 - Students can apply to undertake a placement in an international setting. Students are required to fund all costs associated with the international placement, including travel, accommodation and living expenses.
This fee includes £44 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee.
|DBS Updating Service
Whilst optional it is strongly recommended signing up for this service especially if you are likely to have placements each year and wish to pursue a career post University where a DBS check is a requirement. Please note the service has to be joined within 19 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate.
|Other: Travel to Placement *
Year 1 & 2. Cost is dependent on placement location. SEWCTET pay 10p per mile over and above travel to University
Apply via UCAS if you are a UK/EU residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.
Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK/EU.
The shortage of secondary mathematics teachers ensures that graduates from this teacher training degree can expect good job prospects and rapid career progression. Your qualification will enable you to apply for your first teaching post in Wales or England and, after completing your induction year, worldwide.
As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.
This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.
Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.


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Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Quality Officer, UPMC Hamot
James E. Donnelly joined Hamot Medical Center (now UPMC Hamot) in 1998 and currently serves as both the chief nursing officer and chief quality officer. In this capacity, he has full responsibilities for nursing services throughout UPMC Hamot, as well as oversight of the Emergency Department.
Since joining Hamot, Mr. Donnelly has made a significant impact on the organization by spearheading numerous process improvement teams and quality initiatives to elevate the level of care provided to UPMC Hamot patients. These initiatives include the implementation of IV smart pump technology with the Infusion Team, the execution of the online incident report system with IM Data, the creation of metrics and goals for patient safety and quality, and the origination of nursing M&Ms.
Prior to joining Hamot, Mr. Donnelly was employed by Millard Fillmore Health Systems. He served on the cardiovascular leadership team and was director of the Clinical Perfusion Services. In the past, he has also served as a clinical perfusionist.
Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences |
Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit www.healthwise.org
For help in finding a doctor or health service that suits your needs, call the UPMC Referral Service at 412-647-UPMC (8762) or 1-800-533-UPMC (8762). Select option 1.
UPMC is an equal opportunity employer. UPMC policy prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, genetics, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected group status. Further, UPMC will continue to support and promote equal employment opportunity, human dignity, and racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. This policy applies to admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in UPMC programs and activities. This commitment is made by UPMC in accordance with federal, state, and/or local laws and regulations.
Medical information made available on UPMC.com is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely entirely on this information for your health care needs. Ask your own doctor or health care provider any specific medical questions that you have. Further, UPMC.com is not a tool to be used in the case of an emergency. If an emergency arises, you should seek appropriate emergency medical services.
Pittsburgh, PA, USA | UPMC.com


text:
Our mission at Aim Filtertech Pvt. Ltd (AFPL) is to offer a truly world class level of
innovation, development and supply of product to meet all your need of nonwoven
materials. A focus on delivering unsurpassed levels of customer service and support
means that AFPL is at the forefront of the nonwoven products. We have been in
business since 2001 and supply our products globally to 24 different countries. Our
field of expertise is in the filtration, oil sorbents, thermal insulation, sound absorption,
automotive filtration and other associated field of nonwovens.
AIM produces nonwovens for a wide variety of applications using different technologies like Meltblown, Thermo bonded, Chemical Bonded and Needle Punched. We also have converting facilities in house like ultrasonic bonding, thermal calendaring, scatter coating, adhesive lamination, sheet cutting, etc.
AIM develops, produces and markets nonwoven materials for wide range of applications such as fussing materials in garments, upholstery, interlinings for quilts and a variety of technical applications like filtration, thermal insulation and sound absorption products. The company is active worldwide as well as in domestic market. AIM is pioneer in setting up the first and the only stand alone meltblown line in India.


text:
Monday, February 18, 2013
Interview with Karen Lange and a "Memorable" Birthday Weekend
Laura Marcella, Sia McKye, Golden Eagle, Clarissa Draper, Jo Wake, Tyrean Martinson, and Gwen Gardner - you now have a badge, thanks to Retro-Zombie.
This past weekend I was mostly absent from the Internet, but only part of it was intentional. My husband treated me to a night out of town, including shopping, dinner, and a comedy club Friday night for my birthday, which was Saturday. We woke up Saturday morning to snow and decided to head home. Good thing we did - shortly after getting home, we headed to the emergency room. My husband was having chest pains and shortness of breath. He went through many heart tests and had to spend the night. (It ended up having NOTHING to do with his heart and he's fine!) He felt so bad about it happening on my birthday, but if nothing else, he made it memorable. And as long as he's healthy and home, I don't care.
Does anyone want a slice of white cake with white frosting now?
$4.99 Ebook ISBN 978-0-9827139-9-0
Purchase at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle UK, and Powell's.
38 comments:
- Hilary Melton-Butcher said...
Hi Diane .. well happy birthday and happy birthday again that all's well with your hubby - that must have been a bit of a nightmare moment or two ... and so pleased all turned out for the best in the meantime.
Your book is definitely on my to be bought list ... it looks so useful and I'm sure Karen has some extremely interesting queries/comments ..
Cheers and look after yourselves .. Hilary
- February 18, 2013
Happy birthday and glad hubby is okay! Good lu k with book sales. I'll read it this week.
- February 18, 2013
- Southpaw said...
Happy Birthday. I'm glad to hear hubby is okay, but that must have been scary.
- February 18, 2013
- Jo said...
Yup, so glad hubby OK and Happy Birthday again.
I have my badge , thanks skipper.
- February 18, 2013
- Mark Means said...
Happy (belated) birthday! Sounds like you had a pretty fun (as well as eventuful) one :)
- February 18, 2013
- Al Diaz said...
congratulations for your birthday. I am very happy your husband is alright. May be you can celebrate later, even if it is not the exact date. :)
- February 18, 2013
- Laura Marcella said...
Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!! Happy Birthday dear Diaaaaane!!! Happy Birthday to youuuuu!!!!
Yay for all your minions!!!
I'm glad your husband is all right. It's scary when something like that happens. Leftover birthday cake is always good for comfort!
- February 18, 2013
- Ciara said...
Happy Birthday. What better birthday present than a healthy husband. We went through a similar scare recently, so I know how scary it is.
- February 18, 2013
- Karen Lange said...
Happy Birthday! :-) Glad your hubby is okay!
You're a great guest, so glad you could stop by this week!
- February 18, 2013
- Jemi Fraser said...
So glad everything is well with your hubby! Scary stuff!
- February 18, 2013
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Hilary, that he's well was the best b-day present.
Thanks you, Stephen.
Jo, I saw that.
Laura, thank you for the song.
Thanks so much, everyone.
- February 18, 2013
- Clarissa Draper said...
Glad everything turned out all right. I grabbed your cool badge and it's on my blog now.
- February 18, 2013
Happy Birthday! And sooo happy your husband is okay. How scary for you! And yes, cake for breakfast? I'll take a slice! :)
- February 18, 2013
- Susan Gourley/Kelley said...
Hope he knows that him being healthy is the best gift.
I really could use some cake right now.
- February 18, 2013
- Misha Gericke said...
Caaaaaaake... O_O
Happy birthday, Diane! May there be many more for you.
Glad to hear your husband is okay.
- February 18, 2013
- Laura Eno said...
How scary! Glad he's okay and your birthday was memorable. :)
- February 18, 2013
- Karen Walker said...
Goodness, Diane, so glad he is okay. That's scary. Happy birthday!
- February 18, 2013
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Mimi, Susan, and Misha, I just had some cake, and it was delicious.
- February 18, 2013
- Alex J. Cavanaugh said...
That's a scary birthday! Glad he's fine now.
- February 18, 2013
- Elizabeth Spann Craig/Riley Adams said...
That must have scared you both to death. So glad his heart is in good shape and that he's fine now. Time for cake, for sure!
- February 18, 2013
- J.L. Campbell said...
I'm happy the scare you had turned out to be just that, with no complications for your husband. Hope the book is doing well.
- February 18, 2013
- Tyrean Martinson said...
Thanks for the Awesome badge!!! And I'm glad your husband is healthy and home! Happy Birthday!
- February 18, 2013
- Nancy Thompson said...
What a relief! I'm glad he's doing okay. And happy belated birthday to you! Yes, please, cake would be divine!
- February 18, 2013
- M Pax said...
My husband did that a few years ago. It turned out to be stress, but we've both been taking low dose aspirin since. It's a might scary. Yes?
Happy Birthday to you Diane!
- February 18, 2013
- Carol Kilgore said...
Happy Birthday! And so happy your husband is OK. That's way too scary.
- February 18, 2013
- VR Barkowski said...
Happy birthday, Diane! So glad all is well, and hubby is healthy.
A piece of cake would be lovely, thank you!
~VR Barkowski
- February 18, 2013
- James Garcia Jr. said...
*snaps fingers* How did you know I only came over for cake? Actually, truth be told, it was really only for the frosting. That's the purpose of cake, right? To hold up the frosting? *grins*
Ugh! I'm so glad hubs is okay. I once cut my hand open on a birthday. What is it about birthdays that sometimes we just ought not climb out of bed that day?
Happy belated birthday.
- February 18, 2013
- Adriana Dascalu said...
I've followed your blog tour and found useful advice, especially for those new to marketing, as I am. Plan to use it soon.
Happy birthday!
- February 19, 2013
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Mary, we hope it will never happen again.
James, that is the purpose of cake!
Adrina, thank you.
- February 19, 2013
- Lexa Cain said...
OMG! I'm so glad your husband is fine after all. Mine had two stints put in last year and still experiences pain sometimes. It's a lousy thing to go through. Stay healthy! :-)
- February 19, 2013
- Brett Minor said...
Glad he was alright.
Stopping in from A to Z Challenge. This will be my first year participating.
- February 19, 2013
- Jessica Ruud said...
WOW glad your husband was alright.
I love your blog!
- February 19, 2013
Happy belated birthday. I'm glad your husband is fine.
- February 20, 2013
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Brett, welcome - you will enjoy the A to Z.
Thank you, Jessica.
- February 20, 2013
- Rachel Schieffelbein said...
Oh how scary! I'm so glad he's okay. And happy birthday! :)
- February 21, 2013
- Trisha F said...
Holy crappers! So glad your hubby is healthy and that your b'day wasn't a total disaster at least :) Sounds like you had a great night the night before anyway!
Happy belated birthday!
- February 22, 2013
- Lexa Cain said...
I find it a surprise that C.M. published her book before she had a blog or was connected to the online writing community in any way. I couldn't be a writer without the invaluable support I've found on the net. Good luck to her. :-)
- February 24, 2013
- Lexa Cain said...
(Sorry Diane. I attached the above comment to the wrong post. *blush*)
- February 24, 2013


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Ava Jeanne is three months old today!
She loves walks, bath time and cuddling. She smiles constantly, especially when Scott talks to her. She's less fond of Tummy Time and shopping. (Mama is working on that one). She sleeps 3-hour stretches but does an occasional 3.5-4. (Mama would like to work on that one too 😅) She is calm, happy and so relaxed. This month, she was baptized (with all four grandparents, all five uncles and both aunties in attendance!) She's never been out of state but she is preparing for her first trip to Iowa. She has captured the heart of her big brother, who, upon hearing her squawk even minimally will proclaim: "mama, baby Ah-va! Go!!"


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EVENT: The Wipro San Francisco Marathon 2012
EVENT DATE: Jul 29, 2012
Dear friends and family,
Despite considerable progress in the fight against breast cancer, it is still the most frequently diagnosed type of non-skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in our country.
My mother, the most important woman in my life, is a breast cancer survivor and I am inspired by her every day to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. I am running this race to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation, the largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer! Please donate to support my fundraising effort and help make a difference in the future of women's health.
Thanks so much!
The Team: $1,685 TOTAL RAISED SO FAR
Donor Comments
James Khoury
Best of luck skim! 6 years ago


text: In ``Turk 182!`` Robert Urich played Timothy Hutton`s older brother. In the film was a scene in which Urich`s character attempts suicide. It struck Urich as the finest bit of writing he`d ever seen, and he thought that if he could make it work, it could boost his career into the Jack Nicholson league. When he saw the movie, the scene wasn`t there. What happened? It was too good! ``The director, Bob Clark, told me it was so stunning it took the audience 15 minutes to recover and nobody cared about Timothy Hutton any more.`` The movie bombed, and on cold winter nights Urich wonders what would have happened had the director left in the scene.