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Tarantulas climb by shooting silk from their feet
If Spider-Man really could do "whatever a spider can", he ought to shoot webs from somewhere less salubrious than his hands. All spiders spin silk from their rear ends, using special organs called spinnerets. But one group – the tarantulas – can also shoot silk from their feet, and they use this ability to climb up sheer vertical surfaces.
Tarantulas have been kept as pets for decades, but their silk-spinning feet were only discovered in 2006 by Stanislav Gorb from the Max Planck Institute. Gorb watched Costa Rican zebra tarantulas climbing up glass plates, and saw that they left behind silken footprints – dozens of fibres, just a thousandth of a millimetre wide.
As the spider climbs, four of its legs leave the glass plate at any one time. As the legs land, they begin to slip but small nozzles secrete a viscous silken fluid that rapidly hardens and adheres to the surface. The silk acts as a tether, firmly holding the spider to the pane.
It was a fascinating story, but three years later, Fernando Pérez-Miles claimed that Gorb had got it wrong. He found that zebra tarantulas could no longer secrete silk if their spinnerets (the ones on their backsides) were sealed. He argued that the spiders brush the spinnerets with their hind legs when they walk; it's this motion that releases silk threads.
Now, Claire Rind from Newcastle University has weighed in on the matter, and she sides with Gorb. Rind bought three Chilean rose tarantulas from local pet stores, placed them on glass slides, and filmed them as she gently raised the glass to a vertical position. The spiders didn't fall, even when Rind gently shook the glass. Their legs slipped slightly, but they soon regained their footing, and every time, they left tiny silken threads behind. That's essentially what Gorb found; to seal the case, Rind had to find the structures that secrete the silk.
She gathered moulted skins from three species of tarantula, including her own recently deceased pet – a Mexican flame-knee tarantula called Fluffy. Under an electron microscope, Rind saw strands of silk emerging from the tips of several hairs ('setae') on the feet.
Setae usually end in brush-like tips, and they're part of a spider's climbing equipment. The tips make close contact with the microscopic bumps that cover every surface (even smooth ones), and they stick using the same forces that hold molecules together. But among the brush-like setae, Rind found others that were tall, ribbed and tapered. Each had a small hole at its tip, and one of them even had a droplet of silk coming out of it. Tarantulas can spin silk from their feet, and here was the evidence.
The silk-spinning hairs (Rind calls them 'spigots') are much taller than the surrounding setae, like skyscrapers in a low-rise suburb. This allows them to produce silk without gumming up the spiders' feet. They're spaced out so they don't stop the other setae from touching the surface, and they're ribbed so that they don't get crushed when the spider walks.
Gorb suggested that tarantulas evolved silk-spinning feet because they need a third method of sticking to surfaces, beyond their claws and their setae. They are among the largest of all spiders, and they would be killed by falls that smaller species would shrug off. The spigots on their feet give them an extra lifeline – a way of avoiding a fatal fall when all other ways fail.
Rind agrees, and she thinks this could explain why Pérez-Miles didn't find any silken threads in his experiments. He placed his spiders in a shallow tank and never tired to shake them off. They didn't need their silken lifelines – their setae and claws were good enough.
The ability to spin silk from their feet could have evolved several times among the larger tarantulas, to help them support their large bulk. If that's the case, the smallest tarantulas (some are less than a millimetre long) shouldn't have any spigots, and that's something for other scientists to check. But Rind thinks that this story is an unlikely one.
She worked with three tarantula species– the Chilean rose, the Mexican flame-knee, and the Indian ornamental – that are all distant relatives. It's more likely that the ancestor of all tarantulas could spin silk from its feet. In fact, it's even possible that tarantula foot spigots might represent the silk-spinning organs of the earliest spiders. Perhaps they were precursors to the more sophisticated spinnerets, which could have evolved from modified legs.
Reference: Rind, Birkett, Duncan & Ranken. 2011. Tarantulas cling to smooth vertical surfaces by secreting silk from their feet. Journal of Experimental Biology http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.055657
Gorb, Niederegger, Hayashi, Summers, Vatsch & Walther. 2006. Biomaterials: Silk-like secretion from tarantula feet. Nature http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/443407a
Pérez-Miles, Panzera, Ortiz-Villatoro & Perdomo. 2009. Silk production from tarantula feet questioned. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature08404
A gallery of incredible spiders
Comments (24)
I've just nearly fallen off my chair when the front page loaded.
I swear these creatures are the embodiment of pure evil
Nah, spiders are cool. Great article!
But I guess Pérez Miles results hold, since he published on the zebra tarantula, a different species from the three that Rind used for her research. It seems likely that some tarantulas can secrete silk from their feet but others cannot.
Great article. One of the best I have read at showing how science works. By the way, the photo-micrographic proof set is superb.
Interesting article, I've been keeping tarantulas for a long time and been following this 'controversy'. Good follow up. Would be interested in seeing the same experiment done with the 'zebra' spider.
It's always incredible watching my rosie scram up a sheer glass surface. She's got a lot of bulk to carry, freaks newbies out.
Also, curious why you didn't include the scientific names? Common names in the tarantula world are pretty messy.
these creatures are the embodiment of pure evil
I wouldn't be surprised if some spiders grabbed silk from their spinnerets to do the same thing, but I'd think someone could film that happening.
Nice work, Ed. Always intriguing when a whole new structure is discovered on a well-known species.
Jeez, I gotta second I'm Oscar @#1. I try to fight my mild phobia by learning interesting stuff about arachnids, but it is completely unhelpful to get zotzed with a giant color photo at the top of the story. I was expecting it, but even so–a smaller image one could click to enlarge, especially if it loaded a little further down the page, would be a lot easier to handle.
Spiders are cool, but if there *were* an embodiment of pure evil, that one up there would be in the running.
I'm with "I'm Oscar" on this one, lol.
Aww, nooo! I love Fluffy.
Actually, that's quite a beautiful animal. Yellow jackets are the true embodiment of pure evil. Nasty little buggers. I suppose if I were studying them I might find a redeeming quality or two. Nah, I prefer to believe they have no redeeming qualities. We all have our prejudices and mine involve things that sting me for no apparent reason.
I just love a B. auratum
very educating article.
Excellent work again, Ed.
I have a couple of (genuine, rather than truculent) questions about this paragraph:
"The ability to spin silk from their feet could have evolved several times among the larger tarantulas, to help them support their large bulk…
1. Could it not equally be that the ability to spin from their feet allowed them to evolve into bigger spiders?
2. The ability to cling is certainly helpful, but is a spider likely to encounter much as smooth and vertical as glass in the wild?
All of the above could be true, or maybe Rind's tarantula was bitten by a radioactive spider – does it have a little red mask? Spiderspider.
Wasps are pure evil, specifically those that prey upon tarantulas. This is a fine article, one that is well written, well researched, and just utterly what is needed to dispel misinformation. I just read a story about 20 minutes ago about the german tarantula peddler that was arrested – they called tarantulas 1) poisonous and 2) deadly.
I ended up rage-replying >_>
Tarantulas are not the embodiment of evil. In fact, I'd look a little closer to home at our own species before I really put the blame on wasps :p
Anyways, I love the pictures, and the detail, it is stunning.
@Steve, sizes have always been larger in the past than now in terms of arthropods, I believe it had more to do with available oxygen in the atmosphere to metabolize quickly rather than structural integrity – although even with optimal oxygen there would be of course some size restrictions from gravity itself. This is likely an ancient evolutionary trait (in my opinion anyways) that appeared with the first Mygalomorphs (probably misspelled that). A real test would be to see if it was in Mesothelae (The oldest of the spiders currently alive). As was also hinted at, this could be where silk laying started – with the feet instead of the abdomen.
As for 2: They have adapted to all kinds of surfaces for maximum survivability. They have a hard time with glass as it is (I have watched mine) in terms of the terrestrial tarantulas, however with arboreal I am sure they are more finely tuned and better adapted, since they have to deal with slick and/or wet leaves, mossy surfaces, and smooth limbs of tree branches. There's a lot of smooth surfaces in nature, and while glass may be a bit smoother than a leave with drizzle, nature seems to have a tendency to overcompensate when there is no pressure not to do so.
Excellent piece.
The evolutionary implications of these 'primitive'-seeming silk spigots on the feet are fascinating. I am really curious to know where this foot-silk shows up the larger evolutionary framework of spiders. My colleague Gillian's thesis gets into the fact that spider silk, in general, seems to be a particularly useful trait to taxonomists trying to trace the evolutionary history of spiders. It the genes associated with silk production are apparently quite prone to mutation and therefore rife with novel features that are easy to track.
Also, something mentioned here that is always startling for me to realise: tarantulas will go splat if they take a high fall. I'm so used to thinking of arthropods as safe from gravity due to small size, tough exoskeletons, and low terminal velocities. It's just interesting to appreciate how much selective pressure tarantulas must be under as a product of their size; they have to be more circumspect than other spiders.
Lastly, I'll second the love for spider-spider. (And, to be fair, in classic Spider-Man canon he devised artificial webshooters, thereby neatly bypassing the awkward need for any insalubrious glands.)
My initial comment was more light-hearted than it might have come across.
As always, superb writing Ed.
But they are still the embodiment of pure evil
Interesting article. My first reactionwas skepticism (it is always my first reaction), but the SEMs make a convincing case. Also, spider mites spin silk from a seta on their palps – just another serial homologue of a leg as are the chelicerae. Snout mites like Spinibdella species seem to shoot the silk they entrap their prey with from their chelicerae (or at least their mouth openings) and, of course, Scytodes spiders do the same. I've always suspected that arachnid silk would be derived from modified nephridia associated with limbs (feel free to feel skeptical).
Hmm… The book "Life in the Undergrowth" didn't seem too harsh toward wasps… except, perhaps, the parasitic ones that inject their eggs into live, paralyzed creatures to be devoured from the inside out. That, I suppose, is a little bastardly.
The spider Fluffy, however, is quite beautiful. I'm considering what kinds of insects/arthropods/invertebrates I'd like to keep (wife willing), and while I'm not sure about tarantulas, I could keep them in mind.
While I usually decline to assign loaded words to species, there might be an exception or two. I was quite blown away by the Japanese Giant Hornet.
These creatures actually prey upon other bees, and their attack methods are gruesome. They wipe out entire hives!
In a neat twist however, indigenous Japanese honeybees have developed a defense. They mob the attacking hornet and use a remarkable strategy to fight back! I won't say more; click on the link if you're curious.
I have more than a few things to say about this article so I posted them to my blog, here: http://annepeattie.com/2011/05/17/can-silk-help-tarantulas-climb/
To summarize: silk may help tarantulas climb, but it's likely a small effect, and anyway that's not what the paper was about, their title notwithstanding.
So spiderman must have caught tarantula genes 😛 I love the mix of complexity between simply tipping a spider around on a watchglass and using super-duper microscopes to find the apparatus behind their sticking power.


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1: Date & Time TBA 218 Randall Mullins Road
4.5 acres +/- in Toney, AL
Minimum bid $20,000
Great land ready to build your dream home. Land has approx. 4.5 acres +/- in Toney, AL. Approx. 181 feet of frontage on Randall Mullins. Farm animals permitted, no mobile homes and any homes built must have minimum of 1200 sq ft.
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Rembourrer Sofa Set
Rembourrer gives you comfort along with style- period! L shaped, 5 +1 seater sofa, can be clubbed with any kind of decor and accent walls in your living room.
|8 (L) x 1.5 (H) x 6 (D)
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|5 Seater UPHOLSTERED SOFA with 1 pouffe
We offer a Five Years warranty against any manufacturing defects.
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Care Instructions
Always wipe moisture promptly and dry with a soft cloth. Excess water may leave stains and can also cause the wood to swell or warp.
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Exposing the furniture to intense heat, such as from hot food or coffee cups, could damage the finish. Coasters and mats should be used to keep any hot objects on wooden furniture.


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Why Join WIB?
Members of Women in Business share similar goals, values, and visions yet have unique personal backgrounds and experiences. Members form new relationships that help them set and acheive goals, both in and out of the classroom. The benefits of WIB evolve as members go through compeleting their education, searching for a job, and launching their career. However, some of the best benefits of joining WIB include:
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Women in Business seeks highly-motivated freshmen and sophomores with a passion for personal and professional growth. The application for the 2018-2019 school year will open immediately following our Call Out Meeting on August 29, 2018. The Call Out Meeting will take place on in Hodge Hall (HH) 2075 from 7:00-9:00 PM. Please attend for more information about joining our organization!


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Coming up with a cool cat name for a female feline can be tough. Before choosing a name, consider the cat's personality, quirks, habits and overall demeanor. Some cool female cat names are Athena, Agatha, Alice, Boots, Bella, Camille, Cleopatra, Chloe, Daphne, Deena, Dixie, Anna, Elsa, Ginger, Glenda, Ingrid, Gretel, Jade, Lucy, Ivy, Nala, Noel, Pearl, Shadow, Venus and Zelda.Continue Reading
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Amethyst, Ariel, Atessa, Belinda, Bianca, Georgette, Giggle, Goldie, Happy, Grizzabella, Hershey, Hilda, Honey, Hope, Hooter, Indigo, Isabella, Isis, January, Jane, Smiles, Snow White, Snowy, Spider, Starkitty, Storm, Sunshine, Tabitha, Tangerine, Thelma, Thumper, Raven, Rickie, Rogue, Rosemary, Rosie, Roxy, Ruby, Saffron, Sapphire, Scout, Serena, Magnolia, Maia, Maxine, Maybe, Whimsy, Willimena, Winky, Xena, Zeta, Zoom, Zooey, Ziti, Yvette, Emily, Fiona, Flannel, Fluke, Forest, Francesca, Francie and Dottie are a few other cool names for female cats.Learn more about Cats


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In most pregnancies, labour will begin spontaneously between 37 and 42 weeks. If your labour has not commenced by 41 weeks, or if there is any risk to you, or to your baby's health, you will receive a phone call from a midwife to discuss an induction of labour (IOL). This means that the process of labour is encouraged to start artificially.
Your doctor or midwife will explain to you, and your partner, why IOL is recommended for you; the risks and benefits of IOL; and the proposed induction methods. They will also be able to answer any questions you may have.
Induction of labour can be achieved by:
You will be asked to come to main reception, level 5, Mater Mothers' Hospital at the time and day advised. Please have a meal before coming to the hospital. You are also welcome to bring some light snacks with you for you and your support person.
Your midwife will take your pulse, temperature, blood pressure and review your pregnancy history. Your midwife will also assess your baby by feeling your abdomen to determine your baby's position and use a cardiotocograph machine (CTG) to monitor your baby's heart rate, which may take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Commencing IOL with a balloon catheter
Commencing IOL with prostaglandin gel
What you may feel after insertion of the balloon catheter or the prostaglandin gel
Some women may feel some contraction-like pains after insertion of the gel, while this is less likely following insertion of the balloon catheter. After insertion of the balloon or prostaglandin gel, most women are comfortable and should be able to rest. However, if you leak any fluid from your vagina, have any bleeding, need pain relief or have any other concerns, please let your midwife know.
Special circumstances
Please come to main reception, level 5, Mater Mothers' Hospital at 5 am on the day of your booking, or as otherwise advised.
You will be taken to a room within Birth Suite. Your midwife will record your pulse, temperature, blood pressure, review your pregnancy history, assess your baby by listening to their heart beat, and then discuss your plans for labour and birth with you. Your midwife or doctor will break the bag of waters surrounding your baby during a vaginal examination. Once your waters are broken, your midwife will monitor your baby's heart rate continuously, using the CTG machine, until your baby is born.
An intravenous drip will then be inserted into the back of your hand and syntocinon given through this needle to stimulate your uterus to begin contracting. Sometimes, this process may take several hours to take effect. Your midwife will adjust the rate at which you receive the syntocinon, until you are having regular, effective contractions.
Some women may wish to delay starting, or avoid the use of syntocinon. However, delaying this after your waters are broken may prolong the onset of your labour. Please discuss this option with your doctor prior to your admission to hospital and prior to the commencement of your induction of labour.
A small number of women may find that their labour does not establish or progress. A caesarean birth may then be recommended.
Please telephone Mater Mothers' Hospital's Birth Suite on 07 3163 1916 if you have any questions regarding your IOL booking. Please be assured that we will always try to contact you, as early as possible, if we need to postpone your admission.
For more comprehensive information about IOL please refer the following publications:
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Retrieving a checking account balance by logging into a web site or using a mobile banking app is as safe as checking it on a computer. In 2014, Bankrate reported that It may be more secure to use a bank's mobile app because of proprietary security measures.Continue Reading
To keep banking information secure on a phone, make sure the bank has a way of recognizing the specific phone or phones linked to the account. In 2014, Naked Security reported that 70% of the mobile banking apps they tested did not support such two-step authentication. This second step prevents someone from accessing an account from a different phone, even if they have a user name and password.Learn more about Personal Banking


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I recently had a less than ideal experience buying tires a couple of weeks ago. I'd gone out to the Mr. Tire website looking for 2 tires for my car. I found a reasonably priced option and called the local Mr. Tire. I'd bought tires there in the past and had a fine experience. I was informed that the shop didn't have the tires, but the manager could go pick them up and have them there the next day (Sunday). I agreed and we set up an appointment for 12:30 on Sunday.
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Like any savvy consumer, I decided to go back out on the website and compare the price from my bill to the one on the site. The tire price on the web site was $184 per tire. When I looked at the bill, the list price of the tire was $190 and the "discount" reduced it to $180. Wow, what a generous gesture. It felt like a "Bait and Switch" routine. I'm getting angry just thinking about it.
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So what's the moral of the story? Make sure you align your social media interactions online with your service and delivery channels off line. This has made an already bad experience even worse. Not only have I tweeted about it, I'm now writing a blog post. When I worked for 1st Mariner Bank, we had a similar experience except we were on the receiving end of a tweet that stated" First Mariner Bank- you're dead to me". (I was the lucky one who had to deal with that!) To see how we handled it much differently, check out this post, First Mariner Bank: A New Shining Star in Social Media PR


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The URC has signed up to HOPE, and is represented in the initiative by Rev Andrew Willett.
HOPE's Friday Focus 2017 calls churches to unite across our nations, praying together on Fridays (whenever possible) supporting ongoing mission across the UK and preparing the way for HOPE 2018.
Each week Friday Focus will take a different theme: supporting national initiatives of prayer and mission; key seasons in the church's calendar; the different people groups highlighted in the Talking Jesus report (www.talkingjesus.org); the people we know and meet; the communities we are part of, and the places where we live.
Leaders from denominations, mission and prayer organisations and networks are writing the reflections based on a Bible passage, and there is also be a written prayer to accompany each theme. Use Prayer Focus for private prayer or in church services and prayer meetings.
Resources include:-
Click here to jump to HOPE's Friday Focus prayer page.


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The Artemisia Desert
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13'' (L) x 9.5'' (H) folded
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DREAM kitchen on us! New Roanoke home is a traditional style single family home by John Weiland w/ a bright, open feel, and luxury finishes. Downstairs flex space makes the perfect media room, while the upstairs loft is an ideal space for a home office. Enjoy lock and go living at Foundry, the newest maintenance free community steps to Avalon, featuring a beautiful pool! Home ready for Aug/Sept move in.
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UPDATE: After a year's work in finding and training just the right groomers, Just Around The Corner dog grooming is NOW OPEN!
Finally, a dog groomer in Madison Valley!
I've been asking groomers across the city to open a location in Madison Valley for years, and now I'm happy to report that Just Around the Corner dog grooming will be located next door to All the Best Pets.
JATC offers a complete range of dog grooming services, including nail trims. The full range of services is available here: http://www.jatcgrooming.com
This will be the second location for JATC, their first is in Queen Anne. The Queen Anne location has 80 reviews, most of them 5 star.
Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Jesús Aguirre, Superintendent
For immediate release August 24, 2016
Contact: Christina Hirsch, 206-684-7241
The Board of Park Commissioners will hold a public hearing to receive feedback on the draft People, Dogs and Parks Strategic Plan. The meeting will take place at Miller Community Center on September 22, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.
The draft People, Dogs and Parks Strategic Plan is available here. The plan will guide the operations of existing off-leash areas, and provides strategies for development of future off-leash areas. It provides direction on how to spend Seattle Park District funding designated for existing off-leash areas over the six-year term of the Park District funding plan (2015-2020).
The Board of Park Commissioners will receive oral and written testimony, and will make a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Superintendent based on the feedback they receive from the public.
Seattle currently has 14 fenced off-leash areas totaling 28 acres. The People, Dogs and Parks Plan offers recommendations on how to add new off-leash areas, and how to improve off-leash area conditions and user experience.
New off-leash areas may be added through new park development, existing park redevelopment and community requests, on park land or non-park public land. All new off-leash area proposals will be reviewed by a committee of dog- and environmental advocates, community members, animal behaviorists and Parks staff, who will make a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Superintendent.
The Plan recommends that future off-leash areas be fenced, does not recommend allowing unleashed dogs on trails, and recommends against establishing more off-leash areas on beaches. User conflicts, limited enforcement and maintenance resources, and environmental concerns limit the capacity for adequate management of unleashed dogs in city parks outside of fenced off-leash areas.
The plan proposes the use of Seattle Park District funding to improve existing off-leash areas based on site assessments included in the plan, and to explore possibilities for partnerships and sponsorships to expand resources. It also proposes the creation of a license for dog walkers, and limiting the number of dogs in a dog-walker pack to three unless dog walkers complete an approved animal behavior training program.
Those who want to give input on the plan but are not able to come to the meetings can give written comments, which bear equal weight to verbal comments. Please email comments to email@example.com.
Approved by voters in 2014, the Seattle Park District provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for Seattle Parks and Recreation including maintenance of parklands and facilities, operation of community centers and recreation programs, and development of new neighborhood parks on previously acquired sites. 2016 is the first full year of implementation and there is work going on in every corner of the city. This year includes funding to tackle the $267-million major maintenance backlog, and will fund the improvement and rehabilitation of community centers; preservation of urban forests; major maintenance at the Aquarium and Zoo; day-to-day maintenance of parks and facilities; more recreation opportunities for people from underserved communities, programs for young people, people with disabilities, and older adults; development of new parks; and acquisition of new park land.
The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners is a nine-member citizen board created by the City Charter. Four members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council; four members are appointed by the City Council; and one member is a young adult appointed by YMCA Get Engaged. The Board generally meets twice a month, normally on the second and fourth Thursday, to advise the Parks and Recreation Superintendent, the Mayor and the City Council on parks and recreation matters.
Peaches, the neighborhood cockatoo, is fully recovered and visiting again. He stopped by recently to say hello and pose for a photo.
Pets of the Month returns with some of our favorite customers from All the Best Pet Care.
First up: Theo, our first Halloween costume model!
Lou, a stylish 10-year-old toy poodle.
One of our favorite neighborhood regulars, Mac, enjoying his 7th birthday cake.
Mac and his BFF Steve (another regular!) having a birthday playdate.
Lovely golden retriever sisters McKinley and Miley.
And finally, a visiting 10-week-old Boston terrier puppy.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
Finally, a dog groomer in Madison Valley!
I've been asking groomers across the city to open a location in Madison Valley for years, and now I'm happy to report that Just Around the Corner dog grooming will be located next door to All the Best Pets.
JATC offers a complete range of dog grooming services, including $8.00 nail trims. The full range of services is available here: http://www.jatcgrooming.com
This will be the second location for JATC, their first is in Queen Anne. The Queen Anne location has 80 reviews, most of them 5 star.
According to owner Amber Rogers, the Madison Valley location is scheduled to open before the end of the year. We'll post their opening date as soon as we have it.
Well, Peaches has been found, safe — although he won't be flying anytime soon. The story is a sad tale of mistaken identity and good intentions gone wrong, along with an interesting explanation of free flight bird training. Read the full story on Facebook or visit Peaches' Facebook page.
Please help keep an eye open for this bird. Peaches is a Goffin's cockatoo — mostly white with some rainbow plumage on his tail and wings from Seattle Pride. His left leg has an aluminum ID band.
UPDATE, 11:53 PM: The neighborhood's favorite cockatoo was found late tonight. Someone has clipped his wings; full story to come.
A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk and from the window I saw a tropical bird land on the railing of our back porch. I immediately sent out an alert on NextDoor asking if someone had lost their pet bird.
Soon friends and neighbors responded informing me the bird is named Peaches. She lives one block over and apparently she frequently visits homes around the neighborhood. Peaches has returned most days, and we have gotten to know one another. She's beautiful and smart. Having a neighborhood bird makes me smile. I love our neighborhood, its people, pets, and most recently the neighborhood cockatoo.
Our Madison Valley store saw lots of pups warding off the chill in cute sweaters. Modeling the very latest in weather-appropriate doggy attire, we have:
A brand new terrier mix puppy rocking a cute little green rain coat.
Local favorite, Starbuck the Sharpei, all dressed in his squirrely best.
An adorable Cavalier looking just dapper in wool!
Look how happy that Puggle is to be all snuggly warm in his fashionable hoodie–the style–the grace!
While not wearing her own sweater, this brand new beagle puppy is all nestled in the sleeve of her papa's.
Matching sweaters on Yorkies is doubly cute.
Pink sets off curly fur best.
…and three more visitors sporting just their own lovely fur:
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
All The Best Pet Care and Nature's Variety "Pound for Pound Challenge" supplies food for local animal shelters.
As Thanksgiving nears, pet lovers often want to share the holiday with their dogs and cats, so they stock up on healthy food and treats. This year, local pet parents have the opportunity to provide healthy food for local shelter animals at the same time, at no cost. For the entire month of November, any Nature's Variety dog or cat food purchased at an All The Best Pet Care store will be matched, pound for pound, with a food donation to a local shelter. Additionally, those who purchase Nature's Variety food to donate to a shelter will get their gift matched, pound for pound, essentially doubling their donation.
The food recipients will include Old Dog Haven, Cat Tales, Motley Zoo, Homeward Pet and PUPs.
"Last year, our Pound for Pound Challenge resulted in donations of more than 15,000 pounds of high-quality dog and cat food to our local shelters," noted Susan Moss, owner of All The Best Pet Care.
Jenny Martin from Nature's Variety said, "I'm really excited about this opportunity to make a huge impact on needy dogs and cats in our community. Together, we will provide the high-quality food shelter pets need to get off to a better start."
Since 1985, All The Best Pet Care has offered healthy alternatives to the low quality, mass-marketed pet products. All The Best Pet Care has eleven stores located in the Seattle neighborhoods of Ballard, Crown Hill, Lake City, Madison Park and Queen Anne, and in Bellevue, Edmonds, Issaquah, Kenmore, Mercer Island, and Redmond. For more information, visit www.allthebestpetcare.com.
Jenny Martin from Nature's Variety (left) and All The Best Pet Care owner Susan Moss are happy to see a full donation bin.
October 25–31, bring in your costumed dog or cat for a special Halloween treat and we'll take a photo for our contest. One winner from every All The Best Pet Care store will receive a $25 All The Best gift card. Winners will be announced on Facebook Nov. 1.
Hint: we give extra credit for pet parents who are in costume, too!
The first of our little visitors is a brand new girl Japanese Spitz puppy, who came to us with her new family in a matching ensemble of pink polka-dots!
Second is Kaiju the bulldog, trying to convince us he's actually scary in his new Halloween costume.
Third is a sweet little Great Dane puppy, giving both Mr. Rogers and Bill Cosby a run for their money in the cute sweater department!
Our fourth visitor can only be described as mind-meltingly adorable: a Frenchie puppy wearing a sock monkey hoodie! Look. At. That. Face.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
This month's first adorable one is Zeb, a regular, getting his Beast Mode on.
Next up, a super cute French Pointer. (That. Face.)
Third, fourth, and fifth are the new puppy visitors who have visited the
store over the past few weeks. We can't wait to watch them grow up!
Next up is Dumbledore, the most magical Irish wolfhound in the world!
And finally, it's Sonny, who was featured on bus ads we ran earlier this year.
Sonny recently stopped in with his papa for a visit.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
Hank is just the most adorable shoplifter we've ever had! This lil' lab pup counter-surfed his way through our bully stick collection. With a face like that, though, who could ever say no?
Yoshi the pug has a promising career ahead of him as a swimwear model! He is ROCKING that life vest! Plus, he will be sea-worthy for all his summer adventures.
Lola is the sweetest Bengal cat who came by to be fitted for a harness! We were so excited for a feline visitor, finally! She was such an adventurer and looked absolutely stunning in her turquoise RC Pet harness!
Tallulah, the tiniest pugglet, lives right up the street from our store and often stops by to share snuggles, kisses, and the cutest puppy snorts you ever heard!
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
First up — two brand new 11-week-old Golden Doodle siblings. We are fairly certain they are actually teddy bears with exceptionally good leash manners.
Next is a baby Corgi finding out how good life is when you have a healthy treat to munch on.
Last is our very own store Yorkie, Harley, reuniting with her siblings from another mother: a bucket of fluffy hedgehogs!
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
Here are this month's visitors to All The Best Pet Care. The first fellow is a regular, a bulldog named Tank, shown below testing the wool bed. Tank's a devout follower of the mantra "If it fits, it sits."
The second is a first-time visitor who came dressed in his Jurassic best!
The third ... Frenchie party, table for three!
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
Here are four irresistible customers who visited our store recently. First is Jack, a weekend regular, giving his sassiest face as he waits ever-so-patiently for his treats.
Next is Ruby who belongs to our own Jenna, modeling the vintage ski sweater (the perfect transition piece to take any stylish pup from winter to spring).
Third and fourth are two yet-unnamed 7-week-old babies. The pugglet was a surprise for a customer's ecstatic (and very responsible) daughter.
The border collie baby came in to share snuggles and her love of tendon chews. (We love the marbling on that nose!)
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
First let me start off by saying a big WOOF to all those who supported my proposal to acquire an off-leash area here in the Washington Park play field. Over a hundred locals signed the petition to let the City know that we want and need a place to exercise our four-legged friends.
Last month I received word from Leah Tivoli, Sustainable Operations Manager – Parks Division and she sent me the following: "after speaking to our Planning and Development Division about the possibility of using this site, I learned that this site is not acceptable for an off-leash area. In the event of a storm, the area may be flooded and in an extreme storm event the water would overflow out of this basin into the adjacent play field. If an OLA was built at this site, all the material would flood and contaminate the adjacent ball field."
After breaking the sad news to my pug Ruby, we both realized that there are still other potential sites that may allow an OLA either in Madison Valley or Madison Park. However, we will need someone else to take the leash on this.
If you feel that there may be an area in your neck of the woods, I strongly encourage you to contact the President of C.O.L.A (Citizens for Off Leash Areas), Patrick Jones. He has worked in establishing many wonderful off-leash parks throughout Seattle and has an in-depth knowledge of the entire process from start to finish. He will gladly work with you and inform you of how to get the tennis ball rolling for a possible new off-leash park in your neighborhood. Patrick's info is: 206-913-7261 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thank you all very much for the support and interest you have shown to ensure our furry friends are happy, healthy, socialized and well exercised — it may not have worked out for this area, but may work out in yours.
Have a dog gone great day!
Richard Winsler {and Ruby too}
Richard has been a resident in Madison Valley since 2000. He owns and operates his own dog business: check him and his pooches out on Facebook at: Catch Me If You Can - Dog Outings.
The puppy in the first photo is so new that he didn't even have a name yet. This adorable schnoodle puppy is in training to become a service dog and needed a rain jacket for the wet weather.
The second photo is of Domino, a basenji/shiba inu mix who was a bit shy about taking treats, but loved posing for the camera! Domino is the sister of one of our team member's dogs. They came from the same litter three years ago. The sibling dogs look almost identical and it was so fun to have her visit!
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
As you can see this month was all about the puppies and kittens. Warning…these are dangerously cute!
Milo is an 8-week-old Weimaraner who just moved to the neighborhood and was thrilled to find out she lives just around the corner from us!
This tiny Pug/French Bulldog is Ruby. She is about 10 weeks old, and as you can see her new owners could not be more in love. Being smaller than a pig's ear, no sweaters fit her, so her mom cut a few holes in an old sock to make do. Needless to say the effect is adorable.
The adorable long hair Maine Coon mix kitten is Rupert, and he had a blast playing on our cat trees while his dad shopped for food.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
All The Best Pet Care is doubling its customers' donations and purchases during December in a campaign to deliver 20,000 lb of food to local shelters and rescue groups.
Holiday giving requests are plentiful during the holiday season, and most people are looking for ways to make sure their donation dollars are used wisely. Those who wish to help local animal shelters and rescues can double their donation at All The Best Pet Care. For the entire month of December, any Nature's Variety dog or cat food purchased for donating at an All The Best Pet Care store will be matched, pound for pound. Customers who buy Nature's Variety products for their own cats and dogs will have a matching amount donated as well. To stretch givers' budgets even further, all Nature's Variety dry food, freeze dried food, canned food and treats, including Instinct and Prairie, are 10% off all month.
Jenny Martin (l) and Susan Moss (r) prepare a bin to receive shelter donations.
The donation recipients will include Old Dog Haven, Cat Tales, Motley Zoo, Homeward Pet, Ballard Food Bank, Mercer Island Food Bank, The Doney Clinic, Second Chance Dog, Seattle Animal Shelter and many more.
"Our goal is to donate 20,000 pounds of high quality, human-grade cat and dog food to our many deserving animal shelters and rescue groups, which is about equal to a $50,000 donation," said Susan Moss, owner of All The Best Pet Care.
Jenny Martin from Nature's Variety said, "I'm really excited about this opportunity to make a huge impact on needy dogs and cats in our community. Together, we will provide the high-quality food these animals need to be healthy."
Since 1985, All The Best Pet Care has offered healthy alternatives to low the quality, mass-marketed pet products that are so ubiquitous. They have ten stores located in the Seattle neighborhoods of Ballard, Crown Hill, Lake City, Madison Park and Queen Anne, and in Bellevue, Edmonds, Issaquah, Mercer Island, and Redmond. For more information, visit www.allthebestpetcare.com.
This month, All The Best Pet care had visits from some of their favorite regulars, sporting the latest dog fashions.
This black standard poodle is Jack, who patiently held still to pose for his first picture in his new Christmas sweater.
These two Shar Peis are Starbuck in the classic yellow rain coat, and Pooki (below) modeling yellow duckies on blue.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
This little Cavalier is about 8 weeks old. Her people hadn't chosen a name yet when she came in to get fit for a harness.
Noodle, a 13-year-old rescue who loves walking on her leash in the store!
Dakota, a three-month-old border collie/golden retriever mix who decided All The Best Pet Care was the best place she's seen so far.
Jax is about 6 months old and was born completely blind.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
The pets of Madison Valley, as photographed by
All The Best Pet Care.
Puppy Number 4: She just got picked up about an hour before she came in. Her new parents did not have a name for her just yet. She was one of a litter of 11! We look forward to watching her grow.
Zeb: Zeb is one of our regulars. He is a handsome, immaculately groomed standard poodle. He comes in often with his dad whose last name is Madison!
Juniper: She is a 4-month-old Catahoula Leopard Dog/Labrador Mix
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.
Today we introduce Pets of Madison Valley, an occasional feature brought to us by All The Best Pet Care.
Frasier is a happy-go-lucky boy with an irresistible little face.
Magnum is a St. Bernard puppy who is fairly new to his parents and the Madison Valley neighborhood.
Doodle is a Devonshire Rex. He came in to All The Best Pet Care with his brother Sam, but Sam was not as camera-happy as Doodle was. (Yes, he was actually enjoying himself!)
Oscar came in with his new mom, so he didn't quite know his name yet. He's just five months old.
Arrow is a Catahoula Leopard Dog Mix. The Catahoula is believed to be the first dog breed developed in North America.
See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.


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Laser scanners are the future of working crime scenes, with the ability to give a jury a better picture of what happened.
Norcross, GA (PRWEB) November 27, 2013
Leica Geosystems today announced that it will participate in the Dec. 7, 2013 fundraiser being held at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford (north of Orlando) for Central Florida Crimeline, the anonymous crime tips hotline. Called "Zoo Dun It," the event will lead guests on a safari-style murder mystery through four mock crime scenes, where they will explore blood evidence, unearth skeletal remains, document personal effects near a "dead body," and collect forensic evidence such as DNA and fingerprints. Crime scene technicians from Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Osceola County Sheriff's Office and Brevard County Sheriff's Office will demonstrate basic investigative procedures. A Leica ScanStation 3D laser scanner will be used to collect highly accurate measurement data at each scene.
"The event will give people an opportunity to learn what real-life crime scene processing is like and interact with law enforcement in a positive way," said Barb Bergin, executive director of Crimeline.
The Leica ScanStation 3D laser scanning technology is used globally by law enforcement agencies for crime scene investigations, vulnerability and threat assessments, post-blast investigations, police action inquiries, crash investigations and more. All Leica ScanStation laser scanners feature professional-grade construction, durability and weather resistance, renowned reliability, ease of use and documented admissibility in U.S. courts of law. (Learn more here.)
Bergin said the idea to use laser scanners at the event emerged following the recent trial of Jason Rodriguez, who was found guilty of first-degree murder and all counts of attempted murder in the Gateway Center shooting rampage in downtown Orlando in November 2009. Investigative work by the Orlando Police Department, which included the use of a Leica ScanStation laser scanner, played a key role in helping prosecutors secure a conviction in the case. "Laser scanners are the future of working crime scenes, with the ability to give a jury a better picture of what happened," Bergin said.
During the Crimeline fundraiser event on Dec. 7, Frank J. Hahnel III, a laser scanning specialist with Leica Geosystems, will provide technology demonstrations and answer questions. "It's an excellent opportunity for local law enforcement professionals to explore the capabilities of the technology," he said. "Leica Geosystems has a history of supporting law enforcement agencies on a wide range of projects. This fundraiser for Crimeline is a great chance for us to show that we also support local communities in their efforts to raise awareness and combat crime."
For more information about Leica Geosystems solutions for public safety, visit psg.leica-geosystems.us.
About Crimeline
Crimeline's mission is to increase the safety of the Central Florida community by assisting law enforcement agencies in removing undesirable individuals from the community. Crimeline seeks to furnish law enforcement agencies with information on crimes, criminals, and other criminal activity that they would otherwise be unable to obtain; to promote public cooperation and involvement with law enforcement and to reward such involvement; to improve police community relations through increased public awareness; and to prevent crimes before they are committed. As a nonprofit organization, Central Florida Crimeline relies heavily on support from individuals and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.crimeline.org.
Leica Geosystems – when it has to be right
With close to 200 years of pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information.
Those who use Leica Geosystems products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 3,500 employees in 28 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world. Leica Geosystems is part of Hexagon, a leading global provider of design, measurement and visualization technologies that enable customers to design, measure and position objects, and process and present data.


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Tips to Protect Your Home from Water Damage
Date: August 26, 2016
A small amount of water can cause considerable damage to your home. When water finds its way into your home, through the roof, basement or other area, the result is water damage and mold growth. Most of the time, these problems require professional water damage restoration services. However, you can prevent water damage in your home by following a number of rules:
- Clean and maintain gutters and downspouts. If there are leaves, sticks, debris or bird's nests in your gutters, water may overflow onto the side of your house. In your gutter cleaning routine, check for cracks or sagging, and have them repaired.
- Make sure downspouts extend at least 10 feet away from the foundation of your house. The ground around the foundation should also be sloped at least 6 inches over a 10-foot span away from the house, to avoid basement flooding.
- Have your roof annually checked for cracked or missing shingles, deteriorated flashing, pooling water or missing granules. To prevent ice dams in freezing weather, insulate your attic to prevent it from heating up.
- Install a sump pump with a battery backup system. Maintain and test the sump pump according to the manufacturer's instructions, and remove any debris that may be blocking the water inlet screen. Batteries should usually be replaced every 2 to 3 years.
- Install backflow valves and standpipes at all basement drain locations, sinks and toilets. These mechanisms automatically prevent sewage from backing up into your home.
- Don't pour grease down the sink, as it can cling to pipes and cause blockage, even if you rinse the drain with hot water afterwards. The best way to get rid of grease is to pour it into an empty jar, refrigerate it, then discard it into the trash.
- Routinely check your home for leaks in areas such as ceilings, under pipes inside sink cabinets, or around sinks and toilets. Immediately fix water leaks to prevent serious water damage and mold growth.
- If your water bill is unusually high and you don't know why, this may be a sign that some pipes are leaking in your home. In this case, hire a professional plumber to detect and repair damaged pipes.
- Inspect appliances that use water.
- Turn off the water supply valve when going on vacation.
- Ensure you can turn on/off the supply valves when needed.
- Do not operate appliances when going to sleep or leaving the home.
- Inspect water supply hoses of the washing machine, dishwasher, etc. twice a year. Check and repair damaged hoses.
- Leave a gap of 3 to 4 inches between the washing machine or refrigerator and the wall.
There are many ways your home can suffer water damage and require water remediation and mold removal services. Paying attention to leaks and maintaining your roof, gutters, basement and plumbing system are essential to preventing property water damage. For professional fire, water and mold restoration services, contact your local PuroClean office.
PuroClean is a leading commercial and residential restoration franchising company. Founded in 2001, the company offers fire and water cleanup and restoration services, mold mitigation and remediation, and biohazard cleanup and removal throughout the United States and Canada through its franchise network of 240 offices. Learn more.


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I love procrastinating. I reckon I could do it all day if I tried really hard. My favourite type of procrastination is research. If I am reading something that relates to a current writing project or something like blogging then I can kid myself that what I am doing is worthwhile. It doesn't matter if I am reading my 100th article on how to drive traffic to your blog which says basically the same as the other 99 articles or if I'm reading my tenth article for a writing which only required two sources, if I can call it research then I can pretend it is important.
My second favourite form of procrastination is social media and emails. Again, the key is that I can pretend they are important. If I don't check them regularly I might miss out on an important message or a potential new project. Then again I might just miss out on yet another viral photo of a dog in costume.
Of course what I should really be doing is focusing on the writing which will pay the bills and so my resolution is to stop procrastinating, start getting things done and hopefully as a result get to bed earlier.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. Mark Twain
But first, I intend to delay a little further and write my top five tips for beating procrastination.
- Write first research later: I'm not saying you should not do any research, but in some cases especially if you already know a little about the subject it can help to just start writing, get the bulk of the piece down on the computer screen and then research to fill in the gaps. For example, I could add some links here to other people talking about beating procrastination or books about time management. I could go off now and look for them, but the chances are I would get sidetracked and this blog post will languish unfinished for hours. Alternatively I could finish the post and then add the links in when the job is done.
- Try a productivity aid: I use one of these a lot of the time when I am writing, especially if it is a longer piece which I know will take me a while. The one I use is called the Pomodoro technique which works on the basis that people work better in concentrated short bursts followed by breaks. The technique's standard setting is a 25 minute work period followed by a 5 minute break with a longer break after every fourth work period but you can adjust to suit. You can use this Pomodoro technique website or just use an alarm clock. If you really have trouble switching off the Internet you can get programmes which will block certain sites for a specified time, taking away your temptation.
- Reward yourself: I think one of the reasons I procrastinate is because I worry that I won't get any time to relax after I have done the work, so I try to do that bit first. The Pomodoro technique is great for me because it incorporates breaks so I don't feel overwhelmed. Unless I am really on a roll I make sure I do stop for the break and do something fun. Make sure you go back to work when the time is up though. If your change in work practices means you finish the job earlier then reward yourself. My goal is to get more sleeping time and more time to read the blogs I enjoy in a relaxed fashion.
- Set goals: Setting goals can keep you on track and help you manage your time. I have a couple of clients with on-going projects so I do not always have specific deadlines. It is easy to put this work and things like personal blogs off until another day because they don't have tight deadlines, but doing this risks having to rush in the end. To combat this I set my own personal deadlines and try to meet targets throughout the month. Use a project management programme or a simple paper diary or wall planner to keep on top of things. Telling other people your goals can help to make you accountable.
- Learn to let go: I would never claim to be the best writer in the world but I get hardly any revision requests from clients, have plenty of repeat business and have received lots of positive feedback. Despite this I am always worried that my writing is not up to scratch and procrastinate a lot before finally sending it to the client, wanting to change something or imagining a spelling error here or double checking some research there. I would never want to be complacent but I think learning to let go and worry less about the work I am submitting would probably help me.
So there they are, my top five tips. Now all I need to do is follow my own advice and my productivity will go through the roof.
Do you have any tried and tested ways to beat procrastination? Share them with me – I promise not to procrastinate and won't read them until I have finished my scheduled tasks.


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I would like to know which gems would you recommend for someone who is under the spell of someone else who had travelled to Martinique and went to a vudu priest to hurt other people because of jealousy. I saw the Black jet, the Rainbow aura quartz, the fluorite and the green tourmaline. What would you recommend?
Dear A,
I must share the standard disclaimer that I am not a doctor and cannot give out medical advice. Crystals for healing should be used as a compliment to other therapies and not as a replacement for regular medical care.
May I recommend two for you? Black Tourmaline and Jet both repel negative energy, and Jet send the energy back to the sender, that they may learn karmic lessons. These two stones make an effective shield when needed.
Roslyn Bohanan
Master Crystal Healer
"Privacy Statement: To help others learn, we typically post questions like yours to our online database of articles about crystal healing. We only use first names and take care to remove all last names and email addresses. If you prefer that we not post your first name or if you would prefer if we not to post your question at all, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your request for privacy."


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IAA Primary Curriculum Guide. Grade 5 Term 3. Welcome to Term 1.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Grade 5 Term 3
Welcome to the first term. After the long holidays it will take a couple of weeks for your children to settle back into routines. In this time, the teachers will informally assess your children to ensure that the planning fully meets the individual needs of each child.
In the pages that follow you will find the units that your child will study this term along with the expectations at the end of each unit. Not every child progresses at the same rate so please compare your child's ability at the end of the unit to what he or she could do at the start.
If you have any questions about your child's levels of attainment, please speak to the class teacher, who is the person who know your child best of all.
We will focus on two specific genres this term: Narrative and Non-fiction
We follow the Renewed Primary Framework for England. For further information please see:
Numeracy teaching is divided into 5 Blocks of study:
A Counting, Partitioning and Calculating
B Securing number facts and Understanding Shape
C Handling Data and Measure
D Calculating, Measuring and Understanding Shape
E Securing Number facts, relationships and Calculating
These blocks are then divided into 3 Units of study.
This term, children will cover Blocks A1, B1, C1, D1, E1 and A2.
Further information on the content of these blocks , including objectives, can be found at:
Our teachers use the Abacus Evolve scheme to support their teaching.
Please be aware that this scheme supports practical learning and our teachers use the pages that are appropriate rather than following the scheme page by page.
In Primary, the day is quite intense for children working in two languages. For this
reason we limit our homework to 30 minutes per day in Grade 5. We suggest:
If you would like to further consolidate this term's work we would suggest:
We also suggest the CGP books:


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Fall has been busy at the Blossom Sweet shop! We are excited to get
all the photos from our fall 2013 events so that we can share them with
our loyal Blossom Sweet following. But for now, let's talk about our
next wedding which is coming up quickly! Today we are excited to share a
spotlight of sorts featuring the couple of said upcoming wedding.
I first met Julianne a little over five years ago when we were paired as roommates (wow, that was a long time ago!). After a year or so she graduated and moved on to bigger and better things in her career and took the show on the road, moving to "The South". I didn't see her again until last winter when she came back to Utah for the holidays and we met for a floral consultation...for her wedding! And now, almost a year later, here we are finally fast approaching the wedding date. So exciting.
I am honored to have been asked to create the florals for this event. I'm so happy for her and the designs will be so pretty. Enjoy this cute couple's story of love!
We met on Match.com! It works! And no one is more surprised than us. We were both really tired of the "scene" and were each just looking to go on some dates to pass the time. I don't think either one of us expected to find "the one" but somehow we found each other and struck up a conversation about a mutual appreciation of Stephen King books and reading. That's where is all began.
What did you do for your first date?
We met for "coffee" at a local coffee shop but neither one of us even ordered anything. We just talked for a couple of hours and found out that we actually had a lot in common (even though on the surface it seemed like we are nothing alike). And it just progressed from there.
Who said,"I love you" first?
Rex did (of course!). He is such a romantic...
What is the most unique thing about your relationship?
We don't get tired of each other! We just have so much fun together whether it is out to dinner at a brand new restaurant or just hanging out at home. We are always laughing not matter the situation.
What are your favorite qualities about each other?
(I swear we didn't coordinate this in advance)
She says: He is the most caring person I've ever met. He is always the first person to jump up and help if someone needs it and I love that about him. And he makes me laugh.
He says: How caring and giving she is to everyone around her.
How did he propose?
Rex and Julianne picked out the ring together during a routine trip to the mall. We purchased the ring and then sent it off to be resized. It was supposed to be back to the store on Saturday December 1st. Rex led Julianne to believe he was planning to do something big on Saturday night.
In the meantime, Rex asked Julianne if she wanted to join him for dinner on Friday night at a cool new restaurant his friend had worked on. She accepted. He had one ask of her, however. The view was apparently amazing so she had to agree to be blindfolded for part of the journey to the restaurant so she could experience the full effect of the view all at once.
Rex picked Julianne up to drive her to the restaurant and she indeed put on her blindfold at the appropriate time. When they arrived at the restaurant, Rex helped out of the car (since she had a blindfold on) and then told her to take the blindfold off. She looked up and Rex was down on one knee with the ring in his hand! He then asked her to marry him!
Julianne was super confused because she knew the ring wasn't supposed to be back yet from the store! But it had arrived a day early and Rex had managed to completely surprise her. Also there actually was no new restaurant.. Rex had actually taken Julianne to the local park, the location of their third date and first kiss. So romantic!
Julianne and Rex later revealed that he had spent a lot of time preparing his proposal speech which he promptly forgot when the actual moment arrived.
Where will you go on your honeymoon?
We are taking a Disney cruise to the Bahamas!
Tell us a bit about your event concept.
Rex's last name is Gray so our colors are Cranberry and Gray. We decided we wanted an elegant, classy event but also comfortable and fun. We are having our reception at the Joseph Smith Building in the Empire Room which is a room that needs little additional decoration. However, we wanted anything we added to make a statement and to reflect us. This is one reason we selected Blossom Sweet, because we knew the flowers would be unique, one-of-a-kind creations made with us in mind. We wanted the flowers to be the part that made the venue connect our guests with us. Rex has worked as a welder for many years and Melissa had some fantastic ideas to incorporate the metals he has worked with for so long into our wedding. We are so excited!


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American researchers have discovered a material that allows reversibly changing electrical resistance as efficiently as silicon transistors but on a scale of electrons.
The material, a correlated oxide called samarium nickelate, performs well at room temperature as well as at several hundred degrees Celsius, making it suitable for integration into existing electronic devices and fabrication methods.
Hailed one of the best possible alternatives to silicon, the innovative material has been described in a study by Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) researchers in the recent issue of the journal Nature Communications.
"Traditional silicon transistors have fundamental scaling limitations. If you shrink them beyond a certain minimum feature size, they don't quite behave as they should," said one of the study's authors Shriram Ramanathan, Associate Professor of Materials Science at SEAS.
Until today, available alternatives offered insufficient on-off ratios. Whereas the minimum required for practical use is 104, even the best correlated oxides have previously achieved 100 at best. The newly discovered samarium nickelate transistor provided an on/off ratio of more than 105, which is comparable with state-of-the-art silicon-based devices.
"Our orbital transistor could really push the frontiers of this field and say, you know what? This is a material that can challenge silicon," Ramanathan said.
To create the orbital transistor, the researchers have used doping, introducing different atoms into the crystal structure of the material to make its electrons move around more easily. The ability of electrons to move through the material has a direct effect on the material's ability to resist or conduct electricity. In this case, the Harvard team manipulated the band gap, the energy barrier to electron flow.
"By a certain choice of dopants – in this case, hydrogen or lithium – we can widen or narrow the band gap in this material, deterministically moving electrons in and out of their orbitals," Ramanathan said.
In the orbital transistor, protons and electrons move in or out of the samarium nickelate when an electric field is applied, regardless of temperature, so the device can be operated in the same conditions as conventional electronics. It involves no liquids, gases, or moving mechanical parts and in the absence of power, the material remembers its present state – an important feature for energy efficiency.
Material scientists have been studying the family of correlated oxides for years, but the field is still in its infancy, with most research aimed at establishing the materials' basic physical properties.
"We have just discovered how to dope these materials, which is a foundational step in the use of any semiconductor," said Ramanathan.
Samarium nickelate is likely to catch the attention of applied physicists developing photonic and optoelectronic devices.
"Opening and closing the band gap means you can now manipulate the ways in which electromagnetic radiation interacts with your material," said Jian Shi, a postdoctoral fellow in Ramanathan's lab at Harvard SEAS. "Just by applying an electric field, you're dynamically controlling how light interacts with this material."
However, the researchers say, the field is still in its infancy, about as advanced as was the transistor technology in the 1950s.


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I'm enjoying the marvelous views of Yosemite. If sequoias make me feel like an insect, those granite mountains make me feel like bacteria. I had no idea how the park was distributed, and that was a good thing because it took me by surprise. All the sudden I was in this small valley surrounded by huge columns of granite. The river is like the central pin of a continental necklace. No picture can make justice to the sensation of insignificance that you feel looking up to those solid gray masses. On this era of Photoshop, when you are trained to suspect even from beauty, these landscapes prove my cynicism wrong once again. This is wonderful.
It looks like we are actually moving forward in this conservationist movement. When the last hotel burned to the ground for itself at Glacier Point, it wasn't reconstructed again. The chance was taken to stop developing in areas where people come to enjoy nature, not infrastructure.
Yosemite Village is actually in better condition now that it was 80 years ago, way better. You have to be careful while driving, not because of rules but because of creatures crossing the road. I stop for squirrels, deer, raccoons and even bears.
Some signs remind you not to feed these animals and explain that we should leave them wild. Immediately I tried to picture a group of conservationists Egyptians keeping people from feeding felines five thousand years ago. We wouldn't have domestic cats today. We can use the same mind exercise for dogs, horses, mules and other kinds of animals that are tied irreversibly to our history. The point is that we are part of nature and the impact we have on it is also "natural". But at some point, we decided that "human will" and "nature" are antonyms.
So, what is nature? Is it just a series of random events? Why this "nature" keeps doings things way better than we? So far we suspect these random events to be self-selective, so just the best processes survive. But even after we understand the processes and try to reproduce them, something is missing. We comprehend the endocrine system (so we say), but by trying to fix one part, we break another. So, what is nature? Is it whatever is happening now that we don't completely understand, so we better leave it alone?
I think humans are creating a second nature for themselves. That's why we go to see Nature as a tourist because we feel already separated from her, so we come to pay mother a visit. And that can be easily proved by sitting a civilized person in the middle of the woods and see if that individual is even able to make clothes before winter.
So we created this second nature on which we depend, but keep the first one intact because we never fully understood why it works so well. I agree with that.


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Stephen Downes on Networking FinesseSince networking is not my strong suit, I was particularly pleased to come upon a post on Stephen Downes' blog offering advice that encourages people like me to do some rearranging of how we spend our time.
In brief, Downes "Seven Habits of Highly Connected People" are:
- Respond to other people's points of view. Downes comes down a bit too strong when he says "Posting, after all, isn't about airing your own views." Often, that's exactly what posting is about, but all the same, one should also take time to offer thoughtful responses to views that other people post.
- Fit yourself into the flow of the conversation. "When connecting online, it is more important to find the places to which you can add value rather than pursue a particular goal or objective."
- Connection comes first. Again, Downes comes on stronger than I would. He believes that connecting with people online is of such importance that doing things like reading books and magazines is a suspect use of time. I would never go that far. All the same, I acknowledge that making time for interacting with others is a high priority, not something you barely squeeze in among other, noninteractive activities.
- Share. "The way to function in a connected world is to share without thinking about what you will get in return. ... In a connected world, you want to be needed and wanted. This will, over time, cause resources to be sent to you, not as a reward for some piece of work, but because people will want to send you stuff to help you to be even more valuable to them."
- Read the manual. "Almost everything a person could need to know has been recorded somewhere online ... Taking the time and effort to look at this work is not merely respectful, it demonstrates a certain degree of competence and self-reliance. ... [W]hen you do ask for help, you can state what you've read and tried, and why it didn't work. This saves people from giving you advice you don't need, and helps them focus on what's unique about your problem."
- Cooperate. "To cooperate, it is necessary to know the protocols. These are not rules anybody can break them. But they establish the basis for communication."
- Be yourself. "The only way to enable people to understand you is to allow them to sympathize with you, to get to know you, to feel empathy for you."
Labels: Networking


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Several months ago, Rick Tramonto was in Chicago, thinking about all that he'd accomplished in his career.
As the executive chef at Tru, one of the Windy City's most admired restaurants, he won a James Beard Award and the reputation that enabled him to open more properties, including the excellent Italian restaurant Osteria di Tramonto.
"My eighth cookbook had just come out, and so you look at things, " he said. "What do I want to do with the second half of my career in this business? And who do I want to do it with?"
The answer to the first question: Sever ties with Tru and move to New Orleans. The answer to the second: John Folse.
Tramonto and Folse, the chef, author and owner of the Donaldsonville-based food manufacturer John Folse & Company, are scheduled today to officially announce their partnership in a new restaurant company, Home on the Range. Its first project is called Restaurant Revolution, which is slated to open in the Royal Sonesta Hotel early next summer.
"Once we figured out we were going to do (a restaurant together), it became a question of where, " said Folse, who was taking a break Tuesday from shooting promotional photos in Jackson Square. "Would we do it in Chicago? Would we do it in New York? When Rick said, 'I'd love to do something in New Orleans, ' I said, 'If you're game, I'm game."
The two chefs struck up a friendship when Tramonto began featuring cheese from Folse's Bittersweet Plantation Dairy at Tru. Tramonto said the relationship deepened over a shared interest in humanitarian work and their strong Christian faith. Tramonto described the help he provided Folse feeding emergency workers in the wake of the 2005 levee breaches as a particularly moving experience.
"Whenever I needed something, he was down here, whether it was things during Katrina or other events I was doing around Baton Rouge, " Folse said. Tramonto has also been active trying to reverse the damage done to Gulf of Mexico seafood since the oil spill. As the chef put it, "New Orleans is not a stranger to me."
His planned move is nevertheless surprising. Modern chefs with healthy litters of successful restaurants commonly branch out beyond the cities where they earned there stripes, but there are few examples of chefs relocating completely, particularly chefs of Tramonto's stature. (Think Emeril Lagasse, who has three times as many restaurants outside New Orleans as he does in it, but still keeps his headquarters downtown.)
"For the last 16 years he's been one of the top chefs in Chicago, " said Phil Vettel, longtime restaurant critic at the Chicago Tribune, speaking of Tramonto. "He's also one of the most influential chefs in Chicago."
Tramonto, who proclaims himself officially sick of Chicago winters, plans to relocate his family to New Orleans next summer.
"I brought my boys down a couple of times already, " he said. "They love it."
Folse said Revolution will be designed by the Johnson Studio, an Atlanta-based architecture firm, drawing on influences from classic New Orleans architecture. The restaurant will surround the Royal Sonesta's courtyard and feature a mahogany bar, a lounge, custom-designed Viking kitchen and several private dining areas.
Tramonto and Folse have already started collaborating on the menu.
"It's going to be a celebration of (Louisiana) food, " Tramonto said, "but also all of Rick Tramonto's spin and style and contemporary thinking of food. That's where the revolution comes in."
Both chefs are already talking about the possibility of additional restaurant projects for their new company, but Revolution is not intended to be a restaurant that will be duplicated elsewhere.
"This becomes more of a signature restaurant, a flagship restaurant, " Tramonto said. "I definitely see us coming home to Chicago to do something in a couple years, me and John. I see there being opportunities in New York. But it's all about New Orleans right now."
. . . . . . .
Brett Anderson can be reached at mailto:email@example.com or 504.826.3353. Read him online at www.nola.com/dining. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BrettAndersonTP.


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Please Note: Breast Enhancer is a cosmetic treatment and does not affect the hormonal system.


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What Are Your All-Time Favorite xoVain Articles?
It's gonna get sappy up in here.
I'm having way too much fun putting these floral roundups together, and my excitement is only further augmented by the fact that you all seem to appreciate them, as well. For those taking notes, I've done the following roundups thus far (and I plan to do a couple more): jasmine, rose (here and here), gardenia, violet, orchid and honeysuckle.
Today we're talking about PEONIES!
Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede Cologne
This Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede Cologne is easily one of my favorite perfumes I've ever spritzed in my entire life. And I've spritzed a lot of perfumes, too. It is feminine and light but has this sophisticated sueded undercurrent that's absolutely intoxicating. It's sweet, but not overbearingly so, and marries this refreshing, juicy crispness with a soft musk.
It is so addictive that I have to stop myself from spraying too much. So good, people. So good.
L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Hand Cream
This is clean, lightly perfumed hand cream that smells like peonies and soap. It's made with shea butter, but isn't heavy or thick like you'd expect. It's actually a thinner cream, so you have to be careful when squeezing it from the tube to prevent letting too much out. However, it leaves your hands super soft and I find it layers nicely with lots of perfumes.
I have the 1 oz. version, which costs $12, but you can buy the bigger 2.5 oz. version for $22.
The Estée Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack
I've found myself drawn to water creams and gel creams, lately. This one, by The Estée Edit, is a leave-on mask version that you wear overnight as the final step in your skincare routine. It creates this light layer of moisture over your skin, but dries down instead of staying damp like some overnight masks. (I always LOL at myself when wearing gooey masks to bed and then waking up with cat hair all over my face).
It's made with pink peony extract and hyaluronic acid, and smells earthy and somewhat medicinal. It's not my favorite water cream I've tried, but it does a nice job of moisturizing and softening.
Klorane Shampoo with Peony
Covering all my bases here, as you can see! Next up: Klorane's Shampoo with Peony. It smells sooooooooo good and does an amazing job of cleansing, even when I'm wearing a lot of product in my hair.
Apparently, peony is known for its soothing properties, so this is a great option for those of you with sensitive or irritated scalps. I imagine it'll come in handy during any accidental scalp sunburns I get this summer.
Dove Purely Pampering Sweet Cream with Peony Body Wash
If you're looking for serious bang for your buck, this Dove body wash is a true contender. For under $6, you get a whopping 22 fl. oz of product (what!) and it's quality, too. The formula is super-gentle, lathers into a really creamy foam and smells like a soapy peony bouquet.
Speaking of bouquets...
Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet EDP
Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is another serious EDP winner, and definitely one that's going straight into my regular roundup. I wasn't sure what to expect with this based off the somewhat generic product descriptions I've read, but it is divine. Like everything in this peony roundup, this perfume leans very light, crisp and clean, but it's ultra-feminine and makes me feel super-sexy, but also very delicate. The musk and the orange aren't so strong — it's the peony and tiny hint of rose that steal the show.
Peacock Parfumerie Hope Bath Salts
Confession: this product is so pretty that I haven't actually used it yet. However, I have opened the lid and taken a whiff on countless occasions because it smells so fantastic. It's first and foremost juicy and rich, which is probably the fig. It's also made with peony, which adds a true floral softness, as well as cypress, which provides a twist of something crisp and earthy.
It's made with dead sea mineral salts and comes with a linen pouch that you can fill and throw into the tub. Because a pretty bath isn't worth a clogged drain.
Fresh Peony Brightening Moisturizing Facial Toner
Fresh Peony Brightening Moisturizing Facial Toner a spendy option, I know, but it's pretty different from a lot of toners out there. Unlike some, which can feel very astringent and even have a stinging effect, this one is extraordinarily silky. In fact, it feels like a super-duper thin serum and absorbs into the skin almost instantly, leaving your skin not tight or dry, but moisturized, soft and smooth.
You will notice an immediate difference in the texture and appearance of your skin, and that's why Fresh can charge you $60. It's great underneath a primer, too, since it's not weighty or greasy.
So those are my picks for peony. Personally, I think this is my favorite floral roundup yet. What do you think? How many of these products could double as Mother's Day gifts?


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Blofeld is a desktop synthesizer module featuring Waldorf's legendary Analog Modeling Technology. This generation of modeling is improved in many facets and allows an even more authentic emulation of the analog circuitry it's based on.Simply twisting Blofeld's solid aluminum knobs dials you right into the heart of sound. A clearly laid out control ... Click To Read More About This Product
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Blofeld is a desktop synthesizer module featuring Waldorf's legendary Analog Modeling Technology. This generation of modeling is improved in many facets and allows an even more authentic emulation of the analog circuitry it's based on.
Simply twisting Blofeld's solid aluminum knobs dials you right into the heart of sound. A clearly laid out control matrix allows you instant access to all key parameters. And a jumbo paper-white display lets you navigate easily and confidently through sounds and less frequently used settings.
All this comes in a high-quality desktop enclosure loaded with 1000 fully editable Waldorf sounds. The Blofeld synth connects to your computer through for your sound editing and management convenience. What's more, you can load and play Micro Q sounds without any compromises in audio quality.
You also get Spectre, a free tool for creating and transferring sample content for Waldorf Blofeld Module with License SL upgrade installed and Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard (License SL not required for Keyboard). This is NOT a patch editor. Downloand the PC or Mac version and manual here: http://www.waldorfmusic.de/en/archive?relPath=blofeld/spectre.
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Reviewed by 4 customers
Comments about Waldorf Blofeld Desktop Synth Module:
I own a number of synths including a Roland JP-8080 and Virus Snow, but this is my favorite along with the DSI Tetra. I have had it for about eight months and use it constantly. The unit is compact but solid as a rock. It is also the best looking desktop synth on the market. It sounds beautiful, and its patches range from harsh basses to shimmering pads. While it is digital, it can be warm, too. If you want something that can mimic natural instruments like a guitar or a flute then forget it. This little beast is meant to sound synthetic and is great for emulating later day Kraftwerk-style songs (think Tour de France). Despite the limited number of knobs, programming is easier than I first expected. The display is big and the programming matrix benefits from a logical layout. Most parameters are easy to access, and it is especially fun to mess with the wave forms to create moving effects. Even so, my biggest complaint is that it lacks a VST interface like the Virus Snow. Also, the operating system tends to be buggy, although the latest software revision has fixed a number of minor problems. Overall, I would recommend the Blofeld to anyone interested in making music that ranges from minimal tech or dance anything to industrial to ambient to eighties revival.
Comments about Waldorf Blofeld Desktop Synth Module:
First of all, the reason why i choose the Blofeld is that even Virus TI has good sound and powerful, I find that the virus sound is everywhere nowadays as well as the nord sound. I want to get something which is a bit different and unique sounding. I find that the Blofeld has a unqiue sound of itself. At the same time, it gathers different synthesis approach in one box which is good. The best part of the synth must be the wavetable and the filter (the comb filter). Built like a brick! Quality Product and Good Sounding. Best Synth i have used.
Best Uses
Comments about Waldorf Blofeld Desktop Synth Module:
This is one of the few virtual analog synthesizers that actually does what it claims to do: It sounds analog (Roland could learn something from these guys). It has three oscillators, is multitimbral (can play more than one sound at a time), has lush effects, and is deeply programmable. It has a solid build quality and a nice LCD screen.
The only drawback, and it's a pretty big one, is their choice to use a matrix editor. I do understand it's a small piece and there is really no way to pack all the needed sliders and buttons, but it needs to be known that if anyone wishes to engage in sound creation that the ease of use is as good as it can be. It may sound like a small thing but the placement of the primary edit knob on this unit is high and to the left, so you can't use your right hand to edit without blocking the screen, so you have to always use your left hand. The screen should be at or above any commonly accessed buttons. The other drawback is you can't quickly switch on or off oscillators. Again, sounds small but when making sounds turning oscillators on and off is something you do a lot, and to do this requires menu diving. Managing multiple stereo filters can be just a royal pain as well. While they did a reasonably good job with the editing, it could have been a lot better (they could learn a bit from Dave Smith here).
However, it does need to be stated that if one can get past the matrix interface, the sounds that can come from this unit are warm, lush, and deep. This unit still survives in my studio among some legendary titans, and that says a lot. In closing, this is likely one of the best sounding virtual analog synths, and you will enjoy listening to the sounds if you can get past some of the annoying drawbacks of the interface.
Comments about Waldorf Blofeld Desktop Synth Module:
A great little synth with lots of features, 3-osc, many LFO's, complex routing possibilities, wavetables, ability to load samples (with a $100 add-on), etc etc. Plus it sounds great.
I would recommend with enthusiasm, but this thing crashes *all the time*. A quick google search reveals that this is a widespread problem. Waldorf just released a new firmware (1.24), and to be honest I think it has made it worse.
Caveat emptor.
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Straight from Onboard Snowboard Magazine-
Check out the official snowboard-only edit from the Suzuki Nine Queens, featuring a slew of the world's best female riders sending it on what is surely one of the sickest snow setups ever constructed.
The Nine Queens event has been going on in Livigno for a good while now, but until this year, had only been open for skiers. This year for the first time, the event opened its arms to snowboarders, and we're hyped on it.
The setup, a crazy looking snow-fortress with a whole bunch of different rail and kicker transfer options, was ripped to shreds by the nine invited queens including Spencer O'Brien, Silje Norendal, Isabel Derungs and Jenny Jones.
Watch the official snowboard-only edit above and don't miss the event when it returns bigger and better than ever next year.
Sunset, lifestyle and helicopter shoots, as well as, jib sessions and a fantastic contest day all added up to a great introduction of snowboarding to the 2014 Suzuki Nine Queens presented by O'Neill in Livigno, Italy. Get a piece of the epic action in the snowboard edit, which celebrates the awesome riders such as big air contest winner Elena Könz (SUI), the "Best Overall" snowboarder Isabel Derungs (SUI), "Style Queen" Klaudia Medlova (SVK) and many more. Seeing the immense castle on Mottolino Fun Mountain from all angles will also allow you to put in context the winning "Best Action Shot" of Jenny Jones, taken by Elenora Raggi (ITA) for the photo contest.
Read more at http://onboardmag.com/videos/nine-queens-2014-official-snowboard-edit-with-silje-norendal-spencer-obrien-and-more.html#gSSg7WV2OkVhEqfT.99