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Canadavisa-Online is pleased to announce that they have launched a new visa portal.
canadavisa-online is a leading provider of Canadian immigration services. We are pleased to announce that we have launched a new website, canadavisa-online.com.The new website provides a user-friendly interface and contains a wealth of information on all aspects of Canadian immigration. Visitors to the site can access free resources, such as guides and articles, or purchase premium services, such as our popular Canadian Visa Application Kit. canadavisa-online is committed to providing the highest quality immigration services available. Our team of experts will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your application is processed quickly and efficiently.
CANADA VISA FOR FRANCE CITIZENSWe are pleased to announce that Canada visa requirements for France citizens have been waived.This means that France citizens no longer need a visa to enter Canada. They can now enter the country for business or pleasure without having to apply for a visa in advance.This change will make it easier for France citizens to visit family and friends in Canada, or to take advantage of business opportunities in the Canadian market.We welcome France citizens to Canada and look forward to seeing more of them in the country in the future.
The Canadian government has announced that it will be waiving visa requirements for German citizens travelling to Canada. This change will come into effect on May 1st, 2017.This is great news for German travellers, as Canada is a popular destination for both leisure and business travel. With no need for a visa, German citizens will be able to enjoy all that Canada has to offer without any hassle.We encourage all German travellers to take advantage of this opportunity and experience the beauty and diversity of Canada firsthand.
The Government of Canada has announced that Greece is now included in the list of countries whose citizens are eligible to apply for a Canadian visa online.This new initiative will make it easier and faster for Greek citizens to apply for a Canadian visa, and will help facilitate travel to Canada.Greek citizens who wish to apply for a Canadian visa can do so by visiting the website of the Government of Canada's Visa Office.
We are excited to announce that canadavisa-online is now offering visas for Israeli citizens! This is a great opportunity for Israelis looking to travel to Canada for business or pleasure. With our easy-to-use online application, you can apply for a visa in just minutes. We will take care of the rest, ensuring that your application is processed quickly and efficiently. Contact us today to learn more about this great new service!
The Government of Canada has announced that Italy is now eligible for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Italian citizens can now apply for an eTA online through canadavisa-online.ca.An eTA is required for all visitors to Canada, except for those who already have a valid visa. The eTA is a multiple-entry document that allows visitors to stay in Canada for up to six months at a time. It is valid for five years, or until the visitor's passport expires, whichever comes first.Applying for an eTA is a simple and quick process that can be completed online.
Media Contact
Company Name: Canada Visa Online
Contact Person: Bajaso Thompson Bindra
Email: Send Email
Country: Canada
Website: https://www.canada-visa-online.org/bg/visa/


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Product Description
Brand: This stylish dobby border towel by WestPoints hospitality will make a perfect first impression on your guests. The Brentwood by Martex collection Super-strong weave holds the towel tightly together even after many repeat washings, thanks to its 100% Ring-Spun Cotton Lock Stitched, Bar Tacked Hems.
Designed for hotels and other lodging facilities, the Brentwood ECRU (beige) colors won't bleed or fade even after chlorine bleach, thanks to its patented StayBright technology. The towels offer you the convenience of being in.FreshReady,in. which means no prewash is necessary, and it's ready to go the second it arrives in your housekeeping department; it's that simple! The Brentwood collection is also available in bright white; you can purchase them in various sizes. The Bath Sheet is 30X60 inches, 20Lb/Dz | and comes in a pack Of 12. The Bath towels come in various sizes and weights. The Hand Towel is 16X30, 3.5 lbs per dozen 4.5Lbs per dozen; they can be purchased in a pack of 24. The washcloths and bath mats are also available. Match them with the famous Brentwood hotel pillows.
Hotels4humanity is committed to offering you the best quality products and customer service. Features: 100% Ringspun Cotton Loops Lock Stitched, Bar Tacked Hems Staybright FreshReady Wash colors separately in warm water Only non-chlorine bleach when needed Tumble dry low
Audience: Hoteliers, But at: Hotels4Humanity Your one stop shop for Hotel Supplies
- 100% Ringspun Cotton Loops
- Lock Stitched, Bar Tacked Hems
- Staybrightª
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- Wash colors separately in warm water
- Only non-chlorine bleach when needed
- Tumble dry low

subset: commoncrawl


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Kostov, Mitko and Petkovski, Mile (2001) Estimation of the Line Voltage Disturbance in the Wavelet Domain Processing. In: International Scientific Conference on Energy and Information Systems and Technologies EIST, June, 2001, Bitola, Macedonia.
Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: http://icestconf.org
This paper considers the practical implementation of the wavelet transform. An algorithm for estimation of the signal disturbances is proposed. The results are compared with the results obtained by classical filtering.
Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (Paper) |
Subjects: | Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Engineering and Technology > Electrical engineering, electronic engineering,information engineering Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Engineering and Technology > Other engineering and technologies |
Divisions: | Faculty of Technical Sciences |
Depositing User: | Prof Mitko Kostov |
Date Deposited: | 30 Aug 2018 12:19 |
Last Modified: | 30 Aug 2018 12:19 |
URI: | https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/564 |
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Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Publica
Print version ISSN 1726-4634
RAMOS PADILLA, Miguel. La salud sexual y la salud reproductiva desde la perspectiva de género. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2006, vol.23, n.3, pp.201-220. ISSN 1726-4634.
This assay aims at introducing gender in the analysis of the health, disease and medical care process in the field of sexual and reproductive health. Gender is considered a valuable input to reveal a series of components, which although closely related to class and ethnic origin, have a dynamics and a relatively autonomous capability to explain reality. Gender is not only a determining aspect of inequity but also an explicative axel of many factors involved in getting sick and dying for many men and women. In the first place, we present the most important implications of social inequity due to gender and gender differences in sexual and reproductive health for Peru. In the second place, an analysis is conducted on the importance of conceiving males and involving them as subjects entitled to rights and with specific needs in health and reproduction, in discussion with the position of the International Population and Development Council in Cairo and the sexual and reproductive health implications of men in womens health. In the third place, the winding road of the public policies regarding sexual and reproductive health is analyzed, and in this aspect, the right of people and gender equality from the above mentioned Conference. Lastly, the presentation ends with some proposals for sexual and reproductive health policies with a gender perspective.
Keywords : Gender and health; Sexual and reproductive health; Health public policy; Peru.


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Do you ever see something on the water that doesn't look quite right? A manatee in distress? Dirty water flowing out of an outfall? Dumping? Debris? Fish Kills? It can be hard to know what's safe and what's a problem for our waterways, and it can be hard to know who to call to report an issue. Our goal is to make this easy for you.
Our 1000 Eyes on the Water program is a volunteer-based, citizen-led, water patrol program designed to increase Miami Waterkeeper's ability to monitor the Bay and waterways of South Florida. We will train you to identify, document, and report issues so you can help us watch out for our waterways. Our goal is to have 500 community members join our team, and to have 1000 eyes watching out for our water.
Have you observed pollution or other environmental issues in Biscayne Bay or other waters in Miami-Dade and Broward County?
1000 Eyes on the Water is made posible by the generous support of:
Instructions, FAQs, Contact information, Patrol Log Forms, and more.
[CTA1 | cta_styleA] TITLE:Keep Miami Sparkling DESCRIPTION: Support our clean water efforts BUTTONLABEL:donate now LINK:donate [ENDCTA1]


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President Trump told Fox & Friends' Ainsley Earhardt that his original tweet suggesting there could be tapes of his Oval Office conversations with ex-FBI Director James Comey came from concerns that the Obama administration may have been surveilling the White House:
The quote: "You never know what's happening when you see that the Obama administration, and perhaps longer than that, was doing all of unmasking and surveillance and you read all about it... the horrible situation with surveillance all over the place... But when [Comey] found out that I, you know, that there may be tapes out there, whether it's governmental tapes or anything else, and who knows, I think his story may have changed."
- Should Mueller recuse himself from special counsel? "[H]e's very, very good friends with Comey, which is very bothersome... we'll have to see. I can say that the people that have been hired are all Hillary Clinton supporters... I mean the whole thing is ridiculous."
- On health care: "I've done in five months what other people haven't done in years... It's a very complicated situation from the standpoint, you do something that's good for one group but bad for another."
- On rumors Pelosi is being ousted: "I hope she doesn't step down. I think that it would be very, very sad for Republicans if she steps down. I'd be very, very disappointed if she did. I'd like to keep her right where she is, because our record is extraordinary against her."
- Democrats being obstructionists: "I think they'd do much better, as a party, if they got along with us... I honestly think they'd do better at the polls... boy, would the people love to see two parties getting together and coming up with the perfect health care plan... I don't think that's going to happen, but that is what should happen."


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Conversation with Sharad Sharma, Chief Product Officer - Mettl
Sharad has extensive experience in product management & product development across mobile platforms, web & advertising. Adept at conceptualizing, defining, building, launching, iterating & monetizing mobile products/features in consumer internet space & for smartphone OEMs.
He has more than 18 years of experience and is a graduate of VJTI, Mumbai.
He shares his professional journey of getting into product management as well as share's his mantra for hiring product managers.


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FanGraphs came out with their mid-to-late-season revised prospect lists recently, and you're right to flinch. You can find the Giants' updated top-10 list here, and it goes like this:
- Christian Arroyo
- Tyler Beede
- Bryan Reynolds
- Heliot Ramos
- Chris Shaw
- Andrew Suarez
- Sandro Fabian
- Steven Duggar
- C.J. Hinojosa
- Joan Gregorio
There was a question in the comments about Austin Slater's eligibility (he'll still be a rookie next season), but I'd guess he could go anywhere from five to 10, if he were considered. As I have hopes for Shaw becoming a starter at some point, perhaps even next year, this list doesn't seem that bad to me. If the guy in the fifth spot has starter potential (and the guy in the sixth spot might be a rotation regular one day soon), that's decent enough depth, right? Not outstanding depth. But there's something there. Maybe.
Except this will put it into perspective: FanGraphs also released their updated top-100 list. Here are the Giants who made it:
- .
Alas, the Giants have completely unsullied the midseason list of baseball's best prospects. And I'm writing about this not to depress you, but to point out another way that the Giants' season has been unfathomably dismal. The organization might have top-100 caliber prospects, but ...
- Tyler Beede was erratic, and then he broke
- Christian Arroyo broke
- No one else really came close to seizing a top-100 spot
Beede and Arroyo were both listed in the "Others Considered" section, so it's not like the Giants were completely shut out. Just almost entirely shut out.
This has been one of my biggest complaints about a 2017 season filled with complaints. So the Giants stink, whatever, great, it happens. I'll deal with the stink, and I'll drag all of you down with me. Except behind that reality, I would like there to be something to look forward to. A toolsy teenager hitting .330 in A-ball, even though he's young for his league. A major-league callup absolutely thriving with the big club and cementing a spot for next year.
Instead, there are injuries. Or performances that are okay, considering. Interesting prospects who remain interesting, which is almost an epithet you slap on a player when his performance doesn't demand anything better. There are role players if you squint, but there aren't a lot of future stars, it appears. The second a hitter looked like he knew what he was doing in the majors, his groin sproinged.
And, perhaps my favorite part: The pitcher and the hitter who are having the best minor league seasons of all aren't likely to show up in the major leagues because of red tape. So we don't even get to see them and get excited.
Add it up, and you have a recipe for a season that's the pits all around, and it's why the Giants don't have a top-100 prospect. For now.
That doesn't mean that you can't dream on Shaw and his power. He's the only player in the entire organization with 20 home runs, after all. This doesn't mean you can't get waaaaay too excited about Heliot Ramos, which I already have. It just means that as the 2017 Giants go, so goes the 2017 Giants farm system. It's been a rough year all around, right down to the collected standings of the minor league affiliates.
And it's trickled down to a FanGraphs top-100 list. It's understandable. We'll just have to root for Heliot twice as hard next year.


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Occupational Health and Safety
Requesting country | Providing country |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Canada |
Three officers of the Department of Labor of St. Vincent and the Grenadines participated in an on-site visit to the HRSDC (Ministry of Labor) central office in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The main aim of the mission was to observe the implementation of the intervention model to be able to adapt it to St. Vincent in an effort to strengthen the inspection mechanism within the Department of Labor. This model is completely voluntary and based on a collaborative approach were labor officers work with an employer to help identify the hazards and needs of the workplace.
As stated by the participants the objectives of the cooperation were fulfilled since they were able to observe all the stages of the model in a very practical way. They visited three workplaces with health and safety officers responsible for implementing the model and witnessed firsthand the interaction between managers and workers and the safety officers during the various stages of the application of the model.
After the visit and based on the Canadian experience, the labor officers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stated a very concrete goal: "The Department of Labor would try to develop a modified intervention model on occupational safety and health and approach the most at risk businesses to implement internal safety plans. Our first approach would be to target businesses in manufacturing and agricultural sectors to assess their openness and/or readiness to implement such plans. The aim being to show business that creating safe workplaces would not only benefit the employee but would improve productivity and hence benefit the employer as well."


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Nine parks and open spaces across the borough of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon secure coveted Green Flag Award status this year.
Organised by leading environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, the Green Flag Award is an internationally recognised certification for environmental quality management for parks and open spaces, and continues to go from strength to strength with an amazing 93 locations across Northern Ireland recognised this year.
Among the local borough winners were Tannaghmore Gardens, ABC Canal Greenway, Brownstown Park, Clare Glen, Loughbrickland Park, Portadown People's Park, Gosford Forest Park, Palace Demesne and Scarva Park.
"I am delighted to see the borough continue to receive the well-deserved recognition for its beautiful parks and open spaces," commented Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Paul Greenfield.
"Achieving this distinguished accreditation is no mean feat, with each site undergoing a rigorous and robust assessment process led by a volunteer panel of experts as well as demonstrating that they met a range of strict criteria including horticultural standards, cleanliness, environmental management, biodiversity, community involvement and safety standards. I would like to commend the hard work and efforts of council's dedicated staff that are front and centre to this success."
Dr Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful which manages the local Green Flag Awards programme, said:
"Communities across the country value their local parks enormously and their potential to support biodiversity is being increasingly recognised. They're not just spaces for us, they're spaces for nature. When you visit a Green Flag site you can be reassured that the location is being managed to a really high standard as they've been through a rigorous judging process that assesses sites across a range of issues including their horticultural standards, cleanliness, biodiversity and safety.
"It's so encouraging, this year, to see councils, organisations and communities implementing such a wide variety of measures to help our pollinating insects which are severely under pressure. Some of the initiatives are bold and some are subtle, but all show great commitment to working with nature for the benefit of the environment and us all; and at time when many people's finances are under pressure, it's important to highlight the fact that all Green Flag spaces are free to everyone."
To see the full list of Green Flag Award winners click here.


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A VE day or VJ day party for Highfields Road, in the garden of the Howells' house, 84 Highfields Road.
Keith Howell recalls: 'Mr Joslin who ran the farm [Moat farm] allowed the residents to build a large bonfire around a hawthorn tree in the corner of the field, just out of the pictures. I remember that it made a mammoth blaze when set alight. All the children had prizes for various games and races'.
Behind, left to right, the backs of 84 Highfields Road, 82 Highfields Road, and 80 Highfields Road.
Includes Mr Winston Alderton of 72 (pale suit, sitting on something at back, with hand to mouth). Mrs Rachel Alderton of 72 (in the background, behind the three at extreme left, half in front of a downstairs window). And Mr Jock Nicol of 92 (leaning on the table at back, to right of Winston).
Ref | M1340 |
Date taken | May or Aug 1945 |
Source | Howell, Keith, who was present at the party. |


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Every Day: 8am – 8pm
2 Hours
18 cubic metres
(up to 1000kg)
Every Day: 8am – 8pm
2 Hours
18 cubic metres
(up to 1000kg)
You might be wondering what exactly it is that I do. Since I am in charge of Man and Van Woodford, my work entails carrying people's belongings from 8 am to 8 pm. I will set out to your location as soon as you contact me via phone. It mostly takes an average of 19 minutes to arrive at your place in Woodford but this will also depend with the traffic situation on that day.
I have a clean, well-equipped and reliable van which will ensure that your belongings are safe and sound. Since my van can carry up to 1000 kg and a capacity of 18 cubic meters, it requires regular servicing for it to work efficiently. My van is fully insured and it is also maintained to the highest standards.
Worried about your heavy items? I always carry some removal blankets and even trolleys to carry or load the heavy items in my van. You can now rest assured that your load will be carried well and will also be protected throughout the journey. I am sure we both want your goods to arrive undamaged!
I use a medium sized van to transport any luggage or belongings that my clients may have. You will not have to worry about your bulky luggage as I will help you to load and even unload the van. However, it is worth noting that I will not help you pack or disassemble the furniture.
I have a wide range of clients with most of them seeking Man and Van Woodford services to transport a small load around Greater London. An example of my typical client includes single persons wishing to ferry their load from Woodford to any other place around London. Small businesses are also common clients with most of them ferrying equipment across their offices. Students with a small set of furniture and individuals seeking eBay or IKEA goods to be delivered at their doorstep are other popular clients.
My charges are calculated on an hourly basis for either single or bulky items. I have a reasonable fee of £32 per hour but the minimum hours allowed are two. A quick reminder is that I only accept cash payments.
I have adopted the use of innovative technology here at Man and Van Woodford. Through the use of a Geolocation recognition system, you are now able to find the nearest Man and Van on our website. This is possible in two ways.
Your first option is having an automatic allocation system. This option will only require you to go to our Man and Van site and allow the website to determine your specific location. The Geolocation recognition system will then locate your nearest driver and show you their contacts. If you happen to be in Woodford then that would be my contacts.
Some clients may not want to share their location and this manual option ensures they can still get Man and Van Woodford services. You can use this option by going to the borough page and reviewing your location among the list of places. You will then get a link on the page on how to contact me without sharing your information.


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Mar 12, 2020
Emater Lowers Soybean Production in Rio Grande do Sul by 32%
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Hot and dry weather continues to afflict the crops in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. After weeks of dry weather, the temperatures across the state this week are forecasted to be some of the highest of the season ranging from the upper 90's to low 100's.
As a result, estimates of the soybean and corn production in the state continue to decline. For the second time this month, the Emater extension service in the state of Rio Grande do Sul has reduced their estimate of the 2019/20 soybean production in the state. In their latest assessment, they are now estimating the crop at 13.3 million tons, which is a 32% decline compared to the 19.7 million tons they estimated at the start of the growing season. Earlier in the month, they reduced their estimate by 3 million tons and this week they reduced it another 3 million tons.
The soybean crop in Rio Grande do Sul stands in stark contrast to the soybeans in northern Brazil where yields are expected to be record high. Earlier this week, Conab estimated the Brazilian soybean crop at 124.2 million tons, which was an increase of 1.0 million tons from their February estimate and if verified, would be a record high production for Brazil. Conab's March estimate included 16.9 million tons of soybean production in Rio Grande do Sul.
The forecast for the state is only calling for modest rains over the next few weeks and probably not enough to overcome the current moisture deficits. The soybeans in the state are only 2% harvested which means that the majority of the soybeans are still in the critical pod filling phase. A spokesperson for Emater indicated that it is possible that their soybean estimate for the state could be reduced further in subsequent reports.


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Melissa C.
In March 2011, I had my gall bladder removed due to it being infected and full of stones. I believe this is where my issues with C. diff. started. I was on a surgical unit in the hospital. I had antibiotics. As soon as I got home the diarrhea began. Doctor after doctor attributed it to not having a gall bladder anymore. I tried all the drugs but I still would have 5-7 watery bowel movements a day. This went on for a year. I had several colonoscopies and EGDs that showed inflammation throughout the GI tract and one that showed a candida infection in my esophagus, but no one ever said the inflammation was Crohn's or colitis. So I struggled for a year. I lost 10 pounds in that year. I had two small children who were missing out on having fun with friends because I couldn't go anywhere for fear of having an accident in the car. I finally made an appointment with a womens GI specialist in Providence. She was booking far out and in the meantime one night at work I came down with severe diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. It was a LONG ride home. I called in sick to work that weekend and spent Saturday and Sunday between my bed and couch. At one point, my son found me lying on the bathroom floor and I remember him yelling "Daddy, Mom's sleeping on the floor!". Most of the rest is a blur.
My husband brought me to the hospital the 3rd day of those symptoms, which I just assumed was a flare up of my "gall bladder diarrhea" (at this point I totally forgot that about 2 weeks earlier I had been on clindamycin for a root canal). I figured the ER would just give me fluids and send me on my way. They couldn't get an IV in so they did an abdominal CT scan without contrast, which showed my entire colon was inflamed and thickened. They diagnosed me with colitis, either inflammatory type or infectious, they weren't sure yet. They wanted to put a central IV line in my neck because they still couldn't get an IV in but at that point I had a mini meltdown and just cried to go home. They had me take some Ativan under the tongue and once I was sedated (or knocked out rather) they fished and were able to get an IB in.
Bloodwork showed a fierce infection and liver enzymes were all out of whack. My liver and spleen were also enlarged. So I was admitted. I assumed I'd go home the next day; no one stays in the hospital for long any more! I told the admitting doctor about my history of diarrhea. They put my on IV fluids with potassium, IV Flagyl, and I tried to get some rest. The next day the GI doctor came in and told me my stool was positive for C. diff. I didn't know if any doctor prior had ever tested me for this, and he said I was not your typical C. diff. candidate, so maybe not. He assured me a day or two on Flagyl, and I'd be good to go. My brother was kind enough to email me an article about a new treatment for C. diff., fecal transplant. I thought it was the most disgusting thing I'd ever heard of. Oh, was he wrong. About day 4 or 5 into the hospitalization I felt worse. I was so weak. They changed me to oral vancomycin.
The nurses wanted me to call them when I needed to go to the bathroom so they could help me but when I had to go, I couldn't wait for them to come all the way down the hall to the isolation room and gown up. I had to go…NOW. So, I do remember once crawling there. It wasn't pretty. I felt like I was getting worse not better. I was still having severe projectile vomiting and diarrhea, even on just liquids.The morning of day 6, my 4 year old son was admitted to a different hospital. Now I was really a mess. My 2 year old daughter was being shuffled to different family members, my son was at Hasbro in Providence and I was in a hospital in a different city.
I was alone and scared I wouldn't get to go home and see my children, and my son needed me. So I knew I needed to get better. I begged them to let my try and eat something, anything. I was sure if I had something to eat the nausea and intense headache would go away. Well, I still vomited and had diarrhea, but at least with something in my I started to feel a bit better. It may have been around this time they also had to give me IV magnesium; even on all the meds, I was still dehydrated and my electrolytes were crazy. Finally on day 8 I was sent home. I begged. I needed to see my children and let them see I was okay. So, very weak, I went home. I was given another 14 day course of oral vanco. At this point I was still having diarrhea maybe 5 times a day. So the following week I had a regular follow up with my hematologist (I've been severely iron deficient pretty much since the whole diarrhea things started and have had to get many IV iron infusions).
I was still having much diarrhea and was dehydrated and fainted while I was there, so they brought me to the ER where they did another C. diff. test. They called on the way home and said it was indeed positive, but that I did not need to be admitted unless I really wanted to (no thank you). So more vanco. The following week I had a follow up with the GI who saw me in the hospital. I still felt horrible so he changed the dose on the vanco and gave me 3 refills in case I needed them. I thought to myself, "Three refills?!" I didn't want to need them! I wanted this to go away. My poor children were watching me basically die. My husband had to take off much of the summer to care for them and me. I couldn't go anywhere because I was afraid of not finding a bathroom in time.
Finally, maybe 2 weeks after that, the appointment with the GI in Providence came around. I didn't even talk to her about the year long battle with diarrhea, just the C. diff. She was surprised no one had done the tapering course of vanco yet, so we did that. She did a scope and it showed mild inflammation. I then had many follow ups with her nurse practitioner and she kept mentioning I should see Dr. Colleen Kelly for a fecal transplant. The idea still grossed me out. After repeatedly seeing the nurse practitioner I was convinced and I emailed the study coordinator for Dr. Kelly's study. Her office was amazing and got me in very quickly. My husband came with me because if I was going to do this he'd be my donor. She said I was a perfect candidate for her study, but too sick at that point; we didn't want me to risk getting any worse. When I was slightly better, she signed me up for a fecal transplant, and that was that. Until my husband's stool came back positive for C. diff. So the procedure was cancelled.
My mom volunteered to be my donor, so we began the screening with her. She tested fine. Then they said I had to go in in just a couple of days. I was excited, nervous! When I went, Dr. Kelly (who is THE most compassionate doctor I have ever met) explained the FDA's stance (this was back in November 2012), and she had to file an emergency IND application for me. I can't believe she did that for me, someone she didn't even know. She had to do so much extra work for it. I am forever grateful. The procedure started, and while I usually fall right asleep during colonoscopies, I was so worked up I remember watching the whole thing on the screen. It was amazing. I was able to hold it in for just about an hour. I went home. Felt fine. And have felt fine since. Some minor irritable bowel, but nothing that's unbearable. Dr. Kelly is amazing. My kids finally have their mom back. My husband has his wife back. My mom didn't have to see her daughter die. I am so thankful I was able to get into Dr. Kelly's office and get the procedure when I did. I can't imagine being one of the patients who need it now and cannot get it because the FDA's decision.
As a pharmacist, I feel most of the drugs I dispense have more potential side effects than someone else's feces! And it was a drug that started this all for me…My family just came back from Disney World! I would have NEVER been able to do that trip any time in the last 2 years before my transplant. I am so very thankful.
Hospital Acquired
Other Stories
In February 2020 I was prescribed both clindamycin and cefalexin for a breast abscess. Three weeks after I finished my course of antibiotics, in March 2020, I started to have severe, painful abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Each day became worse and worse until I was up through the night and couldn't be away from the toilet for more than half an hour.
It started with a rash on my back that I suspect started from the barber I was seeing. Scratching it made it worse. I went to the doctor's office and was tended to by a PA. It was decided that this infection should be treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
In February 2020 I was prescribed both clindamycin and cefalexin for a breast abscess. Three weeks after I finished my course of antibiotics, in March 2020, I started to have severe, painful abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Each day became worse and worse until I was up through the night and couldn't be away from the toilet for more than half an hour.
Length: 4 months
Sue G.
I was pulling vines and weeding in my yard when I felt something on my forehead. An hour later I noticed four small bumps on my eyelid. My forehead was sensitive and swollen. I drove to Urgent Care nearby and a very young nurse practitioner prescr… -
As a nurse, I had heard of C. diff and treated many patients with it. I never imagined I'd soon become a patient myself. In January of 2023, I was prescribed antibiotics for what I thought was a dental infection. Shortly after, I developed chronic… -
Length: 2 months
Kristi M.
I had a severely infected tooth, but my dentist misdiagnosed my tooth abscess for a more serious facial infection and referred me to the local emergency room. I was given IV Clindamycin, and was sent home with a 10 day prescription for Clindamycin… -
Suzanne Dee Gorman
The first time I had C-diff I had spent two months in the hospital waiting to give birth to my daughter during which I had triplets to which I lost two. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl via cesarean section. A week later, I was still in the … -
I had C Diff about April 2023, I didn't know then what it was. It started with a lot of gas, then it continued with diarrhea once a day, then it went to ten times a day. It got so bad that I couldn't hold any stool as soon as I at I had to use the… -
Joan Hardin
There are several strains of C. diff, ranging from the extremely virulent type that killed Peggy Lillis so quickly after she took antibiotics for a dental problem to a milder form that I battled for many months. An overrun of the bug causes diarrh… -
Length: 6 MONTHS
Andi L.
Submitted by her mother, Jennifer Lucas UPDATE: We recently heard from Andi's mother, Jennifer, who told us that Andi's most recent treatment was successful and she has been C. diff free from several weeks. Andi, my four-year-old has C-diff … -
Length: 6 MONTHS
Chris & Victoria
In June of 2008, after a grueling first six months of child-rearing, Victoria O'Neal became ill with stomach pains and mild diarrhea. She was prescribed a wide-spectrum antibiotic, which seemed to only make the symptoms worse. After a period of co… -
Maryann Dillon
My name is MaryAnn Dillon. I am a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Room at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, where I have worked for about 25 years. I have worked with Helen Biegel, Peggy Lillis' sister for four years and we have talk… -
Length: 1 YEAR
Megan F.
My name is Megan and I live in Pennsylvania. I am 29, married and have three small children. I have struggled with Clostridium difficile (C. diff) for the past year before receiving a fecal transplant, which has successfully treated the condition …


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Orquesta SCC (Salsa con Conciencia) is an 11-piece salsa band based in New York City referred to by their fans as 'The New Generation of Salsa Dura'. The band brings a modern vitality and social consciousness to the salsa genre, taking their bold sounds to salsa dancers and fans around the world. "They represent something very significant, a return not just to the classic formula of salsa but to the virtues of it," says Aaron Levinson, a Grammy-winning producer. "They are going back to the more eclectic period when salsa was street music, playing with spirit and integrity and writing socially relevant music again." The name Orquesta SCC (Salsa con Conciencia) pays homage to the conscience lyrics the band has become known for around the world.
Orquesta SCC is formed by former La Excelencia core members; founder, conguero & composer Jose Vazquez-Cofresi, lead vocalist & composer Edwin Perez, arranger & bassist Jorge Bringas, percussionist Charles Dilone, trombonist Ronald Prokopez, and a new addition; master tres guitarist Yuniel Jimenez.
As former members of La Excelencia each played a key roll in forming the hardcore salsa sound of the band and participated on three CDs, Salsa Con Conciencia, (Salsa with Awareness/ Conscience), Mi Tumbao Social (My social drum beat), Ecos del Barrio (Echoes of the Neighborhood), on Latin Music USA by PBS & BBC televised special live performance at the Barbican Centre in London, featured in 'The New York Times', 'Latin Beat Magazine', 'So You Think You Can Dance', 'Zumba Fitness', motions pictures, instructional DVDs and countless salsa/world music compilations.
In 2013, Orquesta SCC signed with Salsa Dura Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Edwin Perez & Jose Vazquez-Cofresi to release their fourth album working together. The new album by Orquesta SCC includes 11 original songs with arrangements by Jorge Bringas and compositions by Edwin Perez & Jose Vazquez-Cofresi. Fans will enjoy the hardcore salsa sounds, danceable songs, and conscience lyrics on the new album to be released in 2013. The bands music can also be heard on radio stations, internet radio, and satellite radio both nationally and internationally. Orquesta SCC has built an adoring fan base that spans the globe, and successfully created a new revolutionary movement for salsa music.
Enter for a chance to win tickets to see Salsa con Conciencia LIVE at SOB's Friday, September 20 by emailing your name to [email protected]
For more info: visit www.sobs.com


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Instagram star quits social media, reveals her 'dream life' was all a sham
1 2016-10-23T18:43:35-07:00 Danielle Darden 1e7b325f16cbacd97205a9631ed215dad32303d7 11880 1 Instagram model, Essena O'Neil has quit social media, and is now determined to reveal to her thousands of fans that her "dream life" was really fake plain 2016-10-23T18:43:35-07:00 Danielle Darden 1e7b325f16cbacd97205a9631ed215dad32303d7This page is referenced by:
The Cause and Effects in Social Media
Learn about the effects of social media.
In the section, you will learn the cause and effects in social media including social networking addiction,psychological effects, and cyber bullying, and the . Social media is a handy tool when used properly, when it is not used efficiently it can cause a lot of problems. Here are some of the key terms to look out for when reading this chapter.
Social Networking Addiction
Cyber bullying
Peer pressure
Staged MarketingToo Much Media
Too much media can be cause a problem. The more social media a person consumes exposes them to more problems such as addiction, cyber bullying, and exposure to inappropriate content, and psychological effects. Social media is fun, everyone is using snapchat, instagram, YouTube etc. but it starts to become a trend that can consume your daily habits. It's hard to regulate yourself when using social media, one click turns into another and another and all of the sudden two hours pass by. These habits can quickly result in social networking addiction. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and dozens of others allow people to stay in touch like never before. However, some people spend so much time on these sites that it begins to interfere with their lives. Psychologists are referring to this as a social networking addiction. (Wilson)SEVEN SIGNS OF A SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION OR COMPULSION
Some people are able to handle the social media revolution that is sweeping the planet earth. However, more and more people are not able to handle it. Here are some signs to look for that indicate a problem with social media:
1. Spending more than one hour daily at social media sites. Some would say one should not spend more than half an hour daily.
2. Checking social media sites whenever possible. Some people leave the program open and switch back and forth to it while working, for example. Others use a phone App to check it while eating lunch with friends, for example. This is extremely rude, but one observes it a lot.
3. Over-sharing. In an age when many people are very concerned about their privacy, some people are sharing very private information or photos with their Facebook friends or on other sites. A possible reason for this is to gain approval or acknowledgment from peers. This is sometimes called the need for social affirmation.
4. Interference with work, school performance or your offline social life. Some studies report that too much time on the social media can cause lower school grades. It can also reduce work performance and even lead to job loss.
5. Withdrawal symptoms if you try to cut down on the time you spend on social media.
6. Escapism. If you are using your time on the social media to avoid conflicts or problems that are occurring in your real life. You can know this because when you are "down", you turn to Facebook or another social media site to feel better.
7. Losing sleep to go on social media sites. It is bad enough if your social networking interferes with your daily work and studies. However, it is really out of hand if you stay up late at night to check Facebook, for example, or must wake up early to check it in the morning. Staying up late is one characteristic of those who overuse social networking sites, according to some studies.Are you addicted to social media?
Take this quiz to see if you need to sharpen up on your social media habits.
1.What's the first thing you do when you wake up?
A.Reach for your phone next to your bed to check Facebook and Twitter
B.Take a shower
C. Hit snooze and sleep
2. How often do you take a picture of your meal and share it on social media?
A. All the time, especially when you go out to eat.
B. Never – it's so annoying when people do that
C. Only whenever you eat something that looks particularly amazing
3. When a classmate asks how your weekend was, what's your reaction?
A.You decide to unfollow them on Instagram, because what's the point if they're not checking your social updates.
B. Reply that it was nice but don't go into any detail.
C. You pull out your phone and show them your Instagram pics.
4. How often do you 'check-in' on social media?
A. Several times a day.
B. Never.
C. Only on a Friday or Saturday night when you're heading to the movies with friends.
5. Has your best friend ever complained that you spend more time on your phone than you do talking to them?
A. Yes, you recently had a fight about that.
B. No, they're worst than you .
C. Once or twice, but you usually just laugh it off
6. When you hear something funny do you…?
A. Immediately post it on social media site.
B. Laugh.
C. Try to memorise it to post online later.
7. How often do you take selfies?
A. All the time- it's a good way of checking how you look
B. Umm what's a selfie?
C. Occasionally you might take one but not everyday
8. Do you know how many friends/followers you have on social media?
A. Yes, of course
B. No, you have no idea actually
C. You could probably give a good estimate
Mostly A's
You are addicted to social media
Leading hypnotherapist and counsellor Diana Parkinson says: "If you're constantly checking your phone, tablet or laptop, you're moving into compulsive or addictive behaviour. If you feel anxious when you're not connected to social media then you have a problem."
Diana recommends: "Make time to actually speak on the phone, arrange to meet up with those you care about, share a meal, chat face to face and have a real cuddle you can feel."
"Make a golden rule that when out with friends or family there will be no phones at the table. Switch off or put on silent and out of sight. Really take time to notice how much better your life is as you spend more of it in the real world and less in the virtual world."
Mostly B's
You are social media-phobic
Social media isn't a big deal to you
Leading hypnotherapist and counsellor Diana Parkinson says: "Social media is now an accepted way for people to communicate and interact and we use it because it gives us instant connection with whatever is happening in the moment."
"Social media can give us a real sense of belonging, that we matter because – 'Look I have lots of friends/followers'. It shows we are an important part of our own little network and it can boost feelings of confidence and self esteem. It's a place where we can voice our hopes and dreams, ask for help and advice, and where we can feel 'heard'."
Mostly C's
You have a healthy balanced attitude towards social media
Although at the moment you're a moderate user of social media, keep tabs on how often you visit these sites and make sure it doesn't develop into an unhealthy obsession.
Leading hypnotherapist and counsellor Diana Parkinson says: "Social media can make some people feel inadequate, as they compare their ordinary life with someone's 'look at me having a great time' postings."
"So if spending time on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram makes you feel upset or bad about yourself - stop – because you could spiral into depression."
Social media can be fun but use your time wisely, and practice healthy social habits. Check the signs if you feel that you might be addicted to social media, the sooner you know the faster you can start healthy habits.
Section Overview
Bullying is often defined as being an aggressive, intentional act or behavior that is carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself. Bullying is a form of abuse that is based on an imbalance of power; it can be defined as a systematic abuse of power. In recent years a new form of aggression or bullying has emerged, labeled cyberbullying, in which the aggression occurs through modern technological devices, and specifically mobile phones or the internet. Bullies often fall into peer pressure bullying, where they bully their victims with friends or in groups, as a negative social club.(O'Keeffe)
Research on this topic is still at an early stage of investigation; the phenomenon only appeared a few years ago, as the use of electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones by young people has increased. Although difficult to detect, victims of cyberbullying experience greater levels of depression than face-to-face bullying.
Unlike traditional forms of school bullying, where once the victim gets home they are away from the bullying until the next day, with cyberbullying the victim may continue to receive text messages or emails wherever they are. Another is the potential audience. Cyberbullying can reach particularly large audiences in a peer group compared with the small groups that are the usual audience in traditional bullying. For example, when someone downloads a picture or video clip with intention to embarrass the person in the clip, the audience that may see these clips/videos can be very large. Another common characteristic of cyberbullying is the invisibility of those doing the bullying: cyberbullying is not a face-to-face experience, and (like rumor-spreading) provides those doing the bullying with some degree of "invisibility" and at times anonymity. Following on from this, compared to most traditional bullying, the person carrying out cyberbullying may be less aware or even unaware of the consequences caused by his or her actions. Without such direct feedback there may be fewer opportunities for empathy or remorse and there may also be less opportunity for bystander intervention.(O'Keeffe)
What Causes people to participate in cyberbullying?
- Revenge of other peers
- Simply for entertainment purposes
- Some do it to boost their ego
- Get a laugh or approval from their peers
- Help bolster or remind people of their own social standing
- It can give people a bad reputation
- Causes low self-esteem
- Causes severe depression, even suicide
- Makes it hard to communicate with others
Get Support
There are many anti cyberbullying non-profit organizations, who are committed to tackling all forms of digital abuse and bullying online.They work on promoting diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community. If you ever experience cyberbullying know that you are not alone, speak up and tell an adult or visit an online support group.Section Overview
Be on the lookout for cyberbullying, know the signs and speak up right away. If you feel yourself being consumed with texts,ratings, likes, or comments take a break from social media. No matter what your peers say don't join in on cyberbullying. If it gets worst notify parents, teachers and counselors to put an end to cyberbullying.
Staged Marketing
Social media has been used as a tool for companies to advertise to a mass audience.Some of their strategies have been "masked" or hidden to blend into a picture without directly marketing to you. Social media apps like Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram have been growing as an online community for five years. It started off as a way to connect and it's slowly turned into a free platform for advertisement. Social media advertisement can be tricky to detect, because companies don't use their typical artificial ads and models. Instead they target "instafamous" or popular accounts and pay them to endorse their products. This method is great for companies but is harmful for viewers because it can lead to psychological effects for account holders and viewers.
Staged marketing is when a post includes brands and companies in their picture, the post is perceived as a typical picture until the user hovers over the images and brand accounts will appear. Or they will have a link as their caption encouraging you to check out the product.
Via Instagram @Vanessabukowski
This idea seems like a cheap way to save money and spread the word to the mass media. Find a girl or guy who has a lot of instagram followers and send products for free, and in exchange they will post, tweet, and snap about your product, basically a modern day brand ambassador. The problem is the pressure. The brand ambassadors are facing pressure of getting the perfect shot, angle, edit, and caption. Companies expect a quick turnaround for product posts and exposure, which can become hectic when you have four to five products to post about.
The Truth Behind The Perfect Picture
18-year-old Essena O'Neil, an Australian model and Instagram star famous for promoting brands in pretty pictures Quit social media d is now determined to reveal to her thousands of fans that her "dream life" was really fake. (Murray)
On a photo of her posing in a white gown: "NOT REAL LIFE - I didn't pay for the dress, took countless photos trying to look hot for Instagram, the formal made me feel incredibly alone."
"Deleted over 2,000 photos here today that served no real purpose other than self-promotion. Without realizing, I've spent majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance."Essena O'Neil wrote in a final post. (Murray)
She clarified that there's "nothing zen about trying to look zen" on a photo of her posing on a yoga mat on the beach, and admitted that she was paid $400 to post a photo of a dress in another image.
"I had the dream life," she said, adding that she'd signed with a modeling agency in Australia and had numerous requests from brands to promote their products in exchange for money. I had half a million people interested in me on [Instagram].I was surrounded by all this wealth and all this fame and all this power and yet they were all miserable, and I had never been more miserable," O'Neill added.
"Looking at so many flawless, perfect pictures has lowered my self-esteem and promoted insecurity."
What Social Media Can Do To Self Esteem And Body Image
According to Common Sense Media's body-image study, Children, Teens, Media, and Body Image, teens who are active online worry a lot about how they're perceived. In fact, body dissatisfaction appears to be on the rise in the United States. A study by the Keep it Real Campaign found that 80 percent of 10-year-old American girls have been on a diet. Examples of negative teen body image are all over the Web. In YouTube videos, kids ask an Internet audience to tell them if they're pretty or ugly. They rate each other on Instagram. They bare themselves and beg for feedback on formspring.me. They edit their selfies and drink in advice about how to improve their online image.
Social media has allowed the public to claim photography as a source of empowerment, in a way that has never been possible before. Psychologists have long focused on the oppressive nature of photography in the media. For example, in print advertising, the camera lens often focuses on women's bodies instead of their faces (Archer, Iritani, Kimes, & Barrios, 1983). And those bodies are flawless in every regard – perfectly proportioned, extremely thin, without blemishes, and, of course, young and white. Supposedly, this reflects what "we," as a culture, picture to be beautiful, but in actuality, it reflects what advertisers want us to believe is beautiful. (Gervais)
Exposure to this very narrowly defined viewfinder of beauty profoundly changes how girls and women think and feel about their own bodies (Kilbourne & Pipher, 1999). In fact, through a process referred to as self-objectification (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) women take an outsider's perspective of their bodies, seeing themselves through the same viewfinder that a photographer might use, with a telephoto lens zoomed in on their "problem" areas. In the short term, this is distracting and promotes shame and anxiety and in the long term, it promotes eating disorders, depression, and sexual dysfunction. Boys and men are not immune. Rather than extreme thinness, however, their internal photographer prompts them to desire leanness and muscularity, using extreme exercise, dieting, and steroids to achieve just the right picture of themselves.
Everyday you open a social media app you are exposed to advertisements, some may be more noticeable than others. Even if the post doesn't directly say it's an advertisement, if there are links, or tags that feature different brands or companies the post is practicing staged marketing.Don't let this ruin your fun on social media just be aware their is a different story on the other side of the lens.
Section Overview
Works Cited
Gervais, Sarah, Ph.D. "Does Instagram Promote Positive Body Image? | Psychology Today." Psychologytoday. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Knorr, Caroline. "Is Social Media Giving Your Teen a Negative Body Image ..." Common Sense Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Murray, Henna. "Instagram Star Essena O'Neill on Quitting Social Media ..." Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
O'Keeffe, Gwenn. "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and ..." AAP and New Journals Gateway. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Parkinson, Diana. "HOME - Diana Parkinson." N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Veasely, Tames. "The Cause and Effects of Cyberbullying: The Cause and ..." N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Wilson, Lawrence. "Www.drlwilson.com." Social Media Addiction. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.


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The potential for "unlimited liability" under DOL rules is generating significant levels of anxiety among advisors, worry about being found liable for investment losses due to unintentional or unforeseeable events.
This is a key finding of a new survey from Market Strategies International unit Cogent Wealth Reports. Conducted in mid-June, the survey polled financial advisors with $25 million plus in assets under management and more than 5 years of industry experience, as well as investors with over $100,000 in investable assets.
Related: Texas judge denies all but 2 briefs in DOL fiduciary hearing
According to the report, advisors lament that the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule is "casting a negative industry glow." While agreeing with the objectives of the DOL regulations, they fear that reputation of industry players — notably non-fiduciary advisors perceived as acting in their own interest — will be tarnished
"The DOL fiduciary ruling is fueling investors' focus on fees," the report states. "Investors, largely influenced by the news media, are articulating the impact of the ruling more in terms of fees rather than the more abstract concept of 'responsibility.'"


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Sainsbury's 400 in-store bakeries are now using 100% British flour, sourced with the help of farming co-operative Camgrain, announced the supermarket.
Following work with Camgrain on converting its flour, the switch has been completed a year ahead of Sainsbury's target.
Sainsbury's claimed it is now the only supermarket to source all its flour for its in-store bakeries from UK farms, offering full traceability. Beginning its work with Camgrain last year, the supermarket has now extended its contract with the co-operative until 2011.
"Providing customers with freshly baked bread through- out the day, using quality ingredients, is at the core of our in-store bakeries," said Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King.
"The provenance of those ingredients is a key issue for us and our customers, and in completing our conversion to 100% British flour we're able to establish an efficient and traceable UK food chain, which underpins our commitment to British farmers."
Camgrain has just opened a new grain storage and drying facility near Cambridge, which was planned for 2012, but increased demand pushed the completion date forward.


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Shares of Vital Therapies (NSDQ:VTL) fell 5% Friday morning, after the company priced an offering of 2 million shares of stock at $17.50 and granted underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an 300,000 additional shares.
Vital Therapies is developing a cell-based therapy targeting the treatment of acute liver failure, using a cartridge system designed to produce cells that mimic those of a patient's liver. The company's the ELAD System is in Phase 3 trials, with Vital Therapies describing it as a bio-artificial liver for patients in acute liver failure or awaiting a transplant.
If its underwriters exercise the full allotment, Vital Therapies said it will reap net proceeds of $36.9 million from the offering.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering, with William Blair lead manager and Canaccord Genuity and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey co-managers.
The company adjusted its outlook to state that the net proceeds should provide sufficient funding for expenses through the fourth quarter of 2016, unless it begins building commercial infrastructure before then, dependent on the outcome of clinical trials.


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Two assholes start dating.
This is the entire premise of FX's new single-camera sitcom You're the Worst, and if judged by that summary alone, its title might have been bait for many a caustic review headline. But any comments about this show being "the Worst" would be completely and delightfully wrong. Against all apparent odds, You're the Worst is a genuinely charming, funny show which manages to showcase two very bitter characters without ever descending into bitterness itself.
The "Sitcom About Assholes" genre was invented with Seinfeld, and is succeeded most notably with another FX child, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The rule has always been comedy above all: if it's funny, we'll love it, no matter how disgusting or obnoxious its characters are. These are the shows that delight in the taboo, the sacrilege, the unabashed horror that we can't get away with anywhere else. You're the Worst indulges here too: jokes about abortion, racism, and anal sex are delivered with rapid-fire glee. And for the most part the dialogue is very, very funny. Once in a while a note strikes a bit too sour, but with only three episodes under his belt so far, creator and writer Stephen Falk doesn't disappoint with consistent, laugh-out-loud shock-bait.
Our two assholes are Jimmy (Chris Geere), a self-absorbed writer and miserable wretch, and Gretchen (Aya Cash), an aggressive celebrity publicist with a diabolical mean streak. Although our lead-in to the series is Jimmy, his role as protagonist is definitely shared 50-50 with Gretchen, and neither lacks for funny lines or power plays. In fact, this might be the most evenly balanced male-female couple in recent sitcom history. They meet at the wedding of Jimmy's ex-girlfriend, while Gretchen is a friend of the bride's sister, "Fat" Lindsay (Kether Donahue). Unsurprisingly, the world's worst wedding guests (he uses up all the disposable cameras taking pictures of his junk; she steals wedding gifts in hopes of snagging a free food processor) take each other to bed.
Thankfully, the show doesn't spend too much time in overplayed sitcom "this is just sex, we're not relationship people, we're just using each other" territory. It's clear from the get-go that Jimmy and Gretchen really do like each other, and are surprised to find that they both want a relationship beyond just sex, if not a particularly well-defined one. This is where You're the Worst finds its strength, and where it separates itself from the pack: Jimmy and Gretchen may be the "worst," but they're not detestable. In fact, they're both shockingly likable considering the radioactive garbage they spew out of their mouths, and it's not long before we see the cracks in their callous facades. Their genuine, almost bashful romantic interest in each other betrays sensitivity that's been deeply buried by past dating failures. Jimmy can hardly sit in the same room as his former girlfriend, while Gretchen is hung up on a jerk who makes Jimmy look like Mother Teresa. In this light, they become not only likable, but thoroughly relatable. Jimmy and Gretchen are really the everyman-and-woman of the cynical internet age.
The leads are buoyed by some truly hysterical supporting characters, most notably Edgar (Desmin Borges), Jimmy's freeloading idiot savant roommate. Borges manages to combines all the tropes of a dopey Eeyore, a college weed dealer, a PTSD-suffering vet, and a loving mama bear into one enigmatically hilarious character who improves every scene he's in. Kether Donahue's Lindsay hasn't been given much to do other than make snarky comments with Gretchen, but she's a fun screen presence. Gretchen's job as a publicist means we're treated to a parade of parodical fake celebrities, especially Brandon Smith's Sam Dresden, whose profession remains unclear but who delivers a closing line in episode three that is so funny and so profane I can't be asked to repeat it here. There's also Killian (Shane Francis Smith), Jimmy's ten-year-old neighbor who promises his own About A Boy subplot, and any similarities to that show are only positive in my book.
Gretchen and Jimmy are always self-congratulatory, but the scripts never are. There are no Dr. Cox-ian masturbatory hate monologues here, at least not without acknowledgment. When, after their initial "one-night stand," Gretchen hits Jimmy with a spiteful takedown, he responds with admiration, giving her wit due credit. "It was funny, true, and mean," he shrugs, "my favorite kind." This seems to be the general mantra of the writers' room–funny, true, and mean–and You're the Worst does a bang-up job of balancing all three. And, perhaps most impressive of all, the show is actually pretty romantic, too. Between all the snarking and bitching, small gestures can convey big emotions, and between Gretchen and Jimmy, small gestures are all that's needed to suck themselves and the audience into a a real, uncynical love story.
Asking an audience to follow a series about two out-and-out jerks isn't a simple request, but You're the Worst doesn't waste much time pandering to its audience at all. Like its lead characters, it's got a distinct voice and attitude, and it's not going to wait around for you to decide how you feel about it first. Stephen Falk seems to have a clear vision of where the show is going, and it is a refreshing feeling to trust that you're getting into something good. You're the Worst definitely feels good.
You're the Worst airs Thursday nights at 10:30 on FX.


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Review by Frank Plowright
Rumiuko Takahashi is best known for her light-hearted comedic soap-operas such as Maison Ikkoku and Ranma ½, but delving into her back catalogue reveals the darker elements of Inuyasha received a trial run in her Mermaid series.
In the opening sequence a young man in a remote forest is brutally murdered by a posse of old ladies, but survives his apparent death. This is because he is, to all intents and purposes, immortal and impervious to harm due to having eaten the flesh of a mermaid hundreds of years previously. He was the only member of his ship's crew to survive, the others dying in appalling fashion. That's the hook of the series. Only very few achieve immortality, and those who fail either pay the ultimate price or are achieve a form of immortality, but as a savage, mindless monster. The set-up permits Takahashi to explore humanity's baser traits, among them the atrocities some people are prepared to carry out just for the very slim chance they may live forever.
Although the possible effects of eating a mermaid are known to few, and the knowledge of mermaids themselves to fewer still, the mermaid community is understandably guarded and protective. These aren't the friendly Disney creatures, but primal, angry creatures.
Mermaid Forest is three separate novellas, concluding with the title chapter. 'A Mermaid Never Smiles' introduces the concept via Yuta, a rare man who's survived eating a mermaid, who rescues Mana, held captive and isolated with her feet locked. 'The Village of the Fighting Fish' delves back into Yuta's past among a pirate community, revealing how he met the wife alluded to in the previous story. Both are serviceable, but unremarkable, and it's the title story that's both the longest and the strongest. Mana and Yuta are captured by two sisters, one of whom guards a secret the other requires. It's a superior horror story by virtue of pinning human emotion at the core, and delivering a surprise twist. It's slightly flawed through muddy black and white reproduction of what were colour pages when printed in Japan.
The series continues in Mermaid's Scar or the more recent Mermaid Saga volume two, now both out of print.


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Many songwriters get stuck on learning how to write song lyrics because it can be a daunting part of the songwriting process. Lyrics can expose deeply personal areas about your thoughts and emotions, so it can be scary, especially as a nonproven artist.
Still, it's these unique ideas that your listener will connect with the most!
Writing Song Lyrics
While songwriting is challenging, it should be rewarding and enjoyable too. There are ways you can create great lyrics without worrying about external pressures. Lyric writing is a skill. No matter where you are now with it, you can always write more confident and more meaningful words in your songs.
The tips below for writing those song lyrics will help you create music that is meaningful and fulfilling to you. People want to hear about the stories you want to tell!
1. Write Down Song Ideas
It's difficult to want to write a song with no ideas to get you started. Lyric writing is made easier if you have some words you've written down or recorded that you might want to use.
As you live your life, song ideas can come from anywhere. Great songwriters are always attentive to words people say, a line in a book or a poem that moves them, and their emotions. When these words come, you can keep a small notebook where you write them down. You can turn those words into songs.
Keep a small notebook or use a note-taking app on your phone wherever you go to save your potential ideas. When you are able to sit down to write, you'll have a notebook full of ideas to help you initiate your creative process.
2. Write With Your Senses
Writing with your senses means you write from your taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. Sensory writing gives people the feeling of being in your shoes as you perceive things. Whether it's a profoundly emotional experience, like a breakup, or if it's a song about what you were like as a child–you perceive life uniquely with your senses.
Sensory writing will help you describe experiences in ways that people haven't thought of before. However, it will forge a deep connection with your listeners. Some of those listeners will feel the same way you described in your song.
3. Write What You Know About
Your best lyrics will come from a place of sincerity. Writing about subjects and experiences that are important to you helps you find the words you want to say in your song.
It's difficult to pretend that you know how an experience or an emotion is like when you haven't been there yourself. It's immediately apparent to your listener when you're singing about something that you don't quite understand.
Your songs will connect with people better when they are stories about things you care about. Consequently, those who share similar experiences will love your lyrics.
4. Write Conversationally
Some people get stuck with lyric writing because they believe their words have to be poetic. The truth is, writing how you speak and how other people speak is all you need to do. Conversational lyrics help you keep your songs as concise as possible.
Honesty is another factor when you write conversationally. People can tell when you're trying to be poetic, but you're not saying what you want to say. Songs that aren't conversational tend to have unnecessary lyrics. When you write melodies, extra lyrics mean you have to develop a more complicated melody than the section needs.
Don't worry if your lyrics aren't the most poetic yet–that might come later. For now, write using the words you would say to people you care about when you express yourself. These words will come across the most naturally when you sing them. Those who listen to your songs will know that those words are coming from you.
5. Write the Chorus First
All songs have some kind of structure that they follow. Many variations have come up over the years as the structure is a part of songwriting that continues to evolve.
Common Song Structures
- Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Bridge, Chorus 3
- Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus, Verse 3, Chorus 2, Bridge, Chorus 3
- Chorus 1, Verse 1, Chorus 2, Verse 2, Chorus 3 Bridge, Chorus 4
- Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Chorus 3
Following a song structure will help you organize your lyrics. Usually, song verses introduce characters and the song's story, while choruses talk about the song's main idea.
Writing the chorus first helps you understand what you're trying to write about. The chorus is where the main emotion, idea, and hook of the song is. Your chorus will inform your verses and your bridge about what to set up the listener for in the story.
Also, since your song's chorus will likely return a few times throughout the song, writing this part of the composition can help you conquer half of the song. If you can write this section and feel great about it, it will give you confidence in finishing the song.
Be sure to warm up your voice before singing any lyrics you write!
6. Finish The Song
Refrain from judging yourself as you write your lyrics or your song in general. Even if you're having a hard time, it's not fair to yourself if you judge the song before it's complete. Keep in mind that as you write your lyrics, you can always go back and rewrite lines or entire sections later on.
Also, keep in mind that no one has to hear your song if you don't want them to. Even if you don't like or use the lyrics you write, finishing a song allows you to practice sensory writing and writing conversationally. You might not like the song as a whole, but you might like certain lines or sections of a song you can use later.
While it may seem like a gift that some people have, and some don't–writing better lyrics is something anyone can improve. Use these tips to try out creating some songs for yourself, and be sure to work on it further to get better at writing song lyrics.
Read next:
Daily singing exercises for improvement
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam's lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.


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For most of my Life, Bucatini all' Amatriciana was my favorite dish. Everytime I go to Rome, where this Pasta dish is King, I immediately drop my bags at the hotel (after checking for bedbugs) and go to any one of my favorite restaurants and order it. Though I eat much less Pasta than I used to,
this still holds a special place in my emotionally abused heart.
Amatriciana is named after Amatrice, a town once part of the Abruzzo region, but in the 20th Century was handed over to Lazio, becoming part of the Rieti province. It is this area, nestled in between the Abruzzo and Lazio regions, that is known for hearty peasant/shepherd dishes. Some of the best cooks are known to come from Abruzzo, so put those facts together and you have an amazing cuisine.
Though Bucatini, a thick, spaghetti-like, tubed pasta, is the most commonly used for the Amatriciana sauce, purists claim you must use Spaghetti. In fact, a sign that greets visitors who enter Amatrice proudly states, "Amatrice: City of Spaghetti". Believe it or not, while it may sound like an American misspelling, locals in and around Amatrice actually call the sauce/dish " la Matriciana", eliminating the first "a".
In Italy, the meat used to make "l' Amatriciana" is Guanciale, the jowl or cheeks of a pig. Guancia in Italian means "cheek" and hence the name. Outside Italy, Guanciale is hard to find, so Pancetta is used instead. Sadly, Americans (and probably by now, new-age Italians, which are even worse) want to use smoked bacon in their Amatriciana, completely missing the point of the flavors and how they are to amalgamate. Traditionally, "strutto" (rendered pork lard) was used instead of olive oil, contributing to the sauce a rich complexity and structure. Onions can be used but traditionalists do not. White wine is commonly used in Rome when making this sauce, but again, traditionalists would not. Either way, a nice spoonful, or two, of grated Pecorino Romano goes perfectly with this dish.
A variation of Amatriciana is "alla Gricia", essentially an Amatriciana without the tomato sauce. Supposedly, the shepherds from Grisciano, a town part of Accumoli, a municipality near Amatrice, did not use tomatoes. Either way, both dishes are to be tried and loved. To spice it up, you MUST include hot pepper "peperoncino". Black pepper is optional. Side note, do not confuse either of these two dishes with "carbonara", a similar dish that is a "Gricia" (without tomatoes), that instead includes eggs.
For the wine…
An easy drinking Umbrian, Laziale, or Abruzzese white with crisp acidity would go well with Amatriciana and help cut through the fat. If you have red on your mind, the options are endless. While Lazio is not known its red wines, the home favorite, Cesanese, goes well, as would other regions' wines such as Nero D'Avola (Sicily), Primitivo (Puglia), or Valpolicella (Veneto).
To celebrate my birthday, I went with the very special (and closer to Amatrice) Emidio Pepe Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2003. Every time I drink this wine I immediately think of Charles Scicolone, wine hero and advocate of classic style wines. In his many great writings, Charles frequently mentions Emidio Pepe. Stay tuned for an interview.
Montepulciano is one of the most planted grapes in all of Italy, used mostly for inexpensive, easy drinking wines or blended with other grapes. Most of Italy was organic and even biodynamic before it ever became cool here in the States as a subconscious way to create a new identify for one's self and distance that new self from a seemingly embarrassing past. In Italy, organic and even biodynamic are just the way things are done.
Emidio Pepe is the Ferrari of Montepulciano D'Abruzzo and his wines are both organic and biodynamic. He only makes one red wine (Montepulciano) and one white (Trebbiano). The red grapes are crushed by hand while the white by foot. Yes, you read that correctly. At the winery, all the wine is hand-decanted into each bottle. Yes, you read that correctly as well. Please re-read this last paragraph to fully appreciate the passion of a true artisan like Emidio Pepe.
Pepe's wines are meant to age up to 30 years. They are well balanced masterpieces. His 2003 elegantly displays earthy notes of licorice, pepper, and herbs, complimented by black cherry hints.
Side Note: Do NOT confuse Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wines which use red Montepulciano grapes from Abruzzo with Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, which comes from Montepulciano, the TOWN in Tuscany, and uses Prugnolo, a clone of Sangiovese.


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N'DJAMENA, Chad — Four female suicide bombers targeted a market on an island in Lake Chad on Saturday, killing at least 28 people, a senior military official said.
The attacks were carried out by four female bombers at about 2pm in the locality of Koulkoua, said Col. Joseph Nouma of Cameroon's special forces, which operates in the region.
"The young girls blew up themselves in the local market leaving at least 28 people dead and scores injured," he said.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by members of Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram, a Chadian military official, who asked to remain anonymous, told DPA.
Some 80 people were wounded in the attack, the official said, adding that the dead included the suicide bombers.
Chad's government instituted a state of emergency in the Lake Chad region in November, saying the area had become a gathering point for Boko Haram militants.
The state of emergency empowers the governor of the area to prohibit the movement of people and vehicles and to order searches of homes day and night.
More than 5,000 soldiers have been deployed on islands and lakeside villages there.
In October, 41 people died when suicide bombers attacked a weekly market in October in the town of Baga Sola.
Boko Haram, which seeks to establish a state with its very strict interpretation of Islamic law, has killed thousands of people in northern Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad.
Story: DPA / Ngala Chimtom and Geoffroy Touroumbaye


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By Garrett Brinkman
The William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library is located on the western edge of the iconic oval at the Ohio State University. It is named after the fifth president of the university. Ground was broken on the original three story portion of the building on the east end of the building in 1912 and then construction was completed in 1914. The architects who designed this original portion won a design competition. They were Allen and Collins of Boston, Massachusetts. This original structure was added on to in 1952. This included the massive eleven story tower in the center of the building, extending the original three story portion, and single story extensions of the north and south ends of the entrance. In 1977 the building saw a modern wing added to its west side. Finally from 2007 through 2009 the library saw its third and final renovation and addition. This project including removing hazardous materials, making sure the building was up to ADA codes, replacing portions of the 1977 addition as well as adding to other parts of it, and restoring the original east facade of the building. Today the library serves more than sixty thousand undergraduate and graduate students so it has a fairly hefty population to service. The renovations and additions prior to the 2007 project caused the library to serve as three primary buildings. Today however the building feels very much like one continuous building. There are distinguishable sections of the building however. The "sections" give the interior some interesting moments. When walking into the library through the original east entrance the ceiling is very close to your head. As you continue into the building past the bust of President Thompson you reach the atrium which is almost a sublime moment. The atrium is ten floors high and is flanked by glass so you can see all the levels of books in each floor above you. Seeing all of these books extend way beyond your reach really makes you feel like you are in a place of higher learning and education. It makes a statement like about the educationally performance of the university. As you further your way through the building from the eastern most portion to the western most you once again feel the ceiling converge on you but then you descend a staircase into an area where the ceiling once more rises. The ceiling doesn't rise as monumentally as it does in the atrium but it gives you enough space to have an open feeling. The western entrance is much different from the eastern. The eastern entrance is adorned by stone and is much darker and enclosed. The western entrance is much more modern. The western entrance is made largely or glass and steel which allows a lot of visibility and light to enter the library. The two facades differ greatly as well. They are different in many of the same ways as the entrances are. The east facade is older looking with its large pieces of stone and stone columns. The western facade is much modern looking with a large run of glass windows and steel holding them in place.


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Family Support & Training Programs
Hollyburn's Family Support Programs offer a broad spectrum of publicly-funded options to address the many challenges that families face at all different stages of life. People who access our programs benefit from the integrative, collaborative approach of our highly-skilled counsellors who are connected to an extensive network of local professionals and resources.
Our services are available for families with children/youth (under the age of 19) who reside on the North Shore. These include:
- In-Home Family Support Services (FSS) (short-term/8-12 sessions/self-referred)
- Parent/Teen Mediation (PTM) (short-term/up to 20 sessions/self-referred)
- Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) (Longer-term/Ministry-referred)
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)/Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions (CDBC) Support (Longer-term/ self or professionally referred)
Peer Support/Mutual Aid Groups
Currently offering:
- Online Support Group for parents of children/youth with ADD/ADHD, CDBC or FASD.
Seasonal Parent Trainings
Currently offering:
- Incredible Years™– A general training for parents with children between the ages of 2-8 years old.
- Incredible Years™ – A specialized training for parents with children between 2-6 years old with ASD and language delays.


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About the Webinar
DescriptionThe Justice Programs Office's latest webinar examines the various aspects of veterans treatment courts (VTCs). The expert panel discusses the VTC concept and its relationship to drug courts and mental health courts. It delves into the variation in the implementation of VTC programs across the United States, addressing target populations, stakeholders, services available, program requirements, and military culture. Implications of these programmatic variations are explored in conjunction with lessons learned and recommendations for the future of VTC policy, practice, and research.
Learning Objectives
- Examine the manifestation of military culture in VTC protocols and practices
- Identify the complexities and non-uniformity of military experience
- Distinguish similarities and differences between VTCs and the more established drug court and mental health court models
- Recognize ways in which policies and practices vary between VTC programs
- Recognize challenges and successes in VTC policy, operation, and research
- Illustrate implications and lessons learned from VTC operations, successes, and challenges to date
- Understand future directions and needs related to VTC practices, policies, and research


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The Montreal Protocol is expected in October 2016 to agree an amendment to phase down HFC emissions. Ahead of that decision the US Government has this week hosted a meeting with over 100 delegates who called for securing an ambitious amendment with an "early freeze date". The freeze date is the year when countries stop increasing the production and consumption of HFCs and begin the process of phasing them down, and it is therefore critical to achieving the emissions reductions associated with any amendment. Securing the amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs could avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by the end of the century, making a major contribution to the Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C.
In addition with the call for an ambitious amendment, a group of donor countries and philanthropists announced their intent to provide $80 million in assistance to countries to implement any amendment and improve energy efficiency.
The amendment to the Montreal Protocol is expected to be agreed at the 28th Meeting of the Parties to be held in Kigali , Rwanda , between the 10th - 14th Oct 2016
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.


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Mentoring and Counseling
Mentoring is an integral part of student life at Atmiya University. In order to resolve day to day academic problems of the students, mentors are appointed for a batch of 20 students. Mentors meet regularly with students to monitor their attendance, review their progress, advises and assist with decision making in the students' educational matters and career goals. This is a continuous process till the end of academic career of the student. During the last semester of study students are advised for higher studies along with proper career guidance. The Parents/Guardians of poor attendance/performance students are called to meet the mentors and corrective and preventive measures are implemented for further improvement.
The objectives of the practice followed by the Institute are:
- To monitor the students regularity & discipline.
- To enable the parents to know about the performance & regularity of their wards.
- Improvement of teacher-student relationship
- Counseling for solving the problems and provide confidence to improve the quality of life.
- Guiding students to choose right career path for job, higher studies, Entrepreneurship, etc.
- The attendance percentage of the students has increased to a greater extent.
- The number of detainment of students has decreased consistently.
- In course of direct communication between mentor and the student there was a good improvement in the teacher-student relationship.
- The above effected in attaining a better academic performance.
Academic Expansion from 1988 Onwards.
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Credit Card Interchange Rates: What You Need to Know About Payment Processing Fees
Researching credit card interchange rates isn't the most exhilarating aspect of running a business, nor is it the easiest–– especially you're faced with niche financial terminology that few people understand and even fewer have the capacity to explain.
However, understanding the benefits and expenses of credit card interchange rates can help you understand your business's financial statements, so you can make better decisions based on them (such as which credit cards to accept and decline at your cash wrap).
Fortunately, credit card interchange rates are a lot less complicated than they sound. So, let's break down the basics of credit card interchange pricing – starting with what it means – so that you can decode your company's financial statements and make more informed business decisions.
Interchange rates explained
When your customers make a credit card purchase, your bank (the merchant bank) is paid instantly by the card association of your customer's bank (the issuing bank) before your customer's bank actually collects the payment from your customer. Interchange pricing has two major benefits for merchants:
1. Credit card interchange pricing prevents payment delays while you wait for your customer's bank to collect the funds.
2. With interchange pricing, your customer's bank has to deal with potential security issues that may arise, such as fraud and credit issues.
The "interchange" cost refers to the set fee your customer's card association charges your bank for immediate payment processing, and for taking on any issues come up with the customer's payment. Credit card interchange fees are actually how banks make the majority of their revenue and they usually represent the largest payment processing expense for merchants.
However, few can agree on how much card companies should charge for interchange. PYMNTS reports, "Interchange fees are a longstanding point of contention between merchants, banks and the card networks – and it's an issue that ended up in front of the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the card networks."
How are interchange rates calculated?
The cost of each credit card issuer's interchange rate is determined by how expensive each card is to process. Generally, cards with a lot of extras – like free airline miles or cash back – have higher interchange rates than those that stick to the bare bones basics – like debit cards – since they are more difficult to process.
Credit card associations need to charge enough for interchange so that it's worth it for banks to issue credit cards. However, they need to charge little enough that merchants like you will actually use them. Credit card interchange rates are constantly evolving (and being debated) to make sure that they remain a valuable proposition for both banks and merchants.
Visa and Mastercard, which are two of the largest credit card issuers in the U.S., will raise their credit card interchange rates in April of 2019. TechCrunch reports, "While fees on each transaction are nearly unnoticeable, they add up quite rapidly. They generate a ton of revenue for Visa and Mastercard, and they represent significant costs for large merchants."
Since this is a transitional time for most retailers, it's obviously not a great time to be hit with added credit card processing fees. The reality is that when you're paying higher interchange fees, it can be difficult to avoid passing that expense onto your customers–– which is why understanding what each company charges for interchange, and why they charge what they do, is so important.
What factors go into interchange fees?
Although there is an industry average for interchange rates, your credit card companies' interchange rates can also fluctuate depending on factors such as:
- your customer's average transaction size
- whether your credit card has a rewards program
- whether the card is swiped or manually entered.
The National Retail Federation reports, "Swipe fees for credit card transactions vary by purchase amount, but they average 2 percent of the total. Federal law caps debit card swipe fees at 21 cents per transaction."
Let's compare the price range of some of the four top card providers' interchange rates for merchant credit card processing. These rates are based on U.S. transactions, so if you have a lot of international customers you'll want to do further research into what each card provider charges for international transactions/for swiping foreign cards.
Also, note that fees were rounded up when necessary.
Swiped transactions: 1.65 percent + $.10 to 2.3 percent + $.10
Keyed transactions: 1.8 percent + $.10 to 3 percent + $.10
(Keep in mind that these fees are set to increase in the near future)
Swiped transactions: 1.6 percent + $.10 to 2.5 percent + $.10
Keyed transactions: 1.9 percent + $.10 to 3 percent + $.10
(Keep in mind that these fees are set to increase in the near future)
Swiped transactions: 1.6 percent + $.10 to 2.3 percent + $.10
Keyed transactions: 1.9 percent + $.10 to 2.4 percent + $.10
American Express
Transaction charges range between 2.5 to 3.5 percent
As you can see in the above data, American Express rates are higher than the competition and less information about them is available online. The reason for this is that American Express operates more charge cards than credit cards, meaning card users pay off their full balance every month. Instead of getting paid by monthly interest, American Express makes money by charging customers a monthly fee and charging retailers like you more for each transaction. However, AMEX also caters to an affluent clientele. Nerd Wallet reports:
"Merchants have to do the math to decide whether appealing to higher-spending consumers is worth the higher fees they have to pay. Those that decide it is will pay the fees (and adjust their prices to absorb them). Those that don't think so will decline to take AmEx."
How can you lower your interchange fees?
When it comes to credit card interchange rates, you have very little say over how much you pay per transaction–– consumers decide which credit card networks they use, and the credit card networks determine their rates.
However, there are few things you can do to lower your credit card interchange rates, including:
1) keeping an up-to-date mobile POS system, so you rarely have to key in a customer's transaction
2) staying informed about rate increases, such as MasterCard and Visa's upcoming increases, to enact minimum transaction limits when necessary
3) encouraging customers to use debit cards when possible/
Interchange rates are assigned by the credit card networks, so you DON'T have control over them. However, you can lower your overall credit card processing fees by choosing a payment processor that doesn't charge unnecessarily high markups + extra fees on top of the interchange.
One way to cut payment processing costs is to use a membership-based pricing model that enables you to pay a set fee every month for payment processing, instead of paying another percent of your profits on top of the interchange fee to your payment processing company. Payment Depot is often referred to as "the Costco of payment processing" because they use a membership-based pricing model that doesn't charge an additional percentage of your profits from each transaction.
Payment Depot's wholesale pricing model charges you monthly instead of taking a cut of each sale you make. Payment Depot saves merchants like you an average of $400 a month through switching to a transparent, membership-based pricing system–– where you also won't find any surprises on your monthly bill.
Bottom line
While there's little you can do to lower the amount your business pays for interchange, you can take charge of your business's payment processing costs to save money where you can by switching to a service provider such as Payment Depot that offers merchants membership-based pricing. So that you can pass those savings along to your customers and ultimately run a more successful and in-demand retail business.


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In its 1979 designation report, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) described a row of houses on Prospect Lefferts Gardens' Maple Street as the city's "finest examples to display the influence of the White City Movement" (or City Beautiful Movement). The movement was inspired by the uniform, white, and classically-inspired buildings from the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.
One of those stately houses is now for sale: 125 Maple Street (between Rogers and Nostrand avenues) just listed for an asking price of $2.95 million. Back in 2018, the three-story home listed with a $3.5 million price tag.
Designed in 1909 by architect Axel Hedman, the Renaissance Revival house has an Indiana limestone facade with decorative ornaments and Spanish tile in its roofs, the LPC report says.
Inside, the 5,964-square-foot home has other period details including original Ionic columns, an ornate mantel, bay windows, stained glass windows, a skylight, a gilded ceiling medallion, and mahogany inlaid floors. There are also six bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a deck off of the kitchen, a wine cellar in the basement, and a crystal glass "arboretum" (or garden area).
The property is listed with John Mazurek and Renata Thomas of Douglas Elliman.


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Don't let the slow motion hippie dancing and surreal child-in-a-forest shots fool you in the official 2016 aftermovie, the EXIT Adventure is hands down, one of the wildest festivals in the world. It kicks off in an ancient fortress in Serbia for four days of absolute madness at EXIT Festival, then roadtrips down to the pristine beaches of Montenegro for the Sea Dance Festival.
It last just under a week, may take years off your life, and comes highly recommended from your friends here at Music Festival Wizard. In 2017, EXIT will be celebrating the Summer of Love 50 year anniversary. Early-bird tickets starts on November 18, 2016, with super low ticket prices.