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To the Oregon Medical Board: Kathleen Harder MD, Saurabh Gupta MD, Erin Cramer PA-C, Robert M. Cahn MD, James K. Lace MD, Charlotte Lin MD, Pattie Louie PHD, Jennifer L. Lyons MD, Ali Mageehon PHD, Chere Pereira, Christoffer Poulsen DO, Andrew Schink DPM, Jill Shaw DO
On November 22, 2020, a peer-reviewed study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Titled "Relative Incidence of Office Visits and Cumulative Rates of Billed Diagnoses Along the Axis of Vaccination," the study looked at the health outcomes of children born into Dr. Paul Thomas's pediatric practice in Portland, Oregon in which Fully Informed Consent and Personalized Medicine are the foundations of care. The study data reveal that the less children are exposed to vaccines, the healthier they are.
Pediatric vaccines are designed to do one thing—prevent a child from experiencing symptoms if exposed to a targeted virus or bacteria. That's it. Vaccines do not provide any essential nutrients; they do not provide any of the buildings blocks of health. Vaccines are designed for symptom-avoidance from transient infections, period.
Is symptom-avoidance through vaccine exposure leading to healthier children? Does exposure to the ingredients in vaccine products on the CDC's pediatric schedule lead to healthier children?
The CDC has steadfastly refused to do any sort of study designed to answer these questions. But now we have Dr. Paul's well-designed and executed study that posed these very questions, and we have an answer.
Exposing children to vaccine products in order to avoid symptoms of transient infections does not lead to better overall health outcomes. The opposite is true.
And what was the reaction of Public Health officials in the United States to this news? Silence, as usual, from Health & Human Services (HHS), the federal agency tasked with monitoring vaccine safety. And silence from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the federal agency that keeps adding vaccines to the pediatric schedule in the absence of long- term safety studies. HHS and CDC don't dare acknowledge the study because they would have to admit their reckless policies must change.
And in Oregon? You, the Oregon Medical Board (OMB) called an emergency meeting on December 3, 2020. You did not meet to discuss how the study findings should be used to guide other Oregon doctors in improving health outcomes of children in their practices. Instead, you met to suspend the medical license of the doctor who co-authored the study, the doctor whose practice, Integrative Pediatrics, has possibly the lowest rate of chronic childhood disorders in the country: Paul Thomas, MD.
Perhaps the most egregious aspect of your retaliatory move was that you had demanded that Dr. Paul provide data showing that the unvaccinated patients in his practice were not less healthy than the vaccinated. He provided that data in his published study. According to the study's co-author, Dr. James Lyons-Weiler of The Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge,
"The Oregon Medical Board has not only declared war on actual ethical medical practice. In my view, they have declared war on objective science."
A few other independent studies have been done that also conclude increased vaccine exposure leads to poorer health outcomes, but Dr. Paul Thomas's and James Lyons-Weiler's study is the strongest yet.
In your suspension order, OMB, you stated that you had the "statutory duty under ORS chapter 677 to protect the public and to exercise general supervision over the practice of medicine."
But you completely misunderstand what that duty means. The duty to "protect the public and to exercise general supervision" is a high-level and broad authority set at the population level and does not include stepping into the legal or medical decisions of individuals nor into the patient-doctor relationship.
In fact, in making false accusations against Dr. Paul (discussed below), you have maliciously attempted to condemn Dr. Paul for simply carrying out his legal duty to act as a "Learned Intermediary," providing the opportunity that he is legally and ethically required to provide, for fully informed consent on the subject of vaccination. Informed consent is not a fait accompli. Patients and their guardians have the legal right to decline any and all vaccines.
In fact, in not ensuring that all medical doctors are acting as "Learned Intermediaries" for their young patients, in attempting to say that "informed consent" means that all patients must be given all vaccines on the CDC schedule, you are mangling the very meaning and protection afforded by the noble and longstanding principle of Informed Consent.
Furthermore, by exerting pressure for doctors to treat all children the same regardless of individual circumstances, you are causing grave harm to the children in the state beyond ignoring their legal, ethical, and medical-due-diligence rights to choose some, all, or none of the vaccines recommended by CDC. If your goal is to vaccinate 100% of Oregon's children according to the full and ever-growing CDC schedule, then your goal is to treat any child incapable of tolerating that schedule as acceptable collateral damage, unworthy of protection.
And by measuring a physician's competence based on the number of pharmaceutical products he prescribes rather than the health of his patients, you have shone a glaring spotlight on what is so very wrong with our entire current medical system today. Medicine in the U.S. has been captured through the use of built-in mechanisms for incentivizing pharmaceutical "standards of care" rather than rewarding good health outcomes.
In your charges against Dr. Paul, you, the OMB, refer to the CDC's "Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2020" and say that vaccine products make certain disease "preventable." You also state that the "schedule has been relied upon for many years, is updated periodically, and is widely accepted as authoritative in the medical community."
Our medical system, our children, are suffering because of such broad and sweeping marketing statements that have no backing in science. Consider this:
"Recommended" — the CDC provides recommendations to serve as a guide — they are neither mandates nor prescriptions to be carried out at the individual level. Doctors that attempt to vaccinate all children under their care exactly the same, by strictly following the CDC Guideline recommendations, are failing to do their legal duty to act as Learned Intermediaries, failing to personalize care to each patient based on their genetic, family and individual health history, putting them at risk of avoidable harm, and failing to provide the opportunity for fully informed consent to parents.
"Preventable" — the vaccine products on the market today attempt to prevent the symptoms of disease; they cannot be described as completely effective at preventing either infection, transmission, or disease. Some vaccines, such as the pertussis and diphtheria vaccines in the DTaP, are not even designed to prevent infection or transmission. Outbreaks of vaccine-targeted infections are occurring in fully vaccinated populations, including measles and mumps, and transmission from fully vaccinated individuals to those who are susceptible to infection is occurring.
"Updated" — the CDC updates their schedule to add vaccinations, but they have never performed a single safety study on the impact of the child being exposed to the full schedule comparing fully vaccinated to fully-not vaccinated children. Because of growing public concern and anger regarding this, the CDC actually commissioned a White Paper, published in 2015, which spelled out the many plausible health problems which have been reported regarding exposure to the full CDC schedule—but which have not been adequately studied. In this white paper, it was proposed that alternative vaccine schedules be studied to compare outcomes. Far from condemning the use of alternative schedules, the CDC asked if children on those schedules fared better. Does this conflict with our statement above that the CDC prefers to be silent on matters that would make them take corrective action? No. Because while they commissioned the white paper under increasing pressure from the public, they also carefully chose authors who they knew would design convoluted studies incapable of answering the questions accurately, using data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), which is only accessible by government researchers, and which lacks the ability to ascertain any child's full and accurate status. This was step one in their plan to produce "science" to silence public concern. In contrast, Dr. Paul's data was from children born into his practice, providing accurate data on each and every child.
Examples of Your Manufactured Charges
Your accusation that Dr. Paul solicited vaccine refusal is baffling. In reality, Dr. Paul practices medicine. His published works, his videos, and his speaking appearances very clearly show his approach to medicine. His practice has a widely known reputation for respecting fully informed consent and fully informed declinations – as required of him by Oregon law and Federal regulations. Parents seek him out because they want his style of care. To imply that he forces this on families that come to him explicitly because they know their child's health and informed consent will be respected is absurd.
Parents that want to follow the full schedule without any information about the risks of vaccines or the opportunity for a personalized schedule to ensure minimal risk of adverse reactions for their child do not seek out Dr. Paul's medical practice. Dr. Paul's respect for families' decisions not to vaccinate actually go against his financial interests – he would make far more money if he followed the same practices as his peers and worked to increase vaccination rates rather than working toward increasing good health outcomes.
All of the your charges against Dr. Paul are unsupported and malicious attempts to paint him in a bad light. Chief among these false charges is the one concerning tetanus. You stated:
"Patient D, a now 9-year-old male, was completely non-immunized. Patient D sustained a large, deep scalp laceration at home in a farm setting on August 8, 2017, and was treated with colloidal silver and with his parents suturing the wound independently. Patient D subsequently developed acute tetanus requiring intubation, tracheotomy, feeding tube placement and an almost two- month ICU stay at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Patient D was then transferred to Legacy Rehabilitation. Licensee saw Patient D for follow-up in clinic on November 17, 2017. Licensee's notes documented a referral to a homeopath, recommendation of fish oil supplements, and "phosphatidyl seine(sic)" He did not document an informed consent discussion about the risk/benefit of immunization for a child who had just sustained and still had sequelae of, and remained vulnerable despite prior infection, to tetanus, a life-threatening and disabling disease that is preventable by proper vaccination. Licensee's care placed Patient D at serious risk of harm and constitutes gross negligence."
Someone reading the above might be led to believe that Dr. Paul had been the boy's pediatrician throughout his childhood, including at the time he sustained the tetanus infection. Your intent appears to be to lead the public to that assumption, knowing your suspension of Dr. Paul would draw much attention. But Patient D was not Dr. Paul's patient. Dr. Paul had never even met the child until a couple months after the child was hospitalized, and the parents were told by the hospital that they would not release the child until they had found a primary care physician to take over the boy's care. The parents searched for an MD, but none would take their son unless they agreed to get him vaccinated. The parents steadfastly refused.
When the parents finally found Dr. Paul, he followed his oath and agreed to be the child's doctor, respecting the parents' medical choice against vaccination. The medical error in this case was made, unfortunately, by the parents, when they prematurely sutured the wound. Even if the boy had been vaccinated against tetanus, wounds that are not properly cleansed and treated can still lead to tetanus infections.
This case, ironically, also highlights the rarity of tetanus infection for the general population. The patient lived with his parents on a farm, received the wound to the head in the barn. Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which while common in the soil, requires specific conditions to lead to infection. Tetanus is also found in the intestines of large farm animals, and so farms are potential sources of exposure, and the infection usually only becomes systemic if the wound is very deep and not properly cleansed and treated. The CDC states that prior to the introduction of the tetanus vaccine in the United States in the late 1940's, there were just 500-600 cases reported annually, and now there are approximately 50-100. That might be a large relative risk drop, but it is a minuscule absolute risk drop. Tetanus infections went from very rare to slightly more very rare. And what about the risks of the tetanus vaccine? It used to be that individuals received just one or two doses in a lifetime. Now, because it's in the DTaP and Tdap, and the pertussis portion of that vaccine has utterly failed, children are given six doses by the sixth grade, and women are bullied into getting a Tdap shot during every pregnancy, an off-label use pushed by the CDC that exposes developing infants to maternal immune activation and an aluminum adjuvant, a known neurotoxin. Hyper-immunization to tetanus is also a concern, as is the risk for antiphospholipid syndrome, which happens to be one of the leading causes of infertility in the U.S. today.
Another of your accusations against Dr. Paul involved screening for antibody titers to MMR. You said, "Except for rare cases of suspected immune deficiency, there is no clinical indication for assessment of antibody titers. The ordering of unnecessary testing is a violation of ORS 677.190(1)(a) unprofessional or dishonorable conduct, as defined in ORS 677.188(4)(c) willful and repeated ordering or performance of unnecessary laboratory tests."
We agree that unnecessary medical procedures are universally considered a breach of medical ethics – in part because no medical procedure is without risk. But you have it all backwards. It is far safer to do a titer check on a child than to subject a child to the risks of a second dose of MMR. Oregon accepts antibody titers in lieu of receipt of a second MMR. Holly's Law in New Jersey, named after Holly Stavola who died from a severe adverse reaction to a second dose of MMR, requires parents to be informed about the titer test option. Administering a pharmaceutical product that is not medically indicated is "unprofessional or dishonorable conduct" — titer testing rather than exposing a child to a dose that is not medically indicated is doing one's medical due diligence. Oregon should consider passing Holly's Law to protect ethical physicians like Dr. Paul Thomas, and you should be applauding him, not condemning.
You also quote ORS 677.265(1)(c), that states the standard of care is "that degree of care, skill and diligence that is used by ordinarily careful physicians in the same or similar circumstances in the community of the physician or a similar community."
But you are charging Dr. Paul for exceeding the degree of care, skill, and diligence of many other practitioners. It is not a crime to go above and beyond the minimal standards — we dare say the dangerous standards — currently followed by the majority. If you are saying that the current standard of care is to treat each and every child the same, to violate the mandated Learned Intermediary duty, and to violate informed consent — then the you must immediately eliminate that standard and define a new one that upholds vaccination practices that respect the health and safety of the individual child and fully informed consent. You must abandon the product-uptake measure of a physician's practice and adopt the health-outcome measure, for surely, you must agree that good health and not product-consumption is the goal.
You, the OMB, must also familiarize yourselves with the actual capabilities, limitations, risks, and unintended consequences of each vaccine product, including the unintended consequences of disease-symptom avoidance and vaccine-ingredient exposure, to avoid basing standards on your hopes for vaccine products rather than their reality.
You stated that Dr. Paul had published "an alternative vaccination schedule that decreases the frequency of many recommended vaccines and omits others, including rotavirus."
Yes, Dr. Paul's schedule reflects his diligence to follow the full body of science on vaccine products and their impacts on children's health. As clearly outlined in his book The Vaccine Friendly Plan, it has not been proven that the risks of the rotavirus vaccine outweigh any perceived benefit. And the growing body of science on injected aluminum should be heeded by all pediatricians, as well as the CDC, in order to First Do No Harm. Just like tetanus, before their targeting vaccines were introduced, the rates of severe outcomes and deaths due to childhood diseases, indeed all infectious diseases, had plummeted due to improved sanitation and living conditions in the U.S.
Dr. Paul's study is showing what the CDC has avoided acknowledging: that in pushing mass vaccination without proper science on the products or the outcomes of exposure, we've traded experiencing transient infections and rare deaths for entire generations of children and adults experiencing chronic diseases, causing lifetimes of suffering, and premature death. Tragically, the CDC is repeating with injected aluminum its pattern of denial of harm to the public, as it did with mercury-containing thimerosal.
Surely, in 2021, medicine has advanced to the point that most severe cases of transient infections could be avoided with proper early nutrient or drug treatments. Surely we should not accept the harmful consequences of the current vaccine products, which are liability-free for their makers who highly profit off not just the sale of the vaccines but the chronic health conditions they cause. It is the very attitude of accepting the risks and collateral damage of vaccination and ignoring or censoring nutrient and drug preventives and treatments that is causing the current catastrophe we are now experiencing with SARS-COV-2 and COVID-19. We have seen systemic fraud and corruption in regards to censoring information on existing treatments, the pushing of investigational vaccines as "safe and effective" in the glaring absence of proper science on either, and this has awakened the entire world to the drug industry's capture of public health.
As for Dr. Paul's alternate vaccination schedule, the data speaks for itself.
Dr. Paul, upon seeing that the fully non-vaccinated children under his care were healthier than those who followed his selective vaccination plan, has said that his Vaccine Friendly Plan is not yet friendly enough. Our question to you is, OMB, why aren't you also comprehending that even modified schedules lead to poorer health outcomes than no vaccine exposure at all? Why isn't this leading you to demand more similar studies, better and safer vaccine products, better science, and more accountability for health outcomes?
All vaccination comes with risk. If a child's vaccination exposure is not personalized for that child, with all the most up-to-date information regarding both the disease to be avoided and the science on the vaccine products, then a physician is in violation of his duty toward that child.
The measure of a physician's care should be on the health outcome of his patients, not on the volume of pharmaceutical products injected and sold or even the incidence of treatable and mostly benign vaccine-targeted disease within a practice.
You claimed that you had to immediately suspend Dr. Paul's license because if he continued the practice of medicine, he "would pose an immediate danger to the public and to his patients."
The facts are just the opposite. Taking Dr. Paul Thomas abruptly away from his patients is reckless and, especially for his drug-rehab patients, has put their lives at risk. To do this in the midst of a pandemic makes this action even more deplorable.
In conclusion, you, the Oregon Medical Board, must immediately reinstate Dr. Paul's license and apologize to him, his patients, and to the entire state of Oregon for your egregious actions. You must re-examine your mission and your loyalties and take steps to eliminate the use of pharmaceutical sales quotas as "quality measures", and you must begin to support a medical system that judges practitioners not by the number of prescriptions written but by the health of their patients.


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Wednesday, December 2, 2020 / by Sonya Reiselt
Enjoy the BEST of the Holiday Season in the Lowcountry!
December has officially arrived! Gone are the days of harvest festivals and spooky décor – it's time to fill
your home with holiday joy and surround yourself with the Christmas magic that you can only find
around the Lowcountry. While this season will undoubtedly be different than traditions in the past, the
community is finding a way to keep the magic alive and well for everyone in the family. While you're
busy keeping your family traditions alive, make sure to check out the best events in the area that will
keep you feeling the holiday spirit all month long!
First Friday - Hometown Christmas – Taking place on Friday, December 4th from 6:00 – 9:00, this monthly
downtown showcase is focusing on a hometown Christmas theme that will leave you reminiscing about
the simpler times. Throughout downtown Beaufort, you'll enjoy classic holiday tunes, decorated
storefronts, and one-of-a-kind shopping! How can you go wrong with a holiday date-night, full of the
best meals and shopping in the city, surrounded by the Christmas charm that we've all been waiting for?
Santa Mail – While the kids might not have a traditional Santa visit this year, fire departments all over
the Lowcountry are taking it upon themselves to make sure they know that Santa hasn't forgotten about
them, despite the pandemic! The fire departments in Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head will all have
Santa mailboxes at their stations for the kids to put letters in, as well as various locations throughout
Beaufort! They have promised that each letter will get a personal response from Santa himself before
Christmas! He'll also be reading the Beaufort letters on their Facebook page beginning on the 19th!
Most letters are due by the 18th, so don't delay! For those who live in Hilton Head, keep an eye out for
Santa around town! He'll be touring the neighborhoods throughout the beginning of the month!
Celebrate the Season – Families can take advantage of this free outdoor event at the USCB Center for
the Arts from December 1 st – December 13th! This celebration showcases various holiday traditions and
events that are celebrated all over the world. It's the perfect event for the family to learn about global
differences and enjoy the beauty of the season!
Bluffton Reverse Christmas Parade – The annual Bluffton Christmas parade will take place this Saturday,
December 5th from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm! Due to the pandemic, the parade is going to look a little bit
different this year. Instead of the floats parading down the road, families will be able to drive down May
River Road and enjoy the floats in a stationary line.
Holidays Under the Sea – This exciting scavenger hunt will give the kids an extra reason to head to the
park this month! From December 16th – 31st, take the kids out to any of the parks in town and get
involved in this city-wide activity. Throughout the parks, there will be decorated sea-animal ornaments
– take pictures of the ones you've found and get in on the fun by posting them with the tag
Virtual Visits with Santa – Don't miss out on the opportunity to Zoom with Santa on the 19th from 2:00 –
3:00 pm! Beaufort kids will be able to tell him exactly what they're hoping to get for Christmas! The city
will be releasing a link to the zoom meeting on their website when the date gets closer.
While things might be a little different this year, the magic of the holiday season will always find its way in
the Lowcountry! And don't forget, the city of Beaufort is encouraging all of the neighborhoods to "Light
up the Town" and decorate their exteriors above and beyond this year so get in your cars and enjoy a
drive around the city to enjoy all of the lights!
For the most up to date holiday events in the Lowcountry, stay up to date on our website, and follow us
on our Facebook page!

subset: commoncrawl


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Crimes against humanity?
September 13, 2011A US-based nonprofit group representing survivors of abuse by Catholic priests has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to prosecute Pope Benedict XVI and other high-ranking Vatican officials for crimes against humanity.
The Center for Constitutional Rights, acting on behalf of the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (SNAP), requested the inquiry on Tuesday, arguing that the global church had maintained a "long-standing and pervasive system of sexual violence" and had done very little to bring those responsible to account.
It also accuses the Vatican of creating policies that perpetuated the damage the abuse had done, which would constitute an attack against a civilian population.
"We have tried everything we could think of to get them to stop and they won't," Barbara Blaine, president of the SNAP, told the Associated Press. "If the pope wanted to, he could take dramatic action at any time that would help protect children today and in the future, and he refuses to take the action."
Investigation would be tricky
The complaint names Pope Benedict XVI, partly in his former role as leader of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which in 2001 explicitly gained responsibility for overseeing abuse cases; Cardinal William Levada, who now leads that office; Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state under Pope John Paul II; and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who now holds that post.
In a statment to AP, the Vatican's US lawyer, Jeffrey Lena, called the complaint a "ludicrous publicity stunt and a misuse of international judicial processes."
In the last few years, thousands of people have come forward in Germany, Ireland, the US and elsewhere with reports of abusive priests and bishops who either covered up for them or failed to act at all.
An investigation by the ICC, however, is by no means certain. The Holy See is not a member state of the only international court dealing with war crimes on a permanent basis, and it does not investigate crimes committed before it was created in 2002. It has never launched an inquiry based solely on one request; since its inception, the court has received nearly 9,000 independent proposals, none of which lead to a formal investigation.
Instead, the ICC has investigated genocide, murder, rape and the conscription of child soldiers in cases where the countries in which the crimes were committed or the United Nations Security Council brought the complaint.
But SNAP and its lawyers insist that no other entity exists that could prosecute the Vatican officials who failed to protect children.
"Politically, people do not want to look at this," said Pam Spees, a lawyer working with the Center for Constitutional Rights, before filing the complaint. Spees admitted, however, that she was "not hopeful" that the court would launch an investigation.
Pope to visit Germany
The complaint comes ahead of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to his native Germany. He will be the first pope to speak in parliament, which has caused some parliamentarians to announce they will boycott the session on September 22.
Around 100 lawmakers from the Left party, the Social Democrats and the Greens are expected to stay away from the speech, and some have said they will join an anti-pope demonstration outside parliament instead. Critics have said the pope's speech violates the state's principle of neutrality.
Author: Nicole Goebel (AP, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Andreas Illmer


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By Eugene L. Garner
". . . I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . . Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they may all be one: as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may also be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me, "(John 17:11, 20-23).
In this prayer Jesus repeatedly stressed a thought, an ideal, that should arouse within our hearts a consciousness of the fact that we have not yet arrived -- that the Kingdom of God has not yet come. It may even raise the question of whether we are prepared for the Kingdom, or are indeed willing to meet the conditions that it requires.
Though it might be more enjoyable to discuss some other subject, on this occasion, I find myself compelled to deal with the question of CHRISTIAN UNITY. In searching for something that I might contribute to this meeting, my mind has invariably returned to this subject. Nor has it been possible to consider, seriously, any other.
Before hastily concluding that I have fallen prey to an incessant barrage of ecumenical propaganda, would you pause for a moment to consider a few important questions?
In view of abounding iniquity, and the coldness among God's people, are we willing to admit that God has failed?
Do we believe that He has left Himself without a witness in the earth?
Has He forsaken His purpose to "call out from among the Gentiles" a special, holy people for His name?
Was He unjust, after the persistent rebellion of Israel, to sever that covenant nation from a position of special nearness to Himself?
Is it impossible that a New Covenant people -- through an exclusivistic and high-minded unbelief like that of Israel -- should also be cut off from a similar position of unique relationship to God?
Were Jesus and Paul mere "idealistic dreamers" in their concern that Christ's people might be ONE -- dwelling together in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace?
If Jesus Christ is concerned for the unity of His blood-purchased church; may we expect His acquiescence while we (deliberately or ignorantly) antagonize brethren of a common spiritual heritage (brethren whose baptism we still recognize as authentic), simply because they will not "push" our programs or cannot conscientiously accept our private slant on some particular doctrine?
Since entering the ministry (and discovering something of the extent to which my brethren were divided over personalities, programs, policies and practices) there has been within my heart a deepening concern to see the end of strife. . . such senseless folly. It is often difficult, under emotional tensions, for us to delineate clearly between Christian principle and one's own personal or political prejudice; but DELINEATE WE MUST!! The price of partisan triumph is too great in the light of eternity.
To actively pursue a course of positive conciliation among estranged brethren is sometimes a thankless task. On the one hand the conciliator may be considered a compromiser, a turncoat or an appeaser; while, on the other hand, pious guardians of traditional platforms will consider him an enemy -- come in to "spy out" their liberties. Knowing that one's motives are often impugned in any attempt to alert a drowsy, careless or indifferent brotherhood, it is with reluctance that I undertake the task. But within there is a heart that yearns to see a blurred image changed into a single glorious reflection of the Son of God; it compels me to face the challenge.
Only spiritual blindness could prevent us from recognizing that there is under way a concerted effort of infidelity, paganism and the forces of ecumenicism (represented by the adominable woman of Revelation 17) to crush whatever remains of New Testament Christianity. The plan is well-organized, liberally financed, directed by political experts -- and there is every indication that it will be executed speedily and with precision. Only Divine Providence can prevent its sweep from being thorough.
Is it reasonable, in view of such consideration, that the fellowship of brethren with a common heritage, baptism and table should be disrupted by internal conflict? (By "common table", etc., I do not speak of a denominational table but of the "Lord's Table" -- available alike to every Scriptural assembly.) Are not envy, strife and division signs of carnality? And do they not generally spring from purely partisan considerations?
If a brother hesitates to accept my particular "slant" on a practical or doctrinal matter, is it reasonable, is it Christian, that I should undertake to engineer his fall so as to vindicate "my position"? When a brother of divergent opinion stumbles, falls, or turns back from following Christ, is it reasonable that I should gloat over his spiritual decline, saying, "I told you so"? Or, when a brother turns aside in positive sin against God's Word (not merely against my "humble opinion", however long-held), IS IT REASONABLE that I consider him an enemy -- and attempt to wash my hands of any responsibility toward him? Must I not, to be genuinely Christian, lovingly "admonish him as a brother"?
When it is possible for children to be reared in consecrated Christian homes; hear the Gospel of Christ; trust in Jesus as their Saviour; surrender to the call of the Gospel ministry; dedicate their lives to the study and preaching of the life-giving word; and then encounter abruptly (as I once did) a volcanic eruption of envy, jealousy, scorn and hatred among brethren for whom they have had deep respect; and, in discouragement, disgust and complete despondency, turn aside from a walk of faith to a position of questioning, doubting agnosticism -- IS IT REASONABLE that we shut our eyes, stop our ears and harden our hearts in order to continue the farce of "playing Christian"? "IS IT NOTHING TO YOU, ALL YE THAT PASS BY?"
Is it reasonable that some of my brethren offer their fellowship only upon the contingency of my adherance to an extra-scriptural program? Is it any more reasonable that other brethren find their chief cohesive element in a MERE REACTION AGAINST SUCH PROGRAMIZING? Are not the antagonists actually partners in the promotion of disunity, discord, discouragement and degeneration within the brotherhood?
Is it too difficult a lesson for us to learn that where envy and strife are there is confusion and every evil work? Is it reasonable that some -- while emphasizing the importance of baptism and church succession (and rightly so) far more strongly than their fathers thought necessary -- have reacted so violently as to be dangerously close to repudiating the only link that they have with John's "baptism unto repentance"?
In case you may at this point be puzzled as to the direction in which this challenge may be heading, I sincerely hope that you will hear me prayerfully and patiently to the end -- and that you will wait another ten years before judging its appropriateness to the occasion.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity,"
(Psalm 133:1). Most of us can quote many such passages -- for there is a particular "cell" in our thinking mechanism where we have carefully filed them away. But how exceedingly narrow may be our understanding and experience of such unity. The way we sometimes hedge ourselves "in" and others "out", it is difficult to determine whether we know the difference between unity and bigotry.
I am thankful that some of my brethren have been freed from the exacting demands of demoninational servitude -- enabling them to devote their time and energies to a study of the word and prayer. In the free exercise of this liberty much fresh light has been shed on the field of Biblical Interpretation -- a field which might, more picturesquely, be described as a stagnant pond of exclusivistic, complacent conformity -- long undisturbed by the rousing cry of a contemporary John the Baptist saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".
I am thankful that the Gospel of the Kingdom is once more being elevated to the position that it deserves in our thinking and preaching. However, we dare not assume the role of proud custodians -- even of the Kingdom Gospel. To imply, by word or deed, that we are "the kingdom people", the "true kingdom people", the "most righteous kingdom people", the "most deserving kingdom people", if not the "only kingdom people" will not only make us obnoxious and replusive in the eyes of others; it will exhibit an attitude that will fast disqualify us for any inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Such high-mindedness led to the fall of Israel as a covenant people -- and it will to ours if we follow in her steps. Such a position will not promote Christian unity; nor will it encourage brethren of lesser discernment to examine objectively the doctrines that have so greatly enriched our Christian experience.
Now, lest we forget the question before us, let me state it again: "Is complete unity desirable"?
Jesus Christ was so concerned about the unity of His disciples that He made it an object of prayer to the Heavenly Father. According to the Scriptures (which we claim to accept as a sufficient rule of faith and practice), those properly identified with Jesus Christ have
"the mind of Christ."
If we are truly His -- possessing His mind -- there are several reasons why we cannot condone, much less actively promote, a spirit of division.
1. We are Members of Christ's Body.
This Biblical figure bespeaks a relationship of nearness, intimacy and blessedness. But it also involves a mutual responsibility on the part of each body-member. Not only is this true of each local New Testament assembly; it is also true on a much larger scale. The plurality of members composing various New Testament churches are each"
members of Christ"
and as such share a mutual responsibility toward Him and one another. If, in Christ, we have no relationship or responsibility beyond the bounds of the local assembly where we hold membership, then it is foolish for us to be meeting here and talking of "fellowship". Any breach of unity among the plurality of those sustaining a position of covenant fellowship with Jesus Christ can only defame His glorious name and dim the flame that is meant to lighten the path which leads to the Celestial City.
2. We are Brethren in the Family of God.
If indeed "Jerusalem from above is the mother of us all", and God is truly our Father, through our identity with His preeminent Son, then we have a "family responsibility". Now, lest I be misunderstood and accused of advocating a cheap ecumenicism, permit me to say that I DO NOT ACCEPT the PROTESTANT THEORY that the family of God is composed of ALL THE SAVED. If I believed this to be true, I would be pressing for unity with "all the saved". I would be consistent about the matter. But, since I believe that only those properly identified with the Son are in God's family, I can advocate "family unity" without embracing those who despise the doctrine of a local New Testament church -- accountable for her actions ONLY TO HER LORD AND LAWGIVER by Whose blood she has been purchased.
3. We are Citizens of the Kingdom of God.
It is not enough to preach that God is now
"calling out"
a people for His Kingdom. It is important that we
"make our calling and election sure."
Has the Kingdom of God taken control of our lives? If so, there is no possible way for us to perpetuate a spirit of division among brethren. Is not the Kingdom characterized by
"love, joy and in the Holy Ghost"?
If these things characterize our hearts and lives, division and strife are completely out of the question. They are impossible!
Paul, the bondservant of Jesus Christ, considered "envy, strife and division" sure evidences of carnality. . . nor has the implication of their presence changed with the twentieth century. The apostle felt that brethren should be able to settle their differences as brothers -- as Christian brothers. He was absolutely horrified that one brother should
"go to law"
with another brother -- and that before a judge who was NOT EVEN A BROTHER!
Of the carnal Corinthians, divided over men, Paul inquired:
"Is Christ divided"?
And though some in that church looked to him as their favorite preacher, and determined to stand by him "come-what-may", he announced in no uncertain terms that he wanted no part of their divisive practices. He majored, rather, on the
"preaching of the cross"
which was foolishness to the Greeks and a scandal to the Jews -- but to those whom God had called, whether Jew or Greek, He was
"the power of God, and the wisdom of God".
To the Ephesians Paul issued a call to maintain the
"unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".
He gave a strong argument and firm basis for unity in showing them how GOD HAD PROMOTED IT. He mentioned the one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and "
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all
". All this they HAD IN COMMON -- and unity of brethren, in any age, is largely dependent upon the evaluation that they place upon what they commonly share. How much does Jesus mean to us?
The spiritual gifts were measured out to promote this unity
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro... But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."
"But", someone may object, "All this speaks of what God wants in the LOCAL CHURCH: and these passages all speak of a LOCAL CHURCH." I am quite cognizant of the fact that this is true. Yet, let me boldly suggest that THIS IS NOT ALL THE TRUTH! The basic principles stated, and the inherent responsibilities involved in our intimacy of relationship with Jesus Christ reach far beyond the bounds of our "particular" local assemblies. Of one thing we may be certain: According to His own good pleasure, God has made known the mystery of His will, of His purpose "
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ.. that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ,
" (Eph. 1:9-12). If our present experiences are designed to "train us for the Kingdom", we certainly have nothing to gain by resisting or being indifferent toward our brethren for whom Christ died: And so long as carnal division raises its hoary head among us there will be such distraction that we cannot exhibit Christ in a proper light before men. We will not BE
"the fulness of him that filleth all in all".
Let me say with all candor, and with full confidence, that I do believe unity to be possible for those who desire to reverence, love and serve God. I do not propose a complicated formula or program for attaining this desirable goal. I have no program to submit. I do not believe that programs can attain it. But there are two simple experiences that will promote and encourage it.
Unity will be promoted by a common affliction that is inevitable.
That such trials and tribulations await us at the end of this age is so abundantly taught in the scriptures that I need but remind my brethren of God's faithfulness in fore-warning us that we might prepare our hearts against that hour. In trouble, brethren will unite against a common enemy -- and, with one heart, will cry out to God. But THERE IS A BETTER WAY to effect true unity.
It is better that we be united through Christian love and forebearance.
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not LOVE, it profiteth me nothing,"
(I Cor. 13:1-3).
According to Jesus, brotherly love has ever been the distinguishing badge of Christian discipleship. By it all men may know that we are His disciples. Without it they will not believe us though we shout it until the mountains fall.
The important question is whether this love controls our hearts. Do we love as Christ loved? Or do we love as the Pharisees loved? There is no virtue in loving those who love us and are in agreement with our philosophy of religion and life. The vital question is whether, for Jesus' sake, we can love those who show no special love for us and who are, in fact, sometimes quite unlovable. Do we, in fact, know what it is to love? Let me submit for your consideration what appears to be four basic elements without which love does not exist.
Love is ROOTED IN KNOWLEDGE. . . mutual understanding. Sentimental emotionalism is not a sufficient foundation for genuine love.
Love first EXHIBITS ITSELF IN RESPECT. Do we show respect for our brethren? When they disagree with us?
As love develops it manifests an ACTIVE CONCERN (care) for the WELFARE AND NAME of the one loved. Though he obeyed God in preaching to Nineveh, it is evident that Jonah had no love for Nineveh. He called upon her to repent -- and when she did, and God spared her, it made Jonah mad. He wanted to see Nineveh destroyed. He did not CARE for Her.
When love has matured it VOLUNTARILY ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE NEEDS OF THE ONE LOVED.
Divine love recognized the hopelessness of our bondage to sin, and voluntarily assumed the responsibility for our redemption. One of the basic principles governing the inter-relationship of those
"in Christ"
"that as God has so loved us, we ought also to love one another".
The reciprocation of divine love will forever prohibit factionalism, the party spirit, or any other kind of antagonism between brethren who mutually share the blessing of covenant fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Genuine Christian unity CANNOT be achieved through the efforts of human wisdom. Nor can brethren who share a common baptism and table attain unto the "oneness" to which we are called in Christ BY ATTEMPTING TO DO SO. However tenaciously we may adhere to good rules or regulations, legalistic devices are powerless in any effort to attain spiritual ends. Spiritual unity cannot be planned or programmed; it must be spontaneous. It comes -- not through the outward efforts of the flesh, but through the inward workings of the Holy Spirit -- as our eyes, hearts and affections are turned upon Jesus Christ.
Through looking to Jesus (in admiration, adoration and worship), we begin to reflect His image (2 Cor. 3:18). There is, even in the material realm, a tendency for men to take on the characteristics of those whom they love and admire. As we "behold" Jesus, our lives are gradually transformed into His likeness. Stedfastness in "looking" will produce a life of complete harmony with the Divine will -- and will culminate in conformity to Jesus Christ,
"the firstborn among many brethren"
(Rom. 8:29).
If, though looking to Jesus, we learn to love as He loves, and are changed
"from glory to glory",
(reflecting His image), then we will automatically be drawn toward one another eventually being brought into perfect unity
"in Christ"
. No longer will men be hindered, confused, or disgusted by a "blurred" image. They will, rather, behold a clear and glorious "reflection" of the Son of God in all of His beauty. And, beholding, they will fall at His feet and worship! AMEN!


text:
PE foam pipe & profile
We have a range of large capacity Servo-Torq® cutters to handle PE foam pipe & profile.
Single pipes of up to 300 mm outer diameter can be cut. Twin pipes are limited to 150 mm diameter each.
To ensure an excellent cut finish we fit a large curved knife to the cutter. This is combined with a high blade speed to reduce product interruption to the minimum.
Slitting devices are also available to cut the pipe along its length as it enters the caterpillar unit. The depth of slit is adjustable to give a full or partial slit as required.


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Pluto Plus
Pluto Plus from Torasen - Business Furniture Solutions.
Pluto Plus is designed to deal with demanding work environments. A fully synchronised mechanism allows the seat to be frequently and easily reconfigured without compromising comfort. Available with tilt action and arm options, Pluto Plus can be tailored to meet your exact requirements.
The models included in the '72-hour home delivery service' are:
Pluto Plus, No arms, High Back, Standard Seat Width, Synchronised Mechanism (PP80)
Pluto Plus, Height Adjustable Arms, High Back, Standard Seat Width, Synchronised Mechanism (PP80HA)
Pluto Plus, Fold Down Arms, High Back, Standard Seat Width, Synchronised Mechanism (PP80FDA)
Pricing for single units starts at £172.50 + VAT (without arms) and £216.10 + VAT (with arms). Prices may vary depending on quantities required.
Standard Features:
- 5 Starbase
- 60mm Hard wheel castors
- 60mm seat depth adjustment
- Height adjustable ratchet back
- Fully synchronised mechanism
- Fold down arms*
- Height-adjustable arms*
Optional Features:
- Castors for hard and soft floor coverings
- Multi-functional arm pad*
- Two-tone upholstery
- Choice of finish options
*Selected models only


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New studies show that cataract surgery lowers crash risk, but only in men.
It is no secret that men and women see things very differently in life, whether it's involving work, relationships or even the most simple of opinions. What can we say? The gender war of man vs. woman has been happening for centuries, and we may just never know which gender is the right one (and that may be for the better).
However, when it comes to man vs. woman, our opinions and actions are not the only thing that separates us from one another. A good majority of our body make up and senses are scientifically different, and this a large impact on our day-to-day actions and reactions. For instance, when it comes to vision, women have been proven to differentiate between colors much better than men. However, men show more sensitivity to detail and fast moving objects than their female counterparts.
Recent studies have also shown that the vision of men and women may be different following LASIK eye surgery. According to a study in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, motor-vehicle accidents involving men decreased by 15.3% in the 12 months following cataract surgery but the frequency of postoperative crashes didn't change significantly for women.
While men have always tended to report better outcomes from cataract surgery, this study is the first of its kind to examine gender differences in crash risk following surgery. According to the research in this particular study, by linking a road-injury database to hospital records, researchers were able to discover that 1,715 of the 27,827 cataract patients were involved in 1,762 accidents in the 12 months before or after surgery.
Of these patients, men were drivers in 1,124 of the crashes, of which 611 occurred before surgery and 513 after surgery. Of 638 crashes involving women, 330 occurred before surgery and 308 after surgery. The study also found that about 50% of the accidents involved drivers that were in their 70s.
So what is it exactly that separates female vision from male vision? Many scientists believe that the reason rests in the visual centers of each separate gender. For instance, men have 25% higher levels of testosterone receptors in their visual cortexes than women do―this is the area of the eye where images are processed. As a result, men's visual systems are more equipped to perceive changes in brightness across space than women. This influences their ability to correctly read letters from an eye chart of recognize faces.
However, despite the differences in vision for both men in women, there is one significant area in which both genders can agree―the importance of maintaining eye and visual health through regular eye examinations.
If your vision is starting to decline with age, or you are starting to recognize the early warning signs of cataracts, be sure to contact OCLI to schedule a comprehensive eye examination today. Through regular eye exams early on, you can be sure that you will catch any serious vision problems before they significantly affect your future.
Image: Source | Research: Source


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A long time ago I bought a hand held steamer. It worked okay, but only on sealed, hard surfaces. It took forever to heat up, and if I recall correctly, it was pretty pricey for a very basic machine. That was my only experience with a steamer, so to be honest I wasn't that hyped about trying the Hoover SteamScrub 2-in-1.
It's just for my kitchen and bathroom floors, I thought. Nothing I can't do faster with a wet mop, I thought. Huh. Turns out I was so very, very wrong.
Unlike my old steamer, the Hoover SteamScrub 2-in-1 only takes 30 seconds to heat up and cleans just about everything. It comes complete with 12 tools and accessories for every job around my house, plus a bottle of cleaning solution, steam connector hose, and storage bag to keep everything together. The versatility of the SteamScrub is remarkable! There's no need to buy anything extra; everything you need comes standard in the box.
- Microfiber cloth pad for hard floors
- Microfiber cloth pad for multi surface
- Squeegee
- Angled crevice tool
- Steam connector
- Carpet glider attachment – refresh and kill bacteria buried deep in carpet fibres
- Grout brush – lift embedded dirt between tiles
- Steam and scrape tool – remove residue from oven, work surfaces and pans
- Steel wire brush – for very stubborn dirt on resistant surfaces like barbecue grills
- Upholstery cloth – refresh clothes and upholstery
- XL plastic scrub brush – for general cleaning
- XS plastic scrub brush – general cleaning
We had some friends and family over for a barbecue a little while ago, so it was the perfect time to do some deep cleaning around the house. The Scrub Brush encased in the foot and the machine's steam power worked beautifully together to get all the dried on food and stains off my kitchen floor. The freshly steamed floor even felt clean on my bare feet.
I was so impressed with the job the SteamScrub did on my floor that I decided to keep going! The entire machine's only 8 pounds and with the detachable Lift-Away Steamer option, I can convert it from an upright steam mop to an ultra light handheld unit I can take with me to easily clean my kitchen, bathroom, BBQ grill, carpets, upholstery – pretty much anywhere. I do wish the portable steamer came with some kind of a carrying strap for convenience's sake though.
The Steam Scrub 2-in-1's Twin Tank Technology separates clean water from the cleaning solution so I can choose whether or not to use solution. But one of my favourite things about the SteamScrub is that I rarely need to use any cleanser because the steam itself does such a good job of cleaning and sanitizing on its own. It's actually kind of fun watching the steam spray away the dirt!
Our dog Kallie is getting old now, which means she occasionally has accidents in the house. That's when I LOVE the SteamScrub. Instead of using harsh detergents or bleach, the steam cleans, sanitizes, and removes 99.9% of harmful bacteria on my sealed hard floors. It even cleans carpet and upholstery, and there's no need to rinse! We're a couple of years past the point now, but how I wish I'd had this when the girls were potty training.
The SteamStream feature provides a direct steam spray to help get out really tough stains, and I can control the amount of steam with the trigger to customize it for the surface I'm cleaning: heavy for my kitchen tiles, light for my laminate flooring.
I love all the tools this comes with, and most of the pieces are stored directly on the body of the steamer so they're all organized and easily accessible for whatever task I have at hand. My only complaint is with the steam connector storage up at the top of the handle. It doesn't lock in so it falls out too easily, even just with vigorous back and forth movement of the steam mop.
I particularly appreciate that the cleaning pads and upholstery cloth are all machine washable and reusable. You all know that reducing waste is important to me, so reusable is definitely the way to go. Reusable accessories are greener, budget-friendly, and I'll never have to run to the store to buy more pads before cleaning.
I don't think anyone actually loves cleaning, but I will say that when you have to, the SteamScrub 2-in-1 does a great job and even makes it kind of fun. I'll take that, thanks!
The SteamScrub 2-in-1 retails for $249.99 CAD and is available at Canadian Tire and Amazon. Connect with Hoover Canada on Facebook or Twitter.
Disclosure: I received compensation as a member of TTi Floor Care's Blogger Sponsorship Program, and I received a sample item for review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. This West Coast Mommy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. This income helps pay for the operating costs of my website – thank you for your support!


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Holiday Break
Dear friends of Lambda Island,
I hope you're enjoying the summer (or winter, as may be the case)! I am in Lublin, Poland this week for the European Juggling Convention, an opportunity to recharge creative juices, and to look ahead at where Lambda Island will be heading the coming year.
This does mean I won't be able to make a new video before I get back to Berlin early August. To not leave you with nothing I wrapped up an article that had been sitting in my drafts folder for a while. It's about dealing with dates and times in Clojure, a surprisingly thorny subject. I remember this being a big source of confusion and frustration when building my first Clojure apps. Hopefully I can save some of you that frustration.
Happy hacking!


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December 16, 2010
Editor's Note: This article is part of a larger series of stories that was published in the Dec. 16, 2010 edition of the Dorchester Reporter.
With every killing in Boston, Police officer Marivelle Crespo and Gina Patterson, a civilian, are as certain to deal with the tragedy as detectives from the BPD Homicide Squad. The two women are victims' advocates within the homicide and since 2008 have assisted the families of about 315 victims who have been killed on city streets.
Although Patterson and Crespo are officially members of the homicide unit, Patterson said that their objective is not to actively involve themselves in investigations but rather to assure families that they are not alone in their grief. They are able to offer a wide range of private and public resources ranging from grief councilors and social workers as well as refer family members to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office's recently expanded Victims Witness Assistance Program, which helps families pay for funeral services and lost wages.
"We encourage families to come forward with investigators," Patterson said. "But at the same time we want to make sure families are receiving the help they need. No family is prepared for this type of loss."
In November, the pair testified before the Boston City Council as part of a day-long hearing on what more the city needs to do to deal with Boston's spike in homicides in 2010. Despite receiving calls from the families of victims killed as far back as the eighties, they have been able to keep pace with current homicides and make contact with families within the first 48 hours of a crime.
Violence has touched both advocates lives as they grew up in Boston, the loss of friends they said helps bridge the gap between themselves and the families they serve not only in the days and weeks following a homicide, but how that loss can change the trajectory of a family for years to come.
Crespo spent seven years working as a Boston patrol officer, an experience which she said helped prepare her for her position as an advocate by reinforcing the realities living on a street where is a daily concern.
Patterson began her victim advocacy work in the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, guiding families through the myriad of private and state-funded resources available in the wake of their loss. Since taking the position in the Boston Police Department, Patterson has helped expand these aids to families as soon as the police are aware of a murder.
While police victim advocates only interact with a family following a homicide, the two said much of the counseling made available to relatives and friends still reeling from their loss is meant to ensure they do not turn to violence themselves. By creating an environment where families can express their anger without resorting to a gun, Crespo says her work helps end the cycle of revenge that leads her into yet another broken home.


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Campana cup and saucer (Tea cup)
Collection > Shapes and Forms > Mugs and cups > Campana cup and saucer (Tea cup)
Campana cup and saucer (Tea cup)
Code: CSTC
Dimensions: cup 11, saucer 16cm / cup 4 1/4, saucer 6 1/4in
Cost (in Euro, VAT and shipping not included), depending on price level of design: €28 (A), €33 (B), €41 (C), €51 (D), €59 (GOLD)
This elegantly shaped cup has the right size for breakfast as well as for American coffee, tea and tisanes.
All our bisques are handmade and therefore small variations in size are possible.
For further information and to order email@example.com.
Due to the characteristics of monitors the colours in images may vary from the original ceramics pieces.
Copyright © 2009 Rampini Ceramics (all text and images).


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Your air conditioning project is designed using CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) recommendations, to ensure that equipment capacity is correctly calculated, in order to provide you with the most energy efficient air conditioning solution.
Learn MoreOur aim is to design and deliver practical, viable and efficient systems that help reduce clients' energy spend and the impact the system has on the environment.
We undertake a full site survey to identify issues and options for achieving efficiencies with your air conditioning, heating and ventilation system
Factors such as load, noise, energy consumption, the appropriate styling and provision for future expansion form part of our calculations
Taking into consideration budgets, we use the results of the survey and calculations to suggest the best air conditioning equipment options from a wide range of suppliers
We submit design proposals that encompass design schematics, along with feasibility and project planning information to demonstrate our working methodology
We draft approval drawings to meet regulatory requirements and provide full working drawings prior to site installation
Airtech work closely with architects, building service engineers, civil engineers and equipment suppliers to provide you with the ideal air conditioning installation
Original 'Hot Yoga' of Bikram Choudhury. Airtech in collaboration with equipment / controls manufacturers, designed, installed and commissioned a full fresh air gas fired Air Handling system including new supply and extract ductwork; attenuation and a standalone Trend BMS Controls system.
Airtech won this design and build scheme, comprising decommission of redundant plant complete with supply, installation and commissioning of Mitsubishi Electric VRF Air Conditioning complete with Heat Recovery Ventilation.
Airtech won this design and build scheme, comprising decommission of redundant plant complete with supply, installation and commissioning of Mitsubishi Electric VRF Air Conditioning complete with Heat Recovery Ventilation.
Our service is focussed on real customer needs. We use and promote technologies that will deliver environmentally efficient solutions. Each of our installations conforms to the strictest standards within the HVAC industry, adhering to all current legislation and regulations.
Complete air conditioning solutions for both large-scale and small M+E projects
We provide complete HVAC design, installation and maintenance services
Airtech engineering teams work across commercial, industrial and residential sectors


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Release the Kraken with this new icon pack!
A dark mix featuring deep purple, greens, and blues with yellow and fuschia, also includes exclusive wallpaper pack, clock widget, and much more!
Easy-to-use Kraken dashboard app:
- Auto-apply to your preferred launcher
- Browse, apply, or download over 200 matching wallpapers
- Icon search with categories
- Easily request icons to be themed
- Beautiful kraken color palette
- Professional highest quality design
- Dynamic calendar (icon changes each day)
- Android P settings shortcut styles
- Alternate icons with new colors and styles
- Alternate popular system styles: Pixel, Nexus, Samsung, HTC, ASUS, LG, OnePlus and more
Pro tips:
- Auto apply to supported launchers, open Kraken app > Menu > Apply > Choose launcher
- Send an icon request, open Kraken app > Menu > Icon Request > Tap to Send request
- For wallpaper, open Kraken app > Menu > Wallpapers > Apply. New wallpapers added frequently.
- Search or find an alternate icon:
1. Long press icon to replace on homescreen > Icon options > Edit > Tap icon > Select Kraken > Press arrow on top right to open icons
2. Swipe to access different categories or use search bar to find alternate icon, tap to replace, done!
- GO PRO to further support this project! Just open app and tap GO PRO card. Also removes ads, thank you for your support!
Over 30+ launchers supported:
- Nova, GO, Sony, Mini, Holo, L, Apex, Action Launcher 3, Arrow, Atom, Aviate, Cyanogen, Epic, EverythingMe, Hola, Inspire, KK, Lucid, Nemus, Next, Nine, Smart, Solo, TSF, Themer, LG Home, CM Theme Engine, Unicon and XGELS
- Other launchers can simply apply from your launcher settings
Email any issues or questions you may have or contact me on:
- Google+ https://google.com/+DrumDestroyerThemes
- Twitter https://twitter.com/DDT_IconPacks
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TimothyTheHammerAustin
Shop your favorite products and we'll find the best deal with a single click. Designed to make shopping easier.


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Kinetic Friction
Summary: Two bodies in relative motion excite resistance when they come together. Two wills clashing create another kind of friction. Somewhere between animosity and arousal is the place where they meet.
Characters: Paris, Janeway, Chakotay, Kim, Stadi
Codes: Janeway/Paris
Disclaimer: Paramount/CBS own the rights to the Voyager universe and its characters, which I am borrowing without permission or intent to profit.
Warning: This story contains mentions of rape, prison trauma, post-traumatic stress syndrome and panic disorder.
Rated E
No strings, no questions
Tom spends thirty minutes in the shower, just because he can, orders a fresh uniform from the replicator, gels his hair into submission and reports to the docking pylon.
Stadi is waiting, studying a padd; as Tom approaches she looks up and a slight frown mars her smooth forehead. "Are you all right, Mr Paris?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" he asks, flippant. "C'mon, Lieutenant, show me this ship you're so proud of."
Her dark eyes regard him for a moment longer before she turns to enter an alphanumeric code into the access panel. The door rolls open with a solid clang and Stadi waves him through the airlock and onto Voyager.
"This way," she gestures.
Tom glances around as they move through the corridor toward the turbolift. "I see Starfleet's still using the same interior designers," he remarks.
Stadi ignores him. "Deck one," she orders the lift.
Tom can't help the way his heart beats a little faster as they rise through the decks. He's about to step onto the bridge of a Federation starship for the first time in three years. Something he never believed he'd do again.
The lift doors open and Tom steps out, eyes roving around the bridge to take it all in. It's staffed with a skeleton crew; there's a lieutenant at ops and a curly-haired ensign at auxiliary engineering, but the other stations are empty, including the helm. He looks at it wistfully, fingers itching to touch those controls, feel the power of the now-dormant engines purring like a tiger only he can tame.
"Mr Paris?"
"Yeah," he says. "Coming."
He follows Stadi down the curving ramp and across the command level. She presses the panel beside a door, which slides open to reveal a large, comfortable ready room.
Captain Janeway is perched on the edge of her desk, slender and lithe in the uniform that somehow looks svelte on her. The heels on her boots are punishingly high; bare-footed, he suspects, she'd only come up to his chin, although that hairstyle might add a couple of centimetres.
Not for the first time, he feels a vague sense of recognition when he looks at her, but it's nothing he can pin down. Maybe he met her at some Starfleet function once. Or maybe it's just that she's the kind of woman he'd look twice at.
The captain has a padd in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, desktop monitor turned so she can carry on a subspace conversation with a dark-haired woman who resembles her. She looks up as Stadi and Tom enter, then turns to address the woman on the monitor.
"Phoebe, I have to go. I'll comm you before we leave for the Badlands, okay? Janeway out."
The screen displays the LCARS interface for a few seconds, then begins to rotate through a series of images, most of them picturing a rugged-looking, grey-haired man with an Irish setter. One or two feature Janeway as well.
Tom only realises he's staring at the pictures when Stadi clears her throat to get his attention.
Janeway is still leaning against her desk. She sips from her mug, concealing her upturned lips. "Are you with us, Mr Paris?"
"Yes, sir." He assumes the at ease posture.
"Captain will do," she corrects him, leaving the empty mug on her desk and ushering them up to the seating area by the viewport. "Have you studied Lieutenant Stadi's proposed flight plan?"
"Yes, Captain."
"And?" She sits, crossing her legs, eyebrows arched.
He lowers himself to the bench beside her. "It's a sound plan, Captain, but when it comes to the Badlands you might as well throw the rulebook away. The plasma storms are highly volatile. One good burst and you've lost navigation, deflectors, the works."
"What do you recommend?"
"Aside from assigning a pilot with experience in the region?" One glance at the steel in her eyes and he abandons that tactic. "I recommend employing a spiral search pattern as you approach the asteroid belt. That should give you time to map the gravitational eddies and hopefully avoid the worst of the plasma storms while you scan for warp particles."
"Lieutenant?" Janeway doesn't take her eyes from Tom as she addresses her helmsman.
Stadi is tapping calculations into her padd. "Mr Paris' suggestion would seem to give us the highest safety margin."
"Work with Mr Paris to adjust your flight plan," Janeway orders decisively. "I want the revisions filed by 1400 tomorrow."
"Right away, Captain." Stadi rises. "Mr Paris?"
"Tomorrow, Lieutenant," Janeway interrupts her firmly, smiling. "I'm well aware I cut your leave short for this mission. Go get some rest. You two can start working together in the morning."
"Thank you, Captain."
Tom stands, nods at Janeway and trots after the Betazoid lieutenant.
"I didn't dismiss you, Mr Paris."
Something about that curling, husky voice sends a prickle down his spine. He turns to face her again as the door slides silently shut behind Stadi.
Janeway uncrosses her legs and rises, moving leisurely toward him. She stops at the edge of the upper level – right up close, eye to eye with him where he stands two steps below her – and puts her hands on her hips. Her full attention is on him. He'd call it a clinical appraisal if it weren't for the way she drops her gaze to his mouth, then drags it back up to his eyes.
This close he can smell her perfume, jasmine and a hint of spice, and her lipstick and whatever she uses to keep her hair coiled up in that bun. She smells exotic, feminine, and he thinks about how long it's been since he was last with a woman and how much he's missed it, missed the smooth skin and pliable curves and softness of it. He hasn't failed to notice Janeway; he'd been overwhelmed by her, in fact, when she showed up in Auckland, to the point where he flirted with her outrageously, almost satirically, to hide just how strongly she affected him. But since then, he's managed to categorise her not as woman but as captain, placing her firmly out of bounds.
Or so he'd assumed.
Whatever she reads in his eyes as these thoughts tumble through his mind seems to please her. Some of the command starch goes out of her stance and her features soften in a smile. She lays one hand in the middle of his chest and asks warmly, "Have you eaten yet, Tom?"
Tom? he thinks, and although he's been snacking since he discovered he had unrestricted replicator access and is not at all hungry, he finds himself shaking his head no.
"Join me for dinner, then," she says – not quite a question, not quite an order – and with a hand looped through his elbow, she guides him out of the ready room, across the quiet bridge and into the turbolift.
The captain's private dining room is sparse and neutral – typical Starfleet – but Janeway leads him to sit by a viewport that looks directly out onto the wormhole, swirling blue and orange each time it opens. The table is laid with flowers and candles, and it brings Tom up short.
Everything he's been telling himself about this dinner since she issued her invitation – it's just a gracious captain taking pity on the son of her mentor; I served with your father on the Al Batani – is turned upside down and inside out by the undeniable intimacy of this setting. But then, Janeway has kept him off balance since she appeared at the penal colony and threw him a lifeline. Maybe, Tom decides, he just needs to roll with the punches.
"I don't suppose they fed you terribly well in Auckland," she says as they settle into their chairs and a silent crewman appears to whisk napkins over their laps. "You're not vegetarian, are you?"
"No, Captain. I'm a big fan of red meat."
"Good," she murmurs, watching him over the rim of her wine glass as their server places dishes before them. "I hope you like your steak rare."
She dismisses the crewman and Tom, despite his lack of hunger, eats with gusto until he realises she's still watching him.
"Sorry," he mumbles, swallowing. "Prison did nothing for my table manners."
"Oh, I don't mind a man with a few rough edges."
The seductive timbre in her voice makes him lay down his knife and fork. She's half-smiling, fingers playing lightly over the stem of her glass. He notices she's barely touched her own food.
She's still buttoned up in uniform, but something about her languid pose in the half-light makes him picture her wearing a lot less. He watches her lick her lips as she holds his gaze.
Fuck it, Tom thinks, fortune favours the bold.
"Best thing for rough edges is friction against a smooth surface," he says, and grins at her.
To his relief she bursts into laughter, then pushes her plate away and rests her elbow on the edge of the table, chin in hand.
"I have a proposal for you."
Her body language makes it pretty clear that she means proposition. Tom wipes his mouth with his napkin. "I'm listening."
"One night, no strings, no questions asked. And no obligation. If you decline that will be the end of the matter."
He'd already figured she was the forthright type, but this is downright blunt. Arousing as hell, too, and right now Tom doesn't particularly care about anything beyond getting her naked. So it must be some perverse impulse that prompts him to ask, "What about the guy with the dog?"
Her face goes hard. "Are you interested or not?"
No questions. Got it. "Yes ma'am. Very interested."
"Don't call me ma'am."
"Yes … Captain." He uses his best low drawl while holding her eyes, watches her expression change.
"Maybe you should call me Kathryn," she murmurs. "Just for tonight."
"Okay, Kathryn." Tom reaches for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, bringing her wrist close to trace his lips across it. Her shaky exhale is the first real sign she's given that she's not as coolly composed as she appears.
"My quarters." She rises, tugging him to his feet as well. "Now."
The captain's quarters are one deck down. During the brief turbolift ride and the short walk through the corridor, Janeway doesn't speak and doesn't look at him. Tom automatically assumes a deferential posture, slightly behind her with his head lowered, in case they encounter any beta shift crew, but Voyager seems to be running on a skeleton staff while they're docked with the station.
Nimble fingers enter her security code and she tilts her head to usher him into her quarters, where starlight is the only illumination. She doesn't call for lights. Doesn't offer him a drink either, or make conversation. The instant the door is closed, cutting them off from the corridor, she pushes him up against the bulkhead and drags his head down to hers.
He can't help shuddering as her lips capture his and her tongue slides into his mouth, and it seems to turn her on. Her fingers latch into his freshly-cut hair and she grinds up against him and Tom, breath short and knees watery, is grateful for the wall at his back.
She unfastens his jacket with practised fingers, strips off her own, guides him to pull off his turtleneck and tank. When she cups him through his pants, though, he has to break the kiss, head falling back, grabbing her wrist to still her exploring fingers. "Wait," he gasps, "Kathryn …"
There's a mixture of gentle amusement and dawning sympathy in her voice as she asks, "When was the last time you were with a woman?"
That mean Bajoran bitch in the Maquis, he thinks. And she only screwed me to piss Chakotay off.
"It's been a while," he says aloud.
"In that case, let me do this for you first," and she tugs open his pants as she slides to her knees.
He's burning hot before she even gets her mouth on him, grinding his teeth and tipping his head hard against the wall in an effort to not humiliate himself. He tries to wind his hands in her hair but is thwarted by pins and complicated coils; he settles instead for stroking her face, half in gratitude, half in apology for the way his hips thrust helplessly as she arches her neck. It's the rhythmic motion of her throat that does him in.
"Jesus," he whines, "fuck," and for a moment he loses both vision and hearing, head swimming as though he's about to pass out.
When the breath rushes back into his lungs, Tom looks down to see her sitting on her heels, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She smirks at him. "Feel better?"
He nods, struggling to speak.
Janeway rises, pulling the turtleneck over her head in one smooth motion and tossing it aside. In the standard-issue tank he can see the sharp lines of her collarbones, her long neck, her slim, muscled arms; her skin looks soft, and suddenly he aches to touch it. Hands resting on her hips, she gives him a slow, thorough once-over, and Tom feels himself stir. Her one-sided smile tells him she's noticed.
"So, Mr Paris," she says throatily, "what now?"


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Secure Freedom Radio: With Kevin Freeman, Michael Yon and David Wurmser
KEVIN FREEMAN, Senior Fellow, Center for Security Policy, Author, "Game Plan: How to Protect Yourself from the Coming Cyber-Economic Attack" and "Secret Weapon: How Economic Terrorism Brought Down the U.S. Stock Market and Why It Can Happen Again," Founder, Globaleconomiwarfare.com, @SecretWeaponUSA
Kevin Freeman delves into Microsoft's terms of service and how the tech giant reserves the right to monitor user content
What is programable currency and should you be worried?
Is China's social credit system being exported to the U.S. and what are the implications?
Freeman: Before a war, ambassadors are usually called home and embassy shuttered. What does it mean when China prevents its companies from being listed on the U.S. stock exchange?
MICHAEL YON, Former Green Beret, Independent Combat Journalist, MichaelYon-online.com, @Michael_Yon
Michael Yon discusses how different countries, most namely Turkey, Belarus and Morocco, are weaponizing migrants throughout Europe
Yon talks about his recent trip to a Lithuanian refugee camp
Countries like Afghanistan will need more time than the U.S. is willing to give to turn into a developed nation
Yon: Afghanistan was never going to have a "Happy Ending"
DAVID WURMSER, Director, Center for Security Policy's Program on Global Anti-Semitism, former Middle East Advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, retired, US Navy Reserves Lieutenant Commander
David Wurmser explains why the U.S. first went into Afghanistan and when things went, "off the rails"
Will Afghanistan revert to a staging ground to attack the West?
Wurmser: Iran and its proxies are raising the costs for us to remain in the region, with the expectation that we will run away
Read More at Secure Freedom Radio Podcast


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increase in mobile conversions
Los Angeles Mission needed a website updated and optimized to enhance the fundraising experience for users. This site needed to focus on providing a user friendly and engaging experience that effectively told the story of their nonprofit.
RKD worked with LAM to build a website that was properly optimized for fundraising. They built a website that included a unique design and UX. RKD made sure to build a website that granted LAM the chance to tell their stories and boost fundraising to its fullest potential.
The new fundraising-focused design and UX brought a 15.73% increase in website conversions and 73.41% increase in mobile revenue. Not only was it a more effective at bringing in donations, it brought in two creative awards for website design.
Founded in 1936, the Los Angeles Mission is a non-profit, privately supported, faith-based organization that serves the immediate and long-term needs of homeless and disadvantaged men, women and children. The Mission is among the nation's largest service providers to the homeless.


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Black-Box Extension Fields and the Inexistence of Field-Homomorphic One-Way Permutations
Ueli Maurer and Dominik Raub
The black-box field (BBF) extraction problem is, for a given field $\mathbb{F}$, to determine a secret field element hidden in a black-box which allows to add and multiply values in $\mathbb{F}$ in the box and which reports only equalities of elements in the box. This problem is of cryptographic interest for two reasons. First, for $\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{F}_p$ it corresponds to the generic reduction of the discrete logarithm problem to the computational Diffie-Hellman problem in a group of prime order $p$. Second, an efficient solution to the BBF extraction problem proves the inexistence of field-homomorphic one-way permutations whose realization is an interesting open problem in algebra-based cryptography. BBFs are also of independent interest in computational algebra.
In the previous literature BBFs had only been considered for the prime field case. In this paper we consider a generalization of the extraction problem to BBFs that are extension fields. More precisely we discuss the representation problem defined as follows: For given generators $g_1,\ldots,g_d$ algebraically generating a BBF and an additional element $x$, all hidden in a black-box, express $x$ algebraically in terms of $g_1,\ldots,g_d$. We give an efficient algorithm for this representation problem and related problems for fields with small characteristic (e.g. $\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{F}_{2^n}$ for some $n$). We also consider extension fields of large characteristic and show how to reduce the representation problem to the extraction problem for the underlying prime field.
These results imply the inexistence of field-homomorphic (as opposed to only group-homomorphic, like RSA) one-way permutations for fields of small characteristic.
BibTeX Citation
@inproceedings{MauRau07, author = {Ueli Maurer and Dominik Raub}, title = {Black-Box Extension Fields and the Inexistence of Field-Homomorphic One-Way Permutations}, editor = {Kaoru Kurosawa}, booktitle = {Advances in Cryptology --- ASIACRYPT 2007}, pages = {427--443}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {4833}, year = {2007}, month = {12}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, }


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Weaning needn't mean shop-bought baby foods and special weaning recipes.
Now more and more parents choose to make life easier, save money and raise a more adventurous eater by adapting their family foods for weaning.
Here are just some of the reasons why adapting your family meals food is a winning formula:
- You train your baby to like family foods from the start. Why introduce strange combinations like broccoli, pears and peas? As chances are you won't serve this to your toddler or pre-schooler.
- It's time-saving.
- It reduces food waste and saves you money.
- It's easier to offer variety rather than batch cooking a few special baby meals and rotating them all week.
- Your baby learns from watching you and sharing food with you.
- You're reinforcing the social aspect of eating.How you feed your baby is as important as what you feed them.
Read Next: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Food Label
Five things to consider when adapting your meals for your baby
As adults, we eat more salt than we should each day. Because many foods like bread, cereals and packaged foods contain significant amounts of added salt. And while we'd all benefit from eating less salt, we need to be particularly careful about how much salt our babies eat. But, don't panic. Hold the salt shaker and make some swaps when cooking, and you're good.
Here are three easy swaps to make in your cooking:
- Swap regular stock for zero, very low salt or baby stock (or just use water).
- Swap regular butter for unsalted butter or oil
- Swap out salty meats like bacon, chorizo, sausage for fresh meat like pork, chicken or lamb (or boil an egg!)
Sugar can be part of a healthy diet, but not for babies. The WHO recommends that babies and young children eat minimal amounts of 'free sugars'. 'Free sugars' are those added during manufacture by the food manufacturer or at home by you.
'Free sugar' might be traditional white or brown table sugar, or 'unrefined sugars' like honey, syrups and nectars. If a savoury meal lists one of these sugars as an ingredient, it's pretty easy just to leave it out! Or use some fruit to sweeten your dish naturally.
Chopped apple, banana or coconut works well in a curry. And there are lots of no-added-sugar pancake and muffin recipes online like these simple 3-ingredient banana pancakes.
Read Next: Sugar For Babies: Separating Fact From Fiction
This is a big one. Because you have a learner eater on your hands, you'll need to make sure that you provide foods in a texture that your baby can manage. This is easy to do.
One-pot wonders: Fish pies, beef or bean stew, chicken curry or lentil bolognese are easy to modify. Just grab a fork and get mashing! Or, if your baby is able for finely chopped food, do that.
Sunday Roast: Shredding meat works well for finger feeding. Or shred into even smaller pieces and mash with some mash and serve from a spoon.
Vegetables: Cook until they're soft and squashable and offer as a stick or when your baby has developed their pincer grip as tiny pea-sized pieces. Or mash and offer from a spoon.
Fruit: Choose ripe and soft raw fruit like bananas or pears or cook until soft like baked apple slices. Grating fruits like apples also make foods less hazardous.
There are some foods that you'll want to avoid totally, like whole or chopped nuts.
Babies aren't mini-adults. And while many weaning meals look colourful and nutritious, they're not always balanced for babies. So, forget about adult healthy eating guidelines and balance meals with your baby in mind.
Here's an easy way to do that:
- Choose an iron-rich food (think meat, oily fish, lentils, beans, eggs or tofu)
- Add an energy-rich one (think potatoes, rice, pasta, oil, yoghurt or cheese)
- And lastly, add a fruit or vegetable (you know what these are!)
Food for babies needn't be bland and boring.
You can introduce your favourite herbs and spices at any time. It's worth keeping in mind though your baby's sensitive taste buds.
So, take it slowly, especially with hot spices like chilli. Start with herbs and mild spices like paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin and gradually add hotter spices like chilli and curry powders.
Have fun sharing meals with your baby, now and in the future.
Listen: everymum the Podcast


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I will be the first to admit that this is not the most original idea, but it's filled with possibilities…for me to play the Boomtown Rats for the twelfth time. Not a typo.
On the other hand, six artists are making their debut in show #92, and even I'm like, I still have bands I haven't played yet? Yes. Yes, I do.
Thank you, as always, for listening.