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House Democrats elect Aguilar, Allred in contested leadership elections
Mondaire Jones chosen as freshman leadership representative
House Democrats on Thursday elected California Rep. Pete Aguilar to serve as vice chairman of their caucus for the 117th Congress, making him the highest-ranking Latino on the emerging leadership team.
Aguilar beat Illinois Rep. Robin Kelly for the No. 6 slot in leadership by a vote of 148-82.
In the other contested race Thursday, Texas Rep. Colin Allred narrowly won a three-way race for caucus leadership representative, a position reserved for members who have served five terms or less.
Aguilar was making his second bid for the vice chair position, after losing to Massachusetts Rep. Katherine M. Clark two years ago. Clark decided against a second term for the next Congress and ran instead for assistant speaker, a race she won Wednesday.
[Katherine Clark wins assistant speaker race against David Cicilline]
Outgoing Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, currently the highest-ranking Latino in House Democratic leadership, is headed to the Senate.
Kelly had been angling to bring more diversity to the leadership team as well. Had she won, she would have been the first Black woman in a top leadership post since Shirley Chisholm served as caucus secretary (the precursor to the vice chair position) from 1977 to 1981.
Kelly congratulated Aguilar after the vote, saying in a statement, "He offered a vision that will unite our caucus to do the hard work that's needed to build after the four failed years of the Trump Administration."
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus endorsed Aguilar on Monday, along with California Rep. Tony Cárdenas, who is running for Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman against New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney. The DCCC election will be held the week after Thanksgiving.
Democrats saw a drop in support from Hispanic voters this cycle in key parts of the country, such as South Florida and Texas. Aguilar told CQ Roll Call last week that it would take more than a seat at the leadership table to address the party's problems with Latinos.
"We really have to understand — and what the Hispanic Caucus has been saying for years — is the Latino community does not vote as a monolith," he said, noting that Democrats need to do a deep dive to understand those diverse communities.
Aguilar was also endorsed by the moderate New Democrat Coalition, in which he serves as whip. The endorsement was the group's first in a leadership race.
"Our support for Pete is grounded in having seen him up close and personal. He understands the diversity and backgrounds of districts our members come from," coalition Chairman Derek Kilmer of Washington told CQ Roll Call last week.
Aguilar said he was thankful to have the support of the New Democrats, whom he called "key to maintaining and expanding the House majority." But he also touted support from progressives such as Reps. Katie Porter of California and Peter Welch of Vermont, who served on his whip team.
One of Aguilar's goals as vice chairman is to improve communication across the caucus through both small- and large-group meetings, which for the time being will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he wants to "give each member the space to share what they're hearing from their districts."
In the race for caucus leadership representative, Allred narrowly defeated fellow freshman Jason Crow of Colorado and third-term Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence.
Only members in their first five terms can vote for and serve in this position. The contest required two ballots to resolve since no one secured an outright majority in the close first round, which Allred led with 46 votes to Crow's 43 and Lawrence's 42.
Lawrence was dropped from the second-round ballot, which saw Allred prevail over Crow, 69-58.
With Kelly and Lawrence both losing their races, the caucus yet again opted not to elect a Black woman to leadership. There will still be one Black woman in the room, however, as California Rep. Barbara Lee will continue serving as one of three Democratic Steering and Policy Committee co-chairs, which are leadership roles the speaker appoints.
California's Eric Swalwell will also continue as a steering panel co-chair, and Pelosi appointed Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, the outgoing head of the DCCC, to the third co-chair spot. Bustos replaces Connecticut's Rosa DeLauro, who is running to lead the House Appropriations Committee.
The caucus also voted by acclamation to elect four co-chairs to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, as that's how many candidates were running.
The current three DPCC co-chairs, Michigan's Debbie Dingell, California's Ted Lieu and Pennsylvania's Matt Cartwright, won second terms — their last per caucus rules.
Joining them is Colorado's Joe Neguse, who was elected to fill a fourth co-chair seat that the caucus installed this fall to replace the so-called chair of chairs position created two years ago for Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island. Cicilline lost a bid for assistant speaker Wednesday to Clark.
Neguse, the outgoing freshman leadership co-representative, made history with his 2018 election as Colorado's first Black member of Congress. He is also the first Eritrean American to serve in Congress.
Separately, New York's Mondaire Jones was unanimously elected Thursday by fellow members of the incoming Democratic freshman class as their leadership representative, succeeding Neguse and Veronica Escobar of Texas. He succeeds Neguse and Veronica Escobar of Texas, who served as co-representatives because of the large size of the 116th Congress' freshman class.
Neguse, 36, has been the youngest member of leadership in the current Congress, a distinction Jones, 33, will hold in the next.
"I'm proud to be part of a class of history-makers," Jones said on Twitter. "I look forward to joining the House leadership team and working to build our nation back better than ever. Let's get to work."
On Wednesday, in addition to electing Clark as assistant speaker, House Democrats nominated Nancy Pelosi to return as speaker and reelected Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn and Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries to their posts.


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GearPoint continues to innovate when it comes to its range. In addition to products that are renewed from the manufacturers, we also expand the range with new products and brands.
Of course we cannot add every product and brand to our webshop, but we can supply many of these products or brands. Is there a brand or product that you are looking for, do not hesitate and contact us. We will then look at the options or possibly inform you about an equivalent alternative that we could supply you.
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Prefer to contact us first? Please contact +31 33 7200 99 or send an email to [email protected].
You can also pick up your order in the physical store.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
General regulations for drafting company letters: secrets to precise layout
In addition to the construction, another essential aspect of a suitable organization note is its exact design.
Form of the official letter
The organization message must be granted in the official letterhead of your business. The headers of the form should contain the following information:
- Title of the company;
- Actual physical deal with in the business;
- Phone and fax;
- Online-site and e-postal mail.
Also around the type can reveal the important points of the business as well as its emblem. The presence of this details allows the addressee to easily discover the sender and send a reaction message to the right street address.custom writing essay
Required attributes of the business note
The notice need to actually have margins: around the still left – about three centimeters, in the right – about a single plus a one half. We inform you to make use of the standard Microsoft Expression kinds. Fields are important for possible notes that the addressee will make, and for declaring a letter in the archive directory.
The sign up number of the note, such as the date of signing the letter with the brain, is essential for your benefit. As an example, you opted to deliver a note to another one firm and did not have the day and quantity. If it business receives a number of 1000 characters per day, how would you path the destiny of your respective information? Usually look for is conducted by date and quantity. This is also true for government agencies. A response note along with its unique outgoing variety should likewise contain information regarding the number of the inbound letter, the solution to which it can be. Sign up variety is placed inside the top left area in the message. In a natural way, in almost any firm inbound and outbound letters needs to be correctly documented.
The address is placed just under the signing up amount and it is usually drafted as follows: position and title of the addressee are written in the top right part of the notice.ninjaessays.com Your head of the note could be featured in bold. Example:
to CEO
KLM Organization
Mr. Andrew Smith
The font of your note impacts its understanding from the addressee. The typeface ought not to be not big enough or too large. In cases like this, it ought to be exactly the same throughout the letter. The standard process is by using the days New Roman typeface together with the 12th dimension. But when you know how the addressee has poor eyesight, be mindful – increase the font of the note. You can approach choosing the font of private company correspondence letters (announcements, congrats, condolences, and so on.) a lot more creatively.
Numbering of sheets is extremely important for letters, the volume that surpasses 2 internet pages, especially for individuals who include accessories. The numbering is put in the lower proper part or heart of your page.
Information regarding the performer needs to be found in all company characters agreed upon from the company's best administrators and division heads. This can let the addressee to easily discover a unique professional liable for solving the issue inside the mailing business. The data in regards to the performer ought to have his name (if possible totally, normally it will probably be hard for your addressee to get started on a telephone discussion that may require for additional information info) and make contact with phone number – job or cell phone. Additionally it is desirable to stipulate the e-postal mail tackle. Information about the performer is created on the extremely end in the note right after the unique. Its font needs to be a few models smaller than the font of the entire body in the message.
Design of the devices of economic notice
In the event the letter features add-ons, they then are performed on different bedding. In this case, sheet numbering can be popular for the document or separate to the major letter and every connection. Details about the attachments should be inside the entire body of your note before you sign.
Case in point: This document is together with 2 files on 3 internet pages:
The certificate of recognition of the accomplished functions in 2 clones; statements.
Sincerely, Chief accountant of VNTK Group, Jeffrey Relationship.


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Kitchen Essentials 7: Cutting Boards
By Nate Cartel
Kitchen Essentials is a series for new cooks. The aim is to give you the basics of food prep, a kitchen utensil guide, and set you up for success as a home chef. This weeks installment will cover the basics of cutting boards.
Cutting boards may not be the sexiest thing to write about, but they are an essential in the kitchen. A good cutting board will make your food preparation a breeze, while a bad one could sour you on the whole endeavor. With so many choices on the internet and at your local box store, buying a cutting board can be overwhelming. We may just simply grab the closest one instead of thinking through our decision. These three tips should give you a starting point from which to choose a cutting board that will fit you perfectly.
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- Hormel's Ultimate Pepperoni Bloody Mary Cocktail Kit is over the top good
1. Size Matters
Size matters, at least for cutting boards. You want as large a board as you can reasonably handle. Small cutting boards simply do not provide the working area that you need to properly chop, dice, or filet. As you cut, the chopped food needs to go somewhere. If your board is too small either the food will overflow onto your counter top, or you will have to stop constantly to remove the cut pieces; that is a lot of unnecessary work. A large cutting board allows you to continue to work while giving your food a safe place to hang out until you are finished with your prep.
A large cutting board also has the advantage of handling larger food items. If your cutting board is too small to hold your Thanksgiving Turkey, where are you going to carve it? How will you slice your watermelon if your cutting board is small? The larger the cutting board the better, in every imaginable way.
"These three tips should give you a starting point from which to choose a cutting board that will fit you perfectly."
2. Weight Matters
A larger cutting board is simply going to be heavier than a smaller one of the same material, that's a given, but different boards of the same size are going to vary dramatically in weight based on the materials used to make them. In my opinion cutting boards can be both too heavy and too light.
A light cutting board may seem advantageous at first. It certainly will be easier to move from place to place and that has its upsides. A light cutting board can also move around when you are working with it easily too, though, and that is a very bad thing when using sharp knifes. Most of the lighter cutting boards can also be flimsy, making transferring food from board to bowl a less than ideal experience.
Really heavy cutting boards have the opposite problem. They are extremely sturdy and stay where you put them, however moving them is an olympic sport. A cutting board that is too heavy to lift comfortably with one hand makes transferring food cumbersome. The best cutting boards are midrange in regards to weight. They are heavy enough to stay put while cutting, yet they are light enough to be moved with relative ease.
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3. Material Matters
When it comes to cutting board technology much hasn't changed in the past 1000 years. All you really need for a cutting board is a flat surface to cut things. How could we improve on that much? The truth is, humanity hasn't. Your grandmother would instantly recognize your cutting board, and visa versa. The only real difference in cutting boards today is that there are a few new materials from which to choose, most notable plastic.
In the past wood was the go-to choice for cutting boards. It was hard enough to not be destroyed by your knives, but soft enough it wouldn't damage your blade. It is a great material for cutting boards if it wasn't for the annoying fact that it breeds bacteria like crazy. Recently a lot of companies are using bamboo as a "green alternative" choice, but it has the same problem as its wooden predecessors. All the nicks and knife marks left behind are magnets for bacterial infestations. Of course if you have a high temp dish washer they could be safe, but the dish washer will eventually ruin the wood and bamboo. I stay away from any cutting board made from organic material.
On the opposite end of the material spectrum is glass or stone cutting boards. They are super sterile, and it is almost impossible to scratch them with your kitchen equipment. They are not going to discolor, melt, or break easily, and so last a life time. They would be perfect except for the fact that they are so hard they ruin your knives' cutting edge. They dull blades extremely quickly, which makes them less than desirable, unless you like spending and hour every day reforming a sharp edge.
There is a perfect middle ground between the wooden and glass boards. Plastic. Plastic cutting boards bring the best of both cutting board worlds together. They are soft enough they wont kill your knife-edge, but they aren't so soft you will create bacteria havens. They are sturdy, non-organic, and wash easily. Plastic is the material of choice when it comes to cutting boards, hands down.
So when looking for an ideal cutting board, look for a large plastic cutting board that is heavy but not grotesquely so.


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Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
MIAMI – U.S. Southern Command addresses the findings into alleged misconduct by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. John C. Ring, former commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay.
U.S. Navy Adm. Craig Faller, SOUTHCOM commander, directed the investigation on March 15, 2019 and relieved Ring of duty on April 27, 2019, citing loss of confidence in his ability to command.
Due to Ring's rank, the Department of Defense Inspector General completed a required review of the investigation before becoming final on August 1, 2019. The investigation found that Ring mishandled or directed the mishandling of classified information, made inaccurate reports, and created a poor command climate. Ring's relief was not based on statements he made to the media during his tenure.
"We expect our commanders to uphold the highest standards," said Faller. "When senior leaders do not demonstrate the sound judgement required of their rank and position, we must hold them accountable."
Following the investigation, Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay implemented training to address the issues identified, and Faller ordered periodic inspections to assess the progress of the training.


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Why is there dialogue?
Farmers are on the front lines of climate change, facing increased risk of wildfires and extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts. They are also a key part of the solution, able to sequester carbon, ensure healthy soils, and help protect our natural environments.
Under the Farm to Fork strategy and relative initiatives, the European Union aims at ensuring that agriculture contributes to combatting climate change and is sustainable for future generations. Those challenges transcend European borders and have to be addressed on an international level.
On 15 June 2021, at the EU-Canada Summit, EU and Canada leaders remarked that "under CETA, Canada and the EU cooperate to address climate change and other global environmental challenges".
They officially launched "a series of joint events to promote sustainability, environmental stewardship and climate action in agriculture", within the framework of the Agriculture Dialogue under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Through these joint events, the EU and Canada will exchange ideas and best practices on a number of topics, such as soil health, greenhouse gas reduction in livestock, organic farming, better use of fertilisers and sustainable crop protection.
Workshops dedicated to each topic will centre around the policy context (outlining problems, challenges, ambitions, actions) and showcase current best practices as well as research and innovation efforts on both sides aimed at finding solutions to address these topics.
Policymakers, farmers, researchers and representatives of EU Member States and Canadian provinces and territories will take part in events extending over two years, with a final report from each workshop feeding into a wrap-up event for the project.
The results of each workshop will be available, below:
On 25 January 2023, over 170 agricultural industry stakeholders from the EU and Canada came together and explored farming practices to optimise the use of fertilisers and to reduce air emissions and water pollution, as well as ways to increase the availability of fertilisers through innovation and alternative sources.
- Recording of the plenary sessions:
- Short background video: Download video as zip (18.8Mb)
- Outcomes report
Related initiatives in the EU:
On 8 June 2022, over 110 organic production stakeholders from the EU and Canada came together at this Organic Production Workshop. Participants explored the environmental and socio-economic benefits and drivers of organic production as well as innovation in the value chain.
- Recording of the plenary sessions:
- Plenary video: Download video as zip (653.4Mb)
- Shorter video: Download video as zip (7.6Mb)
- Report / outcomes paper
Related initiatives in the EU:
On 10 March 2022, over 110 stakeholders and experts from across the EU and Canada came together in a joint workshop to explore the policy context and discuss good practices, research and innovation concerning the reduction of emissions of GHS in livestock production.
- Recording of the plenary sessions:
- Short video: Download video as zip (12.4Mb)
- Report / outcomes paper (EN/FR)
Related initiatives in the EU:
On 26 October 2021, a workshop brought together over 120 stakeholders from across Canada and the EU to explore the policy context and discuss good practices, research and innovation in the field of soil health.
- Learn about soil biodiversity and soil carbon.
- Recording of the plenary sessions:
- Plenary: Download video as zip (1.4Gb)
- Shorter videos: Download video as zip (20.2Mb)
- Report / outcomes paper (EN/FR)
Related initiatives in the EU:


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Pioneering Chevrolet Bolt EV Is Being Updated By GM, Not Abandoned
The Bolt won't be forgotten amid GM's planned electric vehicle onslaught.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV has had a lonely time carrying the electric car mantle for General Motors since it was introduced four years ago. As GM prepares to introduce a full lineup of new electric vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the next five years, the automaker is making sure the Bolt isn't left out and gets some love.
That isn't quite the same as being included, however. While the raft of EVs GM has planned for the next few years, from a GMC Hummer pickup to a Cadillac Celestiq flagship sedan and a lot of electric crossovers, the Bolt is looking like the only one that won't use the automaker's new BEV3 dedicated EV architecture. Instead, the Bolt will continue to use its current platform, albeit with a number of upgrades.
For the 2020 model year, the Bolt is more affordable, offers more range (259 miles, up from 238 in 2019), and gains some cosmetic upgrades. But a new version of the Bolt will launch later this year. The 2021 Chevy Bolt will have new seats that are more attractive, with a cool pattern on the bolstering and additional comfort, to address customer complaints. Chevrolet is also toning down the current dashboard's plasticky vibe and updating the infotainment system, while outside, it will wear new front and rear styling and a cleaner overall look. The '21 Bolt also adds adaptive cruise control and a push-button gear selector. The battery remains the same.
For the 2022 model year, Chevrolet will add the new Bolt EUV to the lineup, essentially a larger, more SUV-like Bolt variant. Due in the summer of 2021, the EUV's wheelbase is 3.0 inches longer than the Bolt's, which translates to extra room for the back seat. Overall, the vehicle is 5.0-6.0 inches longer. The look is more upright and designed to look more like an SUV. It also has a sunroof.
The driving range is expected to improve, as will charging times (which will go down). It will also be the first non-Cadillac to get Super Cruise, which is the hands-free highway-driving system that has been exclusive to Cadillac to date. All of this should help GM reverse the sales slide the Bolt has experienced in recent years. The Bolt was named the 2017 MotorTrend Car of the Year, but has been since passed by in recognition by sleeker, quicker EVs that cost nearly the same—we're of course talking about Tesla's Model 3.
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Molly Nover-Baker has been named beauty director for climate-centric skin care brand, Pour Moi.
In her new role, Nover-Baker will be tasked with creating content for Pour Moi's Beauty Forecast blog, a site dedicated to the relationship between climate and skin care.
Nover-Baker reportedly feels that skin, in general, has been missing the cause and effect of climate and skin, which is much needed as skin functions change in different climates.
She explained, "There's no doubt that our climate is going through extreme changes, and Pour Moi is the only brand addressing how climate affects the health, vitality and aging of our skin. There are questions to be answered, and that is the role I'm taking on."
Ulli Haslacher, founder of Pour Moi Skincare, added, "Women are not only becoming more aware of our environment but how their skin behaves in it. With Beauty Forecast, we'll translate the information that's out there and how it affects her and her lifestyle."
Recent Topics on Beauty Forecast Include...
- "How Skin Behaves 40,000 Feet Above the Ground;"
- "Why You Don't Want Your Skin to Experience Climate Shock When You Travel in Winter;"
- "Winter Dry Skin Survival Strategies: How to Help Your Skin Survive the Cold."


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According to SNY's Ian Begley, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets "have been monitoring" Zach LaVine's situation with the Chicago Bulls.
And it's worth noting that both the Knicks and the Nets are among the teams who have been monitoring LaVine's situation in Chicago. Per SNY sources, both teams have done background work on LaVine to be prepared for the possibility that Chicago ends up listening to trade offers on the 25-year-old guard.
The Bulls finished the 2019-20 NBA season as the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference (22-43), missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. LaVine has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $78 million deal, initially signed with the Sacramento Kings and matched by the Bulls in the summer of 2018.
LaVine has been Chicago's leading scorer in each of the last two seasons. Last season the 25-year-old averaged 25.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The Knicks could potentially offer the Bulls some combination of Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr. and their two first-round draft selections in both the 2020 and 2021 NBA Draft for LaVine. New York has also been linked to Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.
New York finished the regular season as the 12th seed in the East (21-45), missing the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. They're looking to name a head coach for next season.
The Nets could potentially offer the Bulls some combination of Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie and their first-round draft selections in both the 2020 and 2021 NBA Draft for LaVine. Brooklyn has also been linked to Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.
Brooklyn is the seventh seed in the East (30-34), preparing for the NBA restart in Walt Disney World next week under interim head coach Jacque Vaughn, who took over for Kenny Atkinson in March.


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Agenda for the Council Meeting to be held on TUESDAY the 22nd April 2014
Birdham Parish Council 28 Langdale Avenue, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8JQ Tel : 01243 79040201243 790402 Email : email@example.com Website : www.birdham.org.uk Clerk to the Council : David J Siggs |
Members are hereby summoned to attend a Meeting of Birdham Parish Council to be held on at 7pm on Tuesday the 22nd April 2014 in the Main Hall at Birdham Village Hall, Birdham.
David J Siggs - Clerk to the Council
1. Public Question Time: (In accordance with Standing Orders 1d – 1l)
2. Declaration of interests and granting of dispensations if any:
3. Approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 17th March 2014
4. Co-option of new Councillors.
5. Matters Arising
i) Land bequest to the Council
6. Clerks Report including:
i) WSCC Reports, highways matters and correspondence
ii) CDC Reports including correspondence
iii) To receive reports from Division Members of WSCC and Ward Members of CDC as appropriate.
iv) Other related matters
7. Finance and corporate:
i) To receive and approve a financial report.
8. To receive an update on the position of the Neighbourhood Plan
9. Planning matters including applications and CDC delegated decisions.
i) Planning Applications to be decided.
BI/14/00598/FUL - Case Officer: Vicki Colwell -Premier Marinas Former Chandlery Building Chichester Marina Chichester West Sussex
Change of use of ground floor from retail (Use Class A1) and restaurant (Use Class A3) to create five self-contained two-bedroom residential units (Use Class C3). Replacement of existing flat roof with pitched roof including dormer windows to create upper levels to the existing flats.
BI/14/00632/DOM - Case Officer: Anna Weir - Mr and Mrs Lawrence Pirie The Old Bird And Ham Main Road Birdham Chichester
Proposed replacement garden room, new tiled roof to store/utility. Refurbishment works to existing single storey tile roofs and 2 no. replacement windows to south-east elevation.
BI/14/00633/LBC - Case Officer: Anna Weir Mr and Mrs Lawrence Pirie The Old Bird And Ham Main Road Birdham Chichester
Proposed replacement garden room, new tiled roof to store/utility, refurbishment works to existing single storey tile roofs and 2 no. replacement windows to south-east elevation.
BI/14/00959/DOM Broomers Barn , Lock Lane, Birdham,
Relocation of rear garden gate and boat parking.
BI/14/01062/LBC Well House, Lock Lane, Birdham
Re-build unstable chimney 'like for like'
ii) Delegated Decisions to be noted.
BI/14/00123/DOM Mr Lee Stephenson Glen Iris Bell Lane Birdham
New side dormer to roof. PERMIT
BI/14/00036/DOM Mr And Mrs R Phillips Hundred Steddles House Hundredsteddle Lane Birdham
Demolition of existing garden store/garage and erection of new garden store/garage. PERMIT
10. Correspondence - Not previously circulated to be noted.
11. Reports
i) Play area and playing field
ii) Village Green and pond –
iii) Condition of Village Drain/Ditch Network
iv) Police & Neighbourhood Watch
v) Communication Working Group
vi) Other
12. Reports of meetings attended by Councillors
13. Items for inclusion on next agenda.
14. Date of Next Meeting Monday the 19th May 2014 (Annual meeting of Council)


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In today's world, it is not uncommon for someone to believe that what is going on 'out there' is the problem. Consequently, what is going on 'out there' will need to change in order for the world to change, and, if it doesn't, this won't happen.
It could be said that it will be perfectly normal for someone to have this outlook, considering this is what their eyes will tell them. So, as the evidence will be there, there will be no reason for them to question this conclusion. All in the Same Boat It is likely that this is an outlook that most of the people in their society have and their friends and family could also have the same outlook. With there being so many people who are on board with this outlook, it will be seen as the absolute truth. One, along with most of their fellow human beings, is then not going to be able to do a great deal about what is going on. Sure, they can do certain things and even vote for the 'right' person, but that will be about it. A Select Few Those who have a lot of money and/or hold positions of power can be seen as the ones who have the ability to make a difference. Also, one could believe that there are a group of people who rule the world, with them operating behind the scenes. They are then going to have to hope that certain people do the right thing. Due to the imbalance in power, regardless of whether one believes that there are 'elites' who are in control, the few will be in control of the many. The Outcome When a large part of a population has this outlook, and even a large part of the planet, it is not going to be a surprise if there is a lot of 'victim energy'. Ultimately, those with the control will be the perpetrators of what is going on and just about everyone else will be powerless victims. This can mean that a lot of people will have feelings that are in alignment with this experience. Someone like this can be accustomed to feeling angry, helpless, hopeless and powerless. Endless Reminders To make matters worse, the mainstream media will continually talk about how bad things are and how certain people are also doing bad things. After being exposed to this information, one could feel even worse about what is going on. Moreover, through consuming so much negativity and having a lopsided view of reality as a result, it could be a challenge for them to focus and to get to sleep. As a way to handle the pain that they are in, they could often be indifferent. Another Angle However, what if what is going on 'out there' is not the main problem and the few are not the ones with all of the control? What if what is going on 'out there' is a reflection of what is taking place for humanity as a whole and each person on the planet has the ability to make a difference? To understand how this could be so, it will be a good idea for one to take a closer look into the law of correspondence. Quite simply, this law states that what is going on externally is a reflection of what is going on internally. The Mirror This means that although someone can believe that they are just an observer of what is going on externally, they are actually co-creating what they see. What will obscure this fact are their ego-mind and their eyes. Both their ego-mind and their eyes will create the impression that they are separate from what is going on externally. But, as convincing as this will be, it is nothing more than an illusion. The Truth Taking this into account, they, along with their fellow human beings, have the ability to change the world by changing their inner world. Through changing what is taking place internally, their external world will change. This will be similar to how what is on a screen will change if what is being projected onto it changes. Trying to change what is on the screen itself won't change what is being projected. A Common Approach To try to change what is being projected by doing things to the screen might momentarily change what is seen, but it won't be something that lasts for very long. This is, of course, what often happens in the world, which is why certain things don't really change. What is going on at the root - what is being projected needs to change – so that there is not only change, but lasting change. For this to happen, it will be essential for one to deal with what is taking place in both their conscious and unconscious mind. Two Levels Having an understanding of how their life is not just a reflection of what is taking place in their conscious mind will make it easier for them to see how the world is mirroring back what is going on for them. If their second mind wasn't taken into consideration, they could say that they are not playing a part in what is going on as they are a 'positive' and an 'aware' person, for instance. What is taking place at a deeper level, in their unconscious mind, will have a far greater impact on their life than what is taking place in their conscious mind. This part of them will contain emotional pain and the parts of themselves that they have rejected, among other things. Final Thoughts For the world to truly change, a large part of humanity will need to let go of a lot of their own inner baggage. One's life will show them what it is that they need to resolve, that's if they are able to see what is going on 'out there' as being symbolic, not literal. When it comes to working through their inner wounds, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided with the assistance of a therapist or healer.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 26 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Free Consultation
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That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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On Wednesday 26 September 2018, the Amilcare Ponchielli theatre in Cremona hosted the award ceremony of the 15th International "Triennale" Violin-Making Competition "Antonio Stradivari".
The event, considered as the Violin-Making Olympics and promoted by Fondazione Stradivari, offered violin-makers and musicians worldwide a privileged opportunity for exchange: 331 artisans from 40 countries and 431 instruments registered for the competition, including violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. A kind of world tour through the instruments specially created for the contest: from Austria to China, from Japan to Brazil, from Canada to New Zealand, from Spain to the United States, to Taiwan.
The instruments have been evaluated by a panel coordinated by Renzo Rebecchi, including masters violin-makers and exceptional musicians who, through a long-established formula, have assessed whether the craftsmanship quality and the acoustics performance were harmonically balanced to highlight the excellence of contemporary violin-making.
The support of Fondazione Cologni made it possible to grant the special "Premio Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte", award to the best foreign-born violin-maker living and working in Italy.
From 27 September to 14 October, the instruments will be showcased in the Padiglione Andrea Amati of Museo del Violino, in the halls hosting masterpieces by Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri, thus highlighting the ongoing tradition firmly and uninterruptedly joining historical workshops and contemporary ateliers.


text: health, Uncategorized Truth on a Starbucks Sleeve It's wet, cold, and rainy here in Dallas. I'm off work today as well due to a severe case of strep throat. Before my husband left to workout with his friend Jay, I hinted that I would love a warm cup of Starbucks. A few hours later he came in … Continue Reading


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Gather 'round, people of the Internet. A super PAC supporting Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, has just unveiled a masterful first attack ad for the primary. "Masterful," if your definition of the word includes fire-breathing bald eagles and Paul as not just the "free speech" champion we've come to know him as but, also, a champion in the weight room.
If you can't back the central message in this video, perhaps you can get behind "capitulating Canadian" Ted Cruz, R-TX, sporting a red tank top.
Or little kids playing with a cozy coupe while casually being engulfed in flames.
Or Lindsey Graham, R-SC, reading your emails in a 1997 magenta Geo Metro. (Also on fire for some reason.)
No? None of these things did anything for you? Fortunately there are many, many more glorious examples of botched Photoshop for your viewing pleasure included in the full attack ad below:


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It was a love story twice told at this chic and sophisticated Texas wedding. In April, Rebekah walked down the aisle, her heart racing with excitement, to say "I do" to the man of her dreams. A few months before, she was caught off guard when she fell head over heels for her gorgeous Lela Rose gown, so perfect it brought tears to her eyes! Here's to true love…and to beautiful brides! Enjoy!
Rebekah + Matthew | April 27, 2012 | Houston, Texas
The ceremony
Our ceremony was elegant, with a black and white color scheme, full of white flowers. As the instrumental music played, my father and I walked down the candle lit, rose petal decorated aisle. I looked at Matthew but also looked at our guests…I wasn't nervous at all like I thought I would be. I was so excited!
The reception
Our reception was elegant, black and white, full of friends and family, modern. I finally felt like I could relax and have a good time! I couldn't wait to eat our cake! I was finally able to be with Matthew and talk to him which was very comforting to me during such a stressful time. Our reception was relaxed, full of friends and family eating pasta and visiting with each other. I just really wanted all our guests to have a really good time. We were able to eat dinner and dessert, visit with our guests and dance!
How Rebekah found her dream wedding dress
I had no idea what style dress I wanted, and actually found the dress search to be very frustrating. Every dress I tried on fit well and was pretty but was just "ok". I actually stumbled upon my dress by accident. I was at a boutique just looking with a friend and had actually picked out the dress I was planning to buy for my wedding the day before. I was trying on dresses just for fun when I found my Lela Rose, and actually starting crying and the whole bit. I had no idea my emotions would take over when I had found "the one" dress I had to wear.
How Rebekah felt in her wedding dress
Amazing. beautiful. comfortable.
Why Rebekah decided to sell her wedding dress
I went back and forth for a little while, but really felt like I did not just want it stowed away in a closet. It's much too pretty to be stowed away and even if I had saved it, I would have been upset if it had yellowed or if anything had happened to it. And…what am I going to save it for exactly?


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Modifiers and Categories with Square for Restaurants
When creating items in your online Square Dashboard, you have the ability to customize and group them in a few different ways.
Item Variations allow you to create multiple price points for a single item. For example: a small coffee and a large coffee, the variations are "small" and "large."
Item Modifiers edit, modify or specify to the kitchen a change to a pre-existing item. Modifiers can also add to the cost of the item if necessary. For example: extra avocado for $0.75.
Categories route items to your specific printer stations and control how your reporting appears.
Display Groups organize how items appear on your Square for Restaurants app.
Item Variations are added to your items during the creation process and are best suited for sizes. Unlike item modifiers – which are usually used for food (toppings, add-ons or special requests) – variants or price points will reduce your inventory count if you've enabled inventory management. Item modifiers will not reduce inventory.
To learn more about how to create item variants, check out our Menu Management article.
If you need customizable options (toppings, add-ons or special requests), create item modifiers. Modifiers applied to items will display on your customers' digital receipts, from the Transactions tab in your online Dashboard and in the Item Details report. Keep in mind, you can choose to hide individual modifier sets from your customers' receipts.
Unlike variations used for sizes, colours or SKUs, item modifiers don't decrease inventory counts if inventory management is turned on.
Create Item Modifiers Online
From the Items tab in your online Square Dashboard, click Modifiers > Create Modifier Set.
Enter the modifier information.
The Modifier Set name is how your modifier set appears in your POS.
Add New Options, these will be your individual modifiers.
Select the locations where you'd like your modifier set to be available.
Customer can only select one option will make the modifier required and will only allow one option to be selected. This is best for modifiers like meat temperature, bread type for sandwiches, etc.
Conversational Modifiers will include the buttons "add," "extra," "side," "sub," "no," and "allergy" to your modifiers screen in your POS for faster order entry and improved reporting.
Click Save.
From Items > Modifiers, you'll see your modifier sets when creating and editing items. Click the box next to the modifier set to apply it to an item.
Mark Modifiers as Sold Out
You can mark modifiers as sold out/available from either the Square POS or Dashboard. The sold out/available state will be respected across your sales channels.
From your online Dashboard:
Go to your item library and click Modifiers > Create Modifier Set.
Toggle off Disable the Stock status of each modifier and click Save.
From the Restaurants app:
Tap Account from the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.
Tap Items > Modifiers > Manage Modifier Availability.
Toggle off Disable the Stock status of each modifier and click Save.
Note: 86'ing Modifiers will be extended to some third-party integrations. Please check with your third-party platform to ensure the modifier status is accurately reflected.
Categories simplify your item library and sales reports, and they give you control over what and when items are sent to certain printers.
To create a category:
Log in to Categories from your online Square Dashboard.
Click Create Category.
Name your category (e.g. Drinks, Appetizers, Entrées).
Click Assign Items and check the box next to each item you wish to include.
Once you have created your categories, you can begin to customize when and where items are sent.
Assign Categories to Printers
Once you've created your categories, you can route them to separate printers. For example, all of your drinks can be sent to a bar printer, while all appetizers, mains and desserts can be sent to your kitchen to make sure no tickets get lost in the shuffle of running your restaurant.
To assign your categories, you'll need to head to your Square for Restaurants app:
Log in to your Square for Restaurants POS app and tap Account at the bottom of your screen. On Square Register, select Utilities > Settings and scroll to Printers.
Select Set Up Hardware and select the printer station you'd like to assign categories to.
Name your printer, for instance "Bar Printer."
Under Print From This Device, you can choose Receipt, Bills and Reporting print options, as well as Order Tickets (tickets containing food and beverage orders) and Order Ticket Stubs (numbered tickets for Fast Food Restaurants)
To assign Categories, you'll need to toggle on Order Tickets and scroll down to select the Categories that you'd like to have sent to this printer.
Click Save.
Keep in mind, you'll need to have a printer connected to your device before you are able to create a printer station and assign categories.
Assign Categories to Straight Fire
You can automatically send items in specific categories to your kitchen or bar when you enable the Straight Fire Categories setting for your points of sale. For example, you can enable a Drinks category to send to the bar without coursing.
To enable:
Head to your Square Dashboard > select Settings > Devices >Points of Sale from the navigation bar.
Click Service Settings > Straight Fire Categories.
Select the applicable categories. Items in the selected categories will not be included as a course to either hold or fire since they'll be sent straight away to the back of house.
Display Groups
Display groups utilize colour, size and placement options to keep your menu items organized for easy access within the Restaurants app, but they're not used in reporting.
To create a display group:
Select the Apps Menu in the upper left corner and click Menus.
Select the Add Display Group drop-down and type in the name of your display group over the light-grey Add Display Group and hit enter.
Choose the colour you'd like to be assigned to your Display Group.
Click Save.
Once you've created your Display Group, it will appear on the Menu page and you can start adding items.
To add items to your Display Groups:
Select Add Item from under your newly created Display Group.
Scroll through the drop-down or type out the item name to select the correct item for your Display Group.
If you need to edit or remove an item, click on the item name.
Learn more about getting started with Square for Restaurants. Check out the full comparison of features between Square for Restaurants Free, Plus and Premium Plans.


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Aussie workers more distracted than ever before says survey.
Remote working and consolidated communication technologies can help.
An independent study, commissioned by GoTo by LogMeIn suggests that the average office worker is more distracted today than ever before. The distractions come both in their workplace environment and the number of technologies required to complete their work. Furthermore, employees are working with more people, across more locations and dealing with more meetings than just two years ago. The results come from a study of 2,000 employees in Australia, the US, UK, France, Germany, and India.
The survey revealed the problem of workplace distractions is two-fold: employees are struggling not just with environmental distractions like noise and office chatter, but also from the number of disparate tools they need just to get their work done. The results showed that more than half of Australian respondents felt their workplace lacked or had ineffective communication policies.
Environmental distractions in the office are nothing new. However, in addition to traditional distractions, office workers now also have access to any number of diversions whenever they are connected to the internet through their computer or digital devices. Australian survey respondents reported the following top workplace distractions:
- Loud conversations (55 per cent), personal phones (43 per cent) and personal email (35 per cent) as the top environmental distractions in the office.
- 97 per cent of respondents admit to looking at their mobile phone for personal reasons during work hours, above our international colleagues (94 per cent).
- 64 per cent browse social media, 31 per cent have looked at online shopping, and 24 per cent have logged onto sports sites. A mere three per cent of Australians said they had ever looked at a dating site at work, while internationally, 21 per cent had done this.
- The average employee engages in more than 17 different instances of small talk around the office every week, although the majority (53 per cent) said they only had 1-3 small talk interactions every day and most preferred for these interactions to occur in-person (48 per cent).
Beyond the more traditional workplace distractions, employees are also struggling with the number of different technologies, and especially collaboration solutions, they now utilise on a day-to-day basis. While these solutions are designed to make workflows more efficient, the reliance on multiple siloed solutions is actually having the opposite effect. Workers are stuck wasting time, swapping between different tools for different tasks, rather than being able to maintain focus and handle all of their communications from a single, centralised point:
- Australian respondents use an average of 2.55 different tools to collaborate with co-workers in a typical work day
- 43 per cent agree time is wasted switching between different collaboration apps while working
- 61 per cent have at least five different computer programs, including workplace tools, apps and management programs, running on any given day
In addition to slowing down workflows and productivity, office distractions are negatively impacting otherwise small and relatively easy tasks. These distractions can also lead to some problematic (and potentially embarrassing) situations for employees. For instance:
- 64 per cent said they've sent an email to the wrong person
- 41 per cent said they've sent an email or chat before they're ready
- 7 per cent of respondents said they've accidentally sent a chat to someone talking bad about them, although this is far better than our international counterparts, of whom 23 per cent said they'd made this error.
Commenting on the findings, Lindsay Brown, VP of Asia Pacific at LogMeIn said: "This is a multi-faceted problem. In this case, there's no single answer that will magically resolve all of the distractions employees face at work, but businesses can take a few simple steps, such as consolidating tools and putting flexible working policies in place, to help dramatically cut down on diversions to help workers better focus on their tasks and drive productivity.
"Providing staff with the trust and flexibility to work remotely means empowering them to put themselves in the ideal environment to minimise outside distractions, either from the office or their own devices, and better focus on their work when and where they are most productive," she added.
Overall the study suggests organisations should look to invest in consolidating their various collaborative tools and technologies into a simpler, more streamlined system. This can help employees communicate and collaborate with their colleagues in the office and around the world, in a more effective manner. It will save staff valuable time and frustration otherwise spent switching between tools, trying to find the right conversation or files they need. Moreover, eliminating the need to swap between solutions removes a lot of the temptation for employees to switch to non-work-related apps and helps minimise the bandwidth required by the IT system.


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I just did a round of book signings for my new book, Time Gangsters. It seems like at least once every signing, someone comes up to me and says, "I'd like to be a writer." I now answer them by saying, "Then be a writer." I'm not trying to be a smart alec, but I really do think it is that simple. There are a lot of people who want to be writers but they seem to be waiting for something.
Some say they'll write when they're not so busy. Well, my answer to that is get an iPad or smartphone and a bluetooth keyboard and write a few words whenever you get a chance. I experimented with this last year when I was on the UVU campus a couple of days a week. I had little 10 to 15 minute gaps between my saxophone students, so I'd get out my iPad and start typing. In a month I was 5000 words into a novel. If I'd continued that, I could have had a whole novel in three semesters. My experiment ended, though, when I got so excited about the story that I started working on it during my 3-hour writing blocks on the other days of the week.
Also, when I wrote my first book, The Dragon War Relic, I was working two jobs and having to squeeze in writing here and there wherever I could. I had to sacrifice some things, like TV watching and computer games. This doesn't just go for writing, but music and many other things: if you want to become an expert at something, you have to give up things that distract you from it.
Here's another one I hear, "But I don't know enough about writing." Sheesh, if I waited until I actually knew what I was doing I still wouldn't have written a single book. As it is, I'm currently working on my tenth book in six years. I still don't know what I'm doing but I'm learning. Every book I write I learn something new. Now, some of those books will not ever see daylight because they are so bad, but I still learned a lot from them and the next book became better because of it.
This leads me to the next thing. Some people want to wait until they have their ideas and thoughts all perfectly figured out. Maybe they can do that, but for me, I have to see my stuff in print before I can figure out what to do with it. The analogy I use is that it is like making a clay pot on a spinning wheel. You first have to get the lump of clay on the wheel before you can begin to shape it the way you want. For writers, that means just write the stinkin' first draft, warts and all. Then worry about perfecting it through editing.
I can't think of other excuses that people have, but I'm sure there are plenty more. Let me know if you think of any and we can air them out. Mainly, though, if you want to be a writer, take action. Do a little bit every day toward that goal, even if it is only 5 minutes here and there.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
4 comments:
- Angie said...
Great advice, Berin!
- February 28, 2012 at 2:47 PM
- Marny said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 4, 2012 at 12:43 PM
- Marny said...
We had a great discussion about this last week on the AML blog.
- March 4, 2012 at 12:45 PM
- Leslie said...
That is great advice! I really appreciated your talk tonight at the Pleasant Grove library and your openness about your writing process, your path to publication, and your books. I really was so grateful to be able to attend and learn from you. Thanks!
- June 14, 2012 at 7:59 PM
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Online therapies are becoming increasingly popular and affordable in recent times. With online platforms such as BetterHelp, Talkspace, Regain, and many others offering a new way of providing therapies, one that has the potential to shake the decades-old idea of how therapy should be done.
However, with so many new options and therapies, I have heard a lot of people question this new route.
Is online therapy the same as in-person therapy? Are the benefits the same? Does online therapy help? Can I afford online therapy? Does my insurance cover my therapy?
In this article, we'll take a look at whether BetterHelp, one of the leading online mental health healthcare providers, offers financial aid or not. And if it does, then how to apply for BetterHelp financial aid, what all are covered within it, and much more!
Does BetterHelp Offer Financial Aid?
Yes! BetterHelp does offer financial aid to those who need the help. The process is fairly simple. BetterHelp acknowledges that many people, especially in times of a global crisis, are under financial hardship either due to their poor mental health or unemployability. Whatever the reason, the leading mental health provider offers financial aid if you require one.
The BetterHelp platform is an affordable therapy platform that offers fee-based online mental health assistance to help individuals, couples, and families deal with different mental or emotional health issues, relationship conflicts, and much more.
How To Apply For BetterHelp Financial Aid?
When you log in to BetterHelp, you'll be given an initial questionnaire that will have questions about your health and your choice of a counselor. The questionnaire gathers your basic information including your employment status (to better understand your financial position).
The questionnaire will also ask if you're struggling with any financial crisis or not. When you fill the questionnaire, you'll be directed to the payment section where you'll be asked to fill in your financial information. On this page, your fee for the therapy will be shown (automatically reduced due to your given response in the questionnaire).
You'll be automatically given financial relief that will make your therapy fee drop. For example, after I filled in my information (including my current location, financial status, employment status, income, etc), my counseling fee dropped from $80 to $65 per week so instead of charging $320, I was charged with $260.
Services Offered By BetterHelp…
The services offered by BetterHelp include:
24/7 Chatrooms: You can always drop a text to your therapist at any time. However, your therapist will only reply when they are online. If you don't mind the wait, you can drop a question to your therapist anytime.
Live Chats: You can chat with your therapist (in real-time). The number of chats is unlimited and usually depends on your needs and the nature of the issue you're seeking help with.
Live Audio Calls: BetterHelp also offers live audio calls depending on the type of subscription you have opted for. Your contact details are always hidden for privacy.
Live Video Calls: If you're more comfortable with a more face-to-face session, you can always pick live video calls as an option. There is no limit on video calls either.
Like the services offered? You can connect with a counselor on BetterHelp Today! Just click the link below!
BetterHelp's Subscription Model
Here's how BetterHelp's subscription model looks like:
Weekly Subscription: Costs $80/week where you subscribe weekly. If you subscribe every week, you'll be billed $320 at the end of the month.
Monthly Subscription: Costs $260 per month which cuts to $60 a week. You will be billed monthly.
Quarterly Subscription: Costs $540 but the weekly costs are cut down to $45 a week. You will be billed every other quarter.
Annual Subscription: If you need a long-term service, then you can pay $1820 one time which is cut down to $35 per week.
Is Insurance Better?
BetterHelp offers some amazing health and financial benefits. While BetterHelp is affordable than other online platforms, there are some situations where BetterHelp may not be able to offer financial relief.
Another question that arises here is BetterHelp covered by insurance?
Unfortunately, BetterHelp is not covered by insurance for many reasons:
Healthy insurance plans have limited coverage and may not fully cover the cost of mental health therapy.
In case your health insurance covers mental health services, the co-pay of your insurance may be higher than the total cost of your therapy.
Many insurance companies ask for mental health diagnoses and treatment plans. BetterHelp counselors and therapists don't offer a diagnosis for many reasons and don't prescribe drugs as treatment.
Also Read: Does Betterhelp Give Refunds?
Since BetterHelp is fairly affordable, the platform does not advise using insurance. If you're interested in therapy, we recommend you try BetterHelp! Sign up today to take a step towards your healing!
I hope we were able to answer the question "Does BetterHelp Offer Financial Aid" and how you can apply for BetterHelp financial aid. For more, you can connect with us at email@example.com or DM us on social media.
If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comments below!
Take Care!
The post Does BetterHelp Offer Financial Aid? Find About It Here appeared first on Calm Sage – Your Guide to Mental and Emotional Well-being.


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"Evil and good and a future with hope"Reader comment on item: Crisis in Turkey Submitted by Lactantius Jr (United Kingdom), Apr 12, 2010 at 08:24 To Dr Whaley In referring to 'religion' as "evil," Dr Whaley points up the incongruity of his deeply held faith commitment to the naturalistic rationalism he has affirmed many times. How can "evil" and "good" exist Dr Whaley, without the source of all goodness, the good, good God your faith commitment denies, and against which "evil" can be defined? The reality is that it is impossible to distinguish evil from good, without a reference point that is infinitely good, and that infinite reference point for distinguishing good from evil can be found only in the person of God, for God alone can exhaust the definition of absolute goodness. If God does not exist, then there are no moral absolutes by which one has the ability to judge something (or someone), as being evil, the reality of evil requiring God's existence, rather than disproving it. All human beings are of infinite worth to the good, good God Who created them, and without Him, a human being is nothing but enough fat for seven bars of soap, nothing but enough iron for a medium sized nail, nothing but enough sugar to sweeten seven cups of tea, nothing but enough lime to whitewash a hencoop, nothing but enough sulphur to rid a dog of fleas, nothing but enough Phosphorus to tip 2,200 matches, nothing but enough Magnesium for a dose of salts and nothing but enough............ How is it possible to be evil to just a collection of "nothing buts" Dr Whaley? Turkey's only hope "for a happy and prosperous future," is to commit themselves to serving the God Who says, "For surely I know the plans I have for you says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." Jeremiah 29:11 With kind regards and best wishes Lactantius Jr. Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments". |
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All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. email@example.com and @DanielPipes Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes (The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998. For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.) |


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10 Top Wedding Photographers in North York
As you near the end of completing your wedding checklist, be sure you don't forget to book skilled photographers. These pictures will last you a lifetime. You will look back on the most special day of your life through photos so it's only fitting that you get a photographer or a photography team that can capture the essence of your event through their art.
We've selected 10 photographers able to provide stunning shots of the most beautiful day in your life.
1. Emblaze photography
Your wedding is a culmination of a love so strong that you've decided to commit to each other. This is exactly what Emblaze Photography loves about weddings. Through photos, they can immortalize your best moments on your most special day. Taking raw emotions and making you feel so relaxed and at ease even in the posed shots. You're in the most talented hands. They are not only skilled in capturing images, they are truly passionate about each couple's big day. Trust them to take your most unforgettable moments, you won't regret it.
- website: https://www.emblazephotography.com/
- email: email@example.com
- call/text: 647-860-7401
2. Captured Pieces Wedding Photography
Photo From: https://capturedpieces.com/
Keith Acedera, the man behind Captured Pieces Wedding Photography, tells stories through his photos. He understands the enormous task of shooting moments that may never happen again. Through his lens, he is will tell the story of your wedding through pictures that emanate genuine emotions. Nothing staged, always real.
- Address: 801 Sheppard Ave W, North York, ON M3H 2T3
- Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Website: https://capturedpieces.com/
3. Sigs Photo
Photo From: http://sigsphoto.ca/
Sigs Photo is managed by a husband and wife that understand the importance of wedding photos. They have grown their business to include top photographers and videographers to make sure that all the wonderful parts of your celebration are documented. Their stills are gorgeous and their films allow you to relive that special day over and over again.
- Address: 265 Rimrock Rd Unit 2A, North York, ON M3J 3A6
- Contact: (416) 831-8942
- Website: http://sigsphoto.ca/
4. ONDI STUDIO – Wedding Photography and Videography Toronto
Photo From: http://ondistudio.com/
When you book Ondi Studio, you get stylish but classic photos and videos. They are exceptionally skilled photographers and videographers that are not only creative but technical too. Their wedding films' quality is comparable to movies. Their approach to taking wonderful pictures and videos won't make you feel uneasy or "watched over." You can simply be yourself and let them do the work in capturing keepsakes that you will be able to look back on forever.
- Address: 38 Glenbrook Ave, North York, ON M6B 2L8
- Contact: (647) 466-7933
- Website: http://ondistudio.com/
5. Diego and Liza Photography
Photo From: https://diegoandliza.com/
A husband and wife photography team, Diego and Liza work hard to shoot all the special moments at the weddings they cover. They especially like taking candid pictures where you can see the authentic emotions. They use lights and shadows to create photos that are uniquely their style. Check out their portfolio and be amazed by their shots!
- Address: 509 Beecroft Rd, North York, ON M2N 0A3
- Contact: (647) 530-3403
- Website: https://diegoandliza.com/
6. John and Veronica Photography
Photo From: http://johnandveronica.com/
John and Veronica Photography is an award-winning studio that uses a dramatic style to capture their clients' emotions throughout their wedding day. Count on them to show all these emotions beautifully through their photos. Happiness, sadness, excitement, it's like reliving the moments all over again when you look at the stills.
- Address: 4001 Don Mills Rd #149, North York, ON M2H 3J8
- Contact: (647) 686-7276
- Website: http://johnandveronica.com/
7. Alexandra Jakubowska
Photo From: https://ajphotographer.ca/
Alexandra built her reputation by making sure she understands what her clients want and delivers. Her wedding photography style is light and classic. She'll make sure you're relaxed and won't be in your way during the prep or wedding celebration. Her photos are timeless and elegant, perfect for the classic couple.
- Address: 399 Old Brock Road, Hamilton, ON, L9H 5J1
- Contact: 647-639-1568
- Website: https://ajphotographer.ca/
8. Fungke Images – Wedding Photography
Photo From: https://weddingwire.ca/
Wedding pictures are not simply a static record of an image during your special days. They're supposed to tell a story and convey the chemistry between the loving couple.
At FungKe Images, photographer Kevin Fung's passion is to bring two people together and bring out more than each of them separately. Chemistry is at the heart of Fungke Images in providing amazing photography to highlight unforgettable and intimate moments.
Contact: (416) 826-2343
Website: https://fungke.com/
9. Zahara Parisa Photography
Photo From: https://zahara-parisa-photography.business.site/
Sometimes you want to capture the vibrancy and life of a wedding celebration. In that regard, Zahara Parisa Photography may be your best choice.
Working from out of North York, Zahara Parisa Photography offers masterfully done pictures with beautiful lighting, rich colors, and amazing contrast. If you want beautiful pictures oozing with ambiance, give Zahara a try.
- Address: Toronto, North York, ON M4A 2H9
- Contact: (647) 987-6786
- Website: https://zahara-parisa-photography.business.site/?hl=en
Photo From: http://oottum.com/
A wedding is all about making fond memories while living in the moment of the celebration. Ootum Fine Photography promises faithful documentation of your special day as it unfolds.
There are no scripts or contrived pictures here. Ootum specializes in the spontaneous and unplanned moments of your wedding. They record them in convincing detail it would seem you're reliving every moment of it.
- Contact: (416) 912 1211
- Website: http://oottum.com/


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pascom Cloud Phone System Documentation and Release Notes
Snom DECT System
Integrate your Snom DECT System with your pascom IP PBX solution.
Supported Endpoints
Models | |
Snom M400 | Snom M900 |
The Snom M700 & M900 DECT base stations can be operated in both Single Cell and Multi-Cell deployments. As such the Snom M700 is ideally suited for organisations that require additional work place mobility over multiple floors or across larger company buildings.
Available Channels
Snom DECT - Single Cell | Snom DECT - Multi-Cell | |
Narrowband (g711, g729, g726) | 10 | 8 |
Wideband (g722), SRTP aktiviert (g722, g711, g729, g726) | 5 | 4 |
Add a new DECT Base
1. Connect DECT System
Integrate the DECT system into your network.
2. Find the MAC Address
The MAC address can be found on the base station or on an enclosed memo.
3. Add Base Station
Log in to your pascom System and add a new basestation under > of the type SNOM Dect.
Enter the previously determined MAC address of the DECT system in the Mac address field.
4. Apply Jobs
After saving the changes, a job box appears (above). Start the job with a click on the button .
5. Find the Provision URL
Check the DECT System in the device list and select > . Copy that URL to the clipboard.
6. Enter the Provisioning URL to DECT base station admin UI
Enter the just copied provisioning URL on the DECT System's Web UI.
Click on and then on .
Configuring Multi-Cell Operation
Should you wish to network multiple Gateways into a multicell DECT system, simply mark and select all the desired Gateways and click Edit. By using the arrow buttons, you can navigate through all your selected Gateways and then edit them as follows:
Under the option, select the value for one of the Gateways and for all other Gateways, select the option .
Add / Assign Handsets
Under > > , select the option
Ìn the next screen, you will be able to configure the device and under the tab you will be able to assign users and / or locations.
Parameter | Description | Comments |
Connected to | Select a Gateway to connect to. | In multicell environments, all Gateways configured as a repeater are automatically hidden. |
IPEI Number | Enter the handset IPEI number which can be found via the handset menu Settings > Status | The first line of the IPEI number is enough, i.e. everything after the colon (:) symbol does not need to be entered. |
SIP Options | (Optional Step) It is possible to enter all the SIP peer options as supported by Asterisk | Please refer to Asterisk's SIP Configuration - Peers and Clients Documentation. |


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While the outbreak of the coronavirus and the transition to online classes have led to the cancellations of many campus events, WHRW 90.5 FM is using Minecraft and Discord to bring their Moefest music festival to the computer screen.
Amber Cherichetti, a DJ at WHRW and a sophomore majoring in English, has organized the first-ever Minecraft Moefest, to be held April 25.
Cherichetti said the cancellation of this year's Moefest, an annual music festival hosted by WHRW, gave her the impetus to take on the project.
"The reason I wanted to do it was because I knew I was missing Moefest," Cherichetti said. "In the spirit of the radio, because I love it, I named it after the real festival."
While the WHRW E-Board has not been involved in the event's planning, it has shown support, promoting it on the station's social media accounts. Laurie Azoulai, the general manager for WHRW and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, wrote in an email that she quickly warmed to the idea of an in-game festival.
"I was a bit skeptical at first because while Minecraft is a very well-known game, it may not seem so accessible to everyone," Azoulai wrote. "However, the aesthetics of it are pretty cool."
Azoulai expressed some concern about the accessibility of the event, adding that not everyone has easy access to a computer or reliable internet service. However, she emphasized that the event is still well suited for making the best of an uncertain situation.
"This is nice because people can prerecord material to be aired [the] day of the event," Azoulai said. "With a situation like this that we are living in, it is definitely well adapted."
Cherichetti and a friend have been designing the Minecraft server where attendees will be able to interact with a virtual stage and other settings. The concert audio can be accessed simultaneously through a Discord chat, where performers can address listeners in real time while their prerecorded sets are streamed. Starting at 8 p.m., each artist will play a 20-minute set.
Student acts Roni, Julien Cubeiro, MC 469, ANACHROME and Jacob Morenberg will be playing in the festival alongside Claudia Sheffner, Onlinefriends, Naff and Saltlick. In order to fill the lineup, Cherichetti asked friends and found people on social media who would volunteer to play.
"I started out with [Binghamton University] student bands because that's usually what Moefest is, student openers and outside headliners, but for this there really isn't a headliner, so what I did was half BU students and half people I knew were talented and kind of outside [BU]," she said.
Eric Rothenhofer, an undeclared freshman who produces electronic music as MC 469, said this will be his first time participating in a livestream.
"Even though it's all prerecorded, and there is that digital barrier still, I can feel the eyes watching it, and that's kind of altering my workflow in kind of making it more listenable than I normally would," Rothenhofer said.
Minecraft concerts were a growing trend before the coronavirus pandemic. In September 2019, Cherichetti attended Mine Gala, a Minecraft festival that featured a few high-profile acts like 100 gecs and Dorian Electra. From these festivals, Cherichetti was inspired to emulate the same atmosphere with an online Moefest.
She said the atmosphere of the concert was more interactive than one might expect.
"It was less like you're just sitting there and watching it, and more like you're here with a bunch of other people and you're in the same spaces and feeling a kind of connection," Cherichetti said.
She added that artists have taken steps to compensate for whatever was lost in the move from physical to digital stage.
"It's not as high-energy as a real show would be, so when 100 gecs was playing, the highlight of them playing was that they were playing songs that you wouldn't hear unless you saw them live," she said. "So it's not just like you're listening to music in a group setting, there's exclusive stuff happening as well."
Cherichetti isn't the only student using Minecraft to simulate the hallmarks of BU social life. Housemates Brandon Corey, '18, and Ryan Maloney, a fifth-year graduate student in the 4 + 1 program studying systems science and industrial engineering, started playing the game during quarantine and have been using it to build a virtual Binghamton.
"When we were [first playing Minecraft] it was a Thursday, so the normal Thursday routine is to go to Peterson's for $5 burgers and beers, and Peterson's was closed at that point, so we decided that was going to be the first thing we built in Minecraft," Corey said.
So far, Corey and Maloney have collaborated with friends and housemates to build models of their current house, their old house on Walnut Street and Peterson's Tavern. They hope to continue building Binghamton landmarks like State Street and Maryam's Halal Food and Gyro, eventually opening the server to friends.
"We're more in a construction mode right now, but once we're done we can definitely get some use out of it," Corey said.
While a virtual trek to State Street might be more of a novelty, Rothenhofer said the switch to online social events can be especially meaningful in artistic spheres.
"I'm excited to ride this wave of musical festivals where there is no geographical barrier, which then means there's no barrier for entry," he said. "The kids are running the asylum, the people who are producing the music are able to get it out as directly as possible to the consumer."
Cherichetti said she hopes to put on more events, even after live music returns to basements, lawns and concert halls.
"It was already a concept that I felt needed to be opened up because the fact that it's accessible to everyone is so, so cool, and I think that now we're really exploring what accessibility for music events can be and taking it further because everyone's quarantined," she said. "I think that we should continue doing it after everyone's allowed to go outside."


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Bali Bound – George Mittelman
George Mittelman of Toronto, Canada, was born in Europe of Hungarian Parents.
WBF World Master, bridge professional, has won two World Championships, the 1982 Mixed Pairs and the 2002 Senior Teams. Along with a silver medal in the 1995 Bermuda Bowl, Mittelman has also won two bronze medals in the Rosenblum Cup (1982 and 1990).
He won Richmond Trophy (most points in a year in Canada) 1981, has won more Canadian National Teams Championships than any other player (eight) and has won four North American bridge titles: two Open Swiss Teams (1986, 1995), a Board-a-Match Teams (1998) and a Senior Teams (2006). George has also been Non-Playing Captain of Canada's Olympiad, Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup Teams on numerous occasions.


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Are you aware that most websites have an extremely high bounce rate? A bounce is when a potential customer only visits your website on one page. This usually means a short visit that didn't connect with them — causing them to bounce.
A high bounce rate might be the reason why your website might not bring in the levels of success that you expected. But are you aware that by making use of the top web design trends in 2021, you can turn your website into a lead conversion machine?
This article will walk you through some of the best contemporary web design trends, and convince you why you should hire a web design company to implement these trends.
1. A Retro Look
2021 represents the slow beginnings of the 2020s. Most of the year 2020 itself was spent indoors, so any obvious styles, designs, and fashion trends were not obvious in this year. However, the number of time people spent with their favorite media, surfing the internet, and developing their opinions will surely influence the stylistic world of the 2020s.
One of the hallmarks of style in the 2020s is going to be the revival of many retro styles.
We've already seen 80s pop music come back in indie-pop musicians such as Destroyer and Catherine Moan; 70s flare pants and velour shirts are popping up everywhere in cities, and some people have even suggested that certain styles from the 20s might cycle back in 100 years later.
Anticipate these trends by choosing retro fonts, color trends, and general design styles.
If your business is more technology-based, perhaps you can go with an 80s cyberpunk retro-futurist look.
If you're a fashion company, why not look back to the great modernist styles of the early 20th century? Monochromatic, bichromatic, and art deco styles will all work wonders.
Or, if you prefer, you can advertise certain events in the style of Blue Note albums covers of the late 50s and 60s. These iconic covers served jazz stars of the modern era up to the public as thoughtful, intellectual, astounding musicians, distinguishing them from the pop and rock stars of the era.
2. Taking a Stand
Are you aware that 81 percent of millennials want companies they shop from to be good corporate citizens? That's right, the young people of today care about the future than their older selves and children will occupy, in contrast to the yuppies of the 80s and 90s whose goal was to consume, consume, and consume.
It's impossible to fake good intentions. However, we suggest genuinely devoting yourself to a cause that you care about, and making that information readily available on your website.
We highly recommend hiring a web design company to help you do this. You have to strike the balance between letting people know the work you do matters and coming across as self-congratulatory. There's nothing people hate more than activists who are really only in it for their own personal gain.
3. Minimalist Design
The over-the-top styles of the late 20th century came to a head in the first decade of the 21st century. The 00s saw a level of glamour and excess the likes the world had never seen before. Popular rappers wore bling, celebrities were cold and tough, and James Cameron's Avatar capped out the decade in 2009 as the highest budget movie to ever be made.
. . . And where did it leave us?
While these rappers made hit records, and Avatar did well in the box office, the people become quickly tired of it. This led to people flooding to online forums, social media, and more low-key events in the 2010s. The 2020s are only going to continue this trend of understated excellence.
Make sure you ride this trend no matter what you do. If you're going to make use of retro styles, make sure you use them in a sleeker, stripped-back way than ever before. Take the best from the decades you're influenced by and leave the worst bits behind.
A good example of this is the popular vaporware aesthetic, which stripped the commercialism out of 80s pop and created a wonderland of virtual glory.
4. Chatbots
A big thing that's missed when we replace in-person shopping with website interaction is a customized personal experience. A website doesn't generally have a person there walking a user through.
This can change with the introduction of chatbots.
Chatbots allow your website to essentially have a virtual greeter that walks people to the exact part of your website that they need. The technology used to be faulty, but now chatbots are becoming better than ever at getting people exactly what they need.
Chatbots now make use of AI capabilities. This means that they will be able to learn, grow, and get better at their job over time.
5. Abstract Art
Throughout the 2010s, stock images dominated the internet. If a blog writer wanted to punctuate their written content, all they had to do was add a stock image that fit the subject that they were depicting in the written content.
However, people are beginning to grow a little tired of things being taken this literally. After all, if you're writing an article about rock climbing. . . well. . . people know what rock climbing looks like. They don't need a cheesy image of a guy smiling as he climbs up some rocks to get the picture.
This is why abstract art and forms are becoming more and more popular as a supplement to written material. It's the same reason why abstract art was developed in the early 20th century. People in contemporary society prefer to infer their own meanings from expressive art.
Understand Web Design Trends 2021
It's not easy to overcome high bounce rates and low attention spans in the 21st century. However, if you familiarize yourself with the best web design trends 2021, you're far more likely to succeed in your website creation journey.
For more information about webs design, contact us today.


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How QR codes are Streamlining Transactions for Telecom Customers
According to a recent study by Juniper Research, global spending using QR codes payment will reach over $3 trillion by 2025. Moreover, this increase is driven by a greater emphasis on improving financial inclusion in developing regions and providing alternatives to established payment methods in developed regions. QR codes are gaining...Read more
Clickstream-based personalization to enhance digital telecom sales
Leverage TelcoBuddy's intelligent recommendation system, which can improve revenue per session, decrease churn rate and bounce rate, and increase user conversion. Use machine learning to analyze the overall customer clickstream data, detect behavior patterns, and deliver real-time recommendations across various channels such as the...Read more
Exploring the Impact of Metaverse Technology on the Telecommunications Industry: A Comprehensive Guide
Metaverse will apply across all aspects of a CSP's business: from consumer to worker and across the entire enterprise; from reality to virtual and back; from 2D to 3D; and from the cloud and artificial intelligence to extended reality, blockchain, digital twins, edge technologies, and beyond- Accenture. 76% of CSPs said...Read more
Composite AI powered digital onboarding for Telecom customers
GSMA reports that by 2025 there will be 5.8 billion unique mobile subscribers around the world and 80% of connections will be through a smartphone – the device required to make many digital experiences possible. As service providers adapt to digital-first models, remote onboarding and eSIM services have been added to their list of customer...Read more
Unlock new business opportunities with omni-digital telecom wallet
Mobile Money is going through the next level of evolution with Telcos focusing on offering comprehensive & interoperable MoMo service to align with the customer's financial journey. The extraordinary growth of digital payments, with 300 Million plus monthly active mobile money accounts and 2 bn dollar daily transactions, has created new...Read more
How can telcos use Composite AI to boost digital sales and digital engagement?
With rising competition & increasing demand for individualized experiences, personalized marketing has become a powerful tool for telecoms, for not just improving digital sales and converting customers, but also for building lasting customer relationships. Global telcos reported an 8% increase in profitability from personalized and targeted...Read more
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Certification
Team Affinsys is proud to announce that we have been accredited with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification. It is the latest milestone in our Information security roadmap, making us one of the select few AI platforms meeting the internationally recognized security standards set by ISO. The rigorous audit and certification process was conducted by the ISO Certification...Read more
Automated agent handoff for telecom customer support
According to a recent report by BCG, AI enables telecom companies to effectively cut down their call center cost by almost 20% and ensure a call deflection rate of 40%. AI-powered chatbots have transformed the customer service landscape across industries, including the telecom sector. It has helped businesses reduce their support staff while drastically cutting down call center...Read more
A Definitive Guide To Composite AI for Telecom
The global AI in the telecommunication market expected to reach $2,497.8 Million by 2022, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 46.8% during the forecast period according to the latest study by MnM research. Early adopters of Artificial Intelligence across industries have realized that Isolated AI use cases do not create sustainable value for business...Read more
Reimagining the telecom digital CX with Artificial intelligence
According to recent studies, clearly designed digital customer journeys can help telecoms achieve 3.4X conversions -Mckinsey. While some CSPs have deployed AI-based automation solutions, most telecom self-service channels work in silos even today. They lack the ability to understand customer intents, complete simple...Read more
Lebara – TelcoBuddy Innovative Partnership: Improving Digital CX With AI-Powered Automation
Lebara is one of Europe's fastest-growing mobile companies with more than 5 million active customers. Lebara Mobile launched the first-ever low-cost international mobile service in the Netherlands in 2004. Today, Lebara Mobile provides SIM cards customized to the needs...Read more
AI-powered personalized digital engagement for Telecom customers
TelcoBuddy composite AI platform enables CSPs to combine multiple realms of AI and interpret huge amounts of customer data to create dynamic customer personas. By proactively engaging customers with micro-targeted recommendations, we help CSPs increase order values & boost revenues throughout...Read more
Prevent Telecom Customer Churn With Artificial Intelligence
Churn is an issue of major concern for communication service providers around the world. According to a recent report, carriers lose $65 million per month from churn. Data suggests that the cost of acquiring a new customer is 5X times more than retaining an existing one. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is much higher for existing...Read more
AI powered personalization to boost digital sales for Telecoms
AI applications can help Telecoms drive higher digital sales across all digital channels with micro-targeted cross-sell up-sell & hyper-personalized offers for own and partner ecosystem products. According to Mckinsey, Digital sales in Telecom help boost customer lead conversion rates with 50 - 165%...Read more
Hyper-personalized Telecom CX with AI recommendation engine
A recent study by Gartner indicates that Brands risk losing 38% of customers because of poor personalization efforts. Today, Communication service providers are facing- declining customer loyalty, as they compete in a highly saturated market where companies are offering personalized digital experience...Read more
4 ways AI is transforming CX for telcos
With millions of subscribers and a growing number of telco products, today's communication service providers (CSPs) are struggling to maintain high-levels of service standards and delightful customer experience while keeping a check on operational costs. Innovative AI-based automation provides the solution to meet ever-increasing...Read more
WhatsApp Business 101
WhatsApp business is a fast, reliable and secure way for businesses to interact with their customers around the globe. With the launch of WhatsApp for business in 2018, it went from a messaging platform for personal use, to a very convenient and easily accessible platform for businesses to carry out two way interactions with their customers. Today the WhatsApp...Read more


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First Light's beef and venison are raised on pastures, eat nothing but grass like nature intended, are Certified Humane, and consistently achieve astounding Omega 3:6 ratios. So, in short – YES, of course First Light's meat fits into a Ketogenic, Paleo or Whole 30 Diet. Frankly, First Light's meat fits into any healthy diet.
In the last year, we have received innumerable emails from our members about three particular diets – Ketogenic Diet, Paleo Diet, and Whole 30 Diet. Let's learn a bit about each of the diets to understand their goals and how First Light fits in:
The Ketogenic Diet
The Ketogenic diet, also known as the "Keto" diet, is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet. It works by shifting the body's metabolism away from burning glucose for fuel (which comes from eating carbohydrates and sugars) to burning fat (which comes from eating fat). The burning of fat produces "ketones" (hence the name of the diet), and the nutritional term for when your body is in a state of producing ketones is "ketosis". The Keto Diet looks like this:
Yes, that much fat! Let's go through the reasoning, and explain a bit of the wonder of the human body
When you eat carbohydrates, your body produces glucose and insulin. Glucose is used by your body as the main source of energy. At the same time, your body secretes insulin to regulate glucose levels in the blood and help your body's cells absorb the glucose. But, when your cells don't need the energy from the glucose immediately, they convert it into fat for long-term storage.
While some whole food healthy carbohydrates of course contain fibre and nutrients, our modern diet often includes too much of them, and many are highly processed and contain little nutritional value. The result is often weight gain. Now, if instead we reduce the amount of glucose we ingest (via carbohydrates or sugar), what does our body use as fuel instead? Fat.
Our liver can take fat and select amino acids and turn them into ketones. Ketones are used first and foremost to feed our brains, and secondarily to give our bodies' cells the energy they need to function. A common misconception is that our body, especially our brain, needs glucose. Although glucose is known to be the primary source of energy, it is nowhere near as efficient as ketones, especially for the brain. The production of ketones is a human evolutionary advantage; our brain can function using glucose and ketones. Some other larger-brained animals have developed this advantage as well, but none do it as well as humans.
One of the most important keys to a successful Keto Diet is absorbing healthy, clean fat. First Light's 100% Grass Fed beef and venison, raised on healthy pastures, never given antibiotics or hormones, are perfect for those looking to try the Keto Diet. To learn more about low carbohydrate diets, The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, by Jeff S. Volek and Stephen D. Phinney as well as books by Dr. Josh Axe are excellent resources.
The Paleo Diet
Although one can technically eat both a paleo and ketogenic diet together, they do differ. The goal of the paleo diet is to return to a way of eating that's more like our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era (3 million to 10,000 years ago). The diet's reasoning is that the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that emerged with farming practices that established dairy, grains and legumes as staples in today's diet. In other words, our bodies have not had sufficient time to evolve to eating today's common diet and this mismatch is a contributing factor to the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease today.
Like the Keto Diet, the Paleo Diet is big on meat. And like the Keto Diet, the key is to consume clean meat. First Light's 100% Grass Fed Beef and Venison are ideal examples of the type of meat you should be consuming if you're following a Paleo Diet. In addition to eating clean meat, the Paleo Diet includes eating fish, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Unlike the Keto Diet, the Paleo Diet includes eating things like sweet potatoes, squares, and sweeter fruits, while the Keto Diet avoids these types of foods because of the carbohydrate (or sugar) content.
For more information on the Paleo Diet, we found The Ultimate Paleo Guide website to be an excellent resource.
The Whole30 Diet
The Whole30 Diet was originally invented by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig, and has gained somewhat of a cult following. Their book It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways is the first source of information, although you will find information on this diet all over the internet.
The essence of the Whole30 Diet is to remove all of the potentially inflammatory foods and beverages in your diet. Eliminate sugar, sweeteners, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, processed foods and beverages, soy, baked goods, and junk foods. Instead, your diet consists of clean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and fats. The Whole30 diet is, in summary, a more restrictive diet compared to the Paleo Diet.
Like the Keto and Paleo Diets, First Light's 100% Grass-Fed Pasture-Raised meats play an integral role in the diet.
What Diet is best for you?
To be honest, the word "diet" gives us the heebie jeebies. We hear from many of our members following the above three diets who feel fantastic. But everyone is different. We are not proponents of any particular diet. Instead, we are proponents of raising beef and venison the way nature intended – on healthy pastures. The result is healthy soil, feeding healthy animals, producing healthy meat.