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Unethical business practices harm organizations and economies. Large-scale business failures such as Enron—as well as the more recent failures related to the global financial crisis—highlight the consequences of unethical business practices and amoral management. Professional accountants, as stewards of transparency and trust, and subject to a professional code of ethics, have a key role to play not only in upholding but in encouraging and influencing ethical behavior and decision making within their organizations. See the full overview.
New—and Important—Role for Professional Accountants in Assessing Human Rights Risk
by Tanya Barman, Associate Director, Ethics, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants | July 21, 2016
The intersection of human rights and business is an important emerging area that no business can afford to ignore, and assessing and addressing potential risk is clearly also a role for the professional accountant .
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Navigating Ethics in a Digital AgeEthical behavior is a core attribute for professional accountants; technology may have an impact on the details one needs to understand to be ethical but it does not change the centrality of being ethical.
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An SMP Perspective on Proposed Changes to the IESBA Code of EthicsGiven recent proposals from the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants with potential changes for the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, small- and medium-sized practices need to start preparing for some of the more...
by Johnny Yong, Technical Manager, Global Accountancy Profession Support, IFAC and Robyn Erskine, Partner, Brooke Bird & SMP Committee Ethics Task Force Chair | September 25, 2017
The Professional Accountant's Mindset and Tackling CorruptionProfessional accountants' training in analyzing and interpreting both financial and non-financial data positions them to challenge information that seems suspicious and be diligent in examining the supply chain, as well as interpreting where...
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Best TED Talks on the Internet
7 Fascinating TED Talks About the Internet
7 Fascinating TED Talks About the Internet
Yesterday, Google celebrated its 14th birthday, and, in honor of the pioneering web company, we're celebrating the amazing technology that made Google possible — the Internet. The web has certainly changed the way we live, and TED, a conference on technology, entertainment, and design, is devoted to exploring exactly how and why the Internet has transformed us. We've compiled seven compelling TED talks from great thinkers and activists about what makes the World Wide Web so great.
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subset: commoncrawl


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An Ohio man cleaning out his aunt's attic found much more than just a few dusty boxes.
Karl Kissner discovered a twine-wrapped bundle of ultra-rare early baseball cards — cards that the experts who authenticated them say could be worth up to $3 million, The Associated Press reported.
"'Cardboard gold' was their term," Kissner told Toledo news station WTOL.
The trove of cards, issued in 1910, includes ones of Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Cy Young, and few collections have ever been found in such good condition.
"It's like finding the Mona Lisa in the attic," Kissner said.
The Wagner card could be of particular interest — and is particularly rare. That is because his baseball cards were included in American Tobacco Co.'s packs of cigarettes, and Wagner's cards were pulled from the company's card circulation, reportedly because he didn't want to encourage smoking.
After Kissner found the box of cards, he carefully put it on the dresser and went back to digging in the attic. About two weeks later, he and his family learned they may have just inherited one of the most exciting finds in sports history.
After the cards were authenticated, the cards will go up to auction by Heritage Auctions, which expects to sell all the cards in the next three years, the AP reported.


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Or they could also do the usual hundred thousand Vajrasattvas, mandala offerings, etc, and other myriad methods from the other yanas. Nothing wrong with that.Pema Rigdzin wrote:Actually, such people would most likely benefit much more by diligently practicing rushen and semdzins...pueraeternus wrote: What I said was that even if they receive DI, they do not necessarily experience rigpa (in fact, my opinion is that most people don't). This shows they have limitations and have to work on them. How do they work on them? They apply teachings for other yanas. But they have to know about these yanas first before they can apply, hence the teachings of other yanas are important.
As mentioned before, my replies were in response to how the thread in the Dharma-free-for-all forum went, and my intention to correct those sentiments that I felt wasn't appropriate for a general dharma audience, or even for aspiring Dzogchen practitioners. Moving these posts here have shifted the context of that discussion. But in any case, this is also the general Dzogchen forum, so teachings from other Dzogchen masters who follow a more traditional method should be honored too.


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Sun, 05/20/2012 - 9:48am
SPOTTED® and CONTEST: Bluffton High School Prom
Juniors and seniors at Bluffton High School danced the night away at their prom on Saturday.
The New York theme turned the cafeteria into Central Park, where students enjoyed music, dancing and snacks. Outside, a tent provided a more quiet place for them to chat and enjoy the 70-degree temperatures on Saturday night.
To view more pictures from the night, visit Spotted®.


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Live Journal: My, how times fly…
Originally posted on January 31, 2008 and is edited version of a long post with mostly non-Phillies elements:
Well Spring is almost here, and that means the Phillies will be back in Florida. And this year, they'll be defending a pennant, the National League East to be precise. Although I know that the Phils have made some changes in their personnel over the winter, I'm not as confident that they'll win again as I was last year. Why? Because of the silent partners who own the team. I mean, come on you idiots. You'd already lost Aaron Rowand, via free agency, because you're a bunch of cheap skates, and now you may let Ryan Howard, your present main man, go to arbitration, instead of just signing him to new contract. Will someone in the name of sanity please tell me what is going through you morons' minds? Are you guys so dumb that you think that Ryan might be willing to take less money because of this stunt, and might not in the long run take this as a personal insult and in the future decide not to take his changes on the free agent market to see what other folks may think he might actually be worth. Also, do you guys honestly think you'll win in arbitration? (Basing on your track record, I would wonder about that.) If you do, sorry but I think the arbitrator is going to be on Ryan side in this and give him what he think that someone of his present stature is worth compared to other first basemen presently in the Majors. (Paging Albert Pujols, paging Albert Pujols, collect your next few millions please.) Guys, do yourselves a favor, just take the bullet, bite on it now and settle with Ryan with a price that'll be fair to both of you. It's call compromising. You'll be glad you did since you'll more than likely will end up with a very loyal employee. And a few more pennants and a lot of fans coming to the park in the future. Do it sometime, and do it soon!


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When St. John's and Stony Brook take the field today in the NCAA Super Regionals, they won't just be representing themselves and their schools. They will be playing on behalf of the entire Northeast, an area not known for college baseball success recently.
"You have all the kids who are considered top talents going down south to play baseball," St. John's senior shortstop Matt Wessinger said. "That's considered the best place to go for baseball. I think this pretty much proves you can play good baseball up in the north regardless of weather."
The Red Storm begin their best-of-three series 3 p.m. today at No. 13 Arizona in Tucson. They haven't been out of the regional round since 1980, though they are regulars in the NCAA tournament.
Stony Brook was a Division III program when coach Matt Senk took over 22 years ago and only made the transition to Division I in 2000. The Seawolves start their series against No. 3 LSU at noon today in Baton Rouge, La.
"This is a team that will be very difficult to ever have at Stony Brook again," Senk said.
As St. John's coach Ed Blankmeyer has repeatedly said, his team has been continuously "banging on the door" of the Super Regionals. The Red Storm are tied for the eighth-most NCAA tournament appearances in history (34) and have been to six College World Series — but all of those were 1980 and before.
"They used to be a powerhouse back then," St. John's pitcher Matt Carasiti said. "There was a lull and now we've gotten back to it. I think it's come full circle."
— Additional reporting by Zach Braziller


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Episode 1
Damage Control
Season Two premiere.
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A polygamist faces a myriad of challenges in meeting the emotional, romantic and financial needs of his three wives and seven children as they live together in suburban Salt Lake City.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Damage Control
Season Two premiere.
The Writing on the Wall
Home Plus billboards have been defaced, risking Bill's position as public face.
Bill and Nicki drive to Juniper Creek for a family reunion.
Rock and a Hard Place
Bill is anxious over his upcoming testimony in Joey's case.
Vision Thing
Bill finds himself drawn to an attractive young waitress named Ana.
Dating Game
Having uncovered Bill's romantic secret, Margene befriends an unsuspecting Ana.
Good Guys and Bad Guys
Margene's dysfunctional past is illuminated when her mother Ginger pays a visit.
Kingdom Come
Bill proposes that he take a night off from the wives every seventh day.
Circle the Wagons
Bill enlists Nicki to sell Barb and Margene on Weber Gaming.
The Happiest Girl
Bill asks Margene to accompany him to a Bar Owner's trade convention.
Take Me as I Am
Bill makes Alby an offer in the wake of Nicki's disclosure about Weber Gaming.
Oh, Pioneers
Bill resorts to a new tack to try to bring down his nemeses.
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Dancing Their Way To a Spot At The School of American Ballet
Dozens of boys and girls auditioned this week in Queens for a spot at the country's most prestigious ballet school, the School of American Ballet. The institution was founded in 1934 by choreographer George Balanchine and philanthropist Lincoln Kirstein and is the official school of the New York City Ballet.
Auditions are held each Spring across the boroughs for dancers who compete for a spot in the upcoming ten-month winter term. Approximately 500 boys and girls, ranging from six to 18, are accepted, according to the school's website.
Auditions on Sunday took place at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. Students were tested for their skill and flexibility – as well as their patience, as they waited to be evaluated by teachers from the school. See more photos in our slideshow.
According to the school, acceptance for the term is based on students showing "age-appropriate aptitude and potential for future potential professional achievement."


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Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by Praetor, May 3, 2009.
You just made my night.
I live to serve
Both my parents are trekkies, and my mom goes on and on about how the Enterprise D is her favorite NOW but when it first came out... The main complaint she had? "Where are the red doors???"
That is amazing
I guess I do have a bit of an attachment to the Enterprise-D as something more than a ship. I grew up with TNG on syndication in the 90s... I remember going with my dad to see First Contact... one of the few times I remember actually waiting in a line to go to a movie.
I thought the Enterprise-E was cool (at the time anyways) but something bothered me, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Took me a while to realise it, but I missed the Enterprise-D. The -E could never really replace my Enterprise. It was like watching your childhood home get bulldozed and replaced with a flashy nightclub. I certainly relate to many persons who intensley dislike the NuEnterprise for this very reason.
Am I the only one who liked the Enterprise E better than the Enterprise D? A lot of people here seem to be against it. I was immediately impressed upon seeing the new uniforms and new ship when I watched "Star Trek: First Contact" for the first time (hadn't seen DS9 yet at that point) and thought they were huge improvements over what had come before on TV. People say the E started looking ugly in Insurrection and Nemesis, but I don't remember those movies well enough to decide whether I agree. All I know is that I thought it was a lot cooler and more appropriate-looking for the big screen when it was introduced in "Star Trek: First Contact".
^ I always liked the ENT-E over the -D's design. Between the dinky-sized nacelles and the huge saucer section, the latter just always looked odd to me.
That being said, I didn't like the way the ENT-E was "introduced" in FC. That could've been handled/done a lot better, IMO.
I haven't seen the film yet and doubt I will because of some things I've read here and in other threads about the film! In a few posts I've seen referances to a J.J., who is this?
The reason I'll probably not see this film, it seems like someone is rewriting TOS from the beginning!
I like the Ent-E
but I'm not a fan of the refit which doubled its torpedo launchers- kinda turned star trek into star wars.
Thread necromancy!!! Thanks, Aneas.
I was actually very, very excited at the time. I remember buying a Trek magazine just to read details about the E, that only had one tiny picture. I was unhappy that the D had been destroyed, but I thought the E looked good when I first saw it in FC. However, something still felt a little off and I couldn't figure out what. Still, I enjoyed the movie so I paid little attention. Then, I was underwhelmed by the quality of the CGI effects in "Insurrection" and noticed more that things felt off. By the time "Nemesis" rolled around (and it got it's horrible face-lift ) I finally realized that it just didn't feel like TNG.
Later, I developed problems with the way the ship was actually introduced and the problems it creates with the dynamics of the crew itself, not unlike the problems I have with TVH. (So the ship blows up, and the crew, the whole crew, save Worf, just gets a new ship? Riight. Makes Starfleet's mistrust in Picard FC a little more well-placed. )
Herkimer Jitty really nails it for me:
The D was that special ship of my childhood for me, too. So it's really not that I dislike the design or the E itself, it's more that I diliske the way it was introduced and dislike why it was created, because without the ship, it didn't felt like TNG to me. I'm one who was always fascinated with machinery - ships, planes, cars, and so forth. I get very protective of my own cars, so I completely get the notion of the crew getting attached to their ship, and I completely see the ship as another character. You lose or change that character, you lose something.
And, even though I've grown to actually like the nuEnterprise (well, the exterior) much more than I ever thought I would, I also completely understand why many people hate it.
That's your call, but I would go see it, at least once, if you have the cash to spare. And don't wear your nitpicker's cap. I left mine at home. Also, remember it's not a prequel or rewrite, per se.
You're not alone, Too Much Fun! I've always adored the Enterprise-E. The Sovereign is one of the most beautiful ships in science fiction to me.
What. So...is there a torpedo threshold we should be aware of? Where if it has more torpedoes than X a mount,a ship is no longer a Star Trek ship?
I wouldn't say it made it "Star Wars-y" per se... but there are two big problems for me with all those torpedo launchers from "Nemesis." One is that in TNG-era Trek we know that a single torpedo launcher can fire multiple torpedoes at once, so that would seem to decrease the benefit of multiple launchers. The second is that many of those launchers are in locations where it would seem difficult to load the torpedoes into them.
Also, you must remember that the E already not only had the main "turret" that fires the quantorps (and IIRC, it was the original notion that the turret was the only place that could, due to whatever special requirements the quantorps imposed) but two launchers forward below the deflector and two aft, at the bottom of the secondary hull undercut. "Insurrection" also suggests another one on the spine of the secondary hull.
I don't mind the changes to the nacelle pylons for "Nemesis" and the additional phasers, but I still think the torpedo launchers and the blending between the saucer and secondary hull back around shuttlebay one was a bit much.
I also preferred the E to the D. It looked more graceful, and the proportions remind me of the ol' movie-era Enterprise refit/Ent. A.
I think the hull should be smoothed out, though. It has too many 'racing stripes' Too many lines and gizmos everywhere.
If it's not a prequal or a rewrite, what is it!
Spoiler: Ask Uncle Spock
...and he'll tell you it's an alternate universe. The other one's still there, but Paramount isn't interested in it anymore.
Too True!
I grew up with Trek from TNG on. I had issues with a few ships, not just the Enterprise, but with the Intrepid class and Ambassador class mainly. I have been and always will be in love with the Big A. And I cannot describe why. Perhaps it was the huge Polar Lights Enterprise-A model kit my mom bought for me one Christmas when I was 11 or so. I dont hate the Excelsior class persay, but like Scotty said "Why would you want that bucket of bolts?".
I always thought Ferengi ships looked like horseshoe crabs...
I dunno. the Ent-E in FC seemed right. after that it was firing torpedoes from up the wazzoo! kinda ruined the beauty & balance a little.
3-5 is a pretty reasonable loadout for a Federation ship. Any more than that and you're gonna start taking up more space than is necessary. (Tube length and clearance, loading mechanisms and storage magazines. I doubt there's one central magazine - there has to be a decent supply near each tube, I'd imagine.)
the Ent-E starts off with a decent number 2 aft, 2 fore 1 fore q-torp turret.
they then add another tube in front of the bridge. they than add a ugly dual launcher behind the bridge (it really stands out) then they another dual behind the shuttle bay(i think). they go way OTT.
Separate names with a comma.


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Nationals fall to O's in see-saw contest
Four players plate one run each; Chico charged with four runs
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
at Norfolk, Va.
Friday, March 30
Nationals at the plate: Dmitri Young went 1-for-1 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Ryan Zimmerman went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ronnie Belliard, Chris Snelling Austin Kearns and Young all had sacrifice flies.
Orioles at the plate: Kevin Millar broke a 4-4 tie with a double off Jon Rauch in the eighth inning. Aubrey Huff had and RBI ground out, while Ramon Hernandez had a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Corey Patterson hit a home run in the fifth inning, while Mike Cervenak tied the score at 4 with a single that brought home Jason Dubois.
Nationals on the mound: Left-hander Matt Chico pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. He walked three batters and struck out one.
Orioles on the mound: Right-hander Jaret Wright pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up four runs. Reliever Brian Burres didn't give up a run in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Grapefruit League records: Orioles 15-13-1; Nationals 11-16-3.
Up next: The Nationals travel back to Washington, D.C., to play their final exhibition game of the spring against the Orioles at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET. Washington right-hander Jason Bergmann will face Baltimore left-hander Adam Loewen.
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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* Prices may differ from that shownMore Offers
This is the second Freddie the Firefly that we have owned, as we gave away most of our daughter's infant gear prior to discovering that we had another addition on the way. We were fortunate to receive the photographed model as a gift for our baby boy who was born in December 2014.
Over the years we have owned a number of products from Lamaze, as we like the way the toys are designed and the birth-to-preschooler concept.
Lamaze toys are developed around the Lamaze Infant Development System which consists of three developmental themes:
** Awakening the senses from birth to 24 months
** Exploring and experimenting from 6 to 24 months
** Moving and doing from 9 to 24 months.
The company states that "all Lamaze toys are designed to help baby explore and learn about their world". And if nothing else, the toys are very attractive to look at!
Freddie the Firefly
Suitable for children aged newborn to 24 months, this brightly coloured soft toy has many aspects that can keep this broad age group entertained for ages.
The firefly has a soft velour body and wonderfully designed wings that have multiple textures for touch sensation and crinkles for both touch and sound.
There are elements suitable for chewing and mouthing: clinking rings, tethered ladybug teether and two knotted antennae.
There is a peekaboo mirror in one of the wings, accessed by lifting up a flap. Finally, there is a squeaker.
In use
Our almost five year old daughter played with Freddie for almost three years. This is the type of toy that one can find a new and interesting thing to play with almost every time it is picked up.
We felt it to be very age appropriate. We had it hanging off her car seat from then she was three months old until about eight months, thereafter it remained in our home where it was played with intermittently.
Our seven week old son is not particularly interested in Freddie right now. I give it another two or three weeks. He is more interested in the ceiling fan than anything else. However, he does enjoy the crinkly sound that we make together.
In my experience this is a durable, educational infant toy that is worth buying. In terms of maintenance and upkeep, this is yet another item that I surface wipe and/or sponge clean.
I highly recommend Freddie the Firefly. It is widely available, and currently on Amazon.co.uk for £10 (Amazon Prime) or £6.99 plus postage.
NB This review first published on Ciao
Lamaze - Freddie the firefly.
I brought Freddie for my little girl as a treat when I was doing an order with amazon. It came up in the 'products you might like' area and I decided to spoil her just a little bit more (my first child spoilt rotten)
Freddie arrived quickly in an oversized box as amazon often tends to do. He, like all Lamaze toys is very brightly coloured to engage my little girl's attention and has plenty of interactive features for her to play with as she develops her co-ordination skills. He is a firefly shape (though I feel he looks more like a butterfly) with four wings each with their own feature.
One of his wings has a small pocket which holds a teething disk. Amelia loved this and it probably proved to be the most used part of the product. It is a flat smooth shape and just the right size for her to be able to hold and have a good chew on at the same time.
The toys also had different textured materials and a small mirror under one of the flaps on his wing. The mirror doesn't really prove to be much use as it's far too small to see anything in and is more for decoration than anything else.
There is a squeaky button on the lower wing though at the time of purchase Amelia was much too young to be able to squeeze this and still has trouble now at 19 months. So it is a bit pointless in her case. However there is a rattle inside the toys which she does enjoy shaking to hear the sound.
Like all Lamaze toys Freddie comes with a hook to attach him to the pram or play mat so that it won't get lost. I always feel like this is a brilliant idea as my little one does love to throw.
In conclusion, though there are a few features on Freddie that I do not feel are fully utilised the toy itself has proven to be a hit with my little girl and one of the more played with Lamaze toys.
Armed with vouchers from work and heavily pregnant I stormed down Oxford street to spend spend spend! While in John Lewis I decided my poor little one had no toys to play with (not realising that he wouldn't actually care for toys until he was older) and I absolutely fell in love with Freddie the firefly (or as grandma calls him fredfly she just can't get her head round it!)
My little mate Freddie the firefly caught my attention because he is so brightly coloured. His body is bright and bold primary colours in solid blocks, with the "activity" wings being patterned and bright. The back of the wings are strong black and white designs, this was better when my little one was a newborn as they have no concept of colour and it is said that you should stimulate their sight using black and white patterns.
Freddie is a tactile toy, with a variety of different textures, sounds and colours to help mould young minds, I have found it means my little one uses four out of 5 of his senses; touch, hearing, sight and of course being a baby with everything going into his mouth, taste!
Freddie's body is made up of 5 primary coloured sections in the shape of a caterpillar. Each section is a different fabric giving little fingers a chance to explore and stroke. My sons personally favourite is the top section where the face is, though that is possibly because of the way Freddie's nose is means that it fits perfectly into his mouth (for a kiss not to bite of course.....) the 6 legs are all knotted for another thing to explore as are the antenna and again these are all different fabrics to help exploration. When my son was littler the body was far to large for his hands so it wasn't really a toy we could hand to him, this has changed now he is older and he can hold Freddie in a variety of ways, including his body!
At the top of his head is a sturdy hook which means you can attach to car seat handles, prams, bouncy chairs so when your baby decides to fling (and fling they will) you can be sure of not losing Freddie. This hook has also become an extra feature for my little one, when not attached to his car seat he will use it to fling Freddie round and as an extra teething tool.
At the bottom of his body are 2 plastic rings in orange and red. Again these are either used to hold Freddie but more often than not these are straight into his mouth to bite down on. Very sturdy rings and I have no worries that they might unattach themselves from Freddie and even if they did, they are of a big enough size for me not to worry (too much) about a choking risk until I could shoot across the room to remove from his (tight) grasp.
This is where all the activities of Freddie are situated. Each wing is split into 2 with each portion having a separate activity on. All the wings are that lovely crackly noisy variety that babies, in particular my baby, loves, he likes to scrunch and suck the wings.
The top left wing is just a cotton feel crackly wing with a ladybird in felt sewn on, my son isn't that interested in this wing as the others hold much more appeal. Below this the wing has a squeaky ball and a fluffy ball attached. My son loves the sound of the squeak and it captures his attention across the room, but he has no strength to actually make the squeak himself even now at 10 months old when he is well versed in making his other toys make noises by squeezing. The right wing top section has a lift up flap with a mirror underneath, mirrors are our absolute favourite for laughing into, for hitting (though this one is too small to hit) and most of all for licking. William gives this one top marks for licking as the whole thing can fit in his mouth! Below this is a wing with a pocket and this has a teether that sits in the pocket. All was well and good when I just looked at Freddie and he wasn't an actual plaything but now he is rough housed with the teether no longer lives in the pocket. Again this is another mechanism for William to hold and swing Freddie round. Not the best as he then tends to hit me/himself with the toy, generally the HARD plastic rings at the bottom making one of us cry!
This became a firm favourite about 3 months old when William realised that there was more to the world than eating, sleeping and of course pooping. We went on a 12 hour flight round this time, making Freddie fly passed about 2 hours of this. Of course when younger the interaction was more mummy and daddy waving this in his face! Nowadays this toy, while still loved has been relegated in favour if toys which make more noise and are generally more irritating, however this is still a firm favourite when out and about as it fits easily into my changing bag, clips on the pram and cars eat and it isn't a matter of life and death if it gets left in the car overnight. He will now be entertained by Freddie as long as there is nothing more interesting to go after, and by entertained I mean flinging and chewing!
As with all baby things it is inevitable its going to get grubby, its more inevitable that at some point it will end up covered in baby sick. Reading the instructions AFTER I bunged it in the washing machine on a normal 40 degree wash I discovered that it is actually hand wash only. Freddie came out no worse for wear from his ordeal in the washing machine (and is due back in again soon) remaining bright, with all parts in tact and no running of colours and I will definitely just do again this rather than hand wash, though obviously wouldn't recommend you ignore the instructions. Bad points here is that it does take rather a long time to dry, especially in the winter. This is where my bathroom towel radiator and the hook came in handy. Again probably not recommended but nothing melted and Freddie is as good as new.
I bought Freddie at the premium price of £10, as small baby toys go it is at the higher end of the scale, but you're paying for a trusted brand which will stimulate them in a variety of ways, some which probably aren't even intended by Lamaze such as sucking the label! In my opinion its well worth the money and although he is being passed up for other toys, he is still taking pride of place in the portable toy box that is my handbag.
We definitely got the most use and love out of Freddie between 4-8 months, once William was mobile he was off to the more interesting noisy toys only loving Freddie when confined to pram/carseat. Obviously mobility varies between baby to baby, and babies all enjoy different things.
Freddie has definitely been a welcome addition to our toy box and I won't be relegating him to the cupboard "for the next one" just yet!
I was looking for a pram toy for my baby while I was pregnant and didn't know the gender. I wanted something whch was brightly coloured and had plenty to do on it, so as to grab and maintain my baby's attention if s/he got fed up with the pram whilst out and about. I had seen a lot of people with Lamaze toys on their prams and decided to check it out.
There are a LOT of Lamaze toys which are very similar and my daughter also has a princess one, but this one seems to be the most popular and I can see why.
Freddie has a lovely, friendly face and a multi coloured body. Each section of his body is also a different texture and it finished off with teething rings attached to a small springy tail. Perfect for pulling, grabbing and chewing.
The variety continues with his lovely wings - each of the four has a different sensory experience - including a little mirror, another chew toy, a squeaker and textured feelers. On th eback of his wings, he has a black and white shaped pattern which research has shown grabs the attention of very small babies.
My daughter absolutely loved this toy - we would fly it around for her and she would follow with her eyes and a huge smile on her face. She enjoyed crunching the "fistly" wing and lookinh at herself in the mirror.
It is quite expensive at around £8 but it manages to have so much to look at, do and feel on it without feeling overloaded - the designers really have thought of everything to make the most of it. It is also the must have toy, I don't know a child who hasn't got a Freddie! Well worth the price tag, for lots of fun for tinys.
We brought freddie the firefly for our daughter for christmas. He is very bright and colouful with lots of textures and sounds to explore.
Freddie has clinking rings, teether, and knotted antennae to chew. His wings make a lovely crinking sound which she loves and there is a mirror and squeaker.
My daughter took to him right from the start, the toy is easy even for her to hold and is quite light.
Freddie has really come into his own from when she reached about 5 months and had better control of her hands to make the most of all the features. She also loves to chew on the teethers now that she is teething, and I would recommend this as a teething toy alone.
She loves freddie so much and he is the one toy she always wants and never tires of, we are thinking of buying a spare in case we accidentally leave him somewhere. If we are going out we can quite happily take freddie and know he will keep her amused without needing to take other toys.
The only problem I have had is trying to borrow freddie long enough to write this review. We were so impressed with freddie we have brought her other Lamaze toys, which she loves but this is most definetely her favourite.
This review also appears on CIAO under the same username.
I was given a couple of Lamaze toys when my son was a couple of months old and thought they were great for the amount of things they have on them. I was drawn to the bright colours, and the quality of them was excellent. So I started to buy a few more over the next few months.
The Lamaze Firefly is one of my favourites. It is a good size, it has a soft body with 5 different coloured fabrics, all with a different texture, and 6 soft knotted legs coming from the body. On the bottom is an elasticated tail with two teether rings attached to it. All four wings have noisy crinkle material inside. One top wing has three smaller wings with different textures on; one is ridges, one towelling and one soft with bobbles. The other top wing has a flap where underneath you find a mirror.
One bottom wing has a squeaky button and a fluffy bobble, and the other bottom wing has a lovely knitted pocket inside which there is a teething ladybird attached to a rope so it reaches your baby more easily. In the head there is a bell, and two silky antenna. The head also has a large ring on the top so you can attach it to cots, buggies and car seats etc. When you turn it over the four wings have bold black and white patterns on which are great a they have been proven that babies can see these most easily from birth before they start noticing other colours.
The quality of Lamaze toys never fails to impress me and the range of similar toys they have are all very impressive as they all have different features and all look fantastic. I think I paid around £8 for this, so they are slightly pricier than other toys but this is certainly a case of getting what you pay for.
Freddie the Firefly was the first Lamaze item I have purchased. I bought him from Amazon for £6.99 in June 2012 for my little boy who was 3 months old at the time. There is a lot of confusion amongst friends and family who insist that Freddie is in fact a butterfly, despite my protests to the contrary!
Freddie has bold black and white wings which are very attractive to young babies and these make a crunchy noise when touched. The front is brightly coloured and I have seen several different colour schemes. There is a covered mirror, a plastic teether which has a little pocket it can be put in, the wings are different textures, some smooth some lumpy. There is a squeaker in one of his wings and 2 plastic coloured hoops attached to the bottom which my little one loves to hold on to. It can be attached to a pram/ buggy easily.
This toy is appropriate for use from birth designed to stimulate vision and hearing. Freddie keeps my little one entertained for fairly long periods. It is not machine washable, wipe clean only which is a shame as my son was rather sicky when he was little so Freddie has been wiped down with baby wipes rather a lot!
Freddie can now be purchased for £5.00 inc P&P from Amazon (correct as of Sept 2012) which is a fantastic price for such an entertaining toy.
When my baby was born I was given so many Lamaze toys I could have started my own shop. Freddie the Firefly was one of them and he can currently be purchased on Amazon for £7.95 (May 2012). Freddie has been designed so he can be played with from birth.
Freddie is a fantastic looking Firefly; he has a soft velour body that is multi coloured, and beautiful wings that have multiple textures and crinkly effects. Also on his wings are 2 small little mirrors, a plush squeaky toy and a small pocket that houses a red flat plastic ladybug that can be chewed on. At the bottom of his body is 2 plastic rings that act as a teething ring or it can be used to attach it to a Lamaze play mat. At the top of Freddie's head is a white plastic link clip that allows you to attach him to car seats, pushchairs, or high chairs - I used to link the toy onto the cot and he currently resides on my sons door handle.
Freddie is designed to develop strong developmental logic using the unique patterns and fabrics he is made from. He has lots of stuff going on what with his crinkly sounds and squeaker, Freddie also learnt to fly very quickly in our house as my son would hold onto his link rink and flap him from side to side. As my son has grown he now plays with Freddie pretending that he is an aeroplane.
Overall Freddie has proved to be a very stimulating toy and has lasted well. As my son has grown and developed Freddie has been able to provide him with new things to discover and new ways of playing with him. Overall I would recommend others give a home to a Freddie of their own.
I'd barely heard of the Lamaze range when my oldest two boys were little but by the time I had my youngest son sixteen months ago, they seemed to be all the range. No self-respecting newborn baby seemed to be without a bright and colourful toy from Lamaze's extensive 'Play and Grow' range! Not wanting to miss out, I decided that Santa should bring Freddie the Firefly as a gift for my little one's very first Christmas.
I paid just under £6 from Amazon at the time, with the price fluctuating anywhere between the £5-£10 mark. I think the price offers very good value, as the Lamaze brand name is associated with well made educational and stimulating toys for little ones.
My son was around four months old when he first recieved his Freddie the Firefly toy. I was initially surprised by quite how large and bulky this actually was, particularly as a toy deemed to be suitable from birth. Realistically, I think is the kind of toy that will be appreciated by babies from around three months upwards, when they start to spend larger periods of time awake and are becoming more aware of their surroundings and in need of more stimulation. There is nothing here to prevent this being given to younger babies, however, as there are sharp edges or choking hazards to be concerned about.
The firefly offers a surprising number of features for a toy of its size. The main body of the caterpillar section is sturdy with different coloured ridges along its length. There is a cheerful smiling face to capture a little one's attention as well as a selection of clinking plastic rings, offering baby the opportunity to mouth, suck and chew them as much as they choose. The real attraction of this toy is contained within the numerous, colourful wings. Here there is an array of different textures and fabrics, designed to make this a really tactile toy. There are wings which crinkle, others that lift up to reveal a baby safe mirror. There is even a little rubberised teething tag that can be hidden away inside a little pocket and pulled out by small, curious fingers. The squeaker always managed to distract my little one, if he was becoming a little tetchy although even now, at sixteen months, he still hasn't got the necessary strength and co-ordination to activate the squeaker by himself.
The whole toy brings together all of the different tactile features, sounds and textures that babies are drawn to. The attention to detail is amazing. Even the little antennae have knotted ends and I used to watch my baby exploring these knots with his tongue and gums, gathering an awareness of the different texture and sensations as he did so.
The firefly even comes with a sturdy hook attached, making it perfect as a toy for securing to play bars, pushchairs or bouncy chairs. It was a little too long to hang from the bar over our bouncy chair, but I found it ideal for the play bar surrounding our highchair. During the very early stages of weaning, this bright and colourful toy was enough to hold my son's attention and distract him when necessary. The hook was also utilised as an additional teether by my son, too.
The main drawback and disappointment with this toy (and a particular issue for me when attached to the highchair) is that it is described as being surface wash only. To me, for a toy specifically aimed at newborn babies and above, I think it is absolutely ridiculous not to ensure that it is machine washable. There is no obvious reason why this kind of toy should not be machine washed, as there are no batteries or electrical components of any kind.
Personally, I don't think it is realistic or hygienic not to regularly wash toys of this kind, especially when this is sucked, chewed and handled constantly. I have shoved this through a 40 degree machine wash on many occasions and can reassure parents that it hasn't suffered any obvious deterioration or damage. The colours are still vibrant with no signs of colour run or fading. The plastic teethers and the wings are all still intact and undamaged and the squeaker still squeaks so, to all intents and purposes, I believe this to be machine washable, regardless of what the label might say.
The other disappointment with this toy is that my son's fascination with it was relatively short-lived. In theory, this should be one of his most loved toys as it contains so many different ways of stimulating and entertaining him, even as a tiny baby. In reality, he showed a preference for other toys, even those that I, as a parent, did not think were as 'good'. Lamaze actually promote the range as being suitable for babies up to the age of two. Personally, I think that may be a little optimistic as my little one has shown little interest in this toy since the age of around nine months, at which point he was mobile and could make his way to more interesting toys!
Based on our experience, I would say this is most appreciated around the three to nine month mark and wouldn't recommend buying one of these for a baby beyond that age, although I dare say that other babies may well have a stronger attachment to their own Firefly.
I think this is a very beautifully and cleverly designed so it is a little disappointing that my son lost interest in it so quickly. For the money paid, this was still worth every penny and I would certainly consider buying other Lamaze toys as gifts for other newborn babies. I do find the surface wash only instructions to be more than a little irritating, however, but I suspect most other parents will quite simply ignore those, as I did.
When we were looking for stuff for our little baby we checked out Amazon and Dooyoo keen to find out what kind of toys were highly rated and why.
The Lamaze Freddie Firefly received over 205 votes on Amazon at 5 stars and is also as highly rated here, this was more than enough encouragement for us to add this to our growing connection of Lamaze toys, for the first few months it seemed like money wasted, but this was pure impatience on my part, now I think Freddie is awesome, he has been more than worth the money and is a valued family member, although he is probably the most put-upon member of our household, behind slapped, bitten and generally treated like a punchbag by our enthusiastic youngest householder!!
The Firefly cost us £6.99 on Amazon, it is currently £8.39 but the price goes up and down dependent against sales in other stores, this is great value for this multi-purpose toy/baby botherer and I would suggest even £8.39 is very good value.
Freddie is a colourful chap with multi-coloured wings, which are black and white stripes on the back for younger babies to see well and an explosion of colours on the inside, Freddie has a green face and his body is made up of different textured and different coloured bumps, they all look great and he really is a colourful chap who adds a spark of panache to babies room alongside some of the more normal looking toys. Overall the toy is about 20cm long with a clip on the top so it can be clipped to buggies or the baby gym and it has all manner of things including a small toy, some teething elements and some holes for baby to put their finger in on one of the wings as well as a squeezy piece which lets off a high pitched noise.
The thing is multi-textures so there is crispy material which crackles when touched to stimulate baby, there is soft carpet like material, harder plasticy feel, each wing and body part feels different to keep baby interested, it is a wonderful stimulant and a great idea.
Does it work:
Without a doubt after 3 months we noticed that the toy really started to appeal to our young un, we clipped it to the baby gym so baby could look at it but before too long Freddie was being pushed this way and that, baby was attempting to grab different parts of the toy and explore how they felt, nowadays we use him as something to get the little one going once a day, there is so much to feel and look at and each part stimulates baby differently. The toy is awesome and lives up to its reviews fully, I think it is the most played with toy in our house currently, it is a little bigger than I would have hoped but is an essential in ensuring the little one has something enjoyable and developmental to play with.
An excellent purchase, it looks fantastic, it is well designed, it is really multi-layered and baby can find about 20 different elements to enjoy within it, from visual stimulus to different elements of touch, it is a vital ingredient in our happy household and i'm joining the 5 star club to celebrate this flamboyant and happy little chap who brings a smile to our little one every single day.
I hadn't heard of Lamaze toys when we had our first son, indeed they may not have been quite so popular seven years ago. However, with our youngest son being only just over a month old, we have been given a few Lamaze toys as presents for him, including this one, Freddie the Firefly.
Although not much smaller than our son itself, the firefly is quite the perfect little stimulator to put in his moses basket with him, although we wouldn't really like to leave it in there with him unsupervised. It's very colourful, uses plenty of different fabrics and has a wide range of sounds and visual effects that would stimulate kids very well indeed.
The bright colours are key, really, to try and intrigue babies. The body has four main segments, green, two shades of blue and purple rings, before a pink tail which scrunches up with a red and orange hard ring at the end. A smily yellow face completes the trunk parts, with tiny orange antennae on top. The little brown arms aren't instantly noticeable among all the bright colours, especially with the bright and interactive wings that come with Freddie.
It's a medley of various different colorus, for sure, which stimulates babies when it comes to sight, but what also impresses me are the multitude of different touches involved. The fabrics used include, ridged, smooth, rough, ringed, squared shiny smooth, squidgy, hard - the whole range. Our son is still developing his interest with things such as this, but as he learns to use his arms a bit better, he's certainly showing signs of reaching for things and this is one that is so tempting that he's going for it.
There's even a teether attached to it, which could come in handy in a few months time. The toy is suitable from birth and they say up to 24 months, although this upper level is a guideline, as by the age of two, other toys will be far more important to them. It's easy to clean, although it's a surface clean toy only, so you mustn't go chucking this in the washing machine or it'll get ruined.
Really, it's a great toy, with excellent ranges of sight and touch sensory enhancers to stimulate your baby. We didn't have to pay for it, so price wise it hasn't really factored in our judgment of it, but you should be able to get it from amazon for around the £6 or £7 mark. I highly rate this, and we have a few other Lamaze toys that are also easy to recommend. Great toy for your newborn baby.
I wrote a review recently about another Lamaze toy Eddie the Elephant that my almost month old baby seems to like. Another Lamaze toy that she got given as a gift was this Freddie the Firefly, which ranges anywhere in price from £5 - £10, although Amazon are usually the best deal around. Up until a week ago, my baby daughter showed zero interest in this toy, despite liking Eddie the Elephant, and I put it to one side and thought I'd leave it for a few more weeks and try again.
This firefly is suitable from 0 to 24 months according to the information that comes with the toy. To capture your baby's attention, like most of the Lamaze range of toys this firefly is very brightly coloured and is actually quite large in size - larger than it may appear in the photo above. According to the Lamaze, this firefly is 'full of developmental features that capture baby's imagination and stimulate the senses'.
The four patterned wings of the firefly have various activities connected with them. One wing is made of crinkly material, another has as squeaker toy on it, a third wing has two little mirrors, and the fourth wind has a ladybird teether attached that can be put inside the wing or left to hang out. On the bottom of Freddie the firefly there are 2 clacking rings that can be puled, and there is also a jingle at the head of the firefly as well as a round hook to hang from a buggy for example.
Now as I said at the beginning, my baby daughter had shown no interest in this toy up until last week when we bought her a playmat and were able to hang Freddie the firefly from it. Suddenly it appears to have become her favourite toy as she lies watching it hanging from the top of her playmat, and is slowly trying to reach her little hand towards the rings that hang down at the bottom. She will now also listen intently to the crinkly wings as I press them, and also the little squeaker on the other wing. Obviously the teether is of little use at the moment, but it won't be long until it will.
All in all, at the beginning, although Lamaze claims this toy is suitable from birth, I honestly thought it would suit my daughter better when she was a few months old - but that all changed when I was able to hang it up, and suddenly it becomes very eye catching to her, and she will study it greatly as well as try to reach towards the hanging rings, although again she is not quite able for that yet. I am really pleased with this toy, and I am certain that as my daughter develops this toy will continue to capture her imagination and help with her development.
I was buying some gifts for my friends new baby in a baby shop close to my home when I spotted Lamaze Freddie Firefly. I thought that it was really cute and very colourful and decided to buy it for her. It cost me £8 which I thought was an ok price as it was on offer and was so adorable I couldnt resist. My friends baby starting playing with it when she was about 6 months old as we thought she might have been a bit too young for it previous to that.
When her mother first showed it to her, her whole little face lit up and she grabbed it and hardly wanted to let it go. She plays with it all the time and my friend has told me it is one of her daughters favourite toys. Its a soft toy so comfortable for baby to hold and cuddle and has lots of different textures to it which is brilliant as the baby seems to love the feel of it in her hands.
My favourite thing about it though after the colour is the cute little mirror on it. The baby loves looking in it and giggles everytime she sees her reflection in it. To clean, my friend wipes it down well with a cloth and soapy water and lets it air dry before giving it back to the baby.
It has a squeak toy and is even good to use when the baby is teething. The baby loves this toy and it keeps her entertained for hours playing with it, she seems to be completely fascinated by it.
My friend is annoyed that she didnt give the toy to her baby earlier than she did as she loves it so much it would have keep her entertained for months on end. The baby loves scrunching it up in her hands to hear the crinkly sound which is similar sound to bubblewrap.
I think this toy is brilliant for distracting the baby when she is crying and it seems to do the trick every time. It is so detailed and there is so many things to look at on it that I actually have fun playing with it myself. I am so glad that I bought this toy as the baby completely loves it and for the price compared to the hours of playtime I fun, I think it is excellent value for money.
I am pregnant myself with my first child and will definitely be buying one of these for my little baby as I think its a brilliant well made toy. Available from good baby shops, Ebay and other online stores.
I bought this for my daughter while I was pregnant. I had seen on Amazon that this was the highest rated toy in the baby section. I bought mine from Smith's toys and it cost £7.50.
The Lamaze website states that;
Lamaze delivers ages and stages approach to development. Strong developmental logic with unique patterns and fabrics that stimulate baby's senses. Uses animal icons to reinforce the ages and stages product segments. Lamaze stimulates baby's vision and auditory skills. Lamaze strikes a balance between bright, high contrast patterns that help stimulate baby's vision, and bold solid colours that give baby's eyes a place to rest. Sounds like crinkle, squeakers and jingles also help stimulate and develop baby's auditory skills. Whether they're playing or preparing for a nap, your little one will enjoy hours of delight with the Lamaze range of toys. Safe and easy for little hands to manipulate, Lamaze products feature soft velour material that invites snuggling and playing, different textures and interactive components like the mirrors, teethers, clinky rings and textured links which keep baby engaged as he/she grows.
The firefly itself is bigger than I expected it measures 30 x 22.1 x 1.3 cm.
The main body of the firefly is made up of 4 rings which are coloured differently. He has a bright yellow head with big eyes and a smile, he has two antenna, at the top of the toy is a white clip which makes it easy to clip the toy to a pram/car seat etc. The bottom of Freddy's body has a plastic ring which is attached to a slightly elastic piece of material which can be pulled by your baby. The firefly has four wings, each again is brightly coloured and made of different textured material. Each of the wings makes a crinkle noise when it is touched. One wing has a mirror, one has a little squeaker, one has a teething attachment which is attached to a string and the final wing has three extra small wings which have a bendy plastic in them. Freddy also has legs which are made from knotted string.
My daughter loves this toy. The material is soft and the main body is plush. The toy is great value for money as he has lots of different features! I clip it to the side of my daughters cot but she also likes to have him attached to her pushchair. He can be wiped clean with a sponge if he gets dirty too.
I would give this toy 5 out of 5, I have since bought my daughter a pink princess toy from the same range, they are great value for money and also make a nice gift.
When my son was born 10 weeks ago, i really struggled to find him presents for christmas. Toys were too big and clothes would only last weeks.
A good friend of ours bought him the Lamaze butterfly, a colourful soft toy around 7 inchs long with big wings that have many activities and stimulation aids for children on.
On the butterflies head there is a large white clip which can be attatched to a pushchair, car seat or cot bars. (this works better though if you have those spare links to extend it)
On the wings there are various activities for children to play with, textures to touch and sounds to hear.
Although Riley (my son) cant hold anything properly yet, because the butterfly is so colourful he can focus on it and follow it around with his eyes when i move it around.
There are various sqeakers on the butterfly, Riley likes these the most. There are lots of different textures to the materials and some make crinkly and cruchy noises when scrunching them. He also finds it nice to have the different materials rubbed on his face and hands.
There are no small pieces on the toy for him to pull off and swallow, and the toy is stitched together well to avoid it coming apart.
Riley especially likes to grab the two rings that hang down on the butterflys tail, this makes a jingley noise.
I really recommend this toy, it is colourful to help stimulate vision, makes sounds to stimulate hearing and has different textures to aid children to differentiate between different materials.
The toy was bought for £9.99 from toysrus but the price varies from other retailers and online.
This is a good quality toy that can bring enjoyment to children of all ages. I cant find any disadvantages with this so i am giving it a 5 star rating. (so does Riley)
Freddie has clinking rings, a tethered teether and a knotted antennae for chewing


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After what has felt like a lifetime of speculation and rumours, the Toronto Maple Leafs officially pulled the trigger on a transaction that will see Tomas Kaberle, the longest serving member of the organization, on his way out of town.
By now you know that the Maple Leafs received prospect Joe Colborne, a first round pick, and a conditional second round pick from the Bruins in exchange for the services of Kaberle.
It's a move that already has been held up to the light my many, in an attempt to evaluate the pros and cons from both angles. The scrutiny will only intensify as Kaberle gets back into the playoffs with the Bruins, and the Maple Leafs use their picks received either as assets in another deal, or in drafting players at this year's 2011 NHL entry draft.
And while we can debate as to who won the trade, what type of player Joe Colborne will become, and how much of an impact Tomas Kaberle will have with the Bruins down the stretch, there is one thing we cannot debate any further.
An era of the Toronto Maple Leafs is dead.
One can argue that the era was dead when Brian Burke officially put pen to paper, signing on to become the General Manager of the team. The trade of Tomas Kaberle, however, signifies the end of an era, as Burke has virtually turned over the entire roster from the moment he got here.
Kaberle remained the lone link to the Maple Leafs taste of success, no matter how light and fleeting that taste may have been. He was on this team during some of the best times, and was on this team through some of the worst times. And through it all, handled it with grace and class that Toronto media and fans should consider themselves lucky to have been a part of.
Tomas Kaberle has represented us at the NHL All Star Game, even doing the Blue and White jersey proud by winning the accuracy competition in Atlanta a few years ago. And what can be said about his overtime heroics? Seemingly when the game was on the line, he found another level to go to.
Memories of a comeback in Buffalo several years ago will be etched in my mind, when Kaberle completed the tip-in to seal the deal for Toronto in overtime.
Memories post lockout haven't been all that great, at least not from a team perspective.
Lost in the lost seasons and failed attempts at righting the ship that was perilously floundering among the harshest waves is the fact that from a personal standpoint, the play of Tomas Kaberle has been top notch since the league returned to action in 2005-2006.
He sits tied for second in points by a defenseman since the lockout. The players above and around him? Detroit's super tandem of Nik Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, which is pretty good company to say the least.
However, it always seemed as though personal success never mattered as much to Kaberle as the success of the entire team and organization. A very low maintenance player, Kaberle would trade all the praise bestowed upon him for playoff appearances, and more consistency from the Toronto Maple Leafs, if that's what it would take.
Even in the situation he was faced in the last few weeks, he continued to sacrifice personal issues for the greater good of the organization. As he had one foot out the door, he was thinking about the Maple Leafs organization the whole time.
And while I won't discuss the merits of whether or not players with no trade or movement clauses should waive, the fact that Kaberle chose to proves that not only does he want the personal success, but he wants to ensure that the Maple Leafs are taken care of as well.
And now he goes to Boston. Beantown. A team with a rich hockey tradition, and a team that has the chance to make some noise in the NHL playoffs this upcoming Spring.
And as Leafs fans we can only thank Tomas Kaberle. Thank him for his years of service, and thank him for agreeing to facilitate this move to Boston.
Now Tomas, go think of yourself for once and win a Cup, will ya'?


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Music imbeds our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotions through our thoughts. Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. To many people in many cultures, music is an important part of their way of life. music speaks louder than words and it is a medium through which individuals use in expressing themselves, innermost thoughts and their feelings. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres" and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. Music is an indispensable tool in the world, without music, the world would be in a sad and depressing place. Music is experienced by individuals in a range of social settings ranging from being alone to attending a large concert.
Tips to Choose Music Converters
It is not problematic to look for music and videos on the net. There are plenty of sites where you can buy music or download it for free. Moreover, you can visit YouTube or similar sites where you can find interesting videos and music. However, sometimes folks face certain problems with extensions. Some file types need to be converted. Moreover, today, lots of people want to convert online audio. For example, you found great song on YouTube, but want to download them. So, you will need a reliable converter.
Create Music For The Ears With Music Sheet Download
There are multiple benefits of music sheet download that can help you learn even complex songs. There is certain music that is extremely long and even difficult. You can get them tracked with music sheet. It helps visual learners who can go through the sheet to pick up notes and play on. With sheet music, you have the music notes written and stored, so it works like a backup. In case you have to get back to rehearse on your own you can do it in parts or just follow the written notes for more practical music sessions. Alternatively, you are better positioned as you have someone directing the music, at the same time you have the sheet to refer to all the music notes and all of you can be on same page.
» Read more: Create Music For The Ears With Music Sheet Download


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Should deep-sea mining go ahead in Papua New Guinea?
The fate of a currently halted deep-sea mining project in the Pacific is being watched closely by a number of parties.
Mining companies hope that the project might become the start of an extraordinary bonanza of mineral deposits, but environmentalists are fearful that allowing it to go ahead might lead to the destruction of a still unexplored ecosystem.
Other eyes on the Solwara 1 mining scheme include governments eager for a share of profits, local communities worried about harm to the fisheries on which they depend and scientists keen to learn more about the formation of deposits at rarely plumbed depths and the pros and cons of mining.
The profit seekers won the first round when Canadian firm, Nautilus Minerals, secured a 20-year licence and the backing of Papua New Guinea to mine gold and copper at a depth of 1,600 metres in the Bismarck Sea — the first such deep sea operation in the world.
Rich pickings
Operations were scheduled to begin in 2014, with a target of producing about 80,000 tonnes of copper and more than four tonnes of gold a year.
Company officials estimate that Solwara would bring in more than US$140 million to Papua New Guinea's economy in its first two years of operation and claim that about 70 per cent of the project's staff would come from the country.
Nautilus also says it would use the latest ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicles) technology. ROVs are used by the oil and gas industry, although not at these depths. Rock collected from the seafloor would be pumped to the surface, loaded onto barges and shipped to China for processing.
The costs of using this technology look to be more than offset by a greater yield from the deep-sea ores than land-mined material, says Chris Yeats, who runs the mineral system science programme at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
"For every tonne of ore you mine from the seafloor and process, you get ten times the metal you get from a tonne of ore from the land," he says.
Article continues at ENN affiliate, Science and Development Network
Image credit: Subsea World News


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Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Young scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter to help the Los Angeles Lakers escape Air Canada Centre with a 112-106 comeback victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto was poised to sweep the two-game season series for the first time in franchise history, as they led by as many as 19 points in the second quarter and held a 17-point cushion in the third.
Young and a balanced Lakers attack, however, rallied to post back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December.
Pau Gasol finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, Ryan Kelly added 17 points and Kendall Marshall netted 10 with 11 assists for the victors.
DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry scored 23 and 21 points, respectively, for the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors, who had won four of five coming in and were riding a six-game home winning streak.
"We didn't play our defensive game. We played their game," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. "We didn't get our defense to focus the whole game."
The Lakers outscored the Raptors at the free throw line, 26-9.
Three of those free throws came after Amir Johnson fouled Kelly on the perimeter with 1:58 remaining. Kelly's freebies put the Lakers in front, 105-101, and after Lowry drove in for a layup, Young sank a contested 3- pointer from the top of the key to give the Lakers a five-point cushion.
After DeRozan missed the first of two free throws, the Raptors forced a turnover with just under a minute left and put the ball in the hands of DeRozen, who was hounded by Young along the right wing.
DeRozen settled for a tough 18-footer that drew all iron, then fouled Young on a turnaround at the other end. The ensuing free throws gave LA a 110-104 lead with 20.5 seconds to go, and the Lakers held on from there.
Toronto jumped ahead with a 24-5 run spanning the first and second frames.
The last of three consecutive DeRozan buckets yielded a 50-31 Raptors lead with 7:34 remaining in the half, but the Lakers countered with a 9-0 run of their own and cut the deficit to 58-54 heading to the break.
Los Angeles again rallied from a double-digit deficit in the third. Toronto scored the quarter's first 12 points, but a late 12-2 run by the Lakers sent them into the final stanza with an 82-81 advantage.
"We didn't give up," Gasol said. "We started playing aggressive."
Game Notes
Young made five of the Lakers' 12 3-pointers ... The Raptors shot 9-of-30 from 3-point range ... Patrick Patterson scored 17 points off Toronto's bench ... Raptors guard John Salmons was inactive due to back spasms.


text: Italian death metal squad Hour Of Penance's latest album, THE VILE CONCEPTION, is a piece of utter death metal from beginning to end. The four-piece has already started working on the follow-up. The band's leader Guilio Moschini goes back in time recalling how Hour Of Penance started out, why the band had to go through some line-up changes and finally sheds some light on working on the fourth album. THE VILE CONCEPTION is definitely a must-have for every die-hard death metal freak.


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Mistakes made by Franck's raised fresh new questions about why compounding pharmacies aren't subject to the same regulations as major pharmaceutical companies.
Revelations that the national meningitis scare was caused by a Massachusetts drug compounder who shipped tainted steroids to doctors across the U.S. has a familiar ring to Ocala residents who watched a local compounding pharmacy dissolve under the weight of its costly and deadly mistakes in recent years.
By now, the Franck's Compounding Lab saga is well known: In 2009, the company incorrectly mixed a supplement that killed two dozen prized polo horses. Then last year, tainted ophthalmic solutions the company shipped to eye doctors blinded some patients, health officials said.
The mistakes made by Franck's raised fresh questions about why compounding pharmacies aren't subject to the same regulation and oversight as major pharmaceutical companies.
But at least one expert thinks the meningitis outbreak, which has afflicted nearly 200 people in 12 states and killed 15, could be the tipping point that finally brings about changes in the laws that govern the practice of compounding.
"I think this case, because the size of it and costs of human life, is certainly going to throw gasoline on the fire. It's going to take this debate from a two-alarm fire to a four-alarm fire," said Paul Doering, professor emeritus at the University of Florida School of Pharmacy.
Compounding pharmacies make medications and other medical preparations from scratch. They cannot make copies of commercially available medications and can only make medications when they are ordered by a doctor.
But the Food and Drug Administration, which is tasked with ensuring the safety of drugs in the nation, has limited oversight of compounding pharmacies because of the way the law establishing the agency was drawn up in the 1930s. Each state regulates compounders and pharmacists, but oversight and regulations differ from state to state.
Many compounders do what is known as "anticipatory compounding," preparing large quantities of drugs to fill future orders.
The contaminated steroid preparation at the heart of the meningitis outbreak, made by New England Compounding Center near Boston, was a run of more than 17,000 doses.
The FDA believes that producing drugs in large quantities constitutes manufacturing, which they are charged with regulating. The compounding industry argues size does not matter as long as the drugs or preparations are backed by doctors' prescriptions.
Doering thinks the Massachusetts firm crossed the line into manufacturing.
"The 17,000 doses had to be produced on an industrial scale," he said. "From all appearances, what they were doing, on such a large scale, I don't think that falls under the compounding label."
The FDA has advocated the regulation of large-volume compounders for years, but courts have struck down such attempts.
In 1997, Congress passed a law that, in part, tried to require large-volume compounders to get approval from the FDA for new drugs.
The law also restricted compounding pharmacies from advertising the compounding of any particular drug. The U.S. Supreme Court found that part of the law unconstitutional, saying it violated the protections of commercial speech.
Critics point to some very public compounding mistakes as proof that the practice needs to be regulated the same as pharmaceutical companies. Two of those mistakes occurred in Ocala.
After Franck's Compounding Lab incorrectly mixed a vitamin supplement that killed two dozen prized polo horses in 2009, the FDA sued to stop the lab from making any more veterinary compounds. The agency argued that Franck's was operating outside the limits of a compounding lab by producing compounds from bulk ingredients.
A federal judge in Ocala disagreed and ruled in favor of the lab.
While that case was focused on a single incident, the FDA's true goal, according to Jeffrey Gibbs, director of Washington law firm Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, was to try and get wider regulatory powers over compounders.
All compounding labs buy their ingredients in bulk to create compounds. Had the FDA prevailed, it would have abolished compounding as a separate practice from pharmaceutical manufacturing, Gibbs said.
"The FDA's essentially arguing that all compounding is illegal and is asserting its authority to regulate these businesses," Gibbs said in a June interview.
Then in May of this year, Franck's issued a recall of all its sterile products after ophthalmic preparations it made were found to be contaminated.
The preparations were injected directly into patients' eyes. Of the 33 people affected, most suffered vision loss and required additional eye surgery, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
In the wake of a continuing investigation, Franck's was sold in July to Wells Pharmacy Network, a Wellington-based company. Franck's Compounding Lab was one of the largest compounding labs in the country.
At the root of the issue is the historic role of compounding in pharmacology.
Compounding was the way most people got their prescription medicines for many generations. As recently as the 1960s pharmacists routinely ground and mixed compounds in their stores to make the medicines prescribed by local doctors. "Before, you'd give the pharmacist a piece of paper from your doctor. He'd look at it, scratch his head, go to the back, do some magic and he'd come back out with your dose," Doering said.
That started to change after pharmaceutical companies began producing drugs in volume. Eventually, the need for routine compounding mostly disappeared.
Today, compounding, in the historic sense, is a small part of the industry. Most pharmacy schools require students to spend less and less time compounding in a classroom setting.
"If you went to your average pharmacy and asked if they could compound, they would probably say they are not set up for it, but really the person behind the counter is probably not skilled enough to do it," Doering said.
He said most pharmacists interested in compounding take courses after graduation.But the recent boom in compounding is not an effort to return to bygone days of mixing medicines or preparations for a local clientele, but rather to join the growing number of high-volume compounders.
"Compounding, historically, is not something that happens in large volume," Doering said. "These compounding pharmacies, in a polite way, have developed a niche."
The danger, Doering says, is that quality control at compounding labs is not as stringent as at pharmaceutical companies.
The FDA illustrated this point in testimony before Congress in 2003.
"Concerns have been raised by the FDA and others that some pharmacies are going beyond traditional drug compounding for individual patients by, for example, compounding and selling large quantities of drugs without meeting safety and quality and other requirements for new manufactured drugs," said Janet Heinrich, then FDA director of health care and public health issues.
The agency re-emphasized the point in a report to Congress in 2007.
"Not all pharmacists have the same level of skills and equipment," wrote Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA. "In some cases, compounders may lack sufficient controls (equipment, training, testing or facilities) to ensure product quality or to compound complex products such as sterile or modified release drugs. The quality of the drugs that these pharmacists compound is uncertain, and these drugs pose potential risks to the patients who take them."
David Miller, the executive vice president for the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacies, an advocacy group for the industry, disagrees.
"Size does not make you a manufacturer," Miller said. "The difference between a pharmacy and a manufacturer is, (the compounders) know about how much (they) need of a certain compound because (they) have had a history of prescriptions. Manufacturers produce their finished product first and then go out and persuade doctors to write prescriptions for them."


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Cowlitz Credit Union Intends to Merge Into Red Canoe
The $41 million Cowlitz Credit Union in Longview, Wash., plans to merge into the $581 million Red Canoe Credit Union, also based in Longview, by September, according to a Cowlitz CU prepared statement.
"It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with new regulations and the fast-paced technological developments in our industry," said Larry Anderson, Cowlitz board chair. "The board unanimously agreed that turning back to an old friend made the best sense for our membership."
Like many small credit unions, revenues at Cowlitz had either been flat or declining.
Loan income has slightly fallen from $1.2 million in 2009 to $1.1 million in 2013, while in the same years, fee income also dropped moderately from $328,879 to $308,068, according to NCUA financial performance reports.
The cooperative's investment income, however, has plummeted from $456,251 in 2009 to $140,105 in 2013.
Cowlitz CU was established in 1957 as Cowlitz County Employees Credit Union. During its early days, the credit union was managed by Red Canoe Credit Union (then known as Weyerhaeuser Credit Union), although the two credit unions kept their assets separate.
As Cowlitz grew, it hired a CEO to oversee operations, but Red Canoe "has always been a strong local partner and friend," Anderson said.
"The consolidation of assets will result in more-efficient operations and capital management, which is a better use of our members' money," Anderson said. "Plus, we will be able to offer a wider array of products and services, including technology conveniences that can be cost-prohibitive for smaller credit unions to offer. Overall, this is a win-win for both credit unions."
David Spaulding, Red Canoe's president/CEO, said all 15 Cowlitz employees will keep their jobs and that Cowlitz also will keep one seat on Red Canoe's board of directors.
"We are excited for the opportunity to serve the Cowlitz Credit Union membership," Spaulding says. "It makes good sense for our organizations to come together to better serve both of our memberships as one financial cooperative."
Cowlitz serves 4,500 members and Red Canoe serves more than 54,000 members.
An intent-to-merge application is being processed by the Washington's Department of Financial Institutions. Following regulatory approval, Cowlitz members will vote on the proposed merger.
That vote is expected to take place this spring, said Amy Davis, Red Canoe's vice president of marketing. If approved, the consolidation would be complete by September.


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Posted 6 years ago
(350 items)
Here are a few more German made ornaments, made in the early 1900's, and exported to the United States. The Santa ornament has molded clay boots attached to pipe cleaner legs, which are attached to the body of the ornament. These ornaments are paper thin, and as light as a feather.


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UHV students can lock in price for new three-year degree program
April 27, 2010 at 5 p.m.
Updated April 26, 2010 at 11:27 p.m.
Students enrolled in the University of Houston-Victoria's Degree in Three program, an innovative three-year bachelor's degree in selected fields, can now receive immunity from tuition and fee increases under a new plan announced Tuesday.
Through a price-locking option, students will be able to freeze their tuition and fees at the rates charged when they enter the three-year, bachelor's track program so long as they continue to meet certain grade and degree progress benchmarks.
"Although UHV's tuition and fee increases have been well below its peers during the last several years, our tuition increase immunity plan will be a big advantage for students and come as a welcome relief for parents and supporters," said Wayne Beran, UHV vice president for administration and finance.
UHV first announced the Degree in Three program, known as the Dn3, in July shortly after the institution was granted permission to welcome its first 200 freshmen in the fall.
By freezing tuition and fees rates for those in the Dn3, students can save about $1,400 off the cost of their degrees. UHV tuition rates are already among the lowest in Texas. Students entering the immunity program in the fall will be able to earn a degree for less than $22,000 in tuition and fees, and will save an estimated $14,000 on a year's living expenses by graduating in three years instead of four, Beran said.
"Students also will be able to earn an extra year of higher income from a job requiring a college degree," he said. Those with bachelor's degrees earn about $1 million more during their lifetimes than those with just a high school diploma, according to a 2002 study published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, he noted.
UHV is engaged in a continuing effort to meet the needs of students in new and innovative ways, UHV's senior leader said.
"Allowing students to lock in their tuition and fees will save them money, facilitate their financial planning and allow them to reach their educational goals more quickly," UHV President Tim Hudson said. "It's one of our many innovations as we transform UHV into a distinctive destination university."
Under the Dn3, students can earn a complete, 120-credit hour bachelor's degree in just three years through a structured program.
"These are some of our most popular degree programs that lend themselves best to an accelerated learning environment," said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences, which houses the Dn3 program. "That environment will be enhanced by close relationships with and strong support from faculty, staff and peer mentors."
UHV has grown from an upper-division teaching center offering junior-, senior- and graduate-level classes in space borrowed from The Victoria College to a rapidly growing institution of almost 3,700 students at face-to-face locations in Sugar Land, Katy and Victoria, and online.
On June 19, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill granting UHV permission to add freshmen and sophomores to the Victoria campus.
"We're looking for students who want to be pioneers in the world of education and who are in a hurry to make a difference in their lives and society," Hudson said. "We're going to enter into a compact with students to help them succeed and allow them to plan their finances if they are ready for the challenge. And from what I am seeing as I meet them, I know that many are."
The program also will help the entire state reach its educational goals.
"This immunity plan can help Texas elevate its overall level of educational attainment and meet its Closing the Gaps initiatives during these challenging economic times," Hudson said.
Closing the Gaps is an ongoing effort led by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to increase student participation, student success, excellence and research at state public universities by 2015.
Another way UHV is helping the state's Closing the Gaps initiatives is the UHV Jaguar Pledge, which was announced April 14. Students in the Dn3 also can qualify for the pledge, which will provide Texas freshmen and sophomores coming to the university from outside the Victoria region in the fall a package of scholarships, grants and employment opportunities to cover at least 50 percent of their tuition and fees their first year. Students must take face-to-face, freshmen - or sophomore-level classes at the Victoria campus to qualify for the Jaguar Pledge.


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Michael Kors Gold Plated Knot Ring
Inspired by natuical timeless elements, sunshine and sea inspired hues, the spring 2015 collection sets sail in style. Made from gold plated stainless steel in a knot design.
About Michael Kors Jewellery
Don't wear your jewellery while doing heavy or rough work and avoid contact with gritty substances. Even though a diamond is durable, it can be chipped by a hard blow. Remove your jewellery when applying everyday lotions such as sunscreen and perfume. These can clog up your diamond and even penetrate some porous coloured gemstones. Don't let your jewellery come in contact with chlorine bleach or harsh chemicals when you are doing household chores.
Storing your jewellery
Don't store your diamond jewellery together as diamonds can scratch each other and other jewellery. Store each item of jewellery separately to avoid scratches. Keep them in pouches or in a jewellery box. Keep chains fastened and lay them flat so that they don't get tangled up.
Cleaning your jewellery
Clean your jewellery periodically. Gently rub platinum, gold and silver jewellery with a soft, clean cloth to maximise the shine. Diamonds can be brought to life by careful cleaning with a soft brush and jewellery cleaning solution. Always rinse and dry them thoroughly after cleaning. Don't use abrasive cleaners on your jewellery.
Product Ref: MKJ4211710
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Credit subject to status and affordability. Terms & Conditions Apply. Steffan The Jeweller LTD trading as Steffan The Jeweller LTD are a credit broker and are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Credit is provided by Hitachi Personal Finance, a division of Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.


text: I've been dreaming of northern europe for quite a while. It's probably the closest place for me, where the population density isn't as crazy as in central Europe. After returning from a 10 days trip with friends to southern France in 2010, I knew, the next trip has to be longer. And farther. I started planning a trip through Scandinavia. The beautiful Norwegian coast and the Nordkapp would be part of the route. Catch the ferry in Germany and head north to the Nordkapp and take your time to ride along the Norwegian coast. That was my initial idea. Upon finding ADV in Winter 2010 I changed my mind a bit and wanted to include a different aspect to my trip. A friend of mine was in St. Petersburg and Murmansk a year earlier and I was amazed by his stories about the people and the landscapes. Oh, and the roads of course. So the northbound route should be through Russia: As my riding buddies were unavailable, I went on this trip alone, on my trusty Suzuki SV650S. Naturally, there's not a lot of pictures with me in it, so this is what I look like. Having shot a lot of clips on my trip, I put this video together to show some impressions of the trip: <object width="853" height="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0PgcSJ6Wgo?version=3&hl=de_DE"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0PgcSJ6Wgo?version=3&hl=de_DE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="853" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> Still not convinced? Let's try again.