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things I wish I had known before my first C-section (plus some recovery tips)/
I am a three-time C-section mama and proud of it. Of course, it wasn't the type of birth I pictured when I got pregnant for the first time, but after going through the procedure 3 times, I've realized it's not so bad at all. In fact, I've even grown fond of my C-section memories, because it's how my babies made their way into the world safely. Now that I'm a Veteran C-section Mom, I've picked up a few tips and tricks for making recovery a little smoother.
All 3 of my surgeries were planned and scheduled, for different reasons. My first baby was breech and wouldn't turn no matter what I've tried. My second baby was gigantic, and I moved across the country at 36 weeks pregnant. My new OB just wasn't comfortable letting me attempt a VBAC past 40 weeks, so when I didn't go into labor naturally, we scheduled a C-section. With my third, there wasn't really a question of whether I would try a VBAC, and I was ok with it. I knew what to expect from a C-section!
I was completely unprepared for my first C-section even though it had been scheduled weeks in advance. I kind of figured I would show up and they would tell me what to do! And for the most part, they did. BUT there are a few things I wish I had known ahead of time, and I'm about to spill everything I know.
Related: What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag for a Scheduled C-Section
Things I Wish I Had Known About a C-Section
You Might Be Nauseated
I had no idea how sick to my stomach I would feel during the actual procedure (I think because of the drugs coursing through my body), and directly afterward, too! I really wanted to be a low-maintenance champ, so I kept it to myself at first. That was ridiculous.
I was strapped down spread-eagle on a table, which is not an ideal position for combatting nausea. Speak up and let the anesthesiologist know if you're feeling sick. He or she can pump some meds to calm your stomach.
By my second and third C-section, I knew enough to chat with the anesthesiologist before the procedure started. I let him know that I had felt really sick during my first surgery, and he assured me he wouldn't let that happen. He kept his word, and as soon as I started feeling nauseated, I let him know and he took care of it right away.
The Spinal is Going to Suck, but You'll Be OK
I mean, there's no getting around it. You're going to have a needle stuck in your spine while you're hunched over your giant pregnant belly. It's not fun, and it's not comfortable. And worst of all, your significant other won't be allowed in the room yet.
I don't want to scare you at all, though. I want to encourage you to stay focused on the end result. You will get through this VERY brief moment in the procedure. You are strong, and it's getting you one step closer to meeting your sweet babe. Let your doctors and nurses know if you're feeling particularly anxious about this step - they will be there for you.
You'll Feel Some Pressure
During the surgery, the doctors will be working hard to bring your baby earthside, which means you'll feel some pressure on your abdomen and even your chest. It didn't hurt at all (for me at least - everyone is different), and I noticed the pressure a lot more with my breech baby than with my other 2. In fact, I was chatting away with my husband and the anesthesiologist when suddenly I heard crying. I was shocked! I hadn't really felt a thing!
When I was preparing for the unmedicated birth I wanted (and never got) I learned a lot about picking a focal point and using the power of my mind to breathe through the painful parts of birthing a child. It's no different with a C-section. Parts of the surgery are weird and uncomfortable, so find something to calm your mind and nerves.
I talked to my doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologist about travel destinations and we talked and laughed through the whole procedure. When my husband joined us, I asked him to keep talking with me, too, so I would have something to focus on besides my body being cut open on the other side of the blue curtain.
When my husband was taking a picture or not in the room yet, I focused on saying prayers for a safe surgery and thought about how happy I would feel meeting my baby for the first time.
You Can Take Pictures
In fact, in all three surgeries I've had, pictures were encouraged! Ask your husband to be the cameraman for the procedure. I had to walk my husband through how to work our nice camera, and I set up the camera settings ahead of time. I truly cherish those photos of the first moments of my kids' lives. If you're unsure about your hospital's policy on this, just ask!
You Can Bond with your Baby Right Away
Again, check your hospital's policy on this, but mine was incredibly open to me getting skin-to-skin contact right away. In fact, while they were stitching me up I was able to lay the baby on my chest, and a nurse even helped me start breastfeeding right on the table. To be honest, it's kind of an awkward angle to hold your baby, since you're spread eagle on a narrow table, but the nurses are right there to make sure everything goes smoothly. And in the moment, I didn't care! I just wanted to snuggle with my baby.
You'll Have a Catheter
Don't worry, your lower half will already be numb during this part. Because of the spinal, you won't be able to walk for the first few hours following the surgery, which means you won't be able to go to the bathroom, hence the catheter. Honestly, I didn't even notice it.
Your Face Might Itch
This is honestly the strangest side effect of a C-section, and not everyone gets this, but my face itched like crazy after all three of my surgeries. The only problem was, I didn't remember anything about this symptom the second and third time until the itching started up! If I ever have a 4th C-section, I will have to remember to let the nurses know before my surgery even begins. Again, communication is key! They can add something to your IV to relieve the itching sensation.
Know your Options with Pain Medication
Let me preface this point by reminding you that I am NOT a medical professional and I am not giving you advice about what pain medication to take or not take. You need to figure that out with your own doctor. I'm just sharing my experience here because I wish someone had told me the first time!
After my first C-section, I happily accepted any and all pain medication they offered me. What I didn't realize was that the narcotics contributed to constipation. Not. Fun.
The second and third time around, I asked for just ibuprofen. I was able to manage the pain just fine with that. And really, staying on top of your pain medication is so important, because you don't want to be miserable while caring for a newborn. It's just something to be aware of so you can ask your doctor or nurse about it, and come to a decision together with them.
C-Section Recovery Tips
Move around
As soon as your catheter is removed and you get the ok from your doctors and nurses, go ahead and start walking around your hospital room. I like to make my way to the bathroom and take a nice long shower as soon as I'm able.
This is not for everyone, but I also like to put on a bit of makeup and do my hair. It feels so good to be human again after being poked and prodded nonstop for the surgical procedure.
If your hospital lets you, do some (slow) laps in the hallway and take your significant other or a visitor with you. Walking is so good for after a C-section because it increases your circulations and helps "get things moving" in the digestion department.
Increase the amount of walking you do each day after you get home from the hospital. Weather-permitting, get outside and enjoy the fresh air. If not, just do some laps around your house.
Drink Tons of Water
Sometimes I feel like a crazy old lady who thinks drinking more water fixes any ailment. Tired? Drink more water. Sick? Drink more water. A toothache? Drink more water.
But anyway, in this case, you should definitely drink as much water as you can handle after your C-section for 3 reasons:
1. It will help combat constipation.
2. It will help flush out all the meds and drugs in your system. (And help you get rid of all the fluid you're retaining)
3. It will help establish your milk supply if you're planning to breastfeed.
Pay Attention to your Nutrition
I attribute my quick recovery from my second and third C-section to excellent nutrition during my pregnancy and postpartum.
During my pregnancy, I drank two superfood shakes every day to make sure my body was getting the protein, vitamins, and minerals it needed to grow a baby. I brought my shakes and blender with me to the hospital so I could enjoy them postpartum, too!
I also added a fiber supplement. This particular fiber supplement obviously helps get things moving, but it also contains probiotics and trace minerals to help improve your gut health. You can also add in a collagen supplement to help your tissues heal.
Once you're given the green light to eat after your surgery, focus on foods that are rich in fiber (lots of fruits and veggies), protein (lean meats, nuts and nut butter, eggs), and vitamin C.
Get Up the Right Way
This seems like a small thing, but pay attention to how you are getting up from the bed or couch. Don't use your abs to lift your body up; rather, roll over to your side and push yourself up with your arms. Trust me, your healing abdominal muscles and incision with thank you!
Use a Belly Binder
I know reviews are mixed on this because you don't want to completely depend on the belly binder instead of strengthening your own ab muscles, but I will say that using one when I recovered from my 3rd C-section made such a huge difference.
I wore it the majority of the day for the first 6 weeks, then for just a few hours a day after that. It helped protect my incision and made it easier for me to do everyday tasks without feeling like my insides were falling out.
At some points during my recovery I had no choice but to lift my giant toddler, so wearing the belly binder gave me peace of mind. Even with the belly binder, make sure to use your legs to lift, not your abdominal muscles.
For the first week or so, I used a cheap one from Amazon. I had ordered a Belly Bandit BFF in size small but didn't fit into it right away as my uterus shrunk back down and I was still retaining water.
Don't Overdo It
I know this seems to clash with my advice to walk a lot, but speaking from personal experience, you need to listen to your body and not try to do something you're not ready for. When I was recovering from my second C-section I was feeling really good. We had just moved and were in the process of setting up our new home.
I ran to WalMart by myself to do some décor shopping and to take a break from the kids when I saw a bookshelf that would be perfect for toy storage, AND it was on sale. Instead of asking an employee to help me, I just went ahead and loaded the box into the cart.
Not only was I in pain for the next few days, but I was afraid I had caused a hole in my incision that I had to monitor and worry about.
Anyway, I know it's tempting to start vacuuming, lifting things, and resuming life as normal when you're 4 or 5 weeks out from surgery and feeling good, but just listen to your doctors and use this time to actually relax and rest. Accept the help people offer and give your body a chance to heal.
Football Hold when Nursing
With all three of my kids I used the football hold to nurse them directly after the C-section. I found it to be the most comfortable way to avoid pressure on my abdomen and incision. Having a nursing pillow like the Boppy is a Godsend because you can just tuck the baby beside you.
Air Pockets
I only experienced this after my second C-section, but I think it's worth mentioning. You may feel like there are air pockets trapped between your shoulder blades after your surgery. I'm not sure if it's related to constipation or the surgery itself, but apparently, this is a pretty common complaint after C-sections. A little bit of Gas-X should help!
Caring for your Incision
I'm not going to give you too much advice here, because your nurses will do a much better job of giving you all the details. Something that worked for me, though, was to bring an extra washcloth in the shower each time that was specifically for cleaning my incision. I would get it really soapy, hold it above my incision, and let the soapy water wash over the scar. Then I would pat it gently with the soapy washcloth.
Make sure to then pat it completely dry with a clean towel after your shower, and keep it covered! A lot of moms like to use a pad over the incision site in the first few days. Compression felt really good to me, so I wore my pregnancy belly band (you know, the one you use during pregnancy to keep your pants up) over it, then put my Belly Bandit wrap over that.
After your 6-week checkup, and when you get the ok from your OB, you can start treating your scar with Vitamin E oil and Earth Mama Organic Skin & Scar Balm.
Keep Pillows Around
Pillows make excellent splints when you need to cough, laugh, or sneeze. Just hold it tightly over your belly, and keep one in every room!
Let Others Help
This was the hardest part after my first and second C-section. I wanted to prove how quickly I could recover (like it's a race?) and how I could handle motherhood effortlessly. After my third baby, I realized the only way I would survive a 3-year-old, a 1-year-old, and a newborn while recovering surgery was with lots of help and lots of grace.
I am so thankful my mom was able to come help since my husband is a teacher and there was one more month of school left after we had the baby. I was also really lucky to have a church family that put together a meal train for us so I didn't have to cook for weeks after having the baby.
I realize not everyone has the same support, but just keep in mind that if someone offers to help, this is not the time to feel bad about taking them up on it. They are offering because they WANT to help. Even if it means having them sit with your baby for an hour while you nap!
Give it Time
After each C-section, I feel like the postpartum, gross, leaky, sore, exhausted phase will last FOR-E-VER. I'm so eager for my "normal" life to resume. I want my body back, I want my boobs back, and I want to be able to lift my other kids.
Here I am, almost 1 year after my third C-section, and I can't believe how "easy" life feels. How was that a year ago? I'm in the closing stages of weaning my baby, and I'm able to leave the house by myself for hours at a time without having to rush back home to feed someone (I mean when my husband is home on the weekend).
I can vacuum, lift my kids, exercise, and drive myself. My old clothes finally fit again, and today.I wore a regular bra. That's right. Not a nursing bra.
And you know what? Typing this out, I almost feel nostalgic for those newborn days. Almost.
So just know that yes, it may be a tough stage, and you just want your recovery to speed up, but this too shall pass, and soon enough it will be a distant memory.
C-section mama? You got this. You're a warrior. This is nothing you can't handle.
C-Section Recovery Shopping List:
Belly Bandit BFF OR C-Section & Recovery Undies
Vitamin E oil and Earth Mama Organic Skin & Scar Balm
Further Reading:
What to Pack in your Hospital Bag for a C-Section
Healthy Food and Snack Ideas for Nursing Moms
To The Disappointed Mom Preparing for a C-Section
Healing Diastasis Recti: MuTu System Review
The Ultimate Guide to Losing the Stubborn Baby Weight
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Steven Adler Talks 'Sober House'
Steven Adler and his friend, Chip Z'nuff, stopped by to discuss the current season of VH1's "Sober House" and told the crew he was off heroin and was doing great. Howard asked if it was hard to be kicked out of Guns N' Roses, so Steven said Axl Rose was wrong: "And Slash was wrong for not sticking up for me." Steven bragged that he later sued the band after being kicked out - and lost most of the money to his addictions. Howard said he was surprised to see Steven looking "almost healthy," and Steven agreed: "Yeah, isn't it weird?" Howard mentioned how Dr. Drew has accused Steven of making up a lot of the stories about his rough childhood, but Steven dismissed Drew's claims, instead telling the crew about seeing Amber Smith's vagina on set: "Her little pussy was all shaven."
Groupies and Strokes
Howard asked Steven about his groupie-banging days with Guns N' Roses, which caused Steven to laugh about how he used to watch TV and have groupies blow him - when he wasn't even hard.
Steven claimed the groupies were all behind him now: "The back of the bus is me and Tim...not like the old days." Chip agreed, and even brought his girlfriend, Susan, into the studio to show everyone why he wasn't into groupies anymore. Steven told the crew about the speedball trip that triggered his stroke: "I was smashing my face on the bathroom floor...I couldn't stop my face from hitting the floor...I got the towel under my face finally and it just wore off. And then, of course, like an asshole, I went and did it again...I didn't know I'd had a stroke. It was ten minutes later." Steven added that heroin was a great drug, but you couldn't do it "now and then"...like you can pot.

subset: commoncrawl


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January 27, 2016
2:06 pm
Unless you're living under a rock, you've read an article or two (or, you know, 600) on BuzzFeed. As one of the Internet's most popular news and media sources, BuzzFeed has made a name for itself with its popular quizzes, articles and listicles (it's a word! Look it up!). Despite the fact that it isn't necessarily renowned for it's serious news output, BuzzFeed has almost 175 million monthly users and content that connects to people, making it as well-known as those highbrow news sources.
What's the secret to BuzzFeed's success? While their shareable lists are their signature posts, there's more to it than just that. Below you will find 10 strategic moves made by BuzzFeed that can be used by any marketer to increase traffic and attract readers and consumers.
Know Your Audience
This might seem like an obvious move, but it is a key step that many marketers skip when designing a website or article.
BuzzFeed's primary audience is 20 somethings, most of them female. Thus you will find many of BuzzFeed's lists and articles devoted to this type of audience, such as "24 Forgotten Trends All Mid-'00s Teen Girls Were Slightly Obsessed With."
In the same way, your content should be driven by your target audience. You want to speak to those who will be viewing your site, so strategize accordingly.
Make It Shareable
Social media is a huge part of how people interact with the internet. If they like it, they'll share it. BuzzFeed knows this, and makes it easy for its readers to share content through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
When creating content for your website, market it through social media and include social sharing buttons that are easy to spot and click for the reader.
Use Honest and Intriguing Headlines
The truth is that many of BuzzFeed's articles and lists see a lot of Internet traffic because those headlines are so darn clickable. When you see "Just 27 Surprisingly Funny Tweets About Cats," chances are you'll be just curious enough to click on it and read all of those supposedly funny tweets.
However, it's not just the title that makes BuzzFeed's articles successful. There has to be follow-through. It's bad form to reel a reader in and then not deliver on the promised title. So, make sure the content of your post connects with your title.
Keep It Short and to the Point
Whether the your post is a long and serious news article or a short, humorous listicle, the content itself should be to the point and easy to digest. This means short paragraphs and sentences.
If someone clicks on a link to your site and scrolls down only to find that they're reading the online equivalent of a Tolstoy novel, they'll be outta there before they've reached the third paragraph. If something looks readable, people will read it. You'll find that no matter what the content, BuzzFeed's articles feel manageable for a quick, informative read. You want your readers to feel this way about the content on your site.
People Love Lists…
You probably don't need to read this to know that BuzzFeed has taught the world that we all really love lists.
A list feels like an easy way to kill those few minutes waiting at the doctor's office or bus stop. It doesn't feel like an enormous time commitment. To look at "12 Incredible Photos of NYC Over A Century Ago Vs. Today," feels like perfect use of those extra minutes.
If you're looking to simply inform your reader of a few important things, turn it into a listicle. It might appeal to them more than a typical informative post would.
…But They Love Longform Content, Too!
While BuzzFeed is known for its popular lists, it uses longform content in many of its news articles and human interest stories. This lends credibility to the site as a legitimate news source.
While you should still heed the above suggestion to keep it short and to the point, this doesn't mean you can't spend some time elaborating on an important subject. This kind of form can be a better choice for certain types of content. It can also be good for your site's credibility and SEO. Just make sure it's readable and accessible.
Make It Interactive
When a reader is able to interact with a post, it becomes more memorable for them. BuzzFeed does this through its popular quizzes. With pieces such as "Can We Guess Your Age And Gender From This 8 Picture Test?" they dare readers to take the challenge and it's hard to resist.
Some of the most widely shared links are quizzes. People are drawn to something they are able to interact with. You can create a quiz for your own site using a tool like Qzzr. Embedded quizzes could draw wider readership to your website.
Make It Mobile-friendly
One of the most important things you can do for your website is to make it easily usable and accessible across all platforms.
About 60 percent of those reading BuzzFeed are doing so on their phones. JThe headlines and images are prominent and it doesn't take forever to load.
Make It Emotional
It has always been true, even before we used the internet as our main news source, that when the emotions are triggered, people are more likely to read.
Using humor, fear, joy, envy, shock or any other number of emotions will cause someone to stop and read. These, and many more emotions, are used by BuzzFeed to target readers and draw them in.
Think about what you are trying to do with your site. How can you use emotions to draw your audience to the content you are distributing.
Monitor Analytics
Of course, the biggest mistake you can make is to set your site and forget about it. To stay ahead of the curve and make sure your site continues to maintain popularity, you have to use analytics.
BuzzFeed does this, and is always aware of what is popular – and what's not – on their site. The most visited posts are featured on their home page. And when things are less popular, they learn from their mistakes in the future.
Make sure you know how your audience is responding to your content and adjust accordingly.
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The Derwent Valley is a beautiful region of Tasmania taking in the many small towns North of Hobart on the upper stretches of the Derwent River and climbs up into the mountains to include remote Hydro towns such as Tarraleah and Maydena as well as the stunning Derwent Bridge on the edge of Lake St Clair.
Getting to the Derwent Valley is easy with a short 45 minute drive along the western side of the Derwent River. The largest town in the region is New Norfolk which is a perfect spot to start the day with a coffee and a popular spot for fishing on the Derwent River.
Further north you can find towns such as Westerway, Hamilton, Ouse, Bothwell, Kempton and Oatlands each with their own unique history and attractions. Many of these towns were part of the first European settlements in Tasmania and have some amazing stories to tell.
Closer to Mt Field you can find plenty of amazing forests to explore and some great walking with a number of great walks at both Mt Field and the small town of Maydena on the Gordon River Rd out to the lakes in the Western Wilderness Region and Hydro schemes.
On the Lyell highway heading towards the West Coast you can stop in at Tarraleah and Derwent Bridge. Tarraleah is an old Hydro electric town that is now a great spot to stay if you want to explore the high country or just need a break on the way to Queenstown and Strahan. Derwent Bridge is the last major stop before Queenstown and is situated on the edge of Lake St Clair which is absolutely stunning especially with the snows in winter.
The Derwent Valley was first settled by Europeans in the early 1800's with both farmers and convicts coming to the region to establish new properties and stations. The region has some of the best examples of Georgian and Victorian era architecture in Australia (have a look at the churches in Bothwell). The region is one of the primary sources of Barley used in brewing and has since become a bit of a hub for whisky production as well with both Nant and Redlands Estate located in the Valley.
In more recent times towns in the region have played an important part in Tasmania's industrial heritage. Tarraleah was established in the 1830's as a Hydro town for the workers on Australia's first Hydro Electric scheme and Maydena was once an important town in Tasmania's forestry industry.


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GET OUT Is An Oscar Nominee Doing What Horror Does Best
Recently, I saw a comment on Facebook about how Get Out was overrated because it wasn't scary to someone. That particular someone was white, though, and I explained to him that although it might not be scary to him, to try and look at it from the point of view of a person of color, especially someone who is black. The idea of being auctioned off, owned, treated as a mere body and not a mind or even a human being with your own faculty, feeling a lack of control in society - these were realities for blacks in America not too long ago, and, unfortunately, some of these continue to this day. That's pretty scary, in my opinion.
I think Jordan Peele made a brilliant statement about the horrors of racism and the recent resurgence of its' visibility. I was beyond thrilled to see it received 4 Oscar nods, including 2 for Peele (director and original screenplay), one for Daniel Kaluuya for best actor, and, perhaps most importantly, a best picture nod. The only one missing for me was a nomination for supporting actress for Betty Gabriel as Georgina, whose performance as the maid gave me chills, especially in one particular scene, in which she cries while smiling and displays such conflicted emotions behind her eyes that she, while saying something quite different with her voice, still practically screams, "Leave this place, now!" It is chilling and amazing and I hope it earns her more work.
Some have argued that Get Out is not horror, and I don't quite agree. The idea of being trapped inside your mind while someone else controls your body is horrific enough. But the film made such a statement by not trying at all to be subtle about the horrors of racism, instead saying, pretty loudly, "hey, white people, this is why we carry fear." It's important to note that while, for those who have never experienced systemic racism, it might not be as scary, for black people in our current political climate, it's a simply terrifying allegory for the experience of both their ancestors and themselves.
I'd also like to give Peele a tremendous amount of credit for the way he built tension throughout the film, at first slowly and always creepily giving away the fact that something just isn't quite right, then ramping things up until you are absolutely perched on the edge of your seat, waiting for the violence to begin. He also definitely used his actors to their best effect. I've seen the alternate ending, and while I almost think it could have made a greater impact, I was also relieved to see it end the way it did. I have talked to many black people who said they felt real terror to see police lights pull up at the end, but cheered when it wasn't quite what it seemed. I know I sure breathed a huge sigh of relief myself after a film so full of suspense and anxiety.
It's also great to see what I feel to be a horror film nominated in several categories. I should also mention here The Shape of Water. Although many don't see it as horror, is at least a creature/monster movie, and also happens to speak to the often terrible treatment of those we see as lesser beings, the "different," and the outcasts. It got 13 nominations, so, not too shabby. Horror has long been seen as a lesser genre but I think that if we continue to see horror movies like this, with clever writing, good direction, and especially reflections on so many of the fears that lots of us have about modern day society, (which is something horror has always done well), we will also continue to see the kind of critical acclaim we saw with The Shape of Water and Get Out. I truly applaud both these films for being willing to discuss difficult topics in such sincere and amazing ways and for continuing to advance and elevate the horror genre for more viewers. Bravo.


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Mega Moolah jackpot continues to grow surpassing £18 million
The Mega Moolah jackpot just seems to keep on growing and as of just a few hours ago, the jackpot had climbed to over £18 million.
Just to put that into context; that is the equivalent of US$23,152,062 or €19,642,175 any of which would represent a massive new Guinness World Record for an online slot pay-out. Far outstripping the current record which was a £13.2 million jackpot landed by Jon Heywood back in October 2015.
Since the 13th September, when the jackpot was at £16,188,675, there has been an increase of just short of £2 million in the ten days since. That is a phenomenal rate of increase, the largest 10-day increase in jackpot size since the jackpot was last won, and simply goes to show that a huge number of spins are played on the slot - all in the hope of being the next big Mega Moolah jackpot winner.
With the jackpot now at the 18 million mark and increasing with every second that passes, this confirms that if the jackpot is won by a player playing via US Dollars then the amount they win would be the seventh largest slot win in US Dollars in history. That includes all land-based Vegas casino slot game wins.
Interestingly, if the winner heralds from the UK, then their £18 million-plus prize would equate to at least $23.5 million dollars, which would actually be the fourth largest win (in dollar terms) in the history of land-based and online slot games.
However, the currency that the win is paid in will make a huge difference in terms of its relative value and then subsequently, what the starting point of the next Mega Jackpot will be.
What happens when someone wins the Mega Moolah jackpot?
The Mega Moolah jackpot is available to be won in a number of different currencies, although the base currency is the British Pound. What this means, is that if the jackpot is won in a currency other than British Pounds, then not all of the money held in the jackpot fund will be paid out.
Instead, what happens is that the winner will win the stated numerical amount of the jackpot in their chosen currency (so that may be £18, or US$18m or €18m or NZ$18m, CA$18m or similar).
But due to the exchange rates for other currencies against the British Pound being different, it will mean that only a proportion of the British Pound jackpot fund will be paid out to the winner in their own currency.
This is more easily shown by means of a number of examples. So, in the example below and for convenience sake, we have used a theoretical winner of the current jackpot of exactly 18 million in a number of different currencies. You can then also see how much this would equate to in British Pounds and then, how much the seed amount for the next Mega Moolah jackpot would be if a player won that sum in that currency.
|Win Amount
|Relative British Pounds Value of Win
|What next Mega Moolah Jackpot Seed Amount Will Be
British Pound
US Dollar
Canadian Dollar
New Zealand Dollar
Swedish Krona
*This is the minimum seed amount guaranteed by Microgaming when the Mega Moolah jackpot is won in full by a player playing in British Pounds.
If I were in Sweden I would be be playing in Pounds, Euros, or Dollars, for sure!
What you can clearly see here is the massive difference that winning in one currency over another can have on the relative value of the jackpot won. Swedish players, for example, playing in Krona, will win just a small fraction of the available jackpot even with a massive SEK18,000,000 win as that amount of money equates to around £1,564,182 at today's exchange rates.
However, should a player win the jackpot playing in Euro, then they would claim almost the full balance available as €18,000,000 equates to just over £16 million, meaning that there would be around £1,794,804 remaining in the Mega Moolah jackpot fund following a win of this size.
Of course, these figures are not going to be an accurate reflection of how much the winner does eventually land. For one, we don't know when the next winner will hit the jackpot, nor how much the jackpot will have grown to. It could well be far in excess of the 18 million shown above.
Furthermore, as exchange rates fluctuate on a daily basis, the relative British Value of wins in other currencies other than British Pounds can also change and may increase or decrease slightly over the coming days and weeks.
What is abundantly clear from this however, is that a jackpot win in British Pounds, Euros or US Dollars would certainly constitute a new World Record, while wins in any of the other currencies would set National Records for Mega Moolah wins, plus they would also leave a healthy amount to be won in the next Mega Moolah jackpot fund after this current one.
Can I select which currency to play Mega Moolah in?
The real answer to this question is that it depends on which country you are playing the Mega Moolah slot from. In most countries, you tend to play in the currency of that nation, so Canadian Dollars in Canada, British Pounds in the UK, and so on. It really depends on the individual Mega Moolah casino and which currencies they support.
However, in some parts of the world, such as India, some casinos will offer you a chance to play Mega Moolah using a choice of currencies (such as the US Dollar or Euro). Of course, which one you decide to use to play will influence the size of the jackpot you win and also how much it costs you per spin. Also a new method of funding your Mega Moolah gaming in bitcoin, which may be an option for players who have bitcoin and live in a country where the home currency is not available at casinos to play with.
In India for example, a 0.25 spin on Mega Moolah using US Dollars equates to around 18.06 Rupees. A 0.25 spin on Mega Moolah using the Euro is slightly more expensive at 21.27 Indian Rupees per spin. However, you would then stand a chance of winning the larger value Euro-based jackpot prize, rather than the US Dollar-based jackpot prize.
The great news is that the jackpot has already rolled on past the 18 million mark and is creeping up towards the 18.5 million threshold as you read this article. At the current rate of growth, that mark should be reached within the next few days or so.
Will the Mega Moolah jackpot be won in that time, or will it continue to grow in size?
Remember to check back here regularly to find out all the latest information on this record-breaking jackpot!
Byline: This article was published by Mega Moolah expert Henry. Media and other enquiries.
Next article: How quickly did the Mega Moolah grow to a new world-record sized jackpot?


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I'm finally sitting down to write because I just can't hold this in. Will these words change your life? Maybe not. But I can't shake the feeling that this post needs to be written. Someone else may need to hear this. Or maybe it's just supposed to be there as a concrete reminder for myself. Either way.....
I am a perfectionist. I don't think I've ever fully owned that title. Such negativeness is bestowed when you use it I never would want to be labeled that way. But yet there it is. I was raised to work hard and do my best at everything. I work in healthcare and long ago realized that every decision I make literally effects the lives of people's loved ones. There's no room for error - so perfection is the standard. One of the Bible verses I used as a weekly devotional when I used to teach online courses was "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men (Colossians 3:23 NASB)". And it became so tightly knit into who am I and what I do. Years ago I thought frequently on how my work ethic impacted those around me, that I no longer consciously think of it. My day to day is permeated by the desire to do everything the best. With nothing but excellence.
But that means anything but perfection falls short.
I truly think I was given the gift of planning. My husband will say over and over again how I think through so many steps in the future, trying to determine all the things that could have an impact on our decision in order to craft the most effective plan. But without meaning to, any attempt at scheduling or executing a task that isn't done my way, could have been done better. Plain & simple - it isn't good enough. Gives new meaning to the old adage 'my way or the highway'.
And that means hard conversations with my husband when the dishwasher wasn't run and how I feel compelled to stay up an hour later to empty it before bed. Or being upset with myself that I didn't remember to grab the coupon for Michael's on my way out the door, so now it's an extra trip back to the house with a crying baby or spending more than necessary. And I beat myself up and load on cinderblocks of guilt.
But guess what. Grace. It's the solution.
I wrote back here that my word & focus for the year was 'grace'. I knew I was taking on too much. Too many days I would spend feeling like I was drowning in my to-do list. I was always behind and falling further by the minute. And I knew I needed to grant myself grace in each day knowing that I did my best, without sacrificing chances to make memories with my family because of my high expectations. But honestly - it's been a struggle.
Since I wrote that post, God has placed that word so clearly in my path on a regular basis. In a random blog post I ran across on Twitter. As the theme for a sermon before my nephews baby dedication. In a book I picked up as a relaxing read. So many more times.......it's not coincidence.
I wish I could snag the Delorean and head back and redo the last two weeks. I didn't mean to over schedule our family this month. I needed to plan better to prepare for Vintage Lynchburg this weekend as we work so hard to build my husband's hobby into something more. I didn't plan to be looking for a new childcare plan semi-urgently. I didn't mean to put off major assignments for a course I'm completing. We had company in town. A trip in the next weeks to finish planning. Figuring out how to fly with a baby. God knew my to-do list would be numbered in the 50's in the midst of it all. And no matter how overwhelmed I feel.....it's up to me to dwell back on the one thing that can calm my heart & mind in all of it. GRACE.
I'm so thankful He keeps putting reminders in my path as stumbling blocks. I need to fall, be broken, and then remember that there is only One who is perfection. No matter how hard I try or how many lists I make, I can never meet that standard. And I need to stop trying. It doesn't mean I flippantly stop caring. But I've got to be intentional about remembering what my calling really is - to glorify my God, be a good wife, love my child, do my best at work, & in the everyday things - all without forgetting to show the same grace I give to others to myself on the hard & long days.
It comes down to this. He loves me so much, He let His son die for me to grant me grace for my sins, mistakes, and shortcomings. So if you see me sweating bullets over my to-do list, or holding back a mini-meltdown in the Target check-out, will you remind me about grace? I'll return the favor. See He knows me well enough to know that I will try & fail, but that's the best part. He'll put someone or something in my way to remind me over & over again. And love me all the same.


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Assessing Affinity Between Users and CDN Sites
Xun Fan, Ethan Katz-Bassett and John Heidemann
USC/Information Sciences Institute
Xun Fan, Ethan Katz-Bassett and John Heidemann. Assessing Affinity Between Users and CDN Sites. Proceedings of the 7th IEEE International Workshop on Traffic Monitoring and Analaysis (Barcelona, Spain, Apr. 2015). [DOI] [PDF] [alt PDF] [Dataset]
AbstractLarge web services employ CDNs to improve user performance. CDNs improve performance by serving users from nearby Front-End (FE) Clusters. They also spread users across Front-End Clusters when one is overloaded or unavailable and others have unused capacity. Our paper is the first to study the dynamics of the user-to-Front-End Cluster mapping for Google and Akamai from a large range of client prefixes. We measure how 32,000 prefixes associate with Front-End Clusters in their CDNs every 15 minutes for more than a month. We study geographic and latency effects of mapping changes, showing that 50–70% of prefixes switch between Front-End Clusters that are very distant from each other (more than 1,000 km), and that these shifts sometimes (28–40% of the time) result in large latency shifts (100 ms or more). Most prefixes see large latencies only briefly, but a few (2–5%) see high latency much of the time. We also find that many prefixes are directed to several countries over the course of a month, complicating questions of jurisdiction.
Bibtex Citation
@inproceedings{Fan15a, author = {Fan, Xun and Katz-Bassett, Ethan and Heidemann, John}, title = {Assessing Affinity Between Users and {CDN} Sites}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 7th IEEE International Workshop on Traffic Monitoring and Analaysis}, year = {2015}, sortdate = {2015-04-17}, project = {ant, retrofuture, lacrend}, jsubject = {traffic_detection}, month = apr, address = {Barcelona, Spain}, publisher = {Springer}, location = {johnh: pafile}, keywords = {CDN, google, akamai, affinity}, url = {http://www.isi.edu/%7ejohnh/PAPERS/Fan15a.html}, pdfurl = {http://www.isi.edu/%7ejohnh/PAPERS/Fan15a.pdf}, myorganization = {USC/Information Sciences Institute}, copyrightholder = {Springer}, copyrightterms = { An author may self-archive an author-created version of his/her article on his/her own website and or in his/her institutional repository. He/she may also deposit this version on his/her funder's or funder's designated repository at the funder's request or as a result of a legal obligation, provided it is not made publicly available until 12 months after official publication. He/she may not use the publisher's PDF version, which is posted on \url{www.springerlink.com}, for the purpose of self-archiving or deposit. Furthermore, the author may only post his/her version provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: ``The final publication is available at www.springerlink.com''. }, blogurl = {https://ant.isi.edu/blog/?p=645}, dataseturl = {https://ant.isi.edu/datasets/mapping_cdns/}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-17172-2_7} }


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On Shabbat, we typically have the following activities going on:
- At 9:00 am, we have our group Torah Study focused on the Parshah for the week.
- Also at 9:00 am, we have a group that meets for prophetic, listening prayer—we call it "On Our Faces Prayer."
- Starting at 10:30 am, we have our weekly Shabbat morning service. We have Nursery care for children age 3 and under. After the Torah service, we have Shabbat School for children age 4 to 10.
- After service, we have a Community Oneg as we delight in the Shabbat and fellowship with one another. It's an organized, pot bless meal, so contact email@example.com if you plan to attend.
- From 1:30-3:00 pm, we meet for Torah Club. In 2018-19, we're studying through the Torah using FFOZ's "Unrolling the Scroll" commentary. Click here to learn more.
- About two weeks a month, our Youth Group meets in the afternoon (after service, usually from 2:00-4:00pm).


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Blue Windowpane Sportcoat
Blue Windowpane Sportcoat
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[photo courtesy jakob and macfarlane ]
green green green.
converted from a existing concrete shipping depot originally built in 1907, center for design and fashion is covered by apple-green glass covered steel tube structure which architects called a " plug-over",a new skin enveloped the existing structure.
we kind of want to visit this place in our coming up trip this november, but it is still debatable if it will worth the transportation…
docks de paris by Jakob + MacFarlane (2008)
70 Avenue République
75011 Paris, France
[photo courtesy jakob and macfarlane ]
this was how it looked like while under construction
[photo courtesy designbuild-network ]
>> more info


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Groundhog Day or Candlemas – which one came first?
This year, Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog in Pennsylvania, predicted six more weeks of winter. Well look outside, it is most likely snowing, raining, or cold.
In 1887, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, Clymer Freas, sold a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters on the idea of having the first official Groundhog Day. So, on February 2, 1887, Punxsutawney Phil came out of his burrow.
In history, February 2nd was a very special day because it fell midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Several ancient traditions called this day Candlemas. The Celts celebrated February 2nd as a pagan festival for the beginning of spring. In certain parts of Europe, a sunny Candlemas meant 40 days of cold and snow.
Phil has about a 40% accuracy or success rate. He may be doing a little better than the weather on the news, but he is here to remind us of our ancient ways and how we look forward to spring.


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About us.
We work as a consortium of diligent, meticulous, and untiring education professionals. We know the importance of playing in the physical and mental nourishment of children.
Jessica Harris, the founder of our association has been a nurse for over 15 years and make a shift into the children education industry after giving birth to twins in 2011.
This shift in her career has allowed Jess to focus on kids (not only hers) and spend more time with her family as she is now working part-time from work and the rest of the time in our building's association.
With the help of Frank, they have decided to create this blog early 2017 to educate people so they can find what's best for their little ones.


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Event report - China's Future and Reporting EU-China
16 November 2016
On 15th of November the EU-Asia Centre held a panel discussion on "China's Future and Reporting EU-China". Opening the event Fraser Cameron, Director of the EU-Asia Centre, said the future of China was of huge importance to everyone. He recommended two books by the panelists; President Xi, by Professor Kerry Brown; and China in the 21stcentury', by Professor Frank Pieke.
Frank Pieke, Professor of Leiden University, said that it was a mistake to try and measure progress in China through Western perspectives. This attitude often led to a distorted view of modern China. China had been on a steady upward path since 1989 and could be described as a 'neo-socialist' state. On the economic front, Xi's neo-socialism advocates a decisive role for the market in resource allocation where the state plays a more regulatory rather than an interventionist role. On the societal front, Xi's neo-socialism envisages a society more vertically than horizontally integrated, marked by a dense network of hierarchical organizations instead of vibrant civic associations. At the same time, there is greater emphasis on the provision of social services. On the political front, Xi's neo-socialism will see the Party playing a dominant role in leading the reforms. The Party had allowed more and more freedoms but now some of these gains were being eroded. This was an unnecessary trend but reflected the turbulent manner in which Xi came to power.
Kerry Brown, Professor at the Lau Institute, London, noted that the Party narrative was of a strong, powerful, modern state. Xi had the power but how would he use it? He was surely aiming to create sustainable one-party rule but this was not being challenged at present. It was interesting to consider how Xi's leadership affected the economy, society and politics. What kind of market economy did he want? The fiscal system was hugely important with only a handful of people deciding on resource allocation. How would this change over the next decade? Just like the Brexit and Trump campaigns the Party has made many promises at the 13th plenum – now the big questions was whether they could deliver?
Men Jing, Professor at the College of Europe said that China was still experimenting with its system It was not a Western democracy and not a market economy. But the lengthy period of high economic growth had conferred real legitimacy on the Party. Its guiding philosophy was pragmatism. China was still facing a lot of uncertainty which meant that it would continue to find solutions with 'Chinese characteristics.'
Xinning Song , China Director of VUB Confucius Institute, said you could not describe China as a market economy but rather the official term 'Socialist Market Economy with Chinese Characteristics' was correct. There were wide differences in how regions, cities and even universities behaved. Xi knew the political and economic system very well and was genuinely popular because of his anti-corruption campaign. He probably had more power than Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao due to due to the recentralization of authority.
In the discussion there were questions about the impact of Trump on US-China relations, MES and over-production, and reform of the economy.


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Every industries is transforming. It is time for a new IT approach. At Tech3 Solutions, we understand your needs in IT, we help you to build your IT solutions from top to toe.
End User Computing
We provides IT with a new streamlined approach to deliver, protect, and manage Windows and Linux desktops and applications while containing costs and ensuring that end users can work anytime, anywhere, on any device.
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SDDC empowers companies to run hybrid clouds and to leverage unique capabilities to deliver key outcomes that enable efficiency, agility, and security.
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Network virtualisation exposes a complete suite of simplified logical networking elements and services including logical switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, VPN, QoS, monitoring, and security.
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We delivers intelligent operations management across physical, virtual, and cloud infrastructure. It correlates data from applications to storage in a unifed, easy-to-use management tool that provides control over performance, capacity, and configuration, with predictive analytics driving proactive action, and policy-based automation.
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Cost-effectively and efficiently scaling tape data protection and archive infrastructure to match exponential data growth is a top priority for mid-size businesses like yours.
IT Infrastructure Security
A threat detection solution that takes your machine log data and applies heuristic analysis to identify patterns of normal and abnormal behavior. The result: a new-level of monitoring that extends Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) so that patterns can be easily traced and monitored.


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X-ray image detectors
X-ray systems
X-ray diagnostic system RAD ECLYPSE
Basic radiographic system BREEZE
See! Diagnose! Cure!
X-ray diagnostic system RF-type BLADE, ARCOM (Italy)
First workplace - Tilting table (TT) BLADE
equipped with
spot film device.
Spot film device (SFD)
is equipped with the front loading cassette system, with automatic centering. SFD is able to use cassettes from 18x24 to 35x35 and dividing picture 2-3-4-6-8.
X-ray image intensifier
is located on the SFD:
Standardly 9"(9"/6"/4.5") Toshiba with CCD camera 1 Megapixel with TV system and 19" monitor.
Table deck size 2100h770 mm;
Longitudinal movement of the table deck - + 600mm (towards the head) - 400mm (in the direction of the feet);
Transverse movement of the deck - ±110mm;
Table rotation +90°/-15° by Trendelenburg.
All movements of the table are motorized with microprocessor control.
Movement control of the table is operated by using handy joystick on the front panel of SFD.
Second workplace - Bucky table
is designed for direct and oblique images of patients in a prone pose, standing pose and lateroposition.
It completes with an image table AIN or image table UPPER (with elevator) and tube stand ETS. Also tables configuration are provided such as fixation devices for the cassettes (bucky units), and digital DR detector on the base of Flat panel.
More detailed information on page
2 X-ray diagnostic system RAD-type, ECLYPSE.
Third workplace - Bucky stand
DTR allows to do images of the chest, as well as other radiographic images in a standing position.
Stands can be equipped with digital x-ray image detectors
More detailed information in the section
X-ray diagnostic system RAD-type, ECLYPSE.
The high-frequency power supply
(X-ray generator)
We use X-ray generators INDICO100, INDICO IQ for X-ray system BLADE from well-known Canadian producer CPI («Communications & PowerIndustriesCanada Inc.»).
It uses high-frequency X-ray power supply units (400 kHz) with capacity of 50 kW, 65 kW, and 80 kW.
For more details, see page
High-frequency X-ray generators
. X-ray tubes.
For a complete set for fluoroscopy and radiography we use tubes production Toshiba (Japan), (optional: Dunlee (Germany).
For more details, see
«X-ray tubes»
As optional (additional) we can offer you:
Recommend to use We recommend using the
monochrome diagnostic monitors JUSHA
) (in the case of a complete set of digital X-ray image detector);
devices for determining patient dose (dosimeter);
set of cassettes;
automatic exposure control systems;
Medical printers
for hard copies photofluorogram on a special X-ray film (in the case of a complete set of
digital X-ray image receiver
Dimensions of X-ray diagnostic system BLADE »
Explanation of the information and advertising nature of the information posted on the site.
Dear visitors of our site. All information contained on the site is for informational and advertising purposes only. The information provided on the site is not exhaustive.Technical specifications may be changed or supplemented at any time. This information cannot be used as official document, for example, for the preparation of the technical part of the tender documentation. For more information, contact our experts.
Contact Us >>
«Sojuz MedTeh»
- 2002-2019
«MedteX» - Ukraine, 04655, Kyiv, Moskovsky aven. 21
Tel./Fax: (044) 490-35-41, 464-49-41
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Migrasong aims to shed a modern light on an important yet neglected part of the history of emigration from Norway 150 years ago. This was a period when many inhabitants were seeking a better and more secure future in a new land. The emigrants took folk tunes from home with them, and new songs came into being where they settled. These were songs of longing – music full of dreams of the lives they had lived and images of the new life awaiting them.
In presenting the authentic contents of the songs and the ways they have been sung over time we shall see how tunes and words have had an effect on each other, and how this in turn has resulted in new songs. Migrasong will describe a way of life through a variety of voices, tainted by the situation, which many refugees and other immigrants experience today, in the USA, Norway and elsewhere.
In collaboration with MUHO The Western Norway Emigration Centre, Sletta, Radøy
Working relations: Hordaland County/ the Western Norway Emigration Centre.
$10 General | $5 Members
Reidun Horvei, song/storyteller.
Inger-Kristine Riber, piano
Tore Nysæther
Concept: Reidun Horvei
Script: Reidun Horvei
Visual background, script dramaturgy: Tore Nysæther, Bergen


text: Professor EmeritusEmeritus FacultyA specialist in the history of the Roman Republic and early Empire, Professor Rosenstein is the author of Imperatores Victi: Military Defeat and Aristocratic Competition in the Middle and Late Republic (1990), Rome at War: Farms, Families, and Death in the Middle Republic (2004) and Rome and the Mediterranean 290 to 146 BC: The Imperial Republic (2012). He is also co-editor, along with Kurt Raaflaub, of War and Society in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds (1999)and, with Robert Morstein-Marx, of A Companion to the Roman Republic. (2006) Areas of Expertise Ancient History Military History Comparative Empires Human Conflict, Peace, and Diplomacy Power, Culture, and the State Education Ph.D., 1982, University of California at Berkeley M.A., 1977 B.A., 1974


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I take a break from photography in December, aside from newborns, so this space may be quiet for a bit. However, I had to share these images from the Shirlington Village Tree Lighting last night!
This was the best Santa ever! Ellie, age 7, has been back and forth about believing in Santa, but I think last night has her back squarely in the "real" category.


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Indoor playground soft play climbing equipment
Product No.
Size (L*W*H)
3-5 children
GS, SGS, CQC, CE, ISO9001, ISO140001 etc.
Materials & features
Outside parts: EPE foam
Middle parts: sponge
Inner parts: wood
environmental engineering material, no smell, child can direct contact with the skin
1) 10 years experience, professional manufacturer, free customized design
2) European standards, authoritied by Alibaba group
3) Anti-static, anti-skid and anti-crack
4) without any recycling material added to new production
separate parts
Using field
Amusement Park, Supermarket, Residential Area, Municipal Garden, Community, School, Beach, Kindergarten, Club and Other Public Places for Entertainment.
Running, sneaking, creeping, climbing, sliding, turning and rolling
Exercising children's balance, independent coordination and creative ability
Improving children's awareness of self-protection
Delivery time
10-15 working days
Minimum order quantity
1 set
Payment details
T/T 50% deposit in advance before production, T/T 50% balance against the copy of B/L
Thank you very much for viewing this page, and wish you a nice day!Please click the button below to view our homepage.
children outdoor playground swings sets


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Five West African countries have agreed to ban importing Europe's dirty fuels, a move that will dramatically reduce vehicle emissions and help more than 250 million people breath safer, cleaner air. Together, the countries…, Cleaner fuel to reduce air pollution for more than quarter of a billion people , UN Environment has been supporting countries in West Africa to develop policies and standards to stop the practice of importing fuel with dangerously high sulphur levels and introduce cleaner fuels and vehicles. Reducing…


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As a Registered Dietitian and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, I am often asked several questions regarding nutrition before, during, and after exercise. Questions such as "what should I eat before a long run?" and "what should I eat after a resistance training session?" are great questions, but knowing what to eat and when to eat (known as "nutrient timing") can be somewhat confusing for many athletes and laypersons alike. To make nutrition for performance less confusing, I have come up with some quick tips for proper nutrient timing and my top meals and snacks to eat to fuel you for your next long run, training session or competition.
Today, I am going to talk about what and when to eat after exercise. This meal is known as the "post" meal and serves to replenish your energy stores and help rebuild muscle tissue that was broken down during exercise. These smaller meals should be consumed within 1 hour of exercise and the size and contents of the meal depend on the intensity and duration of the workout / training session. These meals are necessary to replenish the glycogen (energy) stores that were used up during the workout / training session and should consist of at least a 2:1 carbohydrate –to-protein ratio (2g of carbs for every 1g of protein) and low-to-moderate in fat. The "window of opportunity" to replenish glycogen stores and rebuild skeletal muscle tissue is approximately 30-60 minutes following exercise, therefore it is important to consume this post-workout meal within 1 hour of exercise.
1) Yogurt parfait – 1 cup fat-free Plain Greek Yogurt topped with ½ cup berries and ¼ cup whole grain granola or oats.
2) "Last resort" options = 1 Rx Bar OR homemade "real food" protein shakes
Protein Shake ideas: Liquids are digested more quickly than solid foods, so post-workout shakes are an extremely effective way to deliver carbohydrates and proteins to muscle tissue within the "window of opportunity" – especially when whole foods cannot be consumed within an hour of exercise.
Example: Green Monster shake - Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup fat-free milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice.
That's Post-Exercise Nutrition in a nutshell. While my tip and top picks may seem simple and easy to implement, refueling your body after exercise is incredibly important! Proper nutrition before, during, and after exercise is crucial to enhance performance and for overall health!
Hope today's nutrition tip was helpful! Please let me know if you have any further questions and if you have any topics you would like me to cover!


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Five birds to find in February
The short days of January are stretching slightly through the truncated month of February, giving more birding time. But this is a time of cold snaps and deep chills. Wrap up warm and head out to see some great winter birds. Here are five to warm the coldest birdwatcher.
Hen Harrier
Despite massive persecution, the Hen Harrier remains our commonest harrier. It is not common, though, and is all but extinct as an English breeder. In winter, the Scottish birds spread to the lowlands and are bolstered by continental birds, which can be found in eastern and southern England. Males are pale grey with white rumps and black wing tips. Females and juveniles are brown but also have a white rump and a banded tail which gives them the name 'ringtail'. They patrol on wings held in a V, using their owl-like facial disc to help locate prey in rough grass. They are often easiest to see in winter when returning to a known roost site.
The Treecreeper is a classic example of a bird which is heard much more often than it is seen. Heard, that is, if you have ears to hear it. This truism arises for two reasons: firstly, the call is very high-pitched and many of us struggle to hear such notes. Secondly, many birdwatchers are unfamiliar with the high, thin calls and especially the warbled ditty of a song, which has been described as a little like a thin, shortened version of a Willow Warbler song. If you can tune into Treecreepers, you will note that they are common birds, if a little tricky to see sometimes. But once seen, there is nothing quite like a Treecreeper (at least among regular British birds). They really do creep up tree trunks and branches, before flying to the base of the next tree in their circuit.
A few years ago, after a couple of very cold winters, Stonechats appeared to be in a certain amount of trouble. But after a collection of successive mild winters, they seem to have bounced back. Stonechats are perky, pretty little birds. They have an endearing habit of perching high up on a dried weedy plant or a fencepost. And if you see one, you will often find its partner nearby.
Short-eared Owl
The owl equivalent of the Hen Harrier, the Short-eared Owl, is many
a birdwatchers' favourite. They are often seen hunting while the sun is still up, and have a lovely buoyant, bouncy flight style, aided by their very long wings (for an owl). The UK's wintering population of Short-eared Owl, is extremely variable, with numbers being strongly controlled by the population of voles, their main prey. There can be just a few thousand individuals, but in a good owl year, as many as 50,000 may be in the country.
Many of our ducks are very handsome birds, and none more so than the drake Goldeneye, resplendent in black and white with a dark green iridescent head and, of course, a golden eye. Mid-winter sees these little beauties at their finest (in plumage terms), but also at their friskiest, carrying out their crazy, head-thrown-back display, accompanied by a nasal, squeaking, raspberry sound.


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Naval Academy Honors Etz Chaim's Slomovitz
Rabbi Albert Slomovitz, a retired U.S. Navy captain and chaplain, was honored in a ceremony at Congregation Etz Chaim on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The ceremony was connected to observances held at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis the previous weekend and to Rabbi Slomovitz's service as only the second Jewish chaplain in the academy's 170 years.
On Nov. 6 and 7, the Jewish chapel at the Naval Academy commemorated the 10th anniversary of its opening. Formally known as the Miller Chapel, the facility is within the Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and has a prominent location on campus.
As part of the commemoration, several of the Jewish chaplains who have served at the academy since the position was established in 1985 were honored. Being a chaplain at the Naval Academy means being a part of the Navy family and thus living and breathing Navy football. So each chaplain was presented a Naval Academy football jersey emblazoned with "Rabbi" instead of a player's name and with a number corresponding to the rabbi's place in the line of service of Jewish chaplains at the academy.
Rabbi Slomovitz could not attend the commemoration because he had committed to participate in a Veterans Day program at Ahavath Achim Synagogue in Buckhead.
Rather than mail the jersey to him, though, the staff at the Friends of the Jewish Chapel, an organization that provides support and funding for the chapel, enlisted Etz Chaim member Stephen Dix, a member of the academy's Class of 1972; Bob Bachrach, the synagogue's executive director, and Rabbi Shalom Lewis to surprise Rabbi Slomovitz by presenting the jersey to him during Shabbat services Nov. 14.
Rabbi Slomovitz was asked to attend services in his Navy uniform. Without knowing the reason, he was invited to the bimah, where Dix spoke about the importance of Rabbi Slomovitz's service to the Navy and to the academy; extended the thanks of the Brigade of Midshipmen, the Navy Chaplains Corps and the Friends of the Jewish Chapel; and presented him with his No. 2 Navy football jersey.
Rabbi Slomovitz, the former spiritual leader of Congregation Gesher L'Torah in Alpharetta, lives in Marietta and is an assistant professor of history at Kennesaw State University. His involvement with Etz Chaim has included helping to organization the East Cobb congregation's commemoration of the centennial of the lynching of Leo Frank with a ceremony, a grave marker and a tree planting Aug. 16.


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When you search Google for something like heat rash, Abraham Lincoln, or the Eiffel Tower, the list of search results is accompanied by a Knowledge Card, which contains brief, supplemental information about your search term along with relevant facts. Symptoms and treatment (for a medical term), biographical data (for a historical figure), or geographic information (for a national landmark) is presented in a box to the right of your search. Pictures, bits of trivia, related search terms, and links to official websites are also included, providing a snapshot, in plain language, of the topic you are researching.
This information is all very useful when it's available, and having this kind of easy-to-access, user-friendly content on the same page as your search results can be a very helpful starting point for your basic online research. For legal terms, however, no such equivalent exists. A search for the terms unlawful detainer, emancipated minor, or protective order do not offer the same benefits. A definition, or a featured snippet from Google, drawn from Wikipedia or FindLaw, may appear at the top of your search results, but no other value-added content is likely to be provided. Knowledge cards simply do not exist for legal terms, nor do so many other search engine features that could improve the user experience for those in need of legal information.
Fortunately, the Legal Design Lab is taking steps to introduce just those kinds of improvements. A Better Legal Internet is the name of the project that seeks to improve the search experience for Internet users, particularly lay people looking for legal information. The goals of the project are to (1) increase the ability of search engines to identify legal issues in people's queries, and (2) direct them to relevant, jurisdiction-specific, actionable information to deal with those issues. Overall, A Better Legal Internet will provide a seamless, intuitive, user journey for people who rely on the internet for legal information. As users search for help, they should be able to find legal information (i.e., what the law says), legal service providers (i.e., people who can help), self-help tools and forms to complete legal tasks, and paths for accessing the courts system.
Underlying the goals of A Better Legal Internet is a semantic system similar, in some ways, to the Google Knowledge Cards. Creating a taxonomy of legal terms used by lay people, including words and phrases that describe a person's case details and legal objectives, would be an important first step in developing a semantic foundation for A Better Legal Internet. Next, linking the taxonomy of legal terms to a directory of available legal options and their associated eligibility factors would need to follow. Providing action steps and the sequence of tasks to complete for each step of a legal process, along with accompanying forms and self-help documents, would be another important part of the equation. Finally, finding people in your geographic area who can help provide legal assistance, including free service providers and legal clinics, would round out the options available.


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Happy Brexit Day everyone. I guess we'll be okay in the long term. March 29th is the bloodiest day in English history, a day on which a London-dominated clique funded by the City defeated an army raised from the north and Midlands; history has since come to know it as the War of the Roses although it barely affected people who weren't directly involved. (Historian John Gillingham even states that direct taxes went down and housebuilding continued, which is more than can be said for the past few years).
On that date in 1461, in a snowstorm in Towton, north Yorkshire, the young usurper Edward IV – only 18 years old – beat Lancastrian forces loyal to the insane Henry VI and his French wife Margaret of Anjou. At the end of the day as many as 28,000 men were dead, which would make it four times as bloody as Hastings, although the number is highly disputed and people tend to exaggerate numbers, then as now.
Towton was, in many ways, a fight between north and south. A few months earlier Queen Margaret had led an army towards London comprised of northerners and – even worse – Scots, something that caused terror in the capital. Abbot Whethamstede of Hertfordshire criticised 'Northern people, faithless people, people prompt to rob'. The Prior of Croyland in Lincolnshire described 'an execrable and abominable army' coming down from the north 'like so many locusts'.
Edward's cousin the Earl of Warwick had raised money in London and the Home Counties by asking for help against the 'misruled and outrageous people in the north parts' who were 'coming toward these parts to the destruction thereof'. When, in late 1460, the royal army had headed south from Wakefield there was a genuine terror in London that the northerners would sack the city. Songs of the period recall the threats of northern men violating southern women and of 'the lords of the North' coming to 'destroy the south country'.
So that the Yorkists won was down to the support of the city, which was vastly richer than anywhere else in England, largely due to trade with the continent. In the nine months before Towton the city provided £13,000 for the Yorkist cause, enough to pay 26,000 archers for 20 days' service.
I love a tenuous historical comparison but that's where it probably ends, although every time public figures respond to Islamic extremism by saying how united we are it does rather remind me of poor Henry VI's attempts to get the country together by arranging a 'Loveday' in London – because nothing says a society is united quite like an organised day to celebrate how united it is.
The only comparison I'd make is that things turned out okay in the end, eventually, as I suppose Brexit will. We probably shouldn't have joined the EU and shouldn't have left, and Britain was always destined to be part of some sort of outer region while core countries around Germany went in for full union. I suspect this deeper union will end in tears but that's their business.
Edward IV turned out to be a highly effective king, helping the interests of the City of London on whom he relied. He liked to take merchant leaders on hunting trips, the ancestor of today's away days, where afterwards they would get hopelessly drunk and indulge in all sorts of unmentionable debauchery involving 'wenches'. His reign saw the first printing presses in England, brought from the continent by William Caxton – who had started in his new career in his fifties – and who was patronised by Edward's sister Margaret of York. Margaret was married to the Duke of Burgundy, and just as now the City's wealth, and therefore England's, was dependent on trade with its European neighbours – which also brought with it political and cultural development.
England was something of a cultural backwater in the 15th century, although economically it was already on its way up; the first real country houses date from this century, for example, and diet had improved considerably since the previous century. But it was still behind the Netherlands, which at this stage was speeding ahead of the rest of Europe; that it was the English who became a world power rather than the Dutch was largely down to geography, and the good fortune of having a moat around us; this de-militarised English society in a way that was unknown on the continent. This gave Britain a huge advantage, but it also helps to explain why we've always been a bit different, annoyingly different. (There's a particular feeling when driving alone on the continent and paying a toll, having to get out of the car to walk around to take a ticket, and you know the people behind are just thinking 'why do they have to be so different?', while I'm muttering 'sorry, sorry' like Eric Idle in European Vacation.)
It could be argued that this English awkwardness has been a good thing for Europe, too, since the country was to play a vital role as a haven for liberalism in the 18th century. As this essay argues, the key to Europe's historical success has been cultural unity and political fragmentation.
In brief, Europe's political fragmentation spurred productive competition. It meant that European rulers found themselves competing for the best and most productive intellectuals and artisans. The economic historian Eric L Jones called this 'the States system'. The costs of European political division into multiple competing states were substantial: they included almost incessant warfare, protectionism, and other coordination failures. Many scholars now believe, however, that in the long run the benefits of competing states might have been larger than the costs. In particular, the existence of multiple competing states encouraged scientific and technological innovation.
Of course, it's easy for those with memories of 1914-45 to see political fragmentation as the problem, but even today political diversity is likely to be a good thing for Europe – so long as we maintain cultural unity, which is why it's important that we continue to play a large part in pan-European projects in education and science. Hopefully that won't be a problem, but until the dust settles perhaps it's not quite time to open that bottle of English sparkling wine in celebration.
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Stapleton to take over from Andrew Harrison, who will become CEO of Carphone Warehouse Group from July 24.
Carphone Warehouse chief operating officer Graham Stapleton is to replace Andrew Harrison as the retailer's UK and Ireland CEO.
Harrison will become CEO of Carphone Warehouse Group, while Roger Taylor will take on the role of deputy chairman. The changes will take effect from July 24 at the Carphone Warehouse AGM.
"I'm delighted that Graham will be succeeding me in this role," said Harrison. "During the last two years as our chief operating officer, he has built great relationships with our network and manufacturer partners and has led the development of our business and customer strategy.
"Graham has played an important role in delivering the strong financial results we have been able to announce today, so I know the UK & Ireland business will be in the best possible hands."
Commenting on Harrison's new role, Taylor said: "This appointment recognises the outstanding contribution Andrew has made to the business throughout his 17 years with Carphone Warehouse, during which time he has played an important part of many of our growth strategies, including our Best Buy Mobile venture and Connected World strategy."


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Computer Model Sheds New Light on Cosmic Event HPCwireJan. 11, 2018 -- The aftermath of the collision of two neutron stars has been fully captured in a 3D computer model for the first time thanks to research.
Source: Computer Model Sheds New Light on Cosmic Event - HPCwire
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Insider Secrets – Booking Accommodation
There's A Huge Choice Of Places To Sleep
So you have booked your flight for your microadventure and now need somewhere to sleep? Well there is a huge array of options, apps, websites and tricks to finding somewhere to rest your head. Although a good nights sleep isn't always guaranteed, it is an adventure after all.
I suppose I should have mentioned this first tip when I wrote the insider secrets to booking flights post. Can you plan your adventure so you don't need any accommodation? Now I'm not suggesting you sleep on the street, although I have slept in airports, railway stations and on a roundabout before to save on a hotel or two. You could take a night flight to your destination and return on another night flight. Although you will be exhausted on your return you wouldn't have to splash out on accommodation. You may even get some sleep on the aircraft. Some adventures don't really require a lot of sleep as you are so busy exploring the sites or checking out the bars and clubs.
Sleep in the airport
Some airports are a lot better than others and the website sleepinginairports.net is a great resource and offers advice on where to sleep in various airports around the world. On my travels I have slept for 3 nights in Bangkok's airport. I've spent 19 hours and slept in Krabi airport and 36 hours in Kuala Lumpur airport. In Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur I used the shuttles to go into town during the day and explore and came back to the airport to sleep.
Rent a car then sleep in it.
Some hotels are expensive especially airport hotels but car hire can be a bargain when booked in advance. There are lots of car hire companies who will allow you to stay in the airport car park too. Just pack a lightweight sleeping bag or bivi bag and relax in your hire car for the night. Just ensure you don't have to buy the car hire companies insurance otherwise it'll bump the price up.
Go and sleep on top of a hill
There's a guy called Alistair Humphreys who invented the Twitter hashtag and term #microadventure. Alistair flew to Barcelona and then slept on top of a hill only a short distance away from the city. Alistair had amazing views, a great picnic and a free nights sleep. Checkout Alistair's Video here :- Barcelona Microadventure
Wild Camping
I'm not talking about taking the whole kit and caboodle here just a sleeping bag and a bivi. If the destination is a hot one you can just take a bivi bag. The best places to wild camp are in between towns, on a hill with great views, close to a lake or on a beach. I always head out into the countryside or towards a body of water and although midges can be annoying it's free.
Take an overnight train
Booking an overnight train is a great way to get some sleep whilst on your way to the next destination. You can do this almost anywhere, spend a day in another location before grabbing the overnight train back too. I did this to travel into the arctic circle in Norway, I took the overnight train from Oslo to Trondheim before taking the famous Northern Railway route to Bodo to see the northern lights. Unfortunately it was overcast and I didn't see the northern lights but I still managed to have a great adventure. Checkout my post on the Northern Railway journey.
Sleep in a hotel reception
Whilst cycling across Europe in 2014 I was so exhausted and I smelt a bit like I'd been to a Glastonbury festival I decided to check out some hotels. I explained my adventure to the friendly reception staff that I was on a budget and really just wanted a shower and freshen up. The staff were amazing they let me shower, shave and change for free followed by an invite to get a few hours sleep in the corner of the reception. This got me thinking, I had seen lots of people dozed off in hotel receptions on my previous travels and when I'm working. So why not have a nap in a hotel reception area. I have successfully done this on a few occasions, when I want to visit a destination for a photo walk. I buy a cheap flight ticket to my destination and then wander into a few hotels to check them out before having a nap in a quiet corner.
Sleep next to a hotel swimming pool.
This is so easy to do especially in the tourist hotspots in Europe. I flew to Palma, Majorca to have a weekend away on the cheap. Once I had explored the capital Palma, I jumped on the bus to the nearest resort and wandered into a few hotels. Once I found one I liked I bought a drink and made myself comfy on a sunbed next to the pool.
The mileage varies with this technique as some hotel pools close at night. In popular destinations the entertainment takes place outside but usually you can find a spot. Also there is no problem during the day as hotel staff don't remember every customer. So relaxing by a pool sunbathing and having a snooze is a great option.
Sleep in a 24 hour internet cafe
This is huge in Japan due to people who either don't have a permanent residence or can't get home because they missed the last train. A lot of countries have 24 hour internet cafes where you can grab some sleep.
So we have now actually got to the meat and potatoes booking accommodation.
When I travel I use the Agoda app, I find it easy to use and it gives you a wide choice of places to stay. I first started using this app in Asia when I noticed that the hotel website I wanted to stay at wasn't secure. As I didn't want to enter my credit card details in an unsecured webpage I had to find an alternative.
Agoda has a simple search feature where you enter the destination you want to stay and the dates. The app then offers you plenty of options as well as the ability to filter by price and accommodation type. Another feature I like is the ability to pay once you have arrived rather than in advance. There are various cancellation options too.
It is worth opting for a room with free cancellation just in case your plans change but there are also a few great techniques for getting a cheaper price.
Choose your accommodation and leave it in the basket without completing the payment method. You usually will get an email saying you have not completed the transaction and it includes a discount code to encourage you to buy. This doesn't always happen so I usually only leave it 24 hours and then I will make the reservation. You can use this technique with any online purchase it's quite effective.
Book a room with free cancellation then keep your eye on the price. If the price falls book a room at the cheaper price and cancel the original booking. A lot of hotels will drop their price on the day of arrival if they have empty rooms, so you can take advantage of this.
Call ahead and speak to the hotel directly
I've used this twice and was pleasantly surprised, both times it was close to an airport. I have found a good but short story always helps and most people are sympathetic. I didn't want to pay £100 for a room before my flight. There were no trains from Blackpool to Manchester airport which would get me there on time for my 7am flight.
I had to check in by 5am so I called a hotel close to the airport and explained that I only needed a room for a few hours and rather than checking out at 12 noon I would be checking out at 4:30 am. (most hotels still checkout at 11 am or 12 pm) I also said I could leave checking in until 11pm and asked if there was anything they could do.
I was very impressed by the response. If I left checking in until midnight and checked out at 4 am I could have 50% off the price. The person on the phone also said that if there was more than 4 rooms vacant when I arrived I could have 90% off. I ended up paying £10 for a room and they gave me a free shuttle to the airport terminal. I caught the last train from Blackpool to Manchester airport and snoozed in the hotel reception until I could check in.
Want a free room upgrade
Adding things like honeymoon or anniversary to your booking will usually get you something extra. Obviously don't say its your birthday when it isn't as the hotel sees your passport.
Get a loyalty card or join the club
A lot of hotel chains have a loyalty scheme which offer many benefits. Look for companies that offer a free loyalty card and sign up. Why not sign up to all the free loyalty cards whilst you're at it because you'll receive a flurry of discounts and offers.
Everything from a free spa massage to room upgrades are available. You can also do this even if you are booking a package holiday, check whether the hotel you're stopping at runs a loyalty scheme and sign up. You can usually do this on the hotels website.
Pay with points
You can get a free hotel room just by using your cash back credit card or Clubcard when you shop. If you pay by card in the right stores for your weekly shop then you can save up the points to pay for your hotel. I know people who spend everything on a cash back or an air miles card and get their whole holiday free. You are going to spend the money anyway so by tweaking the way you pay can bring huge benefits.
Hostels are a really good alternative and provide everything you need plus a few new friends. Mention the word hostel to someone who hasn't stayed in one and you tend to get a negative response. However gone are the days of dirty uncomfortable places which are situated at the back of beyond.
Today hostels are clean comfy and friendly, they also are situated in the heart of your chosen destination. I was looking for somewhere to stay in Oslo and when searching the interweb I couldn't believe how expensive accommodation was. That was until I discovered the Anker hostel situated next to the Anker hotel.
The Anker was well run clean, warm and most of all cheap. You do have the option of having a private room in most hostels. So if you need your privacy then do a little research in advance. Couples or families are well catered for and again most hostels have family and double rooms. These are a little bit more expensive than being in a dormitory but are still cheaper than a hotel.
Ensure you take a padlock as most hostels have lockers for your stuff. Having your own towel and some wet shoes are also a good idea. You can join the Youth Hostel Association to take advantage of deals but it's not compulsory as most hostels take bookings directly. Also the word youth has actually been dropped from the term youth hostel as anyone is allowed to stay in them.
Airbnb offers lots of choices were you can stay, with a family in their spare room or book your own private house for 6 months. I wrote an article on my own Airbnb experiences you can read it here. My Airbnb Experience.
Airbnb has an app that's useful when you are on the move and works great on a mobile phone. If you are doing your research at home then the website is a good place to start. Ensure you read the reviews and do your research as some properties advertise on Airbnb to avoid having to comply with fire regulations.
The sharing community has taken off in recent years and couchsurfing.com is on the forefront of this movement. The idea is you stay with someone for free and you reciprocate for others when your at home. Checkout the website for more details. couchsurfing.com.
House sitting
Look after someone's home, plants and pets whilst enjoying free accommodation. House sitting is a great way to spend time in a local community and gives you a different perspective on your destination. The majority of the properties are of a very high standard and usually in an affluent area of town. Checkout trustedhousesitting.com for more details.
Boat Sitting.
Similar to house sitting but with a more nautical theme. Spend your holiday on a boat. The UK alone has over 2000 miles of canal network and boat life is an amazing experience. You can stay on a narrow boat or sail a yacht halfway around the world. There some great benefits for both owner and sitters so it's a good alternative to renting a boat.
There are hundreds of opportunities to help around the world whilst enjoying free accommodation. Whether it be fruit picking, teaching English or helping the needy. Woofing which is working on organic farms is a popular choice. Search for volunteering opportunities on the internet will bring up some promising results.
Booking Apps
If I had a £1 for every app that was available for booking accommodation I could travel forever. There are so many choices it is sometimes difficult to know which one to use. I would recommend using more than one so you can compare price but here are a few I use on a regular basis.
This is a clean-looking app which is easy to use and provides a good selection of choices. You can login using Facebook but I suggest using an email address because you will receive offers and discounts via email.
The main screen is a simple search query, you just enter the area you are visiting and your dates. You can type a specific hotel name in the search box too, so if you have somewhere in mind you can check on the price and availability. There is also a filter area where you can narrow your search by star rating, price and based on customer reviews.
Once you have your search results you can have a list view or map view. I use the map view to pinpoint the hotels location and to see how close public transport hubs are. (see where to stay). You are able to change what currency you see the prices in, I would suggest you pay in the currency of the country you visit that way you take advantage of the exchange rate. Take into account that local taxes and tourism taxes may not show up in the search results, you can change this in the price display settings.
You can view the hotel information by selecting it and this gives you an expanded view. There will be photos of the property as well as a favourite button so you can make a shortlist. The review section is worth a read but I always take these with a pinch of salt as everyone's experience and expectations are different. I sometimes book 1 night if I'm unsure, I can then extend my stay if I like the property or find another close by if not.
Below the reviews will be your room choices and any other bookables. This is followed by a similar property section which allows you to see other properties close by quickly. You can ask the hotel questions, see all the property facilities, what languages they speak, check in & check out times, important information , where the nearest airport is, hotel policies and even a hotel description.
AGODA have put a lot of thought into this app and it works well. I havent done a full review of this app as there are a lot of useful features as well as a loyalty points scheme. Why not download it here:- AGODA app from the Play Store
Trip Advisor
This is the biggest review website on the internet today however it's also possible to book accommodation via this app. This app has a lot of areas to explore and includes hints and tips of things to do in your chosen location. It has a lot more information than most other apps which can make it slow. I would use Trip Advisor during my research phase to checkout potential places to visit. When booking a room via Trip Advisor it will redirect you to another company to complete the transaction.
Google Maps
I have been a contributor to Google Maps for seven years now and it has changed tremendously in that time. You can view your destination in maps and see places to stay. Pop "accommodation" into the search box and you'll be given a vast choice of places. Booking is also very easy through Google maps, below the map you can add your dates and be taken to various booking websites.
Stay in the heart of the city
Booking a cheap motel on the outskirts of Paris or Venice is great but when you add in the cost of getting to the sights you might as well have stayed right in the heart of it all. You will also be able to wander the streets when it's quiet as the hordes of people who are staying on the outskirts will have to travel back to their hotels. Also ensure you are fairly close to transport hubs as this will save you in taxis or a long walk.
There are quite a few options to choose from when you want to get some sleep and I hope I've got you thinking about some potential places. The main thing is to get out and have an adventure and these adventures don't have to cost a lot of money. You can have a weekend in Barcelona for less than a pub lunch. Enjoy!


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Cory Booker and Mike Lee Intro Bipartisan Bill to Improve Conservation Program
Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) Improvement Act. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program in the Farm bill that provides farmers and ranchers with federal cost-share grants to implement environmentally-beneficial conservation practices on working agricultural land. An analysis of EQIP between 2009 and 2016 showed that just 14% of all EQIP funding went towards certain conservation practices, while more than 20% of EQIP funds was spent on infrastructure practices that produce relatively little environmental benefit. This bill would readjust funding to prioritize conservation practices with significantly greater environmental and water quality benefits. "With the changes proposed in this bill, we'll see more federal funding go toward providing critical financial support to our small family farmers, all while better protecting water quality and soil health," Booker said. More here.


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