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Tomorrow will have to be the medical story meme from Doug's place. I gotta finish this first.
Last night I talked about my spiritual background. I hadn't really intended to go that long about it, but sometimes these things kinda get away from me. I think it was good, though. It made me realize that between myself and Steve, my background might actually be the better one.
Here's why. [We have to continue my story to do this, so bear with me.]
When Steve and I met, I was twenty. I was coming out of a really bad time with my self-esteem [ironically, so was Steve]. I had pretty much decided that I was going to stop looking for a boyfriend/husband, and that men were nice, but not too bright. I decided I could do without if I had to.
Within a month, I met Steve. We started out as friends. He was engaged to some one else, and I wasn't interested in him romantically, so we stayed platonic, and that was good.
I knew before I met him that he was a Christian, and while I respected his right to his faith, I was leery of religious talk because I figured he'd judge me. Steve has never been one to beat people over the head with religion, so it never came up, you know?
Well, until we got engaged. I wanted to go to the courthouse and get married, but Steve had done that with his first wife, and the marriage was a freaking train wreck, so he wanted to be married by a pastor, and to let his family know well in advance [his mom made him swear after his first marriage ended that if he ever wanted to get married again and she told him it was a bad idea that he'd listen. He promised, but amazingly, Linda liked me so she never had to warn him off.]
Steve and I went to 'pre-marital counselling' which was a requirement along with regular attendance of a church [not necessarily his, but a church somewhere]. Since I didn't really have a denomination [wasn't even a Christian at the time] we went to the Nazarene church.
Again there was boredom with the service, but the people embraced us like family, and because I cared about them, we continued going to the church even after we were married. It was because of the love of those people that I came to Christ and Steve 'rededicated.'
Things got kinda weird then. The pastor started out befriending us and kind of taking us under his wing. We had a discipleship time with him where he taught me about fascinating stuff like entire sanctification and various other Wesleyan Doctrines.
Steve had been raised in a Nazarene home, his grandparents [on both sides] were Nazarenes, so he was never exposed to anything outside Christian beliefs except to be told that they were wrong. Some were even dangerous and evil and to be avoided at all costs. He never learned anything about other religions except that which was taught to him by his parents and other church authorities.
I've been struggling with this whole faith business for months [okay, actually it's years now, but I've only been actively searching since November of 2005].
Not too long after Steve and I became active members of the church.
Oh, you remember my tendency to be a 'scream it from the rooftops' kind of girl with my first conversion experience? I didn't learn from my first time out, and tried to share what was going on in my life with my friends, who were Agnostic and not the least bit interested in Christianity.
My poor friend Bec. We went through some really rough times because I wanted her to 'get saved' and she wouldn't have anything to do with it. We had a lot of religious arguments, and I almost alienated her completely. Bec, if you ever read this, I'm so very sorry for behaving so badly.
After the first blush of religion, I started feeling depressed and didn't really know why. Our pastor would preach about devoting our lives to God, and becoming 'holy as He is holy,' and then point out things that weren't holy. Usually it was anything that was selfishly motivated, but sometimes it was specific things that he felt were selfish, that maybe, looking back now, weren't so bad.
There was also an attitude that he couldn't get people to do what he wanted them to do, and if someone refused him, they were refusing God [because God told him where the people of the church needed to be serving].
I ended up 'serving' in a lot of ways that I'm not cut out for, and the things I was good at, were given to others. I fell into this big vat of guilt and almost drowned in it for several years.
I remember kneeling by the couch at home one night [Steve was at work, I think] and just sobbing because I knew I could never be good enough or truly worthy of God's love [and the guilt of knowing that he loved me anyway was there, too. I knew that I didn't have to earn his love, but I still wanted more than anything to be worthy of it. Probably doesn't make sense, but there you go]
So I was praying and I finally said, "You know what? I give up. I'm not even going to try to be holy anymore because it's freaking impossible and this sucks, so I give up."
I swear I heard a voice [not out loud]say, "Good, now I can use you."
Before I got pregnant the first time, I started extension classes through the Nazarene Bible College to eventually become an ordained elder [that's what they call the pastors in the Naz church]. I felt called to preach, and I began the process.
There were several things that happened that made me shelve that 'call.' One was the little weasel who told me point blank that he would feel 'very uncomfortable' with a female pastor, and that he wasn't the only man who would be. [Grrr 😦 ]
Then I got pregnant and it was a nightmare of health problems and depression and I just couldn't concentrate on much of anything besides surviving the pregnancy, you know?
But there were other things as well. Our pastor [who had been brand new when he married us. Like two months new] was having serious troubles with burnout. He was becoming very legalistic and judgemental, and extremely negative about the people in the church.
He finally turned in his resignation, maybe half hoping it wouldn't be accepted, that the people would realize the errors of their ways and fall into line [maybe, I can't say that for sure, of course, but at the time it was the impression I got.]
I was relieved in a way, and when he left, Steve and I left the church as well. We moved on to a new church, and after I was no longer under the influence of our former pastor, my guilt and depression lessened considerably. I began the first tentative steps of figuring out who God was. Again.
As I studied and prayed, I began to realize that what I'd been taught for seven years wasn't necessarily what God taught. I was moving toward a God that made more sense than the iron fisted god who would never be satisfied, who would always demand more sacrifice of myself so I could become more like Him, and who could never get enough.
[*NOTE* It's possible that I misinterpreted what was said to me. I had other things going on with hormones and depression, so my perception was more than likely skewed. I honestly don't know what his intent was in some of his teachings, only how they affected me personally.]
So at the new church, I began to question and look for answers on my own instead of asking others what they thought about it. A lot of Christians think that's a good way to be led astray. I've noticed that independent study is encouraged, but independent thoughts and conclusions that differ from the party line? Not so much.
Then I got pregnant again, and had two years and eight months more of being miserable and partially brain dead.
Which is when I began this blog [well, the Blogger one] and this spiritual journey. I don't want any more kids, and we're in the process of permanently making sure we don't. That's partially because for whatever reason, I can't focus on anything outside my immediate family during the pregnancy and the two years following the birth.
There are studies that confirm this [for a lot of women, although probably not all]. But I'm definitely one of those who are affected by this phenomenon, and since I really like my mind when it's here, I really don't want to lose it again, you know?
But, when my mind is fully active, I start to do research. I stop taking other people's word for it and go find out for myself. People who have the ability to hear that a religion is evil [or that the president is a good man] from a religious authority and accept it without question boggle my mind.
I think that people who see things only in absolutes, in black and white, are good examples of people who have never done any research [or at least not much] of their own and looked at information about the other side [from the other side… listening to hearsay from someone else who agrees with your point of view doesn't count].
Up until a few months ago, I literally had no idea that you could be a Christian and a Democrat at the same time [I know, stupid, but I believed my 'authorities']. I had never read anything about 'practicing' gays and lesbians who are also Christians from the perspective of the gay or lesbian who is a Christian, only from religious leaders who say it isn't possible.
I have done some [limited] research into other religions, only to find that they aren't all that different from Christianity [well, the teachings of Jesus anyway]. I've also been truly disturbed to find that Christians, Muslims, and Jews are 'Abrahamic' religions, and that they all worship the same God, but none of them believe that the other two will go to heaven.
Those people are the more conservative of their respective religions, not all of them believe that way.
When I look at other world religions, either they don't believe that they are the One True Way, or if they do, they are mostly labelled as delusional fanatical cults[esp. by the other ones who know that they are the One True Way].
So I'm wondering here. The main theme of most religions comes down to loving [showing respect for, whatever] your creator and your fellow creatures. There are probably billions of people in the world who do that every day of their lives. Yeah, I'd say that's accurate because most people choose to do good, to help rather than to hurt, right?
So I see God in these people, regardless of their religion, and I love them just as I believe God loves them. And this is the part that scares the hell out of Steve, and probably all of my Christian friends.
Because if you can know God without first accepting Jesus, than what was the point of Jesus's death on the cross? Where does the atonement come in? Did he lie when he said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." [John 14:6](hit the link on 'me.' It can mean "That which I possess" what if JC was talking about his teachings, not his person… then anyone who follows his basic teachings, which, by the way were also taught by a lot of other great teachers, can come to the Father, right? 'What if' is all I'm saying.)
Sorry for the digression. If we follow the 'what if he lied about being the only way,' thread, then everything he said must have been a lie, right? Then the whole Bible is a big book of crap, and we have to throw it all out, right?
I'm sure there's a logical fallacy in that statement somewhere [anyone who knows which one, please share!]
That's where Steve was coming from the other night. My questioning Christianity and coming up with some decidedly non-Christian conclusions are freaking him out, because if I'm right about all this shit, then everything he's based his entire life upon is crap and he has to start all over in a quest for the truth.
Yeah, I get that, really I do. But I can't stop this thing I've started. And now, I think I've finally reached a conclusion about the other post I wrote that originally freaked him out.
The freaky part is toward the end, the first part is a rant about racism.
I'll change the date stamp so it shows up after this entry [maybe, if I can get it to do it ;-)]
Hey, thanks for listening. Comments are always welcome, and encouraged, even if you think I'm nuts [but, um, if you do think I'm nuts, please be polite about it, okay? Being mean is, well, mean, so please don't Thanks, I really appreciate it. ;-)]


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yuhuuu..!! first commenting :D well i guess you've done a good job! i like the background esp the color of the trees,it's nice,and the most important is you've put asuran n cagalli there, so sweet :D just keep it up ok :)
1024x768 Wallpaper
Artist Comment
I really don't know to describe this wall. Actually I don't know how to describe all my wall
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yo-chanbokura Apr 30, 2005
glitzening-starz Apr 30, 2005
nice wallpaper...
but no offense or anything...but like it looks kinda weird because cagalli looks worried about something while athrun is like smiling....
i dunno...just my opinion....
but anyways....good job!
aimiyo May 01, 2005
YOOooooo!!!! very cute wall,I love Athrun and Cagalli So much.
and the name "Hope and Wish" match with your pic.
Thanks for sharing.
rubenz May 03, 2005
o.o its nice i love it^^ athrun and cagalli are the best^^
love the name also hope and wish^^
Mdrifle May 14, 2005
nice i like it very much... both of them look cute and e background is nice too
dandelion19 Sep 23, 2005
it's so unique. i like the way you place the two characters. it's a job well done.
kaorex Dec 29, 2006
I wonderful image of athrun and cagalli, it show their feelings becuase the dusk effect give them a romantic essence.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Desktop Environment of the Year
If you're looking for Fluxbox, Window Maker, Enlightenment or similar options - they are in the Window Manager of the Year poll.
And I bet that's the last time you see that answer.
I voted for GNOME because I like its interface and speed on my computer, and prefer to not have everything with a "K" in front of it (:
No fluxbox?
gnome, i like gnome
That's the first time I've heard of the rox desktop environment. I checked its homepage, and it listed a Debian repository, but it's not working.
awesome updates this year
I use Gnome, once again because comes bundled with OpenSolaris and using anything else than default on this platform is still yet too much a pita.
I'm voting LXDE, however, because I like lightweight, lean and mean, and also once again, what I'm running on the kid's Debian boxes. In the past I've typically used XFCE, which is also excellent, for such situations. However, although still lighter than Gnome, XFCE continues to become increasingly "fatter" so the difference less dramatic. It's still very nice and well fleshed out DE but for past year or so I have been using LXDE where I need a lightweight Gnome alternative. The kids are experienced XFCE afficianados but have developed preference for LXDE as well.
So if you've got some legacy hardware tool long in the tooth to handle the bloat that both Gnome and KDE have become, and/or just like lightweight and snappy desktop environment, do yourself a favor and check out LXDE. Oh yeah, one more thing, LXDE also uses my all time favorite window manager, OpenBox. So I can have my cake and eat it too.... ;)
Gnome all the way. KDE 4 has not been good to me, though I really liked 3.5.
The new Gnome is clean, light, and fast.
As desktop environments go, i really like LXDE.
One of the joys i found thanks to Kde4 not being for me.
Although my preference is for a window manager beginning with F......
And yes,i did vote for it in the other poll.
LXDE really made an impact this year. And KDE4 ultimately was a let down.
GNOME. KDE4 is nice, but still seems to be overly complex and too much eyecandy
It was a hard call - I think KDE definitely came a long way this year, and they haven't been afraid to try something new. I respect this.
I did, however, choose LXDE, because it has really come in dark horse-style this year, with a lot of people picking it up.
Personally, I use Xfce. But the two others are the ones that moved the most in 2009.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:22 PM.


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Contains Amazon affiliate links.
Annie Raser-Rowland and Adam Grubb's book The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More is not so much a book of "why" frugal hedonism is best, but one that describes "how" to go about it. It is a quick-read with fifty-one short chapters providing tips for how to incorporate frugal hedonism in your own life. Some chapters are only about a page long. The book is meant to "be [a] primer for a life less dependent on the comforts of consumption, and more focused on extracting maximum pleasure from the most essential parts of being human."
The Australian writers describe an early taste of simple things that prevented them from ever being too consumption-focused. Both describe early childhoods of that feature parents moving up in lives and how much they missed the original simplicity they were born into. I get it – this is all fine. But I think sometimes Raser-Rowland and Grubb miss the mark as to why someone may "want to move up" in the first place: i.e. security (at times they seem to take for granted that it is only a keeping of the Jones' mentality – more, more, more). Granted, that is not the main point of their book, but there is a big difference in living the "simple life" because you have to (and what that might even look like) versus because you want to.
Most of their advice is fine but repetitive. They themselves even acknowledge that they tend to repeat the idea of eating a packed lunch instead of ordering take-out. Most of their suggestions are fairly common. For example – they recommend not buying drinks out at restaurants, take care of the things you already own, have an open relationship with recipes, and figure out what you really enjoy spending money on. Other habits such as "relish" were a little too twee for me. It kind of feels like it has been done before, though not with Raser-Rowland and Grubb's hipster whimsy. Most of the chapters could have used more description, instead of just a quickly expressed idea.
That said, there were a few interesting ideas in the book. For example, suggestion no. 11 "beware fake frugal" is one to keep in mind. They describe fake frugal as "cheap to buy, but at the expense of someone or something else." Examples they provide are kitchen products you constantly replace (like can openers) or buying white bread instead of the better, healthier wheat bread just because it is cheaper. This is something I always have to remind myself – one-time last year, Bruno and I decided we were spending too much money on groceries, so decided to change out some of our lunches for ramen. I still think ramen is delicious, but it really is not an actual lunch. Lesson learned.
One thing I did appreciate about the book is that Raser-Rowland and Grubb provide plenty of charts and numbers. I never thought I would be the type to appreciate charts and numbers, but it is interesting to see how consumptive habits have changed over the years. In the 1950s 75% of food was made in-home, now it is something like 50% (I was actually surprised that it was still half – I expected it to be lower). Their numbers relate specifically to Australia, but I can't imagine that it is much different here in the states. When it comes to the history and data around buying habits and happiness, these two know their stuff.
I did really struggle with the style of writing. I suspect this has less to do with the book itself then who I think it might be written for. I made a comment that this is a book with all your usual tips, but with hipster whimsy and that just is not appealing to me. It is a personal preference, but I am not sure that advising me to "relish" or "not be a snooty bum-bum" are things that I find particularly helpful, or cute. I suspect it is a taste thing, but it is not helped by the fact that for the most part there is not much substance there.
I think this book is fine for neophytes on living frugally (that is this concept is completely new to them — although, I'm not sure how many people that would actually be), but for everyone else looking to enjoy life while save some money it will be nothing they've never read or heard before. And if you are really frugally-minded, there is nothing in here that you would not be able to find for free on the internet.


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Engino Inventor 30-in-1 Kit
You Save $2.51 (5%)
You Save $2.51 (5%)
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This multi-model kit includes online access to 30 interactive, downloadable instructions to help kids build motorized animals, robots, vehicles, dinosaurs, flying machines, and more! Build a crawling crocodile, a speedy racer, or take to the skies with a helicopter. Parts easily snap together and are made to last, so little engineers can build creation after creation.
Kit includes printed instructions for four main models, a battery-operated 3V motor (batteries not included) with dual rotating direction switch, and an extraction tool for easy disassembly. All instructions can be downloaded from the Engino website and viewed from a PC or through the free ENGINO 3D Viewer app (kidCAD) on smartphones and tablets.
- A fun STEM activity for budding engineers
- Easy-to-put together parts snap together and in any direction or angle
- Includes an extraction tool for easy disassembly
- Includes easy-to-follow printed instructions for 4 main models
- Online access to interactive, downloadable instructions for other models that can be printed
- Models are powered by a 3V battery-operated motor (batteries not included)
- Durable plastic pieces are made to last
- Open-ended building kit encourages kids to exercise their creativity, engineering skills, dexterity, and problem-solving skills
For ages 6 and up.
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Alexander Pope – Eloisa to Abelard
Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Eloisa to Abelard 1In these deep solitudes and awful cells, 2Where heav'nly-pensive contemplation dwells, 3And ever-musing melancholy reigns; 4What means this tumult in a vestal's veins? 5Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat? 6Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat? 7Yet, yet I love! –From Abelard it came, 8And Eloisa yet must kiss the name. 9 Dear fatal name! rest ever unreveal'd, 10Nor pass these lips in holy silence seal'd. 1Hide it, my heart, within that close disguise, 12Where mix'd with God's, his lov'd idea lies: 13O write it not, my hand–the name appears 14Already written–wash it out, my tears! 15In vain lost Eloisa weeps and prays, 16Her heart still dictates, and her hand obeys. 17 Relentless walls! whose darksome round contains 18Repentant sighs, and voluntary pains: 19Ye rugged rocks! which holy knees have worn; 20Ye grots and caverns shagg'd with horrid thorn! 21Shrines! here their vigils pale-ey'd virgins keep, 22And pitying saints, whose statues learn to weep! 23Though cold like you, unmov'd, and silent grown, 24I have not yet forgot myself to stone. 25All is not Heav'n's while Abelard has part, 26Still rebel nature holds out half my heart; 27Nor pray'rs nor fasts its stubborn pulse restrain, 28Nor tears, for ages, taught to flow in vain. 29 Soon as thy letters trembling I unclose, 30That well-known name awakens all my woes. 1Oh name for ever sad! for ever dear! 32Still breath'd in sighs, still usher'd with a tear. 33I tremble too, where'er my own I find, 34Some dire misfortune follows close behind. 35Line after line my gushing eyes o'erflow, 36Led through a sad variety of woe: 37Now warm in love, now with'ring in thy bloom, 38Lost in a convent's solitary gloom! 39There stern religion quench'd th' unwilling flame, 40There died the best of passions, love and fame. 1 Yet write, oh write me all, that I may join 42Griefs to thy griefs, and echo sighs to thine. 43Nor foes nor fortune take this pow'r away; 44And is my Abelard less kind than they? 45Tears still are mine, and those I need not spare, 46Love but demands what else were shed in pray'r; 47No happier task these faded eyes pursue; 48To read and weep is all they now can do. 49 Then share thy pain, allow that sad relief; 50Ah, more than share it! ive me all thy grief. 51Heav'n first taught letters for some wretch's aid, 52Some banish'd lover, or some captive maid; 53They live, they speak, they breathe what love inspires, 54Warm from the soul, and faithful to its fires, 55The virgin's wish without her fears impart, 56Excuse the blush, and pour out all the heart, 57Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul, 58And waft a sigh from Indus to the Pole. 9 Thou know'st how guiltless first I met thy flame, 60When Love approach'd me under Friendship's name; 61My fancy form'd thee of angelic kind, 62Some emanation of th' all-beauteous Mind. 63Those smiling eyes, attemp'ring ev'ry day, 64Shone sweetly lambent with celestial day. 65Guiltless I gaz'd; heav'n listen'd while you sung; 66And truths divine came mended from that tongue. 67From lips like those what precept fail'd to move? 68Too soon they taught me 'twas no sin to love. 69Back through the paths of pleasing sense I ran, 70Nor wish'd an Angel whom I lov'd a Man. 1Dim and remote the joys of saints I see; 72Nor envy them, that heav'n I lose for thee. 73 How oft, when press'd to marriage, have I said, 74Curse on all laws but those which love has made! 75Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, 76Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies, 77Let wealth, let honour, wait the wedded dame, 78August her deed, and sacred be her fame; 79Before true passion all those views remove, 80Fame, wealth, and honour! what are you to Love? 1The jealous God, when we profane his fires, 82Those restless passions in revenge inspires; 83And bids them make mistaken mortals groan, 84Who seek in love for aught but love alone. 85Should at my feet the world's great master fall, 86Himself, his throne, his world, I'd scorn 'em all: 87Not Caesar's empress would I deign to prove; 88No, make me mistress to the man I love; 89If there be yet another name more free, 90More fond than mistress, make me that to thee! 91Oh happy state! when souls each other draw, 92When love is liberty, and nature, law: 3All then is full, possessing, and possess'd, 94No craving void left aching in the breast: 95Ev'n thought meets thought, ere from the lips it part, 96And each warm wish springs mutual from the heart. 97This sure is bliss (if bliss on earth there be) 98And once the lot of Abelard and me. 99 Alas, how chang'd! what sudden horrors rise! 100A naked lover bound and bleeding lies! 101Where, where was Eloise? her voice, her hand, 102Her poniard, had oppos'd the dire command. 103Barbarian, stay! that bloody stroke restrain; 104The crime was common, common be the pain. 05I can no more; by shame, by rage suppress'd, 106Let tears, and burning blushes speak the rest. 107 Canst thou forget that sad, that solemn day, 108When victims at yon altar's foot we lay? 109Canst thou forget what tears that moment fell, 110When, warm in youth, I bade the world farewell? 111As with cold lips I kiss'd the sacred veil, 112The shrines all trembl'd, and the lamps grew pale: 113Heav'n scarce believ'd the conquest it survey'd, 114And saints with wonder heard the vows I made. 15Yet then, to those dread altars as I drew, 116Not on the Cross my eyes were fix'd, but you: 117Not grace, or zeal, love only was my call, 118And if I lose thy love, I lose my all. 119Come! with thy looks, thy words, relieve my woe; 120Those still at least are left thee to bestow. 121Still on that breast enamour'd let me lie, 122Still drink delicious poison from thy eye, 123Pant on thy lip, and to thy heart be press'd; 124Give all thou canst–and let me dream the rest. 125Ah no! instruct me other joys to prize, 26With other beauties charm my partial eyes, 127Full in my view set all the bright abode, 128And make my soul quit Abelard for God. 129 Ah, think at least thy flock deserves thy care, 130Plants of thy hand, and children of thy pray'r. 131From the false world in early youth they fled, 132By thee to mountains, wilds, and deserts led. 133You rais'd these hallow'd walls; the desert smil'd, 134And Paradise was open'd in the wild. 135No weeping orphan saw his father's stores 136Our shrines irradiate, or emblaze the floors; 137No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n, 38Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n: 139But such plain roofs as piety could raise, 140And only vocal with the Maker's praise. 141In these lone walls (their days eternal bound) 142These moss-grown domes with spiry turrets crown'd, 143Where awful arches make a noonday night, 144And the dim windows shed a solemn light; 145Thy eyes diffus'd a reconciling ray, 146And gleams of glory brighten'd all the day. 147But now no face divine contentment wears, 148'Tis all blank sadness, or continual tears. 149See how the force of others' pray'rs I try, 150(O pious fraud of am'rous charity! 151But why should I on others' pray'rs depend? 152Come thou, my father, brother, husband, friend! 153Ah let thy handmaid, sister, daughter move, 154And all those tender names in one, thy love! 155The darksome pines that o'er yon rocks reclin'd 156Wave high, and murmur to the hollow wind, 157The wand'ring streams that shine between the hills, 158The grots that echo to the tinkling rills, 159The dying gales that pant upon the trees, 160The lakes that quiver to the curling breeze; 161No more these scenes my meditation aid, 62Or lull to rest the visionary maid. 163But o'er the twilight groves and dusky caves, 164Long-sounding aisles, and intermingled graves, 165Black Melancholy sits, and round her throws 166A death-like silence, and a dread repose: 167Her gloomy presence saddens all the scene, 168Shades ev'ry flow'r, and darkens ev'ry green, 169Deepens the murmur of the falling floods, 170And breathes a browner horror on the woods. 171 Yet here for ever, ever must I stay; 172Sad proof how well a lover can obey! 73Death, only death, can break the lasting chain; 174And here, ev'n then, shall my cold dust remain, 175Here all its frailties, all its flames resign, 176And wait till 'tis no sin to mix with thine. 177 Ah wretch! believ'd the spouse of God in vain, 178Confess'd within the slave of love and man. 179Assist me, Heav'n! but whence arose that pray'r? 180Sprung it from piety, or from despair? 181Ev'n here, where frozen chastity retires, 182Love finds an altar for forbidden fires. 183I ought to grieve, but cannot what I ought; 184I mourn the lover, not lament the fault; 85I view my crime, but kindle at the view, 186Repent old pleasures, and solicit new; 187Now turn'd to Heav'n, I weep my past offence, 188Now think of thee, and curse my innocence. 189Of all affliction taught a lover yet, 190'Tis sure the hardest science to forget! 191How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense, 192And love th' offender, yet detest th' offence? 193How the dear object from the crime remove, 194Or how distinguish penitence from love? 195Unequal task! a passion to resign, 196For hearts so touch'd, so pierc'd, so lost as mine. 97Ere such a soul regains its peaceful state, 198How often must it love, how often hate! 199How often hope, despair, resent, regret, 200Conceal, disdain–do all things but forget. 201But let Heav'n seize it, all at once 'tis fir'd; 202Not touch'd, but rapt; not waken'd, but inspir'd! 203Oh come! oh teach me nature to subdue, 204Renounce my love, my life, myself–and you. 205Fill my fond heart with God alone, for he 206Alone can rival, can succeed to thee. 207 How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! 208The world forgetting, by the world forgot. 09Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! 210Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd; 211Labour and rest, that equal periods keep; 212″Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep;" 213Desires compos'd, affections ever ev'n, 214Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav'n. 215Grace shines around her with serenest beams, 216And whisp'ring angels prompt her golden dreams. 217For her th' unfading rose of Eden blooms, 218And wings of seraphs shed divine perfumes, 219For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring, 220For her white virgins hymeneals sing, 21To sounds of heav'nly harps she dies away, 222And melts in visions of eternal day. 223 Far other dreams my erring soul employ, 224Far other raptures, of unholy joy: 225When at the close of each sad, sorrowing day, 226Fancy restores what vengeance snatch'd away, 227Then conscience sleeps, and leaving nature free, 228All my loose soul unbounded springs to thee. 229Oh curs'd, dear horrors of all-conscious night! 230How glowing guilt exalts the keen delight! 231Provoking Daemons all restraint remove, 232And stir within me every source of love. 33I hear thee, view thee, gaze o'er all thy charms, 234And round thy phantom glue my clasping arms. 235I wake–no more I hear, no more I view, 236The phantom flies me, as unkind as you. 237I call aloud; it hears not what I say; 238I stretch my empty arms; it glides away. 239To dream once more I close my willing eyes; 240Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise! 241Alas, no more–methinks we wand'ring go 242Through dreary wastes, and weep each other's woe, 243Where round some mould'ring tower pale ivy creeps, 244And low-brow'd rocks hang nodding o'er the deeps. 45Sudden you mount, you beckon from the skies; 246Clouds interpose, waves roar, and winds arise. 247I shriek, start up, the same sad prospect find, 248And wake to all the griefs I left behind. 249 For thee the fates, severely kind, ordain 250A cool suspense from pleasure and from pain; 251Thy life a long, dead calm of fix'd repose; 252No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows. 253Still as the sea, ere winds were taught to blow, 254Or moving spirit bade the waters flow; 255Soft as the slumbers of a saint forgiv'n, 256And mild as opening gleams of promis'd heav'n. 57 Come, Abelard! for what hast thou to dread? 258The torch of Venus burns not for the dead. 259Nature stands check'd; Religion disapproves; 260Ev'n thou art cold–yet Eloisa loves. 261Ah hopeless, lasting flames! like those that burn 262To light the dead, and warm th' unfruitful urn. 263 What scenes appear where'er I turn my view? 264The dear ideas, where I fly, pursue, 265Rise in the grove, before the altar rise, 266Stain all my soul, and wanton in my eyes. 267I waste the matin lamp in sighs for thee, 268Thy image steals between my God and me, 269Thy voice I seem in ev'ry hymn to hear, 70With ev'ry bead I drop too soft a tear. 271When from the censer clouds of fragrance roll, 272And swelling organs lift the rising soul, 273One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight, 274Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight: 275In seas of flame my plunging soul is drown'd, 276While altars blaze, and angels tremble round. 277 While prostrate here in humble grief I lie, 278Kind, virtuous drops just gath'ring in my eye, 279While praying, trembling, in the dust I roll, 280And dawning grace is op'ning on my soul: 81Come, if thou dar'st, all charming as thou art! 282Oppose thyself to Heav'n; dispute my heart; 283Come, with one glance of those deluding eyes 284Blot out each bright idea of the skies; 285Take back that grace, those sorrows, and those tears; 286Take back my fruitless penitence and pray'rs; 287Snatch me, just mounting, from the blest abode; 288Assist the fiends, and tear me from my God! 289 No, fly me, fly me, far as pole from pole; 290Rise Alps between us! and whole oceans roll! 91Ah, come not, write not, think not once of me, 292Nor share one pang of all I felt for thee. 293Thy oaths I quit, thy memory resign; 294Forget, renounce me, hate whate'er was mine. 295Fair eyes, and tempting looks (which yet I view! ) 296Long lov'd, ador'd ideas, all adieu! 297Oh Grace serene! oh virtue heav'nly fair! 298Divine oblivion of low-thoughted care! 299Fresh blooming hope, gay daughter of the sky! 300And faith, our early immortality! 301Enter, each mild, each amicable guest; 302Receive, and wrap me in eternal rest! 03 See in her cell sad Eloisa spread, 304Propp'd on some tomb, a neighbour of the dead. 305In each low wind methinks a spirit calls, 306And more than echoes talk along the walls. 307Here, as I watch'd the dying lamps around, 308From yonder shrine I heard a hollow sound. 309″Come, sister, come! " (it said, or seem'd to say) 310″Thy place is here, sad sister, come away! 311Once like thyself, I trembled, wept, and pray'd, 312Love's victim then, though now a sainted maid: 313But all is calm in this eternal sleep; 14Here grief forgets to groan, and love to weep, 315Ev'n superstition loses ev'ry fear: 316For God, not man, absolves our frailties here. " 317 I come, I come! prepare your roseate bow'rs, 318Celestial palms, and ever-blooming flow'rs. 319Thither, where sinners may have rest, I go, 320Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow: 321Thou, Abelard! the last sad office pay, 322And smooth my passage to the realms of day; 323See my lips tremble, and my eye-balls roll, 324Suck my last breath, and catch my flying soul! 25Ah no–in sacred vestments may'st thou stand, 326The hallow'd taper trembling in thy hand, 327Present the cross before my lifted eye, 328Teach me at once, and learn of me to die. 329Ah then, thy once-lov'd Eloisa see! 330It will be then no crime to gaze on me. 331See from my cheek the transient roses fly! 332See the last sparkle languish in my eye! 333Till ev'ry motion, pulse, and breath be o'er; 334And ev'n my Abelard be lov'd no more. 335O Death all-eloquent! you only prove 36What dust we dote on, when 'tis man we love. 337 Then too, when fate shall thy fair frame destroy, 338(That cause of all my guilt, and all my joy) 339In trance ecstatic may thy pangs be drown'd, 340Bright clouds descend, and angels watch thee round, 341From op'ning skies may streaming glories shine, 342And saints embrace thee with a love like mine. 343 May one kind grave unite each hapless name, 344And graft my love immortal on thy fame! 45Then, ages hence, when all my woes are o'er, 346When this rebellious heart shall beat no more; 347If ever chance two wand'ring lovers brings 348To Paraclete's white walls and silver springs, 349O'er the pale marble shall they join their heads, 350And drink the falling tears each other sheds; 351Then sadly say, with mutual pity mov'd, 352″Oh may we never love as these have lov'd! " 353From the full choir when loud Hosannas rise, 354And swell the pomp of dreadful sacrifice, 355Amid that scene if some relenting eye 56Glance on the stone where our cold relics lie, 357Devotion's self shall steal a thought from Heav'n, 358One human tear shall drop and be forgiv'n. 359And sure, if fate some future bard shall join 360In sad similitude of griefs to mine, 361Condemn'd whole years in absence to deplore, 362And image charms he must behold no more; 363Such if there be, who loves so long, so well; 364Let him our sad, our tender story tell; 365The well-sung woes will soothe my pensive ghost; 366He best can paint 'em, who shall feel 'em most. Notes 1] Published in 1717 in Pope's Works.
The subject was partially selected because John Hughes, an acquaintance of Pope's, had published an English translation. The Latin text had originally been published in 1616 and had been translated into French in 1697. Hughes translated the French version. Pope's poem draws heavily on Hughes' translation. The poem is an example of a genre represented in Latin by Ovid's Heroides. These heroic epistles are always addressed by a woman to a man who has abandoned her. The situations require an "heroic" treatment because they involved important personages. The heroes represent what one critic has described as "sorrowing or rebellious love. Peter Abailard (1079-1142), at thirty-eight a famous scholar, became at this time the tutor of Eloisa, the eighteen-year-old niece of Fulbert, the canon of Paris. Their passionate secret love resulted in Eloisa's conceiving, whereupon Abelard removed her to Brittany. After refusing to agree to marriage for a long time because it would ruin Abelard's career in the church, Eloisa finally consented and the couple returned to Paris for a secret wedding. But the uncle's anger revived. Abelard took Eloisa to a convent at Argenteuil where she was professed as a novice.
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Her uncle then paid ruffians to attack Abelard in his lodgings and castrate him. After his various attempts at monastic life, students again gathered about Abelard and built him the halls and church of the Paraclete, sixty miles from Paris. Further persecution by his enemies or fear of them eventually led him to accept the Abbey of St. Gildeas in Brittany. When Eloisa's nuns were expelled from Argenteuil, he offered them the Paraclete and visited them as a spiritual director, until his visits caused scandal. Eloisa began the correspondence after a letter, addressed to an unfortunate friend, describing his adversities as a means of comforting he friend, fell into her hands. 12] idea: image; cf. Rape of The Lock, 1, note to line 83. 20] Cf. Milton's Comus, line 429: "By grots and caverns shagg'd with horrid shades. " "horrid" is from Latin horridus (bristling). 24] Cf. Milton's Il Penseroso, line 42: "Forget thy self to marble. " 40] Fame: used here in the sense of ambition. 104] pain: in the Latin sense poena (punishment), as well as the usual meaning. 107] day: the day of Eloisa's profession as a religious. Abelard was present. 129] thy flock: i. e. , Abelard, as spiritual director and founder of the monastery. 133] "[Pope] He [Abelard] founded the monastery. 136] irradiate: "to adorn with splendour. "? emblaze: "to light up, cause to glow" (OED). 142] domes: see Rape of the Lock, IV, note to line 18. 152] father, brother: i. e. , as her priest and her religious brother. This follows the original correspondence where Eloisa writes: "To her Lord, her Father, her Husband, her Brother; his Servant, his Child, his Wife, his Sister. " 184] fault: see Essay on Criticism, 170. 191] sense: both the notion of sensation and the notion of perception are involved here. 212] "[Pope] Taken from Crashaw [description of a Religious House, line 16]. 229] all-conscious. To the usual sense of intense awareness, the Latinate sense (conscius) sharing knowledge, usually of a guilty kind, should be added. 254] "The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2). This refers to Abelard's dead calm (251). 258] Pope suppressed the following couplet, following line 258, after 1720: "Cut from the roots my perish'd joys I see,/And love's warm tide forever stopp'd in thee. " 298] low thoughted care: see Comus, 6. 343. "[Pope] Abelard and Eloisa were interred in the same grave, or in monuments adjoining in the Monastery of the Paraclete.
He died in the year 1142, she in 1163. " Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.? Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries. Original text: Alexander Pope, Works (London: W. Bowyer for Bernard Lintot, 1717). E-10 884 and E-10 885 and E-10 3947 and E-10 3938 Fisher Rare Book Library (Toronto).? First publication date: 1717 ? RPO poem editor: D. F. Theall? RP edition: 3RP 2. 122.? Recent editing: 4:2002/4/9 Form: Heroic Couplets


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The proliferation of NIH/3T3 cells treated with increasing concentrations of hPDGF-BB basic was assessed. After 24 hr treatment, cells were labeled with BrdU for 4 hrs. BrdU incorporation was determined by ELISA and the OD450-OD690 was determined.
The purity of recombinant hPDGF-BB was determined by SDS-PAGE of 6 µg reduced (+) and non-reduced (-) recombinant hPDGF-BB and staining overnight with Coomassie Blue.
Western blot analysis of extracts from NIH/3T3 cells untreated or treated with hPDGF-BB for 10 minutes, using Phospho-Akt (Thr308) (C31E5E) Rabbit mAb #2965 (upper) and Akt1 (C73H10) Rabbit mAb #2938 (lower).
Product Information
With carrier: Lyophilized from a 0.22 μm filtered solution of 20 mM citrate, pH 3.0 containing 100 mM NaCl and 20 μg BSA per 1 μg hPDGF-BB. Carrier free: Lyophilized from a 0.22 μm filtered solution of 20 mM citrate, pH 3.0 containing 100 mM NaCl.
Stable in lyophilized state at 4°C for 1 year after receipt. Sterile stock solutions reconstituted with carrier protein are stable at 4°C for 2 months and at -20°C for 6 months. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.Maintain sterility. Storage at -20°C should be in a manual defrost freezer.
>98% as determined by SDS-PAGE of 6 μg reduced (+) and non-reduced (-) recombinant hPDGF-BB. All lots are greater than 98% pure.
Recombinant hPDGF-BB does not have a Met on the amino terminus and has a calculated MW of 12,294. DTT-reduced protein migrates as a 14 kDa polypeptide and the non-reduced cystine-linked homodimer migrates as a 32 kDa protein. The expected amino-terminal SLGSL of recombinant hPDGF-BB was verified by amino acid sequencing.
The bioactivity of recombinant hPDGF-BB was determined in a NIH/3T3 cell proliferation assay. The ED50 of each lot is between 4.0 - 15 ng/ml.
Less than 0.01 ng endotoxin/1 μg hPDGF-BB.
Recombinant human PDGF-BB (hPDGF-BB) Ser82-Thr190 (Accession #NP_002599) was produced in E. coli at Cell Signaling Technology.
PDGF-BB is a cystine-linked homodimer PDGF family member with key roles in development, cell proliferation, cell survival, and angiogenesis (1,2). PDGF-BB is expressed by vascular endothelium, megakaryocytes and Leydig cells (2). PDGF-BB targets pericytes, fibroblasts, monocytes and other cell types (1-3). PDGF induces fibroblast growth and migration (3) and is a chemoattractant for monocytes and granulocytes. Precursor PDGF-BB is cleaved intracellularly to generate a form that contains a carboxy-terminal stretch that serves to retain PDGF-BB in the extracellular matrix. In a second cleavage event, the carboxy-terminal stretch is removed extracellularly to generate mature PDGF-BB (1,2). PDGF-BB binds to PDGFRβ and induces receptor dimerization. Signaling is through the PI3K/Akt, JNK, and PLCγ pathways (1, 2). PDGF-BB may have a role in some cancer types (2).
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Swiss-Prot Acc.: P01127
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text:
- This event has passed.
Launch of Mannix Library's new Special Collections Room
Friday, 15 February, 4:30 pm–6:00 pm AEDT
You are invited to join with Mannix Library staff to celebrate the launch of the Library's new SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ROOM
The afternoon will include a demonstration of the Library's Archbishop Goold Special Collection website https://gooldlibrary.omeka.net/ and its newly installed A2 Scanner.Archbishop Goold Special Collection
For catering purposes please RSVP by 13th February firstname.lastname@example.com or 03 9412 3351
CTC is committed to the highest standards of teaching and research in philosophy and theology, within the Catholic tradition. It collaborates in the Church's mission to spread the Gospel, and provides academic formation for people committed to the pastoral service of the Church.


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View the WMJ archive.
Thomas C. Meyer, MD, Medical Editor, Wisconsin Medical Journal
Good news, bad news, just news, and a plea
(full text PDF)
It is just over 4 years since we last published an issue in which the theme was Tobacco, so it seemed appropriate to look at what changes, if any, had occurred in that time. Interestingly enough, there is comparatively little overlap between the reports in the spring of 2001 and those in this issue. The Tobacco Quit Line was in its developmental stages, teen-age smoking and smoking during pregnancy, smoking by the American Indian/Alaska natives, the under-use of Medicaid support for the reduction of smoking in that population and lung cancer were uppermost in authors' minds in 2001. So what are the concerns of the authors in 2005?
Representative J.A. "Doc" Hines
Health care, politics, and the cigarette tax
(full text PDF)
Say "Cigarette Tax Increase" around a group of medical professionals and you get a room full of cheers. It is an idea that you have been touting for years. You've seen firsthand the devastating effects smoking has on people. Every day you do your part to inform the public of the dangers of smoking and what is out there to help them quit. However, you can only do so much to have an impact. You know raising the cigarette tax is a commonsense solution to a problem that has a huge impact on the health and the pocketbook of the state of Wisconsin.
Patrick Remington, MD, MPH
Recognizing progress in tobacco control
(full text PDF)
My daughter asked for help on her math homework a few weeks ago. She said, "Five birds were sitting on a telephone pole. Three decided to fly away. How many were left?" I knew that there must be a trick, but went along and answered, "Two?" "Nope," she replied. "The answer is five. Deciding to do something is not the same as doing it!" In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report describing the 10 greatest public health accomplishments of the 20th century.1 Improvements in vaccination rates, motor-vehicle safety, workplace safety, infectious disease control, and food safety contributed to a 25 year life expectancy increase between 1900 and 2000.
Original Research
Marion Ceraso, MHS; David Ahrens, MS; Patrick Remington, MD
Increasing tobacco taxes: An evidence-based measure to reduce tobacco use
(full text PDF)
Tobacco use is Wisconsin's single most important preventable cause of premature death and disease, killing almost 8000 state citizens every year, and costing the state more than $3 billion annually in health care and lost productivity.1 Wisconsin's high tobacco-related disease rates and escalating health care costs make it critical that any program to improve the public health and economy of the state include an aggressive tobacco prevention and control program.
David Ahrens, MS; Priti Bandi, MS; Jennifer Ullsvik, MS; D. Paul Moberg, PhD
Who Smokes? A Demographic Analysis of Wisconsin Smokers
(full text PDF)
Context: Despite the general decline in prevalence of smoking and actual consumption of cigarettes, there is a heightened concern that this decline has not been uniform throughout the population and that specific sub-populations are adversely affected by tobacco use.
Objective: To estimate smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption among Wisconsin subpopulations by demographic identifiers, gender, race, age, educational attainment, and income.
Design, Setting and Participants: We estimated tobacco use among primary sub-populations in Wisconsin in 2003 from the Wisconsin Tobacco Survey. Approximately 8000 interviews were completed via a telephone survey. Main Outcome
Measure: Smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption among sub-populations and related policy recommendations.
Results: Approximately 20% of the Wisconsin adult population smokes cigarettes. However, the prevalence of smoking is not the same among all population groups. There are also substantial group differences in how many cigarettes people smoke per day. The number of cigarettes smoked is closely tied to the risk of smoking-related illness. The greatest disparities are associated with income and education. People with incomes between $10,000-$15,000 per year are more than twice as likely to smoke as people with incomes of more than $75,000. Also, smokers in the lower-income group smoke more cigarettes per day than those in the higher income group. There is also a consistent and major disparity in smoking behavior between genders. Within every income, racial, or educational group, men are more likely to smoke and, when they do, they smoke more cigarettes per day. There are significant but smaller differences in smoking behavior between rural and urban residents.
Conclusion: The pronounced differences in smoking rates and the number of cigarettes smoked among different population groups underline the need to focus prevention and treatment interventions on lower socioeconomic smokers with a specific emphasis on male smokers.
Karen A. Palmersheim, PhD, MS
Trends in Cigarette Smoking Among High School Youth in Wisconsin and the United States, 1993-2004
(full text PDF)
Trends in current cigarette smoking among high school students in Wisconsin and the United States were examined using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and the Youth Tobacco Survey. Data were analyzed for years 1993 through 2004. Results of the analyses reveal an increasing prevalence in current smoking among high school youth in both Wisconsin and the United states during most of the 1990's, followed by a downward trend. During the period under consideration, peak prevalence is observed for the United States in 1997 (36.4%), with rates decreasing to 22.3% in 2004. In Wisconsin, rates peaked during 1999 (38.1%) and decreased to 20.9% in 2004. Subgroup analyses of Wisconsin data show similar rates of smoking among females (21.9%) and males (19.8%) in 2004. Analysis by grade demonstrate a narrowing of the gap between the oldest and the youngest grades over time, with all 4 grades displaying decreasing rates in current smoking. Overall, the findings are very positive, and suggest that efforts aimed at reducing tobacco use among our youth have been effective at both the state and national level. However, recent cuts in state and federal funding have led to reductions in tobacco control program initiatives. Thus, vigilant monitoring is crucial as we continue to work towards the "Healthy People 2010" goal that states that no more than 16% of high school students will report current cigarette use.
Stevens S. Smith, PhD; Tyler Beckley; Michael C. Fiore, MD, MPH
Health Care Provider Use of Guideline-Based Smoking Cessation Interventions: Results from the 2003 Wisconsin Tobacco Survey
(full text PDF)
Tobacco use is the chief preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. In Wisconsin, approximately 7300 deaths—representing about 20% of all deaths within our state each year—are attributable to smoking. Nearly half of the estimated 815,000 adult smokers in Wisconsin make a quit attempt each year, but most smokers make unaided quit attempts that have a very low probability of success (< 5%). The 2000 Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline, "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence," provides recommendations for evidence-based treatments (e.g., counseling, FDA-approved cessation medications) for smoking cessation that can result in long-term abstinence rates of up to 25% or more. The current study provides results from the 2003 Wisconsin Tobacco Survey on the extent to which Wisconsin health care professionals are using Guideline-based interventions to identify smokers and assist them to quit smoking. Results show that in 2003 about 77% of current smokers were asked about tobacco use and about 61% were advised to quit. Rates of cessation assistance ranged from 6% to 22%. Increases in smoking cessation interventions by health care professionals have enormous potential to decrease the smoking prevalence rate and improve the health of Wisconsin smokers.
Robert Adsit, MEd; David Fraser, MS; Lezli Redmond, MPH; Stevens Smith, PhD; Michael Fiore, MD, MPH
Changing Clinical Practice, Helping People Quit: The Wisconsin Cessation Outreach Model
(full text PDF)
Six University of Wisconsin-Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) Regional Outreach Specialists, based in 5 regions across the state, provide training and technical assistance on evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions to clinics, hospitals, health systems, insurers, community organizations and worksites through academic detailing methods. The core of this approach involves individualized training on the US Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline, "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence" as well as follow-up technical assistance to achieve sustainable system changes and a reduction in barriers to tobacco cessation services. The program's scope includes health systems, managed care organizations, hospitals, worksites, and community organizations. The program also links organizations and the communities they serve to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line and related cessation services. Since 2001, over 10,000 health care providers in over 500 clinics and 26 health systems and managed care organizations have received Guideline-based cessation training through the Outreach program. This paper examines research supporting this Cessation Outreach Model, describes its operation, discusses key outcomes, and reviews future directions and applications.
Robin J. Perry, BS, CHES; Paula A. Keller, MPH; Dave Fraser, MS; Michael C. Fiore, MD, MPH
Fax to Quit: A Model for Delivery of Tobacco Cessation Services to Wisconsin Residents
(full text PDF)
Research has shown that proactive tobacco cessation quitlines are effective in increasing quit rates 4-fold, compared to quitting with no counseling support. In Wisconsin, the state-funded Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line has documented a quit rate of 22%, with an estimated 6700 individuals quitting as a result of receiving Quit Line services. Since its launch in 2001, the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line has assisted more than 36,000 callers. Until recently, quitline call volume has been highly dependent on paid media campaigns—an expensive, episodic, and often politically difficult strategy to fund at the state level. To foster and sustain quitline use and assist health care professionals in helping their patients successfully quit, the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) developed the "Fax to Quit" program in March 2003. The model involves close collaboration between UW-CTRI and health care delivery systems who train their staff and integrate a quitline referral system into their regular delivery of health care for smokers who are interested in having the quitline contact them. This paper examines the extent to which this approach has been adopted by health care providers in Wisconsin. The potential is for this to become a key component of an integrated tobacco dependence treatment.
Jessica Thieleke, CHES; Janet McMahon, MPH; Gary Meyer, PhD; Kimo AhYun, PhD
An Evaluation of the Freedom From Smoking® Online Cessation Program Among Wisconsin Residents
(full text PDF)
Objective: To study the effectiveness of the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® Online cessation program in assisting Wisconsin residents to quit smoking. Methods: Five hundred fifty-three Wisconsin residents who signed up for the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® Online cessation program over a 10-month period were solicited for participation. Of these, 80 individuals completed the initial survey (response rate 14.41%). Follow-up surveys were conducted 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after participants completed the program. Fifty-two participants completed the 3-month follow-up, 43 completed the 6-month follow-up, 38 completed the 9-month follow-up, and 36 completed the 12-month follow-up. Results: Initial point prevalence rates or whether participants reported that they had smoked in the previous 24-hour period revealed a quit rate of 55%. Sustained abstinence or whether they reported that they had smoked in the previous 3-month period ranged between 28.8% (3 months after program completion) and 16.3% (1 year after program completion). Conclusion: Quit rates compare favorably to current clinic-based smoking cessation programs. Given the low cost nature of an on-line cessation program and the ability to reach a wide audience, the evaluation undertaken of the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® Online cessation program revealed promising results.
Brenda L. Rooney, PhD, MPH; Paula Silha, BS; Jeff Gloyd, BS; Rose Kreutz, BS, BSN, MSEd
Quit and Win Smoking Cessation Contest for Wisconsin College Students
(full text PDF)
Objective: To determine effectiveness of smoking cessation contests at 3 Wisconsin colleges.
Design: Pre-post program evaluation, with 6-month follow-up.
Setting: Two-year technical college, private 4-year college, and state university in spring and fall of 2000.
Subjects: One hundred fifty-two college smokers.
Interventions: Students participated in 7-week stop-smoking contests. Successful quitters were eligible for prizes. Smoking status was assessed at 6-month follow-up by telephone survey.
Results: The cessation rate for 18- to 24-year-olds was 30% at the end of the contests. At the 6-month follow-up, 12% of participants were not smoking. Participants who smoked fewer cigarettes per month were more likely to quit smoking at the end of the contests. Although no difference was found between 2- and 4-year college participants, heavier smokers from 4-year colleges were more likely to quit.
Conclusions: Because of their similarity to effective smoking promotions, contests should be considered a cost-effective strategy for this age group.
Nicholas M. Edwards, MD; Melissa Umland, BS; David Ahrens, MA; Patrick Remington, MD, MPH
The Silent Epidemic Among Wisconsin Women: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Trends, 1980-2000
(full text PDF)
Purpose: To investigate trends in mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Wisconsin. Methods: COPD mortality data for those 45 years of age and older were extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER database and analyzed. Rates were adjusted to the 2000 US Census.
Results: In Wisconsin, the mortality rate from COPD increased by 88% between 1980 and 2000. A similar increase in COPD mortality occurred in the United States during this same period. Among Wisconsin males, the 33% increase from 1980-2000 was higher than the increase for US males. Likewise, the rate among Wisconsin females increased 3.9 times compared to an increase of 2.8 among US females. Unlike men, mortality increased in all age groups of women from 1980 to 2000.
Conclusions: COPD mortality rates are increasing dramatically in Wisconsin, especially among women. Long-term trends in smoking do not explain the increases in COPD death rates among women. Other possible reasons include changes in the pattern of smoking or in the type of cigarette smoked, or women may be more susceptible to lung disease. Wisconsin physicians should target women for diagnosis and treatment of COPD and for smoking cessation and prevention.
Your Practice
David Meyers, MD; David A. Feldstein, MD
Clinical Questions #2
(full text PDF)
Initial treatment of biliary colic: Are NSAIDs better than opiates?
Jonathan W. Hill, RPA
Deciding between your old 401(k) or a new IRA
(full text PDF)
As workers retire or change jobs, they often struggle with what to do with their old employer's 401(k) or similar defined-contribution retirement plan. Cashing in the account is never the best option—the income taxes, potential penalties, and loss of tax-deferred growth are all significant reasons why this is no financial answer. But what is the best option? Should investors keep their money in the old plan, roll it into a new employer's defined-contribution plan if available, or roll it over into an individual retirement account? The answer to this question is as varied as the investors themselves and depends completely on each investor's unique financial situation.
Jay A. Gold, MD, JD, MPH
Smoking cessation counseling in the acute care setting
(full text PDF)
At any given time, relatively few people who smoke are inpatients. Hence, most efforts at counseling people to end smoking take place outside the hospital. However, it behooves us to remember the importance of taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by hospitalization to counsel our patients to stop smoking. This is especially important when patients are admitted for illnesses that may be smoking-related, like acute myocardial infarction or community-acquired pneumonia.
Your Profession
Philip J. Farrell, MD
Time to become a smoke-free state
(full text PDF)
I'm very pleased that the Wisconsin Medical Journal is featuring smoking cessation and tobacco addiction again. This is a topic I care deeply about. The point was driven home yet again on St. Patrick's Day a few months back, when my wife and I visited the new Irish pub in downtown Madison. The place was packed and the atmosphere was great, but the air was polluted because so many people were smoking.
Your Society
House of Delegates
2005 House of Delegates Action on Resolutions and Board Reports
(full text PDF)


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More than 200 insurance industry professionals from around the world during IFTRIPs 2018 flagship event in Moscow. We were grateful for the outstanding hospitality shown by our colleagues at RATIP, the Russian Terror Pool.
The conference attracted a wide range of representatives including insurance brokers, academics, government officials and counter-terrorism specialists. Attendees had an opportunity to explore the changing dynamics of terrorism and cyber risks sharing thought leadership and best practice as they did so.
Delegates heard first-hand about developments within the industry including contemporary methods for insuring and reinsuring terrorist threats. Presenters, speakers and panellists offered a balanced perspective, including global, regional and local dimensions.


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John Kennedy (Nov 17) is a puppeteer who has performed on various Muppet projects since the early 1990s. He began building puppets as a child in his hometown of Plainfield, Indiana where he performed shows at local libraries. One of his first professional jobs was as a singing, dancing, banjo-playing puppeteer at the Indianapolis Union Station Festival Marketplace.
While working on a bachelors degree in theater at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), John wrote the Jim Henson Company and was invited to several performer workshops in New York City. Around the same time John coincidentally landed a job as a dancer in a Muppet revue for Walt Disney World. He relocated to Orlando, Florida, and in a few weeks found himself working beside Jim Henson himself. John would go on to work with the Jim Henson Company and the Muppets for over sixteen years, a relationship that continues to this day.
In recent years John has developed a career as an author and written two popular puppet making books, Puppet Mania! and Puppet Planet. He also hosts puppet making videos on the internet, builds puppets for various non-Muppet projects in the United States and has taught MFA classes in puppetry at the University of Central Florida.


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Sharks are intelligent, fascinating creatures – and they're also quite diverse. In fact, there over 400 species of sharks, ranging from tiny ones that can fit into a fishtank, to incredibly large sharks that survive on fish eggs. In honor of Shark Week, we've compiled some interesting facts about these fascinating creatures. Keep reading to learn more!
20 Fascinating Facts About Sharks
1. Not all sharks are dangerous! In fact, only 25 out of all 368 species of sharks are interested in humans.
2. You're more likely to be hit by an asteroid than die from a shark attack.
3. Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies! Their skeleton is made up of cartilage, which is the exact same thing your ears are made of.
4. Sharks predate the dinosaurs by 200 million years.
5. The extinct C. megalodon is thought to have been up to 67 feet long, making it the largest known species of shark.
6. Thanks to its streamlined shape and powerful tails, the great white shark can swim at speeds up to 30 miles (60km) per hour!
7. The exterior of shark teeth contains fluoride – kind of like built-in toothpaste!
8. The foot of a duck-billed dinosaur was found with a shark tooth inside it. That's one brave shark!
9. Great white sharks off the coast of Seal Island, Africa are known to jump 10 feet to catch seals!
10. During the Middle Ages, fossilized Megalodon teeth were thought to be the petrified tongues of dragons!
11. You're probably bigger than most sharks! 50% are less than 3 feet long, and 30% are between three to six feet long.
12. Great white sharks eat 11 tons of food each year. That's a whopping 22,000 pounds of food!
13. Baby sharks are called "pups".
14. Unlike many animals, shark pups leave their mother and swim off to fend for themselves almost immediately after birth.
15. Unlike most animals, both the shark's top and and bottom jaw can move separately.
16. Surprisingly, sharks lose their teeth pretty easily. Thankfully, they can also regrow them! In fact, some sharks will have over 50,000 teeth during their lifetime.
17. While both the whale shark and the basking shark are the two largest sharks in the ocean, both feed off of plankton and fish eggs.
18. Studies have shown that sharks are quite smart. In fact, they're capable of mapping trips spanning thousands of miles!
19. The spined pygmy shark is thought to be the smallest shark, typically measuring a mere 7 or 8 inches in length.
20. Sharks are important to the ocean's ecosystem! Unfortunately, the shark population is rapidly diminishing due to a practice called "shark finning". In fact, 74 species are currently listed as threatened, and 11 species are critically endangered.
Discover even more fun facts about sharks and learn what you can do to help save them by checking out these fun Shark Week activities on Wizard school!
Still need the wizard school app? Click here to get it for FREE on iTunes!
Sources: Shedd Aquarium | Discovery | National Aquarium | Defenders of Wildlife


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Faculty Advisor
Hansen, Peter H.
Faculty Advisor
Selkow, Stanley M.
Project Center
London, England
London Borough of Brent
This project surveyed all residents of new housing built during the last five years in the London Borough of Brent. A postal questionnaire was distributed to 4,661 residents and had a response rate of 17.3%. Survey questions were used to determine overcrowding levels and resident satisfaction, as well as other information relevant to the Brent Planning Service. A database tool was created to easily analyze survey results, highlight trends and make recommendations to Brent's planning officials.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date Accepted
April 2008
Project Type
Interactive Qualifying Project
Copyright Statement
All authors have granted to WPI a nonexclusive royalty-free license to distribute copies of the work, subject to other agreements. Copyright is held by the author or authors, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted.
Advisor Department
Humanities and Arts
Advisor Department
Computer Science


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Summer Research Project Grants Available From MSU's College Of Arts And Agriculture
A Montana State University professor and two graduate students recently received grants from the Montana State University College Of Arts And Architecture to help fund summer research projects. The College's Dean Adams says the grants range from $280 to $1,115. Hear more from Dean Adams


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Geographic Coverage – FlightStats offers definitive info for about 99.5{904062c9ea6c2737bbc0b878372a93d80ed2193de83b177be1a2424ba55603f8} of U.S. flights, and higher than 86{904062c9ea6c2737bbc0b878372a93d80ed2193de83b177be1a2424ba55603f8} of flights worldwide. As a result of usually the security measures are a little bit tighter for international flights, there are various objects that are normally allowed at your native airport, however here might be banned. The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline when it comes to overall passengers carried, working providers to 18 domestic locations and 203 international locations in 78 nations throughout Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe. Break up flights example: Sydney to San Franciso then return flight Los Angeles to Sydney. We aimed to offer quite a lot of the cheap and greatest travel options and companies at financial value with 24×7 buyer helps.
These databases present you access to all the international flights and enable you to pick out the flight that will not solely be comfortable for travelling however will fit your funds. Since connecting flights contain multiple flights and airlines, as well as stops inside and outdoors of the EU, your eligibility for compensation changes. Normally, booking early will get you a good deal; reserving a summer flight in January or February will be far less costly than booking the same flight in March or April.
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One of many largest airways working in Europe, Lufthansa Airlines gives flights to more than 80 nations worldwide. Scheduling your international journey off the holidays is maybe the best way to keep away from overbooked and busy flights. So when you plan to go there throughout February, don't anticipate you may get low cost airline tickets throughout that month. The airways offer on-line reserving amenities as well as ticket workplaces all through the world.
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WILDFIRES: Lawsuits, LAWSUITS, everywhere, BUT WHOM TO SUE???
What Cambridge U and scientists worldwide had warned us about – as Global Warming (GW) increased unabated, and associated disasters (hurricanes, floods, droughts, ocean rise, tree beetle activity, mosquito-borne diseases) got worse, the wildfires out-paced everything – doubled - and are now on its way to TRIPLE. The ones that caused the GW in the first place – the carbon, fossil fuel interests, supported by others, GMO and likewise greed based – with their Climate Change denial and (documented) slime tactics – worsened it by delaying and preventing effective countermeasures (as we see it to, obviously, distract people from further exploring the real causes of GW and related wildfires) are blaming - with Frankenstein arguments - everybody else, and suggest/hint filing lawsuits to pay for the damages caused by the wildfires.
HOWEVER – applying straight forward science logic – it shows that ingredients in the (kept covert) high altitude geoengineering/SRM VooDoo – causing a "cooling effect" to balance the Global Warming – are, CLEARLY, the cause(s) of the wildfires doubling/tripling, and officials - taking the guilty to court – should consider filing lawsuits against the carbon, oil company interests. READ ON: officially published at ACADEMIA.edu 01.08.2019:
or (same)
This battle for our freedoms is now continuing on FOUR fronts, and everything connects; from anti-aging modalities, to health effects of apprentice Climate Change (Chemtrail) countermeasures (inducing Alzheimer's, Autism, inflammation), to steepening earth's downhill spiral http://www.antiagingforme.org and http://www.iaam.ca .
1) The ever increasing, destructive influence of the special interests on Washington are bringing our country to a point of no return; this goes beyond ANYTHING acceptable, making people victims of corporate greed on every level, and with total disrespect for WE THE PEOPLE - - - replaced by WE THE GREEDY SPECIAL INTERESTS - - and a message to America's people: "We do what we want, and YOU have no right to know!"
2) Medical blunders, left uncorrected due to special interest influence, while YOUR health care costs skyrocket:
3) The Frankenstein-type GMOs - - recently shown to cause tumors, organ malfunctions, sterility, genetic aberrations, Endocrine Disruption, and more. Russia, Scotland, Germany have banned GMO crops. Brazil initiated a ban because of extreme kidney toxicity in farm workers. As of Nov. 2015, 28 countries worldwide banned GMOs. See also:
GMO Industry Harassment against Researchers. Correlation between GM-foods and Deterioration of health in the US http://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=64467
4) A total lack of applying actions needed to avoid a methane-caused earth catastrophe; the references are numerous, just GOOGLE "NASA methane tracker." Special interests - Carbon; coal, oil, gas - obviously in order to maintain profits, have been shown to - intentionally - plant bogus pseudo-science to confuse the issues.
Over the past years the neglect of Climate Change priorities has moved us closer and closer to a point of no return, as made clear in the 2012 emergency/catastrophe announcement by AMEG, the Arctic Methane Emergency Group. http://www.ameg.me , now repeated with strong ducumentation on Dec. 4, 2014.
In the US presently taken covert countermeasures - - Geoengineering, Chemtrails spraying of highly toxic, disease-inducing nanoparticles of Aluminum, Barium, Strontium into high levels of the atmosphere to reduce sun energy - - are apparently dictated by special (carbon) interests, violate principles of thermodynamics, and are highly ineffective.
Dr. Hans J. Kugler, PhD, is a former oil industry (Standard oil of Indiana) research chemist, professor of chemistry, Roosevelt U, Chicago, and Author: "LIFE-LONG HEALTH: learn how to control your genes to stay young with age;" now available as public health education project as e-book at the non-profit price of $ 1.99. Purchase at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/life-long-health-learn-how-to-?store=book&keyword=life-long+health%3A+learn+how+to
Please - !!! - Donate: IAAM is a California 501-c-3 nonprofit health education, research, organization. We pay no salaries. Donations are tax-deductible:
IAAM, 218 Ave. B, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 God bless!


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- Description
Here at RSG we're of the opinion that a napkin is an essential part of completing a dinner table look. There are some fabulous paper and disposable options available but we do confess to having a soft spot for a reusable napkin and they don't get much softer than this Linen Napkin Set.
Sold as a set of 4, these linen napkins have a wonderfully relaxed feel, yet the nature of the garment-washed linen retains the effortless elegance associated with linen. RSG Top Tip: Why not buy more than one colour and alternate or stack on the table to add a mix of colour and design flair?!
Make sure your table setting skills are on top form by following our easy step by step guide and learn how to fold napkins in a creative way with three unique table setting ideas to follow. See the guide HERE.
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Standard UK Delivery is approximately 3-5 working days unless otherwise stated.
For further delivery information, and Click & Collect opening times, please click here.
Sadly some of our products are not available for next day delivery, if you require an express service and are not granted this at the checkout, please call our lovely customer services on 01444 253391 who will do their best to help.
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Linen Napkin Set - White£30.00


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James Patterson's BACK with the stunning 'Crazy House' and it's an absolute tour de force following one sister's journey to help the other. These girls are willing to go above and beyond in the name of sisterhood and friendship.
It got us to wonderin'… How far would we actually go for our BFF? Like… Is a reassuring message on WhatsApp at 2am our limit? Or would we literally walk on hot coals if it meant our best bud remained safe and happy?
Quiz: Which famous ghost is actually haunting you?
QUIZ: What kind of friend are you?
Perhaps we're not going as far as to help our bestie break out of a violence-based prison for teens (yeehaw for dystopia!)… But… We feel like we'd go the distance. Wouldn't you?
How did you do? Are you going to be telling your BFF the good news, or..?


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Selecting the best automotive rental company will depend on several factors. On this weblog publish, we'll take you thru the top five successful companies in the automotive industry. With a contract to supply electrical vehicles to Hertz, Coda seems to be to be solidifying its footing as a player within the electric automotive enterprise. With amarket share of 10.9 p.c, Toyota sold 9.94 million vehicles in 2016.
When figuring out which firms to focus on, we checked out several auto insurance coverage related studies, together with J.D. Energy's Auto Claims Satisfaction Research From these studies, we handpicked a number of companies that acquired excessive rankings throughout the board.
Ensure that to buy with personal firms and insurance coverage brokers who might be able to offer a automotive insurance quote from different insurers. They include tractor autos designed for towing semi-trailers. Past researching the very best auto insurance coverage firms in the marketplace, you may also must determine which sort of coverage to buy – and the way a lot protection you really want.
Along with insurance policies that may be tailor-made to your unique insurance wants, they generally provide superior customer service, an up-to-date web site where you possibly can pay your bill or test your coverage details, and a prime-notch claims course of that makes recovering from an auto accident as seamless as attainable.
Established in 1961, the corporate gives the widest vary of ride control products in India, together with Shock Absorbers, Struts and Front Forks, across every automotive phase with over 300 product models on offer. Usually what drives the leaders of the largest automobile producers, retailers, and automotive service corporations is kind of different from what their Tremendous Bowl promoting commercials would really like auto customers to consider.


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2016 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro Next Perfect Gaming Devices? Specs, Release Date … – Latinos Post
(Foto: Getty)
Is Apple moving to please gamers now?
Rumors have it that the upcoming versions of the Macbook Air and MacBook Pro will be great for gaming with the inclusion of an Nvidia GPU and a "new external GPU specifically designed for Apple devices," as noted by Yibada.
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Nvidia had announced the availability of the GeFroce GTX 950, which has a 2GB RAM and is priced at $159.
"If you're looking for a modern GPU that can handle the latest games, this is the place to start. Up to three times faster than previous-generation GeForce GTX 650, and with support for all the latest technologies and effects, the GTX 950 gets you in the game," Nvidia was quoted by Geeky Gadgets as saying.
"2GB of video memory ensures a high level of texture detail at 1920×1080 in the majority of games, and all those bells and whistles that may have been previously off-limits can now be enabled," it went on to explain.
With this development, many pundits have speculated that this new graphic card may find its way into the MacBook Air 2016, as well as the MacBook Pro 2016.
The MacBook Air 2016 has been rumored to feature Force Touch and also have USB Type-C and Touch ID. It may also be powered by Intel's faster Skylake-U chipset.
If the reports are indeed true, it sounds like the upcoming MacBook Air is worth the wait – which is a hard thing to do considering the current MacBook Air comes at an appealing price at below $1,000.
Previously, gaming on a MacBook sounded a less desirable option. However, Apple had made changes to the hardware so that it gradually became better for gaming.
"The MacBook Pro range offers Intel Iris graphics at the low end, and strong dedicated graphics as you get to the top – and most models have brilliant super high-res screens to show it off, too," TechRadar noted.
"There's the Mac Pro, boasting a Xeon processor and two GPUs in a near-silent, eight-inch-tall enclosure (okay, it really isn't for gaming, but it's gorgeous). Even the MacBook Air is making the most of Haswell, with brand new processors and Intel's decent HD 5000 graphics in a tiny machine that gets 12 hours of battery life," it added.
Apple's introduction of the Boot Camp software helped pave the way to a great gaming experience traditionally had on Windows-powered devices. With the said software, users can play Windows games on Mac.
Naturally, the next step to this is an Apple laptop that can top this kind of gaming experience. Will the 2016 iterations be the models Mac-loving gamers have been wishing for?
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One of the most important considerations in any business is to ensure that payments are properly received and processed. Otherwise, you may as well not be in business at all. To help expedite this, we're dedicating this week's tip to creating a better, more effective invoice. Let's get into it.
Infradapt Blog
Did you know that Microsoft Word can actually edit PDF files? Well… the most recent version of it can, anyway. Since Adobe Acrobat can be a considerable investment for each and every one of your employees, you can instead turn to the tried and true Microsoft Word for this purpose. We'll show you how you can do this (as long as you have the most recent version of MS Word).
Open the PDF
First, you'll need to open the PDF. To do this, open up Microsoft Word and select Open Other Documents from the left-hand menu.
This brings up the Open menu. Next, you want to click on Browse.
Another message will appear telling you that Word will convert the PDF to an editable Word document. If this sounds fine, click on OK.
Your PDF should open up in Word now, but you might notice that there is still a yellow bar at the top of the screen that says PROTECTED VIEW. This is meant to secure your software from opening anything dangerous. If you can trust the document, click the Enable Editing button.
Once you press the button, another notification will show you that Word will convert the PDF to an editable Word document. To close this message, just click on the checkboxor click OK.
You can now edit your PDF.
Once you're done, you can save the file back to a PDF format. To do this, select File > Save As and set the type to PDF from the dropdown menu under the assigned file name. You will have to rename the document slightly to save it to a file folder.
Once you're done, your edited PDF will open in Microsoft Edge, or whatever your default PDF viewer happens to be.
What are some other cool features of Microsoft Word that you would like us to cover? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.
If you're like most business users, you rely on email quite a bit to stay apprised of what is going on, as do most of the people you are likely in communication with. As such, you most likely understand that, while most emails require some kind of response or confirmation of receipt, not all of these messages require a heartfelt message. This is where Gmail's Canned Responses come in handy.
This week's tip will go over how to set up your own canned responses to streamline your repetitive, but necessary, communications.
How to Set Up Canned Responses
First, you'll need to log in to the browser version of Gmail. Once there, click on the Gear icon in the top right under your profile image and select Settings from the menu. From there, you'll see a horizontal menu that will display Advanced, click into it. You will see the option to enable Canned Responses. Click the radio button to select enable, and then save your changes. You can now create canned responses to use in your correspondence.
Creating and Using Your Canned Responses
To create a canned response to use, open the message composer and write out what you want your message to say. Once you are satisfied with your return message, access the message window options by clicking the button in the bottom-right corner. That menu should now have a Canned responses option, with a sub-menu that allows you to save a New canned response. You will be prompted to give your new response a name, and then it will be saved for future use in that sub-menu.
What kind of messages would you anticipate using canned responses for? Tell us what you think in the comments!
It is no secret that Google can serve a great utility in the office through its many services and applications. However, have you ever considered how the Google Assistant can, well, assist you through devices like your smartphone and the assorted smart speakers that Google has produced? For today's tip, we'll review how some of the features of the Google Assistant can lend you a hand in the professional environment.
Basic Automation
Since productivity is one of the top goals in almost any office, it only makes sense to first focus on how using Google Home can boost your productivity through automation. While the device can serve many purposes on its own, it truly blossoms as a productivity tool through integrations with other devices and services.
For example, if you have equipped your office with smart lights or smart thermostats, you can adjust your office's environment simply by telling Google to make the change you want. As a result, you can take greater control over your business environment without interrupting your productivity. After all, doesn't it take much less time and effort to simply say, "Hey Google, turn off the lights in the conference room," or "Hey Google, set temperature to 73 degrees," than it would to interrupt what you were doing and go manually make the same changes?
More Advanced Automation (Kind Of)
If you're at all familiar with the web service IFTTT, you can integrate it with your Google Home device to automate a variety of outcomes, based on predetermined triggers. It's right in IFTTT's name: If This, Then That.
Using IFTTT, you can connect your Google Home (or whichever Google device you're using) to design your own commands that require the use of the Google Home. All you have to do is set "this" to be the Google Assistant, and choose the trigger you want your command to use. These triggers will all be of the spoken word variety, and each command can feature a few different variations. Once you've assigned the words to the command, click Create Trigger. To add the desired action you want automated, click through "that."
You can then search through the available channels that you can trigger through your Google Assistant, select the one you want, and fill in the required configuration fields. Once you hit finish, your automated action will be active and ready to go when you are.
Activating More Commands
The Google Home devices have other utilities baked in that can be of some use to you in an office setting, especially if multiple devices are in use.
For instance, if your office is large and you can't get ahold of someone through message or phone call, your Google Home device can function as an intercom. By accessing the Assistant on your smartphone, you can command the Google Home to "broadcast" and it will replay whatever message you speak into it afterwards to any Home devices connected to your account.
Of course, the Google Home devices are receptive to commands from multiple users, with up to six accounts being able to use the devices in their own way. The Google Home will even customize their answers based on the user making the request through its Voice Match training.
Finally, if a visitor to the office has something to share over the Google Home, the Guest mode allows them to connect directly to the device, without needing to connect to Wi-Fi. This means that you can keep your Wi-Fi password to yourself, and not give it out to every visitor to your office.
How else can you think of to use the Google Home to augment your day-to-day activities in the office? Share your ideas in the comments!
Regardless of your organization's size, there is more than likely a large amount of information technology to keep track of and maintain. As is usually the case when so many moving parts and variables are involved, the task of keeping them organized can quickly become difficult and stressful. This week, we'll give you a few tips on how a proper inventory can help your business stay apprised of its IT resources.
What Can an Inventory Do?
At its core, an inventory serves the purpose of keeping track of the assets and resources a business has in its possession. This spans from how many cases of burger patties a fast food franchise has to how much water a hydroponic plant has in reserve. Not only does this assist the business with ensuring that it always has the resources necessary to operate, it also assists with insurance claims. By keeping you up-to-date on what you have, an inventory serves as a documented resource that can support your claims if the need arises - such as after a disaster event or theft.
Furthermore, a detailed and up-to-date inventory record can help you to identify how old your resources are, allowing you to prioritize when it needs to be refreshed and/or replaced.
As one would imagine, these are all important factors to consider when technology is involved. In light of this, it becomes especially important to develop and enforce a unified and direct system as a standard during the inventorying process.
What Your Inventory Needs to Account For
As you create this system, you need to make sure it addresses the five key details included in a comprehensive inventory record.
1. What is it that you have?
Of course, the whole point of an inventory is to identify the resources you have on hand. Given the long, detailed names that many technology components have (in addition to the many details a piece of hardware or software will have that need to be addressed), it may make the most sense to develop a shorthand that easily and efficiently communicates what exactly it is that your business has in its possession.
For example, if you utilize differently-sized hard drives for different tasks and purposes, you will likely have a stash of these hard drives squirrelled away for later use. Rather than writing out a comprehensive list, creating an internal shorthand will make the task of inventorying these components much easier.
So, if a company were to have 7 spare hard drives, 1 blue hard disk drive with a 5 terabyte capacity, 3 red solid state drives with 10 terabytes each, 2 black hard disk drives with 10 terabytes each, and one purple hard disk drive with a capacity of 5 terabytes, using shorthand might simplify that list into:
2. Where is it stored?
This consideration is especially important if a company has more than one location or stores their supplies in more than one spot in the building. Your inventory record needs to keep track of where a given component is kept so it may be found quickly if need be. Make sure you mark the building it is in, as well as the room and where specifically in that room it is kept. This adds a little more information to your shorthand list:
3. Additional Details to Include
Finally, there are other pieces of information you should use your inventory process to track. To assist with potential insurance needs and monitoring your solutions for a refresh, it helps to add the date that the technology was acquired, as well as how much it cost to acquire it. As a result, your list becomes:
- 1 HDD - BLUE - 1TB (MAIN LOCATION/BASEMENT/SHELF A) - $95 (May 9, 2017)
- 3 SSD - RED - 1TB (MAIN LOCATION/BASEMENT/SHELF E) - $250 (June 30, 2017)
- 2 HDD - BLACK - 1.5TB (SAT-OFFICE1/ROOM4/SHELF B) - $160 (August 18, 2017)
- 1 HDD - PURPLE - 10TB (SAT-OFFICE2/ROOM2/SHELF D) - $355 (February 2, 2018)
Other Considerations for Your Inventory
Maintaining an up-to-date set of totals for your inventory is an essential process. After all, what's the point of keeping track of your inventory if it isn't going to be accurate anyway? This means that, in addition to ensuring that you start off with the right numbers, you need some sort of system to help you keep a running total. Whether this system is manually keeping totals on a clipboard, updating a spreadsheet, or leveraging asset management, is up to you.
Reach out to us here at Infradapt by calling 800.394.2301 to see how we can help. In the meantime, keep checking back for more helpful tips and tricks.