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Keep your family healthy this summer with insect repellant. Whaaat? This summer, insects are going to be especially pesky, if not downright deadly.
During the last 14 years, nine new germs that cause disease have been introduced into the United States. The germs are carried by infected mosquitoes and ticks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During this time, there's been a three-fold increase in reported diseases from infected mosquito, tick #TickBorneDiseases and flea bites. Diseases reported from tick bites alone have doubled since 2004. #Lyme Although there's been a steady increase in disease cases since 2004, the number doubled in just one year, from 2015 to 2016. This summer promises to be another record-setter for diseases caused by insects.
Over the past 20 years, epidemics from mosquito-borne diseases #Zika are happening more frequently. Part of this increase is because our public health system is not fully prepared to respond and protect people. Local and state health departments face an increased demand to respond, often with no additional funds to do so. The director of the CDC says that although local agencies are our first line of defense, they are chronically underfunded. The CDC reports that more than 80 percent of the organizations that control these potentially deadly pests need improvement in one or more of the five core competencies, such as testing for pesticide resistance.
Another reason for the disease surge is warmer weather. Many scientists point to climate change and a warming climate. Warmer weather enlarges the geographic area where insects and the diseases they carry can thrive. Warmer weather provides conditions that make it easier for insects to breed and transmit diseases faster. The tick season has expanded from summer to include spring and fall. Extended hot spells permit mosquito-borne diseases outbreaks to be more widespread. Climate change also helps the mouse population grow and researchers think mice are the main source of tick infection.
Other causes of increased disease cases include a lack of vaccines, suburban sprawl, and more international travel and commerce they spread disease through human carriers, according to the CDC. Ticks need the blood of rodents and deer to survive. These animals have increased as their habitat has changed due to human expansion into formerly wooded or wild areas. Other factors include less deer hunting and the disappearance of rodents' natural predators like fox.
Prevention works
The most effective way to avoid these diseases is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Here are the best tips from the CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Bites from infected mosquitoes can cause the Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis and malaria. Most people do not become sick after a bite from an infected mosquito, but some people have a short-term illness that may include high fever, headache, vomiting, fatigue, muscle and joint pains. Severe, long-term illness is rare although these diseases can cause death in severe cases.
- Use insect repellant before going outside, especially during times when mosquitoes are active – at dawn, dusk and evening. Be sure your repellant is EPA-registered and contains at least one of the active ingredients approved and tested for effectiveness by the EPA (DEET, Picaridin, IR 3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol and 2-undecanone). This ensures they are safe and effective, even for young children, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Apply and re-apply repellant according to label directions. Do not spray on skin under clothing. Spray on clothing and shoes for best results.
- Apply sunscreen first, if you're using it, then insect repellant over the sunscreen.
- Do not apply on cut, scratched or irritated skin, on babies younger than two months, and do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-methane-diol on children younger than age 3. Spray repellant onto your hands and then apply to a child's face.
- Protect babies and children when they're outside by dressing them in clothing that covers arms and legs. Cover cribs, strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting.
- Treat clothing and shoes with permethrin; don't use it directly on skin.
- Cover all windows and doors with screens.
- Empty items outside your home that hold water, such as potted plant saucers, birdbaths, fountains, old tires, buckets, toys and wading pools to keep mosquitoes from breeding there. Do this at least weekly and after a rain.
- Clean areas where mosquitoes rest, especially dark, humid places such as under patio furniture, leaf piles, canvas coverings over boats or outdoor grills.
- Keep roof gutters clean and downspouts free-running; drain flat roofs.
Ticks can carry many bacteria, viruses and fungi, which can all be transmitted in a single bite. Lyme disease (LD) is the most dangerous tick-borne disease. Researchers have identified more than 12 types of LD and related conditions and they are increasing in number. About half of LD-infected patients have at least one co-infection. The most common are Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Anaplasma and Tularemia. Co-infections cause more severe illness, more symptoms and a longer recovery.
LD is the fastest growing infectious disease in the United States. The most effective method to prevent these diseases is to never let a tick touch you and certainly not bite you. You cannot feel a tick bite because tick saliva contains a substance that numbs skin. Tick saliva also fights your body's immune system, giving the tick's germs a better chance of infecting you. Less than 20 percent of LD-infected persons remember having a tick bite.
To avoid tick bites, the International Lyme Association recommends these precautions:
- Prevent all contact with ticks by spraying shoes, clothing and exposed skin with repellent during tick season – from early spring through fall. June, July and August are the peak months for LD infections. Those who sprayed their footwear had 74 percent fewer tick bites.
- Wear insect repellent whenever you are gardening, doing yard work or any activities in the woods or long grass. Repellents containing DEET, permethrin, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus are most effective. Natural insect repellents using essential oils are also available to deter ticks.
- Wear light-colored clothes and shoes to see ticks better.
- Cover bare skin with socks, shoes that cover the feet (no sandals), long pants tucked into your socks, and a long-sleeved shirt, tucked in.
- Wear a hat or scarf if you pass under trees; tie back long hair.
- Check yourself frequently for ticks while outside. You can become infected with LD in less than an hour.
- Avoid playing in leaves, gathering firewood and leaning against tree trunks because ticks stay near the ground. Stay on cleared trails instead of walking across grassy fields.
- Undress in a shower stall or dry bathtub, so you can see the ticks that drop off.
- Put all clothing into a dryer immediately, at high heat (185 degrees), for at least six minutes. Then wash in hot (130 degrees) and dry normally. If you wash clothing first, it will not kill many ticks and you will have to dry the clothes in a hot dryer for at least 50 minutes.
- Do a full-body tick check before bathing. Ticks can survive a bath or shower. Pay special attention to underarms, groin, belly button, neck, hair, in and behind ears, behind knees, and wherever clothing fits snuggly, such as a waistband. Feel for ticks or use a mirror if you don't have anyone to check your back. Parents should check their children for ticks.
- Check your outdoor pets for ticks frequently. Your veterinarian can advise you about the most effective tick-prevention methods for pets.
- Let landscaping practices help: Keep your grass mowed, remove brush and leaves, and create a three-foot wide barrier of wood chips or mulch between your lawn and wooded areas to restrict tick migration. Ticks like grassy, wooded and leaf-covered areas and dark wet places. They can also fall from trees.
- Get rid of mice as soon as you see them or their droppings. Mice are the primary way that ticks get LD. Prevent mice by eliminating all food sources. Be very careful that food scraps are disposed of in a secure bin. Keep rubbish and stored lumber or firewood away from your home. Mice and rats like dark, moist places so try to eliminate them around your home and any outbuildings. Permanently seal or repair any holes that are ¾ inch on the outside of your home that would let rodents enter, including pipes and conduits.
- Remove a tick that bites you immediately. Removing ticks correctly is very important because it helps you avoid infections. Here's the best method:
- Grasp the tick's body firmly, as close to your skin as possible, using a fine-pointed tweezers.
- Pull the tick's head straight out, using steady even pressure, without twisting.
- Dispose of the tick by flushing down the toilet.
- Disinfect the bite site and wash your hands after removing a tick.
- Use a credit card to slide under the tick in an emergency. Press upward at the mouth until the tick pulls itself out.
- Never use a hot match, Vaseline, liquid soap, nail polish, nail polish remover, lighter fluid or other chemicals to remove the tick. These incorrect removal methods can make the tick vomit germs into your blood. The germs that cause LD and related infections are in the tick's gut, not its mouth.
Visit this blog for more details about Lyme disease symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Fleas are known to carry the bubonic plague, which killed up to 90 percent of the people in some areas of Europe during medieval times. Although the plague remains rare, a few cases a year are reported in the Southwestern United States. It can be cured with antibiotics.
Fleas can also carry typhus and serve as a host for tapeworms that can infest people when their pets have fleas. Fleas also host heartworms that affect dogs.
To control fleas:
- Treat everything – all pets and their indoor and outdoor living areas – at one time. A retreatment is necessary because insecticides do not kill fleas in the pre-emergent stage.
- Deep clean to remove as many fleas and their eggs as possible before you use insecticides. This means vacuuming all carpets, rugs, cushioned furniture, floor cracks and crevices, along baseboards and in basements. Then steam clean carpet and rugs. Pay special attention to areas where your pets spend most of their time, both indoors and outdoors.
- Wash all pet and human bedding in hot, soapy water. Dispose of pet bedding if the infestation is severe.
- Use a flea comb on pets, especially the neck and tail areas where most fleas congregate. Put adult fleas in hot, soapy water to kill them.
- Remove flea-friendly areas outside your home by keeping your lawn mowed, leaves raked, and reduce the organic debris from flowerbeds and under bushes.
- Apply insecticide to your pets, and to the inside of your home and outdoor areas. Reapply to heavily infested areas. Your entire lawn may also need treatment if the infestation is severe. Consider a professional pesticide company to apply pesticides to your home and lawn.
To learn more
Visit these websites:
Lymedisease.org is an advocacy, education and research organization
Ilads.org is the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society
Arklf.com is the Arkansas Lyme Foundation


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The CHL Has Arrived As The AAU – UHU Free To Play Entry
Free to play junior hockey. It is, in the end, what every player and parent hope for. Particularly in the long months of summer tryout camp travels. It is what many players use as a benchmark for their individual success. To say they have made it to the upper echelons of amateur competition.
Six founding member organizations are seeking to increase those free to play offerings in 2017. Allowing more athletes that opportunity that escapes so many young athletes.
At a Board of Governors meeting today in Las Vegas Nevada, the CHL met in person to discuss the future of the league moving forward.
The League Operations Manual, and all other internal documentation that had been under review was approved and adopted.
Of note, the most important topic of conversation surrounded the undertaking of populating the 2017 rosters for the CHL.
A two phase draft system was adopted.
Phase I of the draft is exclusively for those athletes participating in an AAU – UHU sanctioned league in the 2016 season. Only those players participating in an AAU – UHU league will be drafted in Phase I.
Phase II of the draft will be exclusively for those players attending Pre Draft events. If you do not participate in a pre draft event, you will not be drafted.
These are the only ways athletes will be drafted into the CHL for 2017. All other players may be signed as free agency opens at the conclusion of the draft.
More information on the CHL will be made available in the coming weeks. For more information firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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the problem of pain has been around since mankind entered the scene. God wasn't surprised by our affliction…or by the the idols we'd turn to for relief. He isn't surprised by our short term memory either. His mercy toward us is confounding. and we…we just continue to forget to remember that He is up to good for our souls.
His heart breaks for us as we layer on burdens and scurry about, filling up our lives with duty and distraction…shutting down and masking off the acuteness of our pain. our skewed and stubborn thinking even convinces us that we can elude or escape it. in short, us humans are a confused mess. it's almost as if our very brokenness keeps us pinned up against the wall with no way out. we don't even know how badly we need grace. grace that flows endlessly from a Father who understands our pain. One who invites us into rest, realness and to be known in our mess…the very darkest, dirtiest mess and to be loved there.
still we reject this lavishing…and are satisfied with self effort.
attempt after attempt to tidy ourselves.
to cover our shame. to partake of our mere sliver of a "nice life"
we are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an arrogant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. we are far too easily pleased. -C. S. Lewis
…so we sit in our mud puddle, buried in self contempt. trying to scrub the mess off. not having a clue how to escape the inner angst.
we run hard. medicate. disengage. try to just feel ok.
but His love runs us down and brings us to our knees. so that looking bad in the face of the Father's love is the only life line He gives. we must grab hold of His mercy , forgiveness and covering …knowing that His lavish and drenching love is truly our only hope.
we can stop running away from the very thing we need in the moment of our darkest hour. stop running away from grace. keeping it at arms length when our soul is crying out for it…believing we don't deserve it.
we don't.
but God knew all along that our self-reliance would box us in. that we would tend to get ourselves so stuck, we'd need an all out rescue. we'd need Him to come down…
to save us.
save us from ourselves, from our pain, from our forgetting.
come Jesus and find us here…in our pitiful state. forgive our forgetfulness , forgive our dependence on things we can touch and see and give us a reckless faith. heal our broken thinking and flood us with Your waterfall of grace. we are desperate for You.
for Issac


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Loved playing in water. Here he is about 19 months old getting soaked in the back yard. This was another layout idea from a kit but again I didnt follow it too closely.
This is the reverse of the above image and just one I quickly put together at the end of the session last Wednesday. My sleepy boys in the days before Meghan. Another 2 layouts for James' scrapbook this time - one day I may finish it!
Thanks for stopping by x


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Today was at least 60 degrees out. It was a day to go outside and start removing layers: hat, gloves, scarf, fleece, etc... Not a wool socks day at all- what a gift!
Today I made like Forest Gump and went running. In my case it was walking. I felt like I wanted to walk until I couldn't walk anymore. I walked up to Andersonville and went into Taste of Heaven and got some treats. Then I went to Alamo and got some new shoes. And finally, I stopped in Famous Fidos and got some treats for my babies. No treats for Steve though- he's on the bad list for not fixing our kitchen.
I feel relaxed now-thankfully. It's going to get cold again tomorrow I heard- but at least everyone will be back at work and won't feel deprived.
The only thing I did to improve our house this weekend, besides put some stuff away, was go out front and pick up the trash that had blown down the street. I now clean about half of our block on a regular basis. I just can't stand looking at all the garbage people carelessly toss outside. If everyone did this- what a world we'd have. So much prettier!


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Material Detail
Is William Martinez Not Our Brother?: Twenty Years of the Prison Creative Arts Project
Prisons are an invisible, but dominant, part of American society: the United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world, with 25 percent of the world's prisoners currently held within its borders. In Michigan, the number of prisoners rose from 3,000 in 1970 to more than 50,000 by 2008, a shift that Buzz Alexander witnessed firsthand when he came to teach at the University of Michigan. Is William Martinez Not Our Brother? describes the University of Michigan's Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP), a pioneering program founded in 1990 that works with incarcerated youth and adults in Michigan juvenile facilities and prisons. Alexander recounts the genesis and evolution of this radically pragmatic and original system that begins with university courses for credit, then... Show More
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text: Our luxury handmade leather sofas are made to the highest quality and provide the perfect solution for a busy home. This timeless leather upholstery is durable and long lasting, and available in a range of colours. This quality piece of furniture will be an investment for you to cherish in your home for years to come.


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Month: October 2009
artificial dunes
Marathon plus
autumn colour
The Silent Stone
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings were in Breda last weekend. We used to call him "the Silent Stone" in the day's he was playing in the famous band.
sunset at the beach
STOP ….texting and driving !
creative commons
No Helmet, Please! Mike made a beautiful video in which he explains the stupidness of the helmet mandatory in Australia …..


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Reiki Student (after R II attunement): "I've had a lot of emotions swirling around. Trying to figure out what they are and what to do with them. Part of me wants to just give in to them all, but I'm afraid I might fall apart a bit if I do that.
I do have a question. You said that anyone can receive the attunements simply by asking for them. Does that mean that anyone can practice reiki without having a teacher? There seems to be a lot of attention given to the lineage of the master, but if anyone can receive the attunements by asking, then why is there a need to track lineage of master to master? Unless I am misunderstanding something, it seems a human structure and order and entitlement has been created around passing this knowledge when there isn't necessarily a need for it. Am I missing something or misunderstanding something?"
My response: "I agree that to look at our emotions and the thoughts that created them is beneficial. This is our truth. When we don't hold ourselves dear with compassion things get bottled up so to speak and often 'come out sideways.'
"Mikao Usui practiced Reiki without a teacher. Another way of looking at it is that Reiki taught him and anyone that asks, receives. Or that Usui taught himself by getting in divine touch with who he/we are as sacred, all-knowing consciousness." ~ Michele Nappi – Reiki Master Initiate
There is a lot of information around about Reiki. There is every 'type' of Reiki one can imagine now. Which is all about people exploring creation, I believe. Yes, we are this energy. Reiki is universal consciousness. We are universal consciousness. When we allow ourselves to expand, go beyond duality, BE we have the ability to know ourselves as the all-knowing consciousness that we are and always will be.
This is my belief, anyway. It is a process of releasing that which no longer serves us to expand and explore in duality. This is all well and 'good' until it is not.
When we suffer – when we are in pain – it is because we have contracted spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. We contract because we are in agreement to. We agree that we 'should' be or not be thinking, feeling, expressing in some manner that goes along with the taught-thought conditionings we are sentimental about.
When we begin to expand it may feel like it hurts, too. It may feel like a grieving process of letting go. It takes great courage and determination to 'be' who/what we would like to explore the possibilities of. We have a right to find out what works for us solely.
The lineage may be an ego thing. What do you think? It may be as Mrs. Takata said, that we would not have been able to appreciate Reiki unless it cost a lot of money. Or perhaps that was her way of experiencing money; ego. We may never know.
Some people believe deeply in what they have been taught; that we need to study hard and long under a teacher; one with greater knowledge so that we can get a piece of paper that proves to ourselves and society that 'we have made it.' There is satisfaction in that, I agree. Yet, not all can afford this or even have a desire to do this in this way. What about those souls? Do we just leave them out? What about the people who are handicapped or those that society deem unworthy? Pardon me but 'give me a break!'
I believe the greater satisfaction is remembering in our own unique way who we are and always will be. This could come from anything, as a reminder; Reiki, art, music, dance, types of education, being a martyr, a 'sinner,' and so forth. Would you agree? How else to 'find' ourselves and discover what we already know!?"
We have a right – an inherent beingness – to explore beyond our conditionings and taught-thoughts with kindness, tenderness, compassion – experiencing our unique self. That is how we chose to come out of the cave, learn about the world we live in here in the Land of Duality! ~ michelenappi.com


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HPV Channel
Topics & Medications
Related Channels
HPV Research
Other Areas of HPV ResearchHPV researchers are studying how the virus causes precancerous changes in normal cells and how these changes can be prevented. For example, scientists are developing HPV vaccines that will be stable at room temperature. The goal is to develop a vaccine that does not require refrigeration for storage and distribution, which could allow for its use in many climates and locations.
Laboratory research has indicated that HPVs produce proteins known as E5, E6, and E7. These proteins interfere with the cell functions that normally prevent excessive growth. For example, HPV E6 interferes with the human protein p53. This protein is present in all people and acts to keep tumors from growing. This research is being used to develop ways to interrupt the process by which HPV infection can lead to the growth of abnormal cells.
Researchers are also studying what people know and understand about HPV and cervical cancer, the best way to communicate to the public about the latest research results, and how healthcare providers are talking with their patients about HPV. This research will help ensure that the public receives accurate information about HPV that is easily understood, and will facilitate access to appropriate tests for those who need them.
Potential Benefits of Participating in HPV ResearchPeople who join HPV research studies may be among the first to benefit if a new approach is effective. And even if people in a clinical trial do not benefit directly, they still make an important contribution by helping healthcare providers learn more about HPV and how to control it. Although clinical trials may pose some risks, researchers do all they can to protect their patients. If you are interested in HPV research trials that may benefit you, talk with your healthcare provider.
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD


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Throughout the years, Independent Travel has build up a network of local agents all over the world.
Together with our loyal partners we gladly propose a full program according your wishes and budget.
Independent Travel puts a lot of attention, time and passion in such programs.
• Not more expensive than "composed packages" out of the classical holiday-folders.
• The trip gets composed according YOUR wishes and budget.
• Immediate local contact has the advantange of having original programs.
• Independent Travel selects partners with passion for travel.
Don't hesitate in contacting us via firstname.lastname@example.com to receive a detailed offer.


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MaryAnn French: Owner/Director
MaryAnn French has owned and operated Mary-Go-Round Learning Center for close to 30 years. Mary graduated from Keene State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education along with an Associate degree in Early Childhood education. Since graduating college, she has taken workshops and educational seminars to keep up in the field of education. When Mary is not here at Mary-Go-Round, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, running and teaching fitness classes.
Jillian Godbout: Lead Teacher Creative Classroom
Jillian is married with three children and lives in Hooksett. She has been in the teaching field for 15 years. She has a B.S. in Counseling/psychology at a master's level. She has been with Mary-Go-Round since September 2015. When she is not at work, she is busy volunteering here in Hooksett, foster parent, scouts, coaching, PTA, etc.
Amy Aube: Lead Teacher Discovery Classroom
Amy received her degree in E.C.E. from GSC and has her credentials at master teacher level one. Amy loves the outdoors and nature. She is passionate about sharing her love and knowledge of the natural world with all of her students. She is creative and not afraid to explore and get messy! Amy lives in Bow and is married with two grown boys that teach in Japan and a step daughter that is now a Speech Pathologist. Amy owned and operated her own center in Derry, New Hampshire for infants through the age of 8. She has had many roles over the years as owner, director, special ed assistant, school coordinator…however her favorite is teaching preschool.
Katelyn Forsythe: Assistant Teacher
Katelyn lives in Deerfield, New Hampshire with her parents and dog. She attended New Hampshire Technical Institute in the fall of 2015 for Criminal Justice, and plans to finish in the summer of 2019, majoring in Criminal Justice. She has worked with children since she was 15 years old, from private nannying to settling into a daycare. She has a strong passion for working with children and sharing her knowledge and skills with all of the children. She enjoys spending her time hiking, working on fitness skills, going on road trips, and spending time with her nephews.


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I loooooove Starbucks Peppermint Mochas. Love them. But their sugar-laden version is so extremely bad for me that I haven't had one in a long time. Even the "skinny" version isn't exactly boosting my health, so I came up with a low-carb, healthy frozen peppermint mocha that satisfies my craving and keeping me on track with a healthy diet. This is a Trim Healthy Mama "S" recipe, and can easily be made dairy-free, too! I topped mine with whipped coconut milk, shaved Lily's Chocolate, and Sugar-Free Peppermint Candies (I was gifted a bag of xylitol peppermint candies, which I understand are super expensive, but they don't really add much to this recipe so feel free to skip them – it's just a garnish!).
I put together a VERY Last-Minute Gift Guide for Christmas Ideas (including some for Trim Healthy Mamas!) if you're holiday shopping, like me…actually, I'm shopping online and sipping one of these for an afternoon pick-me-up as we speak! If you need ingredients, you can buy Jay Robb Protein Powder at Netrition.com, and Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet Blend and Protein Powder are available at the Trim Healthy Mama store.
- ¾ cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk
- 1½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 scoop protein powder (I use Jay Robb's egg white protein powder)
- 1 teaspoon MCT or coconut oil
- ½ cup coffee (I used Trader Joe's plain instant coffee because my coffee maker is broken)
- 2½ - 3 tsp Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet Blend or equivalent* to taste
- 1-2 drops peppermint extract
- 1-2 cups of ice
- Combine all ingredients (except for ice) in a blender and blend well. I recommend putting a drop of peppermint extract on a spoon, then dripping it into the blender so that you don't accidentally put too much in the shake. I start with one drop and increase to two if it's not minty enough. You can also add more or less sweetener depending on your taste preference.
- Once the ingredients are blended well, add ice until you get the consistency you want. For me, it's about 1 cup plus a few extra ice cubes.
- *If you substitute the sweetener, please check Trim Healthy Mama's sweetener conversion chart first!
- Top with whipped cream and Lily's chocolate chips or chocolate bar shavings - these toppings are optional, but really good, and they are what makes this an "S" recipe. If you leave the toppings out, you'll have a THM FP.
Here's a link to Trim Healthy Mama's Sweetener Conversion Chart if you need it! Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2015


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The big news in the Catholic world today, March 1, 2018, is that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a letter to bishops "On Certain Aspects of Christian Salvation." I haven't read the letter yet (it's pretty short, just over 4000 words), but the report from the National Catholic Register is that the document addresses modern revivals of Pelagianism and Gnosticism, the later of which we've examined in great detail, the former hopefully being a topic brought up in later episodes of our reflection on our One Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope to read the document and get around at some point to reflecting on it.
In Christ, our Salvation!


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Constructive and Difficult Conversations
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welcome to the dc metro chapter
The APICS Advantage
Supply chain and operations management is one of the fastest growing professions globally, creating great demand for top notch, highly competent professionals. APICS research, education and certification advances supply chain professionals to excel in the profession and become the leaders who will transform supply chain organizations for peak performance. APICS DC Metro Chapter is here to create exciting possibilities for current and future supply chain leaders to deliver, innovate and impact our world.
Constructive and Difficult Conversations
January 16, 2020
Add to Calendar
John Allison Public House
155 South Antrim Way
Greencastle, PA 17225
Venue Website
Constructive and Difficult Conversations PDM
Company Appreciation: Companies that sponsor and advocate the APICS chapter's mission should be formally recognized in a manner that promotes further involvement in the APICS organization.
Award Presented to JLG
JLG has 45 members in the DC Metro chapter, including 18 who have earned CSCP certifications and 4 who have earned CPIM certifications. JLG has hosted a series of CPIM Certification review courses in McConnellsburg and a CSCP Certification review course in Hagerstown. 4 JLG team members served as volunteers at various positions on the board and committees that operate DC Metro APICS. 3 additional team members from JLG will be serving in the upcoming year. Without these volunteer's efforts, we would not be able to offer events like this one Over the past few years JLG has hosted tours at its McConnellsburg and Shippensburg plants and has hosted meetings, such as this year's strategic planning meeting for the chapter.
Pictured accepting the Company of the Year award and a certificate of our appreciation from JLG are:
Mark Vierling, Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain (GPSC)
Will McLean, GPSC Director
Instructor Recognition: APICS education is a major part of many chapters, recognizing instructors is way to appreciate them for service and increase instructor performance and job satisfaction.
New! Joni Holeman Distinguished Instructor Award! This award will be presented yearly at the discretion of the APICS DC Metro Board of Directors to Honor a distinguished instructor for the contribution to APICS DC Metro and whose actions exemplify a performance of excellence in teaching of the APICS Body of Knowledge.
Joni Holeman has been an APICS member since 1998. An obsessive compulsive volunteer since 1991, Joni is a past President of the DC Metro APICS chapter. She then served for 19 years as their VP of Education. Joni writes online and instructor-led curriculum, develops interactive workshops and is a frequent conference speaker. She has trained thousands of participants working for companies such as ExxonMobil, Northrup Grumman, Johnson & Johnson, Micron, DuPont, GE and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A professional trainer since 1998, Joni teaches the entire suites for all four APICS Fundamentals, CPIM, CIRM, CLTD, and CSCP programs. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors as she will step down from the Board of Directors to pursue new opportunities!
Volunteer Appreciation: In a volunteer organization, it is easy to forget that leaders give their time freely to APICS and the mission of the APICS chapter. Recognizing leaders is a way to appreciate them for service and increase volunteer satisfaction.
Maryanne Ross Award of Excellence: Started in 2014 Award to Honor Outstanding Dedication and Service to the chapter; the expansion of the APICS Body of Knowledge; and promotion of APICS within the community, the APICS Cumberland Valley Committee presents the Maryanne Ross Award of Excellence.
Award Presented to Robert Kling CPM CPSM
Robert Kling has been an APICS member for 10+ years. Joined BoD in 2014 as Marketing Chair, volunteering his own time to attend events, such as Washington Co. Chamber of Commerce functions, where APICS can be promoted. Became an APICS CSCP instructor in 2016. Worked at JLG for 23.5 years, Manitowoc for 16 years. ISM (Institute for Supply Management) member for 20+ years Worked in Procurement since 1986, retired in 2016. His recent efforts to organize joint events with another local Supply Chain and Operations group, Tri-State Hub, has greatly impacted the local outreach to the community to promote the APICS Body of Knowledge.
Previous Maryanne Ross Award of Excellence recipients include:
Manitowoc, FY2015/2016
Joni Holeman, FY2016/2017


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Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Blueberries
I made these the other morning and it ended up as part of my guest post for Day 2 of my Kitchen Feature at Happy to be at Home. It started out as an attempt to make my Lemon Bundt Cake, but I didn't have enough eggs and the ricotta was past expiration. In the end it all turned out and I'm happy to have another yummy, new recipe to share.
If you haven't checked out Happy to be at Home, go on over now and say hello. You can find my posts here: Intro, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4. I'll be posting through Saturday and have very much enjoyed the opportunity to have my kitchen featured and appreciate all those who have stopped by to check out goodLife {eats}.
The muffins were a quick pick me up on a cold morning and didn't take a ton of time to throw together. Everyone in the family was a fan – including Logan!
Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Blueberries
a goodLife {eats} creation
- 2 c flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 c sugar
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 c lemon yogurt
- zest of 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 c fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest; set aside. Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beat on medium for 2 minutes, scraping bowl periodically. Beat 1/2 of the flour mixture and yogurt at a time alternately into sugar mixture on low speed till blended. Gently stir in blueberries.
Spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin (tip: spray a 1/4 measuring cup with cooking spray, this helps it be less sticky to scoop). Bake 15-18 minutes. Cool 3 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan to wire rack, cool.


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Pokemon Ruby Version - Pokemon of the Day: Barboach
|Pokemon have taken a new evolution with Pokemon:
Ruby/Sapphire Versions. The Pokemon of the Day Chick has helpfully
shifted her attentions to Ruby and Sapphire, so you can rest assured that
she has your trainer's corner covered.
As before, the Pokemon Chick will be taking a personal and detailed look at a Pokemon. You'll find a list of all the moves you will want, and a choice list of recommended moves you want to keep for your prize pet.
You'll also find breeding chains, Pokedex entries, stats, descriptions, locations, resistances, gameplay tips and a suggested move set for those of you who can't seem to make up their mind about what to saddle their Pokemon with!
Today's Pokemon is Barboach! Suffice it to say that Water/Ground
isn't my favorite dual type, thus I'm biased against this line right from
the start...but hey, I figured I could have a little fun with it by reviewing
the unevolved "novelty" Barboach as opposed to the serious grappler that
is Whiscash (okay, so it's hard to take anything that uses Tickle seriously,
but just work with me here). Barboach became an instant favorite among
all those trainers who didn't choose Mudkip as their starter; there's seemingly
something about a Water type immune to Electric attacks that's just too
good to pass up. Doesn't really do anything for me personally, but no one's
ever questioned my Cubone obsession...so I've nothing against those who
would herald Barboach as the greatest thing since sliced Pokeblocks, I
|NAME: Barboach
TYPE: Whiskers (Water/Ground)
WEIGHT: 4.2 lbs.
EVOLUTION: evolves into Whiscash at level 30
CHARACTERISTIC(S): Oblivious (the move Attract has no effect on this Pokemon)
AVAILABILITY: Ruby, Sapphire
LOCATION: Wild Barboach can be found by fishing the waters of Meteor Falls, Victory Road and Routes 111, 114 and 120. Make sure you bring along your Great or Super Rod; these uppity fish won't deign to answer to the humble Old Rod.
Learned Moves:
Compatible TMs:
|Mud-Slap - Basic
Mud Sport - lvl 6
Water Sport - lvl 6
Water Gun - lvl 11
Magnitude - lvl 16
Amnesia - lvl 21
Rest - lvl 26
Snore - lvl 26
Earthquake - lvl 31
Future Sight - lvl 36
Fissure - lvl 41
|TM03 - Water Pulse
TM06 - Toxic
TM07 - Hail
TM10 - Hidden Power
TM13 - Ice Beam
TM14 - Blizzard
TM17 - Protect
TM18 - Rain Dance
TM21 - Frustration
TM26 - Earthquake
TM27 - Return
TM32 - Double Team
TM37 - Sandstorm
TM39 - Rock Tomb
TM42 - Facade
TM43 - Secret Power
TM44 - Rest
TM45 - Attract
HM03 - Surf
HM07 - Waterfall
HM08 - Dive
Hereditary Moves:
Spark: Breed a female Barboach/Whiscash with a male Chinchou/Lanturn.
Thrash: Breed a female Wailmer/Wailord with a male Gyarados, then breed the resulting male Wailmer with Thrash to a female Barboach/Whiscash.
Whirlpool: Breed with a male Wailmer/Wailord.
Max stats at Level 100
Suggested moveset
Held Item: Leftovers
Rain Dance
Alrighty then, we have something a little different lined up for Barboach today. I won't pretend to be the world's greatest Water/Ground master but, as was previously noted, I don't really have to sweat it this time because Barboach is an unevolved Pokemon who is more frolic than fearsome. Nyah. I will say that while I despise Barboach's type combo, I like him as a Pokemon...Mudkip be damned; this is the closest thing to a mudskipper we're ever gonna get (I like mudskippers...long story). As always, if you're actually willing to stick with an unevolved Pokemon I suggest you try to have fun with it, since their almost universally terrible stats ensure they won't be doing that much actual damage in battle. With that in mind, here's a quirky little Barboach set that took me all of ten seconds to come up with for y'all today.
Now here's a switch...Rain Dance on a Water type who DOESN'T sport the popular Swift Swim characteristic. Pity, really; Barboach's Speed is in the gutter and he really could use such a boon in the department. Oh well. I like Rain Dance on Barboach first and foremost because it halves the power of the popular Solarbeam, Grass of course being Barboach's only defensive weakness (and it's a big one, folks). I hesitate to put to Rain Dance on most Water types due to the fact that it makes the dreaded Thunder 100% accurate but, being part Ground type, Barboach thankfully doesn't have to worry about that. Then there's the fact that Rain Dance will boost the power of Barboach's Water type attacks by 50%...this was actually an afterthought on my part as I'm infinitely more worried about Barboach's defensive power than his offensive power at this point in his young life, but it could certainly come in handy if you were indeed planning to go on the offensive (going on the offensive with an unevolved Pokemon largely turns out to be a lost cause, but whatever).
Surf. Powerful, accurate, STABed, boring ol' Surf. Yippee skippy. Eh; it can't ALL be fun and games when it comes to these reviews; I get enough flak from the RSBot crowd with regards to my lighthearted approach to this whole thing as it is. I suppose you'll be wanting at least one fail-safe attack on Barboach should he find himself in the unenviable position of being the last Pokemon in your lineup, and Surf is about the best option he has at the moment. With STAB and Rain Dance at his disposal Barboach's Surf might actually do some damage despite his pitiable 191 Special Attack (though I guess that's actually kinda decent for an unevolved Pokemon), so there's no shame in throwing creativity to the wind and just Surfing the bejeezus outta Barboach's opponent in a pinch.
Spark is...meh. Not the best Electric type attack out there by a long shot solely with regards to power, but the 30% chance of paralysis it affords (up from the 10% chance of the more popular Thunderbolt) is nice indeed. That's on par with the paralysis chance of Body Slam, people, and I recommend that move on Pokemon with crappy Attack stats all the time (JUST for the chance of paralysis, naturally). This is the single best status-affecting attack Barboach can learn (IMHO), so be sure to check it out. Then of course there's the fact that any Ground type using Electric type moves (kinda like the Thunderbolt/waving Nosepass we discussed yesterday) is cool by virtue of being an oddball, and at least Spark gives Barboach something to use against the Flying types his STABed Ground type moves can't touch...
...so what do I do? I go and recommend a Ground type move that DOESN'T benefit from STAB; in this instance the move either kills outright or else it doesn't do anything at all. I can't help it; I love OHKO moves! Though I will always loathe the GSC-era "Fish" Pokemon (Rest, Sleep Talk, OHKO Move #1, OHKO Move #2), I've a certain respect for those Pokemon who will settle on a single OHKO move and just try their luck with it when they don't have anything better going for them at the time. Much like the Horn Drilling NidoranM I reviewed oh so long ago, Barboach can potentially use Fissure to secure a clean kill where his undeveloped offensive stats generally wouldn't allow him such a luxury. The fact that this Barboach uses Spark can only aide him in his endeavor, since a paralyzed opponent is a slooooow opponent and Fissure's accuracy depends nominally on the difference in Speed between the attacker and the attackee (is that even a word?). Besides, I have to get my jollies with Fissure here and now, since Whiscash has quite a few better move options and I likely won't have a chance to recommend the move on him (her, it, whatever).
I just stuck Leftovers on Barboach in preparation for evolution more than anything. His HP as it stands now is pretty crappy, yet upon evolving into Whiscash it will balloon well over 100 points, making Leftovers a worthwhile investment indeed. For the time being we'll just say it's as good an item as any (particularly since this Barboach has no other way to heal itself), though you might consider Quick Claw if you don't trust Spark's paralysis chance, or Lum Berry if you tend to run into a lot of annoyers.
Alternate moves, baby! Let's see what we got here *rubs hands together*...I'd say Earthquake is a rather glaring omission, yup, very glaring indeed. I get sick of putting Earthquake on everything, so sue me. Earthquake is definitely in Whiscash's future, though on the unevolved Barboach I feel I can safely sacrifice the move in favor of the more interesting Fissure (he won't be doing anything notable with Earthquake anyway, given his unevolved Attack and the fact that he has no way to boost the move's power further, unlike Surf as it relates to Rain Dance). Speaking of interesting Ground type moves, Mud-Slap is one that was pretty popular when it was introduced yet doesn't see much play at all these days. Well nigh worthless as an actual attack, Mud-Slap's penchant for lowering an opponent's accuracy can prove invaluable at times (and is all the more useful on an unevolved Pokemon like Barboach, since at this point he should be more concerned with softening up an opponent for the rest of his party than trying to take out said opponent himself). Amnesia is certainly an option for those who seek to supplement Barboach's longevity (though the move is altogether more feasible on the much "tankier" Whiscash); Rest is another (one that usually goes without saying, though I thought it was worth mentioning since Barboach just happens to learn Rest naturally). Then we have Ice Beam, the bane of all Grass types (who are in turn the bane of all Water/Ground types)...a staple of many Swampert movesets (and even a few Quagsire movesets), I wouldn't seriously consider Ice Beam on Barboach simply because his Special Attack is not yet mature enough to wield it anywhere near effectively. All the other moves Barboach can learn are pretty lame, though the risky Whirlpool/Toxic combo deserves a brief nod for posterity's sake while Future Sight earns mention here for the mere fact that it's a downright goofy attack for a glorified bottom-feeder of ALL things.
Thus ends Barboach's fifteen minutes of fame (as far as this site is concerned, anyway)...this is for all those out there who rallied in support of PotD's continued consideration of our unevolved buddies (those of you who've been harping on me to quit with the "useless" unevolved Pokemon...go yell at the people who wanted me to keep doing 'em; they were more vocal than you so they won). As an unevolved Pokemon Barboach is actually halfway decent; his ability to learn the take-no-prisoners Fissure goes a long way towards making up for his statistical shortcomings. I personally wouldn't use the thing regardless, but I'll concede that it is at least less degrading than a Whiscash with Tickle...honestly, WHO thought Tickle would be a good name for an attack?? Stay tuned for the next installment of Pokemon games, where Rubber Ducky replaces Surf as the most popular Water type attack and Snorlax is given the option of using the deadly Baby Blanket while asleep!
Eh, enough digressing for one afternoon...I hope you'll enjoy exploring the possibilities of this smallish silver seafloor silt-sifter, and I shall return tomorrow with another fun and fetching Pokemon of the Day!
Questions? Comments? Want to argue with the Pokemon of the Day Chick?
Please e-mail your inquiries firstname.lastname@example.com, or drop me a line if you just wanna say hello! I'm always up for a heated Pokemon chat. As always, come visit everyone on IGN's free Pokémon Board.
See you there!


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It's time to mix things up, consolidate, and stop annual releases
There is room for Call of Duty in the gaming world -- I assure you. I don't know about milking it every damn year, but there is plenty of room for those of us who enjoy mindless first-person fun with our friends, occasionally in a military based fashion.
But the milk's gone bad, and Activision needs to step up to the plate and fix it. Here's how they can do it, and avoid the next Guitar Hero crash.
Call of Duty 4 set the world on fire at release. It not only redefined what a console shooter could do with a campaign, but it also popularized the "perks" system -- a mechanic now prevalent in pretty much every shooter in the modern era. It certainly wasn't the first game to use this system, but it was the first to make it standard issue; and since so many games followed suit in such a massive way, it's safe to call Call of Duty 4 a trend-setter in its own right.
Contrary to popular belief, Call of Duty was not always stale. In fact, the original working title for the first game was "The Medal of Honor Killer" -- a moniker predicated on rising above the competition, and in this case, EA. Said game was made by Infinity Ward -- the flagship developer for the franchise that was founded in 2002 as a subsidiary of Activision. But in 2005, along came a modest developer named Treyarch, who handled the console version of Call of Duty 2. This development crew had been around the block, creating smaller games and ports as far back as 1996, until it was acquired by Activision in 2001.
It was Treyarch, not Infinity Ward, that would continue to innovate the franchise. Just as Call of Duty was getting stale, they introduced a "Zombies" mode in World at War, which lit the gaming world on fire once again. The first Black Ops even had a top-down shooter (that could have easily been sold piecemeal for $10 as a downloadable), and real life cheat codes that you (gasp) didn't have to pay for. Their most recent contribution to the series, Black Ops II, innovated in new ways, with a "choose your own adventure" style campaign that felt distinctly different from the pack. It was still very much a Call of Duty joint for sure, and more of it wouldn't change any staunch hater's mind -- but for fans, it was an improvement.
So what went wrong with Ghosts? Complacency. The campaign is, in every sense of the word, predictable. Not only is the "American Invasion" tale rehashed, but the characters feel generic and forgettable, especially compared to Treyarch's particularly over-the-top style. Hell, there's even accusations of Infinity Ward copying their own ending. Multiplayer is still fun at times, but it's literally nothing new, instead opting to hold the "Squads" gametype on a pedestal -- when it's actually just a pared down version of the same thing we've played many times over.
Infinity Ward even blew it with Extinction, a mode that attempted to ape Treyarch's masterful Zombie mode. To put things into perspective, there's a huge community strictly centered around Zombies, and some fans even buy Treyarch's games just to play it. There's an entire story behind the mode, filled to the brim with easter eggs and goofy weapons like toy monkey grenades. But the Alien injected Extinction in Ghosts by proxy feels like a soulless rendition of Treyarch's work -- almost like it was a check box to say "we can do it too."
The crux of the problem is Infinity Ward's lack of innovation, among other issues. If the Call of Duty franchise weren't annual and were fine tuned every other year, it would not only have a better reputation, but a longer overall life span. Despite what executives may think, grinding blood out of a stone for a few years is not effective.
With lower pre-orders for Ghosts (partially due to generational fragmentation) and lower review scores, is Call of Duty down for the count? Well, it's far too early to tell. I think this is a great opportunity for Activision to sit down with both of their studios, and remember what made the series so successful in the first place. Do what should have been done long ago: give Treyarch the reigns, encourage growth and innovation, and stop making it an annual series with a $50 Season Pass.
Or, keep milking it until the well runs dry. Your move, Activision.
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Archive for December 2013 | Monthly archive page
Revenge wedding dress and decor displays elegance and glamour Fans of ABC's hit drama Revenge have long awaited the wedding of Emily Thorne and Daniel Grayson. Season 3's Mid-Season Finale didn't disappoint with a dramatic climax and equally dramatic wedding featuring beautiful designer gowns and lush ceremony florals. Wedding planner and designer, Carmen Fuentes, takes
Dec 03
Luxe Engagement Contest
Expressionary Events and Jaime Davis Photography is proud to announce its annual luxe engagement contest to kick off the engagement season for 2013-14. This year has no doubt been an exciting one for both our companies and we are looking forward to another exciting year and meeting new engaged couples.


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Machaerus, Melchizedek, and the Philistines
With Clyde Billington
A little further discussion about our ARTIFAX cover story on Machaerus, details of how John the Baptist ended up a prisoner there, and was then beheaded, as reported in Matthew 14 and Mark 6. Also a few more words about the Pilgrimage Road that just opened in Jerusalem, an important pilgrimage spot for both modern Jews and Christians, between the Pool of Siloam and the Temple Mount. Archaeologist Eli Shukron reports the discovery of an altar related to Melchizedeck and Abraham. We are skeptical but looking forward to hearing more. And finally, another major story of the summer, reported in the latest issue of ARTIFAX, DNA evidence that traces the Philistines, or at least some Philistines, to southern Europe.
tags: Jordan Jerusalem Philistines Herod the Great John the Baptist Machaerus Abraham DNA Dead Sea Herod Agrippa Melchizedek
With Jimmy Hardin
The cover story on the latest (summer) issue of ARTIFAX focuses on Machaerus, a fortress palace built by Herod the Great overlooking the Dead Sea from the East. Machaerus is most famous for the imprisonment and beheading of John the Baptist, as recounted in the Gospels and by the historian Josephus. The first excavation of Machaerus was undertaken by Jerry Vardaman, the founding director of the Cobb Institute of Archaeology. We talk with the current interim director, Jimmy Hardin, about some of the results of that excavation that were recently discovered at several locations.
tags: Jordan Herod the Great John the Baptist Machaerus Dead Sea Herod Agrippa
The Tombs of the Kings May Reopen
With Clyde Billington
The Tomb of the Kings was once thought to be the tomb of the ancient kings David and Solomon. Scholars today are pretty sure that's not the case but they still don't know whose tomb it actually was. Top candidates are Queen Helena of Adiabene, a first century convert to Judaism, or King Herod Agrippa I. The government of France owns the tomb and is currently in discussions with the government of Israel about reopening it after all access was curtailed in 2010. The tomb was not widely accessible in 2008 when our Book & The Spade tour visited it. On this program we also discussed several more archaeology news items from the news digests of the latest issue of our magazine ARTIFAX: the possible opening of the ruins of the Nea Church in Jerusalem, a winepress mosaic in the city of Korazin, and a coin of Herod Agrippa.
tags: Herod Nea Church Tombs of the Kings Helena Adiabene Agrippa I Korazin Chorazin


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Yesterday, Uproxx and Jezebel wrote about a Craigslist housing ad deemed "the most annoying ad ever" and that combines "every [San Francisco] stereotype into one, magnificently un-self-aware post." Because it's the Internet, we expect a certain amount of snark for all things even a little bit mockable, but is the ad itself deserving of so much scorn?
Is San Francisco Craigslist really worse than other big, liberal cities? Let's explore.
First an excerpt from the ad:
It's 7:14am and the sun is beginning to reach through the window, around your curtains, gently rousing you from an undisturbed night of rest. Sitting up, you hear the jingle of a bell - it's Bambina the cat, scurrying towards her food bowl. You know that your lovely roommate, Marina, will soon follow, rubbing the sleep from her eye and muttering about the "little bastard" under her breath. Minutes later, Kyle walks past with one of his many bicycles. You wish him a nice day as he heads out the door to his job at an ad agency.
Stepping into the newly remodeled kitchen, Marina asks if you would like to taste some of the kale smoothie she just made...it is surprisingly delicious. You sip the delicious smoothie and look out onto the garden where a hummingbird is gracefully sipping it's [sic] own breakfast from a flower.
Is this a bit flowery and over-the-top for a roommate ad? Sure. And the fact that Kyle has "many bicycles" is also pretty San Francisco (and some might say annoying), but it's kind of ridiculous to balk at a roommate nice enough to make you a smoothie in the morning. Also anyone who'd hate on gardens and hummingbirds.
The post continues:
It's time to shower and you head into the bathroom -- completely redone with two sinks and copious amounts of storage space. Smiling and sighing to yourself as you look in the mirror, you whisper, "Today is going to be a beautiful day!" That's just like you. Always so positive.
You've brushed your hair and your teeth, bid Bambina adieu, and now it is time to catch the bus. Luckily the lightrail is around the corner, as are the 10, 48, and 22. Getting to work will be a breeze! You wave to Fred across the street, and walk over to Piccino's for a quick cappuccino before heading to the bus stop.
It's so sunny and everyone is smiling as they walk their dogs or push their adorable and well dressed children in their strollers. Why is everyone so happy? What is this place?
Welcome to the Dogpatch, my friend. This beautiful sliver of San Francisco could be your new home!
Again, "Marina" is perhaps overly cheerful (especially for 7:14 a.m.) but why is her positivity looked at like the scourge of the earth? Uproxx writes "If one could e-mail barfs, I would e-mail her all of the barfs. She also forgot to mention that the utilities are free, as the power of the smugness lights the entire building, which is nice, because it's a renewable energy source and we're all about being green!" Jezebel likened "Marina's" upbeatness to an Adderall addiction, and then made fun of her for "speaking French to a cat."
As someone who recently spent many months looking for an S.F. apartment on CL, I've definitely seen my share of horrendous ads, but you know what? I'd far prefer to live with someone who likes her cat and would make me blended beverages than someone who would "appreciate it if you didn't use the kitchen," or would prefer I "not have sex in the house" (true story). While it might not be everyone's cup of kale to be super-chummy with one's housemates, I hardly think San Francisco is any more annoying than say, New York, where the Jezebel writer lives. From Complex, here's a brief sample of terrible NY ads:
More poetry than ad, this seems to exist only as a reminder of the brevity of life.
UNLIMITED SESSIONS. And no extra charge for a kitchen? Hot damn.
"We want to use your home as a fuck hotel."
You want a urine sample too? My first born?
And on and on it goes. Maybe I've been in the Bay Area too long, but I think we should cut each other a break here. I won't go so far as to don some Steampunk attire and sing the Full House song with you, but I think we could all benefit from a little less snark and a little more smoothie.
Namaste, bitches.
Follow @annapulley on Twitter. She'll tweet you right.


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Tickets from Fans
Airbnbs & Hotels
Do More Business at More Festivals!
Mevlânâ Kültür Merkezi|Konya, Turkey | Map
Konya is extremely cold during December and known for frigid prairie winds.
Video cameras are only allowed for the first few minutes, but cameras without a flash can be used the entire time. Also consider taking notes and bringing some of Rumi's poetry.
The Mevlâna Cultural Center hosts a trade show with lots of Rumi tchotchkes.
There are usually two shows a day; the afternoon show is often filled with busloads of people from Istanbul. We recommend using Dos Plumas Travel, a Turkish travel company started by a Texan. They'll get you tickets, a guide and a hotel room (the city fills up due to the festival).
Daily trains and buses are available, but flying is recommended and much easier. You might also consider a side-trip. Spend a few nights in Cappadocia, half a day's drive away, to experience the best hot-air ballooning in the world.
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Or How Grocery Stores Get You to Buy More Than You Came For
With the newest unemployment figures higher, with more people on food stamps, and with food costs rising we all have to be very careful how much we spend at the grocery store. None of us can afford to waste money on frills. We need every cent to feed our families.
That is why it is so important to know the tricks grocery stores use to get us to spend more than we should at the store.
From the aroma of fresh baking bread, to the flowers, to the music, to the displays, everything; and I mean EVERYTHING in a grocery store is designed to make us spend more money and to make impulse purchases.
Grocery stores spend billions a dollars a year to understand the psychology of our shopping habits. They do a lot of research. Store design and layout is not random; it is a science. A science designed to get us to spend more money on items we do not need and to make impulse buys. Did you know they actually have psychologists and marketers follow shoppers around the store to discover how we shop? And they build their stores around what they learn.
And a large part of what they learn we willingly hand over to them with a smile. I am talking about the grocery discount cards, value cards, frequent customer cards. They go by different names. You know what I am talking about; that little plastic card that looks like a credit card that allows you to get items at a sale price.
Does anyone besides me remember when grocery stores gave you a sale price WITHOUT those darned cards? Sometimes I don't even have all my items out of the cart and onto the conveyor belt before the cashier is badgering me for that stupid card.
Trick # 1 Discount Cards
In the grocery store business many times those two words are a contradiction in terms.
These cards can sometimes give you some savings. But as mother always used to say, "Ain't nothing for free." Use of this card comes at a huge price. I am sure everyone knows by now these cards are just a tracking device. YOU ARE BEING WATCHED. And the information on our spending habits (buy a little too much wine this week, dearie?) is being sold to the highest bidder – from marketers to insurance companies. Is the government next? You didn't know? Yes. Stores SELL that information. They make money off of that little plastic rectangle.
But more importantly these cards may not be saving us all that much money. In fact, they may be causing us to spend more.
As reported by About.com a television station in Philadelphia did a study on these discount cards and this is what they found:
They compared prices of six different supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, three of which had discount cards and three that did not. They purchased mostly brand name products from each store. After adding the plus and minus of the test they found that they came out cheaper in the non-discount card stores by $22.14. [Emphasis mine.]
This is what I do. I have some cards. But I use them sparingly. And I shop at several stores that do not have cards at all. Those kinds of stores do exist. When I do use cards, I use the cards for sale items I really need or want. Sometimes when I shop at stores where I have a card I do not use it at all. Drives the cashier nuts. I get my fun these days anyway I can!!!!!! I'm telling you. You really ought to try it some time. It really plays with their minds.
Trick #2 Music, Music, Music
"I'd do anything for you. Anything you'd want me to," went the words to the hit song Music, Music, Music sung by Teresa Brewer in 1949.
And so it is with the music playing in grocery stores. The music gets us to spend more money. That's right. We spend more money when we hear a certain type of music.
Psychologists and marketers have discovered that we buy more when we hear music in a major chord than when we hear music in a minor chord. Music with a tempo lower than the human heartbeat has statistically been proven to cause us to slow down and thus to spend more time in the store. We walk slower when we hear that tempo.
More time in store = more money forked over to the store.
Music is not the only sense they use against us either.
Trick # 3 The Bakery
Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Who can resist the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven? Stores have learned and research studies confirm consumers tend to buy more bakery products when they can smell them fresh from the oven. That heavenly aroma makes us hungry. And when we are hungry we buy more according to industry studies.
WATCH FOR THIS NEW TREND. Many stores now also have an aroma therapy department where you can purchase candles, perfumes, and the like. I wonder how much money they will make with this department?
Trick # 4 Free Samples Do More Than Tickle Our Taste Buds
Free samples make us want more of what we just tasted. Many people taste the sample, like it, and without even checking how much the product costs, simply put it in the grocery cart. And some of us feel indebted after we partake of the free sample. And grocery stores know this and use it against us.
And the research also shows that when we sample something in the store we not only want that item, but we want more of everything else.
A research study at the University of Arizona found, "that food samples, beverage samples and even just good-smelling samples made people consume more."
Many an impulse purchase is made at the Free Sample display.
Trick #5 Time
It is a simple equation:
Time In Store = More Money Spent
Today's grocery store tries to get us to spend as much time in the store as possible. And they are doing this by expanding the things they sell and the services they offer. Once upon a time grocery stores sold groceries. That's all. Just groceries. How old fashioned.
Today we can get gasoline, furniture, kitchen ware, clothes, make-up, books, lottery tickets, postage stamps, videos/DVD's, to name a few. Many grocery stores now offer services to, such as; banking, dry cleaning, optometry services, car insurance.
And believe me. These grocery stores are NOT offering you these things out of the kindness of their little 'ole hearts. Nor is it convenience. Nosirreee!! They make big bucks off these items and you may be paying more for all of that "convenience!"
And there are many, many more tricks. I don't have enough time or space to share them all in this one post.
So Next Time………..
There are more tricks grocery stores employ to help us fork over our money to them. I will share those with you next time. Tricks like end of aisle displays, bigger is not always cheaper, pre-cut vegetables, and why the long wait at the cash register. The long wait is planned and part of grocery store's marketing ploy. I will also deal with the sense of sight. How stores use our eyes to make us buy more. It is not random. It is not poor planning. It is all thought out and done on purpose.
And then post after next one I will wrap it all up by sharing some tips to help you avoid these grocery store tricks and use your hard earned money to feed your family!
Just being aware of these tricks will help us all save some money. Knowledge is power!!!
Featured Recipe: Mixed Tomato Salad
I am having left-overs for dinner tonight. So I needed something to jazz the left-overs up a bit. This salad clearly fits the bill. This is a Summer Bounty recipe since it uses the best of summer tomatoes. It also showcases the newer colors of tomatoes that are available in stores today.
The recipe is a Martha Stewart recipe from her book Great Food Fast. You could say that tomato salads have been around since early European explorers discovered this fruit in Mexico and brought it back to Europe, so no one really owns the concept. But as usual Martha adds her unique take on the tomato salad. The presentation is wonderful!!!
Nevertheless, I have made a few minor adjustments to meet my tastes.
Martha's version uses arugula. I don't care that much for arugula so I substituted Romaine lettuce. She uses red wine vinegar in the dressing. I use lemon juice. I have made the salad both ways and it is excellent either way. So have some fun with this and make it your own.
Here is what you will need for 4 people:
2 pounds mixed tomatoes (red, yellow, orange, dark red, beefsteak, cherry, grape, pear)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar [or lemon juice]
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch arugula [or lettuce of your choice]
This is what you do.
NOTE: I am giving the directions exactly as they are in the book, Great Food Fast. Underneath in purple I tell you what I do and/or how I changed the directions from Martha's recipe.
Core the beefsteak tomatoes; cut each into 8 wedges. Halve the grape and cherry tomatoes; leave the pear tomatoes whole.
*I had no beefsteak and no pear tomatoes. So I quartered or halved the tomatoes I had.
And since I do not use arugula, I slice the Romaine into strips.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper.
*This I do with lemon juice in place of the wine vinegar.
In a large bowl, toss the arugula with half the dressing.
*I do not toss the lettuce with the dressing. This puts more oil on the lettuce than I like. I just place the lettuce directly on the serving plate sans any dressing at this point.
Divide the arugula and tomatoes evenly among 4 serving plate, or arrange on a platter; drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining dressing.
*I place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour about half the dressing on them and mix gently. Then I place the tomatoes next to the salad.
Arrange the lettuce on the side of each plate. Divide the tomatoes between the plates.
*Drizzle the some of the remaining dressing on top of the lettuce.
Serve immediately.
The tomatoes are so sweet it is like eating candy. This is one GREAT salad!!
If you would like to see a picture of Martha Stewart's finished salad and compare it to mine, you can click here.
Mixed tomatoes $5.98
3 tbspns lemon juice $0.17
3 tbspns olive oil $0.52
1 Romaine lettuce $0.86
Salt & pepper to taste
Total cost for 4 = $7.53
Cost per person = $1.88
Bon Appetit!!!!!
Quote of the Day: I went down the street to the 24-hour grocery. When I got there, the guy was locking the front door. I said, "Hey, the sign says you're open 24 hours." He said, "Yes, but not in a row. Steven Wright


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We are private landlords and our house is officially labelled by the "Commissarat Général au Tourisme". So we do not work with agencies, but place our advertisement on different sites like Micazu.nl (see under Bouillon), Home Away and Gîtes de Wallonie.
So the contact with our guests is direct and we speak English, Dutch, French and German.
On the sites of Micazu and Home Away you can read the comments of other guests.
- Anne Marie Laming
- Hans Kemme:
- Tel: 0032 473 798279


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Sodium Bicarbonate (Averse effects and warnings (Cellulitis, Injection…
Sodium Bicarbonate
Averse effects and warnings
Cellulitis, Injection site extravasation, Skin ulcer, Tissue necrosis
Drug use and category
Sodium bicarbonate is an antacid used to relieve heartburn and acid indigestion. You may also take it for Diarrhea,Indigestion or to make your blood/urine less acidic in certain conditions.
Route of Administrations
-dilute with sterile water, sodium chloride, dextrose 5%, or other standard electrolyte solutions before administration, if in cardiac arrest do not dilute 8.4% Sodium Bicarbonate vial
-dissolve in one-half glass of cool water
-dilute to (1.5%) prior to administration
Brand/ Generic name
Alka- Seltzer
Drug/ Food Interactions
Amphetamines, Ketoconazole, Elvitegravir, Pazopanib, Mefenamic Acid, Digoxin, Memantine
There are currently no food interactions
Monitoring Treatment
Patients should be sent to a healthcare facility if their exposure to sodium bicarbonate was a self-harm attempt or if the patient is symptomatic. They should be observed for 4 to 6 hours and be clearly improving or asymptomatic prior to discharge. Electrolytes should also be within normal limits or normalizing
Non-Drug treatments/ Life style modifications
Cosuming food and beverages that will not give you heartburn, indigestion or an upset stomach. Stay away from commonly known items such alcohol- particularly red wine,
black pepper, garlic, raw onions, spicy foods, and chocolate
Drug reconstitution and Dilution requirements
It only needs to be reconstitued for IV purposes as long as the patient is not in cardiac arrest, can be diluted with sterile water, sodium chloride, dextrose 5%
There is no specific antidote for sodium bicarbonate


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As the leading aviation engines brand in Turkey, TEI celebrated the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week with two organizations in a gorgeous way once again.
TEI organized the "Contest of Making and Flying a Model Aircraft" for female high school students for the purpose of encouraging them to the aviation industry on International Women's Day, March 8th, 2017.
In the afternoon, an organization was held to introduce the female students, who were interested in aviation, to the industry much closely; and the women took the floor to deliver speeches as the sources of inspiration in the field of aviation, giving the common message that increasing the number of woman leaders would reveal the entire potential of our country.
The week covering the date March 8th has been celebrating as "Women of Aviation Worldwide Week" since 2010 with a different and meaningful theme in the memory of March 8th, 1910 when the first woman pilot was licensed across the world. Accordingly, TEI held two different organizations on March 8th with the support of the Provincial Directorate of National Education in Eskisehir. During the first organization, held in the morning, 40 female students from 20 different schools attended the Contest of Making and Flying a Model Aircraft at Sabiha Gokcen Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. Prof.Dr.Orhan Oguz Anatolian High School won the first place in the category of making the best aircraft while Ahi Evran Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School ranked first in the category of flying the model aircraft made for a maximum period of time.
'Women of Aviation" get together at a panel to inspire female students
The second organization, held in the afternoon, was "Meeting of TEI Women of Aviation". The panel was held in the meeting hall of Haci Suleyman Cakir Anatolian High School for Girls, during which the industry was introduced to female students that are interested in aviation. Dr.Aybike Molbay, General Manager of General Electric Aviation - Turkey Technology Center and Member of the Board of Directors at TEI, Doc.Dr.Melike Nikbay, Faculty Member, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Istanbul Technical University, Gokce Kubra Tugran Yildirim, A320 First Officer at Turkish Airlines, Pinar Gunaydin, MRO Manager at TEI and Ayse Akalin, Chief Editor of Defence Turkey Magazine, took floor to deliver speeches and gave the common message to the female student that they should find their favorite profession and improve themselves in the respective field. Sharing the industry-specific experiences they gained, the speakers emphasized that the number of women serving in the aviation industry was too low, and encouraged the female students to build their careers in the field of aviation. The organization ended following the Q&A session and presentation of plaques.