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Man wins same lottery game three times in three weeks
Three times in three weeks ... that's a pretty average rate for normal things in your life, like, say, working out. But what about winning the lottery? That's not so average.
This is Chicago resident Christopher Kaelin. His hot streak all started on his lunch break. Kaelin bought a scratch off crossword ticket and won $25,000. Now some might have stopped playing right there. But not Kaelin. He decided to push his luck a little further.
According to WLS, Kaelin said he was so excited with his first round of winnings that he took his wife out to dinner. That evening they stopped at a gas station and he bought another ticket. This time he won $1,000. But he still hadn't won the grand prize of $250,000. So, of course, he tried again.
WMAQ reports the next week, Kaelin stopped at the same store where he bought his first winning ticket. When he scratched it off, he thought he had won $25,000. A pretty big sum of money, but for this guy? Been there, done that.
"I was in the elevator when I took another look at my ticket and noticed I had the tenth word. The prize wasn't $25,000 -- it was $250,000. I was shocked."
That brings Kaelin's total winnings to $276,000. He told the Illinois Lottery, "I never expected to win - especially not three times!" Talk about being lucky.
So what's Kaelin's advice for others? "Take a chance."
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What's your leadership myth?
There's a generally accepted organizational myth.
One that imagines that businesses are made.
By acquiring, arranging and rearranging parts.
People, teams, departments, managers.
Leaders think of themselves as technicians and architects.
Strategists who develop a plan and fashion the business in accordance with that plan.
Artists who impose their will on the "material" and bring their creation to life.
But businesses are not put together or molded.
You don't work on them from the outside in, like a potter works with clay.
Businesses flourish.
They're living organisms that grow from the inside out.
They expand, they blossom.
Like a human body, they progressively complicate themselves.
And so that's how we should lead them.
Like we lead our bodies.
We give up control.
We delegate responsibility.
We trust our organs to do what they're supposed to do.
The stomach cares about what the stomach cares about.
It does what it needs to do to keep the body running.
If the head tries to control the stomach, the body won't function properly.
The same is true of all of our other organs.
Nevertheless the head is in control.
Of what the body experiences.
The meaning, nutrition, exercise, rest and positive thoughts.
And that's the leader's ultimate responsibility.
To continuously feed and nourish the body.
Or the body will fail.

subset: commoncrawl


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We take a lot of things for granted.
So much that we do in medicine is "just what we were taught." It is set in stone, it is the way we've always done it because it makes sense and to do otherwise would be wrong, dangerous, or crazy.
There is strong inertia in health care and it can take ages before we question our assumptions; when we do, and we find our assumptions are incorrect, again it takes ages before we accept and employ the updated approach.
Let me rock your world:
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) reviewed this question: "Among adults and children with suspected traumatic cervical spinal injury (P), does spinal motion restriction (I), compared with no spinal motion restriction (C), change neurological injury, complications, overall mortality, pain, patient comfort, movement of the spine, hospital length of stay (O)?"
The answer? 'No. Not really.' And, there's even a smidgeon of evidence that putting collars on people might harm them.
In line with what is being done in Norway already, this is the conclusion that ILCOR arrived at in in their draft guidelines:
We suggest against spinal motion restriction, defined as the reduction of or limitation of cervical spinal movement, by routine application of a cervical collar or bilateral sandbags (joined with 3-inch-wide cloth tape across the forehead) in comparison to no cervical spine restriction in adults and children with blunt suspected traumatic cervical spinal injury (weak recommendation, very low quality of evidence).
Values and preferences statement: Because of proven adverse effects in studies with injured patients, and evidence concerning a decrease in head movement only comes from studies with cadavers or healthy volunteers, benefits do not outweigh harms, and routine application of cervical collars is not recommended.
Thanks to @smooremd for sending this my way. Learn more in the Scancrit blog post.


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Home > About FDIC >
FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion (ComE-IN) Meeting
FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion (ComE-IN) Meeting
July 9, 2008
On July 9, 2008 the FDIC will host its fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion (ComE-IN). The Advisory Committee was formed to provide advice and recommendations on initiatives to expand access to banking services by underserved populations. This meeting will focus on strategies for encouraging mortgage lending for low- and moderate-income households. This meeting will build on issues discussed at the July 8th forum on mortgage lending for low and moderate income households.
The meeting is open to the public. For security reasons, security screening and presentation of valid photo identification are required to enter the building.
Agenda for the July 9th 2008 Advisory
Committee Meeting
|Last Updated 06/25/2008


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When we got married my parents gifted us with the pop-up camper that I grew up vacationing in. With all they did to give me the wedding of my dreams, the last thing they needed to do was gift us with anything. But, besides them being the sweetest most generous people, they wanted us to have it because they knew we would bring new life back in to it and use it on so many adventures to make new memories. I can't tell you how much fun that little thing has been and how much it helps us to go explore more because it makes trips so much cheaper!
Nathan and I don't really get a "weekend" but since we had Monday off for Memorial Day we decided we needed to take advantage of having two days off in a row. We packed up the camper and headed to the Royal Gorge (Colorado's Grand Canyon) for a short trip. I had never been to that part of Colorado before and it looks so different and is beautiful! Man we live in an incredible country with so many different things to see. A lot of the attractions around the Royal Gorge had recently been rebuilt due to the wildfires burning down most of it. We got to ride these cool new gondolas on a zipline through the Gorge and there is also a bridge you can walk across that suspends 900 feet above the bottom of the gorge. I'm not the biggest fan of heights but we were there so I walked across it anyways. When the wind blows you can feel the bridge moving and the wooden slats that you walk across have small gaps in them that you can see through to below you. Yea, not my cup of tea. Every time Nathan went to the edge to take a picture and looked back up I had already booked it further down the bridge to the other side.
We spent the rest of the night hanging out by our fire and cooking dinner on our stove top. Sometimes when life is busy all it takes is a short cheap weekend get away to refresh and regroup. We had so many life talks that night by the fire trying to get grounded in this coming year, goals, changes, dreams…it was very needed.
Hope you all have some fun trips this summer! Even if its just 3 hours down the road :)


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Hi my name is Jared. I want to take a minute to introduce myself as the newest member of the MWB team. I'm married to a smokin' hot woman named Adrienne; I love and adore her. She is my rock, my encourager, an awesome mom, and my best friend. I want to date her forever. I have a stinkin' cute baby girl named Hadlee. She keeps things super interesting and blesses my socks off every day. OH yeah, I also have a pretty cool dog who doesn't get as much attention as he used to!
My wife and I moved to Northwest Arkansas almost 3 years ago to serve on staff at a church plant called Northwest Community Church. We moved from the little town of Macon, Georgia, just south of Atlanta. I was serving as a worship pastor and going into my 4th year at an amazing church when God decided He had some different plans for our family. We were super comfortable and we loved our lives and the people in it. God's plans suddenly looked more like leaving those friends and family to go serve in a "foreign land" 1000 miles away that was super not comfortable. It would take some serious faith and trust. We listened, and by His grace, we followed.
God has a special way of calling us out of our comfort zone. He took us out of a place of stability and into a circumstance that involved trusting Jesus at every turn- right where He wanted us. Church planting in NWA has been a roller coaster of awesome and often has a sobering way of bringing me back to that reality that I really am dependent on Jesus for everything. I'm thankful for this.
I feel like Hebrews 13 says it best. The writer warns us about falling in love with money and challenges us to be content- Reality check. Have you ever prayed for contentment? That is a super tough one. What is awesome about that chapter is how the writer goes on to say that as we strive to be content where God has called us, God will never leave us nor forsake us. THAT is the fuel that empowers contentment in our lives. Without that promise, true contentment is impossible.
When we finally hand over the keys, and we surrender our wants and needs to God, doors begin to fly open. This is where my story gets pretty cool, and starts to land me were I am now. I finally figured out that my plans for my life weren't going to satisfy me like God's plan would, and God began to open up opportunities for me to trust Him even further. That open door suddenly looked like a classy-dressed guy named Miles Boyer. God has a funny way of bringing friendships together, and this was no exception. I'd never even heard of Miles Witt Boyer, but after a 2 hour lunch of some Hive burgers with no tomato jam(who even likes that stuff???) and talking about what Christ was doing in our lives, I knew God was up to something. (Miles may also have enlightened me to a few fun facts about Fuji during that time as well... maybe.)
Did I know that a month and a half later I'd be working with the guy and dreaming about how his team of 4 could literally change the world? Well...no. But that is exactly what is taking place.
You see I've come to believe that the Miles Witt Boyer team has a huge responsibility and calling to serve and bless people in radical ways. If it be weddings, family sessions, films, or even real estate, how can we serve and bless people well? With that question at the forefront of our minds, I truly believe walls can be torn down and lives can be built up, and change can occur.
It's not about the money, or fame, or even the followers. It is about stepping back and genuinely caring for people. Putting other's needs above your own and trusting God will take care of the rest. That kind of love is a game changer.
It is funny looking back, but I realize now that God's calling on my life has always been about people, about relationships and about sharing hope. This team has a great hope that changes the way we do business. It is a hope that overflows and impacts the lives of people we encounter. The world needs hope and we want to share it through the gifts He has entrusted us with.
So 2017, on behalf of the team, ready or not here we come.


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Cauliflower has become our go-to powerhouse veggie in my house. But even the healthiest food can become a fat-fest when fried and drenched in a creamy sauce. Traditional bang bang cauliflower is the perfect example of healthy gone wrong. But this revamped recipe, on the other hand, is as good for you as it is delicious!
For this version of vegan bang bang cauliflower, I didn't want to fuss with the coating and frying steps (less steps + less clean up = dinner success), but I didn't want to miss out on all the flavour and crunch. Instead I opted for a lighter marinade made with a blend chilli sauces, fresh garlic, ginger, and lime juice. The florets are then tossed in the tangy mixture and roasted in a high-heat oven for 30 minutes, until perfectly crispy and slightly charred. A light garnish of toasted panko breadcrumbs provides extra crunch, and the scallions and coriander leaves pack fresh flavour and a pop of colour! This bang bang cauliflower comes together in a snap and can be served up as a hearty main dish for two, or a healthy side dish for four.
Have a hankering for bang bang cauliflower? This healthier version should hit the spot:
Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower
Crispy Oven-Baked Bang Bang Cauliflower
Cauliflower has become our go-to powerhouse veggie in my house. But even the healthiest food can become a fat-fest when fried and drenched in a creamy sauce. Traditional bang bang…
- For the cauliflower
- cauliflower: 1 medium head, cut into bite-sized florets
- lime: 1, juiced
- peanut oil: 1/4 cup
- sweet chilli sauce: 3 Tablespoons
- hot chilli sauce: 1 Tablespoon
- garlic cloves: 2 large, finely grated or crushed
- fresh ginger: 1 Tablespoon, finely grated or minced
- For the Garnish
- panko bread crumbs: 3 Tablespoons
- salt: 1/8 teaspoon
- oil spray
- scallions: 2, thinly sliced
- fresh coriander leaves: 1 Tablespoon, chopped
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
Step 2: In a big bowl whisk together the lime juice, peanut oil, sweet chilli sauce, hot chilli sauce, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Place the cauliflower florets into the chilli sauce mixture and toss to coat.
Step 3: Transfer the cauliflower to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring midway though.
Step 4: While the cauliflower is roasting in the oven, lightly coat the bottom of a large non-stick pan with oil spray. Heat the pan over a medium flame and add the panko bread crumbs and salt. Toast until lightly browned (stir continuously to prevent burning).
Step 5: Once the cauliflower is done roasting (should be golden/crispy and slightly charred), transfer to a platter and top with the toasted breadcrumbs, sliced scallions and chopped coriander. Serve with extra lime wedges and dig in!
More Vegan Recipes:
- 11 Vegan Recipes Your Toddler (And You) Will Love
- You Won't Believe These Banana Nut Muffins Are Vegan
- Make Ahead Skinny Vegan Lasagna


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Siemens sets milestone with first 3D-printed part operating in nuclear power plant
Following the integration of 3D printing as part of its digital services portfolio, Siemens has achieved an industry breakthrough with the first successful commercial installation and continuing safe operation of a 3D-printed part in a nuclear power plant.
Following the integration of 3D printing as part of its digital services portfolio, Siemens has achieved an industry breakthrough with the first successful commercial installation and continuing safe operation of a 3D-printed part in a nuclear power plant. Because of the stringent safety and reliability requirements in the nuclear sector, achieving this qualification is a significant accomplishment.
Siemens team of experts in Slovenia reverse-engineered and created a "digital twin" of the part. The companys additive manufacturing (AM) facility in Finspång, Sweden, then applied its advanced AM process using a 3D printer to produce the part.
"We continue to push forward our investments and cutting-edge advancements in additive manufacturing and 3D printing," said Tim Holt, CEO of Siemens Power Generation Services division. "This achievement at the Krško nuclear power plant is another example of how the digital transformation and the data-driven capabilities we have are impacting the energy industry in ways that really matter. Additive manufacturings reduced lead times and faster production optimizes parts replacement and creates real value for our customers."
Meeting the Krško NPPs stringent quality and safety assurance requirements required extensive testing that was performed jointly with the Krško operations team over several months, ensuring that the new 3D-printed part would perform safely and reliably. Further material testing at an independent institute as well as a CT scan, showed that the material properties of the 3D-printed part were superior to those of the original part.
"The better than expected performance of this 3D-printed part gave us confidence that we can reach the full life expectancy from our asset," said Vinko Planinc, Head of Maintenance at the Krško plant. "Siemens has a long history of innovation in this area and their dedication to providing their customers with the latest, proven innovations made them an excellent partner for this project."
The Krško plant is among the highest-ranked of European nuclear power plants by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group in terms of safety according to assessments following Fukushima. It provides more than one-quarter of Slovenias and 15 percent of Croatias power, making it vitally important to the region. For over a decade, Siemens has been actively performing modifications and providing service on the plants non-nuclear side, including turbine, generator and auxiliary equipment.
Siemens and Krško plan to continue research and development in this area and are looking at advancing the design of parts that are most difficult to produce using classical manufacturing techniques, such as lightweight structures with improved cooling pattern.
Siemens operates a state-of-the-art AM production facility in Finspång where is has been advancing this technology since 2009. Siemens extensively uses AM for rapid prototyping and has introduced serial production solutions for rapid manufacturing of small fuel mixers and for rapid repair of burner tips for mid-size gas turbines. The first 3D-printed burner component for a Siemens heavy-duty gas turbine has been in successful commercial operation in a power plant in Brno, Czech Republic, since June 2016. It has achieved 1,600 equivalent operating hours without causing any forced outages. For parts production in industrial gas turbines, the benefits of Siemens AM include an approximate 50 percent reduction in lead time and a 75 percent reduction in development time. Siemens recently announced it has finished its first full load engine tests for gas turbine blades completely produced using AM technology.
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the worlds largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment - such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems - and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2016, which ended on September 30, 2016, Siemens generated revenue of €79.6 billion and net income of €5.6 billion. At the end of September 2016, the company had around 351,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.


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Nissan Kicks On Road Price in SilcharChange
XL (Petrol) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 9.55 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 66,850 Insurance Rs. 45,764 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 10.68 lakh
XE D (Diesel) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 9.89 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 69,230 Insurance Rs. 46,980 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 11.05 lakh
XV (Petrol) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 10.95 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 76,650 Insurance Rs. 50,772 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 12.22 lakh
XL D (Diesel) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 11.09 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 77,630 Insurance Rs. 51,273 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 12.38 lakh
XV D (Diesel) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 12.51 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 87,570 Insurance Rs. 56,352 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 13.95 lakh
XV Premium D (Diesel) Ex-Showroom PriceSilchar Rs. 13.69 lakh RTO + Road Tax + Others Rs. 95,830 Insurance Rs. 60,573 On-Road Price Silchar Rs. 15.25 lakh
Nissan Kicks Price in Silchar
Nissan Kicks price in Silchar starts from Rs. 9.55 lakh (Ex-showroom). Kicks is available in only 6 variant. Nissan Kicks's top competitors are Hyundai Creta (price starting at Rs. 9.60 lakh in Silchar) and Nissan Terrano (price starting at Rs. 10.00 lakh in Silchar).
Nissan Kicks Overview
Nissan Dealer Showroom in Silchar
S R B NissanNormal School Road, Tarapur, Near India Club Point, Silchar, Assam 788001Phone : 8638292553, 9854135177 Phone : 8638292553, 9854135177Email : firstname.lastname@example.com
Price of Kicks Competitors
Kia Seltos
Rs. 9.69 lakhSeltos On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Hyundai Creta
Rs. 9.60 lakhCreta On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Renault Duster
Rs. 8.00 lakhDuster On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Nissan Terrano
Rs. 10.00 lakhTerrano On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Renault Captur
Rs. 9.50 lakhCaptur On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Maruti Vitara Brezza
Rs. 8.19 lakhVitara Brezza On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Hyundai Venue
Rs. 6.50 lakhVenue On Road Price Compare with Kicks
MG Hector
Rs. 12.18 lakhHector On Road Price Compare with Kicks
Must Read Questions & Answers Before Buying Kicks
Q. How good is nissan's after sales service in terms of quality?Zigwheels | 3 days ago
The after-sales service would depend on the availability of service centres in your locality. Moreover, after-sales quality of Nissan is at par and offers decent services. You may click on the link and select your city accordingly for dealership details: Nissan Car Showrooms
Q. Is Nissan Kicks petrol automatic version available and what is the price?Zigwheels | 4 weeks ago
Nissan Kicks comes with a price range of Rs.9.55 - 13.69 Lakh (Ex-shroom Delhi) with a choice 1.5-litre petrol unit mated to a 5-speed manual and 1.5-litre diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission only. Moreover, we'd suggest you take the test drive of the vehicle which will help you to make a final decision for your purchase - Car Dealer
Q. How is the service response for Nissan Kicks in Pune is there service station in Kolhapur?Zigwheels | 2 months ago
Serviceability would depend on the service centres in your city. Follow the link to check out the service centre.
Q. Which one should I opt between Kicks, Capture, Venue and Nexon for 4 family member occasionally. Need good feature and budget is below 12 L?
Q. Wanted to purchase Nissan Kicks top end desiel variant but having seen the market response of February I am disappointed and confused. Is Kicks not a Value for Money Car? Please advise with alternates as well budget 18-20 lakhs.Zigwheels | 5 months ago
Nissan has managed to price the Kicks competitively, especially the base variant which gets more features than its closest rival, Hyundai Creta. However, the large price gap between the base and higher variants is a bit of a bummer. Overall, the Kicks is worth considering for those wanting to look beyond the Creta with a well-equipped compact SUV that feels properly premium. Moreover, the Kicks will appeal to those looking for a stylish compact SUV with a premium interior, if they can look beyond its limitations. The available options in a decent budget of Rs. 18-20 lakhs are Hyundai Creta and Tata Harrier. The Harrier stands out, can tackle the crowded and desolate parts of India with ease, it pampers and shields, and comes with a price tag that makes it the all-rounder you had always hoped for. On the other hand, Creta is expensive. But, it feels like you're getting your money's worth. It's well-built, has a comfortable ride, enough gizmos to keep you occupied and a brilliant set of engines. You'll have trouble upgrading from this one.Also to have a detailed comparison in all the three models, click on the following link. https://www.zigwheels.com/compare-cars/hyundai-creta-vs-nissan-kicks-vs-tata-harrier
Q. Which is the best varient to buy - Kicks?Zigwheels | 7 months ago
Talking about selecting the variant for purchasing Nissan Kicks completely depends upon your choice and preference. The base variant of the Nissan Kicks gets all the basic features that we expect from a modern-day compact SUV. If you have a limited budget, then you may go ahead and buy this one. Moreover, if you are looking to purchase a fully loaded variant with all the safety and luxurious features than Nissan Kicks XV Premium Option: Feels safe and luxurious.Do take the test drive so that you can have a clear glimpse regarding the ease and comfort available in the car.Zigwheels | 7 months ago
Here selecting the best fit model that gives the value for money can be done on the basis of one's choice and preference. Nissan Kicks is launched with a choice of four variants - XL, XV, XV Premium and XV Premium+. Out of which Nissan Kicks XL covers all bases; good option for those looking for a compact SUV on a budget. The base variant of the Nissan Kicks gets all the basic features that we expect from a modern-day compact SUV. If you have zeroed in on the Nissan Kicks but have a limited budget, then you may go ahead and buy this one.
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Disclaimer : The data/calculations generated herein is completely and solely based on the information/details provided herein in response to the questions specified by Girnar Software Pvt. Ltd. on its ZigWheels.com Site is only for user's convenience and information purposes in Indian Currency.Read More
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Woke to glorious sunshine on Saturday - you could be in Greece! Had lunch out the back:
Then off to pick some blackberries - sméara dubha.
Made some home-made granola based on my good friend Suzanne Bloom's recipe and some blackberry compote as developed in this very kitchen by Marijn Woudstra - ready for the morning!
tBut the weather is always changing in Kerry, especially here in Glenmore - close to sea and mountains... we often get this eerie mix of brigh sunshine and ominous clouds. It was enough to make me turn for home...
though not before I'd got my perfect photo of a Fuscia - a native of South American but growing wild here since it was introduced (due to the Gulf Stream). Think I'll use it as my Twitter avatar for a bit...
Day one of our new adventure
)After a long two days travelling, it was nice to get out for a walk (in fact I HAVE to get out for a walk if I want to call anyone as there's no phone or mobile connection at our house). It was a 'grand soft day' with the lightest of mist. The fuscia are still in bloom after a sunny summer...
and the furze are holding out.
You can easily forget about the abundance of autum in the city - but here, even in the drizzle, the berries are ripening... honeysuckle is scenting the air, rose hips are almost ready (I can't remember what my mother used to make from them - I'll have to research) the berries on the Mountain Ash are like corn-on-the-cob and even the briars are wonderful.
I remember why Gerard Manley Hopkins was a favourite poet...
Glory be to God for dappled things –
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced – fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.
Big changes - post one
So on moving day we were shocked to discover that the developers across the street had decided to do even more digging. We had permission to park outside our house - but now that the developers had created a one way, that wouldn't be possible...
But the amazing young men who arrived to do the move parked in the space outside the house, leaving the road clear and even a smige of foothpath - a sneeze would have brought the whole adventure to a premature end!
Our kind neighbours cooked us lunch and we said a sad goodbye. Then we packed the car - with kitty-crate and computer (that's all that would fit) and headed for Wales.
Poor Kitty is generally an outdoor cat, roaming the nearby gardens and only staying in when the temperature drops below freezing. Eighteen hours in the car was just too much! By the time we stopped to pick up a few groceries, she was gone into a daze... finally, in a traditionally misty afternoon, we arrived.
,I usually only blog here about books and related matters, but I was so uplifted by the AfroCelt concert I went to in Reading on Saturday night, I wanted to write. And, as I thought about what I wanted to say, I realised that actually it has a bearing on my 'book life' as it were...
I don't like to use the word 'diversity' very much - so often it's used by white people when they talk about 'others' - but you can't get away from the word when you're watching AfroCelt - they epitomise it in being a group of musicians from around the world creating the most amazing sound.
It's not 'fused' - you can hear clearly all the different original traditions at once - but together they do produce something new and amazing and exciting.
I think the reason I was so uplifted (not just from the amazing music itself but from the experience) is the fact that all of these people working together and creating this amazing new thing are a fabulous example of how much richer we are when we embrace and respect each others' traditions and when we celebrate what we achieve together...
This was in contrast to the direction the UK seems to be moving at the moment, and specifically the horrible comments I'd been reading the few days before on Emma Dabiri's Twitter feed claiming (in a nutshell) that Irishness cannot include anyone who is not white and being particularly nasty about people of mixed heritage.
There was a lot of talk about 'purity' in this thread - and I guess it wasn't a surprise that the comments came back into my head while I was watching a Punjabi-Sikh (from Slough - big up Slough) accompanying an Irish fiddler playing a reel...
Because while people claim that 'music is a universal language', there is much talk of purity in musical circles too - most especially in the area of folk or traditional music. On my last visit to Kerry I joined a great local trad session, but I was curious at the amazement at a local young flute player. Adopted as a baby, people were amazed at his facility to play Irish music - even though he'd been adopted into an extremely musical family - as if there was an Irish traditional music -gene.
I have no doubt that there are genes for musical aptitude, and I'm sure if this young boy was living in Russia, he'd be playing Tchaikovsky. But there isn't a gene for national music and it shouldn't come as a surprise that someone born elsewhere but growing up in a rich musical environment should be a skilled practitioner of a local tradition. When we talk of people being 'naturals' we somehow set up a situation where a tradition cannot be learned but has to somehow be inherited.
The thing about Afro Celt is that each musician is superb exponent of his or her traditional/native instrument and musical tradition. They are all amazingly skilled. And whatever about this talk of universal languages, actually even brilliant musicians from very different traditions cannot just roll up and start playing together...
So when Johnny Kalsi (the Slough Punjabi-Sikh dohl-player) said "you need three legs for this one, it's in sevenths" he was really acknowledging the level of difficulty of the collaboration in the next piece. For someone like me, steeped in an Irish tradition, I was loving it, but struggled to keep the beat! And I was in awe of the Irish flute and fiddle player who somehow managed to play some kind of slip-jig to it!
These musicians, all experts in their own fields must have had to be prepared to really listen to each other, to be open to being amateurs and needing to learn about a different tradition.
And the result was so amazing. For me, what is SO exciting about Afro-Celt is that it's not just a blend - you can hear all the different instruments and traditions clearly, but the experience of hearing them together is mind-blowing.
So, if you are saddened by the daily updates on Brexit with their attendant xenophobia and the emboldening of those voices which would argue for pure homelands, check out Afro-Celt and lift your soul.
For the current series of concerts they are being 'supported' by the Dhol Foundation.
Ready for edinburgh BookFest
So I'm humming 'All the single Ladies' in my head all week and I can't think why...
Everything is ready for Edinburgh Book Festival...
• magic wand - tick VITAL for under 5s events
• bookmarks with little cats for them to colour in - tick
• my box of goodies with glitter and tape and ribbons to decorate the bookmarks - tick
And then I realised - one of my craft activities is to make a Mary Mary doll. (Lulu loves the poem Mary Mary Quite Contrary - it inspires her to plant flowers and decorate her garden with shells and beads... Lulu thinks that the 'maids all in a row' are little ladies and she makes one herself. I then made some last summer and put instructions for how to make them on the website...
My events at EIBF will be focused on Lulu Loves Flowers and Lulu Gets a Cat - with storytelling and then craft. I ordered some wooden 'bodies' to act as the bases for the dolls but when they arrived they were far too light in colour - Lulu's dolls look just like her and that's important.
SO I spent the last few weeks painting the bodies - now these little ladies are ready to go!
Sensitivity readers
I've been thinking about this since reading a Guardian article headed 'We need to talk about sense and sensitivity' with the none too nuanced sub-title, 'Some publishers now employ 'sensitivity readers' to check books for potential offence – a step that can only have a chilling effect on creativity'.
It was written by Lionel Shriver who also recently stepped into the fray with an article about 'cultural appropriation', so we could likely guess what her take would be... (though more than anything I bristled at her comment , "Though this practice is now largely confined to children's and young adult fiction, lately mainstream media have consistently drifted toward pandering to the thin-skinned. Grownup fiction* may not stay safe from the sensitivity police for long." (*my italics - I think adult fiction would have been more accurate and not had the implication that children's and YA fiction was somehow childish - but there you go).
Anyway, I have three comments...
I've primarily spoken below about being sensitive around culture and race, but the comments apply more broadly, I hope.
1) Publishers now employ...
So, this was a shock to me. I heard people talk about it at a wonderful SCWBI meeting recently, but I'd already ranted twice so didn't want to talk again, but it is shocking to me that this is some kind of a new thing! Surely publishers have been doing this for years? I certainly would not have published anything featuring a particular racial group without checking that it was correct any more than I would publish anything set in a historical period, for example, without making sure the story didn't contain errors.
This is not about a writer's lack of imagination - we are quite capable of imagining experiences we've never had or writing set in eras we've never lived in or, writing characters of other genders or races. For me it's about checking for nuance, inaccuracies... something that sounds 'off'
This is a book I worked on in 1995 with the wonderful Margaret Bateson-Hill. She had already contacted the Lambeth Chinese Community about her story, and once I'd acquired it, I continued to work with them. They vetted the artwork (and if fact found a major historical error - the artists had worked from really good quality reference. However, she'd drawn the emperor's courtiers with beards and our consultant told us they were always eunuchs, so we had to remove the beards. We also contacted the community for recommendations and connections: they found us a paper-cut artist and a translator, and put me in touch with people who typeset a Chinese newspaper who I used for the Chinese text. They made a really positive contribution to the project. I'm not singing my own praises here, just making the point that this has been good practice for sensitive publishers for over 30 years.
This was the first in a series of four 'new' folktale-style stories, and we worked very closely with a group from the Native American Community (in the USA), a group of Russian friends in London and a number of Indian librarians living in the UK for the other books in the series. It was routine.
2) Sensitivity readers to check books for offence
Two points here actually. Firstly I hate the term sensitivity readers - like we are all some kind of snowflakes! If I set my book in a historical context and I as a writer/editor/publisher ask someone with knowledge and expertise/experience of this context, I don't call them 'sensitivity readers' I call them consultants. Though those who coined the expression in the first place didn't mean it in a pejorative way, it is important what we call things and certainly, I think calling them 'sensitivity readers' feeds into the kind of attitude expressed by Lionel Shriver - that it's all about sensitivity rather than accuracy or authenticity. Lee and Low (who I'm sure have also been using readers for a very long time call them 'cultural consultants' and I think this is a far more sensible term. It also speaks to the attempt by authors, editors and publishers to 'get it right' rather than having the 'unrelenting anguish about hurting other people's feelings' Shriver talks about.
Which brings me on to the second point - the offence bit.
See, as a writer myself and as someone who writes, edits and publishes stories set outside of my own experience, I am concerned about giving offence, sure - I think that goes without saying. However, the main motivation behind asking someone who is more knowledgeable or has more experience about a situation I'm writing about, it to get it right, to find an authenticity... a weird note, a slightly off phrase can break the magic of a story, draw attention to the writing, break the spell - that's what I'm trying to avoid - that slightly off note...
Sadly, I think one of the reasons publishing is recently talking about 'sensitivity readers' is that it has long been writing/publishing for an assumed white audience and white readers' notions of 'blackness' (or any other 'other'). In this context, a reasonably informed stab at representing any non-white character/voice/situation is good enough as long as it seems OK to the white writer/editor/publisher. This is the white gaze Toni Morrison talks about and which was recently referred to by L.J. Alonge in his recent brilliant article, Writing Past The White Gaze As A Black Author.
In recent years, especially in YA, readers have routinely voiced criticisms of texts which are inauthentic, and this perhaps is why publishers are waking up to the diversity of readers their stories are being read by - and that is feeding the (good) move to consult.
* Little side note, it was interesting to me that in the Toni Morrison video she speaks of asking her Mali friend various questions including finding an authentic name for one of her characters. Publishers may be waking up to checking white writers, but we all need to be sensitive when writing about any other culture.
3) Sensitivity Readers
Though the word readers is used in the plural when talking about this, it seems to me from a lot of the comments that in reality people use one reader. And while I understand how hard it is to get multiple readers, that surely has to be part of the exercise - if the intention is to genuinely iron out any glitches versus getting a tick of approval.
Chimamanda Adichie says pretty much everything worth saying on the topic in her amazing Ted Talk The Danger of a Single Story. And I think everything she says also applies to cultural consultants as I shall now call them. It is unfair to ask one 'cultural reader' to represent a whole group of individuals and we should remember that what might sound off to someone from a particular class/city/religion in a country, might be just fine for someone else from a different class/countryside/religion. Finding more than one reader might seem a daunting task, but actually it's not.
I was quite nervous when working on my book, My Friend Jamal. I had worked with the Somali family featured in the story for so long we'd become good friends, so I was confident the settings were OK. However, the mother of 'Jamal' was not a confident English speaker and at very least I wanted to be sure she really knew and understood what I was saying in the story. I knew two other Somali families really well and asked them to put me in touch with others - in fact one woman was part of a Somali women's group and she kindly invited me along to one of their meetings, introduced me and allowed me to read the story and have the women comment. Since I touched on religious practice in the story, it was very important to me that some very committed Muslims commented on it alongside some with more secular views. In my experience, people are incredibly willing to help you make sure you represent people like them accurately.
So, that's where I'll leave it. I think consultants are vital to anyone writing outside of their own experience - but it's important they don't feel the burden of being one voice from that community - whatever it is. For me at least, this is not about "marginalised groups whose feelings must be specially protected" it's about the authenticity of the story. I'll close with one anecdote. When I came to the UK first I was quite a fan of The Bill, but over time, I had to stop watching it. I found that every time an Irish character appeared on screen, he was likely to be the criminal. That was offensive. However, the other thing that made me stop watching was the inaccuracy - I watched one programme where two Irish guys were supposed to be brothers. Now, their accents were from different parts of the country - so I assumed it was part of the plot that they were not in fact brothers. However, it turned out they were (supposed to be brothers that is) - it was just some casual casting and lack of attention to detail. But it spoiled the whole plot and resolution for me and I was confused for much of the programme. That is what a consultant might have fixed - the authenticity bit.
Finally, I think we need to guard against over reliance on readers - the story is ultimately the writer's responsibility and then that of her editor/publisher... a sensitivity reader can comment, but it should never be seen as some kind of tick of approval or badge against criticism.
Thoughtful comments please.
I'm not actually going to blog about this - yet...
But there are some excellent commentaries that I wanted to collect in one place.
Who Gets to Write What?
by Kaitlyn Greenidge in the New York Times is here
'I hope the concept of cultural appropriation is a passing fad'
Lionel Shriver's full speech in The Guardian is here
No, Lionel Shriver, the problem is not cultural appropriation
by Ken Kalfus in the Washington Post is here
And the excellent Scott Woods in
Lionel Shriver and The Magical Vial of White Writers' Tears
is here
And from Ali Standish - here
measured and thoughtful comments only, please.
Bologna 2016 was a very significant one for me. Having sold the US, Danish and Dutch rights for the first Lola/Lulu book at the fair in 2004/5, I decided to set up Alanna Books to publish it in the UK. In 2006, all of us met to celebrate. Little did we realise how this little book-loving hero would take off!
So in 2016, I felt it was important to mark the 10 years - not just of Lulu's development, but also of the joy I've had working with such a tremendous group of people. I've begun to think of Lulu as a magnet for nice people, each time she finds a new champion, I make a new colleague and friend.
So first up, I'm so grateful that my stories are illustrated by not just one of the most talented illustrators in the business, but one of the nicest - Ros Beardshaw.
It was a fabulous evening with a very sweet moment towards the end - the lovely proprietors of Enoteca Storica Faccioli, Elisa and Stefano brought their little son to meet us. He was very excited to get a copy of Lulu as you can see and he reminded us what this really is all about!
I can't end this post without thanking two of my biggest supporters - the talented writer and storyteller, Margaret Bateson-Hill, and my wonderful husband, Brian, without whose support none of this would be possible.
In the photos: Marianna Warth, Pallas Editora Rio de Janero, Brazil; Andrew Macmillan & Tricia, MMS Publishing Services, UK; Martyn Chapman, ORCA Book Services UK; Rusty Scott, Yolanda Scott & Meg Quinn, Charlesbridge Publishing, Boston, USA; Kendra Marcus & Ilse Crane, BookStop Literary Agency San Fransisco, USA; Margaret Bateson-Hill, UK; Brian Pembroke UK at Enoteca Storica Faccioli, Bologna - with thanks to Simona Sideri.
Lulu Loves Flowers
This is a little bit of a cheat - I first wrote it on the US publishers Charlesbridge's blog, Unabridged, when Lulu Loves Flowers was published in hardcover. Now that it's out in paperback - in time to celebrate 10 years of Lulu books, I thought I could re-blog it here...
Writing is a funny thing. You think you're writing about one thing, but it turns out you're writing about something else altogether, you just don't realise it!
When I started writing Lulu Loves Flowers, I thought I was just writing a simple story about Lulu and gardening. I thought, 'if she wanted to garden, Lulu's a bit like me, so first thing she would do is read up on the subject.' She loves books anyways, so that was appropriate and that's what I made her do.
I actually have a small town garden and I don't really regard myself as a gardener. But I do have a wonderful collection of gardening books with fantastic photographs of beautiful gardens and inspiring schemes…
Our garden is at it's best in spring, (when I do a little weeding and planting)
But once the big cherry tree comes into leaf it's too shady for many flowers, so I spend most of the time sitting in the shade reading gardening books (and occasionally cook books, craft books…) I've always been a little bit more into reading about doing things and looking at nice pictures of things than actually making or doing!
I actually did more gardening when I was very little. My dad is a very keen gardener, growing vegetables and fruit in our back garden, as well as flowers and a large lawn out front. His carrots, turnips, potatoes, onions, lettuces, strawberries, and rhubarb kept us happy and well fed (except for the year when, aged three, I picked the strawberry flowers and presented them in a bunch to my mother!).
I helped with weeding and planting, and he also gave me a little patch to grow my own stuff – some onions, lettuce, a few flowers… My most adventurous year was the one when I decided to grow various items mentioned in the Enid Blyton stories I was reading. The Famous Five and the Adventurous four seemed to exist on a diet of radishes, watercress sandwiches and ginger beer (none of which I'd tasted - in fact I thought ginger beer was alcoholic and I was a bit shocked the children were allowed to drink it). Like Lola wanting to re-create Mary Mary's contrary garden, I was determined to find out what watercress and especially radishes tasted like.
I have to tell you, both were disappointing. I couldn't really understand the attraction of watercress (though combined with hardboiled egg and mayonnaise - a recipe from one of the cooking books I also happened to have borrowed from the library - it was just about OK). But the radishes were a total bust! I think that in combination with the descriptions of Dick and George wolfing them down, the very word 'radish' sounded delicious to me. So the bland, pale, hard white radishes I grew were a horrible disappointment. Worst of all was I'd been very successful and had an enormous crop which I couldn't give away fast enough!
Whenever I took a break from all that planting and weeding (not!) I was off to do the other thing I liked to do in the garden – pretending to be a spy! I would get down on my tummy and crawl between the vegetable ridges, pretending I was sneaking up on some bad guys or escaping from some bad guys…
And you know, I think this is really what Lulu Loves Flowers is about. It's about the fact that little kids are like little sponges – soaking up experiences and trying stuff out and working out how the world works and who they are and how they fit. And it's about the fact that we must not limit their options or their imaginations. Too often we see a little girl who loves reading and we put her in the 'cerebral' box. We buy her more books (good thing) and read to her (good thing) but perhaps forget that on other days she may enjoy running in the garden just as much… We see a little girl who loves to run about and we put her in the 'sporty box'. We sign her up for after school sports clubs (good thing) and cheer her from the sidelines (good thing) but perhaps forget that once in a while she might like to sit and listen to a story… We see a little girl who loves dressing up and we put her in the 'artistic' box and we sign her up for art class (good thing) and dance class (good thing) but forget that once in a while she might like to run about in the mud or plant some flowers…
I was that mix of things – a crazy reader, soaking up information and stories but then acting them out, running about, pretending… getting muddy. I was fortunate that my parents accepted that mixed up bundle of stuff and it wasn't really until my teens when I started to run middle-distance competitively that these two sides of my personality seem a problem to other people. My running club peers were curious about my 'bookishness', seeing it as at odds with my my passion for running and some of my 'cerebral' friends thought my love of physical exertion was just weird. (And did I mention that I was also into art and played two musical instruments). Happily, none of my friends were anything other than puzzled by my 'other' interests and I continued with them all.
But more and more I see a modern trend to channel children into a particular stream earlier and earlier (I think so they can be sold things more efficiently). The tailored advertising of the 'if you liked that author/musician/dress – you'll like this author/musician/dress' is ubiquitous. It may seem innocuous, but is a symptom of a world where we are encouraged to identify with a particular (and often narrow) set of values/ambitions and stick with them. When applied to young children, this tendency to label and contain seems to me to be kicking in earlier and earlier. I have parents of 2-year olds tell me 'he's not really into books' as if this is a fixed character trait like having brown eyes (and as if ANY trait is fixed in a 2-year old) and I see parents dress their little girls as princesses and wonder why they don't want to run and play outside.
So Lulu Loves Flowers is about ALL of that… It's about a little girl who is like a little sponge, soaking up information about the world around her; acting out things from books; trying out different roles and figuring out what makes her happy and where she fits in the world…
'The Wren'
Carol Ann Duffy's Christmas poem this year, The Wren-Boys has sparked much interest in the old custom of 'going on the Wren'. Most Google searches state that it is an obsolete custom, but in Kerry where I grew up (and some other parts of rural Ireland) it is very much alive.
Like many other Irish celebrations, it is one based on layers upon layers of custom...
Nowadays, The Wren is celebrated on St Stephen's Day (the feast day of first Christian martyr) but the tradition has no links with St Stephen and most likely was originally celebrated on the Solstice (only a few days earlier after all). In fact, the Wren was venerated in Irish mythology as a wise and clever bird who outsmarted the Eagle to be named King of the birds. The story goes that the birds decided to have a competition to elect a king. The winner was to be the bird who flew highest and the Eagle was confident of winning. However, the clever little Wren perched on the Eagle's back and when the Eagle reached the highest point, the Wren came out of hiding and flew higher.
In Celtic mythology, the wren was also the symbol of the old year. The tradition of chasing and killing a wren then parading it round the locality while singing and dancing, collecting money for its burial, makes sense in this context.
This association with older mythology (in fact, the Irish word for wren dreolín suggests an association with Druidic practice, the name meaning 'druid's bird') was a troubling one in Christian times. So, it is thought that, in order to clamp down on the custom, new stories were invented including one that St. Stephen, hiding from his enemies in a bush, was betrayed by a chattering wren. The wren, like St. Stephen, should be hunted down and stoned to death. This and other stories attempted to make the wren an object of scorn versus veneration. The result is a hodge-podge that makes little sense:
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
Although he was little his honour was great,
Jump up me lads and give him a treat.
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
And give us a penny to bury the wren.
In later years bunches of feathers and pretend birds were attached to poles with ribbons instead of an actual bird, which were then carried round the locality accompanied by singers asking for 'a penny for the Wren' (though rumors persisted that the Wren boys would return in the night and bury a dead wren in the garden of anyone who was less than generous - something which would bring them bad luck for the coming year). The money collected would be pooled to fund a party traditionally called a join.
When we 'went on the Wren' we collected money not for a party but for a local youth club. What interests me is how much of a carnival it was, and the strong emphasis on disguise (something not really mentioned in Google searches). There was a strong tradition of men dressing as women and many wearing night clothes.
It was also traditional to 'go on the wren' in the next town or village along rather than your own and even then we all had to agree to pretend to be from somewhere else (we pretended to be from Toornafolla).
(left) Brian Pembroke & (right) Anna McQuinn On the Wren 1985
Setting out from O'Mahony's house, Castleisland, Co Kerry
(left) Brian Pembroke & (right) Anna McQuinn (in the background, in his pyjamas) Cormac O Mahony On the Wren 1985, Flanagan's, Brosna, Co Kerry
(left) Lyn, (centre) Dan Lynch & (right) 'our treasurer' Colm McQuinn
On the Wren, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, 1985
More interesting links;
August 2018


text: Hey all, just to let you know, a few bits of the site have been moved around to ensure they all stay busy. First of all, the chatbox has been removed. This is purely because it wasn't getting a lot of use. The Knights in Focus forum has been integrated with the Knights main forum. The player threads are now in there, with KNIGHTS IN FOCUS written before them, so if you want to comment on a certain player they should be easy to find. The Newcastle Jets forum has just been moved back to the old A-League thread. And the Current Affairs forum has been merged with the off-topic forum, feel free to discuss anything you like in there. Hopefully this means the forums we do have remain nice and active!


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These Mother's Day Gifts Are Musts!/
By PrettyCity Editors
Mother's Day is just days away and if you haven't gotten your Mom a gift yet, it's time to get your shop on. Immediately! There's still time to get something shipped directly to Mom so you can skip the whole last-minute-digital-gift-card routine and, maybe even, make your mother believe that you've got this adulting concept covered. As if.
For The Mom That Has It All: La Mer 'The Reparative Skintint' Broad Spectrum SPF 30; $95 here.
Drenched in the famous Miracle Broth, this translucent spectrum works to smooth lines and wrinkles and protect skin from environmental factors that might try to take away from Mom's natural beauty. Meet La Mer The Reparative SkinTint, boasting translucent color technology that instantly perfects complexions plus broad-spectrum SPF 30. The results are legendary, just like Mom.
Gifting Tip: Order by May 10 with two-day shipping ($9) and Mom will get her gift in time. You can also get get in-stock items from your local store delivered to you the same day for $15.
For the "Classic" Mom: Yves Saint Laurent 'Black Opium' Eau De Parfum, $90 here.
We know and you know that Mom likes her Opium. It's her signature scent, after all! Black Opium is an updated take on the classic, and, like Mom, it is feminine, strong, and sexy with notes of black coffee, white florals, vanilla, orange blossom, pink pepper, pear and cedarwood.
Gifting Tip: Get free shipping and returns; no promo code needed.
For the Mom that needs a break: Lollia's truly stunning collection of bath + body products, $15 to $50 here.
The Lollia bath and body collection is absolutely one of our favorites and thanks to stunning packaging, surpassed only by the sumptuous product within, any Mom will truly adore Lollia. Created by designer Margot Elena, Lollia offers a complete world of delightful scents, bath and body treats, and candles.
Gifting tip: Along with free shipping and returns, get 15% off your first Neiman Marcus purchase when you sign up for their email. Click here and then sign up for their email in the bottom right hand corner for a 15% off code. Also, skip the gift wrap! These products are oh-so-pretty... no need to hide them! But, if you must present them to Mom in a special way, what about placing these beauties in a wire basket like this one from Target?
For the Eco-chic mom: "Warm Cotton" Fragrance from CLEAN; $25 to $95 here.
Meet CLEAN, a luxury fragrance collection with a conscience. What's more inspired by Mom than "Warm Cotton," a fresh, pure comforting scent featuring translucent florals and musks. Best of all, each CLEAN fragrance is ethically harvested and manufactured with the lowest carbon footprint and blended with sustainable raw ingredients that support local communities!
Gifting tip: Exclusive to Sephora.
Finally, if you need a truly unique card for Mother's Day, there is no better place than Etsy where cards with a generous side of creativity, like those pictured below, can easily be found.


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We live in a fast-changing and godless society. We face fears about the future, concern for our safety, and discouragement as the world seems to be falling apart at warp speed. Is it possible to not only survive but thrive as people of faith when it collides with our culture? The story of Daniel shows us how the power of hope, humility and wisdom can not only help us thrive in this culture, but how we can bring change to it. We can learn much from him and his friends today. This brand-new message series will help navigate life in our world when our faith and our culture collide.
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE | October 30, November 6 & 13
Let's share God's love in a practical way by providing food items for those in need! All donations will go to a local ministry partner, My Brother's Keeper, for their food distribution. Visit HERE for a list of food items and more information. Collection days are 10/30, 11/6 and 11/13.
TIME CHANGE SUNDAY I November 6th I Fall Back One Hour!
Join us November 6th for TIME CHANGE Sunday! Bring the whole family and join us for gourmet hot dogs and kettle corn after all three services!
LADIES CHRISTMAS GATHERING | December 2 | 6:30 PM
Come celebrate the Christmas season with dinner, visiting with friends and family and an inspirational program of music and the gospel. Visit HERE for more information and tickets.
BOLD Dashboard (3-1-15 TO DATE)
150 - # of First-Time Givers to Date
380 - # of Total Givers to Date
$4,275,089 - BOLD Generosity to Date
$6,075,442 - Total BOLD Generosity Goal
Thank you for your generosity to Crossbridge as we honor God by making growing followers of Jesus Christ! Share your BOLD story HERE!


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Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness month, but don't forget about its counterpart in February, national Teen Dating Violence Awareness month! The With One Word Foundation is a proud member of the Teen Dating Violence Awareness Committee of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Agencies from across the Charlotte Metro area will come together to bring awareness to a national issue affecting our young adults today. With national events like Wear Orange 4 Love day and Respect Week, we hope to join together as a community and make an impact!
For more info on Teen DV month, visit Love Is Respect.


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In the last ten years, France's battle with New World wine for shelf space has been most competitively fought by the Languedoc-Roussillon.
Here in the South of France, growers have adapted to modern trends, producing varietal, fruit- generous wines that seduce new, young consumers. Situated near Pézenas, Domaine Montrose are the ultimate example of the modern Languedoc Estate, producing carefully made varietally-driven wines of charm and personality. From Cabernet/Syrah to Viognier, their wines ooze ripe, juicy fruit flavours whilst retaining a freshness and balance that make them so drinkable. Varietals aside, the Languedoc boasts a whole treasure-trove of interesting, great value wines even at the higher end of the price scale. Each year, the region takes giant strides towards realising the potential of its mosaic of soil types and microclimates. Whilst not yet matched by broad demand in the UK, it cannot be much longer that the sheer quality and personality of the region's wines goes so unnoticed. There is enormous potential in some of the new sub regions of the Languedoc such as Pic St Loup and Montpeyroux, but it is perhaps the Roussillon that really ignites the senses. Here former French sommelier and journalist Hervé Bizeuil started the revered Clos des Fées vineyard near Vingrau. Blessed with old Grenache and Carignan vines (a large proportion of which are over 70 years old), and with great skill and enthusiasm, Hervé has gained a big reputation amongst those in the restaurant trade and journalists alike. Another fine estate is the joint venture between one of the region's benchmark producers, Gérard Gauby, and British shipper Richards Walford. Their Le Soula wines are extremely fine terroir-drive examples of Roussillon that boast great finesse and fresh acidities, thanks to the high altitude and decomposed granite and limestone soils of the Agly valley.
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Aug. 19, 2014
ADRIAN, MICH. ? August 19, 2014 ? Sister Leona Bruck, formerly known as Sister John Aloysius Bruck, died on August 19, 2014, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 75 years of age and in the 58th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Leona was born in Monroe, Michigan, to Aloysius and Eleanor (Wess) Bruck. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Adrian, Michigan; and received a bachelor of philosophy degree in English and a master of education degree in administration, both from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian, Michigan.
Sister spent 43 years ministering in elementary education in Chicago, Homewood, Flossmoor, Joliet, Westmont, Cicero and River Forest, Illinois; Munising and Iron Mountain, Michigan; and Des Moines, Iowa. This includes 11 years as principal at the following schools: St. Mary Magdalene School in Joliet; and St. David School, Providence of God School, and Epiphany School, all in Chicago. She also was a parish minister for 6� years in Temperance, Michigan, and 2 years in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Sister became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan, in 2014.
Sister Leona is survived by a brother, John Bruck, and three sisters, Betty Riddle, Mary Donnelly and Jane Thoma, all of Monroe, Michigan; and a cousin, Sister Loretta May, also an Adrian Dominican.
Visitation is from 6:15 to 7:00pm in the Rose Room of the Dominican Life Center, on Friday, August 22, 2014, followed by Vigil Prayer at 7:00pm in St. Catherine Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered in St. Catherine Chapel on Saturday, August 23, 2014, at 10:30am. Burial will be in the Congregation cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian.


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WARSAW, Ind., Oct. 18, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Symmetry Medical Inc. (NYSE:SMA), a leading global source of innovative medical device solutions, including surgical instruments, orthopedic implants, and sterilization cases and trays, announced today that it will release third quarter 2012 financial results for the period ending September 29, 2012 before the market opens on November 1, 2012. Symmetry Medical will host an accompanying conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on November 1, 2012. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online from the investor relations page of the Company's corporate website at www.symmetrymedical.com. The dial-in numbers are (888) 771-4371 for domestic callers and (847) 585-4405 for international. The confirmation number for both is 33565480 (please reference "Zack Kubow" as host and "Symmetry Medical" as the Company). After the live webcast, the call will remain available on Symmetry Medical's website through February 1, 2013. In addition, a telephonic replay of the call will be available until November 8, 2012. The replay numbers are (888) 843-7419 for domestic callers and (630) 652-3042 for international callers. Please use passcode 3356 5480#. About Symmetry Medical Inc. Symmetry Medical Inc. is a leading global source of innovative medical device solutions, including surgical instruments, orthopedic implants, and sterilization cases and trays. The Company's thousands of Teammates provide design, development and worldwide production capabilities for these products to customers in the orthopedic industry, other medical device markets, and specialized non-healthcare markets. Symmetry's trusted reputation and brands, broad Intellectual Property portfolio and commitment to innovation enable it to collaborate with hundreds of global medical device manufacturers as well as thousands of hospitals to provide solutions for today's needs and tomorrow's growth.
CONTACT: Symmetry Medical Inc. Fred L. Hite Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer (574) 371-2218 Investors: The Ruth Group Zack Kubow (646) 536-7020 firstname.lastname@example.com


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Summer Reading
Is summer reading on your mind? Click here for links to websites with suggested books for students of all ages!
It is with great pleasure that I welcome back our students, teachers, and staff to the 2018-2019 school year – a year filled with promise and achievement!
I am honored to have been named the Acting Superintendent of the Greenburgh Graham UFSD. Our mission is, and always has been, to ensure that our students receive the education and services necessary for them to advance into society as adults with a clear focus, a sense of confidence to pursue their dreams and a purpose that will continue to cultivate as they advance in their career. I am amazed every day as I watch our students grow academically and socially, as I listen to their success stories and how hard they strive to make today just a little bit better than yesterday. Struggles are a part of our everyday lives and we encourage our students to embrace these obstacles by giving them the tools they need to manage difficult situations. We have the power to make a positive impact on the lives of our students every day. It is up to us to use this influence to remove barriers, support students in their challenges, and give them access to the knowledge and information that will enable them to reach their full potential.
Our teachers, staff, and administrators have been working diligently in preparation for the new school year to ensure that we meet the developmental needs of our students in order for them to begin to form the basis of ideas and actions that will give them the opportunity to be an integral part of our society. Some of the programs that we are integrating into our curriculum include an enormous donation from Hewlett Packard that will advance our District's technology initiatives and will enhance our instructional program to ensure college and career technology-readiness for our students. We continue to advance our "Every Student Every Day" program which emphasizes the benefits of students attending school every day. This year we added attendance initiative that will provide parents and guardians the support they need to ensure that their child/children benefit daily from a curriculum that is designed to enhance their academic achievements.
I truly believe the collaborative efforts of our teachers, staff, and parents/guardians along with the partnerships we have forged with our community will give our children the tools they need to reach their full potential.
On behalf of the School Board, we wish the entire Greenburgh Graham family an exciting and successful school year.
Oliver B. Levy
Is summer reading on your mind? Click here for links to websites with suggested books for students of all ages!
Greenburgh Graham UFSD presents FSA's Multicultural Dinner
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Transportation to the school will be provided promptly at 5:30pm from the Woodlawn Train Station. The bus will be departing back to Woodlawn from the school at 8:00pm. Join us for professional family photos, free book giveaways, student dance performances, and much more!
To celebrate Black History Month, the district will be having an assembly so all students can share in the theme: "We Are The Dream" Continuing the Love , Faith and Message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. There will be a wonderful student and faculty performance that combines dancing, readings and singing, based on historical events that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement.
The Ziccolella Elementary School students will be performing in a talent show on Friday, February 3rd at 10:00 AM. Practice is in full swing. Family and friends are invited to attend the show.
We're partnering with Yankee Candle Fundraising and Home & Family Fundraising by Yankee Candle to help achieve our goal this year. To help support us click on the attachments below and order items online. Your purchases ship directly to your home and our school receives 40% of each sale.
Our wonderful students from Greenburgh Graham Union Free School District will, once again, be serving the seniors and adding smiles to their faces. Our ever loyal "cooks," the Rivertowns Rotary members, will be grilling, as will the faculty from Greenburgh Graham UFSD. The 8th annual Fall Fling picnic will take place Wednesday, September 28, 2016 from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Registration begins at 11:30 and doors open at 11:45.
The Greenburgh-Graham School District celebrates the three students who have won achievement awards from The Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents (LHCSS) over the past two years. These students attended the Carroll Johnson Annual Scholastic Achievement Dinner where they received scholarships alongside other students from high schools in the Lower Hudson region. This year, on Wednesday, May 18, Kiara Cornejo, Salutatorian of the 2016 graduating class of Martin Luther King HS, and a member of the PBL Program, was honored at the 51st annual Achievement Dinner. Our students take pride in their work and their competitive academic achievements.
Check out the full story below:
The Greenburgh-Graham School District promotes perfect school attendance. Our initiative "Every Student, Every Day" is our way of ensuring that students come to school daily. Being in school, leads to succeeding in school. Chronic absenteeism is most detrimental factor that prevents students from succeeding. Student attendance impacts achievement, high school graduation, and college attainment rates all of which affect economic productivity and social progress.
Source: Balfanz, B., Byrnes, V. (2012). The Importance of Being in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation's Public Schools. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools.
High school students worked with artist-in-residence Richard Hoehler, writer, director and performer from Penguin-Random House, to create original pieces which culminated in an original theater production called Voices, Hearts, Lives. For a month and a half, students worked for 1 & 1/2 hours a day, 3 days a week to produce amazing, poignant, introspective narrative pieces which they performed collaboratively for an audience of friends, relatives, and faculty members.
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By Susan Harper
After a week of creeping around huddled in jackets with hoods, and so swathed in scarves that I probably looked like a potential terrorist, I stepped out the door this morning dressed for the worst (from sheer habit), and voila! — the worm had not only turned, but had been eaten by a broad-breasted robin. Spring had somehow sneaked in while I slept. Daffodils were blooming in my yard, and boy did I feel silly in my terrorist garb now that the temperature had gone up by 50 degrees.
This week, the bell tolled
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Born and raised in North Vancouver, B.C., Clancy Gibson's first job while going to school was working for his uncle James Bissett, a boat builder on the North Shore.
After graduation a few more "character building" jobs ensued. Before enrolling in the Vancouver School of Art, he worked as a roofer, laboured in a shipyard and then as a draughtsman.
Two of Mr. Gibson's mentors were Paul Kuzma, a classmate of Andy Warhol at Carnegie Tech., and Errol Etienne a senior academician of the Royal Canadian Academy.
Not unlike many Canadian painters, Mr. Gibson spent the majority of his creative and working years as a commercial illustrator.


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Home � News � South Africa � Comment invited on 'Civil Union Amendment Bill'
Comment invited on 'Civil Union Amendment Bill'
The deadline for comments on the Civil Union Amendment Bill which seeks to remove the right of state-employed marriage officers to opt out of solemnising same sex marriage, has been extended to April 28 following a request by Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA)
Comments on the bill which is a severe violation of the religious freedom rights of marriage officers who have a conscientious objection to same sex marriage, can be submitted to email@example.com and cc'd to firstname.lastname@example.com
The right to refuse to do something because of one's conscience, religion, beliefs or opinion is protected in various legal instruments. Section 6 of the Civil Union Act, 2006 ("the Act") is one such section – it protects the fundamental right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion as enshrined in section 15 of the Constitution.
Section 6 of the Act allows for State-employed marriage officers (such as magistrates, certainHome Affairs officers, etc.) to – for reasons of conscience, religion and belief – opt out of solemnising same-sex marriages.
The Civil Union Amendment Bill, 2018 which was introduced as a Private Member's Bill by COPE MP Deidre Carter, intends to remove section 6 from the Act altogether. As a result, civil servants who are marriage officers because of their post in State institutions, will now have no option but to solemnise same-sex marriages. (A copy of the Bill can be viewed at www.forsa.org.za/document-library, click on folder "Civil Union Amendment Bill").
This is a severe violation of the (constitutionally protected) freedom of conscience, religion and belief of those State-employed marriage officers who have a conscientious objection to same-sex marriage, but who will now be forced – against their conscience – to do something which they believe to be sinful before God, potentially with eternal consequences for them personally.
In the Constitutional Court case of Christian Education South Africa v Minister of Education (2000), Justice Sachs stated as follows with regard to the right to religious freedom: "The right to believe or not to believe, and to act or not to act according to his or her beliefs or non-beliefs, is one of the key ingredients of any person's dignity. Yet freedom of religion goes beyond protecting the inviolability of the individual conscience.
"For many believers, their relationship with God or creation is central to all their activities. It concerns their capacity to relate in an intensely meaningful fashion to their sense of themselves, their community and their universe. For millions in all walks of life, religion provides support and nurture and a framework for individual and social stability and growth. Religious belief has the capacity to awake concepts of self-worth and human dignity which form the cornerstone of human rights. It affects the believer's view of society and founds the distinction between right and wrong…"
Freedom of religion includes not only the right to believe internally, but the right to live out that belief in one's everyday life and everyday activities. It is simply wrong in law to argue that merely because a person is employed by the State, he/she no longer has the right to freedom of religion.
FOR SA believes that, instead of holding a proverbial gun against employees' heads and forcing them to violate their conscience or suffer the consequence, the problem that the Civil Union Amendment Bill seeks to address (namely an apparent shortage, in certain geographical areas, of marriage officers who are willing to solemnise same-sex marriages) can and should be addressed through practical solutions such as for e.g. roving marriage officers.
You are welcome to make comments that add value to the article above and to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated.
5 Comments
It would seem that the powers-that-be refuse to see reason. All that remains are the consequences for thumbing the nose at God's law. No-one will like it, but God hates sin!
This is totally wrong and in South Africa no-one should be forced to do anything that involves participation in an act or function that their religion strictly forbids. We have to accept that homosexuality is not illegal although we as Christians consider it a sin as it is declared in the Bible to be an abomination in the sight of God. Strong words? Yes these are, and to force someone that loves and fears God and wishes to obey the Laws of God to perform a homosexual marriage places the entire nation at risk of God's judgement. One must consider that the Laws of God are set at a higher level than the Laws of Man and this act of trying to force Christians to participate like this is going to criminalize them whatever choice they make. What comes next? Forcing Christian Doctors to perform abortions that they believe is murdering babies? or forcing Christians to bow down and worship images. Please don't take away the rights of people to live their lives according to the Laws of God.
I want to say no of it is against my christian believe.
I add my voice to the comment made by Russell Lang. No person must in any way what so ever be forced by law to act against his/her faith or beliefs.
Though I might not agree with what is happening, we need to understand that Satan is the ruler of this world and as long as our country is not given back to God, we can expect the worst. The question that needs to be raised is will people stand up for God regardless of what they could lose or will they compromise when the heats gets turned up? Many things have to happen for the fulfillment of scripture. The things is are we ready for it and will we stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ.


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Ephesus Library © Adrienne Bassett
Ephesus is the biggest and best-preserved ancient city in Turkey and is one of the world's most spectacular historical sites. The city and its harbour were established on the mouth of the Cayster River and, in the 2nd century BC, became the most important port and commercial trading centre in Anatolia. Alexander the Great ruled over it during the Hellenistic period and it was once capital of Roman Asia under Augustus in 133 BC.
Ephesus declined during the Byzantine era with the silting up of the harbour,and by 527 AD it was deserted. Ephesus is also important as the early seat of Christianity, visited by St Paul, whose letters to the Ephesians are recorded in the New Testament. The site needs little imagination to see what a functioning Roman city would have looked like, but guides are available and can offer a rich insight into the history and architecture of the ruins.
Among the amphitheatres, murals and mosaics, baths, fountains, brothels, and columns, the chariot-worn streets lead to highlights like the enormous Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, a row of public latrines, and the Grand Theatre where Paul preached to the Ephesians. The city was originally dedicated to the goddess Artemis and her once-magnificent temple was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Address: Efes Örenyeri, Selçuk/Ä°zmir.
E-mail: email@example.com
Website: www.muze.gov.tr/en
Telephone: +90 444 6893
Transport: Ephesus is a nine hour bus ride from Istanbul. Travellers should fly to Izmir Airport and take a shuttle from the airport to Selcuk - from there Ephesus is easily accessible.
Opening times: Daily: 8am-6.30pm (in winter the site closes at 5pm).
Admission: TRY 40.


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Introduced by China's Communist Government in 1978 as a way to regulate its population and alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems, the one-child policy restricted urban couples to having only one child.
According to Wikipedia, Chinese authorities claimed that this policy prevented between 100 – 400 million births!
That's A LOT of babies!
As you can imagine, a policy that regulates something as personal as creating a family has been met with a lot of controversy. It has led to forced abortions of females (despite the fact that it is illegal to tell parents the sex of their baby, it happens all the time), female infanticide, and is the most likely cause behind one of the biggest social issues in the country — an increasingly skewed sex ratio.
Why are men more desirable?
Though it sounds old-fashioned to our western sensibilities, in China a son is an asset because he will support his family, while daughters are married off and so contribute to their husband's family. Basically, only a son is a return on their investment. Male relatives are also the only ones allowed to perform ancestor rites that will ensure their parents a comfortable rest in the afterlife.
Because of the forced lack of females, one in five men in China face eternal bachelorhood. To put this into perspective, by 2020 there will be enough lifelong bachelors to match the population of Texas.
The rise of Bachelor Villages
Bachelor Villages — or small rural areas where there are no unmarried women and the uneducated, unmarried men cannot leave their small farms to search for a wife — are sadly becoming the norm. A fact that is worrying, as history shows that countries with an excess of men have higher rates of violence.
Leftover Women in China
One would think that because single women are so rare that they would have their pick of men, and that ladies who are self-sufficient and highly educated should go like hot cakes. Instead, the Chinese media is full of stories about highly educated "Leftover Women" who — in a country that still maintains a sense of hierarchy — are too intimidating to men, and too old (keep in mind that 'old' in China is over the age of 23) to find a husband.
Sadly, on the other end of the social spectrum, women from poor families are being forced into marriages, kidnapped for prostitution and even sold by their families to human traffickers.
Why not marry someone from a different country?
A logical question, but one that would be met with disgust in China, a Communist country that is proud of their homogenous population who has no interest in 'mixing' with outside ethnicities or cultures.


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I used to think that fitness was derived from a fifty-fifty attitude: 50% healthy food, 50% exercise. In my mind, this approach allowed for days of eating junk food and days where I didn't need to exercise. It sounds reasonable in theory, right? Boy, was I wrong!
As I have crept up in age, I have really started to believe that you need to be consistent with your efforts to achieve the best results from your body, both mentally and physically. Now I feel that the right approach is more like 100% food and 100% exercise, and that I need to be quite specific with both choices. Given the amount of training I do with running, cycling, and swimming, I have to be conscious of the foods I choose, not only for energy and body maintenance but also for recovery. Too much of certain foods (such as sugar and processed starches) creates inflammation and therefore slows down the speed of recovery after an intense exercise session. I don't want to delve too far into the science of all this, but I do want to acknowledge the reality that food and exercise go hand-in-hand in a healthy lifestyle.
While you may lead a chaotic lifestyle, or just have days where you feel like you can't be bothered to exercise, I want to encourage you to think about dedicating 15 minutes to moving well and making those minutes count. Every training session I have done with my trainer Greg (aka, The Polish Butcher) has had a purpose—the function of our muscles is essentially that purpose. There are many different definitions of functional fitness training, but for me it means to fully control my body weight in all planes of movement. Taking this approach has helped me develop strength, speed, and agility, which are used to coordinate all my body movements and improve my ability to move my body in different positions (extended, flexed, and so on) as well as through changes in planes of motion (forward and backward, side to side, rotationally, etc.).
To be honest, I didn't realize how important core strength was until my lower back started to give me grief when I would run or cycle. Now I dedicate a lot of time and effort to core training; even when I'm just walking, I will mentally activate my core muscles, therefore changing my posture. I really want to encourage you to strengthen and engage your core and understand its functionality. This will help you while you're cooking in the kitchen, eating in the dining room, and moving through everyday life.
Just like eating, exercise is something that needs to be done in moderation. The following 15-minute workout is dedicated to you and your well-being. These basic exercises have really played a key part in my fitness level. They are simple enough that you can do them pretty much anywhere. Considering the amount of travel I do, and the inconsistencies I have with my regular exercise sessions, these 15 minutes have helped me stay on track and focused! The only equipment I carry with me are a jump rope and resistance bands.
Here is my "Full Body in 15 Workout." Thanks to my good friend, trainer, cycling partner, confidant (and sometimes torturer!) Greg Wasilczyk. He certainly knows how to get the most out of 15 minutes. My workout motto is, "Just be better than when you started!" This workout will help you get there. Enjoy!
1 minute jumping rope: This increases your heart rate and warms up your muscles.
10 full lunges (5 on each side): This will stretch and strengthen your quadriceps and hip flexors. As you step forward into a lunge, if you raise your arms straight out above your head, you will feel a stretch throughout your lower back as well.
15 push-ups: This strengthens your upper body (including your chest and upper back muscles, as well as your biceps and triceps) and builds core strength (since your abs are engaged). If doing 15 full push-ups is too hard for you, drop to your knees and do them from there, but definitely start on your toes.
6 lunges (3 on each side): This time hold your arms out straight with your hands together, then rotate at the hip to your left as far as you can comfortably stretch and then to your right. This movement allows you to feel a stretch throughout your lower back, as well as in the quadriceps and hip flexors.
15 chair dips: This is a great workout for your triceps as well as your shoulders. Start by sitting on the edge of a chair with your feet together. Place your hands on the edge of the seat on either side of your thighs, scoot your bottom forward off the seat, and keep your feet planted on the ground and your back straight. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and lower yourself slowly toward the floor then push yourself back up.
15 full squats while holding a resistance band: The idea is to row at the same time, working your shoulders, arms, legs, and buttocks while engaging your core muscles! In a standing position, with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointing straight ahead, hold onto a resistance band that is secured (from the middle so you can pull both handles) to something stable, such as a fixed pole or a closet doorjamb at chest height; you want to make sure there is enough tension on the band so that when you row, you feel the pull! In a standing position, while facing the band, grasp the handles in front of you and lift your elbows to shoulder level; pull the band's handles back behind you, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the same time. Then lower yourself into a full squat (getting as close to a 90-degree bend in your knees as possible); at the bottom, rest for a second on your haunches, then return to standing position. Do a total of 15 repetitions.
10 stretch and twist moves: This one's for your core! Plant your feet about shoulder-width apart, stand so that one side of your body is to the side of a resistance band (it should be attached to a stable structure at chest height), and grasp the band with both hands. Rotate your body in the opposite direction, pulling the band across the chest while engaging your core muscles, then return to center. Do 10 on this side; then shift your body and do 10 on the other side.
30-second plank: This is a simple but powerful move for your core. Hold a plank position (with your weight balanced on your forearms and on your toes) while counting slowly to 30 (I personally count sheep jumping a fence). Pull your belly button to your spine and don't forget to breathe!
15 bridges: These are for your core, lower back, and glutes. Lie on your back, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, your feet planted firmly on the ground and your hands, palms down, by your thighs on the floor. Slowly raise your hips toward the ceiling, being conscious of holding your core tight and thinking about drawing your belly button toward your spine. Pause at the top of the bridge then return to the starting position. Do this 15 times.
20 alternating arm and leg movements: Lie on your belly with your arms extended on the floor above your head and your legs extended straight down. While keeping your core engaged, lift your left arm and your right leg a few inches off the ground; hold this raised position for 2 seconds, then lower. Switch sides. Do a total of 10 on each side.
Rest for 1 minute, then do it all again! When you're ready to increase the intensity of this workout, I'd recommend adding these exercises:
10 burpees (after the minute you spend jumping rope): Not only will this give you a great cardiovascular workout but this move engages pretty much every muscle in your body. In a standing position, with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower yourself into a squatting position and place both hands on the ground in front of you. In a single move, kick both feet back so that you are suddenly in a push-up position (keep your hands firmly on the ground to support your body); lower your chest toward the ground to do a full push-up, then kick your feet in toward your hands so you're back in the original squatting position. Stand straight up, and jump up into the air while clapping your hands above your head; return to standing. Repeat.
10 squat jumps (after the 15 squat rows): This is another cardio boost and a challenge for your lower body. To do these, start in a standing position and bend your knees slightly. Lower yourself into a squat, while keeping your hips drawn back, your back straight, and your head facing forward. Think of your legs as springs, and jump up toward the ceiling as high as you can, with your hands extended upward as your feet leave the ground. Land in the same position as you started, but on the balls of your feet to cushion your landing. Swing your arms behind you (to propel yourself) and repeat immediately.


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Four Reasons to buy a Salas Home!
Quality Construction
1Salas Homes was established after recognizing the need for quality craftsmanship, originality, and custom designs. Specializing in custom homes and commercial structures our experienced design team meets your needs and specifications throughout the build.
Higher Standards
2We are company specializing in the building of custom homes and commercial structures. Having over 20 years building and business experience, we understand your needs and also your challenges when it comes to construction. Our goal is to provide excellent and seamless service, because Your Home Is Our Home.
One of a Kind
3As your builder, Salas Homes will help you get on paper what you want – a well coordinated set of Plans. We will make every effort to work with you or your architect to help you design within the budget you define. The exact price and style of your "One of a kind" custom home is just a few simple steps away.
Pride In Owning the Best
4 Salas Homes is the absolute best builder and is able to respond aggressively to your needs, minimizing needless costs of both time and money for any clients. Salas Homes is an energetic and resourceful team player, bringing value to the table as experienced and knowledgeable homebuilders.


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Net present value is defined as the present value of the future cash inflow or outflow for the company. The formula for calculating net present value is given below:
Net present value can also be calculated with the help of spreadsheets in Microsoft excel and by using NPV tables.
Browse the definition and meaning of more terms similar to Net Present Value. The Management Dictionary covers over 7000 business concepts from 6 categories.
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