text:
It is important for us, as health care providers, to sometimes pause and reflect on the way we each practice medicine. In our busy lives, it is a challenge to completely address all the needs of every patient, but we need to do the best we can to address the things that will benefit the patient the most.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 80% of health care spending in the United States is for chronic diseases; that amounts to over $2 trillion annually. Seven of the top 10 causes of death in the United States are from chronic diseases, with heart disease and cancer together accounting for almost 50% of all deaths.
These numbers are staggering. Our health care system is not set up to handle chronic diseases, but is very efficient in an acute care situation.
Doctors and health care providers need to focus, with each patient encounter, on turning off the faucet rather than mopping the floor, as the immediate past president of the American College of Cardiology Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, MACC, FAHA, MASNC, FESC, and others in the prevention arena have emphasized.
Here is how it goes. The sink is turned on and the drain is plugged. The sink starts to overflow, spilling water all over the floor. We, as health care providers, tend to just mop the floor. When the blood pressure goes up, we give an antihypertensive medication. When the cholesterol is high, we give a statin. When the blood sugar goes up, we give medications for diabetes. All of this is mopping the floor.
Then, a patient has angina symptoms. He or she flunks a stress test, a severe blockage in the coronary artery is detected, so coronary stenting is done. Mopping the floor. The individual suffers a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, a few years later, so anti-platelet therapy is given. Mopping the floor. The sink keeps overflowing, spilling more and more water onto the floor, and eventually we just are not able to keep up. The patient dies of a preventable chronic disease.
The very first moment the sink starts to overflow, what should we do? Turn off the faucet, of course. If you just turn off the faucet, there will be no water overflowing onto the floor, and no mopping will be needed.
What is the faucet in this analogy? The diet and lifestyle of the patient. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of heart disease is preventable through lifestyle changes. Many believe this number is much higher — close to 99%. Only a very small percentage of heart disease is purely genetic. Often times, when someone thinks heart disease runs in their family, we find that unhealthy lifestyles also run in the family.
Doctors are not traditionally trained to turn off the faucet. Personally, I did not receive a single lecture in nutrition throughout my entire medical training. I did not get any education on how to discuss lifestyle changes with patients or how to give them the proper tools to be successful. Diet, exercise and weight loss just were not emphasized at all in my medical training.
It really bothers me that the disease I was trained to treat is caused by poor diet and lifestyle choices, yet I have had no clue how to address the diet and lifestyle of my patients. After years of just mopping the floor in my practice, I took it upon myself to learn nutrition, exercise and weight loss strategies and how to motivate my patients to be successful.
I challenge you to focus heavily on turning off the faucet. The majority of each visit should be on helping patients be successful with lifestyle changes. Make sure the patient knows the cause of their disease. I clearly communicate each patient with heart disease that the cause of their condition is diet and lifestyle, and therefore the treatment should be diet and lifestyle — not just drugs. Too often, doctors ignore this discussion, and patients believe that their health is out of their control. Actually, the opposite is true. A patient has the ultimate control over how healthy he or she will be for the rest of his or her life. But we have to educate patients on this and give them the tools to be successful.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that patients with heart disease will not change their lifestyle to treat their condition. That is like an oncologist just assuming that patients will not take chemotherapy to help treat their cancer. Diet and lifestyle — essentially the cure for heart disease — must be discussed with each heart disease patient at each visit. Then, you will be turning off the faucet rather than mopping the floor. – by Steven Lome, DO, RVT
Tell us what you think about Healio.com »
Get the latest news and education delivered to your inbox
©2020 Healio All Rights Reserved.


text:
Aloo Baingan Sabzi (North Indian Potato and Eggplant Dish) Recipe
Aloo baingan sabzi is a very popular North Indian vegetable dish that is made with potatoes and eggplant. This is a Punjabi-style recipe.
This dish can be served as a side dish with roti (an Indian flatbread) or paratha (the pan-fried version of Indian flatbread). If you are short on time, you can also serve this dish on its own with only roti on the side.
To make the recipe clearer, I have also made a video below.
Cook Time
- 2-3 tbsp oil
- 250 grams baingan (eggplant), cut lengthwise and kept in a bowl of water to prevent darkening
- 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed and kept in a bowl of water to prevent darkening
- 3 medium-sized onions, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 garlic bulb cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder
- 1/2 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp hara dhania (cilantro), chopped
- Place some oil in a skillet and turn the flame on high. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions. Saute until the onions turn light pink.
- Add chopped garlic. Saute until the garlic turns a bit dark.
- Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Lower the gas to a simmer, and add the spices and salt. Cook the tomatoes until they are mashed and somewhat thickened.
- Add the cubed potatoes and mix. Cover the skillet with a lid. Let the heat remain on low. Check after 5 minutes to see if the potatoes have begun to soften.
- Continue checking every 4 to 5 minutes until the potatoes are about halfway cooked.
- In the event that the potatoes are taking somewhat longer and the spices are getting dry, sprinkle some water so that the masala does not scorch. Give a good stir and carry on cooking.
- When the potatoes are about a halfway cooked, add the eggplant and 1 tsp of cilantro. Mix and cover.
- Cook until the eggplant becomes soft. Check every 4 to 5 minutes until the eggplant is fully cooked. By this time, the potatoes will also be completely cooked.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the rest of the cilantro over it.
- Serve and enjoy.
Aloo Baingan Sabzi - Potato Eggplant Vegetable
© 2018 Rajan Singh Jolly
Thank you for posting this recipe and the video. I was looking to expand my knowledge of eggplant dishes and found you. I reviewed many dishes but chose yours thankfully, it is delicious. I love the blend of spices the flavour is well balanced.
I used to be able to grow eggplants in our garden but in the last few years I have given up because the wild critters like squirrels, possums, etc. steal them prior to my being able to harvest them. Now I grow things that they do not steal. Pinning this recipe to my vegetable board. I cannot wait to make this. It sounds delicious! Thanks!
I like your recipes!
The picture of this recipe looks good, I just hope when I try it, it tastes just as good.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Take A Look At These Hilariously Depressing Locations On Google Maps
List Rules Vote up the destinations where the mapmaker clearly was unhappy with their choice of profession.
With countless roads, streets, and destinations named after cheerful items like flowers, the sun, and serene landscapes, sad topographies from around the world serve to remind you that the globe is not just a bunch of roses, sunshine, or meadows. Though not necessarily the most ugly destinations, depressing locations on Google Maps don't exactly sound like the most appealing places to visit. One author, Damien Rudd, compiled dozens of these sad destinations in his compendium Sad Topographies, for the world to witness and wallow over. Rudd's collection of sad topographies, which span everywhere from Canada to New Zealand, reveal a side of the world no one ever looks at until they start exploring Google Maps. Despite their somber names, many of these sad places from around the world actually look relatively normal, falling firmly between hellhole and paradise. In fact, quite a few funny depressing locations gain a bit of charm from their unfortunate names. For instance, Grandmother's Hole sounds like a weird place to visit, but it's really just a beach in India.


text:
We are super excited to announce our Burradise Festival at Culburra Beach is now happening in Spring!
Start planning to be with us the weekend of 26 – 28 September 2020.
Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date on all the exciting festival news! Click Here
music | markets | art | food | culture | yoga | surf | skate | nature
Less than two and a half hours from Sydney and Canberra, the coastal village of Culburra Beach is a popular, yet unspoiled holiday destination.
Each year our tranquil village bursts into action for the Culburra Beach Festival – a celebration of music, culture, art, food, craft, surfing, skateboarding and family fun – everything that makes Culburra Beach, 'Burradise'!
The 2020 Festival is in planning, and shaping up to be the best yet, with some very exciting bands and artists performing over three days, plus FREE: craft markets, a food extravaganza, art and photography exhibitions, a surfing competition, kids make and create recycled gift activities and many community activities.
Come explore beautiful Culburra Beach in Springtime. Bring the whole family. There's something for everyone!
While you wait for 2020, check out our full FESTIVAL PROGRAM + MAP from 2019 below, so much happened! Or download the printable 2019 Burradise Festival Program.


text:
Earn points toward FREE PIZZA with Piece of the Pie Rewards
More About Domino's Near Fountain Valley
Destination? Delicious Pizza Near Fountain Valley
When your stomach grumbles for a slice of meaty, veggie-loaded, cheesy goodness, we know you're not craving any old pizza near Fountain Valley. You're looking for a flavorful pizza with a freshly made tomato sauce, expertly sliced pepperoni, heaping piles of melted mozzarella and a golden crust that's simultaneously chewy and crispy. You want only the best pizza. You want Domino's.
At Domino's near Fountain Valley, we make it fast and easy to get the fresh pizza you're craving. Visit your nearest Domino's location to place a carryout order, give us a call, or order your pizza online!
First, start by selecting from one of our handmade crusts, like our hand-tossed crust that's packed with buttery flavor, a pan crust featuring two huge layers of cheese, a crispy thin crust, or a gluten-free pizza crust! And next, select your sauce and start loading up on pizza toppings. Pick as many or as few as you want! Whether you're a freak for sausage and mushrooms or love sweet pineapple and tangy feta cheese, your nearest Domino's has it all!
There are more than 34 million ways to make a single Domino's pizza, which means you can be sure we've got a slice that suits your tastes. No matter how unique they are! Customize your pizza from crust to sauce or choose from one of our most-loved specialty pizzas, like the popular Wisconsin 6 Cheese, Pacific Veggie, or ExtravaganZZa™, and have it delivered to your doorstep, super fast!
From Our Oven to Your Door: Pizza Delivery Near Fountain Valley
Order from Domino's near Fountain Valley and you'll see—we're pretty serious folks when it comes to pizza delivery. In fact, we guarantee your pizza will arrive hot and fresh, right from our oven to your door. Want to see how fast we can deliver? After you place your order, use our patented TrackerⓇ to stay up to date on the status of your pizza order. Follow your pie from the moment the sauce is added to the second it leaves our door for delivery... and in the meantime, do your best not to drool on your computer or phone.
Get More Than Just Pizza Takeout Near Fountain Valley
We deliver pizza, but we're also superstars when it comes to speedy pizza takeout near Fountain Valley. When you visit, feel free to order from our pizza menu or order something entirely new! Complete your meal with one of our handcrafted sandwiches, oven-baked pastas, tasty bread bites, fresh salads, and even sweet, dangerously delicious desserts like Cinna StixⓇ, chocolate cake, and cookie brownies.
With over 12,000 locations in 80 plus countries, we know customer service and we know quality. We think it's our calling to not only be the best pizza delivery company in California, but also the world, and everything we do reflects this commitment. You'll see it in our courteous delivery drivers and money-saving pizza coupons, and taste it in every bite of pizza you eat. Use your mobile phone to place an order via our free app, order online, or call your local Domino's restaurant near Fountain Valley for quick and delicious pizza delivery and carryout today! We may be more than 56 years old, but we aren't just any old pizza restaurant. Domino's is your go-to pizza place near Fountain Valley!


text:
CiaoPosted by
Posted: Oct 30, 2011, 12:29pm
I am leaving the game. After ten years and ten months I am leaving. I have had fun and made some good friends in the past and hope that all of you stay in touch. I will be leaving my charaters untill the completion of this storyline but after that I respectfully request that they are left alone so that I can return one day if I want.
I am leaving because there are people on this game that I am not getting on with, and it is at the point a game does not become fun that you need to bow out. This is the reason for my decision and I wanted you all to know that.
Onion, no hard feelings between us I hope. You've been a good friend through the years and I hope that we can stay that way? You'll all find me about Ongoing Worlds in other games if you care to stay in touch and if you are a friend then you'll have my e-mail or msn.
Bright blessings to you all. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!


text: The best solutions can be found through comprehensive analyses that are based on measuring consumption in all sectors: electricity, heat and water. Optimizing the energy consumption is essential before investing into new equipment, in order to make correctly sized investments. Savings can often be found in every sector of consumption, and most of the energy efficiency improvement actions are straight forward and inexpensive to execute.


text:
This is a steampunk style case for the Model 16LS Stereo Integrated Tube Amplifier kit. This project includes some modifications to the kit, including adding the following features:
Attenuator instead of the potentiometer for volume control - removing the scratchiest when adjusting volume, but also increasing the useful low volume range. I had a bad hum which was fixed by replacing this component too.
Optional - Right / Left balance attenuator (I have not yet implemented this, at the moment it just holds the right knob in place)
Stereo VU Meter, this lets you adjust the volume of the source system to the appropriate line level and amplify the signal through the vacuum tubes.
Automatic On/Off when music is playing (I often forget to turn off the amp when not in use). This is accomplished through a SparkFun Audio Shield, Arduino Uno, and a Solid State Relay.
Add C14 plug at the back of the unit with integrated On/Off switch and Fuse
Programmable button at back of unit - sends commands to Arduino for features such as manual On/Off.
External speaker jacks at back - instead of the goofy on-board vertical jacks.
External RCA input jacks at back - instead of the goofy front facing jacks.
Input selection switch to select between Bluetooth Input vs RCA jacks. (Note: I believe the audio quality is typically better via RCA direct from a quality source, vs Bluetooth)
The bottom of the case is made from 6mm thick MDF
The top of the case around the tubes is made from 3.2mm Glass (though you could use a different heat resistant material such as aluminum, copper sheet provided you keep it away from the electrical contacts, the thickness is not overly important)
The case body, and knobs are made from 3D printed PLA, epoxied together, sanded, putty and painted such that the joints are no longer visible.
Extra texture and contrast is provided by aging the copper through painting techniques, and stainless steel screws visible to the front of the case.
The internal electronics can be hidden by selecting a translucent, or opaque glass in various colours.
TubeAmpController.zip contains the Arduino code for the On/Off controller.
Video showing the features and construction. https://youtu.be/o66Rjmn4HOY
The following list of materials where not all acquired via the links, some of the stuff I was able to get at a local electronics store. The links just give an idea of what the parts look like so you can find them for yourself.
Tube Amp Kit Quantity 1
This is the tube amplifier kit, 16 watt stereo.
Attenuator 100K Quantity 1
Replaces the volume control potentiometer provided in the kit.
Attenuator no resistors Quantity 1
Use this to create your own left/right balance
SparkFun Spectrum Shield Quantity 1
This allows the arduino to determine if there is any sound being sent to the amp. It can be used for other things, for example creating an equalizer display.
Arduino Uno Quantity 1
This is the the micro controller board which gets programmed to turn on the tube amp when it detects sound/music. Similarly, it turns it off automatically after the music stops.
VU Meter x2 & Controller Quantity 1
These provide an analogue representation of the signal being sent to each channel (left/right). It can be used to adjust the volume of the source device for optimal amplificiation.
Solid State Relay Quantity 1
There are plenty of sources for these relays. The important feature is they can switch 110V AC through 5V DC from the Arduino.
110V AC to 5V DC Transformer Quantity 1
This is used to power the Arduino
110V AC to 12V DC Transformer Quantity 1
This is used to power the VU Meter
Banana Speaker Jack Pair Quantity 2
RCA Input Jack Pair Quantity 1
Input Selection Switch Quantity 1
Switch to select which input is being used. 5mm hole, similar to this switch.
Push Button Switch 19mm Quantity 1
The one I used came from another project, but this is an example of a button that should work.
C14 Power Input/Plug/Switch/Fuse Quantity 1
M2x5mm screws Quantity 30
These are decorative on the front of the case
M2x16mm hex sock screws Quantity 4
These are used as set screws to hold the knobs on, they are cut to the current length so they stick out the desired amount
M2x8mm hex sock screws Quantity 8
These are decorative on the two knobs
M2 brass insert 4mm x 3.5mm Quantity 14
These hold the Arduino to the case, also used in the volume/balance knobs to keep the set screws from stripping the plastic.
M3 brass insert 5mm x 5mm Quantity 8
Used in the PCB standoffs
8x32 brass insert 8mm x 8mm Quantity 10
These hold the MDF base to the case. I intended to use metric inserts, but accidentally used these imperial inserts. You can change them out to something else if you prefer.
Diamond Hole Drill Bits Set Quantity 1
I only used to hole saws on the glass top: 20mm and 22mm holes for the two different size tubes
MDF sheet 6mm (1/4") thick Quantity 1
Used to make the base see Base MDF Board Cutting Diagram.PNG for details
Glass 3.3mm thick Quantity 1
Used to make the top see Glass Cutting Diagram.PNG for details. You can select whatever glass you want though if you pick a clear glass and wish to etch it. You can sand blast it, or try Etching Cream
Glass Etching Cream Quantity 1 (optional)
2 Conductor shielded Wire Quantity 3 meters
Here is an example of some wire that will work. I used what was available in a small roll at my local electronics supplier.
Base colour paint Quantity 1
You can use whatever you would like, but I used this as the base colour. I will be adding more aging and weathering layers to give the amp some character.


text:
A week of sunshine awaits bgo casino's lucky winner this April!
Bgo casino has just come up with another hot promotion this April, and promises to reward its 1st prize winner a week in the sun in the beautiful Canary Islands! So if you feel you've had enough of winter and that the British spring isn't warm enough for you, might as well start playing with bgo during the next few days.
Win up to 500 Spins! Win up to 500 Free Spins from Mega Wheel on 1st deposit. 24-hour expiry. Max bet £2.50, max spins win £8 per 10 spins, max Bonus win £150, selected games & 65x wagering on winnings. No Neteller/Skrill. Deposit/withdrawal fees apply. Full T&Cs apply
How to win
For a chance to spend a week basking in the sunshine or of winning another one of bgo's amazing prizes, players must follow the steps below:
- Click on our links to bgo casino.
- Head over to its promotions section to locate its 'Win a Week in the Sun' promotion.
- Click on 'Join now' to opt-in.
- Start playing any one of the games at bgo casino.
- Get your tickets for the prize draw by unlocking at least 1 new Level in the Vault from Wednesday 4th April until midnight on Sunday 15th April.
- You'll get the equivalent number of entries as your current level with bgo casino.
- Wait for the draw to take place on Monday 16th April.
Prize Pool
This promotion shall reward 20 lucky winners with a range of prizes, including a one week luxury holiday for 2 to the Canary Islands for the 1st prize winner! This lucky couple will get an all-inclusive stay at the H10 Rubicon Palace in southern Lanzarote, including spa access and return flights. For other runners up, bgo casino shall give away the below prizes:
- 2nd Prize - £500 in cash
- 3rd Prize - £200 in cash
- 4th Prize - £100 in cash
- 5th Prize - £75 in cash
- 6th Prize - £50 in cash
- 7th Prize – 100 Fair Spins on Tiki Paradise slot
- 8th Prize – 75 Fair Spins on Tiki Paradise slot
- 9th Prize – 50 Fair Spins on Tiki Paradise slot
- 10th – 20th Prize – 25 Fair Spins on Tiki Paradise slot
Significant Conditions
- This bgo promotion is open to both new and existing players.
- Players shall get tickets for the Prize Draw according to their highest Vault Level achieved during the promotional period. If the highest Vault Level unlocked before the promotion end date is level 45, the player will earn 45 entries into the Prize Draw.
- A minimum of 1 deposit must be made during the promotional period to enter into the Prize Draw.
- A minimum of 1 Vault level must be unlocked during the promotional period to qualify for the Prize Draw.
- Only one prize per customer may be won.
- No wagering requirements apply to the cash prizes and winnings from free spins prizes.
- Free spins have a 3-day expiry.
- The holiday must be booked between the 31st May and the 31st July 2018 and players must be available to travel during this period.
- Other Terms and Conditions apply.
Win up to 500 Spins! Win up to 500 Free Spins from Mega Wheel on 1st deposit. 24-hour expiry. Max bet £2.50, max spins win £8 per 10 spins, max Bonus win £150, selected games & 65x wagering on winnings. No Neteller/Skrill. Deposit/withdrawal fees apply. Full T&Cs apply
Are you already imagining yourself lazing in the warm sunshine? Take your chance with bgo casino by clicking on the above links and start playing your favourite games. And remember, you've got to unlock a Vault level before midnight on Sunday to qualify!


text:
Turkish Delights - 5 Senses Of Turkey with Thomas Cook Airlines, Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green
|I found these photos on the black hole that is Pinterest, so if you know who the photographers are please tell me so I can credit them.
|I found these photos on the black hole that is Pinterest, so if you know who the photographers are please tell me so I can credit them.
Ahhh I was so sad I missed this event - and even more so after reading this post! A few friends are recently back from Turkey and it sounds amazing. Ahhh wanderlust...
Lauren xx | The Lifestyle Diaries
I visited Antalya last month, and to be honest, it disappointed. If I was old enough to hire a car, it would have been much more enjoyable, because the buses could only get us so far! Would have been fantastic to drive to all the ancient ruins instead of having to pay ridiculous prices for a tourbus that spends four hours picking up from hotels. Maybe next time! The city and the surrounding mountains were lovely though. Anyway, this event looks gorgeous, I adore Turkish flavours! x
Martha Jane | http://www.marthajanemusic.com
Ahh that's good to know Martha, I'll be sure to have my driving license on me when I visit Antalya! Likewise, I had a real epic struggle when I was in Lisbon - it was scorching in the city so walking was a pain (although I did get by with Uber) and getting to the beach was a challenge and a half. Which just confirms my opinion that cars are always the way forward ;) xReplyDelete
Serious wanderlust, am I right? I'm supposed to be working on the shop now but I'm browsing Pinterest for photos of Antalya instead...oh dear. xReplyDelete
Loved this post, your photography is impeccable!
lisa | lisaxbeauty
Thank you Lisa! xReplyDelete


text:
Why BuyPhonesOnline.ca?
- There are no unexpected duties, tariffs or cross border fees on our products. All pricing is in Canadian dollars and shipped from Canada.
- All products shipped from BuyPhonesOnline.ca come pre-configured and with configuration support; so that you can UNPACK, PLUG-IN, and DIAL.
HELIA Technology Report
Find advanced training videos and product reviews for all things phones at our YouTube channel. Find coupons for this BuyPhonesOnline.ca webstore and more. Visit and Subscribe youtube.com/HeliaCanada
About the Polycom SoundPoint IP 500 Desk Phone
High quality, reliable 3-line business telephone with easy, one button access to the most important features.
The SoundPoint IP 500 is a three-line Voice over IP telephone that seamlessly integrates with IP PBX and Softswitch vendors' IP solutions. As protocols develop and standards evolve, it's easy to update the phones in the field via a software download, enabling new features and functionality. Whether you deploy H.323, MGCP, or SIP standards, Polycom offers a solution that fits all your business communication needs.
Enhanced productivity
An intuitive user interface offers dedicated, one button access to common telephony features, and an information-rich display delivers content for messaging, call information, directory access, and applications. Suitable for everyday users, the SoundPoint IP 500 offers superb voice quality when used with a handset or in hands-free speakerphone mode. This enhances the productivity of your business phone calls, because you can spend less time trying to understand what other people are saying, and more time communicating with them.
The mid-featured IP handset for Polycom communication and collaboration solutions
With integrated video, voice, data, and Web capabilities, Polycom offers the only solution that gives you an easy way to connect, conference, and collaborate any way you want. It's our commitment to making distance communications as natural and interactive as being there. Work faster, smarter, and better with the SoundPoint IP 500 and Polycom's integrated communication solutions.
Specification Sheet
More Specifications
Phone System Support Overview
Supported Phone Systems


text:
"Black Cat"
A cat as black as blackest coal
Is out upon his midnight stroll,
His steps are soft, his walk is slow,
His eyes are gold, they flash and glow.
And so I run and so I duck,
I do not need his black-cat luck.
The Infinite Cat Project
Presented by Mike Stanfill, Private Hand
Illustration, Flash Animation, Web Design


text:
For your convenience, forms needed for your first visit are available for you to print and complete at home prior to arriving in our office. (The forms require Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for free below.) Please remember to bring your current insurance card.
Co-payments are required at the time of service. You may also have your records transferred from your prior physician to Women's Health Specialists of CentraState by completing the Transfer Records form and sending it to your prior physician.


text:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
On this episode of the Raw Islam Podcast with Imam Azhar the guys talk MAGA Hats.
Just in case there is any confusion, we are talking about those fun little red caps that say MAGA or Make America Great Again across them.
Imam Azhar starts the show by talking about how he is on a little bit of a news cleanse. He noticed that following the news hour by hour was not good for his physical or mental health. And he might be on to something, as this seems to be a growing trend among people to turn off their social media and unplug for a short while.
Next he addresses the issue of the Government Shutdown, which had just ended and he talks about the time and the money that had been lost. And he asks what was it all for? What good really came out of it? Or was hurting people, really, all that happened?
But no matter how much you unplug from the news, somethings tend to pop up. Enter the story of a Native American elder, Catholic schoolboys from Kentucky, and the Black Israelites.
Make sure to subscribe to this Venn Network production – Raw Islam with Imam Azhar Subedar. This is surely one of the best podcasts to subscribe to if you are looking for facts about Islam and if you want to know what Islam is all about. The Raw Islam Podcast delivers important information about Islam to you weekly, so make sure to subscribe to this Muslim Talk show that isn't just for Muslims!
And introducing the Venn Network t-shirt and other cool swag, which you can own by heading over to our Swag section. When you buy one of these shirts you help, not only support the network, but you also help support the hosts. The Venn Network is growing, and it is only with support from listeners – like you – that we can reach those in need of hearing our message!
you have questions for the Imam or
thoughts on the show?
Drop us an email at email@example.com
Or leave us a voicemail by calling 202.930.5175


text:
18 November 2014
State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie today said the investigation into Roger Sutton's conduct was robust.
Roger Sutton chose to resign as Chief Executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) yesterday.
"Roger Sutton made the right decision to resign," Mr Rennie said.
The State Services Commission (SSC) carried out an investigation into a complaint of serious misconduct by Mr Sutton from a CERA staff member.
The investigation report was provided to the Commissioner last week. In large part the report upheld the complaint.
While the report found that Mr Sutton's conduct did not always meet the standard expected of public servants, it did not recommend dismissal in this instance.
Every State servant must be able to work in a safe environment where they are treated with professionalism and respect," Mr Rennie said.
The safety of all public service staff in the workplace must never be compromised.
"I expect high standards of Public Service chief executives and I take any complaints of inappropriate conduct very seriously," Mr Rennie said.
"Throughout this process, SSC has worked with CERA to ensure the complainant has been supported and will receive any ongoing support required," said Mr Rennie. "As his employer, we have also provided support to Mr Sutton," Mr Rennie said.
To protect the privacy of the parties involved in this complaint and to respect undertakings of confidentiality, the investigation report and details of the exact nature of the complaint will not be released.
If any State servant feels they have been subjected to inappropriate conduct in the workplace they should report it to their manager or Human Resources team.
"I expect every government agency to have clear policies and processes to deal with complaints fairly and confidentially, and to provide appropriate support to complainants and those whose conduct is investigated," Mr Rennie said.
Media enquiries:
Tim Ingleton, SSC Communications, 021 240 7810
Notes for editors:
There are legal avenues available to employees under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Human Rights Act 1993. The State Services has a code of conduct (the Standards of Integrity and Conduct) which requires all State servants to treat others fairly and with respect, and to behave lawfully.
There is specific guidance for both employers and employees.
- The SSC has provided guidance on positive work environments and how respond to unwelcome behaviour in the workplace. This can be found on the SSC website and SSC is also available to assist departments with enquires on this topic.
- MBIE and Worksafe New Zealand have published best practice guidance on harassment and bullying - what it is, what to do about it, and the roles and responsibilities for staff in preventing and responding to these behaviours.
It is expected that departments will have policies and processes in place that encourage and support people to speak up and that deal with complaints fairly and confidentially.


text:
It is Blog Hop time again! This month, we are talking about pole goals. If you want to read about how other pole bloggers are setting goals for 2013, visit this link HERE.
So for those who have been watching my meltdown about my weight and life, you might be wondering if I will be setting any pole goals. AHHHH the pressure!! Tell people I'm GOING to do something, then face humiliation when it doesn't happen. Well, I've been telling people for three years that I would be inverting on a regular basis within the year and it hasn't happened yet. I haven't melted into the ground with embarrassment. I consider inverting more of a work in progress than a goal I will realize very soon.
So which realistic goals can I set for myself?
First, my goal is to make it to at least one weekly class to learn. I teach on Mondays but I can't be a good teacher if I'm not learning new moves myself. When I got this new job in San Francisco, it kind of took away from me taking my Wednesday class. But I am making the effort to go to class on Saturdays and may actually hit up the Thursday night class every once in awhile.
Second, my goal is to continue working on my flow and dance techniques. It is quite possible I will never be a trickster. But that doesn't mean I can't bust out a beautiful routine that might make people cry. My handstands usually attract an "ahhhh" or two. So, I want to learn new ways to incorporate those into my routines so that I don't become stale.
Third, my goal is to stay on track with an exercise program to gain strength. My yoga class is a pretty good one (which is helping with strength AND flexibility). And I have been holding plank every morning before work. The stronger my core gets, the better chance I will have of actualizing the dream of inverting regularly.
I don't want to overwhelm myself, so those are my three goals for this year. I don't do New Years Resolutions, so these goals will have to suffice.
Have you set any pole goals? I'd love to hear yours!
This blog blossomed in 2010 to chronicle my adventures in pole dance after weight loss surgery. Join me on my journey toward enlightenment. The size of my body doesn't dictate my worth. I believe living a life full of gratitude and joy helps lead to a true mind, body and spirit connection. You have the power to manifest your best life!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
January Blog Hop: Pole Goals
Posted by lolorashel at 3:06 PM
Labels: Blog Hop, pole dance, pole fitness, pole goal
1 comment:
- AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 10:52 PM
last year my goal was to perform in public. check!ReplyDelete
this year my goal is to compete - and be happy with the results regardless.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Funeral services for Ralph A. DeGilio, 95, of Henderson, will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, June 4, 2012 at Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Bill Tisdale officiating. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park under the direction... View Obituary & Service Information
Obituary & Service
Funeral services for Ralph A. DeGilio, 95, of Henderson, will...View More
Sympathy Cards
Customized sympathy cards. Mailed for you.Send a Card
Photos & Videos
Share and view memories of Ralph A. DeGilio...View Photos & Videos


text:
(Book titles are subject to change)
Artillery at War with Napoleon
Woman of the Revolution
Third Leonaur Book of Ghost and Horror Stories
John Hawkwood
Sikhs, Russians & Sepoys
Hew Ross of the Chestnut Troop
Sir Howard Douglas
Supernatural Theo Gift
Supernatural James Platt
Australians in Action: New Guinea
British Hussar on the Western Front
Campaign of a French Infantry Officer (WW1)
Experiences of a French Dragoon (WW1)
Billy the Kid
Battle of Jutland
Congreves Rockets
Hew Dalrymple
Marshal Ney's Military Studies
Harriet Tubman
A Flying Soldier
The Novik
The Orphan Brigade
and many others
Edith Nesbit
Date Published: 2019/08
Page Count: 352
Softcover ISBN-13: 978-1-78282-839-6
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-78282-838-9
Definitely NOT for children-the supernatural fiction of Edith Nesbit
One Novel 'Dormant' (a.k.a. 'Rose Royal'), and Eleven Short Tales of the Strange and Unusual including 'The Detective', 'No. 17', 'The Blue Rose' and 'The Haunted House'
For most readers the name E. Nesbit conjures up the titles of some of the well-known books written for children. 'The Railway Children', 'Five Children & It' and 'The Phoenix and the Carpet', among others, have become enduring favourites, are superlative examples of their genre and have influenced children's fiction writers for decades. There can be no disputing that Edith Nesbit was a fine author with a talent for storytelling that employed a brilliant economy of phrase, but it is not true that she confined her literary talents to the entertainment of only juvenile readers. Many potential readers may be surprised to learn that Nesbit was responsible for a sizeable cannon of tales of the ghostly and horrific for an unambiguously adult readership.
This two volume set of E. Nesbit's supernatural fiction includes, in the first volume, the novel, 'Dormant'—which was also published under the title 'Rose Royal'—and eleven short stories including 'Man-size in Marble', 'The Detective', 'No. 17', 'John Charrington's Wedding', 'The Blue Rose' and 'The Haunted House'. The second volume features the novel 'The House With No Address'—which was also published under the title 'Salome and the Head'—together with fifteen short stories including 'The Haunted Inheritance', 'The House of Silence', 'The Letter in Brown Ink', 'The Shadow', 'The New Samson' and 'The Pavilion'.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.


text:
A long-simmering feud took a deadly turn when a man arrived home in Brooklyn to find a car blocking his driveway, police and witnesses said on Monday.
Djems Jean-Paul, 41, allegedly killed Omri Dahan, 23, and wounded Ayal Dahan, 29, after the brothers confronted him for blocking the space at their Bergen Beach home at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
Neighbors say the Dahan family had previously butted heads with the Haitian-born Jean-Paul "eight or nine times" for parking his car in front of their driveway when he visited the house next door on East 73rd Street, but they can't believe it ended so tragically.
"This is horrible," said one neighbor, Ricky Zawacki, 28, who witnessed the fatal altercation.
"People shouldn't be attacking each other like this over a parking spot."
The bloody dispute began when Ayal drove up and found the car blocking his driveway once again, then spent some 10 minutes honking his horn until Jean-Paul came out, according to Zawacki.
"The Haitian guy came outside, and immediately, the Jewish guy got out of his car, got in his face saying, 'Why are you blocking my driveway?' " Zawacki recalled.
"The Jewish guy pushed him, the Haitian guy pushed him back. Then the Haitian guy threw a punch."
After the pair traded fisticuffs, Ayal went inside and came back with his younger brother — a former Israeli soldier — and a baby gate, which he used to "bash" Jean-Paul in the head, according to Zawacki.
Jean-Paul responded by allegedly stabbing Omri in the chest and Ayal in the arm, according to police.
Omri died later at Mount Sinai Brooklyn.
Jean-Paul, who lives in Canarsie, drove off in his Volkswagen Jetta before cops arrived, but officers caught up with him Monday at JFK Airport, where he was trying to flee to Haiti on a JetBlue flight, police said.
Cops charged the 41-year-old Jean-Paul with manslaughter, second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
He is the father of a 6-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, and was likely outside the Dahans' house Sunday because the children's maternal grandmother lives next door and looks after them while he drives a cab, one of his neighbors said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
"I'm in shock, he's a quiet man," the woman added.
Ayal, meanwhile, is devastated by his brother's death, according to a relative.
"He was crying, and I just sat there with him," said the family member, who wouldn't give his name. "He doesn't know what to say."
The family's loss is compounded by the fact that their father, Shlomo, and another brother, Harel, died in a 2009 workplace accident, according to a neighbor.
"This is just a tragedy," said longtime resident Rina, who didn't give her last name.
Additional reporting by Tina Moore and Leonica Valentine


text:
UL Softball Remains In Top Ten In Attendance Figures
As is normally the case, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns are drawing extremely well for their respective home games at Yvette Girouard at Lamson Park.
Louisiana currently ranks 8th in the nation in the latest college softball attendance figures.
UL, who is 29-4 on the season, including a 16-1 home record, has drawn 21,874 fans.
The Cajuns return home on April 5, playing host to UTA in the opening game of a three-game, weekend, Sun Belt Conference series.
Auburn, who 45,241 fans, through 24 home games, ranks number one in the country, followed by Alabama, who has drawn 42,933 through only 18 home games.
Arizona ranks third on the list, having drawn 40,230 through 20 games, with Texas A&M checking in fourth, after drawing 38,685 through 28 home games.
LSU ranks 5th on the list, having drawn 37,989 fans through 26 home dates
View the complete attendance figures.
In terms of average attendance, Louisiana ranks 10th, averaging 1,367 fans a game, one of only 14 schools in the nation that are averaging more than 1,000 fans.
And actually, Louisiana likely ranks even better in attendance, as they're averaging over 1,700 fans per home contest. The issue is that it seems as though the Cajuns, in the tournaments they played in, in which they played two home games in one day; were credited for one attendance figure for one game, but were given zero attendance for the other, declining their average attendance numbers.
It's a glitch in the system; one that the NCAA will, hopefully, work out.
As for now; these are the official stats.
Alabama ranks at the top in average attendance, averaging 2,385 fans per home contest.
Ranking high in attendance is nothing new, as the Cajuns typically draw among the best programs in the nation, ranking in the top ten in attendance the last two years.
Yvette Girouard at Lamson Park is always a special place for UL softball!


text:
The Oilers started the season with Devan Dubnyk and Jason LaBarbera in net and that didn't work out so well, so GM Craig MacTavish signed Ilya Bryzgalov for the reminder of the sesaon, shipped Dubs off to the Preds, traded HannaBarbera to the Hawks for "future considerations" and traded for Ben Scrivens. After letting the dust settle a bit, Scribbles bubbled up to become the Oil's starter and that didn't sit too well with Breezy. With fears that he wouldn't resign in the offseason mounting MacTavish assured his tenure with the team was rather short and shipped him off to the Wild for a fourth round pick. Hey, it's better than nothing, right? Wrong! The Ducks quickly turned that fourth-round pick around for the Stars' Stephane Robidas. Robidas has no fantasy value and that doesn't change here, so back to the matter at hand. Considering how well Darcy Kuemper has been playing I'd be surprised to see Breezy supplant him as the Wild's starter, but it may quickly develop into a 1A / 1B situation. If you're dying for goaltending help and Breezy is available, he's worth a speculative flier add, but don't expect much until the situation with him and Kuemper becomes a bit more salient.
To replace Breezy the Oil traded for the Ducks' Viktor Fasth, who at 32 has just 30 NHL games under his belt but looked good in many of them. Because of the small sample size he's hard to predict, but his fantasy value does get a minor hike because he's no longer going to be stuck behind Frederik Andersen and Jonas Hiller. Andersen's value takes a small hike and stablizes with this deal as he is now the undisputed backup to the oft-injured Hiller. That being said, Hiller isn't the only oft injured goalie in the mix here, because Fasth seems to be hurt more than he's healthy. I wouldn't own Fasth as he's going to be the backup for Ben Scrivens, who the Oil signed to a two year deal worth 2.3 million a year earlier this week.
And last and least we have Dustin Penner, who took his lazy play to the Caps in exchange for a fourth-round pick. I don't think this does much for his fantasy value, in fact what little he had might have just gone up in smoke because he won't lining up with guys like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in Washington. That's not to say there's no talent on the Caps, who are 9th overall in goals per game (the Ducks are second), but I doubt Penner ends up on the Ovie line, so year. Since he's a pending UFA this is just a rental for the Caps, so he does have a contract to play for, but I don't really buy into the whole contract year myth, so, again, I don't see a big change in his value this season and if anything it may have just bottomed out.


text:
Registration Information
Complete a New Registration: Click Here
- Decided to attend? complete your registration online now. Click on the link above. Have your registration materials waiting for you upon your arrival.
Add Courses/Events to an Existing Registration: Click Here
- Already Registered and want to add courses/events to your registration? Do so in advance by logging into your registration profile (above).
Save time by adding the additional items to your registration or completing a full new registration in advance from your smart phone, hotel room or home, then come directly to the registration counter at the Music City Center to pick up your additional tickets.
Registration Location:
Registration is located at the Music City Center convention center. Level 200 facing 5th Avenue.
Registration Hours:
- Wednesday, June 17 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, June 18 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Friday, June 19 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday, June 20 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday, June 21 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.* located at the Omni
Main Registration Packages
Main Registration Package:
- $229 - Members/Delegates/Alternates
- $145 - Students
- $305 - Non-Members (dentists, dental assistants, etc.)
Main Registration Package Includes Admission to:
- Thursday and Saturday Plenary Sessions
- Exhibits on Friday and Saturday (1 CE Hour)
- Marketplace on Saturday
- Table Clinics/Research Poster Sessions on Thursday (2 CE Hours)
- DENTSPLY/ADHA Graduate Student Research Poster Sessions
- Many Evening Networking Receptions
Add CE Courses to Your Package (additional costs apply):
- CE course prices range from $40-$70
- The more CE courses you register for, the more you save!
- Three CE courses = 5% discount on CE courses
- Four CE courses = 10% discount on CE courses
- Five or more CE courses = 15% discount on CE courses
Registration Cancellation Policy:
Notification of registration/CE course cancellation for CLL at the Annual Session must be submitted in writing to the ADHA via email, mail or fax no later than Wednesday, June 24, 2015, for consideration. Fees will be fully refunded for cancellations received in writing on or before Friday, May 8, 2015. It will take 1-2 weeks to fully refund any submissions. Any contributions or donations towards the Institute for Oral Health will not be refunded.
After Friday, May 8, 2015, all refund requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. After Friday, May 8, 2015, should you wish to cancel or switch a course you must do so on-site at the event. Please note that no refund will be provided for the cost of the course, or difference in course fee should you select to switch to a course at a lower price point. All refund request submissions will be reviewed after the 2015 CLL/AS event. Please allow six to eight weeks after June 24, 2015, for processing/notification of refund.
Registration Materials Mailed in Advance
Registration badges are mailed in advance* beginning the week of May 18*. Be sure that your mailing address is correct when completing your registration. *NOTE - if you add CE course tickets or event tickets after May 18, you will have to pick these tickets up onsite in Nashville at the registration counter.
International Attendees
International attendees badges will not be mailed in advance. International attendees should pick up their registration materials on-site at the Music City Center when registration opens on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
Exhibitor Badges
Exhibitor badges are NOT mailed in advance. Each exhibiting company receives 4 complimentary badges for each 10 x 10 booth. Additional exhibitor badges can be purchased for $75 each. Exhibitors will need your promo code to receive your complimentary badge allotment.
Exhibits Only One Day Pass
Attendees who purchased a one day exhibit pass can stop by the registration counter on level 200 upon their arrival to pick up their one day exhibit pass for either Friday, June 19 or Saturday, June 20.


text:
I've used Caged Fish for over 10 years now (not that I feel old enough for that to be the case), they set up our original website and then did our re-branding in 2013. They quickly grasped what we wanted from our new logo and we'd approved the design within days. They produced a new website for a good price and linked it from the old website so we didn't lose any old customers. Last year Steve suggested we modernise the website as things had come on a lot since our last one was done. They made a great job, especially on the blog page. I loved the new design, with the featured images, as it really catches your eye and is very easy to navigate. During the course of our relationship they have given me really useful advice to rank higher and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.
We really can recommend the Caged Fish team. As a new company we knew our product offering and we knew who our target market were but we didn't know the best way to bring the two together online. Caged Fish were able to draw upon their years of experience not only building websites but working with new businesses like ours. They took time to really understand what we needed and also guide us through the design process – always explaining what they thought would work well for our website and why. Their positivity and patience was endless and we are so delighted with the end result. Thank you so much.
Caged Fish is a professional, innovative team who can analyse & interpret your vision and convert it into a very attractive and efficient website within a very reasonable time frame. They are always ready to listen & quick to act if you request changes. They're a skilled team who always go the extra mile and add special touches. Price is competitive and their follow up is excellent. Highly recommended.
We asked Caged Fish to design a new web-site for us a few years ago, and have been very pleased with the result. We have found them supportive and helpful, and any subsequent alterations or additions to the website have been made efficiently.
Caged Fish built our first website for us many years ago, in fact I believe we were one of their first customers! They have recently completed our new/updated website and we are delighted. It has a bright, modern and contemporary feel, whilst being user friendly for both experienced and novice internet browsers. We have had great feedback from clients and professional associates alike and having known Steve and the company for many years take pleasure in writing this testimonial
The guys at Caged Fish are worth their weight in Gold, they are approachable, helpful, and never make you feel stupid when you do not understand. They produce fantastic work, whichever of the websites (and they are numerous for my clients as well as for myself), they have designed they, look and work fantastically both in the back office and what the world can see, and I am always complimented on how professional they look.
If you are looking for website design then look no further make your decision now
Garry, Steve and their amazing talented team of geeks did an incredible job on my website. My business has seen a huge increase in bookings which I honestly believe has been helped by a much more stylish, professional and efficient website. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone, and do so on a regular basis. They have the patience of saints for putting up with my perfectionist tendencies and the fact I know absolutely NOTHING about technology. If you are looking for a friendly company who you can trust then look no further than Caged Fish.
As a specialist photographer, I needed a new website that showcased my business in a very visual way. Caged Fish came up with some innovative ideas and have delivered a very professional looking design. I have received many positive comments from clients and visitors to the site. Garry and Steve were extremely helpful during the whole project and continue to provide excellent on-going support.
I have worked very closely with the guys at Caged Fish over the past 18 months on two builds of quite complicated business websites.
Their design work is second-to-none and always hits the spot in terms of finding the right image and feel for the specific business they are dealing with.
Their relaxed nature makes them easy to approach and get hold of. That's a key factor when you need a company to work very closely with you to ensure that the final product they are making is the one that you want.
They have years in the business and that experience has created an attention to detail and a clear pride in what they do.
And their post-build care to make sure any questions or issues you have after the work is completed stands them out in the market.
I actively recommend their services to any friends or colleagues in need.
Having worked with Caged Fish before we knew the process of designing and building our website would be stress free and after a few initial meeting to agree the design and for us to supply the content, Caged Fish delivered a significantly more streamlined, modern and clear website which for us as architects is critical as its a very visual portfolio of our work to the wider public. Caged Fish ensured our website was top of the search listings locally, was optimised for mobile devices which is vital today and has dealt with any on going maintenance matters swiftly, I could not recommend them highly enough!
There are lots of things you shouldn't do without a bit of research, especially if your business future relies upon it and one of those is the company web site.
Like most aspects of business, it's about the people you have to deal with and when I met Steve and Garry at a Working Breakfast networking event I could see they were the sort of people I could work with. When I saw the work they do and the people they have helping them I was more than happy too have them create my new web site. As a result, www.scuffsorter.co.uk was born. Good to look at and easy to maintain and update, it's helped my business grow and it's all because I made the right decisions in the first place by choosing Caged Fish.
If you know what you want, or just have an idea of what you need, talk to the guys at Caged Fish, you won't regret it, I didn't.
Caged fish designed our original website but after 8 years of trading our target market was a little different to when we started out. After a photo shoot with our new menu and food items we got in touch with Garry to completely renovate our website. The results were amazing, the website was really simple for the user and looked great. From the moment the website was online we started to receive around 4 times as many enquiries as normal. We have also just had a session to explain a little more about getting our web page higher in the search engine and feel confident to go ahead and start working on this ourselves. Highly recommended!
When I decided to set up in Business, having known Garry and Steve personally they were the first port of call for a new website to suit my needs. The work they did with us to ensure we got what we needed was first class, including designing our logo. We now sit at the top of google search which in no small part is due to caged fish and would recommend them to anyone looking to build or maintain a website.
Caged Fish has been helping us with a range of websites over many years. The team is smart, flexible and easy to work with. We count on their expertise to find cost-effective solutions to meet our needs and we particularly appreciate the way they integrate with our other agencies.
You have given us exactly the right look and feel we asked you for. I would recommend your services to any business who are serious about trading online.
My thanks go to Caged Fish who put together a wonderful database which enables job seekers to peruse current vacancies on Vanilla's website. We look forward to working closely with Caged Fish in the future to continue developing our site.
Caged Fish were the only company who talked about web optimisation, and could appreciate our design goals, however they then took it a step further by enhancing our ideas and coming back with an awesome looking completed project. When looking for our web designers one thing was key, "not to have a static web site" with Caged Fish as a partner we have gone from strength to strength.
Caged Fish produced a website that was just right for what we needed. They were helpful in showing us what was possible and being able to turn our ideas into a web site that gets our message out to the public. Nothing was too much trouble and they were always happy to discuss any ideas we had. Great guys to work with and a great result.


text:
Prager Metis CPAs, a Manhattan-based public accounting firm with offices in Woodbury, announced it has merged with S.A. Koenig & Associates CPAs of Syosset.
Steven Koenig, who was managing partner of S.A. Koenig & Associates, and Donna Disclafani, who was a partner, came over to Prager Metis as partners, while the firm's dozen or so staff members became Prager Metis employees. They will continue to work in the Syosset office for the foreseeable future, according to Prager Metis spokesperson Sarah Doctor.
The addition of S.A. Koenig & Associates greatly expanded Prager Metis' labor union practice, according to Doctor. S.A. Koenig, which provided tax, accounting, auditing, consulting and wealth management services, also focused on serving clients in the construction and real estate industries as well as providing benefit plan audits.
Prager Metis provides a full suite of services to clients in a wide range of industries. In addition to its Long Island and Manhattan offices, it has locations in Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, Miami, Los Angeles, London and Chennai, India. The firm has more than 70 partners and principals and 400 team members, according to its website.


text:
I trust my spirit allies.
That's all I can really say. My practice in the past few months has waned to a quiet lull. I still have a connection to spirits and my divination tools still work but the actual practice, actually doing stuff, has been minimal beyond daily offerings and prayers.
I still feel the help of spirits in small things; helping me catch a plane when I'm running late, intuitive whispers helping me find a parking spot, glimpses into the personal lives of strangers, and other assistances. I value the presence of spirits in my life.
Things happen as they need to. It may be quiet now but I know that soon enough things will get busier. One of the big advantages to doing this work over years and decades is that I know I'll never lose my connections and my allies. And I know they have my interest in mind.
I put my trust in them.


text:
On Wednesday, June 19, come to The Association for New Canadians' ESL School, 148 Elizabeth Avenue (enter off Smithville Crescent) to meet the adult ESL students and learn about their cultures of origin.
Between 10 and noon, enjoy conversation opportunities, cultural booths and demonstrations (coffee ceremony, dances, scarf and hijab wrapping, etc.). At 1 p.m., a short concert of music, dance, and song goes ahead in the cafeteria.
Global Eats, the ANC's social enterprise food truck, will make its first appearance with a limited sampling menu.
Everyone is welcome. There is no admission fee.


text: This video offers us a view of what it would be like to be launched into space on the side of a rocket – absolutely amazing. The camera was strapped to a GoFast 2014 rocket and managed to break the world record for the fastest and highest amateur rocket launched into space, reaching and insane 3,580 miles per hour and reaching a height of 73.1 miles. Impressive stuff.


text:
Big event in Vienna: Night of Glory 15th on April 28th
Posted by WKF head office on April 7th, 2018
WKF AUSTRIA president Mr. Gerald DITTRICH announce next pro event in Vienna.
Promoter is KNOCK-OUT SPORTPROMOTION, partner is WKF CZECH REP. , GIBU Gym in Brno and Octagon pro Gym in Vienna.
Date is April 28th !
Two World title fights plus one PRO-AM European title are on the fight card.
Plus fighter from Austria, Czech Republic, Canada, USA, Germany, plus 2 ladies fights, plus, plus …
KNOCK OUT SPORTPROMOTION is since long time serious partner in Vienna, promoter of many TOP events in last 30 Years.


text:
The Attractive Empire: Transnational Film Culture in Imperial Japan
University of Hawaii Press, 2008 - Performing Arts - 216 pages
Japanese film crews were shooting feature-length movies in China nearly three decades before Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) reputedly put Japan on the international film map. Although few would readily associate Japan's film industry with either imperialism or the domination of world markets, the country's film culture developed in lock step with its empire, which, at its peak in 1943, included territories from the Aleutians to Australia and from Midway Island to India. With each military victory, Japanese film culture's sphere of influence expanded deeper into Asia, first clashing with and ultimately replacing Hollywood as the main source of news, education, and entertainment for millions. The Attractive Empire is the first comprehensive examination of the attitudes, ideals, and myths of Japanese imperialism as represented in its film culture. In this stimulating new study, Michael Baskett traces the development of Japanese film culture from its unapologetically colonial roots in Taiwan and Korea to less obvious manifestations of empire such as the semicolonial markets of Manchuria and Shanghai and occupied territories in Southeast Asia. Drawing on a wide range of previously untapped primary sources from public and private archives across Asia, Europe, and the United States, Baskett provides close readings of individual films and trenchant analyses of Japanese assumptions about Asian ethnic and cultural differences. Finally, he highlights the place of empire in the struggle at legislative, distribution, and exhibition levels to wrest the "hearts and minds" of Asian film audiences from Hollywood in the 1930s as well as in Japan's attempts to maintain that hegemony during its alliancewith Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Chapter One From Film Colony to Film Sphere
Creating Audiences
Japan Performs Asia
Chapter Four Competing Empires in Transnational Asia
chapter five The Emperors Celluloid
Other editions - View all
The Attractive Empire: Transnational Film Culture in Imperial Japan
Michael Baskett
No preview available - 2008
Common terms and phrases
Akira Amakasu Amakasu Masahiko American films animated films Arirang army Asia Asian Axis Bengawan River Cast China Chinese films Cinema colonial film comic Daiei Dankichi director East Asian Film Eiga emperor Enomoto Kenichi exotic Fanck feature films film magazines film markets film studios film's films produced films set find first genre German goodwill films Greater East Asian Hara Setsuko Hinatsu Hollywood hyoron Ibid Ichikawa Ichikawa Kon ideological imperial Japan imperial Japanese army influence Japa Japan Japanese actors Japanese audiences Japanese empire Japanese film Japanese film critics Japanese film culture Japanese film industry Japanese filmmakers Japanese imperial junpo Karayuki Kawakita Korean Colonial Korean film Manchukuo Manchuria Manei military Motion Picture Nazi nese Nihon Nikkatsu Norakuro official Pacific policies popular postwar Production Shochiku Direction Production Toho Direction representations Ri Koran Saito scene screened Screenplay Shanghai Shin Shochiku songs South Seas Taiwan theaters tion Tokyo tomo Wang Western Yamaguchi


text:
Schatzy Earrings by Claycult
Regular price $40.00
Unit price
Tax included.
A beautiful pair of earrings using our handmade ceramic beads.
Silver plated brass or 18K gold plated brass earring hooks.
Bead size: 5mm round
About these beads:
Applying Fair Trade practices these beads are hand rolled by Khmer women living in our local community.
The beads are fired twice in kilns to temperatures of between 1060C and 1100C.
Please note that these beads are all hand crafted there may be slight differences in the beads to the one you see pictured. Any inconsistencies are to be expected and are part of the natural charm of handmade beads.


text:
Audio samples from "A Decade Of Dusk", the forthcoming debut album from LUX INCERTA the French gothic doom metal band featuring members of PENUMBRA and THE OLD DEAD TREE are available for streaming on the group's official web site. The CD was recorded and mixed by JJ Morac (MISANTHROPE) and features a guest appearance by Manuel Munoz (THE OLD DEAD TREE) in the song "Shelter".
"A Decade Of Dusk" track listing:
01. Shelter (feat. Manuel Munoz)
02. Winternity
03. The Monk (Mix '11)
04. Clearwater (Mix '11)
05. Profundis
06. Alone
07. Miserabilis Miserabile (Mix '11)
LUX INCERTA is:
Benjamin Belot (PENUMBRA, SYNOPTIA) - Bass, Vocals
Gilles Moinet (THE OLD DEAD TREE) - Guitar


text:
At least 11 people, including a woman, were killed and 30 others injured in a temple stampede in Jharkhand's Deoghar district early morning on 10 August.
"Ten men and a woman died as the devotees tried to overtake each other around 4 am," Deputy Commissioner of police, Deoghar Amit Kumar told PTI.
Nishikant Dubey BJP MP from Godda took full responsibility for the mishap. He told ANI, "There is a strong need to create infrastructure and there should be a time slot (for offering prayers) for crowd management. I take full responsibility of this, I find myself guilty"
The incident took place near a Durga temple at Belabagan More on Deogarh-Jassidih, about 350 kilometres from Ranchi, Civil Surgeon Diwakar Kamath said.
All the injured are being treated at a nearby hospital, Kamath said.


text:
We recently reviewed the new EP from Enigami, so we thought we'd give you a bit of background about the guys. We'll let them introduce themselves: Enigami are 3 guys from Glasgow who essentially want to be one of the greatest bands of all time, they don't believe in being pretentious or snobby with their sounds, they want to make the best music and write the best songs ever that reach as many people as possible while maintaining their punk rock roots, they basically want to turn people on and blow minds including their own by writing and performing songs that talk about things that mean something in today's world, they aren't afraid of talking about big subjects like religion or politics as singer/song writer Indy (Jay) Robertson is hell bent on changing the world for the better and inspiring people to be themselves.
I remember we put you guys on at Pivo a good while back - what was the reason for waiting until just recently for releasing the EP?
The main reason we have taken till now to release an e.p is that the band hadn't really found it's sound up till now, before now the band has always struggled to choose who we wanted to be when playing live, I write so many songs in so many different vibes that the people in the band always liked different ones so when we played live the vibe was always kinda varied so we never really could choose 3 or 4 songs to make an e.p as we had a backlog of about 50 great tracks, the turning point came at a gig we did in Maggie May's when our previous bassist Ian was in the group, I broke a string into the second track and I didn't have a replacement so basically I told the guys to drop the slower numbers from the rest of the set and just go mental on the more punky tracks we had, we played the rest of the gig with a broken string and people were going ape shit, that reminded me of why I started a band in the first place, after that we decided to just focus on creating the most exiting sound possible and ease off on the more contemplative songs, now when we play the band is completely tuned into each other and just playing to melt faces and have fun, which is what I always wanted the band to be. Jay
Could you give me some more info on the tour? Where will you be heading? Is this tour organised by yourselves or are you teaming up with some other folks for certain stages?
Well the tour isn't a definite as of yet, if it comes to fruition it's looking like August/September time. We are currently discussion the idea of taking on a manager as the workload for me has become.. bloody annoying haha, so if the tour comes to fruition then it will be after we get someone to book it for us, we have been in talks with one dude who was once in a band managed by that crazy dude who managed the runaways that was played by Rhys Ifans in the movie, he seems a cool guy just hope he wont make us practise while throwing beer bottles at us... Jay
What's your thoughts on the Glasgow music scene in general? We've been hearing conflicting opinions about whether there is a "scene" any more or not from a few folks. Are there any other cities that you think are up and coming with new music?
There are some great bands in Glasgow right now, many of who I would count amongst my favourite artists. Glasgow is great because there are so many venues offering so many musical choices; some offering free gigs every night of the week. I do think there might be a slight issue with over-saturation, but I'd really rather have too many good bands than too few. Dundee seems to be popping out some really kickass bands. I personally have a serious obsession with the mighty Fat Goth! Eddy
I feel Glasgow has a pretty healthy music scene... The best word I can use for it is solid, I have sometimes felt that a lot of the bands in Glasgow have been rather boring and same-y, but not recently: I came across two other bands whose music I wish I would have made myself, bands like Russian brides and Eugenes Lair. Ikenna
I honestly believe Glasgow has one of the greatest music scenes in the world, band wise! I just wish people would appreciate that more than they seem to. Jay
What's the best venue you've played in terms of audience feedback?
One of the coolest venues we played was one that is sadly no longer stairway the sound guy was awesome! a right sound guy ( see what I did there) and it looked like a place that could have been legendary if people actually went to it! that's hella annoying, but the best audience response was a recent gig we did at pivo pivo peops went crazy!, to be honest that venue a lot of the time is pretty tame but I think that's due to the seating in front of the stage,I think they should get rid of all those seats when there's bands on Jay
We played a really great show in Pivo Pivo. Many drinks were being drunk, there were loads of folk dancing up the front, hats were flying everywhere... wonderfully mad evening! It's great to have so many people loving life and enjoying your tunes! -Eddy I do remember some happy gigs in Pivo a few years ago. It was not by any means full, but the few that were there were very appreciative. We played a gig before that in Black Sparrow, near the Mitchell Library - with the same number of people - and it was very poor. The Pivo gig was much more fun. But yeah We have played there much more recently with Eddy on the bass for the first time and we had the crowd bouncing up and down throughout. That was quality!! Ikenna
Do you have any preference over using promoters or doing it yourself?
I'd like to be able to always do it ourselves but it's just a lot of work man, there is a problem with promoters because you never really know how they are going to be, we've had some truly awful experiences with some promoters and it seems like most of them are dickheads only looking out for themselves but then you get the odd one like new hellfire club for example who always seem to be doing it for the love in the same way the bands are, that's the way it should be man Jay
Both ways have their own good points and bad points. Doing it yourself definitely allows you more control over what you're doing, and leaves you free to do as you please. Whereas a promoter will (ideally) do all the hard work for you. Eddy
Obviously, promoters can be hit and miss. We have had recent experiences with disorganised and uncommunicative promoters, one of which resulted in us being sent home. However, it is very important to stay on good terms with as many as possible. IKenna
We thought we'd ask Jay for a bit more info about the new EP:
U killed me this song came to me in a state of daydream like conciousness, I was thinking about Kurt Cobain because I saw it was the anniversary of his death coming up and there was a debate about how he died ect going around social media, watching the movie Kurt and Courtney definitely did make me question the possibility of there being something more to the story other than suicide, there is a line in the song which points to the possibility of Courtney having something to do with it but it also has other meanings so much like the reality it can be taken many different ways, to me the song is more about how the world he lived in killed Kurt and not necessarily killed dead but killed him figuratively speaking.
killer bee on the face of it killer bee is a straight forward rockin love song, I wanted a song on the e.p that was just easy to appreciate and might get a few radio plays (which it has already) but it's not only a love song inspired by when I was first seeing my girlfriend but it's also about transmitting love as an energy to the world and not necessarily about a relationship between two people but one about allowing yourself to love and be loved, it's also a message to anyone who likes the band and fancy going on a journey with us to change the world I want to be with you I wonder if you want me too.
equilibrium the vision I have with this song is waking up in a future world where people are finding balance with each other and forgetting about things that divide us like politics or religion, I wrote it after hearing our ex bass player's mum use the word in a sentence and I thought that shit needs to be a song title the reason it was picked to be on the E.P is because it always goes down well live and we thought it would be a cool closer. The title of the e.p came from Eddy, in case you haven't figured it out I wont spoil the fun of realising, saying that there are still a lot of folk who haven't realised the deal with the band name... look at the symbol in a mirror folks!.
Thanks to the guys for taking the time to talk to us. Check the band out at the following links:


text:
The Last Spell Ingredient The trouble with magic is it that it is unexplainable and inexplicable. Diligent research wizards may find cheap and common alternatives for some spells but there is no guarantee all ingredients can be replaced. A healing potion might just need that very specific breed of moth
Category: RPG World Building
Fantasy Apocalypse 1 : The Flooded Desert
Aelaimo is the god of rivers; fresh water is his gift and promise to all who worship him. When his clerics heard of a land far to the west where no rain fell, they felt compelled to bring relief to this desert. The journey took them months and despite the
Short Seeds for RPGs – Lore Lords and Robber Barons
The robber barons are a band of noble knights that have secretly rejected the concept of property. Bored with their affluent lives, the now amuse themselves by attempting, in person, to steal the goods of their fellow robber barons. They meet each winter solstice to compare score. Last year's winner
RPG World Building From The Bottom Up (Part 2 of 2)
Continuing our exploration of the dirtier side of RPG world building (see part 1). Whose job is it? There is always a prejudice against those who work in waste disposal. It is a dirty, smelly job and one which often involves anti-social hours which can lead to an "untouchable" social
RPG World Building From The Bottom Up (Part 1 of 2)
Where Do Character's Go To The Toilet? The point of world building in role-playing games is to give the players the sense their characters exist in a living, breathing world. If GMs and world builders ignore questions about toilets and waste disposal they are missing out on a wealth of
These Are Not Your Average RPG Taverns
In RPGs, taverns are a vital location but too often they are just four walls, some tables, chairs, a bar. They all look so similar and serve little purpose beyond being a place to meet. As places where adventures start, investing more into making the tavern part of the world
A Potion for Many An Occasion
Hello stranger, sent here by the RPG Blog Carnival were ya? I've got some fine potions here for sale. If there's nothing you want right now, then I'll happily sell you recipes; for a price. Jittertery – Made from the bean of the fluxis shrub and infused with a medley
Time Mages
Time mages don't use blood, spirit or mana to power their spells. They burn time. In exchange for casting all manner of spells time pauses at a location. With preparation a mage can recite a spell that specifies the location. Without preparation, time is paused around the casting mage. Time
The Magic of Age of Legends
The topic of this month's RPG Blog Carnival is Wizards, as introduced by Harbinger of Doom . They want to know about the magic users in your RPG, in particular their culture. Circe and Medea are perhaps the most famous mortal magic users of Ancient Greece, featuring prominently in the
War Faeries
This month's RPG Blog Carnival is about the Fey and is hosted by Pitfalls and Pixies. Fey folk are found on most of the mortal planes, known as fickle tricksters and troublemakers. Mischievous but mostly harmless the onward march of civilisation has left them behind. The fey have always been


text:
Durtnell & Sons was founded over 400 years ago and has been trading continuously ever since, making the firm the oldest building contractor in Britain.
The family business specialises in the construction, extension, refurbishment and restoration of schools, hospitals, churches, private homes, colleges, doctor surgeries, sports centres, offices, universities, museums, swimming pools and galleries.
The firm work across both the public and private sectors undertaking special works valued at £1.5 million to major projects worth £25 million. The firm employs an experienced team and has established successful relationships between clients, designers, employees, suppliers and subcontractors.
As considerate contractors R. Durtnell & Sons aim to achieve high standards, timely completions and on target budgets as well as undertaking a build with minimal disruption. The firm has been members of the Considerate Constructors scheme for many years and their projects are registered under the programme.
As Britain's oldest building company R. Durtnell & Sons has an enviable reputation for quality work, fine craftsmanship and business integrity. R. Durtnell has a turnover of around £50 million and employs approximately 130 full-time staff, a figure added to by specialist sub-contractors working on site at any one time, making the total number of employees over 800.
- Durtnell & Sons Limited is Britain's oldest building company and has earned an enviable reputation for quality work, fine craftsmanship and business integrity. As a family, the Durtnells can trace their ancestry back to the Norman Conquest. The first recorded mention of building, as opposed to property, in the family – and hence the year from which Durtnell dates its existence – is 22 July 1591, when John Dartnall married Ann Hearst, registering his profession as carpenter, synonymous with builder at a time when most houses were of timber-framed construction.
Back to the present day Durtnell undertakes projects throughout London and the South East operating from their head office in Brasted, near Sevenoaks in Kent, and from a regional office in Farnborough, Hampshire. The firm undertakes a plethora of private and publicly funded building contracts both traditional and design and build. In addition to new build, the firm is adept at the specialist restoration and renovation of historic buildings.
Clients include private clients, public companies, local authorities, heritage organisations, hospitals, churches, schools and universities.
For more information, please visit: www.durtnell.co.uk.


text:
For the first time, the European Triathlon Championships will be held in Russia. We are glad to welcome the participants of the competition in Kazan! A few hundred of the best triathletes from all Europe will arrive to Russia for competing on July 27-28, 2019 at the fast and spectacular sprint triathlon distance: swimming – 750 m, cycling race – 20 km, and run – 5 km.
Photo: © IRONSTAR Triathlon Russia
The race day ⇒ 27 July 2019
Event web-page ⇒ Elite / ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships 2019
Elite Athletes Guide / Race Book
Photo: © IRONSTAR Triathlon Russia
The race day ⇒ 28 July 2019
Event web-page ⇒ Age Group / ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships 2019
Age Group Athletes Guide / Race Book
The swimming stage of the 2019 ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships will take place in the water area of the Kazanka River – the place symbolic for Kazan. The cycling course is laid along the central streets of the city past the walls of the Kazan Kremlin and the main sights of the city. The race finishes on the Kremlin embankment. Drafting is legal in the race, TT bikes are illegal.
Age Groups winners (men and women) will be awarded in accordance with the results of the competition.
Age Groups and Awards categories at the 2019 ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships ⇒ from 18 till 89-years-old!
Participation in the European Championships is the best solution for Amateurs and Triathlon Masters athletes!
Time limits at the sprint race ⇒ 750 m swim + 20 km bike + 5 km run:
For Age Groups athletes:
Swimming: 30 minutes
Swimming + T1 + Cycling: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time limit for finish in the race: 2 hours 15 minutes
During the European Triathlon Championships you will enjoy the stunning beauty of the course, get excited by the race, and feel warm support of residents and guests of Kazan.
Photos: © IRONSTAR Triathlon Russia
Organizer: IRONSTAR
Worldwide Sports Promoter: Swim.by
Sports Reviews:
Triathlon IRONSTAR 113 & Sprint in the Olympic Sochi 2019
2019 ETU AG Sprint Triathlon European Championships
IRONSTAR & World Class Indoor Triathlon 2019
IRONSTAR 2019: the biggest triathlon series
IRONSTAR Sprint & 113 Kaliningrad 2019
IRONSTAR SwimRun Dubai 2018
ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships Kazan 2019
IRONSTAR Olympic & 226 Sochi 2018
IRONSTAR Crocus Fitness 1/8 Triathlon 2018
Russian Junior Triathlon Championship 2018
Triathlon IRONSTAR 113 Kazan Timerman Cup 2018
IRONSTAR 113 Kazan 2018
Russian Triathlon Junior Championship 2018
Triathlon IRONSTAR Zavidovo 2018
Triathlon IRONSTAR 113 Sochi 2018
IRONSTAR: road to Russian Kona
IRONSTAR Triathlon in Russia
IRONSTAR & World Class Indoor Triathlon


text:
Blue Trumpet Jeans
Flared stretch denim jeans in blue. High-rise. Five-pocket styling. Fading throughout. Belt loops at waistband. Pinched seams at front. Logo patch at back waistband. Button-fly. Silver-tone hardware.
Supplier color: Blue
98% cotton, 2% elastane. Imported.
Supplier color: Blue
98% cotton, 2% elastane. Imported.
Based in Vancouver, BC, 017 Shop brings some of the most unique designers and pieces from around the world. With a carefully curated selection from brands like Ambush, Etudes, John UNDERCOVER and Facetasm, there is no shortage of statement pieces and wardrobe essentials.
Why buy on Complex SHOP?
120+ Top Brands
Shop your familiar favorites and our best picks for upcoming names
At Your Service
We do our best to get back to you in 24 hrs!
4.9/5 Stars for Customer Satisfaction
We always try to make things right for you!


text:
In an exclusive interview with CemWeek, Rishit Dalal, Director of Projects and International Business at Jaycee, shares his insights on the global fly ash market, from current challenges preventing higher utilization rates to the green potential of the coal combustion by-product
According to official statistics, India produced 196 million tons of fly ash in 2017-18, but only 67% was gainfully utilized. What do you think are the current and upcoming challenges preventing higher fly ash utilization?
India is predominantly a coal-power driven economy and fly ash (as a by-product of coal combustion) will remain in abundance for the foreseeable future. Despite this, the overall utilization level of fly ash in the country has been below par, because of various challenges. First, there is a demand-supply mismatch wherein many power plants are located far from consumption centers and ports, making it logistically uneconomical to transport/ export fly ash to consumers. Second, the government has issued various notifications on fly ash utilization - directing power plants to support and promote ash-based industries, subsidize transportation within a specified radius, mandating various government agencies to increase ash usage, etc. but implementation has been weak resulting in limited impact. Moreover, there are no incentives/ subsidies on fly ash utilization or exports, which constrains competitiveness. Third, the fly ash industry is highly fragmented and unorganized, with only few players investing capital and focusing on value-added, quality products that can drive large-scale utilization. This is exacerbated by the fact that coal power plants usually provide only short-term contracts for demand-linked price elasticity. This approach deters serious, long-term investments due to lack of supply security. All of these factors have prevented higher fly ash utilization, and a concerted effort by industry participants, including the government, is needed to create and execute a robust ash utilization strategy.
How do you assess the environmental impact of unutilized fly ash?
Unutilized fly ash is dumped into 'ash ponds', which play havoc with the environment. They result in significant air quality degradation and toxicity. For example, unutilized fly ash contributed to 37% PM10 and 26% PM2.5 in Delhi – the capital of India. This can cause respiratory diseases, cancer and long-term health hazards such as birth defects and nervous system disorders. Moreover, ash ponds take away land from productive uses, causing direct economic losses. Heavy metal leaching into the soil prevents agriculture, contaminates ground water and affects flora and fauna. Disposal of unutilized fly ash thus has serious economic, environmental and social consequences that must not be ignored.
What are India's main advantages regarding fly ash production as compared to other producing markets?
Unlike other ash-producing countries where coal power plants are winding down to comply with carbon emission regulations, India will predominantly have coal power for the next few decades - assuring secure, stable and abundant fly ash availability for consumers. The majority of the power plants in India run on single-source, domestic Indian coal with a high ash content of 30-35%. This produces consistent quality fly ash with superior chemical properties (Class-F, siliceous), low LOI < 1% and stable color. With classification, the fineness can be controlled for various applications. While domestic consumption is dependent on proximity of power plants to consumers (mainly cement, concrete, bricks and blocks), India also has coastal power plants near major ports, from where exports can be done in containers, break bulk and bulk economically.
Can India turn fly ash into an important export asset? How?
India currently exports 800,000-900,000 metric tons per year of fly ash, mainly to Bangladesh and Middle East, with smaller volumes going into Asia-Pacific and Africa. As a proportion of ash produced, these volumes are insignificant and there is large untapped potential. Fly ash exports rely on three main elements - quality, supply chain and price. Power plants with a stable coal source (preferably single-source, domestic Indian coal) produce consistent quality ash with low LOI < 1% and stable color. With classification, this ash becomes superior to all international standards like ASTM C618 Class-F, EN 450 Category S/N, AS/NZS 3582 and GB/T 1596. The right supply chain must be determined for each market - be it containers, break-bulk or bulk. And if the power plant is close to port, the pricing can be made globally competitive for exports to happen in large volumes. Indian power plants typically do not invest in ash beneficiation nor do they export directly, so buyers need to work with ash exporters that own processing and export facilities. However, it is critical to conduct thorough due diligence of the exporter - check supply security (long-term agreement with power plant), identify coal source to analyze ash quality, consistency and color, inspect the ash processing and export facilities, check quality certifications like CE, ISO, etc. and importantly, verify the track record and credibility of the organization. Finally, to give a strong impetus to exports, the Government of India must include fly-Ash-based products in existing export promotion schemes such as MEIS, Interest Equalization Scheme, Market Access Initiatives and MSME schemes, which is lacking at present.
What else can the Indian government do to encourage fly ash use not only across the cement industry, but in other sectors as well?
In September 2018, the Prime Minister's Office in India has asked all government agencies to multiply fly ash usage by 10 times in a time-bound manner to ensure clean air and minimize adverse impact on the environment. Fly ash bricks are being made mandatory in all government construction, while fly ash use is being mandated in all highways, roads and flyover projects as well as government initiatives such as smart cities, etc. A complete ban of clay bricks within a 300 km radius of power plants is also being considered to promote fly ash bricks. Furthermore, the Ministry of Power has launched a mobile application named 'Ashtrack' to monitor ash generation and utilization across India. The government has also seeded research institutes like Advanced Materials and Process Research Institute, National Metallurgical Laboratory, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and National Council for Cement and Building Materials, to develop new-age applications of fly ash. There has been significant work done on cement-free green concrete, high volume fly ash concrete, coating materials, lightweight aggregates, furniture from hybrid composite materials, ceramics, geopolymers, insulation materials, zeolites and agricultural applications. However, the government must accelerate commercialization of the research work by providing special incentives to fly-ash-based industries, and promoting them through 'Make-In-India' and 'Start-up India' initiatives. Exports of fly-ash-based products must also be incentivized through inclusion in various export promotion schemes, as it provides an additional avenue for utilization and brings in valuable foreign exchange for the country.
Fly ash use can implicate longer concrete setting times. Availability of fly ash is also a problem in many regions. How do you think these factors can prove detrimental to the broader use of fly ash in the global construction sector?
Fly ash consists of small, hard, spherical particles rich in silica and alumina. It partially replaces cement in concrete and reacts with free lime to form an additional durable binder named calcium silicate hydrate. The spherical particles have a 'ball-bearing' effect, which increases workability/ flowability of concrete and allows concrete to be produced using less water, with long-term strength gain. Optimization of concrete mix design can help users reduce overall cost of concrete (and construction) using fly ash. The setting time can be controlled by adjusting the water-cement ratio as well as admixture dosage, and is not a major detriment. Usage of fly ash also depends on availability from logistically-economical sources. However, fly ash usage is mandated in certain projects purely for its technical advantages, and cost is not a consideration even if it is more expensive from cement. To overcome the problem of domestic availability, fly ash can be imported from other sources/countries with cost-optimized supply chains. New technologies are also available to reclaim pond ash for use in concrete, and fly ash is expected to have global demand for the foreseeable future.
What role can fly ash play in rendering the concrete-making process greener?
Fly ash is a by-product of coal combustion, and does not require additional energy-intensive processes. It partially replaces cement in concrete, thus saving 0.7-1 ton of CO2 per ton of fly ash. According to research, one ton of fly ash used saves 4 million Btu of energy and 90 gallons of water. It also reduces water demand in concrete due to its spherical shape. Furthermore, fly ash significantly increases the durability of concrete, increases life of structures and reduces maintenance. Thus, it is a very important part of green building/ sustainable construction and is accredited by the US Green Building Council for the LEED certification program.
What are the main factors boosting global fly ash consumption? And what holds it back?
Since the construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930's, fly ash has been an integral part of the global construction industry. Major markets such as North America, Europe, Australia, China and India use fly ash in most cement and concrete for technical and commercial reasons. Fly ash being a recycled material, is more economical than cement and directly replaces 20-30% (and even more) cement in concrete, thus saving cost. Fly ash also provides increased long-term strength, durability, workability and reduced heat of hydration, alkali silica reaction, as well as chemical attacks. It reduces water-demand in concrete, and in parallel, increases life of structure. While the technical and commercial advantages of fly ash will drive global consumption, substitutes like ground granulated blast furnace slag will also impact demand in some markets. Moreover, lower fly ash generation due to winding down of coal power plants in North America, Europe and Australia means that fly ash will either have to be reclaimed from ash ponds, or imported from countries like India where it is available in abundance. Robust, cost-efficient global supply chains will have to be developed to fill the need gap in large markets.
How can transportation issues impact fly ash trade?
Being a recycled product, the intrinsic value of fly ash is low and transportation typically constitutes 30-80% of the landed cost of fly ash in domestic as well as export markets. Fly ash transportation over long distances makes it economically unviable, unless specified for technical reasons. Therefore, consumers prefer fly ash from the nearest coal power plant to keep transportation costs in check. As far as exports are concerned, containerized cargo (with jumbo bags) is economical only for some destinations, whereas we need to look at larger break-bulk or bulk shipments for destinations with sailing time of more than 15-20 days. The right mode of packing and transportation is critical in making fly ash trade economically viable.
Scientists from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, managed to launch a proof-of-concept for a 3D-printed bathroom using fly ash in less than a day. How can fly ash help boost innovation in the building materials sector?
Fly ash is a unique material, and people are developing newer, innovative applications in the building materials industry using it. Since fly ash plays an important role in reducing CO2 emissions, companies are working on developing 'Geopolymer Cement' using fly ash and activators, which can completely replace Portland cement in some applications. There are other companies working on manufacturing bricks, blocks, pavers, pipes and tiles with a very high proportion of fly ash (up to 95%), creating light-weight aggregates from fly ash, developing specialized fillers for plaster and rubber products, creating hybrid composite materials using fly ash to substitute wood, and also extracting rare earth elements from fly ash. The value-added fly ash products space is looking exciting and we will see some interesting innovations in the time to come.
This interview originally appeared on CemWeek Magazine #51