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As a screenwriter, Alex Garland has been doing impressive work for years on films like 28 Days Later, Sunshine, and Never Let Me Go. He recently made his directorial debut on a character-driven sci-fi film called Ex Machina which, if you haven't heard already, is the best movie of 2015 so far. As a result, many have been curious to see what Garland will do next, and it appears that his adaptation of the excellent Jeff VanderMeer novel Annihilation is shaping up to be the winning candidate, with an Oscar winner circling the lead role.
Per Variety, Natalie Portman is in early talks to star in the Paramount Pictures film, which is best described as a chilling enviro-horror thriller. The story follows the expedition of four women who are sent into the mysterious "Area X", a portion of land in the United States that has been secretly quarantined due to abnormal activity. They are the twelfth expedition sent into Area X on behalf of the mysterious Southern Reach organization. The second expedition ended in mass suicide, the third in a hail of gunfire as the members turned on one another, and the eleventh expedition returned as shells of their former selves, all dying of cancer shortly after coming back.
If she signs on, Portman would play the lead character, a biologist (the characters are only referred to by their professions), and Variety notes that the role of the actress' co-star (likely the psychologist) is being chased by folks like Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton; though that role won't be filled until a deal with Portman is closed. Portman's deal is apparently dependent upon production starting no earlier than the beginning of 2016, but both sides are said to be nearing an agreement.
As a big fan of both Ex Machina and Annihilation, which is the first book in VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy (read it ASAP if you haven't), word of Portman's involvement comes as very welcome news, as does the prospect of seeing an actress like Moore or Swinton come onboard alongside her. Garland proved to be a more than capable director with Ex Machina, showing a strong handle on character, theme, and visual storytelling, and I'm eager to see his talents stretched into the terrifying landscape of Area X.
Read the synopsis for Annihilation below.
Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; the second expedition ended in mass suicide, the third expedition in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another. The members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within weeks, all had died of cancer.
In Annihilation, the first volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, we join the twelfth expedition.
The group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain, record all observations of their surroundings and of one anotioner, and, above all, avoid being contaminated by Area X itself.
They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it's the surprises that came across the border with them and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another that change everything. [BN.com]


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Strawberry Lime Broad Spectrum WS
Tax included.
SunMed Water Soluble Broad Spectrum CBD Hemp Oil is simple to use. It is made with the same high-quality cannabinoid-rich hemp extract, which has a naturally high level of CBD, as well as an abundance of other beneficial cannabinoids (CBG, CBN, CBC), flavonoids, terpenes.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Looking for a way to treat Mom extra special for Mother's Day this year? Bring her out to the North Alabama Railroad Museum for our Mother & Son Special on Saturday, May 12! It's a great way for mothers & sons to bond! Of course, daughters are more than welcome to join us, too! We hope you and your family will join us for this special day! 2 departures: 10am & 1pm. Ticket Prices: Adults-$15, children 12 and under-$10; An hour and twenty minute excursion.


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The STD clinic is responsible for controlling and curing the sexually transmitted disease of the patient's body. The the extent at which the STDs are spreading has raised international concern. If by any chance you are suffering from sexually transmitted disease then take a further step and visit an STD clinic. A well-equipped hospital will always detect any sexually transmitted disease in your body and attend to it accordingly. Stanley Angus will be of much help to you.
There are quite some clinics both governmental and private. This kind of clinic should be in that position to prevent and control STDs. The doctor will examine your genitals and carry out some test that will identify the problem that you are suffering in. Before you go ahead and visit any clinic make sure that it is authentic. In order to identify that authentic clinic it is important that you consult a specialist like Stanley Angus MD.
Sexually transmitted diseases are very dangerous . Always make sure if you are infected with the STD then go to the clinic straight away, else they can cause a lot of harm to your body It is important that you should go and look for that clinic that ids going to handle your infection and treat you accordingly In order to know the kind of STD you are suffering from then you should consult a specialist like Stanley Angus . A good healthcare clinic for test should be well equipped with test facilities and medication.
The level of cleanliness of an STD clinic should be of high degree A professional gynecologist should be available in the clinic attending to his or her patients. For this treason you can browse the internet and find a list of doctors and clinics who offer these services. The type of hospital and doctor that you select all their aspects should be publicized.
When you just type the word STD you will receive many results of doctors and clinics one of them being Stanley Angus. Since this is a sensitive disease some people may tend to fear to ask from friend, it is important to not that it is your body and you should not shy about it, but if you are not that confident enough then you should browse over the internet and find that relevant information that regards the STD.
It is very dangerous to seat on your problem concerning the STD cause it can cost your life consult health specialist like Stanley Angus and you will have your transmitted sexual disease controlled.
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Description: LINTEO Baby wipes soft should be used to clean soft baby skin especially where napkins are used. An extract of camomile and panthenol soothe and protect from the occurrence of sore spots.
Manufacturer: Spektrum CZ a.s., Lanškroun, Czech Republic, www.spektrum.cz
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High demand for SIMTICS medical eLearning during Covid-19
Our client, SIMTICS – an extensive eLearning library for healthcare students and professionals – saw a massive jump in new customers in the United States during Covid-19.
Highlights from Microsoft's executive briefing
Pattern CTO, Jamil Geor, returns from a three-day technology briefing at Microsoft with invaluable insights.
Serverless rocks at Fender
Fender Play, a popular eLearning platform offering guitar and ukelele lessons, is benefitting from last year's move to serverless technology.
Drones unite to boost farm efficiency
Drone swarms are part of advanced precision farming, working in sync to improve farm efficiency.
SAP initiative engages staff, produces world-beating ideas
The SAP 'One Billion Lives' initiative let five employee teams make pitches to solve business (and world) problems with technology; winner gets funding to develop their startup venture.
The world's most digitally connected countries
Nations that champion innovation, online services and digitally forward-thinking lifestyles are drawing expats from all over the world.
How businesses should prepare for global internet
Elon Musk's SpaceX company plans to launch nearly 12,000 low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites in the next few years to provide broadband services across the entire planet.
AI and workplace automation
Business is undergoing a rapid transformative period as a new raft of technological advances become accessible to the masses. Read how AI and workplace automation is changing the landscape for good.
The ethics of technology
If we've learned anything in the last 18 months, it's that technology, much like US politics, doesn't police itself. So how does business take a proactive approach to establishing ethical guidelines i...
SimTutor releases new scenario-based planning tool
The recent enhancements for our eLearning client, SimTutor, not only makes the planning of a simulated training session a pleasure, it also speeds up the process for tutors.
What is blockchain?
By now you will have heard of Bitcoin, Ethereum and possibly even tripped over the technology that supports them all - Blockchain.
Setting up a ReactiveUI ViewModel
In this article, we will be setting up our first ViewModel to bind to the ListView that we created in the previous article. We'll be using the ReactiveUI framework for implementing our ViewModel and b...
Xamarin.Forms - ListView
In this article, we are going to setup the initial the article list page and set this up as our application's main page.
Getting started with Xamarin.Forms
Over the next few posts, we are going to walk through the steps taken to develop a cross platform mobile application using Xamarin.Forms and ReactiveUI.


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For the first time in more than 20 years Joan Baez returns to New Zealand for two concert performances (Auckland and Wellington) only in August. Joan Baez is a musical and political force of nature whose influence is incalculable – she marched on the front lines of the civil rights movement with Dr Martin Luther King, inspired Vaclav Havel in his fight for a Czech Republic, sang on the first Amnesty International tour and stood alongside Nelson Mandela when the world celebrated his 90th birthday in London's Hyde Park.
Her earliest recordings fed a host of traditional ballads into the rock vernacular, before she unselfconsciously introduced Bob Dylan to the world in 1963. Her Grammy nominated and most recent album, Day After Tomorrow (2008) recorded in Nashville and produced by Steve Earle, carries on Joan's tradition of serving as an interpreter for a wide array of songwriters, with material by Earle, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett, Patty Griffin, Thea Gilmore and Eliza Gilkyson.
Its 54 years since Joan Baez, then 18, was introduced onstage at Newport Jazz Festival. Baez bought her first guitar when she was 15 and quickly became the central figure of the powerful folk movement, gracing the cover of Time Magazine when she was 20. Bob Dylan met her in Greenwich Village and she introduced him to the world as the two became musically and romantically entwined. Baez is a wonderful interpreter and Dylan gave her some of his best songs – 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue,' 'With God On Our Side' and 'Blowing In The Wind' to name a few. Their relationship inspired her to write 'Diamonds and Rust.' Baez put her own stamp on other fine songwriter's songs, amongst them 'There But For Fortune' (Phil Ochs), 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' (Robbie Robertson) and 'Jerusalem' (Steve Earle). Her unforgettable performance of 'We Shall Overcome,' at Woodstock, when she was several months pregnant and her husband David Harris in jail for draft resistance, has indelibly linked her to that song for millions of fans.
Baez is recognized as an outstanding, courageous activist whose beliefs can't be separated from her music. She sang about freedom and civil rights from the backs of flatbed trucks in Mississippi and on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at Dr Martin Luther King's march on Washington in 1963. Baez brought the Free Speech Movement into the spotlight at Berkeley; organised resistance to the war in South East Asia, travelling to Hanoi; performed at numerous benefit concerts and recently, Baez performed at Occupy Wall Street in New York and contributed to the 'Occupy This' album.
In 2009 the PBS American Masters series premiered a documentary of her life story, 'Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound' which will screen on SKYTV Arts Channel on Friday 17 May. She has also recently been awarded the Amnesty International's inaugural Joan Baez Award for Outstanding Inspirational Service in the Global Fight for Human Rights. Today, Joan Baez's voice is as extraordinary as ever but carries with it the gravitas of a life well lived.
This will be a rare opportunity to experience one of the world's greatest and most inspiring performers.
For the New Zealand concerts Joan Baez is backed by both her son, Gabriel Harris, on percussion and multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell on banjo, guitar, keyboards and fiddle.


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Lars Ramkilde Knudsen
Lars Ramkilde Knudsen (born 21 February 1962) is a Danish researcher in cryptography, particularly interested in the design and analysis of block ciphers, hash functions and message authentication codes (MACs).
Lars R. Knudsen
|21 February 1962
|Alma mater
|Aarhus University
|Scientific career
|Technical University of Denmark
|Doctoral advisor
|Ivan Damgård
After some early work in banking, Knudsen enrolled at Aarhus University in 1984 studying mathematics and computer science, gaining an MSc in 1992 and a PhD in 1994. From 1997-2001, he worked at the University of Bergen, Norway. Currently, Knudsen is a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Technical University of Denmark. Ivan Damgård was Lars' mentor during his studies at Aarhus University. His Ph.D. was refereed by Bart Preneel.
Knudsen has published a couple of papers on cryptanalysis of cryptographic primitives, including the R-MAC scheme, the SHA-1 and MD2 hash functions, and a couple of block ciphers: DES, DFC, IDEA, ICE, LOKI, MISTY, RC2, RC5, RC6, SC2000, Skipjack, Square and SAFER.
Knudsen was involved in designing some ciphers: AES candidates DEAL and Serpent (the latter in conjunction with Ross Anderson and Eli Biham). He was involved in designing Grøstl, a hash function which was one of the submissions to the NIST SHA-3 competition (it was not the winner).
He introduced the technique of impossible differential cryptanalysis[1] and integral cryptanalysis.
- ^ Lars Knudsen (21 February 1998). "DEAL - A 128-bit Block Cipher". Technical report no. 151. Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Norway. Archived from the original (PDF/PostScript) on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 2007-02-27. Cite journal requires


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The onset date of your disability is a very important date in your Social Security Disability Insurance claim.
The onset date can determine if you're even eligible for benefits and can affect when those benefits will begin. It is important for you to know how this date can affect your claim for benefits. This date also can play a role in a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability claim.
A Social Security Ruling states: "The onset date of disability is the first day an individual is disabled as defined in the Act and the regulations." This may seem pretty cut and dried, but how does the Social Security Administration actually define "disability"? As you can imagine, the answer is not that simple.
If you and/or Social Security choose the wrong onset date, you may miss out on months of critical monthly cash benefits and health insurance. This is why it is very important to choose the most appropriate onset date.
Many people think that the onset date should be:
- The date that they last worked
- The date they first started having symptoms
- When those symptoms first started affecting their work performance
- The date you started missing days from work
- Or when you had to file a long-term disability claim or miss work under the Family Medical Leave Act.
All of the above are valid considerations, but alone may not establish the correct onset date in your claim for disability benefits.
Some Factors That Can Influence the Onset Date
Let's say that your medical condition forced you to stop working full-time two years ago. Later, you were able to work part-time before having to completely stop working because of your symptoms such as pain or fatigue. Should your onset date be the date that stopped your full-time work or the date that you stopped working part-time work? The right answer depends upon a number of factors, such as:
- Why did you have to stop working full-time?
- Did your impairments have anything to do with why you stopped working?
- The number of hours per week that you worked part-time.
- How much did you earn per hour in your part-time work?
- How many months did you work part-time?
- Why did you stop working part-time?
These are just some of the issues that you may have to carefully think about before choosing the right onset date. Choosing the earliest appropriate onset date can make a big difference in your claim. A lot is at stake here – benefits necessary to make ends meet and health insurance.
Given what's riding on the outcome of your case, it's best to have an experienced Social Security disability attorney review your claim before you file. Normally, such an evaluation is free. You don't have anything to lose if you have an experienced Social Security representative review your claim. You might have something to lose, though, if you move ahead without knowing what is the correct onset date in your particular situation.


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So far this year the price of Bitcoin has fluctuated between a high of $16,597 and a low of $5,904. Clearly buying, selling, or holding a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin isn't for the faint of heart.As this article is being written Bitcoin is priced at $7,547 – representing a gain of about 28% if you bought at the low or a loss of more than 50% if you were unfortunate enough to buy at the high.
It's hard to think of another investment – excepting for some penny stocks trading on the pink sheets – that has shown so much up and down movement in such a short period of time.
Which begs the question – are Bitcoin and other popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin Gold, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum – here to stay?
What Are Cryptocurrencies?
Before we discuss the pros and cons of cryptos, let's look at three characteristics that all cryptocurrencies have in common:
- Digitized assets with no government backing
- Bought and sold on decentralized peer-to-peer networks with no centralized authority such as a Central Bank
- Fiat currencies such as the US Dollar, Chinese Yuan, and Euro can be used to purchase digital currencies, ostensibly swapping a 'real currency' for a digital one
Are Cryptocurrencies Just Another Mania?
People seeing a short lifespan for cryptocurrencies argue that:
- Difficult to Use – Bitcoin and other cryptos aren't suitable or convenient for payments because they're not widely used and never will be
- Bitcoin benefits criminals, terrorists, and other underworld figures because they can launder money with untraceable digital currency
- Tulip Market – Bitcoin and the entire cryptocurrency market is one big speculative bubble that's ready to burst at any time, similar to the Dutch Tulip Mania in 1637
Or Will Cryptocurrency Values Keep Rising for Good Reason?
It's hard to believe that one morning we'll wake up to find that cryptocurrencies have completely vanished into the rarified air of the Internet.
A recent Wall Street Journal article notes that the value of the entire crypto market stands at a little over $290 billion. While that pales by comparison to the $3 trillion market cap of the FAANG stocks – Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Alphabet (aka Google) – hundreds of billions of dollars is nothing to laugh at.
Advocates of electronic digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum believe cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange will keep growing for several reasons:
- Instant Settlement – Buying and selling, sending and receiving a crypto happens in almost real-time with a transaction cost of only a few cents
- Accessible – By some estimates there are nearly 2 billion people around the world that don't have access to the traditional banking system, representing a tremendous number of potential crypto users
- No Middle Man – Cryptos are directly held by the investor in their own offline or online wallet, similar to keeping money under a mattress
Do ETFs and Government Regulation Help or Hurt Cryptos?
There are two recent occurrences in the cryptocurrency market suggesting that cryptos are here to stay:
Government Interest – When governments seek to control or tax a new asset or product the unintended consequence is that more people become interested. Prohibition in the 1920s and early 1930s is a good example of this.
Investment Banking – Although the SEC has yet to approve a Bitcoin ETF, asset managers continue to seek permission for exchange-traded cryptocurrency funds.
According to the WSJ, firms that have recently asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to approved regulated Bitcoin funds include Eck Associates Corporation, SolidX Management LLC, and Bitwise Asset Management Inc.


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Eagle Creek Packable Daypack - Black
RRP £27.00 | save 11%
Why buy from our travel store?
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The perfect backpack for day trips, with a 13 litre capacity and durable 70D heathered nylon construction. This packable daypack from Eagle Creek offers a practical and lightweight carrying solution and can be stashed inside your suitcase or travel bag until you reach your destination, as it packs into its own front pocket for compact storage when you're not using it.
The daypack storage pouch doubles as a front pocket with an internal key clip when the bag is in use and the main compartment offers a generous 13 litre capacity for all your essentials. For comfortable carrying, the packable daysack comes with padded mesh shoulder straps, which can be adjusted for a more secure and comfortable fit. Zips to the main compartment are also lockable and feature a central locking point to ensure your belongings stay secure!
The daypack also features a side mesh bottle pocket, allowing quick and easy access to your water bottle when you're out exploring.
Open Size: 45 x 28 x 12cm | Pack Size: 20 x 15 x 4cm | Weight: 160g


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1. How many more years will y'all be together before you get married? Are you not worthy to be married? Does he or she Not view you are marriage material? If your relationship is more than 3 years old, then you have find out is the relationship worth it. If your answer is, neither one of y'all are ready. So, after 3 years and y'all are still NOT ready, then you need to call it quits because y'all are just holding each other up. So, what's it going to be?
2. Is the relationship Organic or does it have a lot of Preservatives. Meaning, is it growing naturally or are you keep putting trans fats, and hormones in it to keep it together? If it's not right, y'all need to do some Self inventory and relationship inventory. So, what is it really? A relationship or a co-op or a coping with?
3. Am I Making this Person happy? If you are stressing of ways to keep that person happy, then you need to take a self inventory because your happiness has become Dependent or slaved by mutual agreement. The question you must ask is that, what if you're not capable anymore, will this person be there or will they At Least help me? You can't submit to Unhappiness~richard cook
2015 can't be a year of stagnation!
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Love is a fickle thing. It can be beautiful and amazing, but also damaging and terrible.
Most high schoolers can say that they have been in a toxic relationship, yet some won't admit it. With one in three high school students in the U.S. being a victim of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, according to the organization Love is Respect, this isn't a strange phenomenon. The person right next to you who always talks about how in love they are with their boyfriend could be abused and believe that this abuse is love.
It's easy to believe things your partner does, even if they're bad, is love. I know I've been there. I've spent scores of nights crying myself to sleep because of the "love" my girlfriend gave me.
It's not easy to notice these things at first. Love is blinding, especially at our ages. Love is optimistic and accepting of others. We try to accept our partners faults and downsides, but some of these faults and downsides are not what you think they are. When a partner only provides drama or angst and can't trust you with your friends, that is not love. That is love's opposite: toxicity.
Three years ago, when I escaped my abusive relationship, I was brokenhearted. I still loved her, but I knew deep down something was wrong with what we had. I never was truly happy. There was always something with us. It could be anything from a fight to not being on speaking terms while being long distance. But the most prevalent feeling I felt afterwards was damaged.
According to Love is Respect, abusive relationships in adolescence can cause higher risk of substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence. These ramifications are not worth a boy or girl. Nothing is more important than taking care of yourself, especially in relationships. Even if it seems like you should take care of your boyfriend or girlfriend over yourself, there is no reason to do this. Putting someone before yourself is not loving yourself, and you can't rely on somebody to love you when you don't love yourself.
I'm not saying that all relationships are like this because it's impossible to date someone and not have any problems whatsoever in high school, but if you feel unsafe or scared, please talk to someone, especially if you see any signs of physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Counselor, therapists or dating abuse helplines are always available, so please speak up and end the silence that comes with dating abuse.


text: Current Affairs September 2019 Kerala PSC Malayalam Current Affairs 03 September 2019 Mashhari September 05, 2019 Share it: Facebook Twitter Dear Kerala PSC Aspirants here is Daily Current Affairs in Malayalam 03 September 2019 for Kerala PSC Examination like Lower Division Clerk, Last Grade Servant, University Assistant, Secretariat Assistant Examination. Stay up-to-date with Daily Current Affairs PDF September 2019. You can read or download PDF of the Day 03 September 2019 by the link given below. Have a nice day. Monthly Current Affairs Digest of Previous Months are available on our Current Affairs Page. Link to our Current Affairs Main Page is given below. Tags: Current Affairs September 2019


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Quote: It was bedlam, pandemonium and hell rolled into one.
– Eyewitness
On April 18, 1906, an earthquake and subsequent fires devastated San Francisco, California, leaving more than 3,000 people dead and destroying more than 28,000 buildings. The earthquake occurred at 5:13 a.m. with its epicentre offshore of San Francisco, which then had a population of approximately 400,000 people. The greatest devastation resulted from the fires that quickly followed the quake. The initial tremors destroyed the city's water mains, leaving firefighters with no means of combating the growing blaze, which burned for several days and consumed much of the city. Despite the utter devastation, San Francisco quickly recovered from the earthquake, and the destruction actually allowed planners to create a new and improved city.


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The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution, and the Fate of the Empire, by Andrew Jackson O'Shaughnessy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013. 466 pp. $37.50 (hardcover).
"If America should grow into a separate empire," British Prime Minister Frederick Lord North warned in late 1778, "it must of course cause . . . a revolution in the political system of the world" (p. 15). In his latest book, The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution, and the Fate of the Empire, Andrew Jackson O'Shaughnessy examines the lives of the ten British political leaders, generals, and admirals most responsible for attempting to prevent that revolution from succeeding. O'Shaughnessy sympathetically discerns how and why they failed—and why America succeeded.
O'Shaughnessy, professor of history at the University of Virginia, also examines the revolution from an outsider's perspective in his masterful An Empire Divided: The American Revolution and the British Caribbean (2000).1 Whereas his previous work sought to answer the question of why the other British colonies in the Americas—Canada and the sugar islands in the Caribbean—did not join with the American revolutionaries, The Men Who Lost America sets forth to save the British leadership from the historical ignominy of being remembered as "incompetent and mediocre" or "hidebound" (p. 5) and "novices" (p. 8). With a much more intimate biographical knowledge of these principal actors—including George III; generals Cornwallis and Clinton; Lord North; and the secretary of state for America, Lord George Germain—O'Shaughnessy seeks to reconstruct the perspective of the British war effort, which is, he contends, "essential for making the war intelligible" (p. 9).
Among the strengths of the book, O'Shaughnessy artfully weaves the entire breadth and sweep of the wars of the American Revolution through nine biographical chapters (with one chapter devoted to the brothers General Sir William Howe and Admiral Lord Richard Howe). O'Shaughnessy also destroys certain deeply entrenched myths about the American Revolution and inculcates greater appreciation for the victory gained by the revolutionaries over a collection of determined, intelligent—and in many cases quite sympathetic—adversaries.
The main recurring theme of the book, apparent in the experience of every figure examined, is the fundamental misunderstanding among British policy makers of the nature of the revolution and the depth of support for it among the colonists. "It was indeed an axiom of British policy," writes O'Shaughnessy, "that the majority of Americans were loyal, and that the revolution was nothing more than a coup achieved by 'the intrigues of a few bold and criminal leaders'" (p. 98). Many modern American admirers of the American Revolution also unwittingly hold on to this view, often encapsulated in the convenient notion that the Americans were divided roughly into thirds: revolutionaries, loyalists, and the indifferent. As the British learned only very slowly, too slowly to alter their strategy, the loyalists were not anything close to a majority or even a consistent minority large enough to count on. Where their numbers were large enough to make a difference, loyalists were easily alienated by the tactics of the British—particularly on the frontiers where British Indian allies raided communities; in the South, where the British haltingly offered freedom to slaves willing to fight for the king; or at St. Eustatius, where Admiral George Rodney looted British loyalists as eagerly as he did the rest of the inhabitants. Even with explicit evidence to the contrary—for instance, after the debacle at Saratoga when General John Burgoyne surrendered a British army to American General Horatio Gates and "returned army officers and generals gave devastating testimonies that the war was unwinnable because the majority of Americans were determined to oppose Britain" (p. 165)—the men running the war (George III, Lord North, George Germain, and others) continued to count on widespread loyalist support, which, in fact, didn't exist.
O'Shaughnessy correctly blames this continued myopia on wishful thinking, a studied failure to absorb and evaluate contrary evidence, and "an intellectual failure among politicians and commanders in general to appreciate how the revolutionary cause broadened its appeal by embracing an increasingly radical ideology committed to liberty, consent, and equality" (p. 192). Perhaps unsurprisingly, O'Shaughnessy correctly points out that at no point did Germain—the man whose job it was to win the war—or the rest of the cabinet take an interest in the ideological or political dimensions and innovations of the revolution. Failing to understand what was actually going on in America made the British attempt to coerce the colonies back into the empire doomed almost from inception.
This mistake was not the result of everyone in charge being a dullard or an incompetent placeholder. One of the main objectives of The Men Who Lost America is to make crystal clear that these ten men were largely self-created aristocrats (an odd status, but not an unusual one in the British Empire, where primogeniture left a great many titled sons without means or incomes), firmly of and in the late Enlightenment, and at the top of their professional careers. Some, such as Cornwallis, were even deeply sympathetic to the colonial grievances that led to the revolution. "If we take seriously the capabilities of the British leadership," O'Shaughnessy argues, "the achievements of the American commanders appear much greater" (p. 7). Washington quite expected that future generations would not believe the victory of the revolutionaries over such an enemy was even possible, that they would scoff at such a tale with "the epithet and marks of fiction" (p. 287).
O'Shaughnessy argues throughout the book that Washington's prophecy was essentially correct, that it became much easier for later British and skeptical American legatees alike to write off the king as mad; Cornwallis as lazy; Burgoyne as a glib aristocrat; and all of the commanders as inexperienced, unused to la petite guerre, or simply reactionary mediocrities. How else could this unexpected and improbable thing—American victory and independence—have occurred?
As O'Shaughnessy makes plain, the British made as large an effort to win the war in America as they could with the best available resources, both in men and materiel—opening the first concerted campaign in 1776 with the largest amphibious invasion force ever sent across the Atlantic Ocean, that involved more men than inhabited America's largest city at the time, Philadelphia. All of the British commanders in America tried to rally loyalist support, tried to goad the Fabian General Washington into a decisive battle, tried to conquer as much territory and as many major cities as possible—this latter with much success over the course of the war. Yet all of them met with frustration, dashed expectations, and failure.
With a widening war against France, then Spain, then Holland, the government of Lord North never gave up the cause of keeping the American colonies in the empire—George III even threatened abdication rather than recognize American independence. But reality, the continued miscalculations of the entire British leadership, and the diminished importance of the American colonies in British mercantilist calculus once the sugar islands of the Caribbean and spice markets of the Orient came under threat, all made British victory in America increasingly unlikely after 1778. The demands on British army, naval, and financial resources were gargantuan and literally spanned the entire globe. That they emerged from the war in relatively decent shape, unlike the French, is a testament to just how skilled Lord North's government actually was.
As The Men Who Lost America compellingly argues, the war was bitterly and closely contested to the very end. The cause of the revolution and war effort was largely held together by the patience, skill, and virtue of General Washington, who outlasted all of his adversaries and was "the only person to receive universal acclaim from the British press" (p. 359). O'Shaughnessy makes no half compliments at the end. After describing how formidable Washington's opponents actually were, he concludes "that conditions did not favor the British but they might yet have prevailed against less capable opponents, above all Washington, who was critical to the success of the American Revolution" (p. 359).
It is altogether fitting that the man most intently resolved on fighting and winning the war even when the will of the British people finally turned toward peace, George III, responded to the report that Washington intended to retire from public life at the end of the war with this disbelieving quip: "if He did He would be the greatest man in the world" (p. 359). The Men Who Lost America gives us a fresh vantage point on why the "Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant" (as the Declaration says of King George) may have been right on that last point.


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Trump Defends Religious Liberty
The Trump administration announced Friday afternoon that it was rolling back an Obama-era regulation that tied the hands of faith-based organizations involved in adoptions and foster care efforts.
In recent years, conservatives have grown increasingly alarmed as Catholic Charities and similar groups have closed their doors as various left-wing states and cities have forced them to choose between their values and their desire to serve their communities.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that it would no longer enforce the Obama regulation that expanded nondiscrimination protections beyond existing law and Supreme Court rulings.
In a statement, HHS declared that it would "require grantees to comply with applicable nondiscrimination provisions passed by Congress … including legislation ensuring the protection of religious liberty, and … all applicable Supreme Court decisions."
In other words, organizations that receive federal grants only have to comply with provisions that are part of existing federal law, not provisions that the Obama administration and its left-wing allies created on their way out the door in 2016.
The new Trump regulation will prevent government bureaucrats from discriminating against faith-based organizations that believe children deserve mothers and fathers.
Once again, the Trump/Pence team has demonstrated its commitment to the rule of law and to religious liberty.
A Partisan Abuse of Power
Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz is a self-identified liberal Democrat. He voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. He defended Bill Clinton against impeachment in 1998. And he's adamantly opposed to what Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are doing today in their attempt to impeach President Trump.
In his latest opinion piece, Dershowitz warns that the current impeachment effort is a raw partisan power grab, exactly what our founders like Alexander Hamilton feared most. Consider this excerpt:
Hamilton warned of the "greatest danger" that the decision to move forward with impeachment will "be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties than the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt."
Meanwhile, former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy suggests that opponents of impeachment need to move beyond process arguments and start making the case for why Trump's call with Ukraine's president is not an impeachable offense. President Trump did nothing wrong.
As we have repeatedly noted, there is significant evidence of foreign involvement in the 2016 election, including between elements of our Deep State and the security agencies of other countries. That's what U.S. Attorney John Durham is investigating.
We know that elements of the Ukrainian government played a major role in all of this. We know that former Vice President Joe Biden was assigned responsibility for managing Ukrainian foreign policy. We know there are issues of corruption involving his son. We know Biden had his own quid pro quo with Ukraine, demanding the firing of a top prosecutor.
The left-wing media desperately doesn't want any of this to get traction.
The Left's Agenda
Montgomery County, Maryland, is all in on the left's agenda, including the anti-police mentality that dominates the left. Here's the latest example.
James Shelton and his young son created a wooden Blue Line flag to honor Montgomery County police officers on National First Responders Day. The officers expressed their appreciation to Mr. Shelton and his son, and said that the wooden flag would be displayed in their station.
Opponents of the flag claim that it has been appropriated by white nationalists and is racist. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich branded the Blue Line flag "divisive" and "a symbol of dismissiveness" and ordered police not to display the flag.
Montgomery County, Maryland, has always been liberal. But this shows just how extreme it has become. One of the left's favorite chants in recent years is, "Cops and the Klan go hand in hand." It's disgusting and absurd, especially when today's police force is the most racially diverse in the history of our country.
But once again, we see how the left is taking normal conservative impulses, like support for law enforcement, and equating it with racism. Now that's divisive!
The reason I bring this up is because it shows what happens when the left is totally in control. An act of kindness by a young boy for the police gets twisted by woke progressives who just can't tolerate it.
By the way, Montgomery County is a sanctuary county where at least nine illegal immigrants, who should have been deported, have been arrested on charges of rape and sexual assault.
In New York City, also dominated by the left, there was a mini riot this weekend that was triggered in part by police officers enforcing subway fares. Fare evasions and crime are so prevalent that city officials recently announced the deployment of an additional 500 officers.
The city is losing hundreds of millions of dollars because some people think they have a right to ride the subway for free. Evidently, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez agrees with them.
Everyone knows what a failure San Francisco is when it comes to homelessness and illegal immigration. Well, Austin, Texas, has swung hard left in recent years. So, where does the mayor of Austin go to get advice on homelessness? California!
Guess what? Austin now has a huge problem with homelessness. Gov. Greg Abbott is stepping in and sending state officials to clear out Austin's homeless encampments.
Speaking of California, many in the Golden State are seriously reconsidering an effort to relax enforcement of minor property crimes. The liberal experiment, backed by the ACLU and other progressive groups, had predictable results: Shoplifting, vandalism, and other property crimes have skyrocketed in recent years.
My friends, we don't have to guess at what the country will be like if the left takes back the White House and the Senate next year. From Montgomery County, Maryland, to Austin, Texas, from New York to San Francisco, there are plenty of case studies warning us against the left's agenda.
Pray for Persecuted Church
Sunday, Christians around the world came together in spirit for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This annual event is observed every year on the first Sunday of November. The sad reality is that nearly 250 million Christians around the world face high levels of persecution simply for their faith.
As you know, President Trump appointed me to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission monitors religious persecution against any group anywhere in the world. But let me be clear: The evidence is overwhelming that no group suffers more persecution that Christians.
From China to Nigeria, Syria to North Korea, Christians suffer unbelievable pain and penalties. All too often it is ignored by international organizations and the news media.
The Pew Research Center reports that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the entire world. According to Open Doors just in the past year alone:
More than 4,300 Christians were killed for their faith.
More than 1,800 churches were attacked.
More 3,100 Christians were imprisoned for following Jesus.
As men and women of faith, we are not powerless. Please pray that God would comfort those who are suffering. Pray that Christians facing persecution would remain strong in their faith. Pray that their witness would inspire others.
If your church did not recognize the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, please urge your pastor to address this urgent issue from the pulpit soon, and to mark it on the calendar for next year.


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YOKNEAM ILIT, Israel and MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ReWalk Robotics Ltd. ( RWLK) ("ReWalk" or the "Company") today announced the pricing of a public offering of 5,600,000 units at a price to the public of $1.25 per unit, for gross proceeds of $7.0 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other estimated offering expenses payable by ReWalk. Each unit contains one ordinary share (or ordinary share equivalent) and one common warrant to purchase one ordinary share. The ordinary shares (or ordinary share equivalents) and common warrants included in the units can only be purchased together in this offering, but will be issued separately and will be immediately separable upon issuance. The offering is expected to close on or about February 10, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.
H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.
Each common warrant has an exercise price of $1.25 per share, is exercisable immediately and will expire five years from the date of issuance.
ReWalk intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for (i) sales, marketing and reimbursement expenses related to market development activities of the ReStore™ device and broadening third-party payor coverage for the ReWalk Personal device, (ii) research and development costs related to developing the Company's lightweight exo-suit technology for various lower limb disabilities, including stroke and other indications affecting the ability to walk as well as continued development of its spinal cord injury device, and (iii) general corporate purposes.
The offering is being made under an effective registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-235932) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and declared effective on February 5, 2020. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. The final terms of the offering will be disclosed in a final prospectus to be filed with the SEC and made available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus, when available, may also be obtained from H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (646) 975-6996 or by email at [email protected].
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities discussed in this press release in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offer, if at all, will be made only by means of the preliminary and final prospectus forming a part of the effective registration statement.
- Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with RWLK. Click here to check it out.
- RWLK 30-Year Financial Data
- The intrinsic value of RWLK
- Peter Lynch Chart of RWLK
About ReWalk Robotics Ltd.
ReWalk Robotics Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets wearable robotic exoskeletons for individuals with lower limb disabilities as a result of spinal cord injury or stroke. ReWalk's mission is to fundamentally change the quality of life for individuals with lower limb disability through the creation and development of market leading robotic technologies. Founded in 2001, ReWalk has headquarters in the U.S., Israel and Germany. For more information on the ReWalk systems, please visit www.rewalk.com.
ReWalk® is a registered trademark of ReWalk Robotics Ltd. in Israel and the United States.
ReStore® is a registered trademark of ReWalk Robotics Ltd. in Europe.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may include those relating to the public offering of ReWalk's units, including as to the consummation of the offering described above, the expected proceeds from the offering, the intended use of proceeds and the timing of the closing of the offering and projections regarding ReWalk's future performance and other statements that are not statements of historical fact and, in some cases, may be identified by words like "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "future," "will," "should," "would," "seek" and similar terms or phrases. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's current expectations, which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of ReWalk's control. Important factors that could cause ReWalk's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others: market conditions and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering; ReWalk's management's conclusion, and its independent registered public accounting firm's statement in its opinion relating to its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, that there is a substantial doubt as to the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; ReWalk's ability to have sufficient funds to meet certain future capital requirements, which could impair the Company's efforts to develop and commercialize existing and new products; ReWalk's ability to maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market and the risk that its ordinary shares will be delisted if it cannot do so; ReWalk's ability to establish a pathway to commercialize its products in China; ReWalk's ability to maintain and grow its reputation and the market acceptance of its products; ReWalk's ability to achieve reimbursement from third-party payors for its products; ReWalk's limited operating history and its ability to leverage its sales, marketing and training infrastructure; ReWalk's expectations as to its clinical research program and clinical results; ReWalk's expectations regarding future growth, including its ability to increase sales in its existing geographic markets and expand to new markets; ReWalk's ability to obtain certain components of its products from third-party suppliers and its continued access to its product manufacturers; ReWalk's ability to repay its secured indebtedness; ReWalk's ability to improve its products and develop new products; the outcome of ongoing shareholder class action litigation relating to its initial public offering; ReWalk's compliance with medical device reporting regulations to report adverse events involving the Company's products, which could result in voluntary corrective actions or enforcement actions such as mandatory recalls, and the potential impact of such adverse events on ReWalk's ability to market and sell its products; ReWalk's ability to gain and maintain regulatory approvals; ReWalk's expectations as to the results of, and the Food and Drug Administration's potential regulatory developments with respect to its mandatory 522 postmarket surveillance study; ReWalk's ability to maintain adequate protection of its intellectual property and to avoid violation of the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of a cybersecurity attack or breach of the Company's IT systems significantly disrupting its business operations; the impact of substantial sales of the Company's shares by certain shareholders on the market price of the Company's ordinary shares; ReWalk's ability to use effectively the proceeds of its offerings of securities; the risk of substantial dilution resulting from the periodic issuances of ReWalk's ordinary shares; the impact of the market price of the Company's ordinary shares on the determination of whether it is a passive foreign investment company; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in ReWalk's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-235932) filed with the SEC and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause ReWalk's actual results to differ from the statements contained herein may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for ReWalk to predict all of them. Except as required by law, ReWalk undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor Contact:
Ori Gon
Chief Financial Officer
ReWalk Robotics Ltd.
E: [email protected]


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Terms & Conditions for advertising on TOAD – The Online Activity Directory
www.outdooractivities.co.uk and subdomains of it ('the Website', 'the Service') are operated by Adventures Online Ltd ('the publisher' 'we', 'ourselves' or 'us'). We are registered in England under company number 10516574.
The following Terms of Business (these terms) will apply to the acceptance of agreements between us and you; the individuals, companies and/or organisations using the website and services for commercial reasons, as a purchaser of listings, advertising and/or sponsorship and for any reservations/bookings made through the TOAD website, currently listed as www.outdooractivities.co.uk.
Submitting any information to the website, having an account and receiving enquiries, or submitting a reply or quote signifies acceptance of these Terms.
In this agreement, 'Customer' or 'enquirer' means the person(s) using this website, viewing, enquiring about, or using the goods and services provided by you or on your behalf.
'Information' or 'content' refers to data used for profiles, listings, newsletters, guides, blogs, advertising, shop, sponsorship and/or any other information provided by you to us.
'Supplier', 'advertiser', 'princial' or 'you' refers to the person who places the advertisements and accepts the terms of this agreement.
The 'website' refers to www.outdooractivities.co.uk.
Your Agreement With Us
The aim of our service is to facilitate bookings and payments from customers on your behalf.
Should a booking be taken, the customer enters into a booking contract with, you, the supplier named on their booking confirmation emails, and is subject to your terms and conditions. It is your responsibility to ensure your terms and conditions meet all relevant local, national and international regulations and standards for the sale of travel.
To the extent permissible by law, Adventures Online Ltd assumes no responsibility for information published on this site and disclaims all liability in respect of such information.
Suppliers agree that it is their responsibility to submit and update information and check that all information is accurate, up to date, and complete.
We do not sell or resell any of the goods or services displayed, we feel that you can best ensure the goods or services are able to meet the requirements of the customer.
You confirm you will accept bookings for your products and services at the price you most recently submitted to the site by any means. It is illegal to provide false or misleading pricing information.
You agree to reply to all direct enquiries and booking requests within 24 hours, wherever possible. This includes declining
This includes declining enquiries if you cannot accommodate the customer.
Principal warranties
The supplier warrants that:
- In relation to the advertisement, the supplier contracts with www.outdooractivities.co.uk as the supplier notwithstanding that the supplier may be acting either directly or indirectly as an advertising agent or media buyer.
- Has the right to publish all of the contents of the advertising. Information and images supplied will not breach any contract or infringe any copyright, trademark, or any other personal or proprietary right or any person.
- Each advertisement complies with the requirements of all relevant legislation in the United Kingdom. The supplier accepts responsibility for notifying the website of any restrictions that should be placed on the display of information
- All copy supplied must be legal, decent, honest and truthful and complies with the British Code of Advertising Practice and all other relevant codes under the general supervision of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in respect of electronic and online advertising and all other relevant industry codes of practice.
Limitations of our service & Indemnity
Any dealings between a customer and any supplier are solely between the customer and the relevant member, and are done so at their own risk.
Adventures Online Ltd is not liable for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a result of any actual or alleged libelous statements, infringements of intellectual property or privacy rights, or product liability, whether resulting from negligence or otherwise.
Adventures Online Ltd does not warrant that the information published on the site is accurate or free from error and accepts no liability for the behaviour of any persons who have used or made an enquiry through the site.
As far as is permissible by law, we accept no liability for any loss however caused through omission from the website, typographical errors or late publication or failure from any cause, whether error, technical, late publication or failure to display listings, advertising and/or sponsorship.
Our liability for any loss or damage whether caused by negligence or otherwise will be limited to the cost of any listings, advertising and/or sponsorship and we will not be liable for any consequential loss, damage or loss of profit by the advertiser.
The supplier agrees promptly and fully to indemnify and keep indemnified the website and hold us harmless against any and all expenses, damages, liability, claims and losses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) incurred by www.outdooractivities.co.uk in connection with any claims actual or threatened, of any kind (including without limitation, any claims of trademark or copyright infringement, libel, defamation, breach of statutory or regulatory duty, false or misleading practises) arising from an advertisement and/or any material to which users can link through an advertisement. The supplier warrants that it has sufficient funds and insurance to satisfy the indemnity given by it in this clause.
You agree to indemnify us against all losses, damages, claims or expenses (including legal costs), which we may reasonably incur, on account of any claim by a third party arising directly or indirectly from the information provided by you for listings, advertising and/or sponsorship, or from the activities, malpractice or negligence of you, the supplier.
This may include but is not limited to, claims that any information provided by you, the supplier, is in any way misleading, inaccurate, libelous and/or offensive, and any action for breach of contract, and/or any tortious action.
The supplier acknowledges that the website has not made any guarantees with respect to usage statistics.
Your Information
As part of our service, we will take the information provided by you and create 'listings' or 'adverts' for the trip. This will involve making editorial changes to ensure it is presented to the best of our ability.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the information on display is accurate and complete.
We reserve the right to approve, amend or decline the copy supplied at our sole discretion. We also reserve the right to change the layout of supplier pages, the information that is displayed, and the look and feel of the site as we deem appropriate and without notice.
Information is accepted on the understanding that any descriptions of goods, services, stock etc. are accurate and comply with English law and the Trade Description Act 1968. You warrant that you own or control all rights or have obtained copyright, moral rights and similar permissions, consents, waivers as are required for the display of logos and trademarks in the copy provided to us.
Advertisements must comply with the legal
All recommendations on www.outdooractivities.co.uk regarding properties and/or destinations are intended for the purpose of information and guidance only.
Direct Bookings
The customer may choose to share private contact information with you in order to proceed with a booking, either through www.outdooractivities.co.uk, through your website or by email.
You may use this information to communicate with the customer. In doing so, your account will not contain any further record of this communication. You are still subject to the terms of this agreement and agree to provide complete copies of your record of communication with a customer if required.
Best Price Guarantee
We have a 'Best Direct Price Guarantee' with customers.
All prices and offers listed on www.outdooractivities.co.uk must be the same price or less than the price available to the customer from any alternative source, including but not limited to, direct contact with you, through your website, or through your other advertising or sales partners ('other source') for the exactly equivalent product or service.
If we can provide evidence that the same product is available to the customer at a lower price through any other source ('cheaper quote'), upon our request you agree to make this cheaper quote available for the customer to book through the site. If the customer has already booked and paid at a higher price, upon our request you agree to refund the difference to the customer within 14 days, such that the total price they have paid you will be the same as the cheaper quote.
Disclosure to Third Parties
Adventures Online Ltd will only use information that it collects about you in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will only send you information that you have agreed to receive, and each time we do so we will offer you the opportunity to amend your details or decline to receive further information if you so wish.
We do not sell or disclose your personal information to any third party without your prior consent except in the unlikely event that we sell our business then to the purchaser of that business. We do not sell mailing lists to third parties.
Bookings and Commissions due
If a customer books with you at any time after you submit a reply to an enquiry, or receive a call from the customer, you agree to pay a commission on the total value of their booking.
Commission is based on the total value of the booking (including extras).
You agree to declare honestly and promptly every time you receive a new booking from a customer you received contact from through the TOAD website.
As a result of the enquiry, the customer may book direct through your website, email or phone line.
Upon receipt of an email from us stating we have recorded that a customer has booked with you, you must notify us within 14 days if you feel this is incorrect, or if you wish to dispute that a commission is due on this booking.
Commission is due on any booking made by the customer with you, at any time after the enquiry has been submitted to you through this website.
This includes;
- a) cases where the enquirer subsequently contacts you direct. This will happen as we may provide your company name, phone number and website link;
- b) when that person is already on your database or has booked with you before, if that person makes a new enquiry through the site,
- c) the customer contacts you through any other source, including a travel agent, at any time after the enquiry was made to you through this website;
- d) the booking is made by another person travelling in the same group as the customer who made the original enquiry.
After paying commission on the first booking, should the customer contact you direct without going through this website, there will be no commission due on these subsequent bookings.
We will send you an invoice as required, specifying the fees and/or commission due. You agree to pay all invoices by the date specified on the invoice.
The invoice will provide details of how to pay. You may pay by direct bank transfer to our nominated bank account, or Pay Pal transfer.
Refunds for booking cancellations and changes
In the event of a booking cancellation by the customer after you have paid us commission on the total booking value, we will refund excess commission paid.
We will calculate the total refund due to you as: the total commission paid to us, minus i) the portion of that payment which was itemised as VAT, and ii) the commissionable percentage on any payments you have received from the customer that will not be refunded to them, in accordance to the terms and conditions agreed between you and the customer at the time of booking.
We will not make any refund if the cancellation was initiated by you, and not the customer, for any reason.
The refund is made by allocating credit to your account. This credit will be allocated as payment towards your future invoices, until the full amount of credit has been used. Credit will be applied to your account as soon as possible.
You understand and accept that failure to comply with these terms will lead to your reduced exposure on the site. Ultimately this will lead to the termination of this agreement and the suspension of our service to you.
If adherence to the requirements set out in these Terms is not maintained then we reserve the right to terminate this agreement, close your account and remove your pages or content from the site and in this event no refund will be payable.
Our Website may employ the use of 'Cookies'. These are small pieces of information that are stored by your browser on your computer's hard drive and which track and report back information about you to us. Most browsers automatically accept Cookies, but you can usually change your browser to prevent that if you wish.


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Role of Deaconess
Teacher: Pamela Smith
This step-by-step workshop teaching series gives you the history of deaconesses, your role as a deaconess and so much more.
It will help to challenge you to more adequately fulfill the vital role you have been called and appointed to serve.
It is not "preaching" but a classroom setting teaching.
Topics covered: The History of Deaconesses, Understanding the Call and Purpose; The Characteristics / Roles of Deaconesses, Meeting the Needs of the People, Serving the Pastor More Effectively, Flowing Effectively With Fellow Deacons and Ministerial Staff.
Watch for our soon to be released book on the role of deaconesses.


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Your brakes are in important part of your car. They ensure that your car stops. There's nothing more nerve racking than the brake light coming on while you're driving in Coralville Iowa. That's a totally understandable reaction, because the last thing you want is a problem with your brakes. Here are the steps to take… Read more »
Posts Tagged: car maintenance
Tips For Checking Tire Pressure
Got a flat? Checking the pressure on your tires—and getting them filled—are one of the simplest fixes that can be done. Indeed, doing both is one of the first things you learn about a vehicle and with the widespread availability of tire pressure gauges attached to the pump, you should be able to do this… Read more »


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Most things go through upheaval in spring, especially so in Japan.
For one thing, people don't get as much sleep. First, there are the nendomatsu (year's end) obligations in March that triple the normal workload, especially for bureaucrats scrambling to meet the deadline for the section's budget or closing and renewing projects with clients.
Then there's the sobetsukai (farewell parties), thrown for those leaving their current posts and moving on to others; there's also ohanami (cherry-blossom viewing or, to put it bluntly, sitting under cherry trees on blue tarpaulin sheets and drinking oneself into oblivion); and finally the various kansogeikai (welcoming new employees and respectfully ushering out retirees and/or those leaving the workplace) that fill up the social calendar well into the second week of April.
It's no coincidence that during this time, commercials on television and billboards endorse ichoyaku (stomach pills) in a big way. The trick, it seems, is to swallow the medication before all the cholesterol and alcohol does the old one-two damage to the fragile Japanese intestinal systems.
Not that this so-called fragility has ever kept people from swilling their beer by the pitcher. Talk about upheaval (read: regurgitation).
Interestingly, many Japanese profess to have a secret dislike of spring. And why not? The season is unreliable in terms of weather, what with its days of wind, rain and even sleet.
The pile-up of nendomatsu activities and social obligations often leaves nerves in tatters and bodies drained of energy. Those unfortunate enough to be struck by kafunsho (hay fever) have that additional irritation to worry about, not to mention the mental stress over jinjiido (literally, personnel movement, or in-house transfers).
The business of ido holds more sway over lives than destiny itself, for it determines whether a person will get the ax (the euphemistic phrase for it is risutora, a Japanese abbreviation of restructuring); leave his family for tanshinfunin (going off solo to fill a slot in one of the company's branch locations); become a madogiwazoku (filling a seat next to the window, i.e., getting moved to a boring nonjob with nothing to do) or other dire possibilities.
Of course, there's always the opposite scenario: eiten (promotion) to some glamorous post, preferably overseas to the United States or Europe. But the intricacies of jinji (personnel matters) are such that what first began as an eiten turns out to be a sasen (literally, a left turning, or demotion) in disguise.
No wonder we need those stomach pills.
As for sakura (cherry blossoms), historically the flower has always held connotations of suicide and death, reminding us of the brevity of youth, the inherent unreliability of virtue and the soon-to-be downtrodden blossom petals scattered on cold, hard ground. Though this may be hard to believe (and grossly unpatriotic), some Japanese will admit to hating these flowers altogether.
Among them is novelist Mari Mori (1903-87), daughter of the celebrated Meiji Period intellectual Mori Ogai. In one of her essays published postwar, Mari wrote that sakura had an unbearable tackiness about them, stirring up too much sentiment and adding unnecessary clamor and chaos to an already busy season.
"The only correct way to view sakura," she wrote, "is to stay at home and cook something nice and think fondly but disdainfully of all the mess people are making under the trees. There's really no need to go out and actually look at those cheap blossoms."
Late 10th century female poet Sei Shonagon, the culture and fashion commentator of her time whose words and values endure to this day, wrote of how dawn was the best time of a spring day ("haru wa akebono"), and how one should rise early to observe the sun gradually lighting up the mountain contours. Tellingly, she makes very little allusion to cherry blossoms.
Perhaps she too was a member of the anti-sakura clique, which, if it is true, would be a great morale booster to those of us who would rather stay at home and sleep away the spring blues — if we could get time off work, that is. "Shunmin akatsuki o oboezu (spring sleep knows no morning)" goes an old and familiar phrase and the prospect is often much too seductive to resist.
At least we have the comfort of looking forward to Golden Week (this year April 29-May 5). This recovery period from those concentrated weeks of haru no gekido, or spring upheaval, cannot come soon enough after the melodramatic and chaotic months of March and April.


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loosing your hiding "Place" for your STASH! Just venting!
Well I have over 300 dresses and other goodies in a cellar of an apartment house we own now the wife wants to sell it. ARRRRRRRRRR
I guess its time to PURGE, I went through one box today and found it quite hard to get rid of most of my STUFF!
I feel I need to get rid of 200 dresses but I'm finding it quite difficult.
How can I do this? Not happy!


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|Frequently Asked Questions
Does the NLA compose or enforce laws or regulations?
The National Limousine Association is responsible for and dedicated to representing and furthering the worldwide, national, state, and local interests of the luxury chauffeured ground transportation industry. It does not formulate, compose nor ensure compliance with regulations.
What are the benefits of NLA Membership?
The NLA offers a wide variety of benefits to help NLA members grow their businesses. From networking opportunities to educational webinars to discount programs, the NLA is constantly looking for new ways to add to member benefits. To learn more about the NLA member benefits, click here.
What are the types and qualifications for membership?
Operator Member: Engaged in the chauffeured transportation business and has control of one or more motor vehicles, meets all applicable licensing and regulatory requirements with respect to the use of its driver(s) and such motor vehicle(s), and offers such driver(s) and motor vehicle(s) on a prearranged basis to the public for hire and travel over irregular routes.
Association Member: The designation "Association Member" shall apply to a group of chauffeured transportation business owners and/or operators consisting of a minimum of five (5) owners and/or operators who have so organized their association on a non-profit basis.
Allied Trade Member: The designation "Allied Trade Member" shall be distinguished and identified as two (2) separate groups. Those two (2) groups shall be 1) Allied Vendors and Dealers and 2) Manufacturers, Coachbuilders and Livery Networks
How much does it cost to join the NLA?
Does the NLA offer installment payments for membership?
The NLA does offer installment payments for new memberships and renewals. Installment payments are available from October to March. For more information regarding installment payments, click here.
How do I join the NLA?
There are 4 ways to join NLA:
1. Online: click here. If you are a former member of the NLA wishing to rejoin the NLA, you can login with your username and password to renew your lapsed membership. If you need assistance logging in, contact the NLA at email@example.com.
Please note: Installment payments are only available for new memberships and renewals from October to March. If you join or renew, after March 1st, you will need to complete your dues payment in full.
If applicants apply online, their applications will be processed within 24 hours. If applicants apply by mail, fax and/or phone, applicants should allow 1-2 business days from receipt of application for processing. Once applications are received and processed with payment, applicant's company will be posted on Pending NLA Members page on limo.org. Applicants are accepted after 30 days of publication, provided there are no objections received in writing. Please note: applications will not be processed until the dues payment has been completed.
Annual dues are based on the calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Please Note: After July 1, the annual dues are halved (for operator members only) and expire December 31 (e.g., for 1-5 vehicles, the amount would be $225.00 or one-half of $450.00). All members that join after July 1 will not be included in that year's NLA Directory of Members.
Will I receive a new member kit?
Yes, membership kits are mailed after 30 day pending period has ended. Membership kits include the NLA Directory of Members, NLA pin, NLA decal sticker and more. Thank you to Buffalo Limousine for sponsoring the new member kits!
How can I receive the NLA Logo to place on my website and marketing materials?
New members can download the NLA Logo that's embedded in their "Welcome to the National Limousine Association" email that is sent at the end of their 30 day pending period. If you are an active member and would like to use the NLA logo, contact the NLA at firstname.lastname@example.com.
How do I renew my membership?
Where is my NLA Member Number?
You can find your NLA Member Number in your membership profile once you login to limo.org. Once you login, you will see it in your membership profile at the top under "Account Information"
Members can update their contact information online by logging in to their NLA membership profile on limo.org. Once you login, you can make edits and save changes to your membership profile. All changes will be immediately updated in the Online Member Directory and on NLARide.com by the following day. For login assistance, contact the NLA at firstname.lastname@example.com.
As an NLA member, where can I go to voice a concern, suggest a policy change, or a new program?
The best way will be to email the NLA office at firstname.lastname@example.com to have your questions, comments or concerns in writing. Once email is received an NLA staff member will contact you within 1-2 business days.
Are there any industry publications that I will be receiving with my membership?
NLA Directory of Members is designed to serve members as a ready reference and a marketing resource. Keep it close at hand, use it often and it will prove invaluable. The Directory lists all NLA members – operator, supplier/manufacturer and association – alphabetically by organization name. It also provides three "Operator by Service Location" lists – U.S., Canada and International. In addition, it includes contact information for the NLA Board of Directors and staff members, and the current NLA Bylaws. A copy of this annual publication is included with NLA membership.
NLA Voice is a quarterly e-book that's included as part of your NLA membership. NLA Voice links you to the limousine world, filled with short news bites and updates you on what's happening in the industry, what's new on the legislative front, what's abuzz in the association, and what's newsworthy with member companies. Past issues of NLA Voice are archived on limo.org and accessible for NLA members only.
NLA e-News is published on the first and third Tuesday of each month expressly for NLA members. In the same manner as NLA Voice, e-News provides members with current news and insights on the industry and in the association. It also provides updates and information on NLA events and programs.
NLA's Presidents Message is a weekly email message published every Friday by the President of the NLA which consists of what the NLA is currently doing on its members' behalf.
I already have the current NLA Directory of Members, how do I acquire another copy?
If members would like to receive another copy of the current NLA Directory of Members, the cost is $49.95 per Directory. The non-member price is $125.00 per Directory. Click here to place your order.
How can I submit an article or news release for one of NLA's publications?
Members can submit all company news releases and articles to firstname.lastname@example.com.
How can I obtain back issues of NLA's publications?
NLA Voice is the only NLA publication that has archived issues. To view back issues, members can log in to their NLA account on limo.org and find the NLA Voice Archives under the Resource Library in the Resources Tab on the main menu.
Does the NLA offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities?
To learn more about NLA's advertising opportunities, please click here. If you have questions, email email@example.com.
9/10/2020 » 10/14/2020
2021 Board of Directors Nominations Open


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An audience with a gorilla is truly unique experience and one which is sure to stay in your memories for years to come. Walk through the beautiful Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in search of gorillas foraging for food on the slopes of the mountains.
- 5 nights accommodation
- Meals as indicated
- Transfers in 4WD vehicle with an English speaking driver/ guide Services of a mountain guide and trackers
- Park fees and one gorilla tracking permit
- A once-in-a-lifetime encounter with one of the rarest animals on Earth – mountain gorillas.
- Entebbe, Uganda daily
|per person, twin share
|fr $8,465*
*Terms and Conditions
Prices are per person twin share based on low season travel. Blackout periods, Seasonal surcharges and supplements may apply. All prices are quoted in NZD per person, twin share, based on travel in low season. Prices exclude international airfares, tipping, items of a personal nature and visas if required. Offers are subject to availability and can change without notification due to fluctuations in charges and currency and are valid for sale until sold out. A deposit must be paid at time of booking and full payment must be received 60 days prior to departure unless specified. For full terms & conditions please ask your local helloworld store.
HLO Ref# 12101


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Do you like politics? If so, and you live in the United States, there is no end to the political cycle. Indeed, it seems as though the next campaign starts as soon as the current campaign has been won (or lost). If you are a student of public administration and politics, technology offers a number of exciting opportunities to keep up with the latest headlines and happenings.
Indeed, you do not even need to be involved in public policy decisions to keep up with politics. If you are concerned citizen, or an activist, it is possible to take the latest information with you wherever you go. Thanks to mobile devices like the iPad, you can access the latest political news from anywhere. Here are 20 iPad apps that any political junkie can appreciate: (more…)


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The prophet Zechariah was a partner of the prophet Haggai. Ezra 5:1-2 pictures the two standing shoulder to shoulder, encouraging the people to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and to rebuild their faith in the Lord. The pair of prophets served together, but the record of their prophecies (the books of the Bible that bear their name) are quite different. In fact, Zechariah stands out in the section of Scripture called the Minor Prophets as the most apocalyptic (dealing with end times, the Second Coming, etc.) and the most Messianic (prophesying about the first and second advents of the Messiah, Jesus Christ).
To Zechariah's original listeners, the Jews who were struggling to reestablish their spiritual and national identity, his message was motivational. The prophet encouraged them to rebuild God's house and to cleanse their own houses and their own lives from sin. The first eight chapters of the book focus God's promise to judge Judah's enemies and the holiness God required of Judah's citizens. The remainder of the book inspired hope for the future. Zechariah presented images of the Messiah who would come to save His people and set up His kingdom on earth, centered in the very city they were rebuilding: Jerusalem. Through the prophet, God was giving the recently-conquered Jews a far-reaching image of future glory. Zechariah predicted details about the Messiah that would not be fulfilled for 500 years. These prophetic details are confirmed in the four Gospels, including Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a colt (see 9:9, Matthew 21:1-11) and the fact that Jesus was "pierced", a reference to His crucifixion (see 12:10).
While Zechariah looked forward to the first advent of the Messiah, we look back on it. We can read the record of Scripture and know that Jesus came the first time as a suffering servant, a gentle shepherd, and the sacrifice for our sins. But we see the second advent of the Messiah (the Second Coming of Christ) from the same perspective as Zechariah — we look forward to that day. This book helps us to think through the implications of the imminent return of Christ and the hope we have as His church.
Here in chapter 14, Zechariah takes us to the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem, and to a future day when Jesus will return to that very place. It was on the Mount of Olives that Jesus had taught His disciples about the end times, and it was from that spot that Jesus ascended into heaven with a promise that He would someday descend there (see Acts 1:9-12). This chapter describes that return.
I am no expert on prophecy, but I have tried to search the Scriptures to understand a rough timeline of the events that comprise the Day of the Lord. As I understand it, Zechariah chapter 14 fits in at the very end of what Jesus called the "Great Tribulation" (see Matthew 24:21). Verses 2-3 seem to refer to the time when the Antichrist and his armies gather to attack Israel and the Battle of Armageddon ensues (see Revelation 16:16). Revelation chapter 19 predicts Jesus will return with the saints (that's you and me!) and easily win the battle.
Then Jesus will appear on the Mount of Olives, which will give an amazing geological welcome to its Creator, splitting in half to simultaneously create a new valley, a new port, and a new climate for Jerusalem (v.4, 8). Jesus will enter Jerusalem and set up His Kingdom on earth, concluding the Day of the Lord and ushering in the Millennial Reign of Christ (v.9). Zechariah indicates that Jerusalem will be a center for worship for all God's people, a place of utter holiness in the presence of our conquering King (v.16-21). I plan to be there! How about you?


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What We're Reading: Honoring Elaine Wynn
Board Chair, Elaine Wynn, was honored at a gala in New York City this past Wednesday for her inexhaustible dedication to Communities In Schools.
Look to the Communities In Schools blog for our latest news, industry research and insights, and updates on the success of our graduates and communities.
Board Chair, Elaine Wynn, was honored at a gala in New York City this past Wednesday for her inexhaustible dedication to Communities In Schools.
On Friday, June 20, several young male participants of the Communities In Schools of Central Texas XY Zone program had the opportunity to share their voice and their wisdom with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
In April 2014, the Service To Mankind Crew from Boston from was presented with an award for Outstanding Service to the Community by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).
Kicking off Book by Book, a partnership between Communities In Schools, First Book and Capital One Bank that will bring 50,000 books to elementary school students.
We've gained a seat at the education policy table, and that will make a major difference in three important areas.
The release of a major new study from Child Trends is one of those rare occasions when the word "seminal" would seem to be completely appropriate.
In February, President Obama announced a new initiative, "My Brother's Keeper," that will bring foundations and companies together to test a range of strategies to support young men of color by keeping them in school and out of the criminal justice system.
Ellen London,is the executive director of Communities In Schools of the Nation's Capital.
What do you think about IQ? Dan Cardinali comments on author Paul Tough's recent keynote address at Communities In Schools' 2014 Leadership Town Hall.
Meet Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo Site Coordinator, Gulnar Husain.


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Location: North London
In this workshop we discuss the theories and physiology behind postural deterioration. From this understanding we can relate the changes in movement purity to the muscle chains that provide stability whilst producing force. This day lays the foundation for understanding static posture outcomes using both conventional and hands on skills to gain a picture of your clients behaviour, it is about making sense of what you see and feel. We use a variety of assessment tools to help you visual and feel imbalances, but most importantly bringing your findings into your treatment, starting you thinking about how to approach your rehabilitation plan.
Taking it a 'step' further in the development of your advanced assessment skills please join us on our Biomechanics and Biotensegrity day. Using our key movement pattern assessments we can identify and understand how the body compensates for the weakness that inevitably leads to dysfunction and postural changes. These key assessments can then form the foundation of a corrective strategy and effective soft tissue rehabilitation.
Please note that you will be joining an existing diploma course for this workshop.
These workshops are a must for all industry professionals that are interested in treating postural deterioration.
This is a dynamic class that is taught by either Chris Newton or Susan Findlay. For further information about each of these teachers, please visit our team page
Everyone at NLSSM is trained to level 5 BTEC and, with successful careers in sport and remedial massage, our teachers are highly skilled and qualified in all of the associated soft tissue techniques.
We are also trained in the art of teaching and bring to class our different experiences from a variety of supporting skills in osteopathy, physiotherapy, sports therapy, nutrition, and as personal trainers. Our teachers are an important part of a support system that offers ongoing mentoring to both our students and graduates.
We take part in regular in-house teacher training days to make sure that we're always delivering the highest level of tuition that's tailored if necessary and relevant to the needs of each class. Passionate about what we do, we keep up with current research and skill sets and use a mixture of teaching methods, from old hands-on skills to the very latest technology.
Join us on our Biomechanics and Biotensegrity workshop as well as the Re-education Methods - Stretching and Corrective Exercises, these will advance your assessment and rehabilitation skills as a soft tissue therapist to provide a more effective holistic rehabilitation program.
For details of our North London and Central London, please check our Contact Us page for further information.
(i) All bookings must be submitted on an official Enrolment/Booking Application Form.
(ii) The deposit of £60 non-refundable and non-transferable.
(iii) Discounts are only valid in accordance with instructions in the prospectus or specific campaigns.
(iv) If an organisation is willing to pay a student's fees it must be made in full and accompanied by the application form at least two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Bookings cannot be guaranteed until payment has been received from the organization.
(v) Please note we do not make provisional bookings. In order to secure your booking, payment must be received by the office before your application will be processed. Bookings are processed on a first come first serve basis.
(i) At the time of enrolment, to your knowledge, you should have no health condition that could be affected or worsened by the requirements of the course for which you are applying, nor should you be awaiting hospital admission or taking medication that could be contraindicated. If in doubt in any aspect please check with your GP. The School cannot refund fees should you have to terminate the course due to a known health condition becoming worse or a hospital place becoming available.
(i) If you have to cancel or terminate due to bereavement of a close family member, or serious ill-health (unknown at the commencement of the course), a doctor's certificate of inability to continue will be required. Sometimes, under exceptional circumstances it is possible to transfer to the next course subject to an additional administration cost of £25 and terms of agreement & conditions.
(ii) Full payment must be made if cancellation is made within two weeks of the commencement date. If a cancellation is made two weeks prior to the course commencement date all monies will be refunded minus the deposit. All CPD courses carry a £60.00 deposit fee.
(iii) In the event of the School cancelling a course, all monies paid (including the deposit) will be repaid in full.
Introduction to Neuromuscular Techniques
Muscle Energy Techniques - Post Isometric Relaxation
Muscle Energy Techniques - Reciprocal Inhibition
Biomechanics and Biotensegrity
Postural Assessment
Re-Education Methods in Stretching & Corrective Exercises
3-Day CPD Course
Day 1 -
Postural Assessment
Day 2 -
Biomechanics and Biotensegrity
Day 3 -
Re-Education Methods in Stretching & Corrective Exercises


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Clean CSS code
by Nathan Petralia
Tags CSS, Web Design
I often browse the web looking for new goodies and tools to make my life as a designer / programmer easier and more productive.
Yesterday I was looking for a program to clean, style and compress CSS code because it happens more as one person works on one CSS sheet. Also compressing bigger CSS files are a good thing as it speeds up loading the website.
I found CSStidy, a small online smart php written program that takes your CSS code and does exacly what needs to be done with it. CSStidy has several useful options on it like regrouping selectors or sorting attributes and properties but I would advice you to keep a backup of the old CSS file before blindly using it and overwriting the old file. I liked it so much I decided to host it here on the Petralian server.
For the original project please go here: http://csstidy.sourceforge.net/index.php.


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Bored college students Candy, Brit and Cotty (Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine) decide to travel to Florida for some traditional U.S. spring break debauchery and mayhem, and convince their much straighter Christian friend Faith (Selena Gomez), to accompany them. When they realise that they don't have enough money for the trip, they rob a local restaurant, and with their coffers filled, hop on a bus and head to St Petersburg. Their non-stop partying comes to an end when they're arrested at a drug fuelled, out of control bash in a motel room, and they face a couple of days in lock up until they're rescued by dope dealing white rapper Alien (James Franco), who pays their bail and takes them under his wing. Faith is soon terrified of the gangsta company Alien keeps and begs her friends to go home with her, as she's certain something bad is inevitable if they don't get away from him.
As an exercise in breaking away from clean-cut child stardom, Hudgens and Gomez (and to a lesser extent Benson) picked an appropriate vehicle, filled as it is with violence, profanity, nudity, relatively explicit sex, drugs and an ocean of alcohol. Hudgens' and Benson's Candy and Brit are VERY bad girls, and shy away from almost nothing in their desire to be as unhinged as possible. Gomez hedges her bets somewhat here, as it is never in any doubt that Faith is the good girl led astray by ringleaders Candy and Brit; she doesn't participate in the robbery that sets the whole trip in motion, and is never shown acting promiscuously or taking drugs (we are introduced to Faith at a Christian teens meeting at her church).
Franco's very black white dude Alien is yet another of his expectation defying role choices, and although Alien verges on caricature, Franco invests him with enough tenderness and goofy charm that we can't help but like him, despite the fact that he is clearly dangerous and more than a bit deranged.
The first ten or so minutes of the film is a montage of drunken buffoonery and topless nymphettes on Florida beaches, and as Korine is nearly 40 years old, one wonders at first whether he's leering or satirising the infamous 'Girls Gone Wild' series of videos which were popular for a time in the U.S.(his younger wife is one of the leads). As the film progresses however, with our heroines carrying out a violently nasty robbery to fund their vacation, it becomes clear that his intentions can't be anything but satiric, as at first the hedonism, and then the violence, escalate to absurd levels, removing the action from the realm of reality.
Does Spring Breakers represent a concerted move by Korine towards more commercial film-making, with its linear plot and recognisable genres in play? One thing is for certain, and that is that this meeting in the middle between young stars eager to gain edgy credibility and an ageing enfant terrible working with young stars with substantial followings almost guarantees Korine the biggest audience of his career to date.