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Music Producer Kelvin Avon: 'Yes, I'm A Very Stubborn Guy' Part 2
Entrepreneur Kelvin Avon a.k.a. Afreex is a platinum record selling music producer, songwriter and mix engineer. He divides his time between London and Hong Kong. Originally from Zambia, he made name working with artists such as P. Diddy and Erykah Badu. Kelvin's production company Chewatribe put together the UK's biggest collaboration album Union Black which won an Urban Music Award for Best Compilation. Currently he's very busy running his company MoFo Music.
This is part two of a three part interview with Kelvin. At the end of part one Kelvin told us that after initially bumping his head as an entrepreneur a couple of times (no plan, no money, no idea), he got his act together. He decided what he was going to do and how he could make money with his companies Chewatribe and MoFo Music. Together with his dad he made the choice it had to be a music production and artist development concept. The plan was to sign acts, develop them and license them onto record labels. Kelvin was going to be a producer for hire. The idea and the business grew very quickly. They started working with a lot of artists. And very soon Kelvin got almost too much work to handle.
Own It
"'I never see you. I don't know who you are. You're never around', my girlfriend -now wife- used to say. And it was true. I was working ridiculous hours. If I'd work less than fifteen hours, it was a good day. I was getting so little sleep that it started to affect my health. I really had some problems. And that woke me up. I realized that I had to be more focused on maximizing my time efficiency, because this couldn't go on like this any longer. And it didn't. I turned things around and actually made working efficiently into one of my strengths. I can now maximize output in a minimum of time."
How do you do that?
"It's a mixture. I learned how to delegate. I used to do everything myself, but now I find people to do it for me. Very talented people who are much better than I am at what I consider my weaknesses. I get them to do it. That's pretty much how my business partner and I work as well. His strengths are my weaknesses and vice-versa. As a result we make a very strong, cohesive unit and that's what has helped us to move forward quickly here in Asia. We're a very strong team. Together we have everything pretty much covered."
"In our company we also delegate. There's only five of us here because we don't really need a huge staff. We hire a girl who does all our PR and press. She's amazing at that. I contract all my legal stuff out to a lawyer. I contract my financial stuff out to an accountant. At the moment we're partnering with Billboard in the US to help us with our press and promotion. Especially for a lot of our artists across the West and in Asia. And we're partnering up with a company over here called VS Media who are huge. They represent some of the biggest online talents. They'll be handling all the social media for our artists as well. So for a lot of that kind of stuff that we're not strong at, we find solid partners and contract it out. That way we can actually focus on what we think we're good at, which is getting an artist from zero... it's a horrible saying but 'zero to hero'. Getting an artist from someone who's not known to someone who's known."
How do you know if those external parties are trustworthy? Is it trial and error?
"Yes kind of. With partners we usually start on a trial basis where there's really not much for us to lose. We always try to put ourselves in a position of strength. And when I say strength, I mean - there's a well known saying – that 'content is king'. Personalize the content and only the content is in the position of power."
What exactly do you mean by that?
"We own the content. We own the artist. We own the music. So we position ourselves in terms of 'Look, we have what's going to make the money. Maybe you have the way to make the money or to monetize what we have. But we actually have it. We own it. So why don't you show us what you can do and then we'll decide if we want to go on with it.' That's our mentality really. In the five years we've had MoFo Music we've had a lot of success in this region. I think we're quite well-known here as a very creative company. They know that we do stuff different and that we're quite forward and progressive. A lot of fairly big companies are keen to work with us."
Listen to the whole interview with Kelvin here:
Let's take a little step back. When and why did you move to Hong Kong?
"That's a very simple one. My wife. We were in London together and she'd been away from her family for a long, long time. When she got pregnant with our first child Thalia, she turned around to me and said something I couldn't really argue with. 'Kelvin, your family is here. Your parents have already seven grandkids, our daughter will be my parents' first grandchild. I would really like them to be around their grandchildren as the kids grow up'. I just couldn't argue with that. As much as I wanted to stay in the UK."
Kelvin tells the switch was quite the struggle in the beginning. He fought the idea of moving to Hong Kong. Basically because he didn't want to. On top of that his management and producer in the UK didn't like the idea either. ,,They were like 'What are you doing? You're having great success here. You've just had some big albums released so why are you going?' I said, well, I have to choose my family. In the end of the day my wife's not happy and that's not OK.' But I did fight the idea. And the first year was actually very tough. I'll admit."
Despite his doubts, Kelvin had already been in Hong Kong. So he knew what he was coming into. But he also knew that he didn't know anything about the music scene over there. He describes his situation as being a little bit blind. He barely spoke the language. Just enough to basically order some food or get around town and ask directions. But it was a long way from holding a business meeting in proper Chinese. That changed when he met his future business partner Jun Kung in 2012.
"Many, many hours. And during that time, either you're working or you're bullshitting."
"We got in touch with each other here in Hong Kong. That was after my first year. Jun is an musician actually. He's a very well-respected, independent artist. We met and not long after we went to the studio where we played some music to each other. Immediately I was like wow, what he's doing is fantastic. This guy is a great artist, very talented. And he said 'Hey look, I'm doing my new album. Could you produce it for me? I don't have a huge budget but I love what you do.' I was quite desperate for some cool work at that time and I was impressed by what he did. So of course I was on board. I did it on a very small budget, we made the album and we started selling the songs. All of it just happened very organically. After about six months his album came out."
"It felt good and it was a success. So we were both like 'Maybe we should start a company.' I'll tell you, that's literally how it began. It was very organic. That's what I like about it. We got to know each other very well before we even came up with the idea of starting a company. We spent a lot of time together in the studio. Many, many hours. And during that time, either you're working or you're bullshitting. You always talk about your past, your family, your experiences. So we already had a very strong relationship before we started MoFo Music together. A strong friendship based on very similar experiences. Like being burned in the music business, we both had our moment. But especially based upon our mutual love for music. We felt like very kindred spirits.
With Taiwanese superstar Vanness Wu
Big Break
The beginning of MoFo Music went very organic, would you say it was your big break in Hong Kong? Yeah. And Jun played a very big role in that. He's always been a very respected artist and songwriter. And because of him certain doors in Hong Kong opened for me that otherwise would have stayed closed. I was known as the producer, but over here people were a bit reluctant to work with me because I didn't speak the language. They were like 'How can this guy produce for us when he can't even communicate with us?' It was an issue for them. But I never saw it as a problem though. I've worked with Spanish artists, with Swedish artists, German artists, Egyptian artists. I mean I've done loads and it has never been insuperable. But they seemed to find it a challenge and Jun opened that door for me. Once people decided to check us out and see how we worked they were like 'Oh, actually it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter he doesn't speak the language. He still knows what he's doing.'"
Can you always surpass language barriers with music?
"Yes, I think it's always possible to surpass whatever barrier with music. I think music actually is the language you're communicating in first. Whenever you're speaking to each other directly, a language is second. I think if someone can just tell me what the song is about and can explain the important parts of the song, I can work it out. If the artist is good and they can sing with emotion, you know you can work it out. That's the power of music. It's only hard when you deal with an artist that's not very talented, I will be honest. That's a problem."
"The fact that I was one of the first few Western producers who was actually in Hong Kong producing with local artists also opened doors for me. That, and my way of working. We do things differently. We always make sure the artist is present in the studio when we're writing the song for them. The artist has to come and sit with us because we've got to know the person. Otherwise it won't work. And that's something they weren't used to over here. They never did it that way before. Most of the time, they would just buy the song off a producer in the West and get a local guy to work it out. In that sense I think we've changed how things are done over here. And people enjoy it. I wouldn't say we were pioneers in that. We did it the same way back in the UK and in the US. But they didn't do it here. No one did it like we do over here."
In part three: Never ending itch & Chili Sauce Success
Check out part one of this interview here
Check out part three of this interview here
You can get to know Kelvin Avon and learn more about his upcoming projects by connecting with him on his RocketHub profile.
Director/Writer at MoFo Music Ltd.
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Suzie Levett Director & Owner Of Snug-a-licious: "I Wanted To Set Up Something Where I Could Wear Flip-flops To Work Everyday"
Jason Cohen, Executive Director Of CÉ LA VI: "I Am Trying To Create A Business That Can Be Managed From Anywhere"


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subset: commoncrawl


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"All descriptions," Brown writes, "of artwork, architecture, documents,and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."
OK, so what does all this cloak-and-dagger detail mean? Is the Christianchurch based on a lie? Does a secret society, once led by Leonardo da Vinci,protect the truth? Are tourists tramping all over it right now?
If these are among your questions, you've probably read the book, a realpage-turner about Harvard University "symbologist" Robert Langdon and hishair-raising encounter with the Holy Grail. It's hovered near the top of theNew York Times best-seller list for 15 weeks. Columbia Pictures has boughtthe movie rights, with the hope that some actor will do for symbology whatHarrison Ford did for archaeology.
But back to the question at hand. What does all this "accurate"description add up to? How much of "The Da Vinci Code" is true and how muchis a good story? And what difference does it make?
"It touches on enough strands of popular speculation and mythology thatreaders will think of it as more factual than it is," says Charles Lippy, ahistory of religion professor and an expert on popular culture who says heenjoyed the book but never forgot it was a novel. Other readers may be moregullible.
Combine that, Brown's authoritative tone and some readers' penchant forconspiracy theories, and it may be that "The Da Vinci Code" could use alittle cracking. Without giving too much away, here's a quick reader's guideto some key concepts.
Schombert decribes the number as a visual equivalent of music, a proportion that is pleasing to the eye. A painting, one of Leonardo's for example, painted along those lines may be divided into rectangles with the same proportions and each will be balanced.
Schombert sees the golden ratio as evidence that "the universe isproperly built," but he and some other scientists stop short of seeing it asa calling card of divinity, either masculine or feminine.
Joseph Manca, an art history professor at Rice University who teaches acourse on Leonardo and has written about him, hasn't run across the theoriesthat Brown's hero, Langdon, and his fictional colleague, Leigh Teabing, trotout in "The Da Vinci Code."
The "Mona Lisa" may be an encrypted ode to nature, Manca says, but thedescription of her as the epitome of androgyny isn't exactly the "insidejoke" Langdon describes.Manca also quibbles a bit with Langdon and Teabing's interpretations ofthe artist's "Last Supper." The "disembodied" hand that grasps a dagger isclearly St. Peter's, Manca says. The disciple holds the weapon to foreshadowhis attack on a Roman guard later that night. The redhead at the dinnertable is John the Beloved, Manca says. He was the youngest of Jesus'disciples and is usually depicted as cleanshaven, he said.
There is a Gospel according to Philip (with a passage like the one Brownquotes) among the books that didn't make it into the New Testament canon.But it's tough to blame that on Constantine, who didn't become a Christianuntil he was on his deathbed, Lippy says. The official collection, or canon,took years to develop, and to ascribe what made it and what didn't to anyone person is an oversimplification, he adds.
The legend that Mary Magdalene ended her life in France has been aroundat least since the Crusades, says Lippy, who last summer stood over whatsome believe are her bones, which lie in a small church in Vezelay.
And there was a Priory of Sion, with connections to the Knights Templar,but Grail experts are divided over whether the secret group persisted intothe current century and whether the documents that listed its grand mastersare real or a hoax.
"The Da Vinci Code" is fun to read, but its pages hold little "realevidence," Lippy says. "There is nothing that corroborates all this, otherthan almost a wish to have these things be so." It was just enough to sendLippy to the library, enough to make him wish he'd written the storyinstead. "There's a glimmer here, a glimmer there and then he adds the `MonaLisa,"' Lippy says. "Who is she smiling at? We readers just pounce on stufflike that."


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June 2012
A short stop in one of our all-time favourite destinations in all the world. Accommodation prices here are quite steep, so instead of living in this beautiful country we are merely visiting. Or more accurately we are holidaying in Sentosa.
Singapore is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johorto its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanised but almost half of the country is covered by greenery.
Sentosa is a popular island resort in Singapore, visited by some five million people a year. Attractions include a 2 km (1.2 mi) long sheltered beach, Fort Siloso, two golf courses, two five-star hotels, and the Resorts World Sentosa, featuring the theme park Universal Studios Singapore.
5 Things To Do With Kids In Singapore
There is so much to do in Singapore, it is hard to just pick 5 and maybe I will come back and add another 5 to make this a top 10, but for now enjoy our favourite attractions in Singapore.
Toddlers Love Port of Lost Wonder
When Daddy says you can go on a pirate ship, you can go on a pirate ship! A morning with 2 toddler's at the newest attraction on Sentosa, a giant water playland in the shape of a Pirate Ship.
An Evening at the Night Safari, Singapore
Did you know the last Tiger in Singapore was shot in 1930? This evening we took the kids to the Night Safari. Along the way we meet another travelling family - the Flashpackers!
Universal Studios, Singapore: Not Just For The Kids
"I want to go on that one." "Can I go on this one?" "I don't want to go home." Nope this is not my children at Universal Studios, this is me! Our third day in Singapore, after getting the free tickets from RWS Invites we headed to Universal Studios.
Singapore Arrival: Festive Hotel & Things To Do On Sentosa Island
Where do I start? We had 4 days in this glorious country and it was not enough, even though we have been twice before. I guess we should start at the very beginning, that's always a good place to start…. Leaving Bali, Arriving in Singapore, The Hotel, Sentosa Island & Reward Cards.
Snow in Singapore?
Cold blue fingers clutching at my clothes, tears dripping down his face my little son clutched me with a desperation. On the other hand warm gloved hands and loud giggles my daughter runs away for another ride on the toboggan slope. The two extreme reactions my kids had at Snow City, Singapore.


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One Sure Way to advance your career is to Increase your Visibility by Giving Presentations.
As an International Facilitator of Professional Presentations, I've had the opportunity to meet professionals who have a lot of confidence in presenting, and others who have the fear of public speaking.
Confidence alone doesn't produce effective presentations although it does help. Strategies and techniques are also important (this is a given); however, there is one more element that is, undoubtedly, the KEY to an outstanding presentation.
I say this, because I remember when I was overconfident but didn't know what I'm about to reveal.
There is a specific Mindset necessary to be able to create connection with an audience and deliver a message that brings audiences to ACTION. Ultimately, this is what an effective presenter does: "Delivers a message that inspires others to take ACTION".
What is this mindset I'm talking about? Here are the questions you need to answer:
What are my thoughts and feelings as a presenter?
What attitudes do I bring to the presentation?
How Am I feeling?
What do I know about the audience?
Am I clear about my needs?
Am I clear about their needs?
By the way, it is assumed you know the material you are delivering, and in fact, rehearsing the material 7 times is one of the recommendations I give to participants in our courses.
Back to the Mindset ... I remember a time I asked my participants to tell me one the reasons they liked presenting. One very confident young man was eager to share with the rest of the class: "I really like being up front and feeling like a Star", he said. I didn't comment at this point, however, when the time was appropriate, I mentioned that as presenters we are never "the Star" – the AUDIENCE is. This young man told me at the end of the course that he was very thankful for this new awareness and had a Paradigm shift (change of perspective) during the training.
Below are the top 10 presenter attitudes (mindset) that help us move from being the Star to making the Audience the Star.
- I'm not the most important part of the presentation, the AUDIENCE is.
- I'm not here to perform. I'm here to Connect, inform, enrich the audience experience (in that order).
- I know what the audience needs as well as what I need.
- I only talk about audience Needs and Benefits to them.
- PowerPoint (if I'm using) is not the presentation, the information I have is.
- The audience is welcome to ask me any questions. When I don't know the answer, with complete confidence, I respond: "I don't know" and will do my best to provide you an answer within a couple of days (if this is the case). I understand that it's human to not know everything.
- When I use audience members names, we connect.
- When I share a personal story I relate with my audience on a personal level.
- I don't just talk, I show through examples, anecdotes and personal experiences.
- I inspire my audience to TAKE ACTION – either to make a change, ask more questions, see things differently, contact me later, make a decision, etc. A presentation without an ACTION is ineffective. Audiences time is valuable and it needs to be considered as such.
In summary, as presenters, do we need to have confidence? Yes. Do we need to have strategy and technique? Yes. And most importantly, we need to have a specific Mindset so that our Audience becomes the Star of our presentation, and consequently, go out and take action based on the message we deliver. After all, this is what our objective must be.
Esperanza Montalvo


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My gulf correspondent has corrected my post:
It's The International Union for Muslim Scholars rather than the ECFR that I believe has moved from Dublin to Qatar.
The article below states the $6.5 Million was raised in the same charity event you mentioned, QR5mn by the way is about 1.1 Million Euros.
A charity dinner in Qatar has raised QR 24 million ($6,586,170) for the "Renaissance of a Nation" endowment project launched by the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS). The project aims to raise enough funds to help the union, headed by Doha-based scholar Yusuf Al Qaradawi, be financially self-sustained.
"Your generous donations and the funds raised by selling some rare items will help us build a tower and acquire buildings and shares for the endowments of the union," Shaikh Ali Mohieddeen Al Qardaghi, the union secretary general, said in his address.
The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR)
This organisation seems to have died a death and was not very active since its arrival in Ireland. By informant suggests the story above leads to the conclusion that their presence in Dublin might be coming to an end…..
Apparent attends charity dinner
HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday attended a charity dinner held at the Doha Sheraton Hotel by the International Union for Muslim Scholars (UIMS) to raise funds for an endowment (waqf) named Renaissance of the Nation. The ceremony was attended by a number of sheikhs, ministers, several ambassadors accredited to Qatar and businessmen. Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud, a UIMS board member, welcomed HH the Heir Apparent. HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has donated a plot of land for the Renaissance of the Nation waqf to construct a building. UIMS chairman Dr Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi praised HH the Emir's support to the waqf. He also lauded the "leading role" being played by Qatar in the service of Islam and Muslim issues as well as its role in supporting Arab issues. At the event, the "Person of the Year" award was given to HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, owner of Alfaisal Without Borders Charitable Foundation, who announced his donation of QR5mn for the Renaissance of the Nation waqf. HH the Heir Apparent witnessed the charity auction held on the occasion.
The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) is a Dublin-based private foundation, founded in London on 29–30 March 1997 on the initiative of the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe. The Council is a largely self-selected body, composed of Islamic clerics and scholars, presided over by Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
They did have a closed meeting with a live feed last June, but no sign of life this year.
Filed under: Conferences & Commentaries, Islamism | Tagged: islam, middle-east, politics, religion, yusuf al qaradawi |


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Sometimes, life pushes you in a certain direction, and if you just go with it and do your best, even when you feel like you could drown soon, it turns out great. Example: I was invited to speak at a conference recently for the Critical Access Hospitals Quarterly Meeting. I hadn't drawn a consensus on what to do it on, and when I realized it was on Oahu, I called to tell the guy that we didn't have the funds. His response was to buy me a plane ticket. I was committed, and I didn't have much time left. Somehow, it all came together, but I was burning the candle at both ends. The day of the presentation, I was supposed to catch the first flight out (6:09am). Well, I woke up at 5:50am. Boy, was I glad I had packed everything! Thanks to the corporate nature of the reservation, I was able to catch the next flight out. When I parked at the airport, there was a full rainbow in front of me, and I knew it was going to be a good day. I made it to the hotel on time, thanks to a new friend (let's call him M&M), and the presentation went well. In fact, I was offered a job at two places and asked to speak at a national conference next year. Wow! That gave me a real boost.
I met my new friend M&M for a bit afterward, then met with a friend of mine from Oahu later. He is a photographer and wanted to check out a new underwater casing for his camera, so he asked if I wanted to be his underwater model. I have been wanting to do that for some time, and how fun is that?! It was a blast, and a great way to end a very stressful few days. We watched the sunset from a peak afterward, then caught dinner and drinks. It was a one-day event, and a very long night. I crawled out of the bed the next morning, prepping for a day of meetings. My day again started with a large rainbow. The last meeting of the day was with a possible preceptor for the residency who works with the Department of Health. I think it's going to be an amazing experience, and I left very excited about the opportunities available to us.
Last night, I must have washed up to shore, because I slept a long 12 hours. I just didn't seem to want to get out of bed. The stage had been set for something very exciting. I am so glad I went through with the presentation, as uncomfortable as I was, and I am so glad I pushed the meeting the next day to happen. Sometimes, you just have to roll with it, and you don't realize the value until you are done being tossed around. You just have to trust in the process.


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Food Therapy in TCM, veterinary version
Food therapy is one of the five branches of TCM, like Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Qi-Cong and Tui – Na.
By selecting dietary ingredients based on their energetic abilities, daily food can be a major help in treating diseases and assure a better quality of life for our patients.
In this course we will discover that preparing the right food for your patients is an extra tool in both healing- and maintaining health, and we will learn in this course not only how to design balanced diets, but we will also learn how to choose the optimal ingredients for specific pathologies, diseases, imbalances, based on the specific characteristics of each ingredient.
You will be amazed how effective (especially in small animals) these tailor made diets can be in sometimes difficult to treat cases, involving skin problems, renal failure, liver disorders, joint problems, etc., etc..


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With its direct view of the Centraal Station & Amsterdam Loft, this 196 sqm space will create a memorable experience for the countless customers visiting your corporate event.
The first floor of this remarkable building is open for your customers to enjoy the view and be amazed by both your new pop-up event, as well as the city's marvelous architecture.
The walls and floor of this space create an edgy contrast that will make visitors want to enter your corporate event. It includes Internet, lighting and furniture.


text: What's better than an easy toddler activity that takes little ones outside?! I can't tell you how much I love being able to take activities into our backyard – like our pouring station or chalk paint. Outdoor activities are the best and this outside sticky wall was perfect for us. […] Outside Sticky Wall8 Sep, 2016 in Fall / Outdoors / Spring / Summer


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VILLA SANT'UBERTO Area Chianti
Send Request
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VILLA SANT'UBERTO Radda in Chianti - prov. SI
Villa SantUberto is located right in the middle of the Chianti Classico area, where the very well- known Gallo nero wine is produced.
|It is a few kilometres away from Castellina and from Radda in Chianti, on a splendid panoramic hill. The farm has been restructured respecting the typical Tuscan style and transformed into a Bed&Breakfast- Country Inn located in a 25 hectares large woodland, where quiet and nature dominate, and surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Villa SantUberto is a mixture between ancient and modern, old and new. In this way, the owners intend to maintain the natural, rural environment while, at the same time, guaranteeing all modern comforts. Villa SantUberto and its tree-lined paths, its large park and terraces, from which you can admire a unique panorama, and the wide variety of wild animals which live in the woods around it, is the ideal place for all those who love the Chianti area and nature and those who want to spend a relaxing and quiet staying. Moreover, Villa SantUberto is located in a geographically strategic position in the middle of Tuscany; the most important artistic and cultural places of the region are easily reachable, thus guaranteeing the possibility to plan numerous excursions in the most charming and characteristic places of Tuscany. Giovanni and his family will be very glad to welcome you in Villa SantUberto and grant you a pleasant staying in a comfortable atmosphere, so that the place may become your Chianti Home.
General Services
Room Services


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John Piper should need no introduction to most readers of this blog. Piper stands in a distinguished line of preachers who are passionate that we not only understand the Bible but also encounter and respond appropriately to God himself. These have included Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Charles Spurgeon, and Jonathan Edwards.
Piper's hunger for "the anointing" and for us to feel the full impact of the felt presence of the Holy Spirit is inspiring. Piper has a voice that is heard across a wide variety of church backgrounds. I was delighted to interview Piper, and video and transcripts are available. I also often blog about quotes from John Piper's writings, and we enjoyed having him at the 300 leaders conference.
There are large number of posts about John Piper on this blog. For more information about him see the Desiring God website.


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It's not just the weather that has been hot and stormy this week in the UK; thunderbolts and lightning have been flying about over the SEO is Dead article published on The Guardian website.
I had a chance to meet up with the author of the article, Tim Anderson, and over a cup of coffee had the chance to dig a bit deeper into his thinking and why he wrote the article.
Setting the Scene
If you haven't seen it already, start by reading through his article published in The Guardian, Search Engine Optimisation is Dead. Long live social media optimisation.
My colleague Laura Hampton has already done a controlled demolition of the logic underpinning the article, and I recommend you read her post together with Martin McDonald's excellent analysis of the data used in the article.
The article has stirred deep controversy and quite a social media storm, primarily as a result of some of the provocative statements in the post:
"Search engine optimisation (SEO) was always a flawed concept." "... Google search may display only 13% organic results; 'the rest is ads and junk'. " ".. how consumers found websites in 2012 shows that social media is catching up with search" "Recommendations from friends count for more than a search engine algorithm will ever achieve."
Our Conversation
I had the chance to spend an hour with the article author, Tim Anderson, and we had the chance talk through some of the bigger issues the SEO is Dead article raises.
I had three questions I wanted to ask:
- Does Tim really think SEO is dead?
- Does his article fairly represent the importance of SEO for business owners?
- Is the article factually correct?
Does Tim Think SEO is Dead?
He firmly points his finger at the editorial team for writing the "SEO is Dead" headline that stirs up the controversy.
As it turns out, that bit of editorial mischief ended up producing a keyword rich article that is more than likely, and most ironically, getting a huge amount of SEO traffic.
Tim may not think SEO is dead, but I suspect he wishes it were dead. I detected in our conversation a certain antipathy towards Google that is also signalled in the posts he writes on his personal blog. His own site has suffered a fall in organic Google traffic due to the Panda update. Google has penalised one of his favourite technical support websites. He thinks the influence of artificial link building undermines quality search results, and is an algorithmic mess open to abuse. He's suspicious of Google's attitude towards personalisation and privacy. And he hates the whole idea of optimising for the search engines robots rather than optimising for humans.
Nevertheless, the issue remains that the main point of the article is SEO is Dead. Perhaps he tried to address to complex a topic in too short piece? Was his definition of SEO lacking? It was here that I found a chink in Tim's logical armour. Yes, indeed, Tim admits that he doesn't always get things right, and sometimes gets things wrong.
But he wasn't offering an apology for writing the piece, and really we only got as far as agreeing the tone was wrong. Update: please see Tim's comment below where he does indeed apologise for causing any offense.
Does his article fairly represent the importance of SEO for business owners?
My main concern is that Guardian readers are going to trust this "SEO is Dead" nonsense, stop doing SEO for their businesses, and decide to put all their eggs into the social media marketing basket.
Tim's recommendation could put businesses at huge risk, and dropping SEO as a strategy could severely impact some businesses viability.
Doesn't Tim have a responsiblity to write about the topic fairly and objectively? Given the authority of The Guardian website, should this kind of misleading content be published?
Tim made two important points:
First, his article appears in the Social Media section of The Guardian, where it is published as editorial designed to be opinionated and thought provoking. As an aside, this section is sponsored by Salesforce.com, who in addition to sponsoring the editorial also have a Partner Zone where they can put their own advertising content. Tim's article was written independently, and Salesforce did not come up either the topic or the offending headline.
And secondly he made the point that if you read his article very carefully, in each of the paragraphs he does recommend what most of us consider to be good SEO practice:
- good SEO is about making a high quality website destination
- organic search traffic to many sites is still a large numbers but as a proportion is in decline
- the new model of social media is about being customer centric
But the issue is about the spin on the article designed to be read by the general public. The problem is with the spirit or original intention of the article. I think the damage is done with the headline and opening paragraph. Readers aren't going to unpack these issues in detail. And with his conclusion of "SEO won't be missed" (which wouldn't have been written by the mischievous editorial team) I think he is laying his cards on the table.
Mike Essex from Koozai got in touch and wanted me to ask if Tim felt SEO was a force for good, or has it just made the web worse. Tim wasn't really going to be drawn on the topic, saying both good and bad have happened, and we can draw from examples of both.
Is the article factually correct?
This is where Tim and I fundamentally have to disagree.
Even after spending a very pleasant and engaging hour with Tim and seeing how engaged he is with search marketing, I feel he has written an article that is misleading and sensational, and really not worthy of publication in The Guardian. It's not just the headline, it's the whole spirit of the article.
And it is for this reason I think the article shouldn't have been published.
What a shame, because The Guardian has been doing such a good job educating its readers about digital marketing and more specifically SEO, and this one article has just blown a large chunk of credibility.
It is not just not the spirit of article; the facts used as a supporting argument just don't hold water.
SEO isn't dying. Year on year search engine traffic has gone up 18% (Hitwise data)
It is simply not true that only 13% of the Google search results contain organic results. I know Tim included the magic "may" word, but…
SEO isn't just about text and links. The fundamental definition of SEO in this article is flawed.
It is not a simple choice of SEO or Social. Social has been in the SEO algorithmic mix for years. They are converging. Business do not have the choice of doing either one or the other.


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You don't need our 'permission' to get a new project underway, just get planting! There are a couple of things you might want to think about first though – who owns the land you want to grow on? Do you want to form a group or go it alone? The Incredible Edible Network website is a handy resource for those wanting to get started, with information on how to:
There's also our Incredible Edible Bristol Facebook group where you can ask as many questions as you like. You'll find lots of positive, friendly people who are happy to help, many of whom have valuable experience in starting groups and projects.
If you want to start a project on behalf of a school or community group involving children, then take a look at our IncrEdibleSchools.org.uk resource for tips on where to begin and what to do.


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Kokkola city youth work to promote young people's welfare and expertise throughout the city.
Kokkola City offers eg. grants to youth organizations and groups, youth club for young people and organizations, recreational activities for young people, club activities, local and international projects and cultural activities for young people.
Youth work administration is handled in the youth office, Rantakatu 16. 6th.floor. There you can manage issues include the wishes and suggestions of Kokkola in youth development, youth work grants or interest in youth towards the city.
Ilkka Rintala, Youth Director
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P.O. Box 43
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Microsoft is working hard on a second generation of its Surface touch-screen computer, although the product is only just being made available in the UK.
Surface doesn't have a mouse or a keyboard, instead users manipulate applications and items such as photos by tapping and dragging. Photos can be expanded using one's fingertips. Surface uses cameras to identity objects and sense hand gestures.
Joe Olsen, a developer at Phenomblue, which creates apps for the computer, said the second generation device was still in the development stage.
"They haven't even got to point where they are going to commercialise," he said.
Olsen said he was told that it would be "two to three years before anything would happen".
It is thought the next-generation Surface will be called Second Light and will feature a second projector that will allow images to be projected onto a layer above the Surface's screen, so image can be overlaid. Second Light is likely to feature infrared sensors that will identify gestures and hand movements allowing users to control the computer without even touching it.
Microsoft refused to comment on a release date for the second-generation Surface.
Follow highlights from ComputerworldUK on Twitter


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Celebrities at Phantom follow-up
Celebrities have attended the world premiere of
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies – the follow-up to The Phantom Of The Opera.
The show, at London's Adelphi Theatre, will be followed by unveilings in New York and Australia.
Actor Richard E Grant , arriving at the glitzy event, said: "Godfather II was better than Godfather I. Hopefully this will be the same."
Former X-Factor contestant Rhydian added: "I'm very excited.
"I haven't heard any of this show yet, I just left it for tonight …
"I think it's going to be awesome."
Film director and food critic Michael Winner said he saw the original Phantom four times and was looking forward to the new show.
He said of Lord Lloyd-Webber: "I'm a fan because he writes such wonderful melodies.
"Wherever you go in the world they're playing his music."
The Phantom Of The Opera has been seen by more than 100 million people, has been translated into 15 languages and won 50 awards. Love Never Dies continues the story of the Phantom, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of New York's Coney Island.


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Hiring & Classifications
Looking for a job is hard. Your potential employer has to make a quick decision about hiring you based on very little information, and often, there is information that they are not permitted to consider or even inquire about. It is important that you become as familiar as you can with your legal rights. Do not allow you and your family to suffer for the illegal hiring practices of a prospective employee. Know your rights and defend them.
Termination & Unemployment
Do you think that you may have been unfairly terminated from your place of employment? There are cut and dry laws that will allow you to tell if you have been unlawfully terminated, and there are attorneys that can help you to determine if you have been the victim of an unlawful termination. If you think that you have been the victim of an unlawful termination, there are resources that can help you to con
Denied FEGLI Claims
The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI) is a life insurance program that provides benefits to the loved ones of federal employees. While life insurance is often the last resort for a family that is facing one of its most challenging moments, beneficiaries often find that the death benefits that they expected are not actually there. In cases like this, an experience life insurance lawyer is often able to appeal the denied life insurance claim and obtain the FEGLI benefits that the family is counting on to survive and move on.
Health & Safety/Workplace Injuries
For well over a century, there has been a rigorous fight between employers that do not do their due diligence in ensuring the safety of their workers and the powers that represent these workers. Attorneys that handle workplace injuries often uncover unsafe working conditions that have affected not only their clients' well being, but endangered the safety of the employees' coworkers. This is why there are so many rules and regulations that organizations such as OSHA enforce—to ensure the safety and well-being of American workers throughout the United States.
Unions & Collective Action
Organized labor as a long and rich history in the United States. Unfortunately, over the past 40+ years, the right to organize and collectively bargain with employers has been under regular attack. There are attorneys that specialize in supporting unions and workers, as well as negotiation and arbitration.
Harassment & Other Problems


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The U.S. should be way more concerned about Mexico. We share a very long border with our neighbor to the south. What happens in Mexico can really come back to haunt us. They have a huge drug cartel problem which brings drugs and violence back over into our communities. Their economic situation also results in a lot of illegal immigration here in the U.S.
Considering that we share a border that's thousands of miles long with them and are in a free trade agreement with them, I would say that it's a pretty fair idea that we need to be concerned about them.
If nothing else, we need to be concerned about the drug cartel violence that is going on down there spilling over into our borders.
The U.S should be more concerned about Mexico for a number of reasons. For one the immigration between the border of Mexico and U.S should be more secured. Also the drugs and the numerous of criminal acts which are occurring between the border should be a big concern from the U.S
The U.S. has at certain points in history had contentious relations with Mexico. Even now, the Mexican drug cartels have spoiled the relation between the two nations.
Having a strong relationship with Mexico is very important due to immigration. It is also important to maintain key avenues to resources in the region.


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Emberson, L. L. (in press). Gaining knowledge mediates changes in perception (without differences in attention): A case for perceptual learning. Commentary on Firestone & School for Brain and Behavioral Sciences.
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Karuza, E. A., Emberson, L. L., Roser, M. E., Cole, D., Aslin, R. N., & Fiser, J. (2017). Neural Signatures of Spatial Statistical Learning: Characterizing the Extraction of Structure from Complex Visual Scenes. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(12), 1963–1976.
Reuter, T., Emberson, L. L., Romberg, A. R., & Lew-Williams, C. (2018). Individual differences in nonverbal prediction and vocabulary size in infancy. Cognition, 176, 215-219.
Schwab, J. F., Lew-Williams, C., & Goldberg, A. (2018). When regularization gets it wrong: Children over-simplify language input only in production. Journal of Child Language, 45, 1054-1072.
Boldin, A. M., Geiger, R., & Emberson, L. L. (2018). The emergence of top-down, sensory prediction during learning in infancy: A comparison of full-term and preterm infants. Developmental Psychobiology.
Potter, C. E., Fourakis, E., Morin-Lessard, E., Byers-Heinlein, K., & Lew-Williams, C. (2018). Bilingual infants process mixed sentences differently in their two languages. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
Fennell, C., & Lew-Williams, C. (2018). Early bilingual word learning. In G. Westermann & N. Mani (Eds.), Early word learning (pp. 110-122). New York: Routledge.
Schwab, J. F., Rowe, M. L., Cabrera, N. J., & Lew-Williams, C. (2018). Fathers' repetition of words is coupled with children's vocabularies. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 166, 437-450.
Byers-Heinlein, K., & Lew-Williams, C. (2018). Language comprehension in monolingual and bilingual children. In E. M. Fernández & H. S. Cairns (Eds.), The handbook of psycholinguistics (pp. 516-535). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Piazza, E. A., Iordan, M. C., & Lew-Williams, C. (2017). Mothers consistently alter their unique vocal fingerprints when communicating with infants. Current Biology, 27, 3162-3167.
Byers-Heinlein, K., Morin-Lessard, E., & Lew-Williams, C. (2017). Bilingual infants control their languages as they listen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114, 9032-9037.
Emberson, L. L., Rizzieri, A., & Aslin, R. N. (2017). How Visual is Visual Prediction? Infancy, 22(6), 748–761.
Grieco-Calub, T. M., Simeon, K. M., Snyder, H. E., & Lew-Williams, C. (2017). Word segmentation from noise-band vocoded speech. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 32, 1344-1356.
Lew-Williams, C., & Weisleder, A. (2017). How do little kids learn language? Frontiers for Young Minds, 5, 1-8.
Lew-Williams, C. (2017). Specific referential contexts shape efficiency in second language processing: Three eye-tracking experiments with 6- and 10-year-old children in Spanish immersion schools. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 37, 128-147.
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Schwab, J. F., & Lew-Williams, C. (2017). Discourse continuity promotes children's learning of new object labels. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
Emberson, L. L. (2017). How does experience shape early development? Considering the role of top-down mechanisms. In Janette Benson (Ed.), Advances in Child Development and Behavior, Vol. 52. Elsevier Publishing. (Email Lauren Emberson to request a copy).
Kersey, A. J., & Emberson, L. L. (2016). Tracing trajectories of audio-visual learning in the infant brain, Developmental Science, 1-13.
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Goodwin, J. R., Cannaday, A. E., Palmeri, H., Di Costanzo, A., Emberson, L. L., Aslin, R. N., & Berger, A. J. (2016). Methodology for high-yield acquisition of functional near-infrared spectroscopy data from alert, upright infants. Neurophotonics, 3(3), 031415.
Emberson, L. L., & Rubinstein, D. (2016). Statistical learning is constrained to less abstract patterns in complex sensory input (but not the least). Cognition, 153, 63-78.
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Emberson, L. L., Crosswhite, S. L., Goodwin, J. R., Berger, A. J., & Aslin, R. N. (2016). Isolating the effects of systemic vasculature in infant neuroimagin experiments using short distance optical channels: A combination of local and global effects. Neurophotonics, 3(3), 031406.
Schwab, J. F., & Lew-Williams, C. (2016). Language learning, socioeconomic status, and child-directed speech. WIREs Cognitive Science, 7, 264-275.
Emberson, L. L., Richards, J. E., & Aslin, R. N. (2015). Top-down modulation in the infant brain: Learning-induced expectations rapidly affect the sensory cortex at 6 months. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 112 (31), 9585–9590.
Aslin, R.N., Shukla, M., Emberson, L.L. (2015). Hemodynamic Correlates of Cognition in Human Infants. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 66:349–79. First published online as a Review in Advance on September 22, 2014.
Graf Estes, K., & Lew-Williams, C. (2015). Listening through voices: Infant statistical word segmentation across multiple speakers. Developmental Psychology, 51, 1517-1528.
Lew-Williams, C. (2015). Infants' history of distributional learning in real time. (Commentary on Phillips and Ehrenhofer's The role of language processing in language acquisition). Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 5, 494-498.
Ferguson, B., & Lew-Williams, C. (2014). Communicative signals promote abstract rule learning by 7-month-old infants. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society.
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⋆ these authors contributed equally to this publication
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Grüter, T., Lew-Williams, C., & Fernald, A. (2012). Grammatical gender in L2: A production or a real-time processing problem? Second Language Research, 28, 191-215.
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Emberson, L. L., Conway, C. M., & Christiansen, M. H. (2011). Timing is everything: Changes in Presentation Rate have Opposite Effects on Auditory and Visual Implicit Statistical Learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64:1021-1040.
Lew-Williams, C., Pelucchi, B., & Saffran, J. R. (2011). Isolated words enhance statistical language learning in infancy. Developmental Science, 14, 1323-1329.
Emberson, L. L., & Rubinstein, D. (2010). Learning from Environmental Regularities is Grounded in Specific Objects not Abstract Categories. In S. Ohlsson and R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings for the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, (p. 2518-2523). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Lew-Williams, C., & Fernald, A. (2010). Real-time processing of gender-marked articles by native and non-native Spanish speakers. Journal of Memory and Language, 63, 447-464.
Emberson, L. L., Liu, R., & Zevin, J. D. (2009). Statistics All the Way Down: How is Statistical Learning Accomplished Using Novel, Complex Sound Categories? In N. Taatgen and H. van Rijn (Eds.), Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. (p. 995-1000). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
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thought he did OK today despite being horribly isolated most of the gameshowed some good hold-up play a few times but he needs some confidence
None of us actually know there are plenty of examples of good strikers becoming goalscorers late and there are just as many who don't go on and progress. For every Drogba there's an Anichebe
how can someone say a PROFESSIONAL premiership footballer is rubbish when they are not at that level or never have been at that level before, criticize and have an opinion by all means, but to call them crap is a bit daft
Must be a 100 more anichebes than drogbas. So by the law of averages.... he's probably gonna be more anichebe
With those kind of arguments it's a wonder anyone bothers being a professional footballer.
Good players are normally good players at every level as they come up.
Thought DCL showed some good touches today. I'd like to see him play with Lookman more or as part of a front 2.
If youre good enough youre old enough, hes not premiership standardSorry if all the sensitive forumers dont like my views
Yes, they score in the World Cup finals of their age group for example.
Isn't the reality that you only play for the under20s cos you're not good enough for the under 21s. Look we go round and round in circles with all this. I see a player who's future lies in the championship and most see someone who will score between 15-25 goals in the top flight and be a great player. I hope I'm wrong. Only time will tell
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Beaded Semi-Precious Gemstone Bracelets
I havent actually sewn anything but I'm slowly starting to craft again which is always nice :) The other I found my bead box. Oh my, I had no idea I had this many unused beads! So it was time to make something :) I had lots of semi-precious gemstones, a whole lot of amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone, and even a mixed bunch. What did I make? Bracelets!!
So hopefully I'll be making more stuff soon, though I also have some posts ready about visits since I really never get the time for that usually. I hope you dont mind!! :)


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Man attacks wife with acid after altercation
According to reports, Yaseen, a father of three, threw acid on his wife Reema after an argument.
Police have arrested the man and registered the case. He told the police that he was unemployed and his wife used to force him to go to work.
"I got enraged and threw acid on her," said the man. The woman was moved to Civil Hospital for treatment.


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- to see intelligent design theory as the dominant perspective in science
- to see design theory applications in specific fields, including molecular biology, biochemistry, paleontology, physics and cosmology in the natural sciences, psychology, ethics, politics, theology, and philosophy in the humanities, to see its influence in the fine arts
- to see design theory permeate our religious, cultural, moral, and political, life
Casey Luskin has recently posted a progress report in Evolution News & Views (sic) [In the Darwin Debate, How Long Before the Tide Turns in Favor of Intelligent Design?]. He's very optimistic. He lists thirteen (13) recent victories for Intelligent Design Creationism and concludes ...
Don't expect a revolution overnight. We are in this for the long haul, recognizing that it can take time for the truth to slip past the checkpoints that the Darwin lobby sets up to keep the public uninformed. In the end, though, I'm optimistic because the fundamentals of ID -- the science underlying the inference to design in nature -- are sound. The truth will win out, though it may tarry in doing so. Or to put it another way, the tide of ID is already well on its way in. We need to focus on telling people about it.They'd better hurry. There's only three years left.


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Free download software » Movies » The Karate Kid (2010) BRRip x264
The Karate Kid (2010) BRRip x264
Movies 31-08-2010, 19:22
The Karate Kid (2010) BRRip x264
Language: English
02:12:34 | 1280 x 576 | h264 784 Kbps | 23.976 fps | MP3 159 Kbps | 898 MB
Genre: Action | Drama | Family | Sport
12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying - and the feeling is mutual - but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
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The South Haven Light at the end of the south pier was built in 1903, the red steel structure, originally painted white, replaced the old wooden light that could not withstand the pounding of Lake Michigan's unforgiving waves. I can only imagine the relentless storms coming off the lake in winter for over a 100 years, trying to take down this mighty beacon of hope, but it still remains resolute in its mission of guiding sailors and ships into South Haven.
If you love lighthouses, I am continuously posting pics of Michigan lighthouses, I hope you will sign up for email notifications so you won't miss any new posts.
Lost In Michigan T-shirts are on sale. They help me with expenses to do this website, I hope you will take a look at them HERE.


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September 27, 2013
By Ben Murphy
Clare won in a romp over host Pine River on Tuesday, rolling over the Bucks 8-3 in Northern Michigan Soccer League South Division play.
"Following a tough victory over Standish-Sterling (we) were a bit banged up," Clare head coach Doug Helmling said. "Despite the soreness (we) were able to secure the victory."
Angel Heras and Kevin Spicer-Torres both scored two goals, with Camden Dice adding a goal of his own all in the first half. Earning assists on the goals were Jacob Karl, Spicer-Torres, Dice, Ryan Brown and Mike Glowniak.
This helped Clare take a 5-1 lead at the half, though the Bucks cut the lead to 5-3 early in the second half on a penalty kick.
The Pioneers put the game away from there, getting a goal from Spicer-Torres and another by Heras to give both a hat-trick on the night. Dice booted in the team's final goal of the night, giving him a team high nine for the season.
James DeRocco made 10 saves in goal to preserve the win.
On Monday, Sept. 23 Clare topped visiting Standish-Sterling 2-0 in non-league play.
Dice scored Clare's first goal on a header, off an assist by Eric Wezensky in the 19th minute. The Pioneers preserved the 1-0 lead into the half.
Clare added its insurance goal in the 73rd minute, with Dice scoring again, this time on a pass from Spicer-Torres.
Eric Litke made six saves in goal for the win, Clare's first victory shutout of the year.
On Thursday, Sept. 19 Clare dropped a road NMSL South Division game in Gladwin, 6-0. Litke made 13 saves in goal for the Pioneers.
Clare (4-8 overall, 2-6 NMSL) hosted Alma on Thursday and hosts Houghton Lake on Oct. 1.


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The OU Guarantee
The Open University has launched a guarantee to help students in England who are likely to be eligible for a student loan to start studying even if they haven't received their student loan (tuition fee loan) confirmation before their course starts.
The OU Guarantee
• The OU will cover the cost of their first module if they pass our eligibility check but are unable to obtain a loan when they apply to Student Finance England;
Will Swann, Director, Students, said: "Student loans have been part of full-time university study for years, but they are new to part-time students. We want to reassure students who might be worried that they won't be approved for a student loan in time, that this doesn't need to be a barrier to study.
"To help give people the confidence to start studying for a qualification, we've put in place the OU Guarantee. If potential students register to start studying for an Open University qualification between September 2012 and August 2013, and if they appear to be eligible for a student loan and apply for one, we will provide them with the reassurance that they can start their studies, no matter what."
Potential students will initially be able to see if they are likely to be eligible for a student loan if the following three statements are true for them:
1. I am planning to study for an undergraduate qualification
As potential students then go through the process of registering for a qualification and choosing their modules, they will be asked to complete a detailed check to indicate their eligibility for a student loan and therefore the OU Guarantee.
More information is available at: www.open.ac.uk/ouguarantee
In May, The Open University launched its Ways to Pay video to help people in England understand the new and different options for funding part-time study with The Open University. As well as the Government's student loans, the OU offers its own loan system, and its Access to Success Route to help people on low incomes, as well as the opportunity for people to pay upfront if they prefer. In addition, over 10% of OU students are sponsored by their employers. Ways to Pay can be found at: www.open.ac.uk/ways2pay
Notes to editors
The Open University
The Open University (OU) is the largest academic institution in the UK and a world leader in flexible distance learning. Since it began in 1969, the OU has taught more than 1.720 million students and has more than 250,000 current students, including 18,475 overseas.
The OU has been one of the top three UK universities for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey every year since the survey began in 2005. In 2010/11 it had a 93 per cent satisfaction rating. Over 71% of students are in full-time or part-time employment, and four out of five FTSE 100 companies have sponsored staff to take OU courses.
Regarded as Britain's major e-learning institution, the OU is a world leader in developing technology to increase access to education on a global scale. Its vast 'open content portfolio' includes free study units on OpenLearn, which has had more than 21 million visits, and materials on iTunes U, which has recorded over 50 million downloads. The OU has a 41 year partnership with the BBC which has moved from late-night lectures in the 1970s to prime-time programmes such as Life, Coast, James May's Big Ideas and The Money Programme.


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How can the government reduce unemployment?
Nouriel Roubini says the federal government has to be much more aggressive on the unemployment front:
There's really just one hope for our leaders to turn things around: a bold prescription that increases the fiscal stimulus with another round of labor-intensive, shovel-ready infrastructure projects, helps fiscally strapped state and local governments and provides a temporary tax credit to the private sector to hire more workers. Helping the unemployed just by extending unemployment benefits is necessary not sufficient; it leads to persistent unemployment rather than job creation.
I'm sympathetic, but I'd note that the low-hanging fruit has already been picked, when it comes to "labor-intensive, shovel-ready infrastructure projects", with the first stimulus, and I'm not sure that there are actually any left. Instead, might I suggest arts subsidies?


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Ramesh Subramaniam directorial "Vil Ambu" hit screens on Friday, Feb 12. The movie features Sri, Harish Kalyan, Srushti Dange, Samskruthy Shenoy and Chandini Tamilarasan in the lead roles.
Anjala Review | Jil Jung Juk Review
"Vil Ambu" also has Harish Uthaman, Nisha Krishnan, Nandakumar and others in the cast. It has Navin's music, Martin Joe's cinematography and Ruben's editing.
The Tamil film has garnered decent pre-talk with its promotional materials. So, people have pinned good hopes on "Vil Ambu". However, the flick is clashing with two other releases "Jil Jung Juck" starring Siddharth and Pasupathi starrer "Anjala", which also hit screens on Feb 12.
The story is set in Coimbatore in which Karthi (Sri) plays the role of a ruffian and a petty thief. Arul (Harish Kalyan), who dreams of making a career in photography, joins IT due to his parents' pressure. Both the characters live in the same locality. Shrushti Dange will be seen in the role of Kalyan's love interest and Samskriti is the leading lady of Sri in "Vil Ambu".
Karthi and Arul's lives are inter-linked even though they never meet until the end. How their good and bad moments are connected form the crux of the story.
People, who have seen the film, say that "Vil Ambu" boasts good subject but the execution is not up to the mark. Here, we bring to you the audience response to the Tamil flick:
Surendhar MK posted:
#VilAmbu is a middling watch. Novel plot but the narration fizzles out and gets mundane as the story progresses. Could have been better.
Shankar Ganesh posted
#VilAmbu is an average film. The heroes perform well with the contrasting characters
#VilAmbu Samkruthy Shenoy, Chandini Tamilarasan and Shrusti Dange have their moments in the film.
#VilAmbu Overall, it is one-time watch.
Jackie Cinemas tweeted:
#VilAmbu movie Review Very Good making and logical mistakes are less.Dir #RameshSubramaniam @dir_susee, @DuraiKv
Adhi â€@Adhithiyan wrote:
#VilAmbu Perfect movie :) a movie which is worth watchable in theatre.Completely inspired with the acting of @srushtiDange verdict: 3.5/5
Rajini Praveen 2.0 tweeted
#VilAmbu 4/5 A decent thriller Movie...A must Watch film!! Don't miss it!! @actor_harish
#VilAmbu 4/5 @actor_harish is adequate both as a college boy as well as when wrongly accused and hounded by the police..
Ramesh â€wrote
#VilAmbu [3.25/5]: Dir #RameshSubramanian has used #Coimbatore as the backdrop and has made an engaging thriller with well-etched characters
Music Dir #Navin 's songs and BGM are a major plus.. Editor @AntonyLRuben keeps the pace well.. 2 hrs 17 mins duration..
#Sri is very impressive.. Actor #Harish is handsome and does a good job as well.. Actor #YogiBabu is awesome..
An intricately woven story.. Interesting Screenplay.. Solid Performance by Actors.. An engaging thriller.. Enjoyed it..


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Mint - Lladro #4886 "Angel's Head No. 3" Spanish Porcelain Figurine
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An opportunity to own a beautiful Lladro that is no longer available - off the retail market for 30 years! (manufactured 1974-1985). #4886 "Angel's Head No. 3" is 2" high - in the popular glazed finish (gloss) sells for $195 on the Secondary Market (retired at $25).From the '70's - an era of great Lladro's: a simple, cute & adorable angel's head, one of a set of three; they are originally meant to be hung on a wall by means of a nail via the hole in the back of the porcelain, but some people display them elsewise - you are only limited by your own creativity! Hang them as Christmas ornaments too? Starting bid at $.99 (no reserve) - - - This piece does not come with original box (but will be carefully packed for safe arrival). GREAT FIGURINE / WONDERFUL MINT CONDITION / - - NO RESERVE!! Please examine all photos - they are part of the description Check my other listings for a large number of special Lladro's that will be arriving steadily in the days ahead - many rare, retired & all mint at great prices [Be sure to add me to your favorites list ! Save me as a favorite seller & check often - great things coming!] Check out my other items ! ESTIMATED SHIPPING: $5.35-6.51 (USPS Priority Mail) COMBINED SHIPPING AVAILABLE (Combined shipping ... read more


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In the absence of Mets ace Matt Harvey, Queens has become the unlikely home of the Summer of Jake deGrom. Saturday night, deGrom took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in a win over the Giants and finished with four hits, one walk and two runs allowed to go with seven strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.
DeGrom's ERA is all the way down to 2.77. Since a disastrous start June 16 against St. Louis -- 4 1/3 IP, 12 hits, six runs, all earned -- deGrom has dominated. In eight starts since, he has thrown 53 1/3 innings with 56 strikeouts, 14 walks (4.0 K/BB) and a 1.52 ERA. He hasn't allowed a home run since Cubs pitcher Travis Wood took him deep on June 5. Hitters have mustered just a .212 batting average, .269 on-base percentage and .249 slugging percentage over the hot stretch. Over deGrom's past eight starts, the league is collectively hitting worse against him than MLB's worst qualified hitter by OPS, Cincinnati's Zack Cozart, who entered Sunday's play with a triple-slash line of .220/.268/.283.
Few knew deGrom entering the season, and there wasn't much reason to. Baseball America ranked him as the club's 10th best prospect after the 2013 season, a season which saw him progress to Triple-A despite unremarkable numbers at Double-A Binghamton (60 IP, 4.80 ERA, 2.2 K/BB). In an organization with young starters like Harvey, Zach Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero, a guy like deGrom, with a "ceiling as a No. 4 starter or better" as Baseball America put it, doesn't really move the needle too much.
The hint that deGrom could be more than his scouting reports, however, was there. As Baseball America noted in their year-end report, the right-hander "made progress with a straight changeup" in 2013. Especially as the platoon becomes more and more in vogue, the changeup is a key pitch for starting pitching prospects. No pitch neutralizes the typical advantage lefty hitters have over righty pitchers better than the straight changeup, as Max Marchi showed at The Hardball Times in 2010.
The changeup is but a small part of his arsenal -- he throws it about 12 percent of the time, and he threw just seven in Saturday's gem. But Saturday shows just how effective the pitch can be. Of his seven changeups Saturday, six were strikes, including a foul, three groundouts and two swinging strikes (one for a strikeout). The swinging strikes in particular have been a constant for deGrom's changeup this year. According to Brooks Baseball hitters have whiffed at 20.2 percent of deGrom's changeups, 18th most among starters, right between Zack Greinke and Chris Sale. It is no coincidence lefties have an anemic .232/.314/.345 line against deGrom.
Matt Harvey told the New York Post he hadn't even heard of deGrom until midway through last season. After Saturday's gem, Harvey told the Post's Mike Puma, "He's a little goofy, a little quiet, but when he gets on the mound you can tell that he means business. As somebody who is like that when I take the mound, I can notice other guys who are like that."
Harvey and deGrom have more than that in common -- their development paths have been eerily similar. Although Harvey was considered to have a higher ceiling as he progressed through the prospect chain, he was nagged by issues with his changeup, issues that had some evaluators concerned he would be limited to a relief role. Mets manager Terry Collins mentioned it during spring training in 2013 to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News:
"It was a thing where I would call [Triple-A manager] Wally [Backman] and ask about how he was doing and one of the first things he'd say is that his changeup is at times good and at other times nonexistent."
Harvey had just polished off a brilliant spring start in which he struck out five Cincinnati Reds in 4 1/3 innings. The Reds had loaded the lineup with lefties, and the changeup was Harvey's key. "I like throwing my changeup a lot," Harvey said after the start, "I threw a couple to the right-handers today and I was pleased with that, but obviously with seven lefties in the lineup the changeup is going to be a big pitch."
Harvey's changeup remained a huge weapon throughout the regular season, as he posted a 19.8 percent whiff rate with the pitch in 2013, nearly identical to deGrom's performance with the pitch this season. While deGrom lacks Harvey's huge velocity and vicious slider, he has shown enough to give the Mets optimism for his future and for the future of their rotation. Between Harvey, Wheeler, and deGrom, the Mets have three young and talented pitchers to build around. Throw in Travis d'Arnaud (the Mets apparently made a wise investment in lowercase d uniform technology), Juan Lagares, Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia, who have all shown flashes of brilliance in the past couple months, and the Mets have the beginnings of the young core they've been searching for since their last winning season in 2008.
Admittedly, deGrom's big league career is fewer than 100 innings old, and plenty can happen in the months and years to come. But deGrom has turned what was one of his biggest weaknesses into a strength, just like Matt Harvey before him. And for Mets fans, who have been counting the days until Harvey's return in 2015, it's hard to imagine a better comparison for their new sensational right-hander.


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Article published on the UNCCD Knowledge Hub.
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Article published on the UNCCD Knowledge Hub.
The global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration represents a strategic and significant opportunity for the international community to progress in terms of international migration governance and offers a timely opportunity to account for environmental, natural disaster and climatic dimensions in contemporary migration policy and practice.
Conferene report - Meeting of the Americas on Climate Change
Location: Bogota
Date: 20 to 23 September 2015
Seminar: Migration as adaptation to environmental and climate change: Evidence and policy
Date: 13 November 2015
Location: IOM GMDAC, Berlin, Germany
There have been an increasing number of publications on the effects of environmental change on migration in recent years[1]. However, has research captured and reflected the policy needs and interest of countries affected by "environmental migration"?
Migration and displacement were repeatedly mentioned among the greatest security challenges posed by climate change at an international high-level event organized by the French Ministry of Defence on October 14th, 2015 in Paris.
Over the last five decades, the Lower Mekong Basin has been the scene of major human and environmental upheavals, especially in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam where sustained political instability degenerated into major armed conflicts and significant migrations. The Vietnam War, whether official in Vietnam, or secret in Laos, arguably played a decisive role in the extensive deforestation observed from c. 1960 to c. 1980 in the Lower Mekong Basin. Deliberate massive removal of vegetation by bombing and chemical spraying was a military tactic to deny cover and land to opposition forces. In Laos only, from 1953 onward, approximately 1 million people were displaced, successively escaping the war, the communist takeover or following resettlement policies.
The environmental migration discourse has been overtly focused on the impacts of environmental variability on migration patterns. However, the role of migration in the context of adaptation such as financial and social remittances, and the influence of social networks, has received little empirical research attention.


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Star Trek PinballVisit Webpage
Stern Pinball Arcade features digital recreations of widely popular and interactive titles from Stern Pinball® with many available through the in-game store.
Star Trek Vengeance Premium is an outstanding game from legendary pinball designer Steve Ritchie. Based on the new series of Star Trek films, players take on the role of Captain Kirk commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise in a fight to save the Federation. The game features easy-to-follow rules for novice players an incredible level of depth for experts, with 18 missions to play and 5 multiball modes, including three Captain's Chair wizard modes! The playfield features spectacular lighting with over 60 tri-color LEDs, including seven Star Trek shield emblem inserts, color coded to indicate the primary targets in each of the mission modes. Other notable features include the Warp Core Resonator shaker motor, U.S.S. Vengeance Disintegrator Super-Speed ball kicker and custom molded models of the U.S.S. Enterprise, U.S.S. Vengeance and two asteroids with LED flashers.
Star Trek is available within the Stern Pinball Arcade in-game store.


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- Make sure you check the different type of instant Hijabs we have to offer to be able to choose the correct length and style that suits you.
- Click on "ADD TO CART" the items you wish to buy
- When you are done, click on the shopping bag to check the items and quantity of each item you ordered
- Proceed to checkout
- You can choose the Payment Option, language and currency you want to pay with.
- After you place an order, an email will be sent to you with all the order details.
- It takes up to 2 working days to process the order.
- After the order is dispatched a tracking number will be sent to you.
- You can Track your order here.
We only have one size that fits all. The elastic part under the chin stretches to fit the biggest head size.
For some items on sale and clearance, specifically in cotton material, you might receive a smaller headband.
SALE and clearance items might contains garment imperfections and are not refundable nor exchangeable.
Please check the description of each product before purchase. Some provide headbands or elastic headbands instead of a Bokitta®Magic!Inner.
If you receive the item and you wish to return it, Bokitta® will accept returns for unworn items within 7 days from the date you receive your package.
You will be responsible for all shipping costs.
We only accept returns purchased from the new collection, not clearance and SALE section items.
For further information, please visit the Returns policy section.


text: SOUTH BEND It's the American way in music and dance: Fusing several styles together to create a new style. After all, we are a melting pot. Now, even belly dance is seeing new forms, and "tribal fusion" has made its way to South Bend. "Tribal fusion draws from so many influences," explains Jesse Chism, 24, of South Bend, who belongs to Kem Wati (Black Rebel), a tribal fusion dance group. "Middle Eastern, urban, classical, anything you want. You define it and there's a lot of creative freedom within the genre." Even though the style is still evolving, it can be described as darker, earthy and edgy, sometimes even yoga-esque. Musically, it boldly ventures into modern electronic sounds and hip-hop rhythms. Dancers may sport copious amounts of you-are-irrelevant attitude. They also wear darker clothing, often made of natural fibers, with many layers, and mixing and matching. Accessories often include feathers, tassels and chunky jewelry. In general, they don't wear shiny or filmy fabrics -- nor pastels. No delicate jewelry, either, like classical belly dancers. Kelly Linn, 29, of South Bend, said she first saw tribal fusion dancers last March, at a Chicago concert of Miles Copeland's Bellydance Superstars, an international touring company. Tribal dancers were featured, sporting lots of tattoos as well as feathers. "I already enjoy gothic, electronic and industrial music, and when I saw them, I decided I loved it. It's my style." Ruby Jazayre, local belly dance teacher, performer and promoter who organized the trip to Chicago, encouraged Linn and other students to pursue tribal fusion. "They had been studying with the (Middle Eastern troupe) Sisters of the Nile, and I said if they put something together, we would put them in the show." Allie Gilchrist, 17, a senior at Clay High School, enjoys tribal's freedom in music selection and has even choreographed solos for herself to music by the rock band The Cure. Tribal belly dance actually started on the West Coast, in the 1990s and was sometimes referred to as the "rebellious sister" to cabaret, or nightclub-style belly dance. Its modus operandi, at first, was as an improvisational technique. Dancers learned a common vocabulary and, through subtle, nonverbal cues, created a performance in the moment. As it has developed -- and moved eastward -- however, it seems to have become more choreographed and more fused with styles other than belly dance. Local audiences were exposed to it this summer, through Kem Wati's performances with Sisters of the Nile. "It certainly is an American style," Jazayre said. "I'm sure when Egyptian audiences first saw it, they were saying 'What the heck is this?'æ" For information about belly dance classes taught by Ruby Jazayre, call the O'Brien Center in South Bend at (574) 299-4765; the Battell Community Center in Mishawaka at (574) 258-1667; or the Dance Center in Granger at (574) 277-0744.


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Casley-Smith International (C-SI) is a non-profit organisation and represents an international group of certified Casley-Smith instructors in the Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema, based on the work of Dr John R. Casley-Smith and Dr Judith R. Casley-Smith.
Founding members of Casley-Smith International are based in Australia (C-S Aus), Israel (C-S Israel), the Netherlands (C-S NL), the United Kingdom (C-S UK) and the United States of America (C-S USA). It is anticipated that C-SI will expand over time to incorporate other countries around the world.
The mission of the C-SI is to ensure the worldwide delivery of consistent high-quality care for individuals living with, or at risk of lymphatic system disorders, by consolidating and further developing training in the Casley-Smith method.
Dr John R and Dr Judith R Casley-Smith were pioneering lymphologists from Adelaide, Australia. They met in medical school and became partners in researching the lymphatic system, developing effective treatments for lymphoedema, and raising awareness about lymphoedema. Their publications spanned four decades, beginning with John's landmark paper, co-authored with his mentor Lord Florey, on the structure of the initial lymphatics, in 1960.
The Casley-Smith research included: papers on the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system and its role in the microcirculation; the use of benzo-pyrones for the treatment of high-protein oedemas; and techniques for effective treatment of lymphoedema.
With Michael Foeldi, John co-authored the text "Lymphangiologie", and with Judith he co-authored "High Protein Oedemas and the Benzo-Pyrones" and "Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema", the first theoretical and practical manual on the treatment of lymphoedema to be published in English.
The Casley-Smiths founded the Lymphoedema Association of Australia in 1982, an organisation unique at the time, which brought together patients, health professionals, and researchers in raising awareness of lymphoedema. For years the Casley-Smith fax machine would ring at all hours day and night as people with questions about lymphoedema contacted them for advice.
The method of Complex Lymphatic Therapy to treat lymphoedema which Judith and John taught, had similar components to the protocol of Complete Decongestive Therapy developed by their colleagues Michael and Ethel Foeldi in Germany, but had some significant differences and advances, particularly in its strong emphasis on self-care. Judith's method of manual lymph drainage drew on her intimate knowledge of the microanatomy of the lymphatic system and Kubik's concept of lymphotomes, but used very simple strokes so that patients or family members could learn to do self-MLD. The exercise sequence which she designed, introduced the concept of following a sequence similar to that of MLD and of incorporating deep breathing and self-MLD into the sequence. The compression bandaging uses similar materials to the European version, emphasizing achieving a gradient and the creative use of protective and anti-fibrosis padding.
John Casley-Smith died in 1997; Judith Casley-Smith carried on their work until ill health in 2003 forced her into retirement. Casley-Smith International seeks to carry on their mission, ie to increase understanding of the lymphatic system and improve treatment for those with lymphatic disorders.
In essence, the Casley-Smith techniques used for decongestive lymphatic therapy bear the hallmark of simplicity. This simplicity is a synthesis derived from a strong foundation of knowledge. It has to be said that the Casley-Smith training for lymphoedema therapists is rigorous in this way. The Casley-Smith courses meet or exceed the high standards that are demanded by the international community of lymphology associations. Currently, accredited Casley-Smith courses worldwide, are no less than 135 hours.
True to the Australian spirit, the Casley-Smith approach is devised to be practical, safe and uncomplicated for the lymphoedema sufferer to use. Within the self management regime, a further simplified version of manual drainage, exercise and bandaging is taught to ensure a degree of independence can be maintained.
Casley-Smith therapists are encouraged to continuously seek out up-to-date, and evidence-based science and research, so that therapeutic methods can be a living and evolving process. It is this freshness in approach that can be so captivating in the Casley-Smith method.
Casley-Smith courses in Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy for the management of lymphoedema
The Casley-Smith courses were originally established in Adelaide, Australia under the auspices of the Lymphoedema Association of Australia (LAA). Over time, a group of experienced practitioners were trained to be instructors of lymphoedema management methods by Drs John and Judith Casley-Smith.
All accredited instructors of this method can be found via this website. You can verify the authenticity of any Casley-Smith instructor, by checking the list below, or by using the "SEARCH" facility found on the left-hand side menu. Alternatively, you can contact the teacher listed in your country and make enquiries. Teachers in the UK are not listed individually here, but can be found under the McMillan Lymphoedema Academy.
Casley-Smith International is the organisation formed by these instructors, so that they may continue to provide up-to-date information to the community and health professionals. Courses are held in Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and in the United States of America.
All courses meet or exceed the educational requirements set by their country. NB: No course is less than 135 hours and has a balance of theory and practical work. Casley-Smith instructors connect regularly to ensure that courses are updated and standards maintained internationally. Whilst the core curriculum topics are the same in every country, courses may vary slightly to meet national requirements, or to offer additional in-depth or advanced training. The name of the therapy may vary from one country to another eg Complex Lymphatic Therapy; Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy.
For more information on courses, please press on the button for contact:
The Netherlands: De Berekuyl
The United Kingdom: MLA: Macmillan Lymphoedema Association
Australia: Southern Highlands Lymphatic Drainage
United States: Lymphed or The Brennan School of Innovative Lymphatic Studies
We appreciate all donations which aid patients with the costs of treatments.
Should you have a enquiry, please press the button below and fill in the form . We will contact you as soon as possible, thank you.