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Outside Amsterdam...
There are many wonderful sights to see outside Amsterdam yet within easy reach by train. Delft, just an hour by train from Amsterdam, is a city that positively exudes old Dutch charm. Synonymous with the "Delft Blue" porcelain that's beloved worldwide, Delft also boasts painter Jan Vermeer as its native son, as well as some of The Netherlands' most iconic places: from the spacious square in the shadow of the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), to the five majestic spires of the Oude Kerk (Old Church).
Day Tours with Martin Ribbens
While we highly recommend taking a walking tour of Amsterdam with our local historian and guide Martin Ribbens, he also is available for day tours by car outside Amsterdam. Starting at 10:00 a.m., Martin will introduce you to the Sloten Windmill where he not only will take you on a tour of this well-known landmark but he'll also explain the history and role of windmills in Holland. From Sloten, you'll drive to the Old Sea Dyke (the Spaarndammer dijk) north of Amsterdam. Martin will tell you of how Maria de Medici, the former queen of France, drove along this dyke in 1638 on her visit to Amsterdam, and how this event is connected with Rembrandt van Rijn and his most famous painting, the Night Watch.
Your tour will continue with a visit to the village of Spaarndam with the statue of "Hans Brinker", the character from the novel by American author Mary Mapes Dodge, first published in 1865. The novel is a colorful fictional portrait of early nineteenth-century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor. On Thursdays, you can visit the beautiful church of Spaarndam.
Your scenic drive continues to the ruins of Brederode, the castle built in 1355 on the foundation of an older one, The Castle of the Lords 'Van Brederode', in which Protestant Lancelot van Brederode was beheaded by the Spanish. His brother Hendrik became one of the champions in the revolt against the King of Spain in what the Dutch call the "Eighty Years' War" during which the Netherlands drove out the Spaniards and, in 1648, became an independent republic.
After Brederode, you will continue to IJmuiden, Amsterdam's harbour on the coast of the North Sea where you can have lunch at de Kop van de Haven or de Meerplaats, restaurants specializing in delicious seafood. After lunch, you'll drive north over the sea locks, alongside the tulip fields close to the dunes, and where the first tulips start flowering from the 15th of March each year.
Near the city of Alkmaar, you can visit the Cheese Market from after April 3rd, and then go on to the Polders, low-lying tracts of land enclosed by dikes. This area of the northern part of Holland is now called West Freesia.
You'll then drive over narrow roads to De Rijp, once a famous Haring gibbing village. Now clearly land-locked, this was once a seaside village.
Further on, you will visit Midden-Beemster where a pupil of Rembrandt, Carel Fabritius, famous for his painting of the little bird called "de Putter", was born. Then on to Purmerend and Ilpendam, renown for the mighty castle that once stood there. The captain of Rembrandt's Night Watch, Frans Banninck Cocq, was Lord of Purmerland and Ilpenstein. All that remains of the castle are a few stones.
After Purmerend and Ilpendam, you'll continue to Marken which, until 1953, was an island in the Zuiderzee, a shallow inlet of the North Sea. Marken can now be reached along a dyke. From here, you travel along the Zuiderzee South Sea dyke, past the Randmeren (the Border Lakes) behind the dyke, and back to the border of Amsterdam to visit the picturesque village of Durgerdam.
Martin Ribben's tour outside Amsterdam gives you a good sense of how this part of Holland once was, and yet much remains the same, with quaint houses still painted the same as the Polders were in the 17th Century.
A shorter version of this tour is also possible to visit just the Sloten windmill and the tulip fields.
Haarlem has a rich history dating back to pre-medieval times, as it lies on a thin strip of land above sea level known as the strandwal (beach ridge), which connects Leiden to Alkmaar.
Windmills1 The people on this narrow strip of land struggled against the waters of the North Sea from the west, and the waters of the IJ and the Haarlem Lake from the east. Haarlem was able to become wealthy with toll revenues that it collected from ships and travellers moving on this busy North-South route. However, as shipping became increasingly important economically, the city of Amsterdam became the main Dutch city of North Holland during the Dutch Golden Age. The town of Halfweg became a suburb, and Haarlem became a quiet bedroom community, and for this reason, Haarlem still has many of its central medieval buildings intact. Today many of them are on the Dutch Heritage register known as Rijksmonuments. Haarlem is just a short train journey from Amsterdam.
Delft, just an hour by train from Amsterdam, is a city that positively exudes old Dutch charm. Synonymous with the "Delft Blue" porcelain that's beloved worldwide, Delft also boasts painter Jan Vermeer as its native son, as well as some of The Netherlands' most iconic places: from the spacious square in the shadow of the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), to the five majestic spires of the Oude Kerk (Old Church).
Zaanse Schans
With its traditional green painted houses, warehouses and windmills the Zaanse Schans gives the feeling of having stepped back into the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. However this is not an open air museum but a colourful living and working neighbourhood. Most of the buildings were re-located from other areas in the Zaanstreek in the 1960's and 70's as owing to urban development they were under threat of obliteration.
The Zaanse Schans offers a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape as it was before and after the industrial revolution.
A visit to a working industrial windmill is a unique experience. Paint mill De Kat and oil mill De Zoeker are open daily from March to October. From November to February most of the windmills at the Zaanse Schans are only open at the weekends. The Jonge Schaap is open all year.
The Zaanse Schans has a number of fascinating museums to tempt the visitor. The Zaans Musuem has a large collection of interesting artefacts and presents a variety of changing exhibitions. The museum combines a complete picture of the history of the area with an impressive view over the local landscape.
The smaller, specialized museums such as the first Albert Heijn Grocery shop, the Bakery Museum 'In de Gecroonde Duyvekater', The Dutch Clock Museum, The Noorderhuis Costume Museum are all situated at the Zaanse Schans in listed buildings bringing the history of this oldest industrial area to life.
Traditional Dutch Crafts
There is no entrance fee for visiting the traditional Dutch workshops such as the Wooden Shoe Workshop, the Pewter Foundry and the Cheese Farm at the Zaanse Schans. Opening times may vary, but generally they are open daily throughout the year.
River Cruises
The most enjoyable way to see the surrounding area is from the water. From April to October river cruises are available along the river Zaan not only for a splendid view of the Zaanse Schans, but also for a more detailed examination of the traditional and picturesque Dutch houses, windmills and other interesting sights along the way.


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text: Share: Comments Print September 20, 2013 at 8:33 AM Friday links: Giacomini keeps his cool Posted by Bob Condotta We'll start the links today with Jayson Jenks' story on Breno Giacomini, who a year after falling victim too often to committing personal fouls is this year drawing them, instead. As Jenks writes: The net result: In two games, Giacomini has goaded two opponents into 15-yard personal-foul penalties while he has yet to pick one up. In other news. … — Here is our stat geek feature for the week; — Really good stuff from Greg Bedard measuring the effectiveness of NFL pass rushes, and showing that both the Seahawks and 49ers got a lot of pressure on the QB last week; — Some predictions from ESPN.com; — More on what Russell Wilson had to say yesterday from Seahawks.com; — Here's a preview of the game from NFL.com; — CBSSports.com says take the Seahawks if you are in a Survivor pool; — The spread on VegasInsider.com appears to be settling at 19.5; — A columnist for SCNow.com says football games are supposed to be loud; — Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has raised some hackles in Cleveland by saying that the Browns shouldn't have made the Trent Richardson trade; — The Jaguars say anything can happen Sunday; — Jacksonville.com notes the Jags have never been a bigger underdog; — The status of Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew remains up in the air; — A Jacksonville view of the job Gus Bradley did putting together the Seattle defense; — A Jacksonville fan site looks at who needs to step up for the Jaguars; — Jacksonville WR Cecil Shorts is preparing to face the tough Seattle secondary; — SportsChatPlace says to take the Jags and the points; — NFL.com with what to watch in week three. Comments


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Anthony Bertoli
Hey there my name is Anthony and I grew up here in wonderful Las Vegas. I've been dancing for about seven years and teaching dance for five. My mother forced me to go to dance classes during my first year of classes but I soon developed a passion for it and soon my first studio became my home away from home. I started out with the Standard and Latin dances then moved to smooth and rhythm later in my dancing. I enjoy teaching all levels of students but especially students that are new to ballroom dance, I really love the journey that students take from feeling like they have two left feet to becoming strong confident dancers. I hope to see you on the dance floor. ~ Anthony B.


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A strand DNA can store upto 2.2 petabytes of data
Roshan Ashraf Shaikh / 7 years ago
Researchers from the European Bioinformatics institute were able to encode 154 Shakespeare sonnets and Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech in a single strand of DNA. This came to a total of 739KB but the researchers are confident that it can hold 2.2 petabytes of information.
It is also noted in a report that DNA has a capacity for high-density storage for information, as well as encoding and the ability to preserve data for a very long time.
The procedure however is expensive. A DNA manipulation method to hold per GB of data costs around $12,400 per MB. We'll have to wait till this becomes feasible. They've also noted that embedding information on a strand of DNA takes a lot more time than it needs to be calculated in months rather than seconds.
Via: Gizmodo


text: Sydney-based photographer John Fick lives, eats and breathes light. If there's one thing you'll discover after attending one of his basic photography weekend workshops, it's that good lighting trumps a good location everytime. MICHELLE BALTAZAR writes. Only a month ago John Fick was working a dream job as a senior graphic designer for a top IT firm while spending some weekends as a sought-after wedding photographer. But having juggled both passions for at least a decade, John told friends and family a couple of weeks ago that he quit his day job, starting a new chapter in his life as a full-time professional photographer. Sydney-based photographer John Fick likes to crack jokes while teaching the techniques behind a good shot Sydney-based photographer John Fick likes to crack jokes while teaching the techniques behind a good shot. His boundless energy for photography was evident in the weekend workshop he held on July 17 at his residence in Stanhope Gardens. I signed up with the aim of at least learning what "aperture" meant but left knowing a lot more, including the language of light. "You can have the best view in the world but if the lighting is bad, the photo will look flat," he said. "I can shoot a hallway full of garbage and make it beautiful. How? Good light." Over two days John described light as if it were a woman, or like a lover spurned one day then adored the next. If light wasn't warm, luxurious or natural, it was flat, harsh or artificial. Take, for instance, the time John points to a ray of light falling on just the right spot for a shot. "This is my light. Pook, pook, pook [he said, mimicking the sound of a camera clicking away]. It's beautiful light. Very honest light." John moved around with a photographic sixth sense. Like a metal detector that knows exactly where a gold nugget is, John knows where to place his subject to capture catchlights – those round specks of light on the eyes that can transform an ordinary shot into something extraordinary. Day One: See the Light Who's behind the camera? Course students capture the perfect shot of a model jumping mid-air. Around a dozen eager shutterbugs, aged 16 to 40-plus, trekked their way to John's house for the weekend. John started his workshop at 9am, which didn't feel right for a Saturday morning but I guess that's the first test: turn up early. But once he opened the door, I knew I made the right choice. On the dining table was a collection of camera lenses that he invited us to check out and play around with. On the walls are picture frames and around the house are bric-a-brac, probably gifts from friends or things collected from their travels, all of which gave his place a warm and friendly vibe. We all opened our little notebooks and wrote down what John told us about the art and science of photography. Our homework was to bring five photos and, in front of everyone, on a big screen, he looked at each of them. To have someone critique your photos in front of strangers would have been a scary prospect but John handled it very well – giving us pointers on what's good about the photos and what can be improved without tearing our fragile hearts into shreds. You could call it constructive criticism except it didn't even feel like he's judging our photos. Next up was a showcase of his work to bring home his key message: yes, it's all about the light. John said he used to be a purist ("I am in love with natural light"), meaning he doesn't like using artificial light like the flash except when he's doing studio work. But having been a photographer for at least a decade, he said he's learnt to compromise and use technology when needed. "Although I don't use reflectors. They're for amateurs. I'm really comfortable with using natural light," he said. After sitting through a basic course on the different types of light ("that's warm light, that's crispy light, that's harsh light…"), John took us on a field trip, teaching us how to find lighting that will "make our pictures pop". John Fick takes a photo of model Isha to show how to take shots when there's "spotty light". By the end of the day, John has completely changed my views about what makes a good photo. And after all those years of not knowing, do I now know when photos are overexposed, underexposed and how to fix them? Yes! Mission accomplished. Day 2: From automatic to manual Day Two started the same time as Day One: way too early! But fortune not only favours the brave, it also favours those who can set their alarm at 6am. One member of the group did beat me to it when she came knocking while John was still asleep. He jokes, "You know how the early bird catches the worm. You're not the bird, you're the worm!" It was classic Fick to slide in a joke here and there while he taught us the mechanics of photography. In what I could only describe as a miracle, John explained the concepts of depth of field, ISO and shutter speed in a way that made sense. "You don't have to learn all the complicated stuff. Everything can be simplified." With the technical lesson out of the way and a hearty lunch of adobo and rice (and Filipino sweet desserts) in our tummies, John took us to our second and final field trip, this time at a park on Brickworks Drive near Parramatta. For the rest of the afternoon, John taught us how to combine the principles of good lighting with the principles of good composition. He also encouraged us to engage our subject (the models he invited to the workshop) by talking more to them. He told us to experiment with location and the different poses that the model should do for each shot. By 5pm it was time to pack up so we finished the workshop with some training on how to take good shots of people in motion, like when they're walking or jumping. My uncropped, unphotoshopped, totally untouched picture of Isha, one of the models. The verdict John Fick's basic photography workshop gets a 10 out of 10. He managed to combine theory and practice in such a way that we all learnt the techniques of the trade and tested them out on the field. The added bonus was his brief presentation on digital workflow and post-production where he explained how to save photos and use the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom program to enhance images. His advice is to "practice, practice, practice". The popularity of the digital camera means many people take an endless number of shots then discover a great shot only after the event. "If you take the photos right the first time, you experience the moment as it happens, and that's what photography is about, it's about being in the moment." ### John is holding a one-day intensive photography workshop in Sydney on August 8. For more info, see www.johnfick.com or email him on email@example.com Comments(1) Eugene Menguito Hi John, I'm Eugene. The Filipino catholic prayer group I belong to will be sponsoring a Grand Feast this coming Wednesday, July 1st 2015 in Blacktown. I know it's too close already but we are looking for a photographer for the event and wish to acquire your services. Please let me know how best I may contact you. Thank you and regards. Leave a Comment Word Count: 0 Comment


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An Epiphany House Blessing
"Chalking the door" is a way to celebrate and literally mark the occasion of the Epiphany and God's blessing of our lives and home. With time the chalk will fade. As it does we let the meaning of the symbols written sink into the depths of our heart and be manifest in our words and actions the Latin words, Christus mansionem benedictat, "May Christ bless the house."


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MoGraph Resources
Over the years I found some good resources online for various things that can be helpful as a motion graphics designer. One of the most common things I search for are textures and it's always handy to know a website that offers images you can use for your commercial projects. Here is a list of website I know that are offering free or cheap resources for your everyday design work. I would love to see this list grow over time so please feel free to send in any sites you're using: firstname.lastname@example.com
Disclaimer: Please check the license on everything you're using. Not everything is free for personal and commercial use. I am not responsible for illegally used resources and be aware that a license can be changed by the license holder. If you have doubt please contact the responsible website and ask or don't use it at all.
cgtextures.com Probably the most popular texture site out there. Great pictures organised in Categories. Some are tiled, huge or come in a set. Sign up for 15MB free per day.
texturelib.com Another website with high resolution textures. You only get one free per day.
openfootage.net Textures, Clouds, HDRI Panoramas and time-lapse footage.
creativebloq.com 40 Free textures
abduzeedo.com Free texture packs on abduzeedo.com The textures are coming from different sources so check the license for every image.
textureking.com Quite a lot of textures in different categories. Thanks to twistedpoly for the tip.
dafont.com Great font website. Watch out for the comment on the right side if its free for commercial use.
fontsquirrel.com A really good site to find high quality, commercial-use free fonts.
fontspace.com Another website for fonts. Check out the comment below the font if you're able to use it commercially.
fontscafe.com Free fonts from Fontcafe.
behance.net Free fonts on Behance. Please check if they are free to use on commercial projects.
3D models:
thepixellab.net: The Pixel Lab not only has some nice model packs for cheap, they also have some C4D freebies
viz-people.com: Recently discovered. Some 3D models, people & kids cutouts & Sky backgrounds
c4d.visibli.com: Free Cinema 4d models,Scripts, Textures and tutorials Please check the rights on every item you're downloading and make sure you're allowed to use it in your commercial project.
turbosquid.com: You can find some free 3D models here.
Plug ins:
c4dtools.net: Cinema 4D plug ins. Some of these scripts & Plugins are for free, some of them are really cheap and helpful.
nitro4d.com: Quite a lot of freebies, donationware and tutorials. Definitely worth checking out.
AE Scripts: Largest community around After Effect scripts and plug ins.


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Phytoceane has launched two new products and to celebrate, you'll receive 25% off when you purchase both the Bora-Bora Body Moisturizer and the Body Scrub with Bora-Bora sand.
Through August or while supplies last!
Enter: BORABORA at checkout to receive discount.
Experience an exotic escape to a faraway beach with the ultra-moisturizing Bora-Bora body scrub & lotion.
Key ingredients in the lotion:
JANIA RUBENS: ultra moisturizing and remineralizing
TIARE FLOWER: softening, improves the skin quality
SHEA BUTTER: nourishing, repairing and softening
Apply body lotion daily to entire body.
Key ingredients in the scrub:
JANIA RUBENS : ultra-moisturizing, remineralizing
BORA-BORA SAND: mechanical exfoliant
Apply scrub once or twice a week to dry or wet skin using circular movements. Exfoliate entire body, paying special attention to rough areas. Rinse.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
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Clueless White Boys, the Confederate Flag, and Race
"If I can take an action that affects you, you have to think about what I will do and enter into my mind, but if nothing you do affects me, then I don't have to think about you at all. I am clueless about you because I do not have to spend any time thinking about you; it does not even occur to me that you can do anything to hurt or help me, and my cluelessness is a statement that my status in this sense superior. . . . Another explanation for cluelessness is empathy prevention: if you start thinking about another person's goals and thoughts, you might start to care about them."*
At the University where I teach there was an unpleasant incident last week in which a resident of a fraternity displayed a confederate flag in his window. Members of the Douglass Leadership House (which happens to be on the fraternity quad) took offense and spoke out in a frank but, I think, reasonable manner. (Full disclosure: I am faculty adviser to the DLH students.) In the subsequent exchange on Facebook some students sought to defend displaying the flag as simply a symbol of southern culture, denying that - past or present - it has any racist connotations. Others dropped the pretense and engaged in truly outrageous statements expressing nostalgia for the days of slavery. And, of course, everyone invoked free speech. But, of course, the students in DLH simply spoke back.
This episode plays out in different ways in other contexts. I snapped the photo above with my iPhone while driving in our small western NY town this afternoon. Two young men were cruising in their pickup. And, of course, there was the rebel display at the White House last week (see here and here). Of course, there is no racism on display in any of that - at least as long as white boys get to define what falls into that category.
I see two possible explanations for the behavior of young white men displaying the confederate flag. Some may actually be racist. Saying so typically elicits howls of protest from those so described. Others, though, may just be clueless. It is in no way obvious that the latter possibility is any less objectionable than the former.
* Michael Suk-Young Chwe. 2013. Jane Austen, Game Theorist. Princeton University Press, page 222, 224.
Labels: cluelessness, History, race


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Students at Osceola High School had the opportunity to break a variety of rules for a price last week as part of the student council's efforts to raise money for the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center.
A lot of rules were broken and a lot of money collected. The council netted $1,162. The money will be combined with other donations from schools in the Central Florida area to contribute to the center, which has a branch in Winter Park and Fort Lauderdale. The center is a clearinghouse of information on the problem and prevention of missing children.
The students bought tickets for each rule broken, which included wearing shorts, eating in class, sleeping in class, listening to a radio or wearing hats and sunglasses.


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tofu benedict
Am I going to seem like a creepy obsessed super fan 😁 if I start talking about 💀 The Walking Dead 💀 again?? Well, if I do, it's because I am! And I got no shame in my game. So last Sunday night, when I was watching 📺 the mid-season 6 premiere of the show, I got a little emotional over the "W" man scene in the episode. It was really the first time in the show where we got an emotional connection to a supporting role villain 👿 through a main character's storyline. And just when we wanted to hate this villain the most, he risked his own life to save the life of one of the good guys (who he had just minutes before taken captive). And in case we thought there were selfish motivations behind his actions, moments later, after he is shot several times in the gut, instead of falling to his death, he selflessly makes one final heroic move to grab a walker 💀 and allow his prisoner to make a run to safety 👼. Given the overall intensity of this episode, I got a little emotional during this scene (and pretty much every other one, to be honest 😩) and was beyond excited, maybe even relieved, when the actor who plays the "W" man, Benedict Samuels, appeared on The Talking Dead. 🙌
Ok, now I know what you're thinking… And I promise you this isn't just some creepy tribute to Benedict Samuels… The creepy tribute was last week, remember? When I made pizza in honor of Glenn. But this time around, there's really no deeper meaning to this recipe… I just heard the name Benedict and starting thinking about Eggs Benedict and got a craving. The funny thing about it is that whenever I used to order Eggs Benedict, I would always take off the Canadian bacon that comes on it and I've never really been a fan of poached eggs. It was all about the bread and that sauce… That rich, creamy, slightly salty and tangy sauce slathered all over a crispy, pillowy English muffin. So the next morning, I hightailed it over to the grocery store to pick up some English muffins and make myself my own version of a Benedict. Instead of using raw eggs for the hollandaise sauce, I used some avocado and olive oil to achieve that same rich creamy texture. Add some lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and you've got that salty tang. A heaping tablespoonful on top of some perfectly grilled tender tofu, a slice of fresh tomato, and some peppery arugula all on top of a soft, but crunchy English muffin… Might just be my new favorite breakfast! 🙌
And it goes soooooo so well with a side of crispy home fries. You can find a recipe for those here.
|Prep Time
|Cook Time
|Total Time
|5 mins.
|10 mins.
|15 mins.
- 2 English Muffins
- 1 14 oz. package firm tofu
- 1 avocado
- Juice of one large lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for grilling
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
- Handful of arugula
- A sprig of fresh thyme, optional
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.
- Using a tofu press (or other method, see below), drain tofu of excess water. Once drained, butterfly tofu, and cut each tofu filet in half. Pat each side of each piece with a paper towel, then brush each side with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Grill tofu for approximately ten minutes (5 minutes on each side, flipping only once during cook time) until nice grill marks are achieved.
- Cut English muffins in half and toast until tops are golden brown and crispy.
- Place ½ an avocado, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Remove English muffins from the toaster oven and top each with a spoonful of the remaining ½ of the avocado. Mash with a fork. Top each with arugula, a slice of tomato, a piece of tofu, a heaping tablespoonful of the avocado hollandaise and a garnish of fresh thyme, if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!


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Opting for a pain less delivery is entirely a couples choice. Epidural anesthesia allows mother to have vaginal delivery without the fear of pain. Most women prefer to opt for painless delivery. The decision can also be taken when the lady goes into labour. As soon as the decision is taken, the procedure to induce the epidural takes not more than half an hour. It takes just 15 minutes to act and reduce your pain.
The advantages of epidural anesthesia include almost complete relief from labour pain, in a conscious, oriented and mobile patient. It reduces anxiety and irritability caused due to labour pain as a result of which patient cooperation during labour and delivery is better. Hence the choice of epidural makes the mother an active participant in the labour process. It also makes it easier to carry out instrumental delivery and stitch the episiotomy in a painless manner. Epidural also helps you deal with exhaustion, irritability and fatigue.
Opting for painless delivery marginally increases the cost in comparison to vaginal delivery, but the benefits and comfort outweigh the increase in cost. This is a procedure that is highlighly recommended for patients :
Epidural anesthesia is over all safe. It is a approved method accredited by reputed obstetrics and gynecologists. However the common side effects include failure of the procedure to give pain relief, low blood pressure and headache. Your anesthetist shall be able to provide more information and advice about the complications and risks before deciding on epidural. Epidural is recommended for patients:
However it should not be opted by patients:
It has been understood that labour pain is the intense during birthing and the intensity of pain and the sensitivity differs from person to person. Modern medicine has now come up with a method through which omen can become an active participant during birthing and helps women relive pain during labour. Just like any operation, the same also involves the use anesthesia- Epidural anesthesia. This allows mothers to have a pain less delivery in a natural way. It involves placement of a very fine tube through an injection in the lower back. Drug can be injected at regular intervals through this arrangement. The mother who is in labor can be made to feel comfortable, thereby giving her the experience of a pain less delivery. Epidural also helps you deal with exhaustion, irritability and fatigue.
Has excellent experience and home like stay. Very cooperative staff nurses. Everyone including doctors, sisters & housekeeping staff provides their precious services. Unforgettable moments of my life. Special thanks to Dr. Ruchi, Dr. Sonia, Kritika, Rekha, Pooja & Monica. Thanks for giving Gem of my life.
I am very impressed with all the facilities given by the hospital. All the doctors, nursing staff and housekeeping is also good. I would recommend this to my other family members.
Overall I am pleased with the services. Appreciate the efforts and dedication of overall staff. Would like to highlight certain names below for their exceptional services towards the patient, relatives and the infant.
Hospital administrator and staff is very good. My experience with Miss Rajni and Ms. Monica is very satisfied. They both take care of me in good manner.
Nurses and staff is very co-operative and adjustable and caring. Doctors are very caring and concerned and track patients with all smiles. Overall experience is awesome and very good.
I am very much happy with all services you provided. All staff members are very much supportive. We like their kind behaviour. Thank you to all of you for your kind service.
Just wanna say, big thanks to each and everyone, doctors and their staff. Brought my baby here in a worse condition, but they made us feel so comfortable and such a polite behavior. Treated the kid, like their own child. Thanks each and everyone.
Over all experience in the hospital before, during and after delivery was great. Staff has cooperated very well. Right from nurses to housekeeping behaviour was great and they treated the mother and child like family. Last but not least infact above all "hat's off to Dr. Shilva" and special thanks to Dr. Krishan and all doctors involved in the process.
Dear Team Paras Bliss, We don't have words to express our gratitude but thanks a ton for making one of the most precious moments of our lives so beautiful and memorable.
-Lots of love, Dr. Awnindra, Dr Beena and Omisha"
Dear Team Paras Bliss, Thank you for a blissful experience. God Bless.
-Inderjeet, Gaganpreet and Ranbir"
Thanks to Paras Bliss, Panchkula for giving us excellent services. Special Thanks to Dr. Shilva for special care and personal focus. At last Thanks to all nurses staff, housekeeping, canteen services persons and all who were involved directly or indirectly to support us.
Neat and clean hospital with satisfactory treatment for my patient and baby. I really appreciate team of doctors, anesthetists, support teams and other related people for tackling critical case of my wife. Highly recommended if you are looking for better and high quality services for your baby and wife.
Experience with everyone in the hospital was awesome. I want to convey my best wishes and thanks to everyone involved (Staff), for making it a lifetime experience. Having a baby itself is an experience for life but, the kind of support and care I got from hospital was exceptional!
My baby was a low weight & needed special attention so baby was brought to Paras Bliss Hospital under the care of Dr. Krishan Yadav and from the day I felt comfortable to leave the baby in hospital under his care. Initially my family members worried about the baby but very happy to see the care given to baby during his stay at Paras Bliss Hospital.
Hospital is clean and staff behaviour is excellent. Nursing staff is highly cooperative. Doctors , Hospital Facilities in the hospital are exceptional.
Facilities in the hospital are really good. The hospital had excellent cleanliness. We are grateful to the doctors and staff for the constant support and information given to us time to time. This hospital has fulfilled our expectations to the fullest.
"We are really happy with the care we have received. It was just a home away from home."
Thank you PARAS for such an exceptional experience and genuine care!
I came here in an emergency. The hospital staff was quiet helpful. All the nurses especially Ms. Ritu, (OT nurse) helped me to settle down. Everything went fine. I am totally satisfied by the services. Glad I choose Paras Bliss. Thanks for the help and support.
We were fortunate to have our baby delivered at Paras Bliss, Gurgaon. The entire process was seamless and we met with thorough professionals, who tend to us with utmost warmth and care. The staff went out of the way to make our stay comfortable. The staff was methodical in the approach and I wish them good luck for future.
Really nice & favourable environment in this wonderful institute. The best guidance was provided to me by the labour room staff. The training given during the antenatal class also proved to be of great help. Thanks to all.
My experience with Paras Bliss is fabulous. Everything is so perfect and excellent. The entire staff is so supportive. Doctors are really excellent here. I would like to recommend Paras Bliss to everyone.
Paras Bliss made my journey of motherhood a joyful. I appreciate the care and concern showed by doctors and nurses. I really treasure the overall services that are provided by hospital that has made my experience wonderful.
We like the facility given by the Paras Bliss Hospital and I like all the staff so much but one of the best staff member who was very supporting and very hard working as per my point of view is Vandana as she is very caring lady.
Outstanding services and hospitality. Dr Manoj Sharma has given a very good medical reference and treatment . We are very satisfied with overall performance.


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engaging populations with community-based participatory methodology
reporting in from the ACMG educational conference here in albuquerque, new mexico, i am particularly impressed by the conference organizers in bringing in a lot of local flavor into the meeting, and raising some important cultural issues and HBHE/public-health methodology! in particular, two entire sessions devoted to issues surrounding genetics research, engaging subject populations, provision of services, and perspectives of native americans.
in particular there was a session focused on native american perspectives of genetics and genetic research. of note, we heard from Johnson Dennison, a "medicine man" with the indian health services describe the side-by-side nature of traditional and western thoughts of care, and from two parents of children with disabilities/genetic conditions, speaking on behalf of their experiences as parents and advocates finding information about conditions and trying to bring together their separate beliefs of traditional healing and western medicine – something i've often though about personally with alternative/eastern medicine.
a separate session focused on Navajos and genetic disease. what particularly struck me was a talk by Murray Brilliant from the Marshfield Clinic, speaking about ways in which his group has been able to engage Navajos in genetics education to provide open forum for discussion of genetics and issues surrounding research.
of particular note was his experiences of being effective at engaging the Navajo peoples and getting their input and investment into the research. historically, incidences of studying diabetes in the Hopi and having zero benefit to the study population, or inappropriately using DNA from the Havasupai people, have created alarm in individuals when approached to be subjects of genetics research.
an interesting point is the Navajo Nation moratorium on genetic research that has existed since 2002, which i don't plan on commenting on here, but is an important point of consideration for approaching local attitudes
Mr. Brilliant's ultimate point was engaging the communities, finding community leaders and stakeholders to invest in the genetics education, creating true partnerships rather than only creating rewards for researchers, collaboratively planning, and ultimately, listening to the study populations.
this sounds a whole lot like CBPR (community-based participatory research) methods that i've heard so much about from my health behavior/health education training. in fact – this could truly be something that has yet to be thoroughly explored – using CBPR methods to garner trust and benefit the subject populations of genetic research.
in the past, perhaps identification of novel disease genes could have been seen as a "benefit" to populations. even learning more about ancestry in our american-minded culture is like a benefit. but one point that Mr. Brilliant made was with the Havasupai – whose cultural beliefs assert that they arose from the grand canyon area, when ancestry genetic studies report an asian origin. granted those ancestry studies were likely performed without direct consent for those studies, who are researchers really to publish/benefit from these studies when they may be in stark contrast from the interests of the subject population?
thus, engaging subject populations in manners that are respectful of their desires and needs may be the best way to address genetic studies.
what about genetic counseling research, or in clinical settings? perhaps many similar efforts could be used as well, even in acute settings. a poignant comment that one of the parent advocates that spoke about her perspective with a family with multiple disabilities and conditions, a genetic counselor's enthusiasm to draw blood for clinical testing – may come as a shock to people that view their blood, their genetic information, their human blueprint as something they own and don't want to give up. so even when pursuing genetic testing, exploring that option with clients, it would be very important to be clear what exactly the benefits are with the client, and to assess whether or not those benefits are perceived as benefits.
finding the guys in genetic counseling
given that i get a few hits every week or so from individuals searching for "male genetic counselors" or something or other, i thought it'd be an appropriate time to speak a bit more about how i've gone about getting where i am in my understanding of men in the genetic counseling field. i've had a few posts in the past that have addressed some of the important issues, but how did i go about absolving the myth that male genetic counselors are inept at the counseling side of GC? with experience of course!
those experiences started with my first year in my program. UofM allows its students to elect a summer rotation of their choice. my first thought that I ended up sticking with was finding a location, a clinical rotation, where I'd be able to work with a male genetic counselor and get some experience seeing how he would work. given that ann arbor didn't have any genetic counselor men locally, i started with speaking to my directors and seeing who they knew, or who had been an alum of the program (UofM hasn't had a guy since the early 90s…).
another step I took was to look at who was credentialed, holding the CGC desgination. these people were more likely to be practicing, vs. working in a non-clinical job (so i thought). i browsed through all the pages of ABGC diplomates, and then google'd any male-gendered names i saw to see where they worked, if it was clinical, if it was in a location in the country i wanted to travel to, etc. yes, i browsed through all 2500+ names looking and discerning for male-gendered first names. quite a task 😛
i ended up deciding on two locations that had a cancer focus, since i also had a particular interest in pursuing a fun, interesting, and involved cancer GC rotation. sent a few emails, got back a very welcome response and a second, polite decline (that was primarily due to the medical institution not being very appropriate to students), and i was set!
as the counselor who was my student liason first impressed on me (in our very first email exchange), it's important to know that you can learn a whole lot from the counselors who are women that work there as well… and that basically sums it all up. it's nice to work with another genetic counselor who's a man, but when it comes down to learning the skills of GC, whoever it is that's a good counselor will teach you tons and tons. some of my best counseling and career advice have come from those individuals at that rotation, so I absolutely lucked out (and made some great friends & professional relationships in the process!)
anyway, that's been my experience. going to NSGC AEC is also an awesome way to scope out who's a guy (it's way easy, believe me, although i'm sure you don't need to be convinced). there might even be guys that will address the topic too! (prominent example being Jeff Kopesky's graduate research study and presentation at this year's AEC on undergrad guys/girls in upper-level biology courses and their interest/knowledge of the genetic counseling field!)
not to mention, a lot of the training programs have at least a token guy (if not more!) maybe that's a good place to start too. obviously, the bigger the program, or the bigger the city, the more likely there is to be a genetic counselor dude around, but, alas. hopefully this is can help someone out there.
analogies for genetics
i always get excited when i hear exciting analogies about genetics. they make explaining genetics in counseling sessions (or in other settings) so much easier. yeah, sure, there's the ones i'm familiar with:
genes are like a recipe
chromosomes are like a library with the books as genes
autosomal recessive is like two lightbulbs in a hallway
dominant is like two wheels on a bike
translocations are like switching caps on pens
(credits to my instructors and classmates)
but hearing new and exciting ones about commonly discussed topics make my stomach flutter, such as the following quote from Kelly Ormond in a recent ACP Internist blog post by Jessica Berthold about "A brave new world of consumer gene tests" (link below):
Unlike conditions such as Huntington's Disease, which a person will definitely get if she has a simple genetic mutation and lives long enough, complex conditions like heart disease are usually affected by many genes. And some are more important than others, said Kelly Ormond, program director for Stanford University's Master's Program in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling, and a consultant for consumer genetic testing company Navigenics.
"For common medical conditions, I imagine genes as rocks in a glass. Some are really big rocks, and some are really little. And if you get to a certain point, that glass is going to fill up and push you over the threshold for the condition. Maybe you have two big genes that bring you to the threshold; maybe it's 10 smaller ones," Ms. Ormond said. "And maybe it also takes environmental impacts on top of those genes to cause you to develop a condition."
rocks in a glass huh. simple and elegant, something easily visually imaginable, or for those who just like the visual part, easily recreated in a genetic counseling session..
original article:
sorry about the comments!
so i've been judiciously ignoring the "spam" comments i get. turns out over half of them are legit, so if it looks like i haven't been approving your comments, it's not because i have a deep-seeded grduge on you from a past life.. it's cause wordpress thinks it's spam. no harsh feelings, right?
Dr. Tiller and his critics
the news of Dr. George Tiller's murder is absolutely chilling. all the commentary out there, while completely respectful, still sends shivers down my spine and I have trouble acknowledging the extremes that some individuals go to in trying to make a point. it is reassuring to hear the very vocal condemnations of this event. although, statements like the following perhaps shouldn't be quite so defensive in a time where individuals may need the space to absorb the facts:
Kansas Coalition for Life
The Kansas Coalition for Life Unequivocally Condemns the Shooting of Abortionist George Tiller.
Although at the time of this writing, it is not known who killed Abortionist Tiller, we do know for certain that this crime was NOT the work of any true proLife person. A true proLife person respects human life as a gift from God, and leaves all life and death decisions to God Himself.
This killing — if it is in any way connected to a genuine proLife group, has the potential to set back the proLife movement by 20 years or more.
The Kansas Coalition for Life asks all reporters and commentators to make a clear distinction between lawless thugs who act on their own accord, and the good proLife people who obey the law, seeking a change in abortion laws via peaceful means and the legislative process.
It is completely misleading, for the media to imply, in any way that this is the work of the proLife movement. We urge the media to report responsibly and truthfully in this regard.
KCFL would have much preferred that Abortionist Tiller follow the footsteps of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a former abortionist who is now one of America's most prominent and effective proLife leaders.
In 1993 Shelly Shannon, who had no connection whatsoever to any proLife organization, brought shame on all proLife groups by her stupid action, when she attempted to kill abortionist Tiller as he entered his abortion facility on East Kellogg Drive at Bleckley Street in Wichita.
Tiller's death comes at a time when all recent polling data shows that the peaceful proLife message has the support of a majority of American voters. We hope this terrible news does not hurt the steady progress that the proLife movement has made by peaceful legal means over the years.
so i learned today that i was included in the graduating class' picture postcard/brunch invite. they have my name down with (honorary) next to it… the rationale was that there weren't any pictures without me in it. haha. interesting. i don't know though, the pic is maybe a little weird cause i'm pretty front and center with a scarf but just a tshirt. weird. everyone and their mother and their father and their extended family will think i'm weird.
on another note, seminar's over!
presentation of my survey project in the survey class was really great. it was nice finally being able to talk about some concrete things in class for once, and it was certainly encouraging that people found it interesting. here's an image of what part the final survey looked like (including the language i used to describe DS, PS, and prenatal testing)
on this same topic, had a meeting with my first research mentor (peds MD, interested in screening). and i have to say it was very very very good. she was extremely excited for my work and i think our personalities mesh very well, and she had some amazing ideas, letting me step back from what i was doing and see the bigger picture, and see where the direction i really was trying to get at but couldn't articulate. i think i may be going much more hypothetical with my research than the direction i've been going with the AAPI, but it'll certainly be an important thing to consider. i meet with another potential mentor tomorrow (OB/GYN with an MPH?, never met her before), but hopefully she'll get excited too! and then i'll have a real research project and can finally get my grade for research skills from last winter. ha.
so the big news today is really that i finally finished up the big project for my genetics and health bx/health ed class today! i initially wanted to create a patient brochure/slideshow/video of the intricacies and patient concerns regarding SEQureDX and the level of research and levels of detection that the technology can provide. however, i felt a little left out when i couldn't go to ACMG this year in tampa to really hear from Sequenom how exactly the technology works…
SO, ever since i had the cultural competence class in my materials/methods class in HBHE, i've been wanting to develop a new model/tool/activity for addressing cultural "competence" training that we get as GC students. well, i did it! and i incorporated a lot of the techniques i was learning from the public health end of things, including some very participatory research based techniques, to help address the lack of introspection and personal evaluation that was missing from traditional cultural "competence" trainings. again, really working toward cultural humility rather than competence. well, that assignment got turned in for the class, but i also forwarded it to my materials/methods professor to get her opinions as to its feasibility as well as my program director who knew a bit about it already. really, honestly, two birds with one stone.
so tomorrow, i'll be finishing up with my group for materials/methods our print education tool that we've been developing all semester for Active Minds. we'll have the final product hopefully finalized (postcards, posters, and bookmarks) to start a print campaign for this nonprofit org. that's never had a print campaign. it's really exciting, there's nearly 200 chapters where thes items will get distributed.
ah! in the final few days!
a lot has happened in the two months that i've abandoned this.
it really is amazing how serendipitously things in life happen. the hawaii internship turned out.. well, it didn't, but after a lot of negotiating, i am now working with the equivalent group in california (yay for the bay area and home), working with their newborn screening branch. very very health education oriented which is even better for me since throughout this semester, i've really managed to focus my public health interests on the topics of both creating educational materials related to genetics and training professionals to increase their familiarity with genetics/cultural issues in the clinical setting that affects genetic counseling/etc. in addition to this internship, which you'll hear all about throughout the summer if i remember to update, i'll be rotating in the pediatric (+ metabolic?) genetics clinic here for four weeks at the beginning of august, two weeks of which will be supervised only by the medical geneticists that attend the clinic, since the supervising genetic counselor will be away on vacation. that'll be an immense amount of responsibility, but everyone believes i can do it so i do too! this route (as compared to hawaii) has really allowed me to gain leverage and dictate exactly what i want out of my summer, which has really turned out in my favor. apparently i suck at phone interviews.
on the topic of my research. the survey class turned out well. i ended up creating my survey project on the topic of asian american women and their cultural influences on prenatal msAFP screening decisions, as specifically related to their attitudes/behavioral beliefs about outcomes from screening and their perceived behavioral control. the questionnaire, while yes, haphazardly put together since there's not very good research and good survey instruments to use, was an interesting process and the process definitely was what was important for me to understand. i present it to the class tomorrow.
however, having gone through this survey, i'm starting to think i want to take a more qualitative approach to my actual GC research project, and focus on acculturation issues in general on the influence of msAFP screening, not just in asian-americans. having to decide how i was going to get a patient population was really difficult and required a lot of "pretending" on the respondent's part, which as i've been learning, is tough to do because the attitudes are so subjective and dependent upon the situation. also, it's hard to find a good cohort of age-appropriate female asian-americans here at the university of michigan (only 700 female asian american graduate students are here, which is limiting in and of itself, since a lot of them have very very specific backgrounds). i meet with several of my potential research mentors this week and next.
the MI class was great, ended today, and learned a lot of skills and really can see its applicability to genetic counseling. my final presentation can be glimpsed at below. the discrete skills will really be useful in my clinical work later on.
finally turned in the program proposal for the food desert issue in highland park as well. let's just say that was painful and unnecessarily misguided.
which leaves me to my final major task for the semester: finishing up the mtDNA student seminar that was supposed to be presented in february but never managed to make it to completeion….


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The excitement never stops!
Happy July, friends!
It's been quite an eventful month of June at Our Home & Miniature Land, with summer finally making an appearance, we were busy getting things ready in time for Canada's 150th Birthday. Our team worked hard to complete Centre Block and the Peace Tower of Parliament Hill. We have created a time-lapse video of its construction - check it out in our special edition Canada 150th newsletter sent out last week! In addition to the hustle and bustle of building Centre Block, our friends from CTV National News, CTV Toronto and Global National came for a visit to cover our miniature land - see the media page on our website for this exciting coverage. We're now busy building our Ottawa exhibit, and we'll be posting photos of the progress on our social sites and website, so make sure to check back in!
The Birth of a Nation
Some countries are born out of revolutions and acts of violence, not Canada though, our great country was built in a very Canadian fashion, through 'a series of conferences and orderly negotiations'.
An Ode to Canada, in Miniature
Home to the federal government of Canada, Parliament Hill is one of Canada's most recognizable landmarks, and the focal point of Canada Day festivities. So it was a no-brainer to create this majestic ode to Canada in miniature, along with its very own light show!
Meet the Team!
Meet our resident 'Social Butterfly,' Daniella Kozcur. Daniella has been spreading the miniature word since joining the team at Our Home & Miniature Land in October 2016. She creates and curates our online content and manages our social media platforms.


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My name is Matteo Farinella and I am a Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience at Columbia University, where I study the use of comics and other visual narratives in science communication.
After completing a PhD in neuroscience in 2013, I started drawing comics and illustrations about science. I believe that scientific research should be open and accessible and I think visual narratives can play an important role in bridging the gap between academia and the general public.
Both comics about science and empirical research about comics are growing in number, but finding them is not always easy and rarely is one informed by the other. The main goal of this website is to collect this material and provide an entry point for other people interested in this emerging field. Along the way I hope to build an interdisciplinary community of scientists, artists and storytellers, to foster new collaborations and share ideas on how to create effective visual narratives.


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From Charles Dickens to countless modern works, including some of my own stories, orphans are among the most common characters in fiction. I find this especially true in fantasy – so much so that The Orphan might have its own place among the pantheon of other iconic fantasy figures such as The Soldier, The Peasant, The King. But at what point do these figures become bland labels that define the character more than his or her actual traits?
Fantasy, a genre that so often pulls characters from the grab bag of tropes on display in either The Lord of the Rings or Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, has received countless literary complaints over its apparent lack of variety. When a book's first act describes a backwoods young farmer – unwise to the ways of the world (and obviously having some convenient prior experience with weapons via hunting) – I automatically assume that said farmer will be sitting on a throne before the end.
That story's been said, and there's only so many ways he can skin the rabbit. But is The Orphan cut from the same reductive cloth as all the many "occupational-societal" token characters of literature? It needs to be said that any obvious trope can be molded into something new by an inventive author, and that's just part of story-telling since all things have been told. It also helps that The Orphan immediately calls to mind more literary figures than fantasy's peasant farmer or honest mercenary (I'm looking at you, Oliver).
But the orphan-figure also has something that other characters don't as long as he/she isn't a societal metaphor, in which case, not a character at all. First, the orphan is the perfect plot advancing character. Quite literally no strings attached. This sounds reductive also, but it leads to why the orphan is so important…
There is only one story that's ever been told or ever will be told: "Who am I?" The desire in all of us to discover the answer to that is written into our souls, and the orphan is a pure representation of this. All other round characters ask the same based upon a range of plots that change their perspectives or assumptions. Only the orphan asks this question based upon nothing other than the fact that he or she exists.
This grants the writer quite a lot of freedom. The quest is unspoken but in place before the plot really even takes shape. This may sound lazy, but I'd argue otherwise. All of us are orphans in our own way; our desperate search for belonging is our most basic instinct, making it very difficult not to identify or at least sympathize with the orphan character. The Orphan has the capacity to hold our attention because of what he or she is, and that's the purpose of story.
Of course, it's the author's job to make that orphan unique in some way, but the character is already prepped for a transformative journey. The worst, most two-dimensional stories are the one in which the protagonist comes out the same as he/she went in. This is an almost impossible mistake to make with orphan heroes. They either find out where they came from, and we learn how that affects them; or (and maybe more interesting) they don't, and what do they do about or in spite of that?
Now, if we could all avoid the "Luke, I am your father," plot twist, we'd all be happier people, and our orphans will be too. Do that, and readers will undoubtedly feel cheated.


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P5-133XL wrote:The default search uses or not and. If you require the word, you need to preface the word with +
You're suggesting that there are two different defaults. In Advanced Query, the AND box is marked unless you change it to OR.
Search query
(X) Search for all terms or use query as entered
(_) Search for any terms
I need to experiment a bit more.


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We launched an exciting feature today: off blockchain micro-transactions between Coinbase accounts!
Here is a bitcoin transaction I just sent myself for 1 satoshi (that is 0.00000001 Bitcoin).
The transaction:
- arrived instantly
- confirmed instantly
- cost zero in fees
This was possible because it did not touch the "blockchain" (the public ledger of all bitcoin transactions), and instead was sent directly between two Coinbase accounts.
What does this mean?
Bitcoin is an incredibly efficient protocol for moving money with low fees. However, it does have a "miner fee" ($0.05 – $0.01 at current exchange rates) if you want your transaction to be sent and confirmed quickly.
Coinbase pays these fees for our customers (on transactions above a certain amount) so they don't have to worry about adding them, and in general they aren't too much of a hassle (especially compared to fees associated with credit cards or international wire transfers).
But they aren't zero, and there is still one area where these fees can be prohibitive: micro-transactions.
Examples of micro-transactions include:
- songs on iTunes
- in-app or in-game purchases
- tipping or donation services like Flattr and Gittip
- new business models which haven't been invented yet
I tend to consider anything under $1 to be a micro-transaction.
Why are micro-transactions difficult?
I say "new business models which haven't been invented yet" because micro-transactions have been very difficult historically due to the fee structure of credit cards (they have a base fee of roughly 20 cents in addition to the 2-3% fee).
So if you buy a song on iTunes for 99 cents with your credit card, Apple could pay up to 20 cents plus 2.x% (another few cents) in fees – or about a 20% transaction fee! It's frustrating to see so much of your payment go to payment processors instead of the artist (or others in the chain).
There is no reason that a base fee that high needs to exist today. The technology exists to send payments much more efficiently, and it could be eliminated, if it weren't generating so much in profit for payment processors.
And the fees get worse (as a percentage) as the amount you are sending decreases. What if you wanted to send $0.01 or $0.001? There are many business models which are not even feasible today because of the fee structure on credit cards (such as price points under a dollar).
What could micro-transactions be in the future?
Most investors today believe that mobile is the future. Yet in many ways mobile is still looking for a good business model.
Traditional display ads that worked so well on desktop/laptop displays don't have enough screen real estate on mobile devices and haven't worked as well. Paid content (entertainment, games, apps, and in-app purchases) seems to be the business model that will win, but these are almost all micro-transactions with expensive fee structures. This is part of the reason you see such high % fees (in the 30% range) on in app purchases across iOS, Android, Facebook, and other platforms.
Bitcoin has the potential to help this problem by generally lowering fees. But things get really powerful with off blockchain transaction like we launched today, because it literally brings the fees down to zero.
And once you've accumulated at least 0.01 BTC of value, you can send it back on the blockchain (and we'll still gladly pay the miner fee).
Nine out of 15 teams at the Bitcoin Conference hackathon used our API, and built some great apps with it. We're excited to see what the developer community can come up when combining free micro-transactions with our API.
In the future you might be able to:
- Read the rest of a New York Times article for a few cents using BitWall, instead of signing up for a full monthly subscription
- Buy in-game credits without paying 30% in fees to the platform or payment processors
- Pay for wifi internet metered by the minute (or second!) if you just need to check one email
- Support your favorite artists or coders with a tip
- And many more ideas.
We're excited to see what you come up with.


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Switzerland was able between 2008 and 2012 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 9% – slightly above its Kyoto Protocol target of 8%. Despite this, environmental organisation WWF reckons the government is still "flying blind" when it comes to climate politics.
Despite the fact that between 2008 and 2012 the Swiss population grew by 18%, the number of cars on the road grew by 34% and gross national product rose by 36%, per capita greenhouse gas emissions fell from 7.8 to 6.4 tonnes, the Federal Environment Office said on Thursday.
The 13% increase in emissions generated by motor fuel compared with 1990 was compensated for by decreases in other sectors.
Most of the reduction measures were taken within the country in the context of the CO2 Act and included, in particular, the carbon dioxide levy on combustible fuels, the buildings programme and the requirements for passenger vehicle emissions.
Other measures implemented from the 1990s, such as the improvement of energy efficiency, the promotion of public transport, the transfer of freight transport from road to rail, the use of more natural methods in agriculture and the regulation of synthetic gases, also contributed to the reduction of emissions.
The environment office said the purchase of certificates abroad and the carbon dioxide sink effect of the forests had also been taken into account.
'Right road'
For the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, Switzerland has declared a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 20% compared with 1990, to be attained on average between 2013 and 2020.
"The target for 2013-2020 is more ambitious and demands the commitment of all of the sectors involved," said Bruno Oberle, director of the Federal Environment Office.
"Switzerland is on the right road," he said, pointing out that Switzerland's example showed that growth and climate protection were compatible.
"In the international context, it expects the other states to show a similar commitment," he concluded.
'Flying blind'
But environmental organisation WWF wasn't overly impressed, saying the target had only just been met thanks to some "serious embellishment".
Patrick Hofstetter, head of climate and energy at WWF Switzerland, said greenhouse gas emissions had basically stayed the same between 2008 and 2012 instead of significantly going down.
"Only by the massive purchase of pollution rights could the Kyoto targets be just met," he said.
Hofstetter was equally downbeat about the future. "Unfortunately the cabinet still hasn't got a plan for a climate policy that is compatible with the official target of a maximum warming of two degrees Celsius."
The result, in his opinion, is that Switzerland is still "flying blind" concerning climate politics.
swissinfo.ch and agencies


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So excited to do my first solo craft fair at Casco Bay High School in Portland on Saturday. Jon's has been helping with the wood crafts and designing some great new displays. It feels like I've been stitching felted wool around the clock, my poor wrist is aching. I'm ready to give it a break and crack open the acrylics tomorrow. Painting should at least be a different motion looking forward to adding color without a needle and thread. The felted trees are a brand new design, and our favorite. They stand on real branch trunks and are embellished with felt flowers and buttons.
Hoping there will be leftovers for NYA's fair on the 5th, and Bowdoin's Sunsplash festival on the 11th. Please stop by and check out the booth, love to see some friendly faces!


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Senator, activists attack NFL's tax exemption
WASHINGTON — Liberal activists and Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress, have found a common cause: Trying to strip the National Football League and several other professional sports organizations of their exemptions from paying federal taxes.
Rootstrikers, a group working to reduce the role of money in politics, is urging support of a Coburn bill that would bar sports leagues with annual revenue of more than $10 million from claiming tax-exempt status. More than 300,000 people, meanwhile, have signed on to a Change.org petition drive challenging the NFL's tax status.
"Most people don't know they are not-for-profit entities, and when people find out, it strikes them as ridiculous," said Lynda Woolard, a New Orleans community activist who authored the Change.org petition. "We have a corporation running as a non-profit and getting the benefit of a non-profit but not acting in the public good."
The professional sports groups defend their status and note that the exemptions apply only to league offices. The NFL's 32 teams, for instance, pay taxes on their revenues.
Coburn's mission to revoke the leagues' tax status first gained attention last year when he highlighted it in his annual catalog of wasteful spending. Earlier this year, he tried unsuccessfully to attach an amendment on the issue to the Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed the Senate and would expand the collection of states sales taxes. In September, he introduced a standalone bill to remove the exemptions, which the Joint Committee on Taxation said could yield more than $100 million in new tax revenue over a decade.
STORY: Sen. Coburn slams $30 billion in wasteful spending
Coburn's drive has been a lonely one. No other senator has signed on to co-sponsor the bill. He cites the industry's clout on Capitol Hill. The NFL alone has spent more than $5 million on federal lobbying since Jan. 1, 2010, federal records show.
"If you are in a state that has a pro football league or runs a pro golf tournament, the career politicians are afraid to touch it," Coburn said this week, as he unveiled his annual "Wastebook."
"That $100 million that we are giving to that very elite group of people in the front office of these major leagues is money you are paying in taxes to make it up," he said.
NFL officials said the measure isn't gaining much traction on Capitol Hill because it makes no sense to revoke the league's status as a so-called 501(c)(6) organization — the non-profit category that applies to trade groups, real-estate boards and business organizations, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
(A handful of other sports groups, including the PGA Tour, fall into the same category. Major League Baseball Association relinquished its tax exemption in 2007. The league concluded that "there wasn't a business or any other benefit for us to have the exemption," said MLB spokesman Matt Bourne.)
The tax exemption applies only to the NFL's league office, which schedules games, writes the rules that govern the estimated $9 billion-a-year league, runs the college draft and pays salaries of game officials and front-office executives — including Commissioner Roger Goodell. His compensation was pegged at $29.4 million annually in 2011, according to the league's most recent tax return available on GuideStar.org.
About $250 million a year flow into the league's offices — in the form of dues from franchises — and they flow right back out in expenses, said Jeremy Spector, the NFL's outside tax counsel.
"None of those things make (the NFL) money," Spector said. "The tax exemption shields zero dollars of revenue.
"Congress has made the decision that trade associations shouldn't be taxed, and the NFL falls within that provision," he said. "It doesn't seem right to tell this one trade association that it shouldn't be exempt (from taxes) when every other trade association is exempt."
The outside activists who have latched on to the issue say they are trying to make a point.
The tax exemption underscores the "enormous and disproportionate influence that NFL owners and people related to that industry have on the political system," said Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard Law School professor who co-founded Rootstrikers.
A recent analysis by the non-profit Sunlight Foundation found that NFL players, owners and staffs donated $1.5 million to federal campaigns in the 2012 election, with Republicans getting nearly three times as much from people affiliated with the NFL as Democrats did.
In a separate effort, the Sports Fans Coalition, which bills itself as a sports-focused consumer group, is trying to round up Democratic co-sponsors for Coburn's measure. David Goodfriend, the group's chairman, said the exemption should be stripped or the NFL should grant the public something in return for maintaining the tax status – such as free or discounted tickets to veterans. (The coalition has urged the Federal Communications Commission to scrap its rule allowing the NFL to block local broadcasts of games that don't sell out. On Wednesday, the FCC proposed eliminating the rule.)
Woolard, who runs her family's foundation in New Orleans, is a diehard Saints fan, but says local television blackouts and the 2011 player lockout underscored how little power fans like her have. Instead of boycotting games, she found an outlet for her frustration by launching the petition drive to challenge the league's tax treatment.
She's a committed Democrat who volunteered for both of President Obama's White House campaigns and has very little in common with Coburn. He is one of Congress' biggest fiscal hawks and earned a 92% score from the American Conservative Union last year.
Asked about liberal activists joining his mission, Coburn said: "I'm encouraged by anyone who wants to fix the problems in this country."
Follow @fschouten on Twitter.


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Project Management for Dummies
28 November 2010
Are you new to project management? Want to learn the basics of managing projects? Then read this newsletter about...
Project Management for Dummies
You can manage any type of project, by taking these 5 steps:
Step 1: Set the goals
The 1st step is to gather your team together on site and set the goals. This means stating clearly what they have to achieve, by when and how they are going to do it. At this meeting, you need everyone on board, offering you their full support. Get them pumped and ready for action!
Ask your customer to come to the meeting and explain why the solution that the project will deliver is critical to their business. Get your customer to explain why the timescales are also important and the level of quality that must be achieved. Only with an understanding of the solution, timescale and quality targets will the team fully realise what it is that they have to achieve and be motivated by it.
Tip 2: Plan, plan, plan
The next step is to plan a course of action to achieve your goals. Work with your entire team to identify all of the major tasks that need to be completed. Estimate how long each task will take and create your project schedule. Then assign resource to each task so that everyone in the team knows what has to be done and by when.
Run the plan past your customer to get their feedback. Only with a rock solid plan will the team have clear direction going forward.
Tip 3: Measure, Monitor and Control
Then start measuring progress against your plan and monitoring it weekly to ensure you're always on track.
You also need to control any change requests. This is when someone requests changes to your scope or deliverables. They might be a great idea at the time, but unless they are going to save you time or money, then wherever possible try and park them and move on. Changes to project scope often kill the best laid plans.
Tip 4: Communicate clearly
You know whether you're a head, on track or behind - but do your team? You need to keep them and your customer properly informed, if you want their full buy-in and motivation.
Also, report your project status to your customer weekly. Hold regular project status meetings with your team to keep them informed of progress against the goalposts and what lies ahead.
Tip 5: Work Smart
You have limited time and resources to deliver your project, so you need to work smart. Manage your time carefully. Use "To Do Lists" to prioritise your work. Limit the number of meetings you have and keep telephone calls short. Only work on prioritized tasks. If something arises that is non-critical then keep a record of it and move on.
Work smart by using clever tools. Use project management templates to help you deliver your project.
Free Project Guidebook
Project Templates
- Business Case
- Feasibility Study
- Project Charter
- Job Description
- Project Office
- Project Plan
- Resource Plan
- Financial Plan
- Quality Plan
- Risk Plan
- Communications Plan
- Procurement Plan
- Tender Process
- Statement of Work
- Request for Information
- Request for Proposal
- Supplier Contract
- Time Management
- Timesheet
- Expense Form
- Quality Management
- Quality Review Form
- Change Process
- Change Request Form
- Risk Process
- Risk Form
- Issue Process
- Issue Form
- Procurement Process
- Purchase Order Form
- Communications Process
- Project Status Report
- Project Closure Report
- Post Implementation Review


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Cynthia has done a wonderful job for us in the following job description and intends to stay on as a volunteer, but she wants more time with her family….her other family. She will stay on and train someone, but has indicated that she would like to have this job filled by July.
The best candidate for this position will be a current volunteer who cares more about helping the mission of Big Cat Rescue than the meager income this job provides. The best applicant will be the one who sees this as a life investment and not just as a 9-5 job. Preference will go to the person who best convinces us of why they would be the perfect person for this paid position.
Guest Relations, Gift Shop and Partner Coordinator
1. Manage Gift Shop.
a. POS Point of Sale system management, including creating bar codes and items, deleting discontinued items, ringing up sales, balancing register at the end of each day, running reports, dealing with connectivity and Internet issues, processing credit cards and batches and training Admin Partners in same.
b. All product ordering, dealing with merchants, finding the best deals, budgeting for best return on investment vs. storage capacity and shelf life, knowing what sells, checking each shipment as it arrives for accuracy, tagging it appropriately, entering it into inventory and neatly storing excess.
c. All soft drink and water ordering, dealing with merchants and delivery trucks and keeping the machines fully stocked throughout the day.
d. Inventory maintenance; knowing what we have, where we have it and being able to accurately identify it in the POS system through proper labeling.
e. Keep bathrooms spotless and stocked in the gift shop and at the beach. Keeping the toilets working is essential when we have a lot of guests or a lot of rain.
f. Keep work areas clean, swept, dusted and well organized.
g. Keep all product areas clean, swept, dusted, well organized and properly labeled so that inventory can be maintained accurately.
h. Use best marketing practices, signs, displays, rotating screens and multi media to enhance the sales of gift shop items. Includes having videos playing before and after each tour.
i. Maintains bug spray for guests and a clean waiting area in the back yard for them.
j. Coordinates the recycling and trash removal from gift shop area.
k. Changes A/C filters, air purifier, water purifier filters and keeps bulbs replaced.
l. Manages Petty Cash for paying small ticket items, and submits receipts for reimbursement. Petty Cash receipts must ALWAYS add up to cash expended.
m. Fulfill phone orders and shipping. Apply proper postage to orders and letters. Coordinate with postal employees or Fed Ex. as needed.
2. Guest Relations.
a. Be a happy face to the public.
b. Sign in tour guests and deliver completed forms to proper staff.
c. Answer phone and be able to give detailed information on Big Cat Rescue, tour times and types, directions from everywhere to the sanctuary and be able to take and deliver messages for the rest of the staff and volunteers.
d. Keep guests in gift shop or in back yard waiting area until their tour guide takes over and making sure none wander off.
e. Be able to explain to our guests about our Adoption program, Membership program, Snow Leopard Trust program, Legislative Actions, Weddings, Memorial program, Fur Ball, Volunteer program and a variety of other aspects of the sanctuary.
f. Answer front gate.
g. Send Thank You notes and donation receipts to all donors.
3. Fur Ball.
a. Receive, tag and acknowledge all donations to Fur Ball auctions.
b. Store in a manner as to protect them until the Fur Ball and chart them so that we know what has been donated and where it is when the Fur Ball rolls around.
4. Coordinates Admin or Partner Volunteers.
a. Solicit, coordinate and train Admin / Partner Volunteers to help with all of the assignable duties above while retaining ultimate responsibility for the accurate and proper implementation. Scheduling of these volunteers overlaps with Operations Manager's need of these people for tours and special projects, so the person in this position must be able to work with Operations Manager to best cover the needs of the sanctuary while maintaining harmony in what can be a stressful environment when volunteer staffing is low.
b. Other duties as assigned by the officers and directors of Big Cat Rescue.
40 hours per week on site. Continuing green shirt level volunteering and its minimum requirement would be expected in addition to paid hours, so the candidate needs to understand that there would not be adequate time for a second job and should only take the position if the compensation meets their needs.
I agree to perform the above tasks to the best of my ability in exchange for 18,720.00 annually.
___________________________ _____________________________
This Agreement is between the undersigned individual ("Employee") and Big Cat Rescue Corp. ("BCR").
A. BCR is an educational sanctuary which provides a variety of services to animals, business and industry, private and public institutions, and the general public primarily in the following markets: By providing a permanent home to discarded exotic animals and finding solutions to the causes of such suffering, abandonment and abuse.
B. BCR has a proprietary interest in its business methods and systems ("Systems") which include, but are not limited to, policy and procedure manuals, computer programs, financial forms and information, supplier information, accounting forms and procedures, personnel policies, animal care policies and procedures, databases and documents containing information on our donors, prospective donors, other supporters or individuals who contact us for various information or reasons, and visitors (all of whom hereinafter referred to as "Clients"), information on the animals in our care currently or in the past, , all of which information is not publicly disclosed and is considered by BCR to be confidential trade secrets; and
C. BCR intends to employ Employee in a position where Employee will have access to information relating to BCR's Systems and BCR will encourage Employee to develop personal relationships with BCR's Clients and prospective Clients; and
D. BCR will be vulnerable to unfair post-employment competition by Employee since Employee will have access to BCR Systems and will have a personal relationship with BCR's clients and prospective clients; and
E. In consideration of the benefits associated with being paid to work for Big Cat Rescue, Employee was willing to enter into this Agreement with BCR as a condition of employment, pursuant to which Employee will limit his right to compete against BCR following termination of employment for any reason to the limited extent set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound, the parties agree as follows:
Article 1. NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT:
BCR may, pursuant to Employee's employment hereunder provide and confide to Employee BCR's Systems, techniques and methods of operation developed at great expense by BCR and which Employee recognizes to be unique assets of BCR's business. Employee shall not, during or after the term of employment, directly or indirectly, in any manner utilize or disclose to any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity, except where required by law: (a) any such Systems, techniques and methods of operation; (b) any Client information, legislative contacts, vendors, sales prospects, customer lists, products, animal records, research or data of any kind; or (c) any information relating to strategic plans, sales costs, profits or the financial condition of BCR or any of its Clients, customers or prospective customers, which is not generally known to the public or recognized as standard practice in the industries in which BCR shall be engaged. Employee will not remove from the BCR property without written consent any of the Systems either on paper or in digital form, and if such systems are removed from the Property they will be returned on the day requested with any and all copies. Any digital form of any Systems that employee has on any computer that is not BCR property will be permanently erased with no copies retained. Employee acknowledges that failure to comply with these provisions constitutes a criminal act of theft of these Systems owned by BCR.
Article 2. NONCOMPETITION AGREEMENT:
A. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph B below, Employee, for a period of two (2) years following termination of his employment, shall not, without BCR's written permission, directly or indirectly, on Employee's behalf or on behalf of any other person, firm, corporation, association or other entity, engage in, or in any way be concerned with or negotiate for, or acquire or maintain any ownership interest in any business or activity which is the same, similar to or competitive with that conducted by, engaged in or developed for later implementation by BCR at any time during the term of Employee's employment.
B. The provisions set forth in Paragraph A, above, shall apply to (i) all fifty states and (ii) each foreign country, possession or territory in which BCR may be engaged in business at the termination of Employee's employment or at any time within twelve ( 12) months prior thereto; but only if Employee was directly or indirectly involved or exposed to plans for such business at any time within twelve (12) months prior to termination.
C. Employee further agrees that Employee shall not for a period of two years, directly or indirectly, at any time in any manner,
1. Induce or attempt to influence any employees or volunteers of BCR to terminate their employment or volunteering with BCR, nor
2. Contact or attempt to contact any of BCR's Clients for the purpose of raising funds for any organization or cause or selling any product or communicating any information that is either disparaging of BCR or inconsistent with the mission or positions of BCR, nor
3. If Employee does have contact with any Client, disparage BCR to any Client.
D. Employee acknowledges that in the event of any violation by Employee of the provisions set forth in Article I above or this Article 2, BCR will sustain serious, irreparable and substantial harm to its business, the extent of which will be difficult to determine and impossible to remedy by an action at law for money damages. Accordingly, Employee agrees that, in the event of such violation or threatened violation by Employee, BCR shall be entitled to an injunction before trial from any court of competent jurisdiction as a matter of course upon the posting of not more than a nominal bond, in addition to all such other legal and equitable remedies as may be available to BCR. Employee further agrees that, in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to any applicable statute, law or rule, or for any reason unenforceable as written, such court may modify any of such provisions so as to permit enforcement therefore as thus modified.
Article 3. TERM OF EMPLOYMENT: Employee acknowledges that BCR has the right to terminate Employee's employment at any time for any reason whatsoever.
Article 4. MISCELLANEOUS:
A. As used throughout this Agreement, BCR shall include Big Cat Rescue Corp., a Florida non profit corporation, and any other entity in which Big Cat Rescue Corp. has an interest, and its subsidiaries or affiliates.
B. Reference to the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.
C. This Agreement shall supersede and substitute for any previous employment agreement between Employee and BCR, and is entered into in consideration of the mutual undertakings of the parties, the cancellation of all previous agreements, and the release of the parties of their respective rights and obligations under any previous employment agreement, excepting only such rights and obligations which by their nature are intended to survive termination or cancellation of such employment agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
Date: ________________, 2007.
For the cats,
Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
http://www.BigCatRescue.org email@example.com
Sign our petition here:
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Village Green Family Dentistry provides a full range of general dentistry services such as preventative, restorative, cosmetic and surgical procedures to families and individuals of all ages, including those with special needs.
cosmetic dentistry
Most people want to look their best. That good appearance also includes a personalized smile. Which is why Cosmetic Dentistry is so important. At Village Green Family Dentistry we offer patients the following Cosmetic Dentistry services:
- Smile Design - Smile Design is a system of changing the size, shape, color and alignment of the teeth, and altering the associated tissues in order to enhance one�s appearance. What is changed is dependent on your particular needs.
- Porcelain Veneers - Veneers are a thin shell made out of porcelain or composite material. They are custom made and cemented to the front side of the tooth. A veneer can be used to treat dental conditions such as a slightly crooked tooth, discolored teeth, chipped teeth, or they can be used to cover spaces in between the teeth.
- In-office and At-home Bleaching - Bleaching is the process used to remove stains or color from teeth by applying chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide or urea peroxide. Depending on the condition of your teeth, the process may be done in the office or at your home.
oral prosthetics
Much advancement has been made in oral prosthetics, the branch of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing teeth and related mouth or jaw structures using bridges, dentures, or other artificial devices. At Village Green Family Dentistry we offer patients the following oral prosthetics services:
- Crowns and Bridges - Dental crowns and bridges are prosthetic devices that replace missing teeth or part of a tooth. They are made of metal, porcelain and resin, or a combination of these materials. Crowns are intended to repair damage to individual teeth. They replace tooth structure lost by decay or injury, protect the part of the tooth that remains, and restore the tooth's shape and function. Bridges fill in a space in the jaw left by a missing tooth or teeth. They protect the shape of the mouth and restore function of the teeth and jaw.
- Restoration with Implants - Dental implants are the most progressive and natural option in tooth replacement today. Innovative dental technology provides predictable, comfortable, and aesthetic results.
- Complete Dentures - When all of a patient�s teeth must be extracted, a full set of removable artificial teeth for either the upper or lower jaw, or both becomes a necessity.
- Partial Dentures- both Cast Metal and Flexible Valplast - When patients are missing several teeth, usually in a row, partial dentures are a viable option. We offer them in both cast metal and Valplast flexible partials.
- Devices for Grinding and Clenching - Grinding of the teeth, which typically includes the clenching of the jaw, is a problem that needs to be corrected. To help, we create custom devices designed to control the grinding and clenching, which prevent tooth wear, jaw pain and headaches.
- Athletic Mouth Guards - Sports are a major cause of oral injuries. To prevent them, children and adults should be outfitted with the proper mouth guards. We will create a custom mouth guard, ensuring you have the best protection possible.
- Denture Repairs and Relines - When broken or ill-fitting dentures become a problem, turn to Village Green Family Dentistry to have them repaired or relined.
- Occlusal Adjustments - Teeth need to mesh precisely to ensure the proper bite. When teeth are not in sync, occlusal adjustment is used to reshape the occlusal surfaces of teeth to create harmonious contact relationships between the upper and lower teeth.
some terms to chew on
Abscess. A swollen, inflamed, pus-filled area around a tooth, soft tissue, or bone. Usually caused by infection.
Amalgam. A common tooth filling made of a mix of silver, mercury, and other metals, generally used for the back teeth.
Bruxism. Tooth grinding or clenching, often stress-related and done at night.
Composite. A tooth-colored filling made of resin and quartz.
Crown (or cap). A dental appliance that covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size. Crowns can be made of porcelain or metal.
Enamel. The outer part of the tooth. Enamel is the hard, calcified tissue that covers and protects the dentin.
Gingivitis. An inflammation of the gums caused by plaque and/or tarter. If untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a destructive dental disease.
Periodontitis. Infection of the tissue that support the teeth. Advanced gum disease.
Endodontic Therapy. The process of cleaning out and removing the nerves and blood vessels from inside the root of a tooth.
>> Source: WebMD


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Shipping is based on the size and weight of your order. We use a combination of Royal Mail and couriers to deliver our parcels to you, within 3-5 days. If you need your parcel urgently, get in touch (firstname.lastname@example.com) and we will do everything we can to get it to you faster.
We have kept this as simple as possible.
Under 1kg £4.50
1kg to 3kg £6.00
3kg and over £10.00
Local? If you're local and would prefer to collect your order, that's no problem.
Please enter the code LOCAL at the checkout and email to arrange collection: email@example.com
Under 1kg £6.00
1kg and over £15.00
We will do our best to ensure that you receive your goods within the estimated time for each product [note: delivery dates are approximate only.] Goods are subject to availability, however, and we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred as a result of delays outside of our control.
We would be happy to arrange International Shipping [note: you will be responsible for all import duties owing.] Please do email us and we can provide you with costs and estimated delivery timing firstname.lastname@example.com
It goes without saying that we hope you will be delighted with your order when it arrives but we also understand that sometimes things aren't quite as you had imagined. We will issue a full refund on items that are returned to us WITHIN 14 DAYS of being received by you, providing that they are in an unused condition and in original packaging.
It is essential that you do the following:
Please do not use the items or damage the packaging. Goods MUST be returned in original packaging, in saleable condition.
Please EMAIL US IMMEDIATELY firstname.lastname@example.com letting us know that you intend to return an item/items. This terminates the Purchase Contract.
We will refund the full amount that you paid for the goods but please note: delivery costs are non-refundable. The original delivery charge and the cost of returning unwanted goods is your responsibility.
Please make sure that you obtain 'proof of postage' from the Post Office when returning anything to us.
If you use the product or if the maker's packaging is damaged, unfortunately we cannot provide a refund.