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Palin to Give Interview to ABC This Week
Monday, September 8, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has agreed to her first interview since last month, with ABC News anchor Charles Gibson later this week, the network and Sen. John McCain's campaign said yesterday.
Palin's relations with the news media have gotten off to a rocky start. McCain campaign officials have complained about what they regard as the intrusively personal nature of some reporters' inquiries, and Palin mocked "all those reporters and commentators" Wednesday in her speech to the Republican National Convention.
Since being named McCain's running mate, Palin has given only one interview, to People magazine, on the day she was introduced.
She was the only member of the major parties' presidential tickets not to appear on a network talk show yesterday. Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said on "Fox News Sunday" that she would not put herself before a "cycle of piranhas called the news media" until reporters started to treat her "with some level of respect and deference."
That drew mild criticism from Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden Jr., a veteran of the talk-show circuit. "Eventually, she's going to have to answer questions and not be sequestered," the senator said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Hours later, the McCain campaign disclosed the plans for Gibson to interview Palin this week in Alaska. The ABC anchor had the only interview with McCain during the Republican convention.
The timing of Palin's interview will coincide with the deployment of her older son, Track, with his Army unit to Iraq. The unit will depart Fort Wainwright, Alaska, on Thursday, the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
McCain advisers rebuffed interview requests for Palin last week by saying she needed all her time to prepare for her convention speech. That left campaign aides and surrogates scrambling to address questions about her political record, including policies she followed in Alaska and a state investigation into whether she improperly tried to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired after a nasty divorce from her sister.
Palin has not campaigned without McCain, joining him at events drawing ever-larger crowds.
On Fox, Davis said that Palin would agree to an interview "when we think it's time and when she feels comfortable doing it." He also said she is "not scared to answer questions."
"Why would we want to throw Sarah Palin into a cycle of piranhas called the news media that have nothing better to ask questions about than her personal life and her children?" Davis said, adding: "Until . . . we feel like the news media is going to treat her with some level of respect and deference, I think it would be foolhardy to put her out into that kind of environment."


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Increased Cullet Use
The use of cullet in a glass furnace can significantly reduce the energy consumption because cullet has a lower melting energy requirement than the constituent raw materials – as the endothermic chemical reactions associated with glass formation have been completed – and its mass is approximately 20 % lower than the equivalent batch materials (IPTS/EC, 2013. p.214). However, some of the energy savings can be offset by the energy requirements in crushing, cleaning, sorting, and transportation of the cullet. In addition to energy savings, cullet use reduces the amount of raw materials used, decreases energy use in producing the raw materials, and increases the life of the furnace by up to 30% due to decreased melting temperatures and a less corrosive batch (Worrell et al., 2008. p. 67). Cullet is also easier to preheat than raw materials, and its use can increase the output of the furnace. Cullet use is generally applicable to all types of furnaces, i.e. fossil fuel-fired, oxy-fuel-fired and electrically heated furnaces. Most sectors of the glass industry routinely recycle all internal cullet, with the exception of continuous filament glass fibre production (IPTS/EC, 2013. p.314).
Cullet can be internal (rejected glass from the production line) and external (post-consumer glass from consumer or external industrial sources). The composition of external cullet is difficult to define accurately and due to quality concerns caused by the impurities, its usability in certain product groups – notably luxury container glass, tableware, special glass and flat glass – remains limited. Container glass segment, on the other hand, can use significant quantities of external cullet. In the EU, external cullet use in container glass production varies from <20% to >90, with the average being around 50%. Internal cullet usage is limited by the availability of cullet at the correct quality and composition. In general, the average amounts of internal cullet used are around 25 % for soda-lime products, although amounts as high as 50 % are possible depending on the type of article produced; for lead crystal, average amounts of 35 % are normally applied (IPTS/EC, 2013. p. 314).
Cullet use, however, is not free from disadvantages such as the following:
- Metallic impurities, such as bottle caps or foil from wine bottles, can cause significant refractory damage and shorten furnace life;
- Presence of ceramic will lead to quality problems and will result in rejects;
- At high cullet levels, composition and therefore the physical characteristics will be hard to control, potentially causing quality problems;
- Organic content in cullet may lead to color and refining difficulties;
- Presence of aluminum in cullet may significantly reduce mechanical strength of end products;
- Impurities may give rise to undesired air emissions. (IPTS/EC, 2013. p. 315)
|Development Status
Increased Cullet UseCosts & Benefits
|Parent Process: Melting and Refining
|Energy Savings Potential
As a general rule, every 10 % of extra cullet results in a 2.5 – 3.0 % reduction in furnace energy consumption (IPTS/EC, 2013. p. 314)
Based on a study in german-speaking European countries, energy savings are estimated at around 8 MJ for every percent increase (by weight) in cullet use (Worrell et al., 2008. p.67)
|CO2 Emission Reduction Potential
The use of cullet generally results in significant cost savings as a result of the reduction in both energy and raw material requirements. Economics will depend on availability and cost of cullet.
Increased Cullet Use Publications
Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Glass Industry - An ENERGY STAR® Guide for Energy and Plant Managers
Prepared primarily with the US Glass Industry, this document provides information about energy efficiency measures applicable to glass manufacturing, including performance and cost benchmarks whenever possible.
Page Number:
Increased Cullet Use Reference Documents
Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Manufacture of Glass
As a reference of the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75 EU) this new version provides extensive information on Best Available Techniques (BATs) applicable to European Glass Manufacturing Industry for reducing environmental impact. The document is prepared by the Institute for the Prospective Technological Studies of European Commission's Joint Research Center.

subset: commoncrawl


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Regarding the rise of complexity of online education and the proliferation of certifications, the research agenda should focus on measuring —beyond the completion rates— the added value of MOOCs in terms of education and career development.
The advances in education technology offer the potential to expand the access to quality education, facilitate communication, and bring opportunities to more people, but they also pose challenges because the speed and scale with which ed-tech innovations are being implemented may aggravate existing inequalities.
The study "Education Technology: An Evidence-Based Review", published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), aims "to step back and understand how technology can help—or in some cases hinder—how students learn."
Researchers examined data from studies across the categories of (1) access to technology, (2) computer-assisted learning, (3) technology-enabled behavioral interventions in education, and (4) online learning.
Access to Technology
Although a large and growing share of students have access to computers with internet (about 75% of American adults), students without computers are more likely to be benefited by human capital, because they are more likely to come from a low-income household.
"Although students enrolled in colleges are more likely to have computer access, computer ownership and Internet access are far from universal among lower-income and otherwise disadvantaged students, and accessing computers at labs may waste scarce time."
Computer-Assisted Learning
The popularity of computer-assisted learning (CAL) programs has exploded, and hundreds of companies gave entered the market due to the high demand of CALs, but the decisions on which software to use have been based on intuition rather than evidence.
Behavioral Interventions
There is a growing literature that explores how behavioral interventions might contribute toward reducing disparities in engagement. "Evidence consistently shows that technology-enabled behavioral interventions can have meaningful, if modest, impacts on a variety of education-related outcomes, often at extremely low costs."
Online Courses
Regarding the rise of complexity of online education and the proliferation of certifications, the research agenda should focus on measuring —beyond the completion rates— the added value of MOOCs in terms of education and career development.


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- Does Boras know who Lopez is?
I'm curious if Scott Boras could pick Felipe Lopez out of a police lineup.
Aside from the public embarrassment of being fired, does this really make that much of a difference to Boras? Will it make a difference to Felipe Lopez?
On some level, Lopez knew that he wasn't the main focus on the part of Boras and as spring training approached without a job, he took action and decided to move on with an agent less reviled and polarizing. It was an acceptance of reality for Lopez.
The talk surrounding Lopez has been that he's a perfect fit for the Cardinals, but I believe that his firing of Boras opens the door for him to join the Angels. The Angels are known to have almost no interest in dealing with Boras unless it's absolutely necessary after the way they felt jerked around in the negotiations for Mark Teixeira; and they're in need of a veteran like Lopez who can play third base in the event that Brandon Wood falls flat on his face again.
In reality, Lopez wasn't in the strongest negotiating position despite appearing to be one of those players who's learned how to hit in his late 20s----stats----in the Brian Downing fashion. He had an excellent year last season with the Diamondbacks and Brewers batting .310 with a .383 on base, 9 homers and 38 doubles. He's versatile enough to play second, third and short and in other economic times, would probably get a 3-year deal somewhere as a roving utility player.
Not now, though.
It doesn't help that he was a low priority on Boras's radar as the agent was looking to salvage the Johnny Damon contract after getting Matt Holliday signed.*
*Note: In fairness to Boras, he has underlings who handle a bulk of the grunt work in the dealings for his players; and with the high-money, high-profile player like Holliday who was going to get 10-times what Lopez would even in the best of times, of course Holliday had precedence. It's the same circumstances as a clubhouse hierarchy. The big money gets the attention and Boras's operation has to deal with the whales first.
Now Lopez will get a deal somewhere, probably rather quickly; Boras will be left to spin doctor what happened (if he addresses it at all, which he probably won't), and worry about Damon. In the cosmic scheme of things, this firing says nothing other than Felipe Lopez decided to eschew the brainlessness and lockstep that most Boras clients tend to maintain; Lopez made the choice to think for himself, find a representative that was going to get him a job rather than one who was pushing his agenda and focusing on other, more "important" clients. It was the pragmatic move.
- Am this be an version of English?
I tried to read Rob Neyer's posting on ESPN.com about Phil Hughes, but found myself hitting the continual mental roadblock of the indecipherable title of said posting and couldn't find my way over, under or around it.
Here it is: Phil Hughes Works On Changes Needs Chance
- Viewer Mail 2.13.2010:
Jane Heller at Confessions of a She-Fan writes RE boxing:
You bet I dated myself! Those Ali-Frazier fights were amazing. I was working in NYC and went to see one of the fights at the Garden and it was the most electric atmosphere. I just haven't felt the same way about boxing since. But then I haven't gotten over Mickey Mantle either.
I used to love boxing. I still have my mouthpiece somewhere. (Don't ask.) The thing about it is that it's always been so unrepentantly sleazy; the characters so diverse and impossible to formulate by even the most creative writers, that it was great theater.
I have the greatest admiration for Don King because the man's an absolute genius who understood the psychology and motivation of a human being better than the canniest politician or psychiatrist. The admiration isn't because of what he did, but because of the way he did it.
Even when he was screwing someone out of millions of dollars----whether it was influencing the outcome of a pay-per-view event or helping himself to his fighters' money----you had to tip your hat to his intelligence and boldness in doing it while not worrying about consequences; and he's a great promoter, self and otherwise.
The Brooklyn Trolley Blogger writes RE Scott Boras:
And once again Boras pulled another long-eared donkey from his hat and got the Tigers to vomit masticated millions in Damon's direction. Despite the dents he took to his armor over ARod and Manny, he just proved it's still not hard to find a sucker in a bucket filled with mudcats.
Good grief!
We don't know that yet. The deal hasn't been announced and it might be that the offer wasn't for two years after all. That's the thing with Boras, there's no way of knowing whether he's dropping this stuff into the media on his own or if there was the framework of a deal that the Tigers are now re-thinking as they realize their circumstances (and Damon's circumstances) and decide not to go for two years.
It does say something about Boras's reputation and skills that a deal of more than one year is even possible given Damon's weak position.
Barry writes RE the Tigers and Johnny Damon:
If the Tigers have $14 million (or maybe a little more) to offer a player for a two year contract, then they would be better off looking to trade for a shortstop during spring training who can do the same job offensively as Damon. Detroit certainly has a few names in the hat with pitchers and outfielders that could be offered - however, I hope that Raburn & Ni are untouchable, and also Ramirez and Wells to see if they are major league quality players first. I would be happy to give the young fellows a chance if a deal is not able to be made. Batting order - 1. Rayburn LF, 2. Ordonez DH, 3. Cabrera 1B, 4. Guillen SS, 5. Inge 3B, 6. Avila C, 7. Well & Ramirez RF, 8. Jackson CF, 9. Sizemore 2B.
The could make a move on Felipe Lopez at short, but they seem committed to using the no-hit, great glove Adam Everett. They could use a bat in the corner outfield spot more than they need a shortstop.
Damon's offense is pretty substantial, so I don't know what shortstop would be available for what the Tigers have left on the farm. With the way they'd gutted the system in recent years, such a move would be unwise. The Tigers chances at contention this year are shaky at best and making desperation trades would be a big mistake. Signing Damon would be a far better move than any trade because all he's costing is money.


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Simple Guide To Child Proofing Your Home
October 11, 2016
Congratulations on your new child – a source of joy and delight for years to come! While builders and architects have begun to incorporate elder-friendly features into homes, few create fully child-safe houses. This is your project, proud parent. But it does not have to be painful or expensive. This guide will show you how. Full article on child proofing your home available at: https://www.fix.com/blog/child-proofing-your-home/


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Prestige comes no more highly regarded than with a Mercedes; perceived as a cut above rivals Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Lexus, the E-Class sums up everything that's great about the world's oldest car maker. Comfortable, well-equipped, safe and practical, the E-Class saloon makes a superb family car. Opt for one of the amazingly capacious estates and you get all this plus one of the biggest load bays available anywhere.
Key Dates
6/02: The third-generation E-Class saloon arrives.
8/02: The 476bhp 5.4-litre V8 E55 AMG debuts.
5/03: The E-Class estate goes on sale.
11/04: The E350 supersedes the E320.
6/05: The E280 replaces the E240 and the E280CDi supersedes the E220CDi.
7/06: A facelifted E-Class debuts, with fresh bumpers and lights along with extra equipment. The E63 AMG also arrives.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2002-2009) Checklist
- Buy an auto, as selling on a manual car can prove tricky. Also go for a car with leather.
- Some early cars were badly made; check very carefully before buying.
- The E320CDi's fuel pump can leak diesel onto the cooling system pipes, requiring new pump and pipes.
- The E320CDi's fuel injectors can fail within 60,000 miles; replacements are costly. The injectors can also seize into the cylinder head, requiring a costly new cylinder head.
- The transmission oil cooler of automatics is sited in the radiator matrix; failure can lead to the transmission being destroyed.
- Listen for tinkling as the revs rise on an E320CDi; this points to failure of the ceramic matrix in the catalytic converter.
- The front springs can break, allowing the car to collapse.
We Like
- Style
- Space
- Safety
- Image
We Don't Like
- High purchase prices
- High running costs
- Potential unreliability


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DUOK - Audit
DUOK has a number of legacy web based applications which service requests with PHP scripts. Since these typically contain a mixture of different types of logic (presentation, business, database, etc) as the years have passed and the applications have evolved it has become increasingly expensive to maintain them or to add new features. Our objective for this collaboration was to review current development practices and the proposed future application architecture to identify any areas that could be improved and then give whatever "hands on" support was needed.
The way that we organised the two week consultation was to split it into three parts. From our Valencia office, the week prior to the on-site work, two days were spent on getting up to speed with the applications, the proposed future architecture and the technologies involved. We also spent some time expanding on the preliminary plan (included below) using the answers to a brief questionnaire that we often use with first time clients and along with information gleaned from some other conversations that we had.
This was followed by five days of working with the team from DUOK on-site in San Sebastian. Using the preliminary plan as a guide, and depending on the subject that we wanted to cover, we worked in a single group, smaller groups or pairs in order to more effectively disseminate information. At the end of the week we had put aside a series of tasks for the three days of follow up that we did from the office in Valencia, using Skype and Dropbox to communicate, whenever it was necessary.
Revision / Definition of the companies development methodology
- Combination of scripts (Powershell, launchy, bash) and other tools (Phing, Rake, Capistrano) to facilitate development and deployment processes
- The configuration and correct use of SVN (trunk, branches, tags, svn:externals, svn:keywords)
- How to work in a team with a version control system and how to avoid and resolve problems
- How to get the most out of the integration between a project management tool (in this case, Redmine) and SVN
- Construction and use of a continuous integration server (Cruise Control and PhpUnderControl)
- Configuration of continuous integration for developers
- Automatic generation of documentation, test reports, coverage reports and other metrics
- Testing - prerequisites for unit, integration and functional tests (functional tests go through the dispatcher / filters)
- Introduction to performance testing
Definition of a standard architecture for PHP applications
- Definition of environments and their requirements (desarrollo, test, staging, producción)
- Best practices for programmers (general), configuration and use of Eclipse
- Best practices for object oriented programming with PHP
- How to enable a change in mentality and get the most out of Test Driven Development
- Use of design patterns (focused on those that are currently used by Symfony but some others will be outlined)
- How to use a facade to hide the interaction with an external service and make the code more robust and independent
- The use of caches at different levels
- i18n - how best to implement multi-language functionality in applications (application data and presentation elements)
- Set up, management and use of external configuration files
- Treatment of errors within an application (Exceptions)
- Logging
Definition of an architecture for the web / presentation layer
- Javascript - libraries, architecture and testing
- Javascript standards for developers
- How to configure and use Selenium to test with different browsers
- HTML y CSS standards for developers
- Implications for developers and designers of HTML 5 and CSS 3
Database Design - optimised for "frameworks"
- Use of scripts to create and manage any type of DB
- How to configure and use a DB, taking into account things like:
- Configuration of users and permissions
- Selection of storage engines
- Naming conventions
- Consistent length and type of similar fields
- Encoding
- Selection of primary keys, foreign keys and indexes
- Identification and definition of the sets of data necessary for each environment
- How to profile the performance of SQLs and indexes to avoid or solve problems


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Stan Olthuis – Silence, Shapes, Space
- John K. Grande
Stan Olthuis' paintings go to the heart of the contemporary artist's dilemma. It is hard to describe these paintings. They exist at a point in time when they were made. There is a gestural, linear, rhythmic sense of silence at the heart of these paintings. Pure physical sensation combines with a vibrancy that comes from a love of working with matter. Olthuis' art intensifies the sense of art's process, as being a part of life's journey, a progression of life we are all in, however brief or endless it can be.
The progression in Olthuis' art is natural, intuitive and embodies an exchange between the artist and the viewer. We sense the struggle to realize art in the moment, and these works are bathed in reality, even as they carry a surreal, otherworldly sense of entering some deeper realm where the parentheses of time are removed.
The sense of drama and tension inherent to Stan Olthuis's art has to do with the touch and immediacy of his process – a creation and realization cycle that exists in time.
Growing up in northern Alberta, Stan Olthuis already knew he would be an artist. He went on to Chicago where he studied with Indonesian born Dutch artist Henk Krijger (1914-1979), whose ideas of "gestural enactment" as a way of practicing and making art, carried over into his design experiments. We sense some of this in Stan Olthuis' approach… There is this sense of the action motion moment. These works are less empty than those of the French painter Georges Mathieu (1921-2012), for they are not framed by an idea of what Modernism or post-Modernism is or should be.
Stan Olthuis' direction as a process-oriented artist was reinforced by studies at Ontario College of Art & Design, where he graduated with Honorable Mention. Seminal artist/teachers provided the backdrop and backup and included Nobua Kubota, Tom Dean, Fred Hagan, Udo Kasemets and Dan Soloman. OCAD teachers brought an atmosphere of experimentation and exploration to Olthuis' growing dedication to art. A member of the Painters 11, Tom Hodgson's (1924-2006) action painting abstraction provided a strong affirmation to Stan Olthuis of directing his art towards "art as process" that Henk Krijger had introduced to the young artist. As Olthuis recently commented, "Tom Hodgson's restless quest for seeing things anew along with his mantra of 'Art is Process' guided me onwards".
There is some kind of merging of a love of Pop art's public accessibility, of the concrete object-hood of the minimal and post-Minimal era and the poetic trajectory (that all process-oriented artists seek) in Stan Olthuis' life's journey as an artist. With the Time Limits series, Olthuis literally draws on reality, objects from real life that are worn, dated, affected by weather and circumstance, integrating these intuitively into artworks that bring a cadence of the times we live in, yet are inherently timeless. Out of Time (2013) with its time worn iron, chains and rock elements is harsh and immediate, even sculptural. The arcs, trajectories and lines in paint describe time's arrow, the rhythmic movement of physical elements, and inadvertently our own spiritual and psychic motion over time in life.
The Shelter series in mixed media on wood, present dwellings as iconic prototypes, dream-like and colourful. Illusion (2013) a work from this series, with its dark silhouette of a house, is suggestive of a hidden inner world, surrounded as it is by an environment at odds with the interiority of the central house element. Inner and outer worlds likewise come together in the Shadow Play series which play with silhouettes of the human body in the land, all this done with an iPhone camera. The body shadow form serves to highlight the stone, moss, grass, wood and earth - those places where the body shadow exists in a brief moment in time – a spirit passes. Life's ephemeral moments, tangible, temporary and ever present in our mind's eye!
Colour, action, fantasy and passion are all there in varying quantities and they emerge according to the specifics of each artwork. You cannot describe Olthuis' art as pure painting, for it touches on surrealism, on displacement, on assemblage. We sense something of McLuhan's Global Village sensibility in the merging of mediatic fashion imagery with raw textural and experiential painter's sense in works like Storm Warning (2012).
The Canadian canoe of Group of Seven renown, here becomes a vehicle that expresses passion, a woman's gaze, as it enters into the uncharted waters of an iconoclastic immensity of blues, whites, and text fragments. This is the world we live in, part nature, part media – a journey if ever there was one. And the Gowns series have an admixture of media and gesture, colour and fashion. Something Pop, something of a house of moments, all comes together in the classic sleeveless dress, diaphanous and worthy of Coco Chanel's 1960s trend setting initiatives. Fashion and reality merge, fuse together in a way that is inimically Olthuis' !
Stan Olthuis' most recent paintings describe a certain silence. Here paintings exists in a continuum… Pyramids cones, forms emerge and extend into the space of the painterly surface. Olthuis' method is in the moment, and he uses simple trowels and scrapers, black and white gesso, along with acrylic paints on wood. Often the colours have been reduced to simple blacks and whites. We sense the energy and gestural moment. Here the shapes are sculptural, like plastic poems echoes of light and space. Dimensions, lines and geometries fuse texturally and express a tentative moment, a point of change through the media Olthuis choses to work with. These recent paintings evolve, and change, as if by chance, like cloud formations, that have fascinated the artists for its changeability, ambiguity, inherent environmental dynamic.
As paintings, Stan Olthuis' new works are situational; whereby the artist makes choices about composition, texture, form, at a moment in time. And so they relate to the body, to space, to the limits of time, to experience, and above all – process. Life process and art become a journey and the artist is a witness, provocateur, a medium, above all. The traces of time's passage are ephemeral, and draw their inspiration from the moment. Originating out of Olthuis' love of drawing, these multi-media works become sculptural, very much 3-D, an interweaving web of line, texture, that exists on the surface of things, that evidences the surface nature of perception, of our relation to the world around us – very much actions that encourage a dialogue on perception. Life is reified through the actions, the process of Stan Olthuis' art. The art comes full circle, defines the moment, art emerges in time, art into time. Art is a journey - the artist a passenger and participant who builds the boat you travel on. That boat is art, the boat is life… experience builds the trajectory, engages us in so many ways.
– John K. Grande has curated 5 editions of Earth Art at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario and Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver, B.C.
The author of Balance: Art and Nature (Black Rose Books, 1994), Art Nature Dialogues: Interviews with Environmental Artists (State University of New York Press, 2007, (www.sunypress.edu) , and Dialogues in Diversity: Art from Marginal to Mainstream, Pari Publishing, Italy, 2008 (www.paripublishing.com), John Grande has contributed to such magazines as Artforum, Arts Review (UK), Canadian Art, Border Crossings, Sculpture (USA), Ceramics Monthly, and Vie des Arts.
He is co-author of Nils-Udo: Art with Nature (Aachen: Ludwig Forum, 1999), Bob Verschueren: Outdoor Installations (Editions Mardaga, Brussels (2010) and Le Mouvement Intuitif: Patrick Dougherty and Adrian Maryniak (Brussels: Atelier Muzeum 340, 2005). Eco-Art was co-curated with Peter Selz at the Pori Art Museum (2011) in Finland.


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Our Publications
- Aspen
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- The Hamptons
- Hawai'i
- Houston
- Las Vegas
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- Palm Beach
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- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Scottsdale
- Silicon Valley
- Washington, D.C.
Pre-party to Skyfall James Bond
Guests mingled over food and beverage while entertained by luxury automobiles presented by Lake Forest Sportscars in an exclusive pre-party at Prairie Production. After gearing up at the pre-party, VIP guests were treated to an advanced screening of the new James Bond film, Skyfall.
Photography By: Donna Binbek


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What is your shipping policy?
We ship using Royal Mail 1st class postage for webshop orders. Our 225g bags are designed to be letterbox friendly so no more waiting at the post office to collect a parcel if you're out when the postie comes. If your order exceeds 2kg we'll courier you it, it's cheaper and more effective.
We currently only ship to the UK for small volume orders I'm afraid. If you are looking to buy a decent amount we can arrange international shipping ad hoc. If you are looking to guest our coffee or buy in wholesale volumes please get in touch by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com and we can work through the process of shipping out our coffee with you.
We roast to order when possible to ensure maximum freshness. Our current roast days are Monday and Wednesday to allow enough time for the beans to rest before shipping the next day in order for your fresh coffee to reach you quickly. Packages normally arrive within 24 hours after shipping and we rely on Royal Mail to hold up their end of the postal bargain. We've found them to be pretty good at it, they've had a fair bit of practice.
For any parcels or larger items, shipping costs are detailed separately so you know exactly what is costing what.
DOMESTIC Wholesale
Wholesale orders will be shipped on a Tuesday or Thursday each week using the appropriate professional courier service to make sure your coffee arrives spick and span at your business address asap (99% of the time the next working day). For short notice orders or last minute requests we'll bend over backwards to get great coffee to you but shipping costs would be higher for 24 hour service. Again, we don't make money from shipping, we only charge the cost of the courier. For local deliveries to a Hull postcode shipping is free as a member of our team will come and say hello with your package.
INTERNATIONAL Wholesale
River City Coffee WORLDWIDE! We're happy to look into shipping to any country dependent on import duty regulations etc and will work with you on international shipping costs and timescales. Drop us an email about stocking River City Coffee in your cafe, store etc to firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
How do I order wholesale?
Send an email enquiry to firstname.lastname@example.com or contact us directly on 07449119294, we'd be happy to have a chat and start new partnerships
Do you supply commercial machinery
We sure do, check out our wholesale section. We supply a range of espresso machines, grinders, filter machines, barista kits etc to full equip any cafe with the tools of their trade. We have a fantastic relationship with our financing team and can offer competitive lease deals on all cafe equipment to spread the cost and make sure your all important cashflow stays on track.
We also offer hand make bespoke counter top stands in store POS for our products. We will work with you to design something custom tailored to your needs to really make your proposition sing. All of our stands and POS are built from re-purposed wood and are stained in...yup, coffee!
Whether you're an established business wanting to increase your product offer and/or coffee quality or a brand new start up looking for a specialist to partner with in setting up your new cafe, restaurant etc we'd be happy to have a chat about your needs.


text: On Creativity, Change and Constancy Posted on January 12, 2017 - Face Are these mutually exclusive? Assuming, broad definitions, I don't think so. Creativity can be the simple act of morning ablutions, showering, grooming and putting on the appropriate social "face". Hair and wardrobe are familiar components of an individual's style and undoubtedly reflect much about their aesthetic sensibilities, culture or brand… Read More »


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Credit cards for travel
Credit card with travel perks and waive fees can save you money on your next vacation.
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This guide compares credit cards that are the best for travel and why you should find the right one for your next vacation.
Compare travel credit cards
Compare different types of travel credit cards
Credit cards for travel
How a credit card are useful for travel
- Live exchange rates. You could benefit from fluctuating exchange rates that change daily when USD depreciates against the currency of your destination.
- Travel now, pay later. Some credit cards can provide up to 55 days interest-free on purchases and 0% introductory APRs when you open a new card. So you can spend, but save on interest and fees.
- Rewards. Earn points for flights and cash back with rewards programs.
Things to note when using credit cards for travel.
- Avoid cash advances. Using your credit card to get cash from an ATM can cost your high fees and interest rates. There is usually no interest-free days on cash advances.
No Currency Conversion Fee Credit Cards
One of the biggest fees you'll pay when you travel are foreign exchange fees. These are fees that your credit card charges for each purchase you make while you're out of the country — usually 3% of your purchase. This can really add up, especially if you plan on using your card a lot on your trip. There are lots of cards out there that waive that fee.
Credit cards with travel benefits
Cards with travel rewards are designed with the traveler in mind can make you feel better about using your credit card for big purchases on your trip. There are many cards that offer 2x or 3x points on hotels, flights and other adventures on your trip. Use your points for cash back, your next flight or hotel stay and so much more.
High-end cards can get you access to exclusive airport lounges and hotel and flight upgrades. These cards often have high annual fees, so be sure you can make it worth it.
You'll also find cards with travel insurance, covering you for missed flights, accidents or illnesses while you're away. But credit cards are the best option for travel insurance. Find out more about the benefits of travel insurance with our guide.
Intro APR
Credit cards that offer an interest free introductory period are great to get right before your trip. It makes the idea of "buy now, pay later" really work for you. Often credit cards offer a year or more of 0% APR, giving you the chance to pay down your balances after a big trip. But be careful — once your period is up, you'll pay the high APR on your remaining balance.
No annual fee credit cards
These no-frills cards don't cost anything to have. If you only use your card for emergencies and small purchases no annual fee cards are a great pick. These card often offer no-interest days when you open an account, and you can find cards with low APRs. You won't find travel benefits — like no foreign transaction fees — or rewards that other cards offer.
Gold and platinum credit cards
Find you use your credit card for most purchases? Gold and platinum credit cards offer greater perks like higher credit limits, rewards and complimentary insurance. If finding exclusive airport lounges and hotel upgrades are important to you, the high annual fees could be worth it. Annual fees for these cards range from $150 to $500 a year, and often you need a stellar credit score to qualify.
Bottom line
Choosing a credit card your your vacation depends much on your spending habits and how much you plan to use your cards. You'll find the most savings with cards that waive foreign transaction fees. Always compare credit cards to find the best deal before opening a credit card.
Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards
Ask an Expert


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Digital Downloads
The following audio/visual courses accompany the free visual material found here.
Rich in learning, these courses combined are comparable to CD+print courses that cost in the $10s and $100s.
Santosha sells sanskrit lessons covering the sanskrit alphabet, sanskrit posture name pronunciation, and sanskrit writing. Santosha also sells yoga videos.
Santosha is a multidisciplinary school and yoga studio. It is your place for high quality, affordable Yoga classes in a friendly community environment. We believe in certification and feature Yoga Alliance certified yoga teachers. Services available include Ayurveda health consultations and Bodywork including Thai massage. Career training is available for those interested in Yoga Teacher Training, Ayurvedic Health Practitioner or Body Work. There's always something interesting going on, including weekend workshops, meditation and sanskrit classes. Santosha means contentment. It is yours to find at Santosha School.
Powered by the Breath - © 2018 Santosha, LLC


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My favorite Prince memory is also my favorite Coachella memory, which I guess is sort of fitting given the timing of this dire f*cking tragedy. It was 2008 and he was playing the main stage. I had never seen him live before, and I wanted to get right up in the action – but, you know, the kind of action that includes breathing room and excludes sweaty men/stepped on toes.
Our wristbands included side stage access but only for the smaller stages. I decided to do what I do best in situations where I want something I'm not supposed to have and feign rapturously excited ignorance. (It probably helped that the rapturous excitement part was one hundred percent real.) My friend and I skipped toward the backstage entrance, locking eyes with the security guy, shooting him the biggest smiles this side of the Mississippi, and throwing our hands up in the air to show him our (completely inadequate) wristbands. I made it through, but my friend got held back.
In any other situation, I would have turned back and gone with her – partly out of solidarity and partly because our group had no meet-up plan and my phone was deader than dead. But this was Prince. I worked my way to a prime spot side stage and swayed blissfully, the dorkiest grin plastered across my face, for almost two hours. At one point, he had the control panel turn off the lights, "We're jammin' tonight." I have never been so smitten/starstruck by such a tiny, tiny man. (Or anyone, really.) I've always been a total fangirl about his music, but seeing him in person was everything I thought it would be and more. The charisma. The smoke/mist. The white suit with silver studs. Sweet holy Jesus.
The friend who tried to sneak backstage with me never made it back to the rest of our group, so they had no idea where either of us were. My BFF was crying, realizing she might never see me again/I might be lost to the polo fields forever, until another friend pointed up to the Main Stage screens, "I found her." One of Prince's guys had brought a few of us females out onstage to dance (poorly, but enthusiastically). I'm not going to say my life peaked right then, but there hasn't been a more epic moment yet.
Because Coachella in those days was a magical place full of magical human beings, where everything just sort of magically worked out, I made a couple friends backstage. One of whom took pictures he promised to send me - he never did but the offer really perked up my inner historian at the time, who couldn't believe I was having this insane experience with no way to document it. (It's fine, these memories have somehow managed to survive where all others have perished. I can live with that.) Another of these newfound homies offered to give me a ride to the T-Mobile party I knew my friends would end up at in exchange for me getting him in. His name was Jake. At no point was I even mildly concerned about being alone in a car with a stranger, trucking out to some remote part of the desert. (If we both love Prince, we both must be decent human beings, right?! My BFF remains unconvinced on this point to this day.)
RIP Old-school Coachella, but mostly…RIP Prince, you ethereal, sparkly, purple-y, unbelievably engaging, otherworldly creative genius, you. Thank you for everything you've given us to survive on/dance to/belt out/sob over/look to for inspiration time and time and time again.


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A beautiful haven in Florence! | June 8 2017
Fantastic terrace with an amazing view! The perfect place to stay!.
Your family deserves a relaxing, unique and unforgettable experience.
Family Apartments offers a selection of apartments for rent specially equipped to accommodate families during their stay in Florence, providing all the comfort and 24/7 assistance for a peaceful holiday far from the everyday stress.
Fully equipped with all amenities, our apartments are perfect for families.


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|Rediff India Abroad Home | All the sections
Discuss | Email | Print | Get latest news on your desktop
Statement on moratorium convinced New Zealand to back waiver
September 08, 2008 17:37 IST
"Our most serious concerns have been addressed to a significant degree," Clark told media-persons in Wellington.
New Zealand was one of the three sceptic countries in the 45-member group along with Ireland, Switzerland [Images] and Austria who sought to block, till the last moment, a waiver to India for resuming nuclear commerce with the international community.
"Any resumption of testing could trigger a meeting and cause a decision to review," Clark was quoted by the New Zealand Press Association.
Email | Print | Get latest news on your desktop


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UNIQLO Game T-Shirts Coming to Japan/
UNIQLO, a Japanese T-Shirt designer, is now teasing a partnership with game companies including Capcom, SEGA, Sony, Taito, Hudson, and Bandai Namco in order to bring the world some pretty interesting game T-Shirts.
I'll let you figure out who's who. The new shirts will be featured as of March 2009.
Link: UTxJAPAN GAME


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Science Daily — Scientists at the Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics in Berlin, Germany, have assembled single atoms of different elements, thus forming nanostructures of predefined size and composition.
The team lead by Stefan Foelsch used copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) atoms to produce pairs or various chains of atoms on a substrate surface made of crystalline copper.
"We manipulated the atoms in a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope", says Stefan Foelsch. He adds: "We found that the quantum effects in these structures can be understood within the framework of textbook physics describing the electronic properties of simple molecules." Thus, it is possible to taylor "artificial molecules" supported by a solid surface made of magnetic and non-magnetic elements.
The nanostructures engineered and characterized constitute a promising model for future investigations in order to gain insight into the magnetism of the smallest structures. Stefan Foelsch says that this is an issue of utmost technological relevance.
The scientists report on their work in Physical Review Letters (J. Lagoute et al.: "Doping of monatomic Cu chains with single Co atoms", published online on April 6).
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Forschungsverbund Berlin.


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Paul Mitchell Soft Spray
This soft spray from Paul Mitchell is an excellent working spray which produces a natural, touchable finish. Contains sunscreens for added protection.
Suitable for all hair types.
Directions Of Use:
- Spray on your clean damp hair close to the scalp
- Comb throughout your hair
- Sculpt style or set hair as desired


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My ass has officially been kicked into high gear. One could even say beast mode, buts that's terminology that I use in only the rarest of occasions. Lol.
Going off of my meeting yesterday, this has probably been the fastest transition into action I've ever experienced. I think it's something to do with hard deadlines that gets me going like no other. I just can't say no. Once I get an idea in my head, a really juicy one, I can't let it go until I see it through. It's a blessing and a curse, except not a curse at all because I'm going to end up with something truly wonderful.
Man oh man, I wish I could show you everything I have going on friends, but then it wouldn't be a secret and we can't have that. I will probably be launching a version of my new website about a month prior to my launch date, June 21st, so get excited for that to come out guys! I know I am!
With nothing but love,


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Creating a Successful Nutritional Environment
by Drew Robertson
|Dean Wilson, Drew, and Kyle Beaton
Here we are in a new year and for some of us we have started racing or are head long into preparing for the new season. Training plans are in place, new bikes and race gas have been purchased, suspension is dialed and you are ready to chase the dream of motocross superstardom. Not so fast my friend. You have planned your training, maybe hired a trainer, planned where to ride, and like I said above have gotten all the pieces in place but have you looked at your daily environment and made sure that you are allowing for adequate rest, eating properly, and drinking enough? Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to a leading expert in the field of motocross training and we were discussing how some of the biggest differences in peoples' programs are how complete they are and how some people create the proper environment around themselves or the athletes they train.
In this article I want to touch on the nutrition side and help people create not only a successful nutritional environment but also ways to check in on yourself or your clients. So to make a long story short, or actually a short story long I brought out an article I wrote for young hockey players and their parents. I went through it and "motoizied" it, not sure if that is a word, but that's what I'm sticking with.
First, let's start with two important questions regarding your daily nutrition.
- Do you plan out your meals, and
- Do you plan out your daily caloric intake?
I have been a nutritionist dealing with athletes for 8 years and very few people and family's do!
The Typical Meal Cycle
What typically happens is something like this: the athlete gets up has a small bowl of cereal, fruit bar, maybe a cereal bar, a small piece of fruit or my favorite, they skip breakfast all together and off they go. Their mid-morning snack is.... their what? who? ...exactly. Most athletes skip this meal all together. Lunch usually consist of a wide variety of selections from sandwiches, cafeteria food, and pre-packaged foods to cans of soup and everything in-between. Mid-Afternoon snack... well like the mid-morning snack this falls by the way-side. Then depending on training, riding and other activities the athlete consumes very large quantities of food in the late afternoon through to bedtime, making up the greatest bulk of the their caloric intake. So let's review: after sleeping through the night, the athlete wakes up with low blood amino acid concentrations, as well as low blood sugar, then consumes a high sugar low protein meal, doesn't eat again until noon, where the athlete consumes carbohydrates which are typically processed with a small serving of either fruits or vegetables and a small serving of protein again usually processed. During activity, riding, and workouts the athlete typically consumes water or worse, nothing at all. Then the athlete consumes the majority of their daily calories during the later part of the day and because of the fluctuating blood sugar levels they tend to consume a high amount of simple carbohydrates and various forms of junk food. If this sounds familiar, then read on, the rest of this article is just for you.
And the solution does not lie in supplements and multi-vitamins but rather the re-focusing of our daily intake towards fruits and vegetables and not just at one or two meals but at every meal.
Studies at Georgia State University demonstrate that hourly energy balance is at least as important as total daily energy balance and should remain as close to neutral as possible throughout each of the 24 hours. What does this mean? Having well balanced meals that offer up approximately the same number of calories at each meal is just as important as the total number of calories we intake each day.
A fair number of athletes have been shown to be deficient in a host of vitamins and minerals leading to impairments in nervous system function, metabolic processing, and oxygen delivery/consumption. It's hard to get the requisite amount of vitamins and minerals in only one or two meals. And the solution does not lie in supplements and multi-vitamins but rather the re-focusing of our daily intake towards fruits and vegetables and not just at one or two meals but at EVERY meal.
So what do we do to correct nutritional problems and get back on the track to nutritional excellence? We have all been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet many athletes still still skip this meal. To make sure breakfast is consistently consumed it must be easy and quick to prepare in the morning. Speed and convenience are key.
Here are a few examples of quick and easy breakfast meals:
Breakfast Shake
- Dry oatmeal
- Yogurt (Greek yogurt is preferred)
- Protein powder – this would depend on your personal needs
- Fresh or frozen fruit
- Peanut butter – Natural
- Blend together
Breakfast Mush (tastes great and is one of my personal favorites)
- Dry oatmeal
- Yogurt – (Greek yogurt is preferred)
- Frozen berries
- Protein Powder - this would depend on your personal needs
- Mix this together using enough yogurt to make a mush like mixture
Speedy Omelet Sandwich
- 4-5 egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- A little cheese
- Various veggies (green, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, etc.)
- Cook on skillet with a little Olive oil
- 2 pieces of whole grain toast or toasted whole grain bagel
- Glass of OJ
- Place cooked omelet on the bread or bagel and there's your sandwich
Make sure to mix these meals up and when you have the time, make yourself a good sit-down breakfast, using eggs, whole wheat pancakes, fresh fruit, lean turkey bacon, or lean chicken sausage.
I often hear from athletes that they are not hungry in the morning. I do not doubt this especially if the athlete has been skipping breakfast for a long time or having a breakfast of very small portions. The athlete who skips breakfast will adapt to this so yes, the first few weeks of trying to eat in the morning may be a struggle but soon the athlete will adjust and eating breakfast will again become a normal part of their daily routine.
Here are a few examples of easy, quick and healthy snacks:
Snack Shake
- Fruits (fresh or frozen)
- Protein powder
- Yogurt
- Flax seed oil or other essential fatty oil blend like UDO's
- Snack Mush
- Cottage cheese Frozen berries Mixed nuts
- Yogurt
- Banana
- Peanut butter
- Ground up flax seeds
Easy and quick
- Fresh veggies
- Humus dip
- Hard boiled egg
Every meal should consist of fruits and vegetables, good carbohydrates, good fats and high quality protein. This rule includes snacks.
Lunch is one of the easiest meals to fix. Simple plan: double up on dinner!!!
Chicken Sandwich - use a PITA
- Chicken breast (sliced up)
- Small piece of cheese
- Alfa sprouts/bean sprouts
- Hummus
- Pineapple or strawberries
- Slice of tomato
- Mixed nuts
Mexican Tuna- this was a meal my trainer gave me when I was growing up and is one of my athletes favorites.
- Brown Rice
- Tuna – substitute chicken, steak, salmon, pork. Changing the protein source is a great way to add variety to this meal.
- Salsa
- Sunflower seeds
- Celery (chopped)
- Green or red pepper (chopped)
- Onion (chopped)
- Broccoli (chopped) - Just like above you can change up the veggies and by doing so create a wide variety of meals.
- Ground flax seed
- Mix together in a Ziploc container and heat before eating
- To make 2-3 servings, just add more tuna
Pasta Salad Extreme
- Whole wheat pasta
- Chicken Breast (cut)
- Green, Red and Yellow peppers (diced)
- Broccoli (sliced)
- Italian Dressing
- Ground flax seed
- Olive oil
- This is a great dish cold or hot
- To make 2-3 servings, just add more chicken
Dinner is the one time that athletes usually eat a fairly well balance meal. Having said that here are a few suggestions to help improve your dinner selections:
- Add a variety of beans and lentils for fiber
- Always use whole grain versions of foods instead of the processed version
- Always include vegetables with dinner
- Have fresh fruit or fruit smoothies for dessert
Now that you know how to improve your daily intake, let's look at some strategies to help create a positive nutritional environment. You need to make meal choice as easy as possible, so when you go to eat or pack your lunch you do not need to make or cook a whole lot of things. To do this, pick one or two nights a week where you make meal ingredients like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, cook up 4-5 chicken breasts, or lean roast, cut up various fresh veggies like carrots, celery and peppers. This will help you to make better choices when you go to the fridge and pack your lunch or need a healthy snack.
Now this is where the rubber hits the dirt for both parent and young athlete:
I love that word and it's meaning when dealing with younger athletes! I'm a father of two and I have heard just like all the other parents, "Mom, Dad I can do it," or "I'll get it." Our children want to do things on their own. They want to feel like they have accomplished something, they want to take on responsibility! So I say let them. Let them go to the fridge and pick out their own snack or even make their own lunches the night before. And there is no need to worry about the youngsters making bad choices because we have taken the time to make up and place in the fridge only healthy choices. So no mater what choice the youngster makes it will be a healthy choice. So now they not only feel good about making their own snacks and packing their own lunches or dinners, we as parents know that they are eating healthy.
You might be saying, "Drew this all sounds good, but my kids are still going to eat out of the snack cupboard. They are still going to have the chocolates and chips and junk." Really? Why are these products even in the house? Does it make us feel better as parents or ease our conscious when Timmy or Suzy whine that they want sweets? We send them into the kitchen and tucked away in a corner are those "treats"? I'm not saying your house should be completely devoid of every sweet, but instead of chips try substituting whole grain crackers. Instead of full size chocolate bars buy smaller servings of real chocolate. Stock the kitchen counter with apples, pears, and banana's that are out in plain sight ready to eat.
Don't worry, I can read your mind. Right about now you are saying to yourself, "Drew, if I do that, the kids won't eat." Well, you can trust me on this. Once they get hungry enough, they will eat. If you stick to your plan and don't give in, it won't be long before little Timmy or Suzy is telling you that you are out of bananas again!
Food Logs
How do you know where you're starting and if you have made any improvements? Simple. You keep a food log. Having worked in the industry for over 10 years, I always hear, "But Drew I eat great, I eat every 2-3 hours, drink lots of water, I'm dialed in." Yeah ok, lets see it! I have each of my clients fill out a tracking sheet (contact me for this sheet: firstname.lastname@example.com ) where they fill out when they got up and what they ate through out the day. I have them do this for 4-5 days typically before we meet for the first time. We then go over it, and you'd be surprised what we find. Small or large caloric meals (many people have no idea how many calories are even in the food they eat), incomplete meals, huge time gaps between intake and so on. When the clients and athletes actually sit down and we go over their log book, they are normally surprised at what they see. After implementing the new strategies, every month or so I have them fill out 4-5 days of food tracking and again we go over the results. We do this to make sure they have successfully made the right changes and to make sure they haven't slipped back to their old ways.
Food logs can also be used if the athlete becomes run down or unable to train at the same intensity. Their training program might be spot on but for some reason they might be under eating and by tracking food and sleep he food log can be used to eliminate diet as the cause.
In the end, even though this is all very good advice, you need to sit down with a qualified health care specialist (especially if you have any disease like diabetes, colitis, etc. or food allergy) so they can guide you and help construct a diet based on your individual needs.
About the Author: Drew Robertson owner of Evolved Nutrition/Evolved MX/SX, A.Sc. Nutrition, CFT, SPN, SSC, Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT) and Specialist in Performance Nutrition (SPN). Works with Logan Christian, Iain Hayden, Kyle Beaton, Corey Watkinson, Dylan Hall, Jared Petruska has worked with Tyler Medaglia, Dean Wilson. New to the team of athletes is Bob Kiniry who will be filing in for the injured Morias. firstname.lastname@example.com
That's it for now, until next time, good luck with your training and remember, if you have a question, log on to the Virtual Trainer Expert Forum and have your question answered by a panel of experts. In addition, be sure and check out the Racer X Virtual Trainer archive section. Your complete one-stop information zone for motocross fitness.


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Syd Kronenthal Park
3459 McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA View Map
Syd Kronenthal Park could be a good choice for your corporate picnic in Culver City, especially if your company isn't too large. With 6 acres of land, there is plenty of space to play traditional picnic games and set up play equipment for kids and adults alike. There are 2 picnic areas with capacities of 25 and 100 guests. If you plan to have more guests, there are alternative parks in Culver City that might be a better fit.
Syd Kronenthal Park Amenities:
- 2 picnic areas
- 5 Barbeques
- 2 Children's Play Equipment
- Inflatable play equipment allowed with permit
- 2 Softball Diamonds
- 2 Half Court Basketball Court
- 1 Soccer Field
- Grass area
- 1 Tennis Court
- Night Lighting
Reservation Information:
Call Syd Kronenthal Park at (310)839-0127 or, better yet, give Team Play Events a call - we can help you with all those reservation and permit applications, submit insurance for your event, and can help you plan your company picnic from start to finish so all you have to do is enjoy the day!
How to Plan a Corporate Event:
Team Play Events can help you with all your rental and party needs. We're experts at finding the perfect picnic location in Culver City - or anywhere in Southern California, for that matter - and at planning fantastic events. We can help make your special occasion a huge success, no matter the size or location. Contact us today at 818.889.3336 to reserve the perfect picnic location, and you'll be on your way to an unforgettable event in no time!


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(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); While walking tours are still popular with green travelers, and biking tours for the more physical traveler, Segway touring is fast becoming the green way to see big cities. There is a learning curve, but it's a worthy green way to see a city. Photo courtesy Sean MacEntee
Photo Feature: Green Tourism
May 1, 2012 By
Thrifty Ways to Travel Green
April 24, 2012 By
Ecologically-minded travelers hoping to keep it green on the road are often concerned about a potentially out-of-control price tag. Fortunately, its getting more affordable than ever to maintain your environmental priorities while on vacation. Here are a few of my favorite frugal tips. Food: Breakfast is one of the most affordable meals to enjoy while [...]


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Interesting Ferdinand Porsche chat on Facebook this week, as Jack Olsen posted a graphic showing his best Porsche lap time around Willow Springs race track, compared to a modern production 991-series 911 and the Porsche 918.
Originally prepared by Motor Trend magazine* to show relative lap times of the 50-Year Anniversary 991 911 compared to the Porsche 918 around the Willow Springs circuit in southern California, Jack overlaid his own circuit data to see how his 1972 Porsche 911 hot rod, Black Beauty II, stood up against the latest Porsche technology.
"Pretty good" would be my answer. Jack's best lap time of 1:26.88 beats the 50-Year Anniversary 991's best lap of 1:28.93 and is just over 3 seconds off the 918's best time of 1:23.54, driven by Randy Pobst.
"The key differences between the 918 and my 911 (above) are horsepower, suspension tech, and driver skill (in the 918's favor) and low weight (in my 911's favor)," says Jack. "Make no mistake, the 918 is significantly faster than me around the whole track — it sets a production car record with this lap. And Randy Pobst isn't just a pro driver — he's a very fast pro driver. But I'm surprised by how the 918's weight compromises some of its cornering speed, relative to my old bruiser."
Jack's famous "old bruiser" is a 272 bhp RSR-bodied 911 with copious inches of Nitto track rubber stuffed under its wide arches. Built with low weight in mind, BB2 uses the same basic suspension found on any old 911, whereas the 1000lb-heavier 918 uses every trick in the book to defy physics, including active suspension and a speed-sensitive steering rear axle.
The 918 is prodigiously quick, with a price tag to match. Building Jack's 911 did not come cheap, but the cost is likely comparable to buying a 50-Year 991. When people harangue me about the soaring prices of air-cooled 911s in the future, I'm just going to point them at this and ask "how much is simple and light worth to you?" Untold value from where I'm sitting.
This video from Jack's Youtube channel compares 918 track action to his own track video. Seems there is no difference in pace from Turn 2 to Turn 5 at Willow Springs. The circuit might not be the Nürburgring, but it's a respectable test of man and machine. I have one question for you: if the 918 is just 5 seconds quicker than a 991 Carrera, where is the new 991 GT3 RS going to fit in? Share your views in the comments.
*We respect the Motor Trend copyright here – shared for information purposes and linked to the original article.


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AMELIA McGOWAN-WHELAN
I received my training as a Holistic Health Coach Practitioner from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition's cutting-edge Health Coach Training Program based out of New York City. During the twelve months of my training, I studied over 100 dietary theories studied around the world. Aside from my schooling at IIN, I have spent the last 8 years of my life diving deeply into the world of holistic nutrition, wellness, physical and mental healing. I have traveled far and wide for this passion. I have studied ayurvedic medicine in Indonesia, yoga healing in Bali, quantum reflex analysis medicine in New York and food science in Honolulu, Hawaii. I feel that it is an obligation to spread my knowledge and shed light on the ability of self-healing that each and every one of us have.
I received my training as a Holistic Health Coach Practitioner from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Their entirely online, cutting-edge Health Coach Training Program is one of the best programs I've ever participated in. The twelve months I spent enrolled as a student in their course allowed me to gain the knowledge and information I needed to feel confident and prepared to begin working as a private health consultant from the comfort of my own home (and laptop). My extensive schooling through IIN contained a plethora of information regarding nutrition, wellness, physical and mental healing. My course work with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) included individual focuses on practical lifestyle management techniques and exceptionally innovative coaching methods with some of the world's top health and wellness experts. I was introduced to this individualistic approach of teaching by top educators from around the globe. At IIN I was fortunate enough to study under Dr. Andrew Weil, Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; Dr. David Katz, Director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center; Dr. Walter Willett, Chair of Nutrition at Harvard University; and many other leading researchers and nutrition authorities.
My diverse and comprehensive education combined with my personal passion for this particular field has equipped me with extensive knowledge in holistic nutrition and health coaching, as well as preventive health through lifestyle and dietary choices. IIN introduced me to the tools, resources and documents I needed to start up my own business and begin SaltSandandSmoothies.com. After spending over two and a half years studying biology and psychology in college, I was so grateful to have found a program that really resonated with the vision I aspired to bring into existence. I am so proud to be a graduate from IIN. For almost 6 years, I worked full time with clients over e-mail, Skype and in person consultations. I was able to create a work scheduele that was flexible for my own life, as well as personally inspire hundreds of individuals and families to adopt an entirely vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Which has been the greatest reward of all.
Although I am not currently accepting new health coaching clients at this time, I do work with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition as an enrollment ambassador and help new students from around the work sign up for IIN and complete their own Health Coaching Certification. You can use my name, "Amelia Whelan" during enrollment and registration and receive a $1,000 -$1,500 savings off of your total tuition at IIN.


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The Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias S.A. (ITC) is a publicly-owned company, created by the Canary Islands Government by means of Decree 139/1992 of 30th July and attached to the Regional Ministry of Employment, Industry and Commerce. The activities it carries out fall within the fields of Research, Development and Innovation, in the service of Canarian businesses.
The central aim of this support institution for technological innovation in Canarian businesses and society is to correct certain deficiencies in the Islands, such as the imbalance of the productive structure, the absence of raw materials and the excess costs arising from the distance from our markets and it is felt to be highly useful to have a body that is capable of channelling the capacities of research and technological development that there are in the Canaries, orienting them towards the development of small and medium-sized companies, so as to foment activities of collaboration and to increase the effectiveness and coherence of existing policies.
The duties of the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC) can be summarised as:


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This is the last week of August, and that means Summer is coming to an end. Students are going back to school, and my new graduate friends are starting their first jobs. As for me, I'm going to Disneyworld this weekend. Off to the most magical place on earth! Look on Sunday for a post about my very magical adventure in Disneyworld. For now, here are some of my summer food adventures in Chicago.
Del Seoul – Lincoln Park, Chicago
I love Korean food, and the concept of a Korean taco, the intertwining of two different cuisines, is just great! This taco was packed with ingredients including the well seasoned and grilled kalbi (Korean BBQ beef short ribs), lettuce and Sirachi sauce which I added. The kalbi was terrific. It was tender, flavorful and juicy. Plus they don't skimp on the kalbi. Each mouthful of this taco is packed with kalbi. YUM!
Aloha Eats – Lincoln Park, Chicago
I've never had Hawaiian food before. It is always quite exciting trying a new cuisine for the first time. Aloha Eats is a Hawaiian eatery with lots of different quick Hawaiian dishes. My friend and I got the small Chicken Katsu. We were surprised when it came out, because the small could definitely feed two people. Two slices of breaded, fried chicken, 1 scoop of rice and 1 scoop of macaroni salad. The chicken katsu was definitely my favorite. The chicken inside was juicy and moist, and made for a perfect pairing with the crunchy outer exterior. Might have to start planning a trip to Hawaii after this!
Store Front Sign
I love quirky, funny signs. I saw this one while passing by a stationary store. Yes indeed, you should be sorry you are open.
Meiko the Superman (Supercat)
Introducing my dear cat Meiko. She is a four year old short haired domestic house cat. In the afternoons you can find her in the living room windows, basking in the sun. One afternoon I found her stretching her paws after a cat nap. It looked like she was trying to do the Superman, or in this case the Supercat.


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Social Development Planner Consultant, (Nairobi), Deadline: 25 June 2018
Issued on: 14 June 2018
ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION: UN-Habitat
DUTY STATION: Nairobi
FUNCTIONAL TITLE: Social Development Planner Consultant
10 months
CLOSING DATE: 25 June 2018
UN-Habitat, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is the agency for human settlements in the United Nations system. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
As part of its work, UN-Habitat seeks to promote sustainable and resilient cities and towns through provision of urban basic services infrastructure through technical support and integrated sectoral and regional development approaches in water and sanitation sector at national, regional and local levels of government as one of its priorities. Due to urbanisation process, African cities in general and developing countries globally need more than ever before to be resilient, sustainable and should offer the kind of quality of life and opportunity that make people want to live in them and make businesses want to invest through matching urban population growth to economic growth. UN-Habitat is working globally to ensure a future characterised by resilient, sustainable, healthy, attractive and vibrant towns and cities for future generations. It has ambitions to create more competitive, sustainable and inclusive cities and human settlements in an increasingly globalizing and urbanising world. Financed by European Investment Bank (EIB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD); UN-Habitat is executing and leading the implementation of 'Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation' (LVWATSAN-Mwanza). UN-Habitat' role is mainly Mobilization and Institutional Facilitation of Sanitation in Mwanza City; Mwanza City informal areas; and satellite Towns of Magu, Lamadi and Musoma, secondary and or medium sized cities of Bukoba and Musoma around the Lake Region. The overall goal of the LVWATSAN-Mwanza project is to protect the environment of Lake Victoria and wellbeing of the population in the Lake Basin with the aim of improvement of sewerage, sanitation and wastewater treatment, with the specific objectives of not only improving living conditions but also improving urban basic services delivery and cities sustainability.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Japan is financing Integrated Provision of Access to Basic Services (Transport, Waste and Drainage) to Bethlehem City and Refugee Camp which targets at establishing the status of basic services. The Department for international Development Corporation (DFID) is financing the technical support to the sustainable development of Hawassa City Cluster to develop a regional development plan.
Specifically, this role entails Programme development and planning; Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results; Technical and operational support for programme implementation; Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus developemnt and response when need arises; Regional development strategic plan development, Networking and partnership building; Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building; promoting and supporting gender-responsive planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of projects; and mainstreaming gender equality fostering economic growth through growth poles development.
In addition, the consultant must ensure due diligence of UN-Habitat projects and programmes in accordance with UN social policies and standards especially in cooperating cross cutting issues such as vulnerable groups, gender equality, human rights, poverty, youths, climate change, environment, sustainability, urban poverty, inequality, informality and good governance among others.
The Social Development Planner consultant position entails promoting sustainable social, economic and environmental development in cities through regional development programmes and projects. This entails supporting further advancement of the UN-Habitat' sustainable development approach through recognizing the socio-economic impacts of spatially planned human settlements according to functions and regionalisation.
Through capacity building, the consultant will be responsible for promoting the broader capacity strengthening of all stakeholders on national, regional and local development plans; documenting assessment reports on the status of urban basic services in selected regions and cities and providing technical support and coordination of partners for regional development plan development.
Additionally, the Consultant will participate in the relevant stages of the project cycle of selected projects and programmes, including the review of the quality of documents required under UN project progress reporting and documenting lessons learnt in projects, Institutional and Community Stakeholders' engagement, trainings on urban basic services governance to utilities and local, regional and national governments.
Furthermore, the consultant will participate as resource person in technical capacity building initiatives to enhance the technical competencies of project beneficiaries as well as assist in the preparation of learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development at all levels of government.
Networking and partnership building entails building and sustaining close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve project outputs and results.
This consultancy will support project management and the steering of the project implementation to successfully deliver the Expected Accomplishments as in accordance with the Project Documents and the Agreement with the financiers. This includes assisting in: (1) situation analysis on waste management in Hawassa, (2) building local capacity for housing and waste management in Hawassa City, (3) action plan for improving waste management in Hawassa, (4) integrated rapid assessment report on current status of basic services provision in the area of Bethlehem (5) sustainable strategies for improved provision of drainage, water and sanitation, waste, transport endorsed by stakeholders in Bethlehem (6) Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) community/stakeholder engagement and cooperation mechanisms – LVWATSAN-Mwanza programme, (7) mainstreaming gender equality through WASH in LVWATSAN-Mwanza programme (8) Technical and operational support for LVWATSAN programme implementation, (9) Technical capacity building on WASH in communities, utilities and local government in LVWATSAN-Mwanza programme, (10) carry out rapid assessment on the status of WASH in 7 scale-up informal areas – LVWATSAN programme, (11) preparation and review of the two quarter reports for September and November 2018 LVWATSAN-Mwanza Project, (12) organise symposium 'urban sanitation in informal areas – LVWATSAN-Mwanza, (13) document International best practices and lessons learnt – LVWATSAN-Mwanza project
The Consultant will support the work of the Water and Sanitation Unit in the Urban Basic Services Branch with focus on the following tasks:
- Carry out a rapid assessment and document a report on status of Integrated basic services provision in Bethlehem City;
- Develop Sustainable strategies for improved provision of basic services endorsed by stakeholders in Bethlehem City;
- Building local capacity for housing and waste management in Hawassa City
- Situation analysis on waste management in Hawassa and development of Action plan for the improvement of waste management in Hawassa City
- Community WASH training for MSFs, Local Government institutions and National government authorities in LVWATSAN-Mwanza programme;
- Prepare technical reports and inputs for LVWATSAN programme implementation ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevance of information;
- Provide technical and operational support throughout LVWATSAN-Mwanza project implementation;
- Prepare and review of quarter reports for LVWATSAN Project;
- Organise a symposium 'Urban Sanitation in Informal Areas' for LVWATSAN-Mwanza programme
- Document international best practices and lessons learnt from LVWATSAN-Mwanza project
- Work collaboratively with field-based colleagues and partners to collect/analyze/ share information on implementation issues, provide solutions on routine programme implementation and alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions;
- Dissemination of International Best Practices and Lessons Learned from LVWATSAN-Mwanza pitching sanitation solutions in informal settlements.
- Assist in the implementation of other on-going WASH projects by supporting contracting, research, coordination with partners, project review, programme updates and reporting;
Key Outcome
The key outcome is the successful delivery of the project's Expected Accomplishments so that the overall project goal is accomplished.
Key outputs/milestones include: Key outputs/milestones include objectives and tasks/responsibilities mentioned under section 2 and 3 above
Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations.
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed
Planning and Organising
Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently.
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Regional Development Planning and Management; Social or Political Sciences; Social Development or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted instead of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of four to five (4-5) years of progressive experience in project management and development especially providing technical and operational support to governments at national and local levels on issues of decentralised governance, regional/cluster development planning, local economic development, institutional stakeholder relations in WASH with a focus on sustainable urban basic services provision. Workshop facilitation, policy dialogues in areas related to urban basic services focusing on integrated water resources management, gender equality in water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is required. Furthermore, expertise with the following is a pre-requisite:
- Broad experience in regional development planning and management in developing countries
- Extensive capability in designing action plans and strategies for urban basic service provision
- Sound knowledge of social processes, applicable tools and their application thereof in a spatial development project/programme implementation and management
- Solid experience with the main social standards and social development policies and practices of UN system and UN-Habitat work
- Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and local communities would be an asset
- Familiarity with current approaches to and debates on sustainable urban development (SDGs) and new urban agenda (NUA) including leveraging tenants of sustainable cities and ICT in regional and local level development plans. A more specialized expertise in urban basic service and spatial planning research in developing countries is an added advantage.
- Good knowledge and experience in leveraging cross cutting issues such as vulnerable groups, human rights, poverty, youths, climate change, environment, sustainability, urban poverty, inequality, informality and good governance among others is an asset.
- Proven work experience in Africa and developing countries with UN agencies and any other development organizations especially is necessary experience.
- Experience in working with and supporting national, regional and local government institutions, city administrations, academia, NGOs is versatile.
- Strong writing, inter-personal and networking skills are resourceful.
- Excellent command of English and any other UN official languages would be an advantage.
English is the working language of the United Nations Secretariat. For this assignment, fluency in oral and written English is required and other UN languages such as Spanish and French are a significant asset.
Payments will be done monthly upon receipt of monthly progress reports (covering all activities undertaken during the reporting period) over the consultancy period. The rate will be paid as per UN salary scale.
Supervision and Reporting
The consultant will prepare a proposed work schedule for the consultancy period. The Consultant will work under the the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the Urban Basic Services Branch, reporting to the Team Leader of Water and Sanitation Unit, Urban Basic Services Branch, UN-Habitat and will work in close collaboration with project team members and field officers.
Duration of the Consultancy: Ten (10) months: The Consultant will be contracted for a period of 10 months starting from 1 July 2018 and ending 30 April 2019.
Applications should include:
- Cover memo (maximum 1 page)
- CV in the PHP format, accessible through the INSPIRA website (inspira.un.org) Please note, if using INSPIRA for the first time, you need to register in order to activate your account, which will allow you to log in and create a personal History Profile.
- The PHP should be attached to the application as a PDF file.
- Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information: 1. Educational Background (incl. dates)
2. Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)
3. Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)
4. Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments
5. Expectations regarding remuneration
- Cover memo (maximum 1 page)
Please also be advised that since April 15th 2010, applicants for consultancies must be part of the
UN-HABITAT e-Roster in order for their application to be considered. You can reach the e-Roster
through the following link: http://e-roster.unhabitat.org
All applications should be submitted to: Rose Mureithi
Urban Basic Services Branch
P.O. Box 30030-00100
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Deadline for applications: 25 June 2018
UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Please note, if this item is a final sale outlet style (as mention in the product description) it cannot be returned unless deemed faulty.
View our full return policy here.


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This was quite a hard poll to write, in order to get across the sense in which the words are used, but hopefully it's clearish. In each case, imagine the sentence being said by someone who does not fall into the group the word in question refers to (i.e. the first sentence is not being said by someone gay, etc.).
Which of these do you find offensive?
"I don't like those shoes, they're gay."
"I'm such a spazz."
"He's a complete mentalist."
"What a retard."
"She never buys her round; she's such a jew."
"I can't believe you paid £5 for that - you were gypped."
"OMG, that's so lame!"
"There were these chavs on the train..."
"The score was 7-0 - our team was raped."
"You're such a bitch!"
I was going to put in a question about other words that you find offensive that I hadn't mentioned (other than the glaringly obvious: nigger, paki, fag etc.; the ones in the poll are all things that seem to be considered borderline-acceptable in a way that other words are not) but I wanted to make the first part of the poll private to encourage people to answer, whereas I'd like people to be able to see the other words being suggested, so please do leave them in comments.
My take: I dislike the use of 'gay' to mean 'uncool' or 'crap'; I wouldn't use it myself (and indeed haven't since I was in my early teens with a couple of friends over, who ended up having a conversation with 'gay' this and 'gay' that in front of two of my parents' gay friends, while I slowly died inside), but I probably wouldn't call someone on their use of it. I would never use 'spazz' or 'retard' (though I'm ashamed to say that I used to use both words) and I find them pretty offensive, and I probably would call someone else on it, if they were someone I knew well. "Mentalist", and similar things like "nutter", "loon" etc. I do use, though when I really think about it I'm uneasy. "Jew" in that context is utterly unacceptable to me, and I'd call someone on their usage of it; similarly "gypped", though slightly less so because I do think that some people genuinely don't know where it comes from (I didn't, until it was pointed out to me). "Lame" I don't find offensive, but it's something I'd probably aviod using among people whom I don't know. I hate the word "chav" and never use it, and would probably open up a discussion with someone else used it, though it'd be more along the lines of "wow, I really hate that word" than "that word is offensive" (and I'd be really interested to hear from Scots about the possible offensiveness of the word "ned", which in my head is an equivalent, but I certainly don't understand all the layers of meanings and cultural assumptions. "Raped" in that context is something that it'd never occur to me to use, and I probably wouldn't comment on someone else using it, though they'd likely get a wide-eyed look as I'd be so taken aback. "Bitch" I'm totally fine with, but I know one or two men who dislike it and consciously avoid it.
I have very, very little time for the "but I didn't meeeeeeeaaaaan it like that!" line of defence, and equally little for the "but some of my best friends are [insert group here] and they use that word!" (It's a different matter if someone falls into the group in question, though I would probably still be a bit taken aback by it.) As far as I'm concerned, the only graceful response to being told "hey, I find this word offensive" is "sorry, I'll be more careful with my language in future". It's a basic matter of respect. (Again, it's a different matter if you're in a very close group of friends where you know for absolute certain that no one's offended; I have a couple of fairly off-colour jokes that I will tell around certain people, but would never even consider telling around people I didn't know very well indeed.)


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5 Reasons to Visit State & Allen this Week
State & Allen
State & Allen Kitchen + Bar is your local, neighborhood restaurant and bar. We keep our atmosphere warm and friendly, nothing pretentious about it. It's perfect for a night out with the girls, first date, happy hour drinks, and more. Maybe you're a State & Allen veteran...and maybe you're a newbie. Either way, here are a few State & Allen secrets you may not know:
· Brunch is Where It's At: State & Allen has the best Dallas brunch. Period. Amazing farm-to-table fare and delicious drink specials. Who wouldn't love a mimosa served with fresh free range eggs and bacon?! And the cherry on top: State & Allen has the one and only Bloody Mary Bar in Uptown. Celery, pickles, onions, cherry tomatoes, the works. So many garnishes, you'll have to see it to believe it.
· Thirsty Thursdays are a Blast: Clear your schedule now and bring some friends to Thirsty Thursday. Drink specials abound, including specials on the widely popular Moscow Mule.
· Dallas Scratch Kitchen: Executive Chef Rhett Dukes knows a thing or two about amazing cuisine. This isn't his first rodeo, and he's been nailing it lately with his daily chef specials. Sure, State & Allen has it's usual menu items, but Chef Dukes keeps it interesting with fresh Dallas lunch and dinner specials. One of his most recent: Tuna Tartare "Nachos" served with pickled ginger and jicama slaw salad.
· Texas Trinity Happy Hour: Vodka. Whiskey. Tequila. Drink it straight, or mix it with your favorite mixer. Either way, during our Texas Trinity Happy Hour, these favorites are just $3 a glass. Happy Hour is from 3-7pm on Monday-Thursday, then ALL DAY on Friday.
· Half Priced Drafts on Tuesdays: Interested in sampling some new Texas beer? Come to State & Allen on Tuesday for half priced drafts in Dallas.
See you this week at State & Allen for these and other amazing specials! Serving lunch and dinner daily.


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There's no doubt that early morning running is dark and scary! However, it needs be done because I know myself and know I won't run after work unless it's an absolute must! While I was making the 4:45am trip to the gym during the winter months, I switched to running after work once the times changed which was a total mistake. I struggled to get back into a morning routine until a few weeks ago. My training suffered due to inconsistency and lack of motivation. Now that things are movin' & groovin', I decided before heading back to the gym again that I need to take advantage of these beautiful fall mornings before it gets too cold out!
the perks of early morning running -> Good Morning Sun
Whether you're an early morning or evening runner, these tips should be useful to you!
- Wear Bright/Reflective Clothing – stand out when you run! As flattering as black is, neon colors & whites are easiest to see in the dark & that is what's most important!
- Wear/Carry Lights – anything to help get you seen! There's so many options such as a head lamp, using your cell-phone flashlight, knuckle lights, a reflector vest with LED lights, etc. I've been using this vest, a head lamp, and my phone flashlight. Check these out for when it gets colder outside!
- Choose a Well-Lit Route – not only does this help with making you seen but it always helps you see where you are going! It's a little less scary, too.
- Vary Your Route – Run a few different routes and switch up the your routine. Potential attackers pick up on consistency which really freaks me out. For extra protection, consider carrying pepper spray on you
- Turn Off The Tunes – Listening to music tends to be a distraction and reduces awareness of your surroundings. You might not be able to hear a car beeping, a bicyclist coming up behind you, a potential attacker… If that doesn't work for you (it doesn't for me because I end up freaking myself out more making things up in my head..), try leaving an earbud out as well as lowering your music.
- Run Facing Traffic – in case you need to jump out of the way of car that may not see you! Also, try to run on the sidewalk as much as possible.
- Run With a Buddy – There's strength and safety in numbers. If you're like me, you may have trouble finding someone who wants to hit the streets with you at 5am. So, if you're running alone, let someone know when you're heading out the door, the route you plan on running, and approximately how long you think you'll be out there.
- Always Carry ID – just in case something happens, carry your license or another form of ID.
What's your best tip for running in the dark?