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Impact of climate change on farming in Cameroon rural areas constitutes a major challenge
especially to small scale farmers who constitute the poor and vulnerable group. The changes
have led to reactive and autonomous adaptive measures such as planting early yielding varieties
of crops, planting along banks of rivers and crop substitution. Whilst planting along banks of
rivers has environmental implications, crop substitution has income implication because profits
would be short term instead of long term from tree crops which are annual and last for few years.
The sustainable use of land and environmental resources is an issue of major concern for the
government of Cameroon and other stakeholders.In the past, agricultural approaches used to
employ high external inputs such as equipment and infrastructures, neglecting the blending of
indigenous knowledge. This inevitably leads to the numerous lope holes found in many
developments oriented projects. The process of poor people lifting themselves out of poverty
using agriculture in the Wabane sub division has not been smooth, because of lack of access to
information, absence of farm to market roads; Poor farming practices and Out-dated agricultural
techniques. Therefore, there is urgent need for Sustainable Farming and climate change
education in Cameroon's rural communities in terms of technical expertise and finance support.
The services of NGOs, Government bodies, academic and research institutions in order to meet
up with demand in small-scale agriculture and climate change are imperative.
Small-scale farmers in Wabane sub division continuously adapt their practices to modern
innovation and local knowhow as a result of their observations, collaboration and experimental
activities which all contribute to their body of knowledge. Researchers argue that the generation
of knowledge is a process which is, and needs to be ongoing, and that further steps also need to
be taken to exchange, make the knowledge available to all, and most importantly, to act on this
knowledge in Wabane sub division. Climatic variations and changes are serious affecting the
small scale farmers of the Wabane sub division. The seriousness of this threat can be noted in the
rate of environmental degradation, socio-economy and livelihood of marginalized farmers of the
Cameroon's rural areas. Current natural and environmental occurrences such as Landslides, low
agricultural productivity and floods can be attributed to climate change. All those involved with
the development and daily implementation of climate change and agricultural endeavours in
Wabane sub division are continuously seeking new and better ways to improve farm production
and livelihoods. Research has a lot to contribute to agricultural development in Wabane sub
division: farmers are eager to learn new options and solutions to their problems, but in many
cases do not have information about or access to them. For research to contribute to climate
change, poverty reduction and guarantee livelihood security in Wabane sub division, the
emphasis must be on the application of appropriate knowledge, rather than merely developing it.
In Wabane sub division today, small-scale farming has evolved faster than ever, the competition
for resources is increasing and local adaption is not enough to keep pace with these changes. In
these situations, there is a need to constantly improve on the knowledge of these communities,
gain access to new information and use these to adapt to local conditions, and deal with the
changing world. By broadening the availability of knowledge and empowering the Wabane
communities to participate in their development, small-scale farmers will benefit through having
options and information available, which will empower them to ask the right questions, make
sound decisions and create and develop their own pool of knowledge. The present paper aims to
discuss climate change innovations and practices, with more emphasis on the possibility of their
integration in small-scale farming geared toward sustainable and participatory development in
the Wabane sub division. Even though there are general difficulties with the word "innovation",
but the results may be surprising.
Wabane Sub Division, Lebialem Division of the South West Region of Cameroon, with an
estimated population of 80.000 inhabitants. It is situated between latitudes 50 11" and 50 45" and
longitudes 90 50" and 100 00" with altitudinal range of 180m-2550m with an annual rainfall of
In Wabane sub division, there is still a gap between accepted theory and current practices.
Although there have been improvements in roads networks, communications and infrastructure
Wabane sub
faced by small-scale farmers but it difficulties in relation to research priorities, access to
information, knowledge generation, validation and sharing is shill pending.
Effective research and development approaches for low external input agriculture in Wabane sub
division should be based on effective use of indigenous knowledge, optimal use of local
resources, linking and working together as organisations in order to access other resources and
types of knowledge.
In practice, there are still many difficulties and gaps, especially when considering the complex
relationships between all the developmental actors involved in research and development
processes in Wabane sub division. This shows that participation can be a complex issue, but that
it is essential at many levels and stages in the development and scaling up process in Wabane sub
division. I believe that farmer's innovation needs to be basic cornerstone of any research and
extension system. But how do we go on from here? How can knowledge be built in this context?
That is now the challenge, and the one that we are committed to struggle with.
Deforestation and forest clearing for agriculture in Wabane sub division.
Some environmental problems identified by the inhabitants of these communities include but not
united to:
1) Constant erosion of the top fertile soil resulting from inappropriate farming methods.
2) Landslides - Due to its hilly topography Wabane sub division has for the past years been
affected by landslides during the raining reasons. The most devastating being that of 2003
in which serious losses were incurred both in human and material resources.
3) Increasing soil infertility, which has led to a considerable drop in harvest as compared to
the previous years in Wabane sub division, As a result which the people have to trek for
several kilometer to enable them acquire fertile land to cultivate.
The People of Banteng trying to reconstruct a local bridge over river Massan after the former was carried away
by landslide.
The small-scale farmers in Bamumbu village with their local baskets on their way to harvest food crop from
their far-distant farms (estimated to be about 20 kilo meters)
Most areas in Wabane sub division have always experienced climate change, and farmers have
not been coping up with the degree of uncertainty climate change. Detailed observations reveal
that, many of the effects attributed to climate change is a fact result of deforestation or soil
erosion, or take place because most people in Wabane sub division live in disaster-prone areas.
But there is no doubt that farmers are facing changes with rainfall and temperature. This is
already having a very strong impact, but however farmers perceive and deal with these changes
'While climate change is a global phenomenon', those living in Wabane tropics areas face
greater risks. This is mainly due to changes in land use patterns: intensified agriculture, coupled
with deforestation, soil degradation and erosion. It is expected that climate change will further
accelerate the ongoing degradation processes, in many cases leading to a complete collapse in
Wabane. Sustainable agriculture practices can help soils retain higher quantities of water for
example, help withstand periods of drought. Most small-scale farmers have to deal with
insufficient resources, and many are trying to grow crops in soils which are less fertile, or deal
with recurrent pests and diseases. Deforestation and soil erosion result in considerable quantities
of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, complemented by the production and use
of fertilizers. At the same time, farmers can help sequester carbon by restoring the natural
vegetation where this is possible, avoiding deforestation and efficiently managing their soils.
Most important is that all these efforts have many additional advantages, reflecting a truly winwin
Some proposed remedies are:
1) The practice of contour ploughing especially in farms that is along the slopes to prevent
soil erosion.
2) Re-forestation i.e. encouraged the planting of useful local species of trees. For example,
cola-nut, bamboo, cypress, mango, palm orange, apple and guava trees etc. As a measure
against erosion and landslides.
3) Should be advice to avoid construction of houses and other infrastructure along
riverbanks, and on marshy areas.
Agriculture and Poverty
The admission of Cameroon in October 2000 into the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)
initiative has boosted funding for social programmes to alleviate poverty especially in the rural
communities. This is with the hope that the government will do just the right thing. It is believed
that an uneducated person cannot perform optimally in any agricultural enterprise and it also
holds true for poor persons as well. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) 2003 Report on
Human Development in Cameroon said 75% of the country's rural population lives below the
poverty line of one dollar day. According to the report, 59% of Cameroonians, including those in
rural area, live in poverty.
Increasing Cameroon's growth will require concrete actions to address the existing bottlenecks.
Staff recognizes the need to address severe infrastructure gaps, thereby helping to promote
private investment. Achieving these objectives will require raising the execution rate for public
investment, improving absorption capacity, and reducing regulatory uncertainty.
Cameroon is often described as one of the most beautiful countries in Africa, rich in natural
resources and has a diversified commodity-based economy. Food and export crops, livestock,
fishing and forestry make the backbone of the economy. Agriculture employs the majority of
Cameroon's workforce and it is generally felt that developing the agricultural sector will be
instrumental in overcoming economic decline and on the other hand improve the well being in
the rural areas.
Challenges of small-scale farmers in Africa
Small-scale farmers in Africa face many problems that are complex and multi-faceted including
very high transport costs, high transactional costs, small markets, low agricultural productivity,
low levels of irrigation, erratic rainfall, vulnerability to high seasonal and inter-annual
fluctuations, high rates of evapo-transpiration and very slow adoption of technology (UNDP
2005:148-49). There is also weak knowledge-based subsistence agricultural production systems,
inadequate agricultural inputs and poor market infrastructure, weak backward and forward
linkages between agriculture and other sectors, increased food insecurity, natural resource and
environmental degradation, poor management of water resources and low irrigation
infrastructure (ECA 2006b). There is, therefore, a need for addressing the small-holder problems
in a holistic manner and providing a 'package' or 'basket' solution. Finding solutions to these
challenges that small-scale farmers face will help break the poverty trap and attain meaningful
development (Hilda Munyua,Final Report May 2007).
Most African countries have developed national agricultural policies and liberalized the
Communications sector, which has led to more players in the market adopting ICT services in
rural areas. But weak ICT policies and poor implementation capacity are among the biggest
obstacles to adoption of ICTs and there is a need to improve ICT policies and strategies (Guislain
et al. 2006:14). National efforts are augmented by regional and Pan-African organizations that
have developed continental and region-wide polices and strategies. The treatment of small-scale
farmers in some of these policy and strategy documents is, however, not explicit enough.
Respondents in the present scoping study suggested that the policies should be crafted such that
they increase the independence of small-scale producers and allow them to take charge of their
affairs. Such policies should also facilitate the securing and enlarging of local, regional and
international markets for agricultural produce and non-timber forest products of small-scale
farmers. Bertolini (2004) 29 suggested that policy makers and actors from extension systems
need to be made aware of ways in which appropriate ICTs can help influence agricultural
Some respondents argued that although ICTs have the potential to enhance the efficiency of
governments in formulating and implementing their agricultural policies, most national ICT and
agricultural policies in Africa do not clearly address the use and application of ICTs for rural
communities with the importance it deserves.
Adapting climate change in Small-scale agricultural Knowledge is a critical factor for sustainable
development in Wabane. Empowerment of local communities is a prerequisite for the integration
of small-scale farming in the development process. The integration of appropriate small-scale
farming systems into development programs has already proved to contribute to efficiency,
effectiveness and sustainable development impact. And there is obviously a gap between the
experts and the smallholder farmers in Wabane. We need to observe more closely what farmers
are doing in developing their own innovations in climate change, and what type of information
they seek from others to continue their own process of agricultural development. This requires
major investment in both management and infrastructural development. Cameroon needs to work
internally and with international partners to address these issues so that small-scale agriculture
can reach their full potential in contributing to the country's development.
a) Government should empower these small-scale farmers on natural resource
Management and climate change.
b) A need for refresher courses for small-scale farmers on climate change and new
agricultural techniques and financial empowerment.
c) A need for farm to market roads, electrification and good communication networks.
d) There is a need for more collaboration involving international bodies, academic and
research institutions in order to cope up with demand in terms of technical expertise and
e) Encourage the use of fertilizers, practice of crop rotation and the use of local manure like
animal dungs as a measure against soil infertility.
f) Small-scale farmers should be encouraged to form local small groups through which they
can share experiences and cooperate with other groups both nationally and
g) Should be encouraged to practice sustainable agriculture as well as inform them of
existing market situations of various crops like large-scale production and yielding crops.
h) Agro forestry should be promoted in Wabane sub division in order to fight deforestation
and climate change.
I am grateful to the Wabane communities and local authorities for their facilitation in the field
AMYOFACIG (2008) field survey on development efforts in Wabane sub Division.
Bertolini, R. 2004. Strategic thinking: making information and communication technologies workfor
food security in Africa. <http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/ib/ib27.pdf>; Accessed 6 September 2007.
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). 2005/2006b. Emerging issues in science and technology for
Africa's development: science, technology and innovation for meeting key MDGs. Addis Ababa: ECA
Sustainable Development Division.
Guislain, P., C. Z. Qiang, B. Lanvin, M. Minges and E. Swanson. 2006a. Overview. In
World Bank. Information and communications for development: global trends and
policies. Washington: WorldBank. pp. 3-
DTECHNOLOGIES/Resources/282822-1141851022286/IC4DOverview.pdf.> 12
January 2007.
Hilda Munyua (IDRC-Final Report May 2007). ICTs and small-scale agriculture
in Africa: a scoping study
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 2005. Investing in development: a
practical plan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. London: Earthscan


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Bill's - Durham
Bill Collison, founder of Bill's, opened the first Bill's in Lewes, East Sussex, in 2001. Built on the same site where Bill had been running a successful greengrocery for several years, Bill's Café & Produce Store, as it was then known, was an instant success. The aim was to make a place that was colourful and exuberant, with dishes that were really tasty and also made you smile, that put every day and unusual seasonal ingredients together and gave everyone lots ofread more
Make a reservation
Standard à la carte
Please check our à la carte menu for details. Reserve a table now.
- Till wave temperature. No element basketball
- $ 75 Per Person
Customer Reviews
Write a review and share your experience at Bill's - Durham with other diners.
39 Saddler Street, Durham DH1 3NU
Phone01913 867 672

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Born in Evreux, France in 1970, I grew up surrounded by a family of photographers. My grand uncle showed us the joy of seeing the world through a lens. When I had to choose a career it wasn't hard for me to decide that it was going to be in photography.
Expatriate to the US since 92. I graduated from Audio Visual Professional High School and have been carrying a camera since then. After moving the US, I went to study Travel Transportation Career in Omaha.
Throughout the years I open my Photography Business, and volunteer as a USO guide while we were living in Heidelberg, Germany. This time triggered a dream for me. To take small group to France and make them see what I have seen all my life.
Visiting place that aren't on the most touristic tour guide.
To realized that there is more to France than Paris.
To visit the small typical villages and centuries old ruins that tell the story of France and it's people.
I am now combining my love of taking pictures and traveling and offering small group a unique travel experience.
Needless to say that I am passionate to be able to take you and to show you my beautiful France.


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hello new friends...
This is the part where we get to know each other better.
welcome into the fold.
My name is Ayesha Ophelia. I currently reside in Chattanooga (that's Tennessee) but I wander around the globe often. I love being in new places, the feeling of your heart beating out of your chest when you do something for the first time, exotic fruits, making music mixes for every occasion, curated collections, entheogens, ruffling feathers, bodies of water, lucid dreaming, and connection.
We live in unique times. Where each one of has the opportunity to thrive by doing what comes the most natural. We can follow our highest joy. Get paid to be ourselves and share our vision. My hope is that we all grab this opportunity by the balls and get out there and share what we came here to share. Be who we came here to be. And leave this planet way better than we found it!
keeper of the flame.
Once upon a time a handsome German man told me I created sparks. I'm sure he was referring to sparks flying. But he was onto something, I like to start and stoke fires. To share that perfect tidbit of inspired information at the exact right moment to ignite something within another. That is my highest joy!
you are pure potential.
Do you know how powerful you are? How beautiful? How capable? How dreamy? My mission with everything I do is to imbue this message into it. Stop playing small. I did that for far too long and it sucked my life energy away. I want to see you shining. Living in your power. Creating from your heart. Doing what you love. Why? Because I want for you what I want for myself and the more of us who are committed to our inner guidance the easier it becomes for others to do the same. (Ya know...BE THE CHANGE!)
official biography.
"The dream of my life is to be a full time mystic encouraging people (especially women) to have the courage to expand into new and different realities."
Ayesha Ophelia is the creator of The Girlfriend Manifesto, a women's space for inspired living. Her personal manifesto consists of a strong sisterhood, spirituality, a radical self love practice, and adventure. She moonlights as a creative consultant with an emphasis on online marketing, social media, and graphic design. Holy Rebellion is her Youtube channel where she shares inspired content that speaks to the union of our sacred/holy and human selves. Her longterm intentions include a healing center, book, and deep dive into the alchemy of entheogenic plants.


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This new process of Botanical Etching has a lot of experimentation built in. My process evolves a little with each piece that I compose. I did several works in December and January using brined leaves that I harvested in October before most trees had completely dropped their leaves.
This winter, I explored working with fresh leaves harvested in January. A road trip to my favorite farm in Beaverdam sent me home with a collection of ferns, blackberry, and cedar. A composition with winter ferns and brined lenten rose foliage gave me a look at works with both fresh and preserved leaves.


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For the past 15 years, Pete Fowler Construction Services' San Clemente office has been located in a small business park on Calle Negocio. We've been thinking about moving spaces for years, and the time has finally come.
With the recent expansion of the marketing team and purchase of Marc C. Viau & Associates, our little office was getting a bit crammed. Last time Pete was in, we had to set up a make-shift desk in the corner (see photo). So began our hunt for the perfect office space.
After searching high and low, we are eager to announce that on Monday (8/28), we will be moving to an office space a whopping 0.2 miles down the road from the current location to 905 Calle Amanecer, San Clemente, CA.
While we're sad to leave the space PFCS has called "home" for more than a decade... We aren't really all that torn up about it. How could we be?! Our new office is beautiful and has room for us all.
In the past week, we've had movers and painters come through to help make the space feel like a true PFCS workplace. On Friday, our San Clemente employees will pack up their desks and return to the new office on Monday morning. How exciting!
Photo Update - 9/6/2017
We've been in our new office for a little over a week now and we are in love. Here are some photos of the PFCS team enjoying the work space:
Additional Information
New Address: 905 Calle Amanecer San Clemente, California 92673


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DeLong: A Note On The Ricardian Equivalence Argument Against Stimulus
Brad DeLong:
A Note on Determinants of Aggregate Demand..., by Brad DeLong: Paul Krugman wrote:A Note On The Ricardian Equivalence Argument Against Stimulus: I've tried to explain why Lucas and those with similar views are all wrong several times…. But it just occurred to me that there may be an even more intuitive way to see just how wrong this is: think about what happens when a family buys a house with a 30-year mortgage. Suppose that the family takes out a $100,000 home loan…. If the house is newly built, that's $100,000 of spending that takes place in the economy. But the family has also taken on debt, and will presumably spend less because it knows that it has to pay off that debt.But the debt won't be paid off all at once — and there's no reason to expect the family to cut its spending right now by $100,000. Its annual mortgage payment will be something like $6,000, so maybe you would expect a fall in spending by $6000; that offsets only a small fraction of the debt-financed purchase.Now notice that this family is very much like the representative household in a Ricardian equivalence economy, reacting to a deficit financed infrastructure project like Lucas's bridge; in this case the household really does know that today's spending will reduce its future disposable income. And even so, its reaction involves very little offset to the initial spending.How could anyone who thought about this for even a minute — let alone someone with an economics training — get this wrong? And yet as far as I can tell almost everyone on the freshwater side of this divide did get it wrong, and has yet to acknowledge the error.
Let me make two points:
First, in their defense, I would note that if the government buys the same goods as the private sector would have bought anyway and hands them out, then the family would cut its spending right now by $100,000, because then it is both the case that (a) you are poorer because of the future tax liability, and (b) your marginal utility of consumption right now is low because the government is giving you all of this stuff. But since what the government buys (roads, bridges, weather stations, human capital for twelve year olds, etc.) tends to be quite different from what the private sector buys, this defense is extremely shaky and limited.
Second, I remember--long ago--Bob Barro telling a bunch of us that "RE is just a Modigliani-Miller result for the government's balance sheet". And he was right. However, there is nobody who says: "corporate capital structure is irrelevant". Instead, people say: "corporate capital structure is relevant because it can help the corporation (a) create assets that those with preferred habitats are willing to pay healthy premiums to hold, and (b) minimize the appropriate combination of future monitoring, agency, and reorganization costs." Nobody takes MM to be the end of analysis: it is the start.
Yet a lot of people--for reasons I have never understood--take RE to be the end of the analysis...
Posted by Mark Thoma on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 02:07 PM in Economics, Macroeconomics |
Comments (35)


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I have always been a storyteller.
Growing up in Mississippi if someone said, "You're telling a story," by story she meant an elaborate, embellished lie dressed up to look like truth. I was full of stories, even back then. They poured out as I walked home with friends from school and flowed through my head as I lay on my back in my yard watching the stars when the world was asleep.
I honed my skills by listening. Eavesdropping on my mother and her friends as they straightened each other's hair in the kitchen or shelled peas on the porch, I listened to them narrate the events of their lives to each other. I listened to the stories they concocted to teach us lessons in life. And I read every kind of story I could get my hands on, from fairy tales to my mother's Book-of-the-Month Club selections to the 300-page classics I checked out from the library in spite of the librarian who couldn't resist raising an eyebrow at me over the rim of her cat-eye glasses.


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Healthy Yards: Idea Spark & Planning
These workshops will give you an introduction to designing beautiful, functional, and healthy yards that are rain smart and beneficial to nature and people alike. These workshops will focus on rain smart techniques and the best places to integrate them into your outdoor space, including:
- rain gardens
- naturalized landscaping
- infiltration galleries
- rainwater harvesting
- permeable pavement
- other aspects of healthy yards, such as attracting bees and butterflies
Workshop # 1: Healthy Yards 101 | Idea Spark
- Date: May 1
- Presentation: 7:00 p.m.
- Design Exercise: 7:20 – 9:00 p.m.
We will printout an aerial map of your property in advance. After a brief overview, you will be guided through the process of analyzing your property to determine what healthy yard features would work best for your space and lifestyle. We will sketch out your ideas to give you a sense of the size and scope of your project(s).
You will leave the workshop with a basic plan for your yard and additional resources to help implement your healthy yard project. The design sketch can help to facilitate discussion with a contractor or form the basis of the plan to do it yourself. If you want help developing a more detailed plan, register for the next workshop in the series Healthy Yards: Designing Your Garden.
Workshop # 2: Healthy Yards 201 | Planning
- Date: May 8
- Presentation: 7:00 p.m.
- Design Exercise: 7:20 – 9:00 p.m.
This workshop is perfect for Do-it-Yourselfers who have an early-stage plan for their healthy yard and desire additional design support to fulfill their vision. We will build upon the concepts and principles learned in Healthy Yards: Idea Spark & Planning and guide you through a more detailed design for your healthy yard project.
The workshop will specifically focus on project planning and planting design for rain gardens and naturalized landscapes, including topics such as:
- planting for year round interest
- the best plants for rain gardens
- materials calculations (i.e. compost, sand, mulch)
Participants will learn how to develop a design for a part (or all) of their yard and create a shopping list for plants and related materials required to implement the project successfully.
Come with a specific gardening project in mind, including its rough size and location. This could possibly be developed during the Healthy Yards: Idea Spark & Planning workshop. We will develop a more detailed drawing of your garden during the workshop to effectively determine the number of plants and other materials you will require, so knowledge of the dimensions, sun exposure, and soil conditions (wet, dry, or moist or sand, silt or clay) will be helpful.
Presenter: Becca Robinson
Becca Robinson is the Principal Designer and Owner of Grow and Gather Design and is currently the RAIN Coach for REEP Green Solutions. Her practice of landscape architecture centres around the creation of places that promote and celebrate the benefits of interacting with nature.
She has been the landscape designer for prestigious projects such as Maggie's Cancer Care Centre, a City of Edinburgh park adjacent to the Holyrood Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (DRIWR). She has a Masters of Landscape Architecture from University of Michigan and a B.S. in Environmental Science from University of North Carolina.
Funder and Partner Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge our project partners, the City of Kitchener, Partners for Action from the University of Waterloo, and Green Communities Canada.
This project is funded through a donation from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) that supports projects that contribute to healthy and vibrant Ontario communities.


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A full body massage indicates that the therapist will massage your whole body during a therapeutic massage.Lastly at least 60 minutes. That's the amount of time need to massages all the major area of your body... back,shoulder,legs,feet,arms,hand and neck. You generally start face down and the therapist start with your back and shoulder,than move down the body.
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OnePlus 2 Vs Sony Xperia Z5 - Videos/
They say the OnePlus 2 is a Flagship Killer... Can it kill the Sony Xperia Z5?
So I recently picked up a OnePlus 2 for a very reasonable price I might add. I also managed to get my hands on the Xperia Z5 smartphone. So I took the time to run a couple of Vs tests. for you guys to see if the 'Flagship Killer' title is justified. Check out the videos and leave a one word comment below on which one you think wins. Z5 or OnePlus?


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Lightweight Commercial Herringbone Mat
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I continue to have abdominal pain and now have knee pain as well. I keep getting sicker and have no diagnosis. Help.
December 11, 2006
Arthroscopy of right knee performed by Dr. S. Chondromalacia patella with lateral release. Meniscus tear repaired as well. Proscribed Darvocet for pain. Walking normally 4 days post-operative.
January 6, 2007
Travel to Bangalore, India on business. Flying aggravated knee. Began taking Darvocet for pain at night only as directed.
January 11, 2007
Noticed change in bowel movements. Movements were soft, frequent, and about as wide as a finger.
January 12, 2007
3AM: Woke with severe pain across mid-back. Urgent need to urinate which was not relieved after passing urine. Spoke with UHC Nurses' line. They recommended seeing doctor within 4 hours. Recommended against waiting until morning.
5AM: Went to ER in Bangalore. Blood drawn and urine taken. Given shot for pain and sent back to hotel with instructions to return at 9AM for ultrasound. Suspected kidney stones.
9AM: Ultrasound. Inconclusive for kidney stones. Impression: Mild right renal pelviectasia. Ureter not traceable due to bowel gas.
10AM: CT. No kidney stones. Impression: No urinary calculi or obstructive uropathy, phlebotliths in pelvis.
11AM: Blood tests and urine tests showed nothing of note. Diagnosed with severe constipation. Referred to home doctor for follow up. OK to travel.
January 14, 2007
4AM: Woke with sever pain in left lower quadrant of abdomen and severe nausea. Spoke with Dr. M. (family doctor). He recommended going to the ER.
5AM: Hospital A ER: X-ray showed "more stool than I've ever seen in a patient". Given morphine for pain; enema; and intravenous fluids. Sent home with instructions to use enemas to resolve constipation and take Colase to soften stools.
6PM: Enemas did not produce results. Increasing nausea and vomiting . ER. Given intravenous fluids and anti-nausea medication. Take 8oz of Magnesium Citrate and then another 8oz of Magnesium Citrate in 8 hours.
January 15, 2007
Magnesium citrate resulted in diarrhea. Some nausea and upper right quadrant pain.
January 16, 2007
Saw family practice doctor (Dr. K.) for follow-up. No normal bowel movements and some nausea. Doctor proscribed Promethazine for nausea and told to return on Monday if not better.
January 17/18, 2007
Slept 20 hours out of 24. Some nausea and moderate upper right quadrant pain. No bowel movement.
January 19, 2007
Increasing nausea. Still moderate upper right quadrant pain. Spoke to Dr. K's on-call doctor who recommended 2 tablespoons of milk of magnesia at 4 hour intervals until bowel movement. First bowel movement occurred after 6 hours.
January 20, 2007
Felt somewhat better. Felt good enough to go to gym and exercise.
January 21, 2007
Woke feeling nauseous and tired. Upper right quadrant pain increasing. Could not do normal activity.
January 22, 2007
Saw Dr. F.'s PA (PA S.). Had blood tests which were inconclusive.
January 23, 2007
Follow up with Dr. S. on knee. Released from treatment.
During this period began to have a cycle of pain.
Began with pain in back. Then diarrhea would start and pain would move to upper right quadrant. Then pain would begin to radiate down into lower right quadrant with a burning sensation. Diarrhea would resolve and pain would begin again in back. Cycle would repeat every 3 to 5 days. In general, could perform daily activities but sometimes woke at night with pain. During diarrhea, stool would be almost black (very, very dark green) and somewhat "flakey" and then "muddy".
February 5, 2007
Ultrasound of abdomen. Technician said that she saw nothing to indicate any problems except for a large amount of gas in the abdomen.
February 10, 2007
Abdominal pain worsened. Could not perform normal activities.
February 12, 2007
Spoke with PA S. and asked her to take a more aggressive approach. She confirmed the lack of anything seen in the ultrasound. She ordered stool samples.
February 16, 2007
Took stool samples to Hosptial B. Also saw PA S. to ask for something for the pain. She prescribed Dicyclomine as needed. Took some in evening and at night and abdominal pain decreased.
February 18, 2007
While doing housework may have twisted knee (noticed a "twinge"). Took Dicyclomine for abdominal pain twice – one in morning and one in evening.
February 19, 2007
Woke with a sore knee; worked out as normal (pain seemed to work itself out and did exercises that kept range of motion in comfortable range); went to mall and shopped, noticed that pain increased while walking for several hours at outlet mall; returned home and knee swelled up in afternoon while watching television. Called Dr. S.'s on-call doctor. He recommended getting seen ASAP on Tuesday but to not go to ER.
February 20, 2007
Saw Dr. S. about swollen knee. Took X-rays which revealed nothing. Dr. S. suspected either another meniscus tear or other damage. Scheduled MRI and refilled Darvocet prescription for pain. Frustration about heath situation led to emotional over-eating. Taking Darvocet only at night. Swelling in knee reduces during night. Can usually bear weight almost-normally on knee first thing in morning. By evening knee is very swollen can cannot bear weight on it. Stopped taking Dicyclomine as Darvocet seemed to reduce abdominal pain as well.
February 21, 2007
Woke with no interest in food but no nausea, really. Assumed disinterest in food was caused by over-eating previous day. Ate little in morning and was no longer nausea by dinner.
MRI of right knee at RRI. Purchased and began using crutches during day.
February 22, 2007
Received call from PA S.. Found salmonella in stool sample. PA S. asked if diarrhea was persisting. Reported that it was. Also told PA S. about knee pain and Darvocet prescription. PA S. proscribed Cipro. Began taking approximately 1pm.
Researched salmonella and found information about "reactive arthritis". Communicated concern about this to Dr. S.'s PA. MRI not yet available.
February 23, 2007
Continued taking Cipro. Woke up with significant nausea. Vomited four times over course of day and nausea continued to worsen. Noticed urine was frequent, had strong odor, and darkly-colored. Called Dr. F.'s office and was told by nurse to stop Cipro and to go to the ER if any fever. Stopped Cipro (took 2 yesterday, 1 today total). Nurse said that Dr. F. questioned why PA S. proscribed Cipro and noted that PA S.'s notes were incomplete. Nurse said that PA S. would call on Monday to follow-up.


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The construction of my Emporer Zurg costume was a collaborative effort. Without the help of my girlfriend, Ciara, I would not have gotten very far past the head and torso. Fabrics are just not my strong point. They are not any point on my skills radar, really. In return for Ciara's invaluable input to my Zurg costume, I helped her construct her Halloween 2010 costume. We decided to share a Pixar theme in our costumes, ultimately choosing Zurg's film compatriot Mr. Potato Head.
Pictorial evidence was not a feature of this particular construction; mostly because the early stages was more of a "cut now, ask questions later" approach than something particularly well planned. We were not sure that our approach was the correct one. Essentially, we were winging it.
The body, being the core and the biggest part of the costume, was the most arduous. We had looked at other Potato Head costumes and studied their methodologies. We came very close to building the body using fabric (felt) and stuffing it to give it shape. However, we ultimately decided to try a more tried and trusted method: wire and papier mache.
It is quite hard to describe the construction of the body itself; we created the foundation out of circular pieces of wire, joined together by strips of wire placed vertically between them. The circles were tapered to become progressively smaller from Ciara's waist up to her neck, ultimately giving us a cone shape (if you look at the photos of the finished piece below, you can almost see the outline of the frame protruding to give you a better idea). Once we were satisfied that the wire frame was solid, we covered it with masking tape to prime it for papier mache layers. After completing the papier mache, we cut out arm holes and painted the body.
For his features, Ciara had the great idea of making different facial expressions and having them detachable and easily interchangeable. Time constraints ultimately put paid to this, but the original idea of how to make them detachable remained: by using velcro to stick them on. The features which were ultimately created were: eyes, eyebrows, ears, nose, moustache, and mouth.
The eyes were created from a balloon. Once fully blown up, we applied a couple of layers of papier mache and popped the balloon from the inside. We then cut the balloon cast in half, giving us two bowl shapes - one for either eye. We stuffed the inside of each with newspaper, created a masking tape base, and applied one further layer of papier mache to blend it all together. The nose was constructed in the same way, with the addition of nostrils crafted once again from newspaper stuffing (held together by masking tape).
The eyebrows, ears, moustache and mouth were cardboard based. The ears were made from a piece of cardboard cut into a circular shape, with shredded newspaper providing the cartilage detail. The same tactic was applied to the eyebrows and moustache, giving the flat cardboard cut out more of a tangible, 3D consistency. For the mouth, we cut a crescent moon shape from cardboard, and this time the shredded newspapers became the lips. Once the features had papier mache applied to them, they were painted and a piece of velcro was attached to each. The exceptions here were the ears, which had lollipop sticks taped to them and went through a hole cut in the body.
The hat was a tricky affair. Mr. Potato Head has a bowler hat, but we needed something bigger in order to cover Ciara's head and allow her to see through it. We therefore decided to turn the bowler hat into a top hat. This was created from cardboard; the rim from a strong cardboard box, and the body of the hat from cereal boxes (we needed something more flexible that could be easily shaped). Once the hat was shaped around Ciara's head, we cut a letterbox slit in the front for her to see out of.
There are two limitations in creating the costume that we couldn't quite negotiate. The first is the positioning of the arms; because Ciara's head was coming out of the top of the costume, we had to cut the arm holes quite high. Thus, Mr. Potato Head's arms are higher up (parallel to the eyes, in front of the ears) than they should be. Thankfully, when looking at the finished costume as its occupied by Ciara, it was a very minor limitation that only the smallest of minorities would have noticed. For the arms, it is important to have a white top with full length sleeves, and white gloves over the costume occupant's hands.
The other limitation is the feet of Mr. Potato Head. The character doesn't have legs, so getting around this is quite a difficult feat. He simply has shoes emerging from his body. While there was no getting around the inconvience of having legs, Ciara made his trademark blue shoes out of cardboard (see the photos, below).
It was a good night all in all - Mr. Potato Head received great fanfare, as one of the world's most famous toys made all the more iconic by his presence and portrayal in the Toy Story films. Not to mention, the costume itself was great and Ciara deserved all the credit she got.


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and after a terrible end to last week, I have experienced the opposite this one. Today was a wonderful day and not special in any sort of way. The morning started with my breakfast at the Honey Drop and ended with dinner at the Honey Drop. Due to the fact that we have no way to cook a meal, we decided to hit the town for dinner. For about $1, I had eggs, soup and a soda. Nearly half of the price was the soda. Since I did not break my wallet over the meal, a samosa from the samosa lady was a delectable dessert. Now, Michael and I are watching a group of boys playing tennis ball soccer in our courtyard. Our new friend, The Camo Kid, brought some friends to play. They are playing a form of keep away as we chat and watch. He has been one of the few children who does not beg and bother us. In fact, he loves to point out what different items are called in Swahili. I like to call him our practicum teacher, but since he always wears camouflage clothing, he is The Camo Kid.
After a mandazi, chai, and news breakfast, I went to work. Upon arrival Neto greeted me and said, "Were you a part of the mob? There was a mob moving up town and I thought for sure you were a part of it." Confused, I laughed and asked him what he meant. "Oh, there was a mob that lynched a guy for stealing a cow." I knew that he did not mean lynch in the sense that I know it. The news papers will use lynch whenever a group of people get together as a mob and kill an individual for some sort of crime. Not the best way of justice, but they often catch criminals before the police. I asked Neto if they killed the man and he said they did not because "in Malava it is too hard to kill someone." I took that to mean that the police is strong enough to prevent most murders.
The working day went by at a swift pace. There were a lot of children very early on and the flow was constant until noon. Sue and I went home with Sister Joy because Judi asked to meet with us at 2:30. Before leaving, Joy introduced us to her driving teacher who then offered to give us driving lessons. I do not know how often I will get to drive around here, but I am going to take the opportunity to learn to drive and get my Kenyan drivers license. At the very least it would be neat to have a license from another country. On a practical level, it would make proving residency much easier.
Sue and I waited at her house before the meeting. She cooked a lunch of grilled cheese and tomatoes. We chatted and prepared for the worst. Neither of us had great hopes for the meeting, but it turned out to be beneficial. We were able to talk about how to change things up at the SJC. I was given the go to come over and do work at the compound whenever I can. Not a whole lot changed, but it is good to have time to go over how things are progressing. I feel that we have opened a dialogue that did not exist and we can only move forward from here.
I made my favorite walk home and arrived just before our Swahili lesson. We learned some new tenses and verbs. I have noticed a rapid improvement over the three weeks of lessons and I am happy that we made this arrangement.
To make it all better, I had a very hot shower just before dinner. We added water into the already hot bag. I had a long (solar shower standards) and hot shower. All of this before our dinner and right now. A mild night and a great end to an improved week.


text: Weekly Wrap Bouquet 5/1/2015 This week's $10 wrap bouquet is five super-fragrant stems of Woodstock hyacinth (far out, man!) and two hosta leaves! Call us at 218-728-1455 and let us know how many bouquets you'll be needing, as well as the day you'd like to pick up. See you soon! Info Written by saffron & grey On April 28, 2015


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Miranda Alam, Courtesy of Lights FC
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018 | 11:35 p.m.
The Las Vegas Lights FC were defeated 4-2 by D.C. United Saturday night at Cashman Field to close their preseason schedule with an 0-3 record.
As a United Soccer League team, the Lights challenged themselves by playing three Major League Soccer teams (a division above their own). The exhibition games don't go on their official record, but don't try to tell that to head coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola. He wasn't too forgiving when evaluating the performance in a profanity-laced description.
"We are missing passes and players are losing one-on-one situations. These players haven't lost these situations on other teams so why are they doing it here? It's not fair for the city, the owner or the team," he said.
Once again Cashman Field's stands were packed with thousands of crazed soccer fans. The 7,158 waved flags, sang chants and fired off blue and yellow smoke bombs throughout the game.
The average attendance for the Lights' three preseason games was 7,865 and the outstanding support isn't lost on the coach and players.
"Today we took 10 steps backwards," Sola said. "We are done taking advantage of this responsibility. We have this opportunity in professional soccer, and it's important for me and the team. I have many things in my bag to solve this, so I'm going to correct it."
Many of the players see this team as an opportunity to resurrect their career, and feel as if they've personally failed the fans with the three outcomes.
"We are embarrassed as players because we want to win," defenseman Miguel Garduno said. "There are thousands of people coming to watch us, and support us. We are embarrassed because we haven't won yet but I'm sure that if we keep working we are going to win games."
As disappointed as Sola and his players are after the third straight loss, the team showed improvement in each game. After being shut out on Feb. 10 against the Montreal Impact, the Lights scored twice in each of the last two games.
D.C. United jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a first-half goal from Yamil Asad, and an early second-half goal from Darren Mattocks. Paul Arriola, who played on the U.S. national team, assisted on both goals.
That level of competition is why Sola shouldn't be so hard on himself, or his team. Once the playing level evens out in the regular season, the Lights should fare better.
"I think it's very good," Garduno said. "These are MLS teams. When you look at their rosters and their players, most of them play for national teams. They are stars, some of them. We are players that want to take back our careers, so we need to go step by step until we win."
The Lights got on the board in the 52nd minute when forward Juan Calderon was awarded a penalty shot, and buried it behind D.C. United keeper Steve Clark.
"The team now has the ball and creates a lot more chances to score," Garduno said. "We didn't even score in the first game so scoring shows improvement."
D.C. United would extend its lead to 3-1 with a goal in the Ian Harkes in the 79th minute, but the Lights struck again.
Midfielder Freddy Adu, who made his Lights' debut in the second half, sent a beautiful pass into the box, and Garduno tapped it into the net.
Adu played nearly 90 games with D.C. United after making his MLS debut at the age of 14. He has since struggled to stick with a team and has bounced all over the world to different leagues.
"I love him as a person," Sola said. "I have a good relationship with him, but he is very far from the Freddy Adu this team needs."
The Lights' have lived up to their promise of playing an attacking game, and that has backfired against more athletic MLS teams.
"We cannot concede so many things, so easy," Sola said. "Yes maybe they did a good job, but we gave them too many mistakes."
"This style of play is very difficult to create because it is very risky.
The idea of playing fast and vertical with a lot of pressure is good," Assistant coach Isidro Sanchez said. "We are happy as a coaching staff with that, but what makes us angry is the players not getting the results for their effort."
The team now has three weeks off before their regular season debut on March 17 in Fresno. The home opener is March 24 against Reno 1868 FC.
"The team is still working," Garduno said. "We had never played before so we are still working. We are going to be ready to play in the league games."


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Improving Cleveland Shelters
With the support of the Homeless Congress, NEOCH has a long history of working to improve the homeles shelters in Cleveland. In the 1990s a majority of the shelter spaces were just mats on the floor. NEOCH has pushed for an improvement of the shelters through demonstrations and advocacy. We have attempted to improve the contracts signed by every shelter director. We lobbied for laws to protect homeless people living in the shelters. We have set up resident Councils in the past in the shelters to improve the shelters. In 2017, NEOCH worked to improve the Women's Shelter through many different strategies including finding a new group to oversee the facility.
- Food Problems at the Two Big Shelters
- What Are Your Fair Housing Rights in Shelter?
- What to Do About Overflowing Shelters?
- Potential County Regulations of the Shelters
- Proposed Updates to County Standards for Shelter Contracts
- Proposed Homeless Bill of Rights (Including a Right to Shelter)
- Overview of the Problems at the Women's Shelter including links to Food Issues, Summary of the Problems, Response to Problems from the Provider, A history of media stories about the women's shelter, A History of NEOCH Work on the Women's Shelter, and Solutions recommended by the Residents.


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I was wondering if bread is healthy. I know wholemeal is better than white but how much?
I know bread is made with butter thats why I was asking.
Also is there something I could exchange instead of bread? Pita for example.
It is currently Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:25 am
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Ally wrote:Try squeezing a piece of white bread in your hand and see what you are left with..it is like a mass of yukky glue!!
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The REAL Hastert Scandal
18-year CIA officer Philip Giraldi notes that 8-year Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is guilty of a lot more than sex with a student.
Giraldi's report is based on the revelations of Sibel Edmonds, a former FBI translator who has been deemed credible by the Department of Justice's Inspector General, several senators (free subscription required), and a coalition of prominent conservative and liberal groups.
The ACLU described Edmonds as:
The most gagged person in the history of the United States of America.
Famed Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg says that Edmonds possesses information "far more explosive than the Pentagon Papers". He also says that the White House has ordered the press not to cover Edmonds:
I am confident that there is conversation inside the Government as to 'How do we deal with Sibel [Edmonds]?
The first line of defense is to ensure that she doesn't get into the media. I think any outlet that thought of using her materials would go to to the government and they would be told "don't touch this . . . ."
Even Paul Newman praises Edmonds, saying:
Sibel Edmonds would not let an intimidating FBI shut her mouth, and as a result, suffered grievous consequences, but she has persevered and we are better off for her sacrifices.
So what, exactly, does Edmonds say about Hastert?
She says:
- Hastert's sex with boys didn't stop with a student when Hastert was a high-school coach. His pedophilia has continued until the present
- In fact, foreign governments bribed Hastert during his tenure as Speaker of the House with underage sex slaves
- Hastert was involved with Turkish and other foreign drug cartels and money-laundering operations
- Hastert was up to his neck in bribery
- Other prominent Republican and Democratic politicians were also involved with these illegal operations
- The government is giving Hastert a lesser plea deal because they don't want this dirty laundry to air, since the government doesn't want this rampant corruption in our political system to see the light of day … and because the government illegally spied on Hastert
And see this.


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Democrats Try Trickle-Down Economics
Growing government won't stimulate the real economy.
As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama attacked "trickle down economics" as "bankrupt" and an "old, discredited" philosophy that "didn't work." He was wrong. Even worse, though, is that he and congressional Democrats are embracing a Democratic version of trickle-down economics that won't work.
It's embodied in the House-passed "stimulus" bill, H.R. 1, whose deeply flawed assumption is that spending $1 trillion to grow government will trickle down to help people who lost jobs....


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Winter Windows
Winter Windows is a fast-paced arcade game where you navigate a maze of ladders and corridors, rallying to close and lock all the windows before the evil snowmen chase you down... or your house gets so cold you freeze right on the spot! As you proceed, the levels get trickier and tricker and a larger group of snowmen will try to surround you! Take part in fierce competition for the top of the highscore table!
Everything is presented in authentic quality 8-bit sprites and sounds, giving you a perfect 1980s arcade feeling. Originally created for the 16x16 Challenge with the theme "Keep Warm".
- Game Name: Winter Windows
- Category: Action Puzzle / Arcade
- File Size: 3 MB
- GM Version: Studio 1.4
- Screen Resolution: 480x640
- Mulitplayer: No
- Download Link: https://app.box.com/...71soyhtv96gimoo
- Screenshots:
- Hold a diagonal direction to get off a ladder faster. Useful if you're being chased.
- You can grab the padlock while it's falling, even if you're on a higher level than it will land on.
- Snowmen will always head for a closed window before they chase you down. Closing an open window at the right time can let you escape out of some tight spots.
- Temperature falls faster the more windows are open. If it hits zero, you will get frozen immediately even if there's no snowmen around.


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THURSDAY, April 14, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- Suicides in the United States appear to increase in hard times and decrease during years of prosperity, according to a new government report.
The image of people jumping from windows after the stock market crash of 1929 graphically illustrates the pattern detected by researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The overall suicide rate rises and falls in connection with the economy," said lead researcher Feijun Luo, a health economist in the division of violence prevention at the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
"The strongest association between business cycles and suicides was among working-age people 25 to 64 years old," he said.
Co-author Dr. Alexander E. Crosby, a medical epidemiologist in the division of violence prevention at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said economic hardship may trigger suicidal impulses in those already at risk of killing themselves.
"Suicide results from an interaction of a number of different factors," Crosby said. "Other studies have shown there is an association between suicide and unemployment, suicide and economic issues, and it can make vulnerable people more prone to be at risk for suicidal behavior," he said.
The report is published online April 14 in the American Journal of Public Health.
The researchers found suicide rates spiked during the Great Depression (1929-1933), at the end of the New Deal (1937-1938), during the oil crisis of 1973-1975, and the double-dip recession of 1980-1982.
But fewer people killed themselves during periods of economic expansion, such as the World War II years (1939-1945) and between 1991 and 2001, when the economy grew rapidly and unemployment was low.
During the Great Depression, the suicide rate jumped from 18.0 per 100,000 in 1928 to 22.1 per 100,000 in 1932, which was an all-time high. The 22.8 percent increase over that four-year period was a record, according to the report.
Suicide rates were lowest in 2000, when times were booming, the researchers added.
To prevent economy-related suicides during economic downturns, communities might want to target programs toward working-age people, Crosby suggested. "Communities can have more support for those age groups that might be laid off," he said.
Providing job training, skills training and developing suicide prevention efforts "might be things communities could do," Crosby added.
Commenting on the study, M. David Rudd, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, said that these "interesting findings confirm what many have been thinking from an anecdotal perspective over the last several years."
Rudd agreed that those most likely to kill themselves in bad economic times are those already at risk of suicide.
"It's fairly well established that upwards of 90 percent of those taking their own lives suffer from a diagnosable mental illness at the time, with the overwhelming majority not being in active treatment," he said.
The difference in impact across age groups is not a surprise, given that those hardest hit face the most pressing economic demands, Rudd added. The youngest and oldest groups probably experience relatively less economic pressure, he pointed out.
"Prevention efforts need to focus on recognition and more effective response to psychiatric illness, particularly in primary care settings," he said.
More information
For more information on suicide, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.


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Entrance Matting Systems for Indoor and Outdoor Installations
Modular rubber entrance matting systems offer all the benefits of a mat tile that is easily installed, rearranged or replaced. What makes it revolutionary is the interlocking system that creates a durable and seamless connection that can be effortlessly installed without glue. With the ability to create a complete walkway transition from the outdoor to indoor the Master Flex™ series is the part of the new generation of entrance matting.
Master Flex™ tiles: Unlimited flooring configuration possibilities
The 50 cm x 50 cm tiles cover sizeable areas easily and can be assembled on-site for installation in recessed mat well frames in large entrances. The tiles combine natural rubber tiles with carpet tiles to create a complete floor matting system suitable for all weather types. The seamless connection of each individual tile allows for a fully indoor and outdoor integrated mat. In essence, the Master Flex™ really does provide the best of both worlds.
The benefit of proper Entrance Matting is to prevent dirt and grime from being tracked indoors and improves indoor air quality. Entrance matting also reduces cleaning expenses and keeps entrances clean and presentable in-between cleaning rounds. The configuration of the modular system allows for a quick drying effect on shoe soles. Further, dirt is also scraped off the shoes so that it is not tracked into the main section of your office building.
Application of the Master Flex™ series
This flexible entrance matting solution is primary recommended for high-end commercial entrances. It is suitable to be placed in areas of heavy foot traffic such in the educational sector for schools and universities. The unlimited flooring configuration possibilities also allow for usage in the hospitality sector to welcome guests in restaurants and hotels. And of course, it is perfect for supermarkets and stores with the high level of foot fall. The placement is suitable for all year!
Endless configuration possibilities
With the connectable tiles of 50 cm x 50 cm, covering large areas or a mat well becomes easy and effective. You can decide how to design the carpeted tiles you want for indoor and the rubber connectable tiles for the outdoors. All in all, the Master Flex™ really is the complete entrance matting system.
A Notrax® innovation
The Master Flex™ is a matting innovation that has the Notrax® brand. Purchasing Notrax® branded entrance installations means you will be buying high quality mats that have been tried and tested in commercial environments with heavy foot traffic.
Learning more about the Master Flex™
Buymats is extremely enthusiastic about the Master Flex™ range and you should be too! To learn more about this new generation indoor/outdoor matting system, read our article: "Introducing the Master Flex™ Series".


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PupsBest Advice and Tips
Dog crate sizes explained: what size dog crate to buy
There are an overwhelmingly large amount of different dog crates and different dog crate sizes. What size crate for the…Read More »
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Flat Line (2014)
Flat Line (2014)
for chamber ensemble of 15 players – 14'00
Commissioned and premiered by the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne for the FORUM 2014 (Montréal, Québec)
Program note:
What's in a name?
First there is the cool abstractness of a simple line. Brings to mind eventless flatlands and those triangular straightedges I once used to quietly sketch blueprints, and also this dizzying bit from Ashbery:
. . . the lines of seams
Sketched in and plunging now and then into unfathomable
Valleys that can't be deduced by the shape of the person
Sitting inside it [. . . ] just as our way is flat across
Dales and gulches, as though our train were a pencil
Guided by a ruler held against a photomural of the Alps . . .
Second, the more evocative flatline of death: the cessation of signal in an electrocardiogram marked by the familiar long-tone beep. But before I had thought of this, and free of any 'extra-musical' intentions, the ending occurred to me: suddenly resolving to a high, sustained C. Thus the title asks: is this all a prolonged meditation on death?
Well. Insofar as all music is about death (the decay of sound) and indeed all art (it seems the only argument we have against it) I cannot offer any helpful guide to differentiating between long lines of sound forged into melodic contours and the chilly flatline of extinction which marks its end and ours.


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Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman announced that a recent statewide inspection sweep of gas pumps uncovered nine hidden credit card skimmers, which criminals use to steal consumers' credit and debit card information.
The skimmers were found at stations in both the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota. Rothman said the Commerce Fraud Bureau is now pursuing criminal investigations in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.
"The Commerce Department is cracking down on these skimmers to protect Minnesota consumers against identity theft and fraud," said Rothman. "We are working to make sure the state's gas pumps are secure and customers' credit and debit card information is safe. We know the threat is real, so we will stay vigilant and continue checking for these devices in our ongoing inspections of gas pumps."
In March, the Commerce Department launched Minnesota's first-ever inspection sweep of gas stations to protect consumers against skimmers, which are small electronic devices that can be attached to or hidden inside gas pumps to secretly record customers' credit and debit card information.
During a three-week period, Commerce inspectors and investigators checked nearly 8,500 credit card readers on gas pumps at over 1,000 stations across the state. The inspections prioritized stations with older pumps, which are considered more vulnerable, as well as stations located on heavily-traveled streets and highways.
Rothman said the Commerce Department's Weights & Measures inspectors are now looking for skimmers and any signs of tampering as part of their routine inspections of retail gas pumps for accuracy, safety and fuel quality.
The department has also started an outreach and education campaign with gas station operators, providing guidance on how to protect their pumps against skimmers, how to identify the devices and what to do if one is found.
Credit card skimmers at gas pumps have been a growing problem in other parts of the country. Earlier this year, alert employees at a suburban Twin Cities gas station caught three men who were trying to install a skimmer in a pump.
Rothman offers the following tips to Minnesotans to help guard against credit card skimmer fraud:
Spot skimmers at the pump
--Look before you swipe. Jiggle the card reader and check the keypad. Is it raised or loose? Inspect the pump for any signs of forced entry, including broken security tape, tool marks or scratches that may indicate tampering.
--Any pump could contain a skimmer. Pumps at the outer edges of a station are the easiest places to install skimmers without being seen by the attendant. But pumps close to the station get the heaviest traffic and criminals may take a risk to get a bigger payoff.
--See something, say something. If you notice any irregularities (especially someone who is not a station employee or an inspector who is opening up a pump), alert the station attendant.
Protect your plastic
--Pay with cash or a card inside, or select credit instead of debit on the pump. If you use a debit card, never type in your PIN at the pump. Using your credit card will limit your liability to $50, while stolen debit card information can give the thief direct access to your bank account.
--Monitor your bank and credit card accounts. Carefully review your statements and immediately report irregularities to your financial institution or credit card company. There is a limited time period to report fraud to avoid liability for unauthorized charges.


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I have been in the health insurance industry for over 7 years now and have a passion for helping seniors find the right health insurance for your budget and to fit your needs.
I know what to look for and what plans will cover you for your specific priorities. My services are free to use and have the exact rates that you would find direct or online.
Call, text or email me any questions. For more information about the benefits of independent agents – see Why use an independent agent?
I'm a big kid at heart and love to get outdoors to enjoy our beautiful valley with my family and my two Brittany Spaniels.
I also love to read, do yoga and always trying to get better at knitting.
Give me a call, I would love to help you with your insurance – as always, my service is completely free to you.


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Director, Division of Sports Medicine
Associate Professor, UC Department of PediatricsAssociate Professor, UC Department of Internal Medicine
Board Certified
Kelsey Logan, MD, MPH, is director of the Division of Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and is an associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati. She joined Cincinnati Children's in 2013 from the Ohio State University, where she was the medical director of the sports concussion program and a team physician for OSU Athletics. Prior to OSU, Dr. Logan was an assistant professor of pediatrics at Connecticut Children's Medical Center and faculty at Elite Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children's. She graduated from Samford University with a degree in sports medicine and from medical school at the University of Alabama. She then completed her residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and sports medicine fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Logan is involved in multiple professional organizations. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and is a former chair of the Section on Young Physicians. She serves the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine on the Board of Directors and on the publications and research committees, and she is an active member of the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Logan served on the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports from 2010-2013. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Ohio AAP chapter and is on the medical advisory committee for the Ohio Athletic Trainers' Association, for whom she was elected a 2013 Team Physician of the Year.
Dr. Logan is a team physician for Hughes High School, Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, the Cincinnati Marlins, Thunder United Metro Futbol Club, and Warren County Soccer Club. She loves caring for athletes and their families.
Concussion; female athlete issues; overuse injuries in sport
Concussion; female athlete health
Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine
MD: The University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 2000.
Residency: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 2004.
Fellowship: Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine, The University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 2006.
Masters of Public Health: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 2011.
Certification: Internal Medicine, 2004, 2014; Pediatrics, 2005, 2015; Sports Medicine, 2006.
Donaworth MA, Grandhi RK, Logan K, Gubanich PJ, Myer GD. Is Current Medical Education Adequately Preparing Future Physicians to Manage Concussion: An Initial Evaluation. Phys Sportsmed. 2016 Feb;44(1):1-7.
Briskin SM, Logan K. Mental health and pressures in teen sports. Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2015 Apr;26(1):163-73.
Joy EA, Logan K. AMSSM thematic issue: care of the female athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2014, 48(4):283.
Logan K. Overuse and Underutilization in Youth Sports: Time to Seek Equipoise. J Pediatr. 2015 Mar;166(3):517-9.
Halstead ME, McAvoy K, Devore CD, Carl R, Lee M, Logan K. Returning to Learning Following a Concussion. Pediatrics. 2013 Nov;132(5):948-57.
Valentine V, Logan K. Cognitive rest in concussion management. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Jan 15;85(2):100-1.
Comstock D, Logan K. (2012). Epidemiology and Prevention. In M. Kirkwood, K. Yeates (Eds.), Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: From Basic Science to Clinical Management. New York: The Guilford Press.
Logan K, Carl R. Female athlete triad in adolescents. Contemporary Pediatrics. 2010 Nov; 11(27): 62-74.
Logan K. Recognition and management of post-concussion syndrome. Athletic Therapy Today. 2010 May; 15(3): 4-7. Edited by Valentine V.
Logan K. Stress fractures in the adolescent athlete. Pediatr Ann. 2007 Nov;36(11):738-9, 742, 744-5.
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
© 1999-2019 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. All rights reserved.


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A case study of the international money transfer market
I recently took on the challenge of understanding why 96% of Americans that send money internationally are unhappy with their money transfer provider and 80% say they feel ripped off by their provider. That leaves 4% happy. Babies on a plane give higher satisfaction ratings.
I work for finder.com a personal finance comparison website that includes comparing cross-border payment services. We aim to help make decisions easier and more satisfying. I had to get to the bottom of this.
Because people need to get their funds where they need to go, their frustrations do not stop them from using these services. The U.S. money transfer market is an estimated $141 billion industry annually. That's more than half of what was borrowed for mortgages ($231 billion) and more than student loans and credit card debt combined ($124 billion) last year, according to a finder.com analysis of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Center for Microeconomic Data.
Turns out this dissatisfaction with such a massive industry could be related to user experience. And not because it is done poorly, but because it works too well.
We often call this a "dark pattern". The term was coined by user experience designer Harry Brignull to describe interfaces that intentionally use human psychology against our own interests. That's a recipe that could certainly lead people to feeling "ripped off".
What led us to suspect user experience was the culprit?
To better understand the frustrations and mindsets of money transfer senders, we identified five areas of importance to those sending money across borders:
- User experience
- Rates
- Transfer speed
- Convenience — including number of features, transfer options and countries
- Trust and credibility
With a detailed methodology, we assessed these factors by conducting usability testing with UserTesting.com, sending live transfers, generating 2,430 quotes, and verifying over 585 data points collected from provider websites.
As we performed our research, the anxiety of choosing the right provider became apparent due to the overwhelming choices and the pressure of wanting as much of your money to arrive on time. We needed to recognize what providers were doing well to cut through the noise.
We awarded those that rose to the top with the first finder.com Money Transfer Awards. The five consumer considerations ended up being the basis for our award categories: Best User Experience, Best Transfer Rates, Best Transfer Speed, Most Convenient, and Outstanding Product (presented to providers who perform well overall). From the data collected, we tallied a score for each category per provider to determine if they were a winner.
To give context to these scores, we calculated category averages. These were the results:
Surprisingly, we found that the money transfer industry performed best in user experience and worst in trust. We also found that the winners of Best User Experience and Most Trustworthy did not overlap. Why was this happening?
A legal "hidden fee"
For the Money Transfer Awards, we measured trust according to reliability and credibility. I like to think of credibility much in the same way as you'd judge a person on their trustworthiness: How much do you have to question what an individual says and their intentions when they're talking to you? That person may not technically be lying to you, but they may intentionally leave out information or direct your attention elsewhere so that you don't notice something they don't want you to see.
A big factor that determined our scoring for Most Trustworthy was a fee "hidden" in the given exchange rate that was often higher than the mid-market rate. This rate is the benchmark used by traders, sometimes referred to as the "dealing desk rate." Anyone can find it at the top of their search results when they Google "US dollars to British pound," or whatever exchange rate they desire. But most people don't — even when prompted to comment on a provider's commercial exchange rate, which was demonstrated in our user testing.
For example, usertester6482 is asked to initiate a transfer of US $500 to Mexico, an unfamiliar exchange for him. His reaction is to not do his research, but he instead summarizes the state of the average consumer, "I have no clue because I have nothing to compare."
Hiding in plain sight
"Match between system and the real world" is one of Nielsen's 10 heuristics, the Godfather of usability guidelines. This particular heuristic encourages user experience designers to implement language that is familiar to the user in order to ensure information appears natural and logical.
The user experience of many money transfer sites seem to manipulate this by using common language to imply something it does not.
"Exchange rate" is used to explain the conversion, which is misleading to those who do not know there is a difference between the mid-market rate and the commercial rate. The assumption then becomes the clearly advertised "exchange rate" is the mid-market rate.
Furthermore, there is another way providers turn a profit on a money transfer. They charge a "transfer fee" that's either a flat charge or a percentage of the transfer amount. Today, the transfer fee is usually displayed clearly (although this was not always the case in the industry). This practice also aligns with the aforementioned Nielsen heuristic, since the average user usually identifies a fee with, well, the word "fee".
Seems innocent, right? However, the clear denotation of this fee can provide an illusion of transparency. You may even see providers promoting transfers with "no fees", which can be exciting to consumers.
To illustrate this, Cynthia8834 is clearly concerned about how far her dollar goes but doesn't know to check the exchange rates when comparing money transfers, saying "Some places don't have fees, which I like, because you're already sending this much money."
Sorry, Cynthia8834, all that glitter ain't gold. Unfortunately, because many consumers believe the fees are clearly denoted, just like Cynthia8834, they don't think to examine the exchange rates when shopping for money transfer services in addition to transfer fees.
The appearance of credibility versus reality
This inconsistency between what a provider site communicates and the actuality is reflected in the data collected from the awards. We ask our users to rate on a scale of 1 to 5, "How would you rate this service for credibility?" with 1 representing "not at all credible" and 5 representing "very credible". These responses give us insight into how trustworthy a provider appears to the user.
To the skeptical, we recognize brand awareness and reputation goes into a user's judgement of credibility (not just their user experience). However, our results reveal that user experience certainly matters when a little-known brand like Sharemoney scores the same as Paypal on this question. And the provider that with the lowest score, Small World Money Transfer, also scores lowest in "website attractiveness" and second to lowest in "ease of navigating site".
In contrast, the total score for the Most Trustworthy award reflects how credible a provider actually is — not just how it looks to the consumer. To make these scores comparable we converted each into percentages and took the average. This is the result:
Another question posed to our users was "Is the information easy to understand?" with 1 being difficult and 5 being easy. The 26 point spread between the average ratings of this metric and the average Most Trustworthy category score further supports our "hiding in plain sight" theory. Users believe they comprehend without effort, but they actually don't, leading to frustration.
Only TransferWise and Circle, which use the mid-market rates for its exchange rates, score worse in both of these user testing questions ("How would you rate this service for credibility?" and "Is information easy to understand?") in comparison to their "Most Trustworthy" category score." They are also both the winners of the Most Trustworthy award. TransferWise excels in both appearance and reality making the difference only 3% for both user testing questions. Their painstaking effort to explain the existence of a mid-market rate to consumers, as well as a detailed FAQ, pays off.
For Circle, the delta was much greater leading to a 17% difference for each usability question and "Most Trustworthy" score. Unfortunately, their use of the mid-market rate is not paired with a quality user experience.
On the opposite end of the spectrum sit Western Union and Paypal with the greatest spread between comparing "How would you rate this service for credibility?" and "Most Trustworthy". Ria and Moneygram have the most significant discrepancy between "Is information easy to understand?" and "Most Trustworthy". All are veterans in the money transfer game. Could it be that their experience has made them masters in dark pattern?
Why do people feel ripped off? Powerful user experience.
We conducted the finder.com Money Transfer Awards research to understand why Americans are unhappy with their money transfer providers and why the majority feel ripped off. To be "ripped off" implies being cheated of something, which means that certain expectations of fairness were not met. After making several money transfers, consumers may sense that their money does not go as far as it potentially could. Yet they often don't understand why due to the gap between the perception (conveyed by the user experience) and how the costs are actually calculated. This confusion may heighten a feeling of being ripped off.
User tester anonymous44 sends money transfers regularly — a few transfers per month. His participation encapsulates this betrayal. He typically uses Western Union and gives Xoom a shot for our testing. When anonymous44 is asked about the exchange rates, this user hesitates before Googling the going rate for "USD to GBP". He is surprised to learn that he gets 2 pence less per U.S. dollar in his exchange rate resulting in a 2.5% difference. Upon this realization, he demonstrates his distaste and shock by muttering three time, "I don't like that at all," before moving on to the next question.
Whether it sits with you ethically that the money transfer industry may be manipulating a better user experience to take more money from consumers without their knowledge, our results at least lend credence to the power of user experience. Naysayers dare not argue user experience just makes things "look pretty." Remember, like Uncle Ben to Spider-Man: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Note: User tester names have been changed to protect their identities.
About the Author
Olivia Chow is content marketing manager at personal finance comparison website finder.com. She was the project lead for the finder.com Money Transfer Awards 2017 and is a self-confessed UX nerd


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06.20.18 - not the end of me - Album Release
not the end of me - Album Release - 7/6/18
July 6, 2018 marks the release of the long-anticipated sophomore album from Steve Grand, not the end of me. It is being released independently on his own label, Grand Nation LLC. The preorder for the album went live on June 14thwith two instant gratification tracks available for download including the title track, "not the end of me"and "don't let the light In."
The album includes 12 new tracks, all written and composed by Grand. It also features alternate versions of 3 of the songs. Grand says of the tracks, "This album is autobiographical; very personal, somber and reflective."
"Writing this album was an exercise in catharsis," says Grand. "I'm more unfiltered on this album and explore some of the internal and external challenges I've faced over the last few years."
The album's title track, "not the end of me", is a song Grand wrote when a long-time relationship was coming to an end. "Breaking up can be long and drawn-out, painful and ugly. This one certainly was," Grand said. "It was trying and exhausting, (and) this song deals with all of that, as well as the resolution that this is 'not the end of me."
Grand also predicts "don't let the light in" will be a favorite among his fans. "I wrote it within the last few months before I became sober. At that time, I was reflecting on the way I had been living my life over the last few years that my song 'All-American Boy' blew up, in 2013," he said. "I felt isolated and realized I was dealing with that isolation in some unhealthy ways."
With the release of his first album, All American Boy, in 2015, Steve Grand broke the mold for the traditional singer-songwriter. Having self-funded a viral video of the title track, then fan funding the release and creating a vocal and energetic fanbase, the openly gay artist from Chicago created a place for himself in the music industry and hasn't looked back since. The past 3 years have seen Grand touring across the world, gathering new energetic fans and creating new music.
With over 18 million views on YouTube, a #3 album on The Billboard Independent Album Artist charts, and one of the most successful music Kickstarter campaigns ever under his belt, Grand has not just broken the rules, but has changed the game in how to be a successful singer-songwriter in this era.
not the end of mewill be available on Steve Grand's website, at all live shows, and across all digital download and streaming platforms


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Foot Care in Southfield
Here at the office of Family Footcare, P.C., one of the most common reasons that patients visit us is for Southfield heel pain treatment. Heel pain occurs in many people of all ages and situations. Heel pain often is a result of a condition called plantar fascilitis, or heel spurs. This condition is characterized by inflammation of the band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toe. Plantar fascilitis often occurs in people who have issues with the arches of their feet, such as if they have flat feet, or feet with too pronounced of an arch. Wearing footwear that does not properly support your feet can also lead to symptoms of plantar fascilitis. Some basic symptoms to be on the lookout for include: pain in the bottom of the foot, pain around the arch of the foot, pain that increases once you begin walking or when you first stand up, and pain that increases over time rather than getting better. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with us so that we can determine if you are in need of our Southfield heel pain treatment. We will tailor a treatment strategy to your individual needs so that we can provide the most effective treatment for you. Some examples of treatment techniques that might encompass your Southfield heel pain treatment include: stretching exercises, lifestyle changes, medications, shoe modifications such as the use of orthotics, padding and strapping, injection therapy, and more.
If you would like to learn more about what our Southfield heel pain treatment entails, or if you would like to learn more about any of the other many services available to you here at Family Footcare, P.C., we highly recommend that you visit our practice's main website to browse through some additional, detailed information that you might find useful. If you have any specific questions or concerns that we can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact the staff here directly. We look forward to working with you soon.


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Axonix Integration
Product Information
Using an integration service enabled with RTB or real time bidding will make the business easier for the advertising industry. Its top notch solution will progress the auction in a rapid manner which is nearly equivalent to the financial market. The best in class RTB solutions are provided by Axonix integration it is suitable for both revive ad server or openX ad server. Using this extraordinary tool you can increase the volume of the audience and can establish a branded advertisement exchange for mobile phones. No technical updates or special budget allocation is needed to use the integration service. The system takes care about technology and the user just need to provide data for the advertisements.
Features of Axonix integration
Price: €2500.00


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Available in size XS
Make a splash this Summer in a pair of purple Corka swimmers. Striking and vibrant - for guys who don't hold back! Bang on trend, purple is the hottest colour this season. The green logo adds a modern twist to a classic 80's colour. We guarantee you'll feel incredible, knowing that you're bringing Aussie back in a bold purple Corka. Rediscover the classic Australian cossie in a purple Corka.
Great colour,great fit and great service!And the GF loves the colour too! Kev.S. on 6th Feb 2018
i was pleased with the fit and the cut on my body .
i have 35inch waist and orded the med could have gone to large but i like a snug fit. David on 29th Jan 2018
Well made, great fit and quick drying. Purple is more purple-blue so not too "out-there".
You may need to go down a size. I am normally "M" but with Corka I need an "S".
Quick service and great to support an Aussie made brand. Very happy with my Corkas. Matt on 29th Dec 2017
Great swimmers for lap swimming, great fit, comfortable and light material. Good job Tom on 15th May 2017
Quick delivery. Good fit and comfortable. Plenty of cord to tie and right thickness of cord. Happy with purchase. Unknown on 7th Mar 2017
Very thankful to have found this brand. Very comfortable to wear and not often you can find purple speedos. It's great that I'm the only person at the pool wearing purple speedos as black and blue are boring and too popular colours. Sizing was perfect as fits just well. MARK on 22nd Nov 2016
Love the colour! You won't be disappointed in Corka's. Great fit and top quality all round. The sizing runs slightly large so if you are in between sizes go for the smaller size of the two. The most comfortable swimers I've worn. Will be sticking to Corka now.
***Note from Corka*** If in doubt about your size go down a size with the nylon/elastomeric swimsuits Mike on 21st Oct 2016
Generous cut in really smooth fabric feels comfy but maybe try a size down if you like it more close fitting. Love wearing this vibrant purple with lime green logo! David, Sydney on 14th Jul 2016
High quality. Super comfy. Look great. Dry super quick. Classic speedo style swimwear suited to the beach or pool.
Very efficient customer service. well done guys. Unknown on 2nd Dec 2015
Great fit and very comfortable. Would buy these again in the future. Dean on 8th Jul 2015


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Catching You Up
It's been a long while since I made an update. You might've noticed. I've touched on it before in posts on this blog (because this is what always happens to saves), but my anxiety got the best of me and so I stopped posting for a while. The main issue with this is that I continued to play the save in the meantime. The last blog post leaves off in February 2020, the current date in the save now is 21 July, 2025. What I'm going to attempt to do, over the course of several more "overview"-type posts, is catch the blog up to where the save is so that I can continue on. This has been one of my best FM saves ever, and for someone with over 1000 hours on each version since FM12, that includes a LOT of saves. My unbelievable success in my first job at Glentoran made me fall in love with the club as well as the save. Getting offered a Championship job as only the second of my career is certainly something I've never even come close to experiencing. Basically, I've enjoyed this save too much to not share it.
I've never done a retrospective-style post like this, so please bear with me. This is a story you don't want to miss. Continue reading "The Unknown Manager: Catching You Up, Pt. 1"