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- Updated:
- July 14, 2015
- Published:
- April 5, 2013
We are proud and excited to announce that we will be sponsoring the 3rd Annual FETCH a Cure Bow Tie Open! FETCH a Cure has a mission statement that we truly believe in. As pet owners we think the work that FETCH a Cure is doing for pets with cancer, including their Companions in Crisis program, is just awesome.
We sponsored a hole at the tournament last year (Look at perfect the weather was!). This year we've upgraded our logo and are excited to be a cup and cart sponsor. We plan on having the entire team out at one of the special drink stands, some come say hi!
FETCH a Cure still has sponsorship opportunities for the 2013 Bow Tie Open so please help us support this great cause!

subset: commoncrawl


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Home / Conservatory Blinds / ClickFIT White ASC - Click to Fit Advanced Solar Control
ClickFIT White ASC 20mm Conservatory Pleated Blind
White pleated blind offering both heat and UV protection. The ClickFit framed blind is easy to install.
from £57.84
Product Specification
Product Information
Product Guides
How to Measure & FIT Video
Product Specification
|Minimum width:
|Minimum drop:
|Maximum width:
|Maximum drop:
|White pleated blind offering both heat and UV protection. The ClickFit framed blind is easy to install.
|Click to Fit Blind
|Designed to fit inside the rubber gasket (seal) of UPVc windows
|Hardware Colour
|Supplied with White Tensioned Hardware
|UPVC Windows Only with a rubber gasket that has minimum 10mm depth for the bracket
|The Click to Fit Blind
|Requires no drilling or screwing and is energy efficient.
Product featuresIdeal for conservatories White tensioned hardware Heat & UV protection Easy to install
Manufactured to highest standards using the latest technology, we can offer the best prices too.. Seen it cheaper? We can beat that price, so give us a call on 0845 533 1023 for a better deal today.
Our specialists are proud to offer you their expertise in measuring any type of window. With a wealth of experience we are here to provide you with finding the perfect window treatment solution. Call us on 0845 533 1023.


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Podcast (mp3feed): Play in new window | Download
Fanpeople meets MST3K
It's a full house this month as guest hosts Erin, Kate, Kirk, and Parker join me in recording a first for the show. A downloadable audio commentary that you can listen to as you watch the recently released Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
We hope it'll be as enjoyable to listen to as it was to record.
Special Thanks…
Mike Elizalde and the team at Spectral Motion.
James Dodd, one half of the movement inside the character of Johann Krauss.
Christine Mignola, the real Kate Corrigan.
Also, check out band Poet in Process's songs, one of which (Why) features in the movie. All their songs are freely downloadable on their website. Great stuff.


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We've recently published a special report called 'Discount Brokers - Which One is Best?' which looks at many of the important issues that you should consider when deciding which on-line broker to use (the report is free to all subscribers, so if you haven't received your copy please call 1800 620 414). There are now about eleven brokers who provide on-line trading in Australia, all offering various levels of service. They may charge less for their brokerage than their full service counterparts, but are the lower fees always worth it? It...


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Weird music video, I don't think I'll ever 'get' music videos…but have been really liking this song recently.
I've been trying for about a week to pull together some thoughts on love. I've started writing twice on the topic, both times to scratch out what I've written. I don't intend to write on love today, but I'll start my thoughts for future days with this song.


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Each person is like a puzzle piece. We all run around trying to figure out where we fit. But we, as tiny human beings, can't see or comprehend the big picture. It's like trying to understand the entire universe - we're just not big enough; we don't have that kind of mental capacity.
So if we can't see the big picture, how on Earth are we supposed to find where we fit?? If we can only see a couple of pieces at a time, how would we know if we fit in that place or if we need to move to a different part of the puzzle? What if we are in the right place and we can't tell because there aren't enough pieces around us?
Think of putting a puzzle together. If you get all the edge pieces connected, can you guess where that one middle piece goes? Maybe. Now zoom in to where you can't see any of the edge pieces. Pretty much impossible to get that one little piece in the right spot when you have no reference points.
Oh, if only we had the picture on the box to look at....! But didn't we just establish that we're too small to understand that picture?
Guess what? Life is like a puzzle, and only God can see the picture on the box. Oh thank goodness. If He can see the box, His perfect master plan, then we can rely on His guidance to get us to the right place in the puzzle of life.
|Image source
<3 Marie-Rose


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Language, Culture, and Society
Courses and activities in this track are designed for students wishing to develop or perfect their ability to use Spanish for communicative purposes, with an emphasis on the mutual implication between the fluid areas of linguistic and cultural competences.
Human Rights in Argentina
Course work and cultural activities immerse students in the vibrant history of human rights struggles in Argentina, and the current emergence of new disputes and social conflicts that are shaping the evolving concept of human rights.
Medicine and Global Health
Students learn about psychoanalysis, neuroscience and medicine in Argentina via classroom instruction and hands-on activities in hospitals with a focus on social, economic and political issues that inform our overarching vision of global health.


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Wed May 22, 2013
The DuPage County Health Department's Public Health Centers in Addison, Lombard, West Chicago, Westmont and Wheaton will be closed Monday, May 27, 2013, in observance of Memorial Day.
The Health Department's Crisis Hotline 1 (630) 627-1700 in Behavioral Health Services will remain in operation.
All offices will reopen at their regular times on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
For more information on the DuPage County Health Department, follow us on Twitter @DuPageHD or become a fan on Facebook.


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Steps to Beautify Dehradun City
|Written by Administrator
|Wednesday, 27 February 2013 14:34
With increased urbanization, Dehradun's sylvan charm has steadily been declining. In a move to salvage the situation, the government and some non government voluntary organizations like Citizens for Green Doon are joining hands to beautify Doon. District Magistrate BVRS Purshottam is spear heading the drive. Thanks to the frequent checks and enforcement by his team, the use of polythene bags has definitely come down in Dehradun. Most shopkeepers in the fear of being fined have totally stopped handing out plastic bags. After a survey by representatives of the government and non government agencies, the plans that have been proposed to give a facelift to the city include:
• Solar lighting around Dehradun's iconic Clock Tower
• Plants on the road divider on Rajpur Road up till Astley Hall
• Creepers on lamp posts
• Fresh coat of coloured paint on the road dividers on the main roads
• Tree plantation on the empty land around shopping complexes
• Road side benches for pedestrians to rest
While the above cosmetic changes will serve to give a face lift to the city, the need of the hour is infrastructure development to meet the increased pressure on the city's resources in the coming years.


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Hudson Taylor's latest music video is just as desperate and haunted as the song itself (though through a much harsher lens, clearly).
The duo's sound is reminiscent of a modern day Everly Brothers; the only thing which stands against those solid guitar melodies are the brother's pure vocals which feature articulate lyric lines that scream of a tendency towards hopeless romantics ("put down your weapons, lets be defenseless, surrender your love and no more secrets" and "this is how it is when it all gets wild, you can hit me hard, hit me hard as you like, if only you could see it through my own two eyes, you could see the view from the other side").
It's truly fantastic and their sweet vocal melodies make it so very difficult to not get hooked on these tracks which start as soft indie folk melodies and always manage to build into a frenzied desperation by their end.
Check out the latest video from the Irish duo below then head to the sites to find out more about the band.
"Weapons" Hudson Taylor


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This beautiful mountain lion, Mufasa, was chained up in the back of a pickup truck for 20 years with a traveling circus. He was forced to perform and would never be able to roam free in his own habitat, until one day he received much needed help from Animal Defenders International (ADI) who came to his rescue.
Mufasa had been abused by the circus trainers to perform tricks with the use of chains, whips, and hooks – and the ADI would not sit back and let that happen. They showed up to unchain Mufasa and to safely and comfortably take him back to the forest to set him free, as he should has been living all along.
Watch the touching video of his rescue and SHARE it with your animal-loving friends and family on Facebook!
Like Us


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We have a super exciting five days ahead of us over here on Jennypurr as we kick start Take Your Content To The Next Level Week. If you're an email subscriber you'll already be clued up, but if not then I'll give you a quick introduction. In my two years of blogging, the biggest lesson I've learned is that content with always be king. Engaging, substantial, and shareable content is the best way to connect with your audience, share your expertise, and develop and grow your online space. From engaging with you in the comments and Twitter, I know so many of you are already running really awesome online spaces and this week exists as five days to help you take it to the next level.
With five days of blog posts where I'll be sharing everything I've learned and some ideas and insights into how you can raise the blogging bar, and a Twitter chat on Wednesday evening where we can connect and discuss all things blogging and content, I'm super excited for the next few days to come. To celebrate, I have a super limited time only special discount on my Take Your Content To The Next Level package which is perfect for anyone who wants to find their voice, craft an intentional content plan, and have impact and reach with the words they share. Usually priced at £79, my content coaching package is now available at £63 for a limited time only and if you want to find out more about the package make sure you head over to my Work With Me page.
What I'm most excited for is the first ever #jennypurrchat on Twitter this week and the opportunity to engage in more depth with the Jennypurr community. I believe blogging is better when done with community, a support system, and fellow creatives to inspire us along the way. This Wednesday (4th March) from 9-10pm I'll be over on Twitter hosting the first ever Jennypurr Twitter chat and I'd love to see you over there. We'll be talking about all things blogging and content creation!
I don't know about you, but I'm super excited for Take Your Content To The Next Level Week. Whatever stage you're at in your blogging adventure, my hope is that over the next five days I can encourage you to keep pushing forward on your goals and share some secrets and insights into how you can make them happen. If you're as excited as I am, click to tweet and let me know you're in!
"Do you want to #TakeYourContentToTheNextLevel? Join me and @jennypurrblog if you do!"
So for the first of this weeks posts we're going to focus on Building An Editorial Calendar From Scratch. Your editorial calendar can change everything. It can give you focus, keep you on track, and help you to see the bigger picture with your content. You are more than just the blog posts you share each day, they all work together alongside each other to create the voice and purpose of your blog. Creating with intention, having clear and focused goals and a system that works for you is one of the best ways you can really take your content to the next level. I won't lie, this post is going to be pretty long. But if you put aside some time this week to build the perfect editorial calendar for you I promise you won't regret it.
I'm going to focus on:
- Big Picture Goals & Aims
- Focusing Your Categories & Columns
- Themes, Series, & Features
- Choosing A Posting Schedule That Works For You
- Building Your Digital Calendar
Feel free to scroll down and pick and chose the topics that will help you the most as this is a pretty long and in-depth post, though if you're completely new to editorial calendars I'd really recommend taking the time to get your head around the process so you can build your own awesome digital calendar from scratch.
Before you get started, being clear on your big picture goals and aims is one of the most important steps to take. Ask yourself: what is the overall purpose of my blog? To connect with future clients and customers? To establish expertise in your industry? To build community and connections? To monetise? Get it down on paper and know your big picture goal. The day to day aspects of running your online space can start to distract you over time, and having a clear long term goal will help to keep you on track and guide you with the decisions you make.
Know who you're creating for. If we try and please everyone, we end up connecting with no one, so getting super specific on our ideal audience and who exactly we want to connect with is how we will really start to reach those long term goals. Know your audience, what you want to create for them, and the reader experience you want to craft along the way. Your content is what does all the hard work for you. It's what builds your SEO, it's your content marketing, your online presence, and how readers and clients/customers will find you along the way. Trust in the fact that if you create high quality sharable content you'll be able to push forward on those big goals and ambitions you have for your online space.
Task: Get down on paper/word document your big picture blogging goals and aims. Maybe you have just one, or maybe you have five, however many jot them down and see them in front of you. Know your purpose (this post should help) and be super super clear on your intentions. Write a manifesto or a brand statement if you really want to take it seriously, these are awesome for staying focused along the way.
Your categories & columns will be the foundations of your content plan. Not only do they give your blog structure and focus, but they also aid in the content creation process as they give you initial areas of focus as jumping off points. It's up to you how specific you get with your categories. Depending on your niche and the focus of your blog, you may prefer general categories like "Lifestyle" and "Creativity", whereas for a super specific and niche blog breaking it down into focused categories like "SEO" and "Social Media Marketing" might suit your blog best.
How many categories you have is up to you, though my best advice is to keep it under 5 or 6 as anything more than that and your blog may become a little scattered and unfocused. As Jennypurr is quite a niche specific blog I only have three categories - Blogging, Creativity, and Personal Insights - and the most important thing is that you take the time to be super intentional with the categories you choose.
Task: Take half an hour to write down on paper all the topics and areas you currently focus on and any other topics you'd like to introduce into the mix. See if any overlap and can be joined together into one category. Highlight the six categories that work towards your blogging purpose and big picture goals the most (and make sure they're ones you're passionate about too) and try and brainstorm 20 post topics for each. The categories where the ideas just flow and flow will probably be the cornerstone content of your blog, whereas if you're stuck with one and can't think of relevant topics that you will enjoy creating and that will work towards your bigger picture goals then it's a probably a sign to leave this one out. Hopefully you'll be left with 3-6 categories that you feel confident that you can continue to create fresh, exciting, and engaging content for.
Something to note: A frequently asked question is whether or not it's okay to have different topics and categories within your content plan. For example, if you're a blog that shares social media marketing advice but also have a column on gardening techniques. There's no clear cut answer for this one but my advice would be that if you run a for-profit blog then the needs of the business have to come first. Think about your ideal reader/client and ask yourself whether writing about something off-topic will just confuse them and send them away to a different site that seems more focused and clear. On the other hand, if you run a personal blog (or your business is very tied into your personal brand) then keeping your categories quite open and varied will probably work in your favour and you shouldn't feel any pressure to compromise your ideas. Listen to your gut and be guided by your big picture goals.
Once you've focused your categories and columns, it's time to take a closer look at each and explore your themes, series, and features. These can give your categories more structure, focus, and help you to plan out your content in advance. Depending on your blogs focus and niche you may only have features in the mix, whereas for others monthly themes and weekly series may be more in-tune with your audiences needs. Great examples are By Regina and A Beautiful Mess. Regina regularly has themed months that tap into her readers needs and get super specific on a subject in her niche. ABM are awesome at keeping up with regular features and series. For example they have their reoccurring Book Club, Scrapbook Sunday, and Sister Style features throughout the month.
If your blog is run alongside a business, whether it's service based or with an ecommerce shop, monthly themes can be a great way to kick start your marketing strategy. If you have a new release or a service you want to promote, breaking your months down into themes can give your content a super clear focus and is a great way to embrace content marketing while still creating authentic content for your audience. Braid Creative do an awesome job at this as when they have one of their eCourses coming up they share content specific to that topic in the lead up so they can attract the people who need exactly what they're offering.
Tasks: Features: With your pen and paper or word document (I personally love Evernote for these kind of tasks), write down all of your current features. With ticks and crosses, decide whether they're still relevant to your long term goals and intentions, or whether your blog has since outgrown them and it's time to move on. After that, brainstorm any new features you'd like to explore. My best advice is to never jump in straight away to a new feature, give yourself enough time and space to see whether it's something you want to commit to in the long run. Once you've decided on any reoccurring features, decide how often you want to feature them each month (or even quarterly through the year) and write that next to each one. This will come in handy later when you start to build you digital calendar.
Series & Themes: Whether you just want to take your content to the next level or promote your business and products alongside your marketing plan, get down on paper any series or themes that may help you along the way. For example, if you're just about to launch an eCourse on personal branding you might have a themed month in the lead up that shares your knowledge and expertise so you can connect with your ideal audience before the launch. On the other hand, if you're a personal blogger focusing on an area like Beauty or Lifestyle and you want to really raise the blogging bar you may have a monthly series on a super topical and interesting area within your niche so you can really start to establish your blog and online presence in your community.
Features, series, and themes are not essential to stellar blogging but they are worth exploring if you really want to take things to next level and push forward on your bigger goals and intentions.
Having a posting schedule in place means you'll know when to create for and your readers will find comfort in the consistency of your online space. There's no golden number of how many times you should post each week and I think various factors, including the time you have available, your niche, and your big picture goals, should be what guides your decision. Posting daily has the benefit that you'll be able to connect with your audience every single day, though the wonder of social media means that even if you're not posting fresh content each and every single day you still have the opportunity to connect with your readers and add value to their day via your social media channels.
Three of my favourite blogs, By Regina, Braid Creative, and Femtrepreneur don't post daily content (usually 1-2 posts a week/fortnight) and I'm always excited by how much value there is in every post they share. On the other hand, another of my favourites is Elle & Company and Lauren posts five days a week and I look forward every weekday morning to her latest post going live. The point I'm trying to make here is that how often you post will not define the impact you have with your audience. The quality of your content, the intentions behind your posts, and your social media presence make all the difference and I'm a big believer in only posting when you have something to say instead of just sharing filler content to pad out your content plan.
For almost two years I posted seven days a week on my blog, and it without a doubt really helped in the beginning with my initial blog growth. Since moving to a five day posting schedule a few weeks back though I'm feeling so much happier with my routine. I have more space to create intentional and focused content and it's more realistic alongside the time I have available to work on posts.
Task: Assess the following things:
- The time you have available throughout the week to create
- How often blogs within your niche post
- Your big picture aims (to increase traffic/to monetise/to establish your business/to build community etc)
Reviewing all these things, hopefully you will start to see what posting schedule works best for you. Whatever you do, my best advice is to not stretch yourself too much. Content isn't the only component of blogging. There will be business maintenance, product development, networking, and social media and although posting often and frequently is the best route to take for both connecting with your readers and your SEO, if you can only do 2 days a week then don't worry about the pressure to be doing any more.
Now to the exciting part, building your digital calendar. I recommend doing it digitally as this way is more streamlined and can be synced amongst your devices. Your best options are to either use your Google Calendar, your iCloud calendar, or a third party app like Sunrise, or if you want an extra in-depth option you can build your digital calendar on a spreadsheet or a template you make yourself.
What you want to include is:
- Your posting schedule
- Your categories
- Any features, series, and monthly themes
- Social media marketing
- Any guest posts and collaborations
- Any launches and special events
- And of course your upcoming posts and content
If you're super organised with your process, you may work better looking at the year or each quarter in advance and assigning your themes, series, and launches and special events throughout the year. I like to work on a monthly basis and each week in-depth, though sometimes I have to look further ahead for any bigger events or plans. On each week/month you can colour co-ordinate your categories and series/features onto the relevant days and build in the specific post for that day from there. Additionally, to take your process to the next level and really commit to your online presence you can include your social media marketing and maintenance tasks within your calendar, as it all works together alongside each other in the long run. Things like:
- Social media promotion
- Newsletters and email marketing
- Guest posting
- Upcoming audits
- Behind the scenes blog maintenance
This way your entire process will be in front of you and you will be able to stay on top of everything with ease. Last year I shared a very basic overview of my editorial calendar here, but it has since evolved and has a spreadsheet that works alongside it now which houses everything from my launches and marketing events, to my weekly letters and behind the scenes maintenance tasks.
Congratulations if you've made it all the way to the end of this post and I hope it's been helpful and encouraged you to build an awesome editorial calendar of your own. Remember to put this coming Wednesday 4th March at 9pm in your diary for the first ever #jennypurrchat on Twitter, and if you're interested in one-on-one content coaching support the special discount price of £63 is available until the end of the week.
I'm super excited for the rest of Take Your Content To The Next Level Week and if you're joining in let me know in the comments below!
This months Spotlight Advertiser
Six of this months sidebar advertisers


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It was almost musical, like a percussionist rapping a drum stick against a hardwood block. My ankle, my trusted right ankle that had carried me through countless soccer matches, hard parachute landings, and nightly combat patrols, had just betrayed me in front of two squads of blissfully bouncing prepubescents.
As I crumpled to the trampoline, its buoyant cushion mocking my crippled body, I felt a electric shock rage up my leg and slam into the soft tissue behind my eyes. I was surrounded. Surrounded by jubilant 12-year-olds with nimble, elastic limbs. With each ruthless landing, my supposed teammates shoved the blade deeper into my weakened flesh and the pain in my leg intensified. My instincts took over. These imps were going to be the death of me. I had to retreat. Find somewhere safe to tend to my wound. I probably smiled as I limped off the court. Nothing wrong here. You kids have fun. I'm just going to sit this one out. They can smell weakness, you know?
Before the real misery set in, I hobbled over to the row of cafeteria style tables that lined the side of the trampoline-dodgeball court. Trampoline-dodgeball. What kind of Reichstag sadists had concocted such a ridiculous diversion? I cursed my girlfriend. "Let's get out and do something fun for a change," she'd demanded. Yeah, you'll have your fun watching me crutch around the house for the next month.
Carefully removing my shoe and sock I exposed the treacherous joint. It had already ballooned to twice its usual girth and a dark purple bruise had begun to bloom under the lateral malleolus. Jesus, what had I done? Was it the calcaneofibular or anterior talofibular that I'd demolished? Who could remember the bird's nest of ligaments twisting around down there? I'd fucked a couple of them up for sure. A grade 2 sprain, maybe even a 3. Propping my leg up on the table I stared at my ankle. Traitor. Vile turncoat. How fucking dare you? As if these ballon animals skipping past me weren't reminder enough that I'm slowly decomposing.
A few minutes later, the air-filled head of one of the blue shirted staff wandered by. He glanced at my leg and a look of pure horror replaced his mindless smile. He rushed off and returned with a bag of ice, some towels, and a manager who, like all men who fear impending legal action, wanted to know exactly what had happened. Could I put weight on it? Why hadn't I been immediately tended to by the teenage referee who had been entrusted with the wellbeing of the players on the court? Was I sure I'd signed the waiver?
They offered to call an ambulance. For what? My foot was still attached to my body. I could just imagine the faces of my old Army buddies as I'd got carted off to the hospital for something so absurd. Nice one, Doc. Don't forget to take your Motrin. No thanks, I said. Just some help getting out to the car would be fine. The car would take me home where I could sit my 30-year-old ass on my couch, turn on my Xbox, and avoid having to consider what I was really doing with my life.
You'd think that an establishment that traffics in the repeated tossing of human beings high into the air would have had at least one wheelchair on standby for this kind of situation, or a pair of crutches. But Sky High Sports apparently dealt not in probabilities. Instead I was wheeled out to the parking lot on a black office chair, much to the amusement of all the sticky-fingered children who took a moment away from ruining the best years of their mother's lives, to giggle at me as I rolled by.
A week later I received a phone call from Wendy or Wanda or whatever from the corporate office. She inquired as to how I was doing with a well practiced sincerity that reminded me of my customer service days. No, I hadn't been to a doctor. I'm unemployed. Doctors tend to cost a lot of money. Don't worry I have years of experience treating these kinds of injuries. I already know all the physical therapy techniques that I'll undoubtedly abandon once I feel well enough. As our conversation wound down she asked me if I would like some complimentary tickets to return when I was healed. No thanks, I said. I'm a goddamn adult, and adults keep their stiff, old ankles on the ground as nature intended.


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When Left To My Own Devices.../
... I break one of them (digital camera) and I lose another (my Blackberry) to the watery depths of a Southern California reservoir. I say this for two reasons: to apologize for the crappy quality of the photos in this post (as I had to make do with the snapshot function of my video cam) and to apologize to those of you who interact with me outside this blog for not returning any phone calls or text messages lately. With that out of the way, let's rewind to the beginning.
d Wife leaves me twice a year for about 2 weeks at a time to attend tradeshows for her job. For the most part, it goes quite smoothly, for there's not much she can do for this household that I can't, and vice versa. We enjoy what you'd call a very business-trip-friendly family dynamic. However, she's been gone nearly a week now, and let's just say it only takes a few days of solo parenting for your true strengths and weaknesses to show.
Regarding Pets
It's not that I forget to feed them, I just keep forgetting the fact that we're missing the one piece of the puzzle that's usually required to complete such a task.
But admit it, I rock at adding cool new pets to the Busy household. Meet Hisser, the hissing cockroach:
Of course we had to first relocate the last critter cage resident before Hisser could move his stuff in.
Regarding Recreational Activities
In general, I'm not very good at not enjoying beverages of the brewed and/or distilled variety. And my "d Wife on business trip" dishwasher load kind of reflects that.
But my buddy Toheed the Contractor was willing to drive.
But first, we had to stop off at his service station to wash the boat.
And it was all good.
We planned to fish, but fishing sucks in SoCal, so rather than set him up for disappointment, we just opted to ride around, really really really fast.
Things were going great until the boat broke down. And I discovered that although we were lucky that it broke down at a dock on which we stopped to buy more beer, the boat ramp was about 100 feet away. This meant tying ropes to the boat, which meant bending over, which always means my gut likes to press the release button on my Blackberry harness, which means I should have seen it coming. But I didn't. And in slow motion it fell (heart attack), and then landed on the dock (relief), and then fell out of its protective case (oh that's fine, that's what it's for), and then bounced (lunge) and went over the edge (noooooooo...). Kerplunk.
And I still had to hand tow that sucker to the boat ramp.
While all this was happening, I was totally sucking at something else: remembering birthday parties that we had RSVP'd for. d Wife has a knack for schedules. And like a tailbone or appendix, my ability to remember key dates has rendered itself obselete in my 8 years of marriage because I just rely on her to remind me of things we need to do. I mean, I DID remember it. I just thought it was on Sunday, rather than Saturday (which doesn't work for weddings, flights, court dates and job interviews, either). So this is my apology in writing to Lolita and her son Jaden for showing up 8 hours late to the party.
Regarding Food and Dining
On the few days during the week when I'm actually lucky enough to share a meal with my family, d Wife makes it a point to turn off all electronic devices and enjoy some quality time together at the dinner table. I applaud that and totally agree. But Fury is going to grow up to be a business traveler if watching his old man has any impact on his future career choices. So I might as well get him used to eating at the bar with his laptop.
I also feel that in addition to his professional life, I am responsible for teaching my boy how to survive in the wild. And you can be damn sure that no son of mine is ever going to starve in the woods because he couldn't find a serving platter!
But this doesn't mean I won't expose him to the finer things in life, for a man's ability to appreciate classy culinary establishments from an early age is of the utmost importance when forging a true gentleman.
Regarding Awesomeness
"Hey dad, what time is it?"
"Um, it's 8:55."
"No, it's not, Dad."
"Well, look at my watch, what time does this look like to you?"
"It's time to get ill."
Raising my boy.
I'm doing it right.


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About American Equity Mortgage
At American Equity Mortgage, we are committed to helping you achieve your financial goals. When you are financially secure, you are in a better place. And that's just where we want you to be.
Established in 1992 by President & CEO Deanna Daughhetee, we are one of the nation's leading mortgage lenders and your home loan expert. We help people get to a better place by saving them hundreds of dollars every month or by helping our clients purchase the home of their dreams.
Our Commitment
Each staff member is committed to ensuring that each client receives individual attention at every step of the loan process. At the heart of this commitment are our "Three I's":
Our dedication to the Three I's enables us to stay true to our goal: Giving you the best chance to obtain a money-saving loan that's right for your individual needs and goals.
With hundreds of different home loan programs including money-saving debt consolidation home loans, mortgage refinancing, and home purchase loans — we are able to provide individualized service that is just right for you.
We are always by your side and we prove it in everything we do. We believe it's our job to help people get to a better place financially, emotionally and even physically. Call, stop by one of our locations or apply online today!


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So you want to find us around town?
Look no further! Visit one (or all!) of the fine local establishments detailed below:
Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub:
1815 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054.
The Whet Noodle:
1813 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054
Privateer Marketplace:
1704 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054
Privateer Coal Fire Pizza:
1706 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside, CA 92054
Kona Hut Coffeehouse:
1940 S Freeman St, Oceanside, CA 92054
Nibble Chocolate
2754 Calhoun St. San Diego CA 92110 (For most accessible access please map: 2750 Juan Street.)


text:
Here are some examples of recent work:
Help a team of faculty and administrators at a major research university to create a wellbeing survey.
Create and implement an alumni engagement survey.
Guide a foundation in setting and implementing their research agenda.
Work with a national association of higher education administrators to survey their members and report on innovative practices in their field.
Synthesize information from several years of data from national student surveys (CIRP, NSSE, and Ruffalo Noel Levitz), highlighting strengths and challenges and making recommendations for the future to a university.
Evaluation of a residential co-curricular program for an honors college.
Feasibility study on a potential new product for a higher education services company.
Do you have an issue that you need to know more about so that you can make informed choices about higher education policies and programs? Let's chat. Just email us at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Cookie Notice
Monday, 10 June 2013
Cameron's Hedgehog Party
Hedgehogs? Since when did hedgehogs become pets? What was the attraction? I sought out an online guide to hedgehog-keeping. It consisted of page after page of advice aimed at preventing the creatures from killing or seriously injuring themselves. First, they need lots of room. "Without room, a hedgehog will show signs of depression, such as excessive sleeping, refusal to eat, repetitious behaviour, and self-mutilation. Due to their small size obesity is a very dangerous problem and hedgehogs require a fair amount of exercise to avoid liver problems due to excess weight." Uh OK a big wire cage then "Cages with wired floors are dangerous for hedgehogs because they can easily slip and get a limb caught in the wire. Multi-level ferret or rabbit cages can allow a hedgehog more room to explore without taking up extra floorspace, but when using multiple levels, keep in mind that a hedgehog has poor eyesight, can climb easily, but has difficulty descending and often does not seem to understand heights" Hmm a big cage with a safety rubber floor, then. "A wheel is necessary to provide hedgehogs with exercise. When choosing a wheel, it must have a solid floor. If an open-wire wheel is used, the hedgehog will continually fall between the bars and possibly break a leg. Wheels with crossbars can also cause facial injuries as hedgehogs have been known to look sideways out of the wheel while running." The list goes on. They are liable to amputate their own limbs with their bedding, their genitalia may get blocked with cage-dust, they are (unsurprisingly) prone to many diseases, including Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome and commonly react to stress with vomiting and green faeces.
And then the simile struck me. Hedgehogs are the Tory Party of the pet world - intent on self-destruction, blind, incapable, liable to unintentional self-injury and deliberate self-mutilation. When threatened all they can do is roll up in a prickly ball. Suddenly gay weddings, bloody windmills, state snooping, Europhilia and all the other rubbish came into perspective; it was all Hedgehog behaviour. The party has grown into an endangered creature incapable of flourishing, subject to Wobbly Tory Syndrome and liable to react to stress with vomiting and green faeces.
7 comments:
At first I thought you had lost your marbles old chap! Then I got to the last para and it all made sense. A brilliant piece of writing!
Coney Island
- 10 June 2013 at 08:36
...And I thought that you were going to write about an ancient Etonian pastime Raedwald...
The sad fact is that attempting to satisfy the "floating voter" aka, the "centre ground" is precisely what the Liberal Party was doing at the beginning of the twentieth century, until it was usurped by the then radical Labour party.
Liberalism was always about government with a light touch, and conservatism was about preserving the ancient customs of the ruling class.
Both have turned into "social democrat parties": and nobody regards them as having any relevance in modern life, apart from acting as an alternative to the "establishment" party... aka Labour.
As the blogger "David Craig" titles his narrative...
"Snouts in the trough" is perhaps the most relevant animal equivalent for our glorious leaders... HedgePigs notwithstanding.
- 10 June 2013 at 09:16
"The list goes on. They are liable to amputate their own limbs with their bedding, their genitalia may get blocked with cage-dust, they are (unsurprisingly) prone to many diseases, including Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome and commonly react to stress with vomiting and green faeces."
Crikey!! Too much information!
The thought of all that "hitting the fan" ??
Talking of pigs and troughs - glad to see Yeo's finally going to have to answer some questions.
- 10 June 2013 at 12:26
- James Higham said...
Hedgehogs? Never thought of them as pets but it would be a talking point at dinner.
- 10 June 2013 at 17:41
- Edward Spalton said...
I remember a very rude (American) naval song which included
"... From anthropoid ape down to man'
The palm is awarded the navy for buggering whatever it can.
Further experimentation has incontrovertibly shown
That comparative safety on shipboard,
Is enjoyed by the hedgehog alone"
- 10 June 2013 at 19:12
Hedgehogs? Never thought of them as pets but it would be a nice dinner for talking about.
- 10 June 2013 at 19:38
- Thud said...
I caught one on the lawn this morning, after reading that list I'm amazed it didn't self immolate or explode.
- 10 June 2013 at 21:55


text:
In context of automation the concept of cyber-physical systems creates a consistent data interchange via open and global information networks with bidirectional flow of information. However, in order to generate potential benefits, relevant process data has to be identified and transferred to usable knowledge. In this paper we propose an approach for using the information feedback, provided through cyber-physical systems within production facilities, for the enhancement of the product design process. Due to the integration of knowledge bases, the data gathered in production is transformed to knowledge for improvement, which is structured for re-utilization with the use of ontologies.
Hinweis: Dieses Forschungsportal enthält nur Inhalte, welche für die Veröffentlichung freigegeben sind.


text:
While I don't usually frequent Kotaku, I was directed to an article there called What Not To Name Your Spacefaring Raccoon Video Game. In the article, the author points out that the title of aforementioned game Starcoon, may not be appropriate due to the fact that the word "coon" is considered a racial slur in the United States of America. While I completely agree that game developers need to be extra cautious about game content should they want to appease a global demographic, I was a bit irritated by the content of the article and how irresponsible it was to bring the potential cultural misunderstanding to light in the way in which it did.
Learning the Hard Way
I'm a bit sensitive to this topic because as an American living in Germany, I deal with cultural misunderstandings on a regular basis (as do many people around the world). I struggle with the language and struggle even harder with social norms that I took for granted in my own country. Fortunately for me, I have German friends who coach me on the differences between the United States and Germany, thus preventing me from stumbling all over myself. I've also experienced the other side of things, with people getting angry or making fun of me because of my lack of understanding. I think it's pretty obvious which one I prefer. The fact of the matter is, there are constructive ways to deal with instances of misunderstanding but jumping to conclusions and making someone feel stupid are not them.
While the article itself wasn't necessarily calling the developers of Starcoon racist, I felt the way in which it was written was opportunistic and spoke very poorly of the author's understanding of language barriers. Based on the fact that the developers of the game immediately contacted the author and apologized for the misunderstanding makes it quite obvious that they didn't know about the connection between their game and a racial slur, or in the least they didn't see the connection at all.
This is Not the Place
My biggest issue is not the fact that the developers' were called out on the issue (which to some, was a non-issue) but that a popular gaming site was the platform in which the "criticism" was brought to light. It would have been one thing if the developers had chosen the name to describe a black astronaut character, but to their knowledge they were merely combining two words in what they thought was a creative way to describe a raccoon that explored the stars, i.e. Starcoon. It was as innocent as innocent could be, yet the assumption was that the developers should have "known better." Is it naïve of me to think that this issue could have been resolved via a friendly email?
Hey Starcoon team,
My name is [insert name here] and I received the press release in regards to your game Starcoon. Not sure if you knew this (and admittedly, this is a stretch) but the word "coon" is a racial slur here in the states and Starcoon might be taken offensively. I'm sure that you didn't intend for that, as your game is about an actual raccoon exploring space, but seeing as the world is confronting inequality head on, you might unknowingly get pulled into the debate. Just a heads up, keep on trucking!
Did this developer deserve the possible flood of hate mail that could have come should overly sensitive people not realize that the "offenders" were Dutch and most likely spoke English as a second language thus not having a full understanding of America's laundry lists of racial epithets ? To me, it was a lazily written article that reached for controversy as a means to draw in viewers. While the author could have taken the time to delve into the larger topic of culture and race issues (perhaps even going as far as to speak with Starcoon's developers before publishing), they chose to throw together a couple paragraphs (not counting the quote from the game's press release) and end with a condescending statement about the developers need to "consult a dictionary".
The world is full of racism and insensitivity, of both the intentional and unintentional varieties. Lumping these groups together is not only wrong, it's dangerous and puts a smoke screen up that blocks true instances of inequality. We'll never get to the bottom of the actual problems if we're constantly digging through layers that equate to simple mistakes or people jumping to conclusions. As journalists, it is our responsibility to have as much information as possible before throwing together words that might have unintended consequences for ourselves and the people we write about.
It Doesn't Matter – We bring the gaming industry and media coverage back down to reality when they overanalyze or miss the point of a particular story or game.


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Five months before Diamond Hillman was born last July, her two half siblings were removed from their mother's home.
Social workers found that she had spanked her 6-year-old daughter with a belt, scrubbed her face so hard it left welts and sent her to school in diapers.
Despite that finding, and a resulting court order that the 28-year-old mother have only monitored visits with the two older children, child welfare authorities deemed her fit to care for Diamond.
The child lived just four months. She died Nov. 22, allegedly at the hands of her stepfather, a convicted batterer with whom the mother had left the baby, according to court records and a confidential child-fatality report obtained by The Times.
Her death comes amid growing public scrutiny of suspected abuse and neglect fatalities among children whose families at some point were under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
There were 14 such deaths in 2008 and at least that many this year, though some remain under investigation, according to department officials and records recently made public under California law.
Diamond's death is being investigated by the department, Santa Monica police and the L.A. County coroner's office.
Many of those deaths occurred after children left the department's watch -- to return to their families after a stint in foster care or to enter the criminal justice system, records show.
But Diamond's case calls the department's vigilance into greater question, because she was still under its direct supervision when she was killed.
Donald Renald Hillman Jr., 33, a resident of Santa Monica and her mother's estranged husband, has pleaded not guilty to murder and child abuse.
He is being held in lieu of $1-million bail.
The mother was not identified in the child-fatality report and has not been charged. She did not respond to a phone message left with a man at her last known address.
Shortly after Diamond's birth, her mother told Hillman that he was not the girl's father, "but he accepted Diamond as his child," the report states. Although separated from Hillman, the mother left Diamond with him Oct. 4 while she met with a friend.
Hillman, who is 6 foot 1 and weighs 245 pounds, allegedly shook the infant so hard that day that she suffered retinal hemorrhaging and a traumatic brain injury.
When he brought her to a hospital emergency room in full cardiac arrest and not breathing, he told doctors the injuries were accidental.
"According to Diamond's stepfather, Diamond was asleep in her bassinet when her two-year-old half-sibling ran into the room and somehow fell over the bassinet," the report states.
The attending physician said that explanation didn't jibe with the baby's injuries, which "appeared to be the result of being shaken," the report notes.
Doctors twice resuscitated the infant and placed her on a ventilator, Santa Monica police said. She spent the next six weeks on life support, which was removed Nov. 22, police said.
An autopsy supported the shaken-baby diagnosis and Hillman was arrested Dec. 7 after he attended Diamond's funeral, police said.
The cause of death has been deferred pending further investigation by the coroner's office.
"As a result of the circumstances surrounding Diamond's death, the Department will perform a comprehensive review and analysis of our prior involvement with Diamond and her family," the report said in part.
Social workers are trained to give extra consideration to the cases of children who are age 2 and younger, because they are considered the most vulnerable and the least likely to be observed by people outside the home.
Trish Ploehn, who heads the child welfare agency, would not say if social workers had been disciplined for their handling of Diamond's case, but noted that such action is taken when warranted. Social worker error was a factor in 10 of the 14 deaths in 2008 among children with prior involvement with her department, Ploehn said earlier this year.
She declined to comment on circumstances surrounding Diamond's death, which she called "a tragedy for our entire county."
"The safety and the well-being of all children in Los Angeles County remains our highest priority," Ploehn said in a statement.
One of the key issues under review, according to the internal report, is whether the department acted appropriately in keeping Diamond with her mother, who was still subject to monitored visitation with the older children, then 2 and 6.
Also under scrutiny is a decision by the department last February to place the 2-year-old with Hillman despite his criminal history, the report said. Hillman is the child's biological father.
A search of Los Angeles County Superior Court records for Hillman turned up convictions for burglary, drug abuse and battery dating to 1998.
In 2005, he was charged with felony domestic violence but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of battery, court records show.
A marijuana possession charge was dismissed.
The court file did not identify the battery victim, although the original felony charge was based on the alleged infliction of injury upon a "spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or the mother or father of his or her child."
Hillman was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years' probation, and ordered to undergo domestic violence counseling, including anger management.
In 2006, he was kicked out of a "batterers treatment program" after missing four of six meetings, court records show.
The county report states that Diamond's family had been the subject of six prior abuse and neglect complaints since 2004, when the oldest child, then 18 months old, was alleged to be hungry and living with her mother in a motel with no cooking facilities.
When a social worker could not find them, that allegation was deemed inconclusive .
Subsequent allegations of general neglect, sexual abuse and physical abuse in 2006, 2007 and 2008 involving the oldest child were all deemed inconclusive or unfounded, the report states.
In late January 2009, social workers substantiated allegations that the girl, then 6, had been physically and emotionally abused by her mother.
Besides striking her with a belt, the woman also had interfered with the girl's relationship with her father, who was not Hillman, and had created "a detrimental environment" that caused her to act out aggressively.
The girl and her younger sibling were then taken from their mother and placed with their biological fathers.
When Diamond was born, the woman was "actively participating in court-ordered services and had nearly completed the required case plan activities," the report noted.
So she was permitted to sign onto a "family maintenance plan" that allowed her to keep her new daughter at home, the report said.
"That agreement remained in place at the time that Diamond suffered the injuries that resulted in her death," the report said.
Times staff writer Garrett Therolf and researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.


text:
©March 2002
Carol Jane Remsburg
Kathy came home last weekend for a visit. I hadn't seen her in nearly six years. She was a lady that I had worked with long ago for a few years and we had hit it off tremendously. Kathy was and is a true friend. Sometimes I believe we don't recognize or appreciate true friends until they aren't in your everyday world anymore.
There were previous visits over the last ten years, tons of letters that tapered off, joke emails, and a few phone calls. Unfortunately that's how it works once your best friend in the world is no longer in your immediate sphere. It makes me wonder how others manage it. But Kathy always does.
Back in the day, each work day was a joy not just because I enjoyed my work, but because Kathy was able to introduce me into the security side of banking, fraud and such. It was great fund tracking down and blowing away the cover of those who would steal. More than that, Kathy was simply fun to be around. She is bright, beautiful, funny, and lives every moment of the day. For someone like me, that's astounding. Kathy is likely the most alive person I've ever met or known. For her to count me as a friend, well, that's special indeed.
Still, last week she crossed the 'great divide', no not the mountains just the Chesapeake Bay from the Western Shore of MD to the Eastern Shore. I had made all ready for her and anxiously awaited her arrival. My young daughter had memories of her and was anxious to renew them. We waited.
Finally, about 8:30 PM on Friday night Kathy rolled up to the house. We had so much to talk about and many things to share. So much had passed in six years that couldn't be expressed on the phone or via email or letters. We were ready to party!
And so we proceeded to, just after the grand tour of the renovations, Erin's entreaties, a quick "hello" to hubby before we settled into the kitchen for some cold brews and some very hot wings and such . . .
Initially we did the norm, we had gifts to exchange that we'd held for a while, I got to see pix of her daughter's wedding, and Erin blustered in and made Kathy play Pokemon marbles with her. Kathy never minded, Kathy was open to all. The night was so full of ourselves that the rest of the world was somewhere else. Later after Erin was abed, we laughed, we talked about stupid stuff, important stuff, and shared all that was important. We nibbled some hotwings with the requisite blue cheese dressing and chilled celery hearts, and we talked some more. Later we got silly and played on the computer in chat rooms. Kathy has a computer for work but not one at home so I was able to expose her, rather corrupt her, into another venue of fun and adventure.
It became late. Still we laughed and we talked and played at being 'bad.' We are fortunate that neither really has a bad bone between us. Somehow it got to be 4 AM. I don't know how that happened but we were up and both of us were weary. Neither of us were twenty anymore and the lateness of the hour hit us hard. It was time for bed. I was glad I had made up her bed earlier and all was ready. We fell into bed knowing that the next day would be another of rushed fellowship—this time with Erin leading the way.
I awoke to a poking sensation on my cheek. I knew exactly who and what it was—it was Erin of course. She is never down nor asleep long. I accepted my 2 ¾ hours worth of sleep as my due. However, Kathy needed more. She got up around 10. Hubby was long gone by 7 AM. Somehow I know we had kept him up late and he wasn't quite so pleased.
I worked the coffee just to become coherent. Had this been fifteen years ago it would have been easier. I can't manage a 4 AM late night without maybe a month's recovery. Kathy bounced up and was game to run. Yeah, we ran, all the way to Ocean City. It was a glorious warm March Saturday. Erin took precautions with bathing suits and towels. She just didn't have a clue to how cold that ocean water would be.
Miles of boardwalk we walked. Food we ate, games were played, and rides were ridden. Then there was a sudden run to the water. Kathy ran right into it and so did Erin. Being the resident weenie, I held back. Our last foray, in January of 1995 ( I believe) the temps were about 70 and the water definitely warmer than this March tide—that's when I had to rescue a 5 year-old collecting shells from the pounding surf that threatened to take her out . . .
That last time, all three of us were doused in not only the sea spray but the rolling surf. Before that we'd explored the avant-garde artist's shops for the best of the cheap good stuff among the winding narrow stairs. We'd gorged ourselves on Thrasher's fries, Dumpster's ice cream, and fed the gulls with our leavings. This time we did it all, not just the fries and cones, we rode some rides, shopped, did a dire but finally fruitful search for hermit crabs AND STILL managed an ocean foray.
Not only that, we also garnered wheels for the boardwalk. Kathy and I got a dual surrey vehicle while Erin got a 3-wheeler and took off for parts unknown. It was amazing to watch.
The kites flew, the throngs were busy, shoppers shopped, and above it all the gulls screamed and the surf crashed. In the background the lighthouse sounded it's inevitable drone, lonely and long. If this hadn't been an OC adventure it would have sounded lonely.
Finally, Kathy and I both ran out of energy that Erin still had an abundant supply of. We escaped.
We drove home, grabbed instant dinner from a drive-thru and headed home. Once there, animals were fed and we began our watch over the newest additions to the family—two hermit crabs. With elbows on the table, Kathy and I leaned and rested. It would be a while before either of us could gracefully take our leave and fall into a comatose sleep. Erin was busy with the chatter as we watched the crabs. We were witness to a shell-changing. We shared one drink after our half-hearted attempts at dinner and stayed up just long enough not to be considered light-weights before escaping into sleep.
That type of thing takes a week to recover from.
I reminded Kathy that we weren't 20 anymore. She smiled and laughed. Somehow she made it not just for herself but for me the transition from 40-something back to 20-something. It won't be repeated in this decade, unless she does it and only she can do that.
It's wonderful when friends come home. They love you for you and yours and sit down in your home as if it were theirs. They realize the welcome and the warmth of those four walls and feel safe. From that point on, life is good. It's the sharing and the laughter that make it all worth while.
Kathy, honey, I love you. I'll see you soon!!!!


text:
The PrenaTest® prenatal screening test is performed during your first trimester of pregnancy. It lets you know whether you are at risk of carrying a fetus that may be affected by one of the most common birth anomalies: Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and Trisomy 18.
As opposed to earlier ways of testing genetic disorders, PrenaTest is
- non-invasive
- delivers results from one simple blood draw
- faster
- less painful
- does not carry the risk of miscarriage or harming the foetus
The test is designed for all pregnant women, regardless of their age. It offers results as early as in the first trimester, but may also be adapted for testing during the second trimester.
Why choose a Prenatest?
Although the Prenatest results do not provide a final diagnosis, it remains a very useful screening test for the following reasons:
- It is the best choice for prenatal screening for Down syndrome in the 1st trimester
- It does not pose any danger to the mother or to the fetus
- It provides prenatal screening options to mothers under the age of 35 (amniocentesis is reserved for women over the age of 35)
- It provides useful information to women 35 years of age and older before deciding to undergo a diagnostic procedure
- Prenatal Plan holders can replace the Quadruple test listed in the Plan for an extra HUF 200,000, which also makes the potential amniocentesis invasive test unnecessary.


text:
Razor's Edge
|W. Somerset Maugham
|Vintage Classics Ser.
|W. Somerset Maugham
|Vintage Classics Ser.
An ambitious novel by the formidable talent, Somerset Maugham
"The modern writer who has influenced me the most." - George Orwell
"One of my favourite writers." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
"A writer of great dedication." - Graham Greene
William Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 and lived in Paris until he was ten. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Heidelberg University. He spent some time at St. Thomas' Hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth, published in 1897, won him over to letters. Of Human Bondage, the first of his masterpieces, came out in 1915, and with the publication in 1919 of The Moon and Sixpence his reputation as a novelist was established. At the same time his fame as a successful playwright and short story writer was being consolidated with acclaimed productions of various plays and the publication of The Trembling of a Leaf, subtitled Little Stories of the South Sea Islands, in 1921, which was followed by seven more collections. His other works include travel books, essays, criticism and the autobiographical The Summing Up and A Writer's Notebook. In 1927 Somerset Maugham settled in the South of France and lived there until his death in 1965


text:
The Liberal Democrats will resist attempts to cut funding for a key energy-saving initiative blamed for pushing up bills, Ed Davey, the energy secretary, has indicated.
In an interview published on Sunday, Davey said he would be willing to see the energy companies obligation (ECO) – the most expensive of the green levies added to household bills – funded from central government rather than directly by consumers.
But he also insisted that, if a new funding mechanism is agreed, he would not sanction a cut to the £1.3bn value of the scheme. "There is no way I could support any move which undermined our effort on either energy efficiency or fuel poverty," he told the Sunday Telegraph.
The future of ECO and other green levies has been the subject of intense speculation at Westminster since David Cameron announced he wanted to roll back the charges that add an average of £112 to household fuel bills. Removing the ECO from bills would save the average householder £47, according to figures from the Department for Energy.
But ministers would then have to decide whether to fund the shortfall in full from central government – from tax rises or, more likely, from spending cuts elsewhere – or whether to cut it.
ECO funds energy-saving measures such as insulation and new boilers, mostly for poor households. Energy companies have to hit targets by March 2015, but the industry is pushing for this deadline to be extended by 18 months, which would cut the annual cost of the scheme, and some Conservatives are backing the idea.
Davey made it clear he did not think this was acceptable. "We have got to help people with their bills. If we were to pull back on our ambitions for tackling fuel poverty and energy efficiency, we would actually be hurting people," he said.
He admitted he was willing to consider funding ECO and another green levy, the warm home discount (which adds £11 to the average household bill), from central government rather than from a charge on household bills. This could allow the schemes to be funded more fairly.
But he said some green levies would remain on bills. "We are not reviewing those parts of the bills that support renewables," said Davey.
In a separate move, the energy minister Greg Barker told the Mail on Sunday he was close to a deal with energy companies on a new code of conduct to discourage them from holding on to cash from customers whose accounts are in surplus because they are using less energy than they are paying for.
Research from Which? last year found these over-payments boosted energy companies' balance sheets by £1.2bn. Under the plan, companies would reportedly take a more proactive stance to alerting customers that they are entitled to recoup their money.


text:
Artist, painter, and friend of Alberto Giacometti and Samuel Beckett
|Jean-Paul Riopelle, 'La Forêt Ardente' (1955)
Born on October 7, 1923 in Montreal, Canada, Jean-Paul Riopelle is one of Canada's most famous painters. Riopelle studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montreal in 1942, and then at the École du Meuble, graduating in 1945. He studied with Paul-Émile Borduas under whose direction Riopelle created his first abstract painting.
Riopelle was a member of a group of writers and artists in Quebec called the Automatistes, led by Borduas, and was a signer of the Refus global manifesto. In 1946 he traveled to France, where he returned and settled the following year. Pioneering a style of painting where large quantities of coloured paints were thickly applied to the canvas with a trowel, Riopelle gained increasing success and immersion in the Parisian cultural scene. From 1949, he had numerous solo exhibitions in Canada, France, Italy, Spain, England, the United States and Sweden. He was represented in New York and participated in the biennials of contemporary art in Venice (1954) and Sao Paulo (1955). He spent his evenings in Paris bistros with friends including playwright Samuel Beckett and artist Alberto Giacometti. [Read More]


text:
Churches and other religious institutions in Zimbabwe will, with effect from this month, be allowed to import cars duty-free for religious duties and other related purposes, a cabinet minister announced on Thursday.
Speaking during the official launch of the National Tourism Policy at the Celebration Centre in Harare, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi said the extension of Statutory Instruments (SI) 172 and 173 of 2013 to import duty-free motor vehicles for churches was part of government's efforts to promote religious tourism
"This is part of our commitment as government to ensure that churches are able to conduct their business, foster the growth of religious tourism and ensure their growth by giving them non-monetary benefits."
Before the extension, the two instruments – SI 172 and 173, only allowed players and operators in the tourism industry to import vehicles duty-free.
In 2009, government cancelled the statutory instruments which allowed the duty-free importation of vehicles following alleged abuse of the instrument, only to revive in 2013.
And in a show of commitment to religious tourism, Mzembi installed the honour of religious tourism destination to the Celebration Centre Church, joining the Masvingo-based Zion Christian Church, Mbungo (ZCC) building as the only other religious tour destination.
Mzembi said the award was based on the modern architecture of the church buildings that are by far the first of their kind in Zimbabwe.
"These are not just ordinary buildings but the refined modern architect skills combined with years of hard work. They have to be recognised and rewarded accordingly," Mzembi said.
The award was received by Celebration Church Senior Pastor Tom Dueschle.
With the continued improved status of modern architecture in religious buildings and places of worship, Zimbabwe is aiming to join other countries like Mali, where Timbuktu is recognised as a world heritage site and an intellectual and spiritual capital.
Timbuktu is classified under the world heritage sites list as a center for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa from the 15 and 16th centuries with its three great mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, an estimated 300 to 330 million pilgrims visit the world's key religious sites every year.
Zimbabwe has also seen growth and increasing number of Pentecostal churches led by various prophets who have grown to be popular with time.
These include Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa of the United Family International Church, Walter Magaya of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries and charismatic preacher and leader of Spirit Embassy Church Prophet Uebert Angel, among others who also command large followings.


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Hallstatt: An Austrian Town You Must Not Miss
We were fortunate to have St Gilgen and Hallstatt all squeezed into one trip. We hired a driver who took us to see 4 sites we had requested and Hallstatt was our next step after St Gilgen. It was honestly the highlight of our Day Trip Itinerary. The town of Hallstatt dates back to 800-450 BC (Early Iron Age) with culture connected to the Celtics. The town has a very unique feature to it, in that it lines along the river with only one true road that takes you from one end of the town to the other end. There are little side alleys that lead to homes, but the town essentially has just one road. It takes 10 minutes to walk the entire town just to give you an idea of how small this town is. There is about 700 inhabitants in this entire town and they have one tiny little church with a graveyard that makes anyone's standard front lawn look palatial. Being that all the inhabitants had to be buried in this one and only graveyard, they soon ran out of space and had to change the way they stored the deceased. They built a "catacomb" like structure that held all the past deceased inhabitants of Hallstatt but only their skulls, thus taking up less space. In the room you can see stacks upon stacks of all those who once lived in Hallstatt. Their skulls decorated with paint like art with their names and dates of death on it. Interesting right? Aside from these factoids, the town itself has some very quaint architecture. The beauty of the lake and mountains surrounding this town makes it almost magical. The place has captured many people's interests, especially the Chinese. In fact, the Chinese loved Hallstatt so much they replicated their own version by building a Hallstatt of their own in China. How's that for another weird factoid?
So without further do, here are a few photos I snapped during our time in Hallstatt to give you a little idea of how quaint and cute this place is.
You get to Hallstatt by entering this tunnel that is carved through the mountain. Park and you get out to see the overhead view of Hallstatt. You then take the steps down towards the town.
As you go down the steps, you get towards one of the town. This end allows you to the see the main town from afar. This view is one of the most famous and iconic shots of Hallstatt. Be sure not to miss the view.
As you start walking towards the main town, you past by homes like these. Vines and trees growing along the walls of the homes.
This is the main town or square where there are shops, hotels and stores.
Hope you enjoyed these photos enough to get you out there at some point. I had an incredible time visiting the small towns and couldn't have imagined a better way to begin my Christmas Holiday in Europe.


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Brief Introduction
1. The receiver tube - Himin coated steel tube, delivers superb solar absorptance, and very low thermal emittance. It has a decisive influence on the overall efficiency of the plant. The heat transfer fluid circulating through the tube can be heated up to 300℃.
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Technical specifications
1. Himin coated steel tube has passed the inspection respectively by China National Solar Energy Center and German Fraunhofer Institute. Its absorption ratio is higher than 95%, and its emission ratio is lower than 8% at room temperatures. The coating has shown excellent performance in more than 15000 hours' aging test: the absorption ratio attenuation is lower than 3% and the emission ratio has had an increase less than 10%.
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1. Industrial heating
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3. Steam production, etc.


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Warehouse Four is proud to present the Dubai premier of
"The film the cycling community has been waiting for!"
MAMILS, Middle-Aged Men in Lycra. During the week, they are white-collar professionals with responsible jobs, families and mortgages. Come the weekend, they transform into Lycra-clad super heroes; road warriors on expensive carbon framed bikes traveling in packs and competing with other males for dominance in the group. MAMIL is a feature length documentary that dares to enter this secret world of middle-aged men to uncover the reasons they take to the road.
Saturday 6 OCTOBER 2018
(Doors open 6.00pm)
LAST FEW SEATS LEFT FOR Saturday 6TH OCTOBER
Reservations are on a first come first served basis.
There will be an exclusive Q&A session with the films director, Nickolas Bird, right after the screening on both nights.
"A relentlessly cheering and worthwhile watch."
The Hollywood News
"An intimate and at times surprisingly emotional film."
The Guardian
"Kudos to the film's directors."
Canadian Cycling Magazine
"A delight to watch, a truly heard-rending and uplifting depiction of the love affair between a man and his bike."
Miro Magazine
"An irreverent and sometimes hilarious romp through the secret world of men and masculinity."
"A joyful but realistic exploration of middle aged men and their cycling machines."
SBS Australia
"MAMIL's scope is broad enough for all of us to find ourselves, reflect on why we ride and laugh at ourselves."
Cycling Today
The screening is free but we'll be asking you to 'give generously'! We suggest Dhs 60. More would be fantastic! This is primarily to cover the cost of screening the film and flying in the director (from Melbourne, Australia) but please feel free to give what you think it's worth!
DO i have to reserve seats?
Yes. There will be a limited amount of seating so you must reserve your seat(s) in advance.
What time DOES it StART / finish?
The screening will start at 7.30pm sharp and will last 90 minutes. (Doors open at 6.00pm)
There will be an exclusive Q&A with the films director, Nickolas Bird, right after the screening which is expected to last 45 minutes.
Yes, we've teamed up with DISH Catering to provide a small but tasty menu (click button below) for those wanting to grab a bite before the film!
Can i bring my kids?
We recommend bringing children over the age of 12.
where do i park?
There is a free car park adjacent to the venue.
Where is Warehouse Four?
Please click the button below for the location map.


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Hair Growth Supplements & Vitamins for Hair Loss
Thickerhair offers one simple hair nutrient vitamin for hair loss, AHA. The AHA vitamin for hair loss formula is not only a hair nutrient but one that blocks DHT. This hair growth herbal compound works for both men and women and is remarkably free of side effects or drug interactions. It is an excellent alternative to Propecia and may enhance your results when used in conjunction with other prescription drugs or hair loss treatments.
We also offer a large variety skin care products such as facial cleansers, skin moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams and shaving products, all of which deliver maximum results in battling the signs of aging such as wrinkles, and fine lines as well as specific problems such as ingrown hairs and acne in addition to the hair loss products and hair loss remedies. We have all the vitamins for hair loss and thinning hair shampoos specially formulated to help stimulate follicles and fortify fine hair. Want to immediately eliminate the appearance of thinning hair or hair loss? Try our hair loss concealers and hair building fibers.


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Tim Cook has acknowledged that Apple has bought back $14 billion of its own shares over the past two weeks — reacting to an 8 percent decline in shares following the recent financial quarter results.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Cook admitted that he was "surprised" by Wall Street's reaction to Apple's last quarter, in which the company broke records by selling 77 million iOS devices over the holiday season.
Apple's recent share repurchase is the largest of its kind for a company of Apple's size over a similar timespan. During the past 12 months, Apple has bought back $40 billion of its own shares — part of a plan to repurchase a total of $60 billion. In the past two weeks Cook says that Apple bought $12 billion of its shares through an "accelerated" repurchase program, and a further $2 billion on the open market. Apple plans to disclose updates to its buyback program either next month or in April.
Cook claims the repurchase drive shows,
"that we are betting on Apple. It means that we are really confident on what we are doing and what we plan to do. We're not just saying that. We're showing that with our actions."
Cook also discussed Apple's recent acquisitions — noting that in the past 15 months, the company has acquired 21 different companies, with no single purchase exceeding $1 billion. While Apple is not ruling out acquiring large companies for its portfolio, Cook says that there's also no pressure to follow companies such as Google by doing this:
"We've looked at big companies. We don't have a predisposition not to buy big companies. The money is also not burning a hole in our pocket where we say, 'let's make a list of 10 and pick the best one.' We have no problem spending ten figures for the right company, for the right fit that's in the best interest of Apple in the long-term. None. Zero."
Source: WSJ


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Today I thought I would introduce you to someone special – my new toy – Serge! Serge is a Toyota SLR4D Overlocker (serger) and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been gifted it for my birthday by the lovely PB! Here's a shot of me when I'd just opened the box – you can see that I was one happy lady!
I'd been considering purchasing an overlocker for the last few months. With making pretty much all of my clothes now, it seemed like a sound investment, and you can't argue with the professional finish it gives to seams. However, I didn't really feel justified in biting the bullet, what with saving up for our new house, so I really did feel extra lucky to receive one as a gift. I'd been looking at a couple of models, however the ones with the best reviews in my price range had really only been the Toyota and the ever popular Brother 1034D. PB had cheekily asked me one night to show him what I was looking at (little did I know he was scoping me out for gifts!) and I happened to see that the Toyota was on flash sale … I still couldn't justify the price though and spent the next few weeks telling PB what a great purchase it would have been. Little did I know he had sneakily gone and bought it for me!
Serge and I are still very much getting to know each other. I'd used an overlocker before at my sewing class – and I am so glad I had at least had a few tips to get started. I had heard real horror stories of 3 hours + to learn to thread it so I was quite worried. Although mine had come pre-threaded, something had gotten tangled, so I had to start from scratch. Although not easy, I would say the threading wasn't too bad. Maybe 45 minutes for the first go? I learnt one key thing: it's the order you do the threading that counts.
- Lower Looper
- Upper Looper
- Right Needle
- Left Needle
Amazingly this makes all the difference! Feeling triumphant that I had threaded the serger, I thought I'd dive in to a project. This was a huge mistake – I think I picked a bit of a tough fabric with a lot of stretch and I just could not get the tension right. After that I packed Serge away again (not in a huff, honest!) until I had some more time to fiddle with the dials … it is all in the thread tension and understanding which thread on your fabric comes from which cone of thread. To help me with this, I found some great online resources which I wanted to share with you:
SewMcCool's The Anatomy of Perfect Serger Tension has some fantastic colour coded photographs which help you identify which thread is which – I've referred back to this one a lot already!
Sew Quick and Easy's Youtube video on Basic Serging:Tips and Tricks is also great. All I can say is I wish I'd listened to Susan and spent time making a fabric chart of all my thread tensions. It would have saved me lots of trouble!
Serge and I are getting along much better now, although I certainly still don't feel confident with him. I did some quilting on my beloved Pfaff today and felt so comfortable and at home. I just have to remind myself that once upon a time I used to feel nervous with my sewing machine too! It's all just a learning curve! This evening I re-threaded Serge in some navy blue thread – I have three Navy projects to work on in the future so it seemed well worth it. Project one involves sweatshirt fabric, project two a low stretch navy woven and project three a crepe georgette. All of them will offer some good opportunities for Serge and I to cement our friendship! I will let you know how it goes!


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Join us for innovative cooking classes and entertaining experiences. Whether private or corporate, we love hosting. We offer a fresh take on team building and client dinners as well as personal celebrations, including birthday parties and bridal showers. And with a variety of cooking event formats to choose from, we'll work with you to find the best fit for your group and make the most of your occasion.
Perfect for:
Company Parties
Special Events
Client Rewards
Staff Bonding Sessions
Birthday Parties
Get Togethers
For more information or to book your event, please contact us at email@example.com
The original Dish cooking experience for groups of all sizes, Hands On cooking events allow guests to cook alongside their friends and colleagues before enjoying a delicious Dish menu. A typical Hands On event starts with wine* and canapés **, followed by some collaborative cooking and finally, a sit-down, full-service, multi-course meal.
3-Course Meal – 3 hours (DAYTIME)
$1900 flat rate (8 to 11)
$160 per person (12 to 24)
$135 per person (25 to 40)
$110 per person (41 to 60)
4-Course Meal – 4 hours (EVENING)
$2200 flat rate (8 to 11)
$185 per person (12 to 24)
$160 per person (25 to 40)
$135 per person (41 to 60)
*Wine + beer available for purchase, **pre class platters extra
For groups with a competitive edge, we offer a fun take on the iconic Iron Chef battle. In this event, your group will work in 2 teams. We kick it off with unveiling the secret ingredient, then each team works with a dish chef to brainstorm and execute their main course and side dishes. That's not all, each team will put together a presentation of their dish and will be judged on team work, creativity and taste. Once each team presents their dish, you will sit back and relax while we serve a 4 course meal, including each team's main course creation. The winning team will have bragging rights to cap off a memorable night in our kitchen. Oh, and did we mention there is a prize for the winners!
4-Course Meal – 4 hours (EVENING or DAYTIME)
$185 per person (12 to 24)
Wine + beer available for purchase
Connect to the community through cooking. Using the same format as our Hands On events, your group will prepare a delicious 3-course meal composed of delicious comfort food with the assistance and guidance of our staff. What makes this event so special is that you will be making additional portions of the same meal to donate to a local charity. We arrange for delivery of your team's meal to the charity following the event.
3-Course Meal – 3 hours (EVENING or DAYTIME)
Time: Evening: From 5pm / Daytime: 10am to 1pm
$185 per person (12 to 24);
$160 per person (25 to 40)
*Please note a delivery fee may be charged. 20-30 portions are made to be donated to a charity.
Ideal for larger groups, Dish's Around the World events offer the ultimate in flavour discovery from Europe to South East Asia to Latin America and back. A typical Around The World cooking event starts with wine* and canapés, followed by a rotation through multiple chef demonstrations and flavour explorations, and finally, a decadent Dish dessert platter. Craft your own, personalized world tour from our various menu options.
4 to 5 Cooking Stations – 3 hours (EVENING or DAYTIME)
$135 per person (41 to 60)
*Wine + beer available for purchase
We are fully licensed to serve wine, beer and cocktails. Select from our curated wine list or bring your own wine, for a per bottle corkage of $25. We also carry a selection of craft beer and cider, as well as house and premium spirits. Opt for full open bar or stick to wine and beer for your event. Please be aware any opened bottles cannot be removed from the premises. Corkage fee applies only to wine. Guests may not bring their own liquor or beer.
20% service and HST will be applied to all corporate and private classes.
Deposit: all corporate and private class bookings will be confirmed with a 75% non-refundable deposit upon reservation date.
Final payment: clients are provided a final invoice within 48 hours following the event and the balance is due upon receipt.


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Pocklington could be losing three parking bays at Burnby Hall Gardens that could mean up to 12 people not getting in.
I fully object to this.
Pocklington needs parking areas so we have people coming in, Pocklington grammar could help in this way by making their own parking at the school it would ease the four parking areas in Pocklington.
We are having all these new houses being built but where are they going to park.
Pocklington shops are closing down.
I think through lack of parking.
Come on Pocklington Town Council, help the shopkeepers to stay open.
We could have a thriving town.
Mr M Held
Murray Close


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The House with the Red Fence
Hello lovely! If we haven't internet-met before, my name is Caitlin and I'm the photographer behind Ragamuffin Pet Photography in Melbourne, Australia. I started out photographing mostly fashion, but then my life changed completely when I adopted my scruffy gal, Lyra. Before she was even one year old, I had quit fashion, written up my business plan and launched Ragamuffin. That was is 2011 - Ragamuffin is now my full-time career and I couldn't be happier. Pet photographers are a pretty lucky bunch, aren't we?? :) 2014 was a wee bit epic - between moving house, planning our wedding, renovating our new home, raising our foster pup Paddy, dealing with the loss of my Misty, publishing my first book (Tails of Melbourne) and just the general craziness that is running your own business, I feel like I've barely had a breather. I always clear the first two weeks of January from sessions, so I have a good fortnight to re-calibrate (#photogeek) and look at my goals for the upcoming year.
One of my biggest, personal goals is to further improve my work-life balance. For a while after Misty passed, I attempted to bury myself in Ragamuffin. For a workaholic, it's an easy thing to do, and I quickly slipped back into all-nighters and anxiety. But then I remembered everything that my little grey monkey had taught me.
So in an attempt to do more for fun in 2015, I have three resolutions:
1) Shoot more personal work (this means making time for Lyra's Project again) 2) Go on weekly dates with my fiancé (teehee. still not used to calling him that.) 3) Get some non-work related hobbies. One of my least favourite questions is "What hobbies do you have?" (closely followed by "Where is your home town?" #expatchild. Why do you want to upset me, Facebook?!)
To encourage myself on all three of these resolutions, I've started a little personal side project called The House with the Red Fence. At the moment, it's full of short daily vlogs and randomness like my favourite vegetarian recipes, crafty diy type things, behind the scenes peeks at Ragamuffin, and just general giggles. If that sort of thing floats your boat, you can subscribe to the youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWysYb5yAvRPS2xjXDcM8Tw and hit the good ol' "like" button on facey here: https://www.facebook.com/TheRedFence. It feels really vulnerable having something so new out in the big, wide world and the temptation is not to tell anyone about it, but there you go!
Anyway, sorry that seems like quite a ramble. Guess it's New-Year-Reflectionitis. But I'm so very happy to be back on the Project 52 train and can't wait to see everyone else's introductions for 2015!
Head on over to the blog of Kelly Wolfe Photography, Morrinsville, New Zealand to see her take on Week One of 2015 (Introductions).
Lyra's Project is an ongoing personal series, and part of Project 52 from the Beautiful Beasties Network (an international group of professional pet photographers). Project 52 exists so that we may collectively challenge ourselves and our creativity with a weekly assignment. Every week a different pet photographer chooses a theme, which each person interprets in their own way. The photograph must be taken during that week, and on Friday evening (8pm Aussie time) everyone's blog posts go live. Click the link above to see the next photographer's image and continue around the blog circle until you end up back here – enjoy!


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Steps to Rockin' Your Relationship As Baby Comes Home
Date: Thursday, October 30th, 2014
Time: 11:30am Pacific, 2:30pm Eastern
Presented by: Catherine O'Brien, MA, LMFT
In This Free Webinar, You'll Discover How To...
Find joy and connection {in the midst of crying and dirty diapers!}
Eliminate conflict between you and your partner, before little irritations become draining arguments!
Resist being another statistic! Instead of experiencing the "unhappy, married with kids club," grow closer and more in love than even before you had your baby {Yes, REALLY! It's possible!}


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Delivering quality medical care is the top priority for Mercy Medical Center, and there are a number of achievements that prove our success in doing just that.
Mercy Medical Center was awarded a Certificate of Distinction for advanced certification as a Primary Stroke Center and was given the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission. This distinction is based on a review of compliance with national standards, clinical guidelines, and outcomes of care.
HealthGrades is the leading independent health care ratings company. Every year, HealthGrades analyzes three years of Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data to produce a detailed report on mortality and complication rates in
America's hospitals.
On October 21, 2014, Healthgrades announced the award recipients for 2015. Our hospital received Healthgrade's Five-Star designation and is ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation. See a complete list of our 2015 awards below.
5 Star Designation for
The Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of a national designation program given by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to recognize hospitals and medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering better
overall outcomes for knee and hip replacement patients. Mercy Medical Center is proud to have one of these qualifying programs to offer comprehensive inpatient knee and hip replacement services, including total knee replacement and hip replacement