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We're always hearing how important it is to be ambitious and to go after our dreams, and to work hard and make it happen.
I say the same things… and I have a big vision and ambitious goals for myself… and you probably do, too.
But here's the tricky part…
If you're so ambitious in the pursuit of making your dreams happen that you lose sight of what's truly important in your life, then what does that ambition really get you?
I am a Type-A personality by nature. When I was working in corporate many years ago, I constantly worked late to prove that I was good enough in an industry that was mostly dominated by men (financial services). I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I was just as good as the guys. So, I worked really, really hard. I was in the office early and worked until late at night. I pushed myself constantly to do more, like getting my Certified Financial Planner designation in 6 months when it normally takes about 2 years.
All those long hours and mountains of pressure I put on myself cost me a lot. I was in my early 30's and for the first time in my life, I got hit with extremely painful, stress-induced episodes of shingles - something that's pretty rare for someone that age. Not to mention the other ways my ambition was costing me, like in my relationships.
Trading one miserable job for another
Now leap forward in time to when I launched my own brand. The whole reason I started my own business was to continue to do work I loved, to share my experience and my expertise, and at the same time to make a fantastic income. I wanted to make a real contribution to the world in my own way, but I wanted to have the freedom and flexibility to do the things that are most important for me like being there for my family and playing with my kids when they get home from school, as well as going on vacations whenever I wanted to.
And yet what happened was I became a prisoner of my own ambitions. I essentially recreated that corporate environment I'd been so miserable in as I worked crazy long hours strapped to my desk in my home office. And, worst of all, I was missing those things that were truly important to me - not exactly the kind of life I'd been so excited to have being my own boss.
Can you relate? Do you feel like your entrepreneurial business is turning into a 9-5 job or 9-11 job because you're working so hard getting your business off the ground?
One decision I deeply regret
One winter that we got snow where I live, which is really, really rare. I was so excited to go outside and play in it, but I had a project with a deadline I'd set for myself and I wanted it to be done. That project had become like a crushing weight on my shoulders because, frankly, I'd bitten off almost more than I could chew. I'd set this almost impossible timeframe for myself in which to complete the project - again, being super ambitious and wanting to rush to the end goal in record time. The intention was good, but the time frame wasn't sufficient.
If you find that you're setting yourself up to feel extra pressure and extra stress because you're giving yourself not enough time to get something done without freaking out about it… that's what I'd done.
And on that winter day, as I was looking out my office window watching my kids and husband playing in the pristine white snow, my ambition was robbing me of my happiness. Hearing their laughter was like a knife in the heart because I wanted to be out there playing in the snow, too, and I was faced with a tough decision: Do I go play in the snow and say screw it with work or do I finish my project?
The punchline is that I kept working... a decision I deeply regret.
Looking back, I should've made another choice, but I was trapped by my thinking: "I should finish this now because if I don't, I'm going to be a failure, my business will blow up and I'll never get clients." And, ultimately, I felt that if I failed in business, then * I * was a failure.
In hindsight, I'd never make the same decision again (that's the beauty of having hindsight, isn't it?). The truth of the situation was the my business wouldn't have gone down the drain if I'd extended my deadline by another day or two. And, even if it had somehow, that certainly doesn't make me a failure as a person (and the same goes for you).
Please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying, "Yes, slack off in your business," or "Don't take action and go for your dreams." What I'm advocating here is not losing sight of what's really important in the heat of acting on your ambitions. Doing so comes at a huge sacrifice to our own happiness, health and well-being. When ambition usurps core values, your work will suck the joy out of your life and negate all the reasons you created your business for in the first place.
Freedom, happiness and doing what matters most
If you've already made the leap into being an entrepreneur, which in and of itself is a huge thing, and you're taking action and you're doing the things that you need to do to grow your business, that takes a lot of courage. Don't rob yourself of the freedom and happiness that come from building a business that first and foremost supports the quality of life you want to have so you can do more of what matters most to you NOW.
You can be ambitious and not work 24/7.
You can go after your dreams and make them happen and still have heaven in your life by doing the things that light you up and fulfill your soul.
What it takes is getting the resources you need and putting processes and the systems in place in your business so that you can set ambitious goals for yourself but not have to do all of the work yourself. Delegating, outsourcing and getting help are some of the best moves you could ever make to grow your business while having more freedom to do the important personal stuff, like play with your kids in the snow (or on the beach!).
Share your thoughts
I would love to know what you think about ambition.
Do you think you have to sacrifice a lot in life in order to fulfill your ambitions?
Or should you have a balance between your ambitions and doing what lights you up? Is that really even possible?
Leave your comments below!


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Hi All,
There is now an app for your phone that can tell you whether the product that you wish to buy is aligned with your ethical values. The app is called Buycott and it follows the company trail to ensure that who you are buying from, you are happy with.
you can scan your bag of chips and see if it was made by one of several dozen companies that gave millions of dollars to oppose mandatory labeling of GMO foods, and essentially, boycott them.
The app is similar to the many other initiatives currently mounting against Monsanto, as NaturalSociety Editor Anthony Gucciardi detailed a few days ago in his article 'March Against Monsanto Is The Beginning of The End For Monsanto'.
Ivan Pardo, a 26-year old wiz kid is the freelance programmer who created the App. Thanks to inventions like Pardo's, and the transparency his techno gadget offers, it will be harder for companies to hide behind their web of lies and convoluted oligarchy that allows just a few elite companies to rule the world with chemicals and illegal price-fixing schemes. If everything is rigged in favor of just a few billionaire industrialists, like Monsanto, then educating people about their purchases gives them the power to 'vote' with their dollar, and choose to purchase something else, instead. Such a simple way, to stick it to the companies who have been poisoning your food, dumping toxins in your air, water, and soil, and to support those who actually have the modicum of a moral compass when it comes to making a dollar (or several trillion) at the expense of millions of people's health.
Following on from this I have found a list of the top 10 most unethical companies, just to get you started:
Let us hope that this is just the beginning of the end for the likes of Monsanto.
Gemma x

subset: commoncrawl


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Since "worship service" sounded stuffy, ads for the new Saturday night gathering called it a "celebration."
Greeters handed out "celebration folders" instead of bulletins. Clergy wore jeans and polo shirts instead of vestments and the faithful sang along to slides projected on a wall, instead of using hymnals. The call to worship became a "warm up" and the service ended with a "see you next week" benediction, followed by pizza. The "action words" -- that's the sermon -- led into question and-answer sessions. Often, the clergy yielded the floor to "guest headliners" who sang, spoke on social issues or discussed their latest books.
In other words, this Southern California church created a "seeker" service to try to reach "unchurched" people who are more interested in spiritual issues than in conventional churches. This is happening nationwide, especially in the Protestant congregations that researchers call "megachurches."
What makes this case study interesting is that the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of San Diego isn't exactly what most people would call a "conventional church." It's part of a growing denomination composed almost entirely of gays and lesbians and their families.
These days, even niche churches need to be user-friendly.
"A whole lot of the evangelical church-growth literature has been quite helpful to us," said the Rev. Don Eastman, who leads his denomination's Strategic Growth Initiative. The former Assembly of God pastor serves on the MCC's seven-member board of elders and works in it's global headquarters in West Hollywood, Calif. "What we're learning is that it's crucial for a church to have a clear sense of how it views the world and to be able to communicate that vision to others. That's the challenge all churches face, today. It just isn't easy to reach new people."
In fact, the San Diego church's Saturday night "celebrations" weren't a big success. So now it plans to experiment with Sunday night gospel music services. The congregation has set a goal of being a megachurch -- with 1,000 to 2,000 members or more -- within a decade.
Others have caught this vision. The 30-year-old Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches sent a 50-member delegation to one of the spotlighted events on the church-growth scene -- the Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. Last month's gathering drew more than 2,000, including a Moslem cleric, said Eastman. The program included leaders from giant mainline Protestant churches, as well superstars such as Schuller and the Rev. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church outside of Chicago.
"I have always felt right at home at these meetings," said Eastman. "It's not that the people at the Schuller Institute have endorsed us. It's probably more of a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. But the whole point is to focus on what unites us, instead of what divides us. These meetings aren't about doctrine. They're about churches improving their music, their worship and how they communicate their message."
Eastman first attended the Schuller Institute in 1981, when he was the pastor of the MCC's new Dallas congregation. Today, the Cathedral of Hope has about 2,000 members and a mailing list of 30,000 names taken from its visitor's book. It's the flagship church in a 285-church network that is "determined to be taken seriously as a church, not just as another activist group in the gay and lesbian community," he said.
Reaching that goal may require gathering tips from leaders in a wide range of churches, including some that reject the MCC's stands on gender and sexual orientation. That's the reality of life in the American marketplace, said Eastman. Many people are using the same techniques, even if they are delivering different messages.
"Obviously, many churches interpret scripture in many different ways. Everybody knows that," he said. "What we have to do is present our view of the Bible with a sense of integrity. We have to offer a clear, coherent biblical viewpoint that makes sense to people. We're convinced we can find new ways to do that. We're getting better at it all the time."


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A Blog written by a Highly Sensitive Person. Thoughts and ramblings on life as a Highly Sensitive Person in an often not so sensitive world.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
California HSP Gathering Photojournal
It seems that all my "writing bandwidth" since the Gathering has gone into both making the photo journal, as well as into the flood of correspondence between my new friends, and myself.
On top of that, Elaine Aron asked if I'd like to write an article for the "Comfort Zone" magazine, which I was also working on, until recently.
And then, of course, I have been doing some regular "work," in some kind of feeble attempt to pay for all this travelling I have recently been doing. And then, of course, I am trying to save up for the East Coast Gathering, which is the next event on the calendar...
Now that I have six weeks of "distance" between myself and the Gathering, I can definitely say that HSPs are-- in the broadest sense of the word-- "my Tribe." But even so, there are certain "types" within that tribe that I felt more of a connection with... they were the rather "luminous" and especially empathic and intuitive people. "Feelers," more than "thinkers." They had a certain "softness" about them, and I got this sense that they were all in tune with... a sort of "alternate reality" that wasn't visible to the naked eye. And they definitely had their lives "together," rather than feeling like "victims" of their lives.
And I really got a feel for just how important it is for "us" to have friends and connections who are "like us." I simply can't overstate the value of that.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Feeling like an alien in my own family
I was an "alien" within my own family. I was born into a very "old"-- and old fashioned-- European family. Things were always done "a certain way," and I grew up in the spectre of the saying "Children should be seen, but not heard." As an introspective and highly sensitive child, I was OK with that.
The thing about my family-- as a group of people-- is that they are all (with the exception of this one cousin) "emotionally constipated." It is like someone has gone in and deactivated the DNA that connects them to the concept of "feeling." I mean, most of them are nice enough, and I suppose they mean well in a very "practical" sort of way. But I was never able to "connect" with any of them-- so although I grew up with a fair number of people in my life, I always felt completely alone. And, to this day, I have never been able to determine how the feeling dissociation in an entire family got to be so complete.
Personality inventories such as Myers-Briggs and the enneagram talk about "feeling" types and "thinking" types, and so forth. In my family, "non-feeling" struck me as more of a lifestyle than a personality trait. People who "felt" were viewed as weak, and occasionally as "hysterical." It was a desert wasteland for me to grow up in.
The HSP Notes Bookstore is now open! 100's of books (and HSP friendly products) individually chosen for their "HSP Relevance," all recommended by HSPs, for HSPs. Click on the "HSP Bookstore" tab (above) to see what's on offer!


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Jim Pattison Lexus Northshore
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Directions North Vancouver, BC V7P 3R8
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*While every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained on these pages. Please verify any information in question with Jim Pattison Lexus Northshore.


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We had a very good week at the Balvenie 2015 Rare Craft Tour in Houston at the beginning of November. I had the best Mexican food I have ever had in Houston!
Next week in Chicago is the last event, I am sure we will have a good finale. If your in the area sign up and come over and see us. We will have an Engine-Turning machine with us and several watches. We will also be answering questions about what we do and showing the 801 movement.
Here is a link for the Chicago event next week.
Last chance to try our Engine-Turning machine on the road in Chicago! RGM


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This shoot was a huge reminder that engagement sessions don't have to be awkward and stuffy. They can be playful, untraditional, and loads of FUN!
Emily and Chris are awesome, eclectic, hilarious humans who were more than down to take every weird suggestion, run with it, and make it their own. We shot on a Monday in June with highs in the 90s and humidity that felt like an outdoor sauna. We started in air conditioning at the Strand Bookstore, where they first met through a meet up. We wrapped with an unplanned dip in the fountain at Washington Square Park and it was glorious! However, I did not envy them when I watched as they put dry socks on their soaking wet feet. For the record, this was my third couple who had been on board to go swimming in a public fountain, and it's always the MOST fun.
My goal is to always capture stories that represent each couple and and their unique, multilayered personalities. I hope these photographs will put a smile on their face when they look back on them many years from now.
Cannot wait for this wedding in March 2019!


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5 Steps to a Professional Image by Photo Editing London
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Transforming a picture from raw form to a professional look requires a step wise process. Read on to know how Photo Editing London follows this procedure for getting amazing results.
Undoubtedly the quality of an image can be improved as well as various changes effected by editing it. But for the required impact, you have to follow a step by step procedure. Photo Editing London adopts a systematic approach in this regard which results in a complete makeover the picture.
Moreover the systematic procedure as undertaken by Photo Editing London promises envious results that too much fast and in an easy to do manner. The five best practices for editing pictures have been underlined here below:
Step 1 – Resize the picture
You must have noticed that a raw picture when clicked generally contains more area than required. Hence the first step for editing is to resize the raw picture as per the requirements. Also, as large images take longer time to download, while smaller ones look blur when enlarged, images have to be optimized in the viewing context.
Step 2 – Crop the image
After resizing the next step is to crop the image to get a proper composition of the subject and the background. Often the images are taken from a far off point, wherein cropping the extra part brings you closer to the actual action, resulting in proper alignment and composition.
Step 3 – Remove background distractions
Sometimes the image has a background in which there are unrelated objects or colors, which attract the attention of the viewer more than the actual subject. Although such backgrounds should be avoided while taking the shot, but if still some distracting elements creep in, they have to be removed while editing. If there is a clear thing that has to be removed, it can be cropped; but in case of a tricky situation, the disturbing area can be softened by blurring or diffusing it.
Step 4 – Fade for natural effect
To provide a natural effect, the changes done through Photo Editing London need to be done with an element of subtlety. Giving too much of any effect draws away from the original look and feel. Hence it is pertinent that we fade the artificial effects to make the changes look subtle and natural.
Step 5 – Sharpen the image
The final step is to sharpen the vital parts of the image, as it cleans up the image. You have to identify the area where sharpening matters the most, like the eyes of a person. Moreover, always remember to do the sharpening after setting the image at 100% zoom. Also, do not go in for any editing after this last procedure of sharpening.
If implemented as per the above five steps, Photo Editing London is sure to transform your image beyond imagination, resulting in much more views for better reach of your collaterals.
To Read More....
Posted by Unknown 0 comments
Labels: background manipulation, background manipulation services, background removal, clipping path services, photo editing London
Give Shape to Your Imaginations With Photo Editing London
Monday, March 7, 2016
A picture can be presented in unlimited forms as per your requirements through Photo Editing London. Explore how you can showcase your creative instincts with this digital revolution.
It will be not an exaggeration to term Photo Editing as one of the greatest outcomes of the digital revolution. Undoubtedly, a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to seeking your audience's attention. A message is communicated with the desired impact when complemented with a relevant picture, provided it is high quality and spell binding.
It is here that the inevitability of Photo Editing London comes to the fore. However perfect a photo may be clicked, it is seldom at par with the expected levels. Sometimes unwanted effects or elements creep in the background, while in some instances there is some deficiency in the main subject, thus leaving ample scope for editing the shot. In a way, Photo Editing London has become a rather essential part of any photo shoot, for getting professional results.
As we see any picture in print or virtual collaterals, may be a leaflet, magazine, website or blog, we often fail to notice the impact played by technology in revamping the shot, although almost all such pictures undergo editing. It is a technical blessing for the users, who can perform great functions giving wonderful results. In fact the dark room of yester years has given way to photo editing, but in a more powerful, quick and professional way.
Photo Editing London provides us the leverage to convert photos to black and white, resize them, create different effects, combine sophisticated techniques and many other functionalities.
One of the most important usages of editing is in changing the background of the image. In some cases the photographer is forced to take a picture of a subject in front of a background which is not needed. Thus the cutout of the subject can be taken out by editing, which is then meticulously placed on the required background as required. The subject and the new background are matched in such a way that the new background seems to be original.
Moreover, changes and editing on the main subject or object are needed in nearly all images. If the subject is a human, many changes can be effected like the light, shades, contrast, as well as color of various elements in the picture. In case of an object, stress can be laid on a certain part or point which has to be highlighted in the image to convey some of its qualities.
Another important function undertaken by editing is correcting and improving the deficiencies in a raw photo. Sometimes photo of a person comes out great but is marred by some technical glitch like red eyes, which can be easily rectified by Photo Editing London. Moreover some other corrections like scar removal, photo retouching, blur or focus improvement, lightening dark color, fixing hair, skin and clothes etc, can be effectively done through editing.
All the effects, editions and changes done through Photo Editing London provide a glamorous touch to the image, besides making it lively, natural and impressive, to increase its impact on the minds of the viewer, so necessary to capture their attention.
To Read More....
5 Basic Tools in Photoshop Image Editing
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
The magic that Photoshop Image Editing provides to your pictures is made possible by using some basic selection tools at the first instance. Read to learn about these inevitable tools.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Adobe Photoshop has rapidly emerged as the de facto industry standard as far as graphic designing and editing is concerned. Most of the photos and images that you see in magazines, newspapers and other collaterals have, in all probability, undergone Photoshop Image Editing to some extent.
Although there are many tools along with a horde of latest apps used to pop up average images through Photoshop Image Editing, but some basic, or key selection tools as they are called, have to be used at every stage in this process.
As we open a file for Photoshop Image Editing, the first tool that we think of is the Marquee, which is used to mark an area or select a shape which has to be edited. It is used in the same way as you select files on your computer, by clicking and dragging. Once the area has been selected, it will be outlined by dotted lines, referred to as "marching ants".
Another important too is Lasso, which works like the marquee, but allows "freehand" selection of shapes. The main lasso is the fastest but least accurate selection option, while the polygon lasso is similar but requires you to click to create anchor points. The third option is the magnetic lasso, which helps you follow the edge of an object. All three tools require you to close the object before it can be selected.
Next comes the Magic Wand, through which you can select areas based on pixels of similar values. It selects all neighboring pixels of similar value within a tolerance level set by the user. You can change the color by increasing or decreasing the tolerance, allowing you to select only particular areas or entire objects. This tool is inferior to the quick selection tool which works the same but with much better controls and results.
As you move ahead with editing, you may need to erase some content on the active layer, which can be easily done by the Eraser. The eraser converts the pixels to transparent, unless the background layer is selected. This tool is unique in that it can take the form of the paintbrush and pencil tools
Finally comes the Quick Selection Tool, the most common and highly useful selection tool for editing particular areas of an image. It is a combination of the magic wand and magnetic lasso tools. You can click and drag to select the contiguous areas of an image you would like to alter.
The above selection tools are inevitable in Photoshop Image Editing for selecting all or any part of a picture to perform cut, copy, edit, or retouching operations, thus imparting the professional touch to your image.
To Read More....
Posted by Unknown 1 comments
Labels: Photo Editing England, photo editing London, Photo Editing Service UK, photo editing UK, Photoshop Editing UK
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An Angel In Waiting
October 20, 2009 Dear Editor, The fact that "angels are among us" was proven once again Sunday Oct 18 when I stopped for ga. more »»
Here are the facts
October 13, 2009 Dear Editor: The article which appeared in the Sun-Gazette on October 7th regarding the Muncy Borough Council meeting did not clearly capture the discussion regarding the... more »»
Borough In Turmoil
October 6, 2009 Attention residents of Muncy Borough. Since the last election this Borough has been in turmoi. more »»
From Our Readers
October 6, 2009 I wanted to write and personally thank you all at The Luminary for the newspapers that have been sent out to me every week. more »»
No Injustices
September 29, 2009 - Dear Editor, The following is the truth concerning Mrs. Arnold's allegations of "injustices" by Muncy Borough Council in the Sept. 16 issue. more »»
Greetings from Iraq!!
September 29, 2009 I wanted to write and personally thank you all at The Luminary for the newspapers that have been sent out to me every week. more »»
A walk in Muncy
July 7, 2009 The morning of the 4th of July was beautiful and saw me walking to Weis's market. more »»
Muncy Borough Council Members Concerned About Its Residents
May 19, 2009 Dear Editor: As a long-time resident of Muncy, I've had many opportunities to attend public meetings of some of the various local volunteer governing bodies such as the school board and... more »»
Letters (3/25/09)
March 25, 2009 Dear Editor, Attention Muncy Borough residents: once again your basic fundamental rights as a property owner and business owner are being challenged. On Monday, March 30, 7 p.m. more »»
Where's the Accountability?
March 18, 2009 Dear Editor, I am a political conservative; anyone who knows me knows this. more »»
The Other Side
February 25, 2009 Dear Editor, I just wanted to respond on East Lycoming making top school list [Feb. 11 issue]. This is because they do not have a lot of kids take the assessment exa. more »»
Just One More Opinion
February 13, 2009 Dear Editor, This is in response to the article titled "Just One More Thing" where an opinion was given on the mother of the octuplets who already had six children at home. more »»
Cookie Fundraiser
December 23, 2008 more »»
MHS Dec. Student of the Month
December 23, 2008 more »»
Here to Help You
December 17, 2008 Dear Editor: It's that time of year again and we're ready to help our customers with their holiday mailings. more »»
Honest People
December 12, 2008 Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the fact that there are honest people in our society. more »»
Enjoyed Story
December 12, 2008 Dear Editor, I enjoyed reading your story about the life of a Christmas tree farmer. more »»


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MRes Biomedical Research (Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases)
Key information
Start date: September 2019
Campus: St Mary's*
ECTS: 90 credits
This course is now closed to applications
Our one-year full-time course provides broad training to prepare you for a career in biomedical research.
The programme provides an excellent background in biomedical research, and will integrate chemical, biological and physiological aspects in a unified approach.
This course teaches a mechanistic approach to the problems encountered in molecular and cellular biomedical science.
It also emphasises an investigative and empirical approach to the practical problems encountered in experimental and human biomedical science.
Study programme
The course is made up of a general stream and number of specialist streams.
All of our biomedical research streams have the same course structure. The taught elements and research project are determined by your chosen stream.
Over 12 months, you complete two five-month research projects (4.5 days per week) and a core programme (0.5 days per week) including grant writing, technical workshops, journal clubs and transferable skills.
The research projects incorporate cutting-edge developments in the field. You will experience some of the most technologically advanced approaches currently being applied to biomedical research.
Whichever stream you choose, the emphasis is on a research-orientated approach made up of both theoretical and practical elements.
You will acquire an understanding of modern molecular and cell science in world class biomedical research laboratories through both theory and practical exposure.
You will also demonstrate practical dexterity in both commonly employed and more advanced practical techniques.
You have the option of choosing our general biomedical research stream, or one of eight specialisms in the following areas:
- General Biomedical Research
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection
- Data Science
- Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases (this stream)
- Microbiome in Health and Disease
- Molecular Basis of Human Disease
- Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science
Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases stream
Infectious diseases remain a major contributor to the global burden of disease, with HIV, malaria, measles, diarrhoeal disease and respiratory infections responsible for over 50% of premature deaths worldwide. However, the availability of resources for interventions is limited in comparison with the scale of the challenges faced.
Over the last decade, there has been increasing recognition of the value of epidemiological analysis and mathematical modelling in aiding the design and interpretation of clinical trials from a population perspective and, downstream, to guide implementation, monitoring and evaluation of intervention effectiveness.
This stream provides a research-based training in infectious disease epidemiology, mathematical modelling and statistics, genetics and evolution, and computational methods. The focus of the course is interdisciplinary, with a strong applied public health element.
Is this stream for you?
The Epidemiology stream is aimed at students with a background in biology or biomedical science who are interested in gaining skills in quantitative methods applied to infectious disease epidemiology, as well as those with a background in mathematical sciences, physics or computing who are interested in applying their technical skills to infectious disease epidemiology.
This stream only accepts applications via the Wellcome Trust four-year PhD programme in the Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases.
Our MRes in Biomedical Research is designed for students looking to pursue a career in biomedical research, whether in academia, industry or government. The overwhelming majority of graduates, who have wanted to continue on to PhD study, have done so.
The course will equip you with the key skills needed to plan, conduct, publish and obtain funding for successful research.
The programme offers training in a vast array of laboratories across the Faculty of Medicine (approximately 700 world leading research groups) and an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field.
* Location will depend on where your projects are based.
Modules shown are for the current academic year and are subject to change depending on your year of entry.
Please note that the curriculum of this course is currently being reviewed as part of a College-wide process to introduce a standardised modular structure. As a result, the content and assessment structures of this course may change for your year of entry. We therefore recommend that you check this course page before finalising your application and after submitting it as we will aim to update this page as soon as any changes are ratified by the College.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.
Core modules
You take all of the modules below.
- Grant Writing Exercise
- Project 1
- Project 2
Example projects
You have a wide range of research projects available to you, and complete two projects during your studies. The projects available to you are determined by your chosen stream. You can also choose projects from other streams, though will only have priority within your own stream.
Past projects from students of this stream have been:
- Estimating dengue transmission intensity from case notification data in Colombia
- Population genomics of multidrug resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Infant infection and the developing immune system
Read more about MRes Biomedical Research projects on the Department of Surgery and Cancer website.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Computer tutorials
- Journal Clubs
- Laboratory/computational experience
- Research supervision
- Technical workshops
- Tutorials and Seminars
Assessment methods
- Laboratory/computer based research
- Oral presentation
- Poster presentation
- Research reports
- Viva voce
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
If you have any questions about admissions, please see our frequently asked questions specifically for Biomedical Research degrees.
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree in an appropriate subject.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed here are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the standard College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
How to apply
You can submit one application form per year of entry, and usually choose up to two courses.
How to apply
Before you apply
Our MRes Biomedical Research degree has several streams and the application process will differ based on your chosen stream.
The majority of streams are "open streams" meaning you follow the standard online application process (see Making an application in the How to apply section below). Open streams are those not associated with a specific studentship. If you are the recipient of a scholarship or studentship, please specify in your personal statement, regardless of which stream you choose.
All of the MRes Biomedical Research streams are open streams, with the exception of:
- Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases (read more about the 1+3)
- Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science (MRC studentships; BHF studentships)
The two streams above are part of 1+3 PhD doctoral training courses. Applicants wishing to apply to these streams must first submit an application for the relevant studentship. It is only after studentships are awarded that successful recipients will be asked to submit an online application.
Please be aware the deadlines for studentships are much earlier than standard course deadlines and you are encouraged to submit an application prior to Christmas 2018 for 2019 entry.
The requirement to hold a studentship applies only to the two streams named above, and Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science does also accept self-funded students.
Making an application
All applicants to our Master's courses must apply online.
For full details on the online application process, please visit the admissions website.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
For more information on the funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Fees and Funding website.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees (Home and EU students)
|2019 entry
|£15,800 per year
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2019 will apply to fees for the academic year 2019–2020.
Tuition fees (Overseas and Islands students)
|2019 entry
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2019 will apply to fees for the academic year 2019–2020.
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you are a Home or EU student who meets certain criteria, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master's Loan of up to £10,906 from the UK government. The loan is not means-tested, and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Try our scholarships search tool to see what you might be eligible for.
There are a number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students, find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
Ruth Tipples
E: email@example.com
Read more about the School and our research on the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction website.
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Connect with us online via our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to join in the conversation about all things Imperial!
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Studying at Imperial
Living in London
London's fusion of culture and charm will give you a student experience unlike any other.
- Find out more about living in London
- Find out more about accommodation options for postgraduates
Student finance
Our tuition fees website has everything you need to know about funding your studies.
- Find out about applying for a loan
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Imperial is proud to be the most international university in the UK, welcoming students from over 140 countries.
- Get advice on visas and immigration
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Terms and conditions
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Read our terms and conditions for these areas:


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Zackenberg Research Station 1/2
Zackenberg and science, two exciting topics. Often we see the scientists' results, but the process behind their work is just as exciting.
Zackenberg Research Station by Naja Abelsen.
Designwise the stamps were bound together by the five areas shown in the circles that make up Zackenberg's solid basic research.
The drawings are made with markers as, using a simplified colour spectrum gives the desired effect where the instruments can be shown most clearly in the small format of stamps.
Zackenberg Research station 1/2
The wildlife
Denomination: DKK 11,50
Date of issue: 17th October 2016
36 stamps per sheet
Exterior dimensions: 40mm x 32mm
Format: G - horizontal
Artist: Naja Abelsen
Typography: Lowe-Martin Group
Printing Method: Offset
Paper: Self-adhesive. Unique OBA free, 90 gsm. 62 gsm backed paper
Similar products
Zackenberg Research Station 2/2
Zackenberg Research Station by Naja Abelsen.Designwise the stamps were bound together by...11,50


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Why Apple and Samsung will Rule the Future of Television
Posted on February 18, 2013
There are several trends in television that will concentrate hardware sales in the hands of just a few companies, but will enable consumers to have a much deeper televisual experience.
How Television Will be Consumed
On February 1st, 2013 Netflix released its first commissioned series, House of Cards. Not only was this a first for the company, it was a first in another sense too.
Television series have been traditionally released on a schedule. This made sense in an era of over-the-air broadcasts when distribution was limited by available slots.
However, in an era where television is distributed by broadband internet, people are consuming programmes at their own speed. For some, that might be occasionally, but for many they binge on a series until it's finished. This was Netflix's bet, that consumers would seen value in being able to consume the whole series at once, which many did.
A Second Screen
The way in which TV is being consumed is also being changed by viewers' use of tablets and smartphones to compliment their consumption. These devices are being used for social media, to look up actors bios, or for more cutting edge uses, as a compliment during broadcast.For example, on Canada's CBC, The Republic of Doyle has a companion application that allows the viewer to receive: trivia, bios, evidence and more. They can connect with other fans, cheer at certain events (hey, user experience tracking!) and collect evidence to participate to some degree in the show.
Not only does this improve the overall experience of the show, it also changes it from being a passive to and active experience and should increase viewer loyalty. These applications will very much feature in the future of our television experience.
The problem with Companion Applications
There is, however, a problem with such companion applications, and that is demonstrated by House of Cards. Programmes will not be watched, for the most part, on a scheduled basis, but will be consumed on an adhoc basis.
Hence, for companion applications to work effectively, they really need to know when a user a watching a programme and at what point they are in the show and a second by second basis. In order for this to work effectively, tablets and smartphones need to be able to talk to televisions on a low level. Today, there are only really three companies that can provide such communication between devices: Apple, Microsoft and Samsung.
The Players in Interactive TelevisionApple is best placed to benefit from this movement with the popularity of the iPad, iPhone and buzz around Apple TV. Although their TV solution today has not sold widely, those that have bought it do tend to rave about its benefits.
Samsung doesn't have necessarily the technical vision, but they have a lot of marketshare in televisions, Android smartphones and some success in tablets.
Microsoft, to some extent, is the surprise player. They have several advantages, the biggest being their installed base of Xbox users. However, Microsoft has yet to demonstrate that it can be successful in the tablet and smartphone space, so may suffer from a lack of developer interest in their platforms. They need to increase their tablet market share to be positioned for success in the TV market.
What will the Future of TV look like?
What will this future of television look like? Here are some ideas. While watching a programme, viewers will be able to:
• view others' comments – kind of a timed and delayed twitter timeline.
• receive information about the show as it happens, such as the evidence in Republic of Doyle.
• see information about new cast members and actors as they appear in the show.
• see information about locations, both real and in the story.
• view maps with the location of characters at a given time in the show.
• be prompted to use social media to promote the show.
• share ideas on the outcomes of shows, great for 'whodunits'.
• prevent spoilers by keeping information within a closed, time-delayed environment.
• create communities of like-minded viewers.
• allow viewers to comment on what they saw in real time – great for interview shows.
It's obvious that the future of television with a second screen is very powerful. There is a lot of potential to completely redefine the viewing experience, and it is possible that some shows will require a second screen to be viewed.
In any case, the actors who will be able to deliver on the experience will be concentrated, and consumers will be increasingly locked into those vendors. Choose your camps now.
What possibilities do you think this televisual world will offer?


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Voluntary Contributions
To increase your retirement benefits, you can save extra money in addition to the Mandatory Contributions you make to your employer's Qualified 401(a) Retirement Plan. You may contribute on an after-tax basis up to one hundred percent (100%) of your compensation (after normal deductions) through an After-Tax Voluntary Contribution to this plan, subject to the annual total 401(a) contribution limit, reduced by the total contributions made through your employer's qualified plan, see Current Plan Limits. Taxes are paid on these monies before they are contributed, so no taxes are due on these contributions upon receipt of the account. However, the investment return earned on these contributions will be taxable when the account is distributed, only on the amount of earnings withdrawn.
These contributions may be made through payroll deduction, if your employer is set up to process them. Alternatively, you may make a Voluntary Contribution by remitting a personal check, money order or cashier's check through CCOERA, with the applicable form, not to exceed the compensation you have received year-to-date. Contact CCOERA Client Services to help you determine your options in this area and how to process your particular voluntary contribution request.
Deferred Compensation
Another means of accumulating additional money for retirement is the CCOERA 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. Contributions made to the Deferred Compensation Plan are made on a pre-tax basis instead of an after-tax basis which is the case for Voluntary Contributions to the 401(a) Retirement Plan. This tax strategy allows you to invest some of the money that you would have paid in federal and state income taxes. Deferred Compensation contributions may only be made through payroll deduction. For complete information about the CCOERA Deferred Compensation Plan, please refer to CCOERAs Deferred Compensation Plan.


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It was such an exciting morning!
From the arrival of our Gingerbread house, kindly constructed by Yutaka and painted by the enormously talented Lorraine! ......
....... to the actual practice, in front of a live audience, Ms. Crotty's class.
We have birds,
giant sweets, lollipops, buns, candycane,
Dad, Hansel, Gretel and the very wicked stepmother!
We also have a horrible witch with her fireplace....
a forest of trees,
and a cage in which to keep Hansel.
Teacher was thrilled with our team effort.
Well done to our actors, our sets, props and costume managers and to all who are helping and encouraging us in our drama this year.


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Ever wondered why Black Tusk rises above the mountains as a dark jagged silhouette against a blue sky?
Local volcano expert Jack Souther can explain.
Souther blew away a packed house at Millennium Place during last week's slideshow presentation on local volcanoes.
He is the first speaker in a new monthly speaker series hosted by the Whistler Naturalists.
Along with the explosive history of Black Tusk, Souther also discussed the life span of other nearby volcanoes like Mount Cayley, Mount Fee and Meager Mountain, among others, which are collectively known as the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt.
His passion for the job has not waned in roughly 30 years studying volcanic rocks.
"They have left us with a legacy of beautiful and mysterious mountains," he said.
Before he talked about local volcanoes, Souther first took the crowd down elementary school's memory lane as he broke down the basics of volcano making, which he called Geology 101.
Dusting off old words like magma, mantle and crustal plates, Souther explained that the heat in the mantle and the movement of the earth's plates creates the driving force of volcanism.
Souther's modern day analogy of a volcano was a coke bottle which he began to shake.
He spared the audience the soaking by leaving the top on but they got the general idea of how volcanoes explode.
While volcanologists can look back at history with clarity and explain why and how volcanoes erupted, they are less sure about volcanic activity in the future, he said.
"We still have little ability to predict when they will erupt and almost no ability to control them (when they do erupt)," he said.
B.C. lies on the cusp of a hotbed of volcanic activity as about two-thirds of the earth's volcanoes are in and around the Pacific Ocean, commonly known as the Pacific Rim of Fire.
Years ago people believed Canada was a gap in the Rim of Fire because the volcanoes along the Canadian West Coast did not look like the volcanoes in other parts of the rim.
Subsequent analysis of the mountains showed Canada's volcanoes took on a different look mainly due to the fact that they erupted under or onto ice.
After the basics of volcano making were covered, Souther then moved the slideshow presentation to pictures taken at the top of Blackcomb Mountain.
Facing south, Black Tusk rears out of the mountains as one of the most conspicuous volcanoes in the area.
It is also one of the oldest.
It was created over a long period of time. The first stage was built about 1.3 million years ago; the latest action was about 170,000 years ago.
Souther described Black Tusk as a conventional volcano with a central core of lava.
Stone and ash encased this central core, and eventually this casing was not strong enough to withstand erosion through periods of ice.
The distinctive shape that is Black Tusk today is what is left of the central core.
Back on the top of Blackcomb, again looking south, the slide showed the summit of Mount Garibaldi.
Throughout Mount Garibaldi's history, there were dramatic climatic events in the area with the ebb and flow of glaciers.
Garibaldi's main summit erupted onto the ice, whereas the Table erupted into the ice and formed a tuya.
Tuyas are made when lava is unable to punch through ice and so it forms beneath. The result is a flat shape much like a table.
Souther also talked about geological hot spots below the earth's surface at Meager Mountain and Mount Cayley.
At the moment, drills continue to plunge into the earth at Meager Mountain, to scope out geo-thermal potential.
Mount Cayley is a different story.
Souther isn't overly concerned about the hot spots at Cayley, which is his favourite local mountain.
But these hot spots show volcanologists that the roots of some of the volcanoes are still pretty hot.
"This doesn't mean that Mount Cayley will erupt in 2010. That would be a real downer, wouldn't it?" he joked.
So while there will be no burning lava spewing out of Whistler's mountains in the foreseeable future, the mystery of volcanoes still fires imaginations, he said.
It was certainly enough spark to pack the house at Millennium Place.
"It's not often we get this big a crowd for an earth science lecture," joked Bob Brett, president of the Whistler Naturalists.
Next month's speaker is John Clegue, a professor of glaciology at UBC. He will be taking about the Ice Age and its effects on the Whistler area.
This talk will take place on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Millennium Place.
The speaker series will continue each month.


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bluetick hound pups!
Dumped at a high kill shelter just before closing, these 7 puppies were frightened. The first video (videos toward bottom of page) was taken once they were placed in a kennel. The black/white puppy who is alone toward the end of the video is heartbreaking. We have named him Jax and he will be going into one of our experienced foster homes for some extra TLC before he can be adopted. Beau is just a bit shy, but will also receive some extra love before meeting an adopter. If you apply for either Jax or Beau, we will keep you informed on their progress.
Thankfully, puppies are resilient and when you watch the second video (taken just the next day), they are already beginning to play and want to interact. Even the little black/white puppy is starting to turn around. It's fleeting, but his little tail does start wagging in this video. The puppies are now in a foster home in GA playing with toys and getting lots of love.
Our adoption fee is $350 which includes age appropriate vaccines (Distemper, Bordetella, Parvo), worming, microchipping, and general health exam. Discount vouchers for training, grooming and similar dog related products and services are provided.


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We believe the knowledge derived from financial data can transform the banking industry, its relation with customers and its role in the world.More
News and updates
Mujer y diversidad, claves para la innovación tecnológica8 marzo, 2019
Los mejores eventos para un científico de datos viajero21 febrero, 2019
El #10yearchallenge de la Ciencia de Datos14 febrero, 2019
Recomendaciones para un Científico de Datos que quiera iniciarse en Sistemas de Recomendación17 enero, 2019
BBVA Data & Analytics is a center of excellence in financial data analysis.
We are data scientists, technologists, domain experts, strategy practitioners, and visual design thinkers. Along with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) business areas and a network of other leading-edge institutions we transform Big Data into financial intelligence for large institutions as well as smaller companies and individuals that in the past had not access to such advantages.
We produce data engines.
Our data engines act as brains of modern digital organizations. For instance, they provide BBVA analysts and decision makers with key insights that detect if a client is a victim of a fraud, whether their are likely to default, or how BBVA digital marketing teams should personalize new offers. If a city government needs to know when and by what route a parade will produce the most economic benefit, our data engines provide that intelligence; or if a business as small as a café wants to know how demand fluctuates in their immediate neighborhood, our data engines provide that intelligence.
We are spearheading BBVA's global transformation into a data-driven business.
The privacy and protection of personal data is our top priority. We communicate our best practices to advise regulatory bodies on data innovation. All our work is done in compliance with all data protection laws of the countries where we operate. We surpass these requirements with our own high security standards in order to assure not only legal compliance, but also an ethical and secure usage of information.


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So much for "snowmageddon."
After battening down the hatches, closing state highways, commuter rails, and the New York City subway and bus system – "a total travel restriction ban" that even included bicycles and food deliveries in most of the busiest metropolitan region in the country – New Yorkers awoke Tuesday morning to find the predicted snowpocalypse was barely more than a pedestrian winter squall.
Even so, the winter storm continued to pound New England Tuesday morning, with blizzard conditions smacking Boston with almost 20 inches of snow, with more expected throughout the day. Nearby Framingham, Mass., already measured 30 inches of snow, and wind gusts reached 70 m.p.h. in eastern Massachusetts as coastal surges flooded some roads, according to reports.
But from Philadelphia and up the I-95 corridor through New Jersey and New York City, the forecast of what Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday could be "the likes of which we have never seen before" were just a bit off, let's say.
"This is a situation where the storm moved, thank God," Mayor de Blasio told CNN early Tuesday. "It saved New York City and a lot of other places from a few very difficult days, but we had to be prepared. Better safe than sorry."
Indeed, it's a maxim in urban politics that filling potholes and plowing city streets are among the foremost duties of city leaders, and de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo didn't take any chances.
"It could be a matter of life and death, and that's not being overly dramatic," said Governor Cuomo Monday afternoon, emphasizing that his primary motive was to keep New Yorkers safe.
And each spent most of Monday visibly at their civic helms, surrounded by their commissioners and other heads of state and city services, warning residents to stay indoors and prepare for "most likely one of the largest snowstorms in the history of this city," as de Blasio proclaimed. The mayor mobilized some 1,800 plows to keep the city's 6,000 miles of roadways as clear as possible, even as he and governor shut down all of the areas modes of transportation.
But Cuomo and de Blasio had sprung to action based on the forecasts of the National Weather Service, which had issued a blizzard warning for the teeming region, saying the coming storm could be a "crippling and potentially historic blizzard to impact the area from late Monday into Tuesday."
De Blasio even held up a chart during a Monday briefing showing the city's top 10 snowstorms, saying the forecasted storm could be the worst on a list that goes back to 1872.
On Tuesday morning, however, some in the weather service apologized for their errant predictions.
"My deepest apologies to many key decision makers and so many members of the general public," said Gary Szatkowski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in New Jersey in a series of tweets early Tuesday morning. "You made a lot of tough decisions expecting us to get it right, and we didn't. Once again, I'm sorry."
And as the National Weather Service in New York updated its forecasts, it tried to explain the vicissitudes of nature and the limitations of their science in statements early Tuesday:
"Rapidly deepening winter storms are very challenging to predict, specifically their track and how far west the heaviest bands will move. These bands are nearly impossible to predict until they develop," the federal agency said.
"The science of forecasting storms, while continually improving, still can be subject to error, especially if we're on the edge of the heavy precipitation shield," the agency continued. "Efforts, including research, are already underway to more easily communicate that forecast uncertainty."


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Personal Banking
Small Business Banking
Commercial Banking
Private Client Group
Personal Financial Services
For the quickest answer, search previously asked questions below. Chances are, others have asked a similar question and there's already an answer waiting for you. If you can't find a match, ask a new question and our team members will answer.
nicole, williamstown
December 4, 2014 01:28:09 PM
1 Response
In reply to nicole, williamstown
We're sorry to hear that you've forgotten your username, Nicole and we'd be happy to help you recover it.
We ask that you contact us directly to recover your user name. You may do so 24/7 by dialing 888-751-9000 (or use 800-493-7562, Option 2 for BusinessDirect). After you reach a Representative, they would be happy to help. You may also visit a TD Store during lobby hours for assistance. For Store hours and locations near you please visit http://bit.ly/TDStores.
If you're referring to logging into tdcardservices.com, you may contact a TD Credit Card Specialist 24/7 at 888-561-8861. Also contact 855-219-8050 for help logging into the TD Go Card site.
We hope this helps, Nicole and enjoy the rest of your day.
Megan K, Mount Laurel
December 4, 2014 01:29:58 PM


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The Inn is adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park and it's intriguing geological history and abundance of wildlife.
Fossils: in 1849, while constructing the first railroad between Rutland and Burlington, Vermont, workers unearthed the bones of a mysterious animal between Mt. Philo and the lake in Charlotte. Buried nearly 10 feet below the surface in a thick blue clay, these bones were unlike those of an y animal previously discovered in Vermont. After consulting with experts, the bones were identified as those of a "beluga" or "white" whale, an animal that inhabits arctic and subarctic marine waters in the northern hemisphere.
Because Charlotte is far inland (over 150 miles from the nearest ocean), early naturalists were at a loss to explain the bones of a marine whale buried beneath the fields of rural Vermont. Today, we can use the Charlotte whale to aid in the study of the geology and the history of the Champlain Basin.
Geology Mt. Philo is a well studied geological area, and is regularly visited by students from graduate college programs to 2nd graders. The Vermont Geological survey reports "The views of the Champlain Valley from the top of Mt Philo (elev. 968 ft) are exceptional. Much of the landscape has developed due to both erosion and deposition by glacial ice and meltwater. Vermont was heavily glaciated and once buried beneath ice. The glaciers carved away rock and ground it into finer grained sands and gravels, scoured valleys, and left behind rounded bedrock with grooves and striations. As the glaciers melted and retreated 12,000 years ago, ice dams and melting water formed lakes. Running water and melting ice deposited eroded material as deltas and moraines.
Mt. Philo geological formation-Vermont was heavily glaciated and once buried beneath ice. The glaciers carved away rock and ground it into finer grained sands and gravels, scoured valleys, and left behind rounded bedrock with grooves and striations. As the glaciers melted and retreated 12,000 years ago, ice dams and melting water formed lakes. Running water and melting ice deposited eroded material as deltas and moraines. The materials deposited at the surface help explain the history and evolution of the landscape. As the glaciers retreated from Vermont, Mt. Philo was an island in an inland sea as evidenced by the marine sand deposits at its base. The State Fossil, the Charlotte Whale, is believed to have died in a shallow marsh of the Champlain Sea and been covered by fine clay sediment, providing more evidence for changes in climate and history of the Lake Champlain area. Yet all this activity is recent when compared with the 550 million year old bedrock of the Champlain Valley.
Wikipedia says "It sits atop the Champlain Thrust fault of Middle Ordivician age. It is made up of difficult to weather sedimentary rock "the Cambrian Monkton Quartzites" that are thrust over younger Ordovician rocks of the Stony Point Formation. The rocks that hold up Mt. Philo were originally deposited during the Cambrian on a passive margin in a warm shallow marine shelf setting along the east coast of Laurentia (Proto North America). These rocks have subsequently been thrust west during the Taconic Orogeny (~450 Ma) and perhaps again during the Acadian Orogeny (~350 Ma).
Alice Outwater says: Lake Champlain started forming 600 million years ago. A trough was formed when the tectonic plates that had collided one billion years ago (causing the uplift that formed the Adirondack Mountains) pulled apart (Harris, 1990).
The massive Wisconsin glacier covered all of New England 15,000 years ago and more than a mile of ice capped portions of northwestern Vermont. These millions upon millions of tons of ice depressed the earth's crust, bringing it below sea level. Some 12,500 years ago the glacier retreated north of the St. Lawrence lowland. Glacial striations and glacial till are still visible where the Pleistocene glaciers were funneled by the lake trough and then retreated. Large rocks remaining from the glacial till are called erratics and can be found dotted along the southern shoreline.
As the glacier retreated, saltwater flowed in from the Atlantic Ocean to fill the depression that is now the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Champlain Sea was created. An arm of the sea extended into what is now known as the Champlain Valley where it remained for approximately the next 2,300 years. A skeleton of a Beluga (also known as White) whale (Delphinapterus leucas), believed to have lived 10,000 to 12,500 years ago, was found a mile inland from the Point and serves as proof (Howe, 1997). Many of Vermont's 77 native fishes arrived at this time (Langdon, Ferguson & Cox, 2006).
Released from the great weight of the ice, the ground slowly rebounded, and the ocean water began to flow north. It was replaced by fresh water melting into the valley and eventually the Champlain Sea disappeared. Lake Champlain has existed in its present form for about 9,000 years (Howe, 1997). It exits across the extensive deposits of glacial sand and silt that once covered the bottom of the Champlain Sea through the Richelieu River flowing north into the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. The deepest part of the trough lies between Thompson's Point and Split Rock, where lake bottom is 400 feet below the lake surface and bedrock is 1000 feet below.
The rock type is sedimentary dolostone, a grey-black limestone-like stone which is high in calcium and magnesium-carbonate. Thompson's Point is the type location of the youngest formation, Cutting dolostone, which is the only dolostone horizon to hold fossils. The fossils are a small snail, Ophileta, of which only casts remain. (For further description of dolostone see Harris, 1990.) Flint lies between the layers within the dolomite.
Today, Thompson's Point is a peninsula of land on the Vermont side, about 1.5 miles long, easily recognized from the Lake, air, and land[1]. The Point is clearly defined by its bedrock base - 40 foot bluffs on the northwest shore that gently descend to a ledge on the south shore (Harris, 1990). The tip of the Point marks the deepest part of the Lake (130 meters). On either side of the Point are wide bays. Converse Bay to the north is moderately deep (4 to 100 meters), with a stone and pebble base. Two small islands are in it. No significant streams or rivers flow into it. The southern bay called Town Farm Bay is more shallow (1 to 22 meters) with more inlets and small bays. The base of the bay is filled with a marsh into which Thorpe and Kimball Brooks enter. The far side of the bay is another larger marsh through which the waters of a river (Otter Creek) and Lewis and Little Otter Creeks enter the Lake. The area is ideal for different life stages of many kinds of fish because of the confluence of different habitats—rivers, large and small bays, rocks and shoals, and wetlands—within a shallow bay next to the deep cold waters of the trough. Town Farm Bay has been considered one of the two most important fishing grounds in Lake Champlain since pre-historic times.
Many Vermont native animals can be found on Mt. Philo. According to noted animal biologist, Laura Farrell bobcats and coyotes roam through the park on their daily rounds. Fisher cats are secretive, but have been regularly spotted. Red fox have dens in easily accessible areas. Deer are plentiful on certain sections of Mt. Philo. Rabbits have had significantly increased numbers in the last 2 years, and our wild turkey population has also increased. Evidence of porcupines and raccoons are often found Pests include skunks and groundhogs, though neither is in great number. There are no poisonous animals or insects on Mt. Philo, and rare moose and bear sightings. Red salamanders and mudpuppies are plentiful in the spring.


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Oh, how I love me some school supplies! Who am I kidding, I am the girl who can't break up with school supply shopping, no matter how long ago it was that I was a student. With Chicago going back to school this week, I thought it would be fun to share some School Supply DIYs. Who needs to buy school supplies when you can reimagine what you already have lying around? Say goodbye to boring old black binder clips, and hello to an adorably easy upcycle!
What you'll need:
- Old Binder Clips
- Fabric Tape/Washi Tape
- Spray Paint
- Start by taking apart the binder clips. Each clip will have 3 parts (1 clips + 2 "arms")
- Lay out all pieces (outdoors) on cardboard or other paintable surface.
- With your spray paint color of choice, cover all pieces equally. You can do the clips one color and the arms another, or all one color! Because my heart still flutters watching old things becomes gold things, all gold it is for me. Obsessed.
- Once dried, flip pieces over to coat the other sides until the pieces of fully covered.
- Carefully reinsert the "arms" into the clips.
- For the solid gold binder clips, this is where your project creating ends- Well, done! Let's just note how unbearably twee mini binder clips are when they are gold. Am I admitting my strong adoration for a small sized binder clip? Seriously? Yes.
- If you want to add a more handmade touch, you can add a stip of fabric tape (or washi tape) to either side of the "clip"
And that my friends is all there is to it! Now, good luck keeping these babies from getting "borrowed" for forever.
"Ooo...where did you buy those? "
"Oh these?... I made them."
"Can I use one? I promise to give it back."
Save yourself the trouble...make extra from the start! Don't say I didn't warn ya!


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Speeding tickets paid by mail with higher insurance costs need not be final: Know your rights. It's not too late to get attorney relief by filing a Motion for Appropriate Relief./
Did you know that if you pay a speeding ticket by mail in North Carolina you will likely also get anywhere from 1 to 4 points attached to your driver's license which in turn could raise your car insurance premiums by as much as 80 percent? But you may be able to have those points reduced or removed from your license. According to North Carolina law, if you have paid your speeding ticket by mail, you have the right to hire a lawyer even after the fact to review your case. You may be able to hire a lawyer to file a Motion for Appropriate Relief (MAR) to re-open your case and fix your ticket. Most times those points can be removed by having an attorney file a Motion for Appropriate Relief. This is very important because even one insurance point on your driving record can cause your car insurance premiums to go up by as much as 30 percent a year. Four insurance points can drive your premiums up by as much as 80 percent.
Raleigh defense lawyer, Wiley Nickel focuses on helping people who have gotten speeding tickets in Wake County, North Carolina. "When someone gets a speeding ticket, the court cost alone are expensive but getting insurance points makes it very expensive," says Nickel who adds, "The goal should be: pay the court costs/fine but do not incur insurance points too." The Wake County traffic lawyer has a deep understanding of North Carolina's driving laws and its insurance point system. By calling speeding ticket lawyer Wiley Nickel you can take a lot of the trauma and expense out of getting a speeding ticket in Raleigh, Cary, Apex and our surrounding cities in Wake County.
The following chart shows the amount of points various traffic violations can add to your record.
In today's economy the last thing any of us needs is to pay more money for auto insurance premiums. So if you have gotten a speeding ticket in or around Raleigh and paid it by mail, be sure to call defense attorney Wiley Nickel to see how a MAR can help lower your insurance premiums. Even if you made the mistake of paying your ticket by mail it's not too late to un-do the bad effects of that decision. Call 919-585-1486 today for a free consultation about your speeding ticket that was mistakenly paid by mail without the advice of a speeding ticket lawyer.


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It's Tuesday! My favorite day of the week, and yours!
(If it's not yours, just lie and tell me it is. Then tell me I'm pretty.)
When nerds collide:
Me: "I think I'm going to get the hairdresser to leave the grey stripe in my hair."
Alfred: "'Rogue'-ing it out? Are you going to start calling me 'shugah'? Should I start calling you chere?"
Me: "No…without the Cajun accent, it just sounds like you're calling me Cher, and that's weird."
Both: "♫If I could ttuuurrrn baacck ttiime!♫"
The beautiful Naomi from featured me on SheKnows' Daily Delights as one of the Top 10 Humor Blogs. I know, I'm worried about her mind a little too. Maybe we should take up a collection or…drop off a casserole or something.
We had some horrible illness roll through the UnMom household this past week that I became convinced was strep, so at one point I broke out the penicillin I had laying around hoarded for the zombie apocalypse. I didn't mention it to Alfred and suggested he go to the medi clinic to get his own.
Sadly, I think that's fairly predictive of how I will actually behave when the zombies arrive.
Oh, don't get all altruistic on me. You'll throw yours under the bus when the shit comes down too.
Watching married people flirt (with people they're not married to) continuously on Twitter is like reading a description of a slow-motion train wreck, one sentence every 5 minutes.
Also, it makes me want to barf.
The Star Trek theme played on a musical saw.
I just gave my stupid fucking dog the Heimlich. Jeebus. She's a garbage disposal, I don't even know what she was choking on. She coughed it up AND THEN ATE IT AGAIN.
Note to self: Asking choking dog "Can you breathe?" and "Are you choking?" repeatedly is unlikely to get you a reply. Not only is she choking, but she's a DOG.
And now, to be totally random, I'm announcing the hiatus of Random Tuesday Thoughts.
No, I'm not kidding.
It's not you, it's me.
*cue cheesy montage film and RTT and I during better times*
*swell of music*
*fade to black with last piano notes*
Since it's the last one for a while, you should visit all the other linkers. There are some fantastic blogs out there and I've been honored to host for some of them every Tuesday. Or you could go back to where it all began.
Random up, y'all!


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|The main yard on arrival - lush and leafy but not much colour!
For those of you that haven't read my earliest blogs, the yard here is mainly pressed concrete with narrow borders. Yes - inspiring! And its rented so we can't make major changes. When we arrived four years ago, they were almost solely planted with Nandina domestica which Philip hates with a vengeance. We have slowly nibbled away at these and added extra interest. As the borders are filled with pipes, cables and palm roots, new planting is a slow and hazardous job achieved with a trowel and small hand-fork. We therefore also have a fair few pots. Despite its limitations, its my garden and my opportunity to garden in a warm climate so special to me!
|The planting battlefield
We have two Queen palms, one of which has just flowered. in the current heat their shade is welcome. There is a red bougainvillea which fills a corner right up to the roof. The two Calliandras grow like crazy so we prune them in summer and then let them grow late autumn before their spring flowering. The Podrania has also grown well and will hopefully flower over winter. The humming birds love this. Last spring I divided the Musa 'Goldfinger' and placed it in a shady corner to recuperate. It has loved this and looks lush and green - maybe this year it will fruit for us.
|Remains of the queen palm flower spike
|Bougainvillea - 'Scarlet O'Hara' I think with lost of winter colour to come
|Bougainvillea 'Purple Queen' - a delicate colour but I don't like the way it holds on to the fading bracts
|Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata' in a shady corner' (pic by Philip)
|Musa 'Goldfinger'
|One of the dwarf bougainvilleas and a couple of amazingly vigorous albino shoots. If they survive, it will be interesting to see flowers on these.
|Strelitzia regina
|Strelitzia nicolae
|The 'swamp agave' drying out.
We seem to have lost our 'tame' humming bird, although there is little in flower at the moment to attract him. I've filled the feeder to try and tempt him back. Over past years we've often had tiny lizards in the yard but this year we seem to have acquired a large one. I've only seen it scampering away when disturbed but I'm sure that sooner or later we'll have a face-to-face and I guess I'll jump a mile as I'm not a great lover of things that hop, wiggle or scamper through my borders!
|The 'regular' lizards and Podrania when it flowers
|Our new monster lizard
With temperatures for next week forecast between 95-107F (35-42C), I am not rushing to do any new planting but I guess I'll soon feel the need for a trip to my favourite garden centre. Did I also mention it's next door to a French patisserie? Watch this space!


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Former Beat Drop Student Funk'nRight Wins Dirty Tones DJ Competition
Last weekend former Beat Drop student, Carsen Kendel aka Funkn'Right, won the 8th Annual Dirty Tones DJ competition. Carsen was enrolled in our DJ Program and successfully completed DJ 101 and Turntablism 101. He joins two other Beat Drop DJ students, Goodbar and Mystique, as winners of the Dirty Tones DJ Competition. Rick Cruz (DJ C-SIK), our head DJ Instructor, sat down with Carsen to learn what it takes to be the Dirty Tones champ and find out what the DJ community means to him.
RC: How long have you been DJing for? Walk us through how you went from an absolute beginner to feeling ready to enter the Dirty Tones competition.
FR: I've been dabbling with DJing for 5 years or so, but I've only been playing out for roughly 3. I guess it all really started to click after I took the DJ 101 course at Beat Drop. That was roughly 4 years ago and it really gave me a great foundation to build upon. Before Beat Drop, I would just jam on whatever gear was around, but really had no idea what I was doing. After the course, I had some confidence and technical ability to work with and I guess I just started to run with it.
"I guess it all really started to click after I took the DJ 101 course at Beat Drop."
I picked up my own turntables and mixer and played wherever and whenever I could. House parties, hall parties, you name it! Really wherever people would let me play, I would. I was in love. Completely enamoured with the energy exchange that only a live set can offer, and equally enthralled by the mixups and mashup that actually sounded good. I was hooked.
I knew I needed to pursue every avenue possible if I wanted to *REALLY* feel the feelings, I was feeling when I felt them. Ya feel me? This eventually connected me to some smaller gigs with the River Surfer Crew and Prop spinning communities, a few smaller shows at pubs and friend's bars, and then eventually on to some Space Gnome parties. My first "big" show, was the Space Gnomes/Grove 2014-15 NYE party where I had the pleasure of playing on PK Sound for the first time. And I thought I was hooked before... After you play on PK sound a few times, something inside you changes forever. In the summer of 2015, I got my first festival experience at Freezer Burn (the Alberta chapter of Burning Man). I was invited to play The Grove after playing the NYE party, which was the biggest and best sounding setup I have played on to date.
"Nothing to lose and a world to gain, you know? I guess what I'm saying is the opportunities are not going to seek you out, you have to go out there and get them!"
A few good friends and I also started the "Rebel Bass Camp" that year, a Star Wars themed camp for the same festival with a stage called the "Deaf Star". If you haven't been to Freezer Burn, you're definitely missing out. Now, with that experience behind me and a new found addiction to DJing big bass setups, I started searching for more opportunities. I went for every public request for demos that I was aware of and applied or a few smaller festivals. Honestly, I didn't really think about whether or not I was ready for the comp, I just wanted to do it. Nothing to lose and a world to gain, you know? I guess what I'm saying is the opportunities are not going to seek you out, you have to go out there and get them!
RC: Give us a quick background on the Dirty Tones DJ competition - a little bit of its history and what it's all about.
FR: This was the 8th year for the comp and it has definitely seen some great DJs pass through it. Freddy J, Michelle C, and McTwist have all been through the comp and these peeps are all still out there killing it! It was all started by Adrien Dahnraj and his pal Harry Nijjar, not only to give local DJs experience and exposure, but to bring the entire community together to celebrate and support each other. That's what it's all about. Uniting the local electronic music scene and watching the magic happen. And it works! The camaraderie was palpable throughout this thing and I have nothing but mad love and respect for all of the competitors that I crossed paths with over the past couple of months.
"The camaraderie was palpable throughout this thing and I have nothing but mad love and respect for all of the competitors that I crossed paths with over the past couple of months."
RC: Was there an audition process to get in? How many rounds did you have to go through and what was the the competition like on the road to the finals?
FR: You bet. It all started with a demo and I went with a 10 minute mini mix. Adrien dug it and called me up! I was SUPER excited and started jumping up and down and screaming like a crazy person. This was my shot! After making the cut, I had a potential of three rounds of live DJ sets ahead of me; the Prelims, the Semis, and the Finals. I had to put together a 40-45 minute set for each round and I was to be evaluated on three criteria: technical ability, creativity, and crowd participation (the vibe of the room). I was seriously just stoked to be playing Habitat, it's a staple in the Calgary electronic music scene. Getting to play 3 sets there was amazing!
RC: Describe your preparation for all the rounds in the competition and the final round specifically.
FR: Oh man, this was unlike any show that I have ever prepared for. I love spontaneity on the decks and just seeing what will happen with a crate full of dope tracks, but I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to do for each of my competition sets.
When you are being evaluated on specific elements, you definitely are going to want to plan your transitions and tricks to make sure you are hitting the criteria, while still connecting with the crowd and managing the energy and vibe. I'm stoked to say that each comp set was completely unique and I didn't spin the any of the same tracks twice!
The final set was definitely the most challenging. Not only did I have to step it up and take some chances, I had already used a lot of my recent music on the last two sets. Had to dig deep and get really creative, but it paid off huge.
Ended up mixing in new ways, spinning in some acapellas, messing with my MIDIs more, and moving the tempo in ways that I had never done before. It's wild what can happen when you place a bit of constraint on yourself. I could have played a track or two from my other sets and no one would have noticed (probably), but I wanted it to be new. I wanted it to be fresh! This strait up challenged me to be a better DJ.
"I wanted it to be fresh! This strait up challenged me to be a better DJ."
RC: Describe your style as a DJ.
FR: I'm all about fun and funky party music and having a good time. I'm always looking to mash up tracks in fun and interesting ways, and I try to keep it fresh by varying my genres, tempos and transitions. I don't take myself too seriously and I'm all smiles on stage. I think this really resonates with people and I love it when I catch them smiling right back at me.
RC: What does the Dirty Tones DJ competition do for the community and rising DJs in the scene such as yourself?
FR: Dude. I can honestly tell you that I'm a much better DJ now then I was on day 1 of the comp. The Dirty Tones crew doesn't just facilitate the event and provide a platform. They provide professional, critical feedback, which was absolutely incredible. One of the comments that came out after the first round was "too many bangers" haha. Yes, it IS possible! Even though I kind of knew this in the back of my mind, having established, experienced DJs lay this on me really helped me reach an elevated understanding of set progression and energy management.
My sound and sets evolved quickly after round one feedback, and I really feel like showed them that I listened and incorporated their wisdom into my music in the following rounds. It doesn't just stop at the individual though. I feel like I made some really good connections with lots of local talent and I definitely made a few friends along the way.
"The comp celebrates local talent and brings people together. That's what it's all about."
Part of the beauty here is that the comp is multi-genre, so the Funk guys get to know the House guys, who get to know the DnB guys and so on. This is something that doesn't really happen at local shows because they are normally so genre specific. This mashup of peoples and genres is reminiscent of that feeling you get when you go to the festivals in the summer. Pretty amazing! The comp celebrates local talent and brings people together. That's what it's all about.
"People like to do business with people that they like and personality goes a long way. Take chances and follow your dreams."
RC: What advice would you give Beat Drop DJ students or any DJs for that matter who are thinking about entering the DJ competition?
FR: Do it! What have you got to lose? As I mentioned earlier, the opportunities are not going to simply knock on your front door. You have to seek them out and chase them down. Be brave and be confident, but always remain humble, honest, and respectful. Talent alone is not enough to win. You have to be the guy that people want to succeed. People like to do business with people that they like and personality goes a long way. Take chances and follow your dreams. You never know what's going to happen until you put yourself out there!
RC: What opportunities did this win open for you and what are your DJ plans for the near future?
FR: On day one of the DJ 101 course, Rick asked us what our DJ goals were. I said that I wanted to play Fozzy Fest within 5 years because it was my favourite festival. Well, it turns out that dreams actually do come true and I'm thrilled to announce that I will be behind the decks at Fozzy 2016!!! I can't tell you how happy this makes me, this one is very close to my heart.
I'll also be at TreeMendus Festival this year and I have a feeling you'll be seeing me at more and more local shows. You can also catch me at most Rebel Bass Camp shows, which happen every 4-6 months or so. We're taking over Monster Mini-Golf on May 6th if you want to come check us out! I'm also super stoked to get more into the production side of things, which Beat Drop will no doubt assist me with.
I just love music so much and this competition has provided me with the opportunities that every emerging DJ only dreams of. I could not be more happy or more grateful and I will never forget what Dirty Tones and all of the sponsors have done for me. BIG Love to all that continue to support me on the crazy DJ ride and to all of the organizers, sponsors, and competitors from the Dirty Tones DJ competition. If you want to check out my music, here's a link to my Soundcloud. I'll be posting the winning set in the next week or so! Much Love ❤
If you want to learn how to DJ or up your DJ game look into our DJ Certificate Programs taught by DJ C-SIK.
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have a lot of time.
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Opinion Columns & Blogs
Jesus, the story teller
The Gospel narratives were written as Christian faith documents. Not historical documents. So, where do we find the historical Jesus? I was trained for 30 years as a Christian Scripture scholar to dig for clues. The gospel of Thomas and the Q gospel and the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Jewish historian, Josephus, and many other archeological finds have given me a great glimpse. But I have found the parables of Jesus to be hidden gems of historical validity.
Whatever else Jesus is called — redeemer, savior, divine, etc. — we know for sure he loved to tell stories. These stories are called parables and they focus on one central topic: The Kingdom of Yahweh.
The word Kingdom meant more to his Jewish listeners than it does to us. They lived in the Kingdom of Rome. The Roman soldiers sat tall on their magnificent horses. The Roman banners waved at every corner. The Roman law ruled their country with an iron fist. They paid Rome a tax for every fish they caught, every crop they grew. When Jesus spoke about a "new" kingdom, wouldn't his Jewish followers think "revolution"?
When he told them the parable of the farmer who planted good seed in his field and an enemy came along and planted weeds, (Matt. 13:24) who was the enemy? I'm sure their first thought was the Romans. When he talked about the fishing net that collects every kind of fish, and the bad must be separated from the good, (Matt. 13:47) who were the bad? Wouldn't it have been the Romans?
Hermann Samuel Reimarus (1694-1768) was one of the first "historical Jesus" scholars. He thought — for sure — that Jesus was trying to start a political revolution. He says all the evidence points in that direction. If this was not Jesus' intention, why didn't he make that clear to Pilate? Matthew quotes Jesus as answering Pilate's question: "Are you the king of the Jews?" with this quip: "You said it" (Matt. 27:11).
Years later, Christians changed his meaning, Reimarus says. They claimed that Jesus knew his father wanted him to be crucified for the sins of mankind and he willingly allowed Pilate to think he was a political opponent when he really wasn't. But Reimarus says Jesus was this political rebel, this king of the Jews, and he even said so. "You said it!" And Reimarus claims he repeated it in many of his parables about the new kingdom.
Reading them now in the German book of Reimarus: "Von dem Zwecke Jesu und seiner Jünger," I can see how some of the parables could be speaking of a political revolt. However, one parable stands out above all the rest as being just the opposite. The Jews hated the Samaritans almost as much as the Romans. Josephus, the Jewish historian, calls the Samaritans "evil and enviously disposed to the Jews" (Antiq. 11.4.9). Yet, Jesus tells one of his most famous kingdom parables about a Samaritan, and it sheds light on all the other parables.
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell in with robbers who beat him up and left him half dead" (Luke 10:30). This man was a Jew, and his own Jewish priest saw him and passed on by. But a hated Samaritan saw him, bandaged his wounds, and paid for his recovery in a nearby inn. This is not a political revolt story. Far from it.
As I read the parables with this Samaritan in mind, I see Jesus eager to move his own Jewish friends into a deeper understanding of Judaism. For Jesus, the Kingdom of Yahweh is a symbol; it's like the American flag. It's not a political revolution with Jesus as the new king; it's not even a theological revolution with a new religion; it's a psychological revolution that begins inside our heads and leads us to greater acts of love and service.