text:
Liam Wilson of The Dillinger Escape Plan
Interview conducted and edited by Bryan Beller
Interview original transcription by Kira Small
Photo by Cari Veach
What metal genre would you call Dillinger, and this album in particular? And how does that impact your bass playing, if at all?
What kind of metal? I don't know necessarily. I've always loved to cop the Jaco punk-jazz stuff or like, you know, fusion-metal or something like that. I really abhor the whole sub-categorizing thing, but I definitely feel like my band is a mix of like really fusion-y stuff, really metal stuff, thrashier metal stuff, and a little bit of melodic pop, poppier sensibility, [with a] kind of punk attitude? I don't know. It's really hard to fit it all into a metal genre 'cause I don't think it steals from metal any more than it borrows from any other thing that we've been into. If Cynic is metal, then we're kind of taking what they're doing…all that fusion-y new age-y stuff, if that counts as metal, then I guess we're under that category.
I mean when we do our more metal-ish things, it's undeniably metal. It's got the anxiety, the speed…but I don't think it stays there any longer than it stays anywhere else.
Here's an even harder one. Can you describe the band in ten words or less?
Uh…as long as I can string ten words together!
Um…let me think…let me come back to that.
How about your playing? In that same kind of really bullet-point, limited thing. Have you even thought about how you would describe it to somebody else?
It's basically like a lineman with a chainsaw. You know, I'm blocking for touchdowns. I'm certainly not the dude running for touchdowns so much as I'm blocking for them, which I've heard other bass players say. And when you're talking about like something cutting I'm not talking about like a razor blade. It's a lot more like a chain saw.
But it's still gotta have pocket, and I think like that's something I definitely look at dudes like Rex Brown for. You know, at least in all those Pantera records, there was a pocket there. And it was still nonetheless as heavy as anything else.
In "Endless Endings" and "I Wouldn't If You Didn't," the really, really aggressive odd time with strange accents and stuff like that – how do you hang with that in the form weirdness and still find pocket in that?
It's kind of hard to explain. It's more like a rock pocket than it is a funk pocket, for some of that stuff, where it's just a matter of maintaining that head nod. As long as you don't hear me that much then I'm doing the right thing. As long as nothing I'm doing jumps out at you, then I think I'm holding it together. And then especially in "Endings" – I can't really exactly explain it other than just being able to break things down to that 16th feel sometimes.
Are you counting when it's real fast 5's, or real fast 7's? Or are you just feeling the accents?
I'm mostly feeling it. When we're writing the stuff and I hear [drummer] Billy [Rymer] be like, "Oh yeah, this part's in 5," or like when I count it, I'm usually the last to really count it. 'Cause once I hear Billy or somebody be like "it's in 5" then I'll just instinctively be like, "OK, 5.". But it definitely gets to the point where I'm like feeling it. There are certain things in "I Wouldn't if You Didn't" – there's a breakdown and then it comes back in really fast and then it breaks down even more – there's this one little fast piece in there where I'm like counting how many hits are between certain pieces, but I don't count out full bars. There's definitely certain times when it's just like, "OK, it's 4 then 3 then 5 then 4," you know, mixed in with these little phrases. So a lot of it I'm just trying to feel. But there's a couple things here and there that you absolutely have to count.
Talk about making this album as a bassist – what's new for you on the instrument, in the studio?
I guess a lot of it was [that] I was so stoked on the last record and the whole vibe, I was just trying to be like slightly more melodic, I guess. I didn't really want to get too weird. On the last record, I was a little bit more like, "Oh cool – bigger studio record, more time, let me bring my fretless, let me bring all this stuff." And this time it was just like, "OK I'm just going slam-bam." I discovered the Aguilar Tone Hammer. That thing changed things a little bit.
A lot of it for me was mostly syncing up with a new drummer, and just hearing his pocket. We've had a couple of drummer line-up changes, and I really feel like this dude had to step in and cover all the bases that we could do before. To me his feel is a little bit more on top than, say, Gil [Sharone] or even Chris [Pennie] at times. And it just forced me to be that much more conscious of my time. We did certain things to a click track just to make sure everything really lined up well, and just to maintain the ferocity so that [the] energy level doesn't drop at the end of the song.
Focusing on things like down-picking as a metal bass player. Down-picking has become an Olympic sport for me. I didn't really notice how aggressive a down-pick sounds compared to a tremolo pick until I really built up the strength for it. [Producer] Steve Evetts just whip[ped] me into shape, 'cause he's a bass player too. So him being our producer just constantly on me so hard, to make sure that I'm nailing things like "right at this angle, over this pick-up in this way, down-pick."
Little things like that. When I was recording the last record and then [had] to go out and play the stuff, I learned how to down-pick. And doing it live – you know, a couple hundred shows since the last record – I start to build up that muscle strength. And even this time in the studio, my arm would just give out. But again, I know in two months I'll be able to do that too. I remember watching a Flea video with – who was it – River Phoenix? You know what I'm talking about?
I've heard of it, I think.
It's an old, old video. But I remember seeing him like be slappy and do all of his finger-style stuff, but then pick up a pick and just like play punk as fuck. And I remember him talking about down-picking, and it was one of those things where it was like, 13, 15 years later I remember seeing that video and now it's like coming back around. And its one of those things where its like, "OK I always knew that…" but, as a metal bass player, just stripping it down and realizing that there's really not a whole lot of room for ornament on it. It kinda goes up like a Frank Lloyd Wright house. [BB laughs] It's just like: Wall. Corner. You know, not a lot of molding, not a lot of trim. A lot of light.
That's great that the producer is a bassist and you were getting into details like the angle of the pick.
Everything down to like even what pick we used. He's just a maniac about that stuff, and really being on me about it. And then you hear it, though! I'm sitting there and I'm like, "Dude, it's perfect!" and he's like, "No, one more time". And I hit it and all of a sudden I hear that overtone? You know, that range of overtones and all the harmonics that are in every note. I mean, maybe I'm getting a little metaphysical, but you actually hear it and all of a sudden you're like, "Oh, that's what I'm going for!"
Sometimes I think producers get hung up on seeing the waveform and not listening. But even then it goes the other way, when I can see the waveform and see that, "OK, on this part I am consistently this much behind on the 1." And when I see that, all of a sudden it helps me correct it. So it's really like noodling – like nitpicking those kinds of things.
And just doing what I'm good at. Again, I'm not trying to solo. I heard something recently like: Lee Sklar never solos – and constantly gets the gig. Fucking Will Lee – just kinda lays it down! And I'm like that's all I really need to do, you know? 'Cause this band is so over-saturated. I don't necessarily need to be lead bass player.
What song on that record are you most proud of, and why?
"I Wouldn't If You Didn't" really came out of nowhere. When we were writing that I didn't think that that would come out the way it did, and I really think that that opens things up a lot for us. Musically, as a bass player, I think it showcases 90% of what I can do and what the band can do. "I Wouldn't If You Didn't" covers a lot of the things that we're talking about here in terms of metal. It's serious, there's parts I have to count, there's parts I have to feel, there's parts that like I'm just down-picking. Or even like "Good Neighbor" – that's another song where it's just down-picking fury. I look at dudes like – not even as bass players – James Hetfield on "Master of Puppets." That song is 99% down-pick - and it's fucking insane! But it's so aggressive, and that song…no matter how much alchemy you do, you can't get it. And I really think it has a lot to do with that dude's right hand.
I grew up listening to Jaco and all this stuff, and the left hand was all over the place, but really honing in on right-hand technique is really my goal this time around. And like I said, "I Wouldn't If You Didn't" – it's fast, it's got all the weird noodly stuff, but then in the middle it really breaks down, and there's some practically inaudible finger-pick chord comping. There's melodic supportive roles with the vocals. I think it really plays off the vocals a lot. That song really sticks out for me.
There was a good melodic thing on the fade of the second song…
Oh, "Gold Teeth on a Bum" – 3rd song. It's almost got an Alice In Chains-y kind of chorus to it. And it gets a little weird at the end. Yeah, that song, to me, that one part I was trying my hardest not to make it sound like "Californication."
It worked! I didn't get that.
Yeah, 'cause Steve Ebbets and I were joking around in the studio…moments like that come up and you just start laughing to each other and you end up playing bass lines and then recording over it just for laughs. [In] the end of that, some of the chord changes are the "Californication" chord changes and I'm like, "Fuck!" I can't get Flea out of my head and I think it's appropriate. The Flea – or like even Joe Lally – like huge – and like recently like Joe Lally / Fugazi fan. You know, just fucking laying it down, being melodic. His bass lines are memorable. But I think that most people, unless you're a bass player, you don't even realize that that's what you're locking into.
One of the things I like about Steve is as a bass player, and as a huge Beatles fan, he constantly defaults to me tracking last, which I'm a huge proponent of. So then all the vocals go in, all the electronics go in, all that stuff is there, and then I can just literally glue it together. And I get to play off things like the electronics or Greg's vocals, now that I hear them, in a way that I don't think most metal bass players get to do. A lot of the times it'll be like drums, bass, and then everything else – it's more of a foundation thing. [In] Dillinger, the rhythm guitars end up being the foundation, and I just end up being the shellac.
Why do you think metal is so big right now?
It's a combination of art mimicking life. I think people feel the tension of the world kind of speeding up, you know? And I think the same reason why people are into extreme sports is, like, it's kind of been done. And there's still room in metal to do it faster or more aggressively. And it's starting to bottom out, hit its glass ceiling, but again I think that there's a certain level of craftsmanship that I think is coming back around – like there's a self-awareness. Again, I think it boils down to the name of our record – that "option-paralysis" feeling of, there's so much going on and I don't know what else to do. I don't know. Maybe to me, metal is a response to some of that violence, and at the same time that quest for information.
I read an article recently about how kids who listen to heavy metal typically do better in school than a lot of other people…there's a NY Times article about this, I'm almost positive, within the last year, where like they did a study and found that like kids who listen to metal were typically more calm. Like, somehow, the metal helped soothe the already spin-cycle mind. I don't know.
Maybe it's also for people who don't necessarily dig on jazz. That jazz just seems to be, to a lot of people, repeating itself. And metal is just kind of, to me, new. 25 years ago you couldn't go to school for something like punk or rock, or even like in an art school, like, graffiti. These things weren't taught in schools. And now all of a sudden you can pick up a Hal Leonard book about punk and learn Sex Pistols songs. And those dudes were basically just like "Fuck this. I have 100 bucks, I'm going to the pawn, I'm buying a bass, and I'm just gonna bash at it!" You know? And metal is on that cusp, where 50 years ago jazz wasn't being taught in school. And I know when I was younger and going to rock camps – like guitar summer workshops and stuff like that – there was like Metal 101. They didn't even have a metal bass class yet. But it's coming.
What are your general thoughts on the role of bass in modern metal, in that conversation you just had? What is there new to do?
Some of the things that I strive personally to do, and look to dudes like Trevor Dunn from [Mr.] Bungle…that dude can play with his fingers and can play with a pick and pull it off. And I really feel like having that versatility…you don't necessarily need that Vic Wooten kind of technique. Yeah, sure, that works, and I know dudes in metal who use it, but to me it still has to do with that versatility. And metal inherently – at least from my perspective, at least in my band's context – we're constantly trying to explore those other genres, like Latin genres, and just kind of finding a way to pull that stuff in and Dillingerify it to the point where most people don't hear it.
But to me, a lot of our really choppy rhythms that people get kind of tongue-twisted on are just like Latin rhythms, just really fast. So to me it's a matter of like doing what jazz did with like a John McLaughlin or a Ravi Shankar, or even John Coltrane – where they brought over that Eastern sound and changed things, or the way jazz went to Ethiopia, or is already with like John Zorn and Bungle and us and dozens of other bands who are really trying to bring in those outside influences and glue it up. But I think dudes like Robert Trujillo, they have a really well-rounded thing and they could get away with playing in anything. But metal just has this stamina thing that a lot of other things don't have.
I was going to ask you who your bass heroes are – you mentioned Shawn Malone and Colin Marston…
Colin Marston [of Behold…The Arctopus], as a contemporary dude, absolutely. I think Robert Trujillo was really one of my first "bass dudes." The dude from Mercyful Fate or King Diamond, Hal Patino. Dave Ellison and Tony Bono from Into Another. Pick dudes – I never played with a pick until I joined the band. So I had to learn how to step up that game. There's always dudes that I forget. Rex Brown – I definitely dig what he's done. His tone and his groove is definitely cool. I'm still trying to think of ten words to describe Dillinger. And other bass heroes…I mean Jaco, for sure. You know who else I really dig is the dude who invented the contrabass.
Anthony Jackson.
Anthony Jackson! And fucking Jonas Hellborg.
Yeah that guy's nuts!
Yeah, those two guys in a bass player-y kind of world. And there's another dude who I believe is also playing with John McLaughlin now…
Hadrien Feraud.
Oh yeah! I haven't really nerded out on his stuff outside of YouTube, but those two, Jonas Hellborg and him and Anthony Jackson just have that flow. They can just fucking flow and it's kind of amazing.
Last one. What should young metal bassists be doing right now?
Well, it's all the same stuff, you know? I don't think it's changed. I think the rules of bass for young metal and old metal and bass in general are the same. Get a metronome! Jam with your friends! Listen to bands and learn how to play it! Explore other things! I love getting into like a Bach cello suite just to keep my fingerings odd, just to learn weird shapes. I love Jamey Aebersold books and those play-along things. I think teaching in any way definitely helps you refine your craft. I was doing some subbing at the Paul Green School of Rock and even just seeing little dudes getting stoked on what they were working on made me go home like, "I can't let these little dudes school me." You know?
These kids are learning fast because they have things that I didn't have, like taking advantage of technology. Again, certain things that haven't changed: you need a metronome. You need [to] just spend time on your instrument.
But the biggest advice that I give to other people is look outside of bass. And that doesn't just mean "listen to guitar and vocals and drums." I think that there are so many things outside your life that has to do with it. I remember skipping going to see a Faith No More show because I had a bass lesson. I think that was one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I definitely think getting out there and networking and playing in bands and just living your life…having things that have nothing to do with bass influence your playing. I've said it before – I love yoga. I think that that has as much to do with bass as anything else. If I'm warming up before a show I'd rather take 5 minutes and do some yoga than have my hands on the bass. Breathing is so much more…you know, I look at woodwind players and just notice how much their breathing has to do with their phrasing, and I think bass players – and string players in general – forget how much breathing has to do with your phrasing even though we're not blowing through our mouths to get the notes out.
You guys are doing the Warped Tour this summer, right?
Yeah, we're doing Warped Tour
Are you basically just going to be on the road non-stop once this thing comes out?
Yeah, it looks that way. I leave Sunday for two weeks, I come back in March and April. We're doing five weeks in the States, and then pretty much June through August it's Warped Tour, and little things in between. Maybe some European festivals. We're doing Coachella, um…but that's at the end of April. I'm pretty sure this whole year is gonna be as booked as we can get it.
I love the record, just personally. I mean I dig the aggressive stuff but I'm a sucker for like heavy melodic stuff like the stuff at the end of "Twins"…
Yeah, for sure, like the Beach Boys-y kind of moments. I mean, even that song, I came in at the very end and just played, like, one bass line. You know? And it worked! It was back to what I was trying to do on the first – just be humble about it.
[Dillinger is] basically a bass solo the whole fucking time. In its own way, you know what I mean? And just learning how to not play and just learning how to again just be supportive…I'm cutting my teeth in so many different ways in this band. The covers that we try to do, it's like, everybody's constantly trying to pull it off and everybody has so many different interests and instead of being like "Well, let's start a new band," it's like, "Well, let's just find a way to make it work."
The edge that you're getting – that kind little bit of sizzle that you're getting on the sound – is that a SansAmp overdrive?
It's mostly SansAmp. On "Gold Teeth On a Bum" or "Chinese Whispers"…"Room Full of Eyes"…that's mostly the Tone Hammer. I believe that's the Tone Hammer and a Big Muff. Otherwise it's SansAmp, and it's pretty much direct. I think we went through some pre's – I wish I could recall what they are – I think just Chandler pre's. It's pretty much just a direct sound, SansAmp with [a] Tone Hammer.
What's your main axe?
Typically live I play a G&L L2000 at the moment. I'm working on some other stuff. But in the studio I played an early Spector, like 500 serial number, Badass bridge, like early, early year Spector that Steve Evetts had.
And did he put new bright strings on it?
Yeah, every song.
You can hear it. It's got that really, really cool chime.
Yeah, it's huge, it's round, it doesn't cut as much as my live rig would. It's dull, but it has attack on it…but, again, it has these overtones that I couldn't deny. When you hear it by itself it's like "ahhh". There's just moments where it was like, "That was really nice."
Cool, man!
I can't think of ten [words to describe Dillinger]. Like it matters. I would rather you talk about other shit.
MORE from The New Golden Age of Metal...
- Byron Stroud, Fear Factory
- Chris Beattie, Hatebreed
- Dan Briggs, Between The Buried And Me
- Jeroen Paul Thesseling, Obscura
- John Campbell, Lamb Of God
- Nate Newton, Converge
- Ryan Martinie, Mudvayne
- Sharlee D'Angelo, Arch Enemy
- Steve DiGiorgio, Extreme Metal Session Ace
- William Murderface, Dethklok
- Metal Subgenres 101
- Dig Deeper with More Metal Mastery!


text:
Small businesses use their own online stores have to utilize SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to drive traffic, convert visitors into customers and build money online. You can have one of the best-looking websites on the Web, it can be flashy with the most gorgeous and good looking graphics, but it won't mean much if you don t get visitors. Online business websites face an exclusive set of obstacles when it comes to civilizing sales through better search engine visibility. Recurring product descriptions, a lack of content and a frequent mix of products can all be obstacles to overcome. But with these specific tips for business search engine optimization, an online business can turn those challenges into opportunities and maximize their organic search traffic.
Add new content to the website for better SEO benefits
Many online business websites focal point on selling products rather than informing and providing value to customers, and hence harshly lack content. It s a good quality idea to comprise pages on a website that are merely content-based. Not only will informative, optimized content get better search rankings, it can help to sell more products by engaging customers. Some of the ideas for adding fresh content to an online business site:
- Add customer success stories and case studies to the website.
- Create a blog to provide relevant industry news, tips and product offerings.
- Incorporate a resource section on the site with relevant white papers and other content.
Localize content for better SEO performance
Google has in progress to favour local results over more universal ones. To appear higher up in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for customers in your area, you have to make sure that your content has localization information.
Draw traffic to static pages.
For many small business people, products are often added and removed from their website, some as often as every month or every week. Adding fresh content to a site provides SEO benefits, but removing it can speedily negate any advantages, as it takes time for search engines to directory content. To manoeuvre around this roadblock, draw traffic to more static pages, rather than revolving pages.
Optimize PDF product catalogues.
For many businessmen, it's a common practice to offer a product catalogue in PDF format on their website. When devoting time to optimizing HTML pages on a website, its necessary not to forget about the catalogue or any other PDF files. Remember these solution points when optimizing PDF files:
- Optimize as you would an HTML page, incorporating keywords in headlines, copy and meta descriptions, and including anchor text hyperlinks.
- Generate text-based PDFs, rather than manipulative them in an image-based program, so that the search engines have text to read.
- Post a slighter sized PDF to keep away from search engines and customers wasteland the PDF before accessing its content.
- Keep in mind to complete the document properties, particularly the title.
Do away the with a recurring copy.
Stay away from being penalized by the search engines for duplicate content by writing product metaphors that are as unique as possible. Highlight the most unique characteristics of products to keep away from the duplicate copy. Lastly, ensure keyword phrases aren't repeated too many times throughout descriptions. Its an easy mistake considering target keywords are likely found in the name or description of most, if not every, product. An additional issue online business face is that numerous of their products are significantly similar, with only slight variations. As such, product explanation is likely to use a very similar copy. And if other people sell the same products, their descriptions are probably similar as well.
Optimize picture for search engines
SEO doesn't end with HTML pages and PDF files. Online business sites are filled with images. Why not leverage those images to gain better search rankings? Including alt text and optimized captions can all contribute to improved rankings in the search engines. Plus, images found via the search engines have the potential to be shared and linked to across the web, also contributing to improved rankings. Have you implemented creative SEO tips for e-commerce and online business websites? We are here to explain you more on SEO benefits.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|One of the two fresh-from-the-farm turkeys we roasted, ready for carving.
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to start thinking about Christmas. But before I can start thinking about that, I first must think about all the other things going on this week. And because this week is shaping up to be as busy as it will be unpredictable, I'm going to keep the meal plan simple.
Very simple.
Last week I had some tests to check out a growth that was found on my thyroid. In addition to an ultrasound, I also had some bloodwork done. The tests came back positive for an auto-immune disease, most likely Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Apparently my thyroid has been partying like it's 1999...and now it's tired. And worn out. Come to think of it, so am I. Coincidence? I don't think so. So what's next for my under-achieving thyroid? For starters, a biopsy set for this week so that the doctor can look at the cells and determine the best course of action. I'm sure there are some other things to do after that, but I can't seem to get past the whole needle in the neck thing. It's wiggin' me out. And I don't have a lot of wiggin' room.
I started to lose it a little the other day by crying, "What am I going to do?" My daughter, Heather, put things back in perspective for me by saying, "Well, how long's your bucket list?"
I'm going to have to keep my wiggin' confined to the closet...a 15 year old's perspective can be more frightening than reality!
Here's what's cookin' this week...
Chili, tortilla chips
Egg & Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches (on English muffins)
Steel-cut oats w/ bananas & toasted walnuts
Sunshine Casserole, Appley-Apple Muffins (from last week)
Homemade granola, yogurt, and frozen berry parfaits
Minestrone Soup, European Peasant Bread
Teriyaki Chicken, brown rice, steamed broccoli
Swiss cheese & green onion omelettes
Pinto Bean & Cheese Burritos, green salad
Deer steak, french fries, broccoli salad, Raw Cranberry Relish
This post is linked to Menu Mondays.


text:
Thanks for taking the time to search for me, I'm happy you're here and I hope you find something to inspire you. I'll be quite hands on with my website and will be regularly adding content.
I've often been asked if I tour or do live shows. Unfortunately I don't do either, I prefer to make my music in the studio. It would be quite difficult to reproduce the music I produce in a live setting without using pre recorded elements and I feel that's cheating a little.
I do have a dream to perform some of my pieces on grand piano with a string orchestra, I'm not currently in a position to bring that to fruition but it would be something that I would love to do in the future.


text:
Your Own Business . . .
If You Desire to Work from Home and
Enjoy Connecting with Businesses in Your Community…
Owning One of Our Magazines Could be the Business for You!
You do not need to have publishing experience. Instead, we are looking for those who have a sales background and desire to communicate local resources to their community.
We are expanding by licensing a local person in areas with a population of 100,000 or more. Our Associate Publishers find this to be a very enjoyable business...with freedom rarely found inside corporate America.
Own one of the magazines in your area and enjoy the benefits of setting your own schedule and being your own boss! We will guide you in all the steps necessary for you to have your own successful business and achieve financial freedom.
Your community and local businesses are waiting for your Magazine.


text:
Classic Holiday Wreath Workshop - Old Yale Brewing Company, Chilliwack
Thursday, December 5th :: 7-9 pm
Classic Holiday Wreath Workshop - Old Yale Brewing Company, Chilliwack
Thursday, December 5th :: 7-9 pm
Spend an evening learning how to create your own classic holiday wreath alongside Carli Spielman of Wild Rabbit Flowers. This hands-on workshop will take place in the tasting room at Old Yale Brewing Company in Chilliwack. This is a great night out for friends and co-workers and who doesn't love Old Yale's amazing selection of brews?!
This wreath making workshop will take you through the basics of hand-wiring your holiday door wreath using fresh and unique evergreens, berries, pinecones and bows. From start to finish you will receive instruction on form, sizing of product, wiring technique and layering of your chosen pieces. You will finish with a beautiful seasonal wreath for your holiday door decorating.
16 inch Wreath frames, wire, seasonal greens and bows are provided. Old Yale beer on tap, not included in the price
Workshop Cost: $70
Registration is required for this event, Limited seating available.


text:
Alberta is a province of contrasts. Some 90% encompasses the North American interior plain with vast forested areas in the north and grasslands in the south. It is the fourth largest Canadian province at 255,000 square miles, making it roughly the same size as Texas.
It is one of only two provinces that are landlocked and despite it being in the continental interior and thus being prone to cold, long winters, Environment Canada ranks it has having the most comfortable weather, overall, in Canada. It also enjoys the most sunshine, receiving more than 2,300 hours of sun on average each year.
The British have had a strong influence on the ethnic mix of Alberta, with nearly 27% claiming English origins, Scots 20.3% and Irish nearly 17%. There are a number of other significant minorities but the Scots have had a powerful influence, especially with the naming of places such as Banff, stunningly situated in the mountains.
The economy of Alberta has many strengths, not least its powerful energy sector. Such has been the boom in this particular sector that Alberta is driving overall economic activity in Canada. It has attracted high levels of immigration (for example, since 1976-77, when records began, Alberta has a seen a net inflow of 483,600 from the rest of the country whilst Quebec has seen an outflow of 465,400.
Ontario had in inflow of around 63,000, just 13% that of Alberta and the province's gross domestic product per capita is forecast to reach $88,000 next year, more than $35,000 higher than the rest of Canada.
With more than 60% of Canada's conventional crude reserves and all of its heavy oil and oil sands reserves (Alberta has the third largest proven crude oil reserves in the world after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela) , the economic future for Alberta looks assured. This is also reflected in the unemployment rate of 4.5% versus that of 7.1% in the country as a whole.
Whilst Edmonton is the capital, the real driver of the economy is Calgary, situated in the plains just one hour to the east of the Rockies. A recent review of prosperity placed Calgary above Toronto based on superior growth for income and jobs as well as for lower taxes.


text:
About this Research Topic
Remote sensing techniques, such as Doppler radar/LiDAR, LiDAR ranging or satellite/high-resolution image spectrometry, are becoming more prominent in wind engineering. These techniques are used to acquire information about wind flow, surface characteristics (i.e. roughness elements) or wind impacts on built and natural environments. They have many advantages over traditional point-based measurement techniques, in that they can, over very short periods of time, sample large volumes or areas, acquiring detailed, and in many instances spatially continuous, information about wind or its impacts. Given measurements are taken remotely, these techniques also lend themselves to situations where data acquisition is either dangerous (e.g. within a tornado) or logistically challenging in the immediate aftermath of a catastrophic wind event. This means that the use of remote sensing not only enhances measurements using current method, but also facilitates the acquisition of new data not previously captured.
However, while remotely sensed information has its advantages, the integration of these data into wind engineering research and practice is not straightforward or without its challenges. For example, Doppler-based wind measurements represent a spatio-temporally averaged wind signal. This means they are not directly comparable to the point-based anemometer measurements used globally to define boundary layer structure or to undertake climatological wind hazard assessments. Also, while high-resolution imagery and LiDAR point-cloud fields can provide rapid information about the state of structures or vegetation immediately following a severe wind event, how this information is used to forensically diagnose the reason for damage, as would be done during a field survey, is less clear.
It is clear therefore that understanding the strengths and weaknesses of remote sensing techniques and exploring how they can be applied to wind engineering is important for progressing the field. This Research Topic seeks to explore the questions of, how remote sensing techniques are currently used by wind researchers, and moving forward, how they can be better utilized to enhance our understanding of wind and its impacts on the built and natural environment. Contributions are welcomed from researchers investigating issues that may include, but are not limited to:
• Remotely sensed wind and turbulence measurements,
• Characterization of transient wind event (e.g. outflows, tornadoes, tropical cyclones) structure and flow fields,
• Urban boundary layer and canopy flow measurements,
• Climatological applications of Doppler wind measurements,
• Planetary surface roughness characterization with LiDAR,
• Remote damage assessment using satellite and air-borne imagery,
• Validation or inter-technique comparison studies.
Researchers from across the range of wind-related disciplines are invited to contribute to this Frontiers Research Topic.
Keywords: Doppler, Radar, Lidar, Wind, Damage
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.


text:
Christian Education (for all ages) takes place between Sunday morning services at 9:30 am. All classes take place in the Parish Hall or the Old Rectory. There are several options based on the age of your child(ren).
- Ages 0-3. Babies and toddlers enjoy playing in our nursery room with paid nursery attendants. The nursery is on the first floor of the Old Rectory.
- Ages four to 3rd grade. The younger kids learn via object lessons collated with Bible stories. This tactile approach enables our little ones to better remember the stories. Plus, there is a new and fun hands-on experiences each week. The kids meet at the Old Rectory.
- 4th & 5th grade. The older kids engage using weekly lessons. They learn the same lesson in Sunday school as do their parents/guardians in the worship service. Exploring the same theme fosters conversation between parents and kids. The kids meet at the Old Rectory.
- 6th to 12th grade. Please see the Youth page for details.
Sunday School strives to connect scripture with our own individual stories. We compare the church of the past with today's church in hopes of molding the church of the future. Children become engaged in the life of the church as St. Mark's youngest spiritual thinkers.


text:
If you are looking to earn some extra cash, chances are you can do it without even leaving home.
Most of us have far too much stuff. With a little bit of work, you can easily turn that extra stuff into some extra income.
I routinely go through and sell items I don't need anymore. There's always more to declutter. I could probably still sell a lot more than I already do and never even miss it. I love that feeling of clearing out the clutter and it is a great way to help my budget at the same time. I once made $700 in a weekend simply by decluttering my home so selling your stuff can definitely be profitable.
Before you start selling your stuff, there are a few things you need to consider.
Price Things Appropriately
The biggest factor in whether or not your items will sell is how well you price it. If something doesn't sell right away, chances are you have priced it too high. Drop the price and see if you have any luck. You do want to maximize what you get for your stuff but if you have to spend extra time trying to sell it, that isn't worth it. Drop the price, sell it, and move on to something else.
If you find yourself using the terms "collectible" or "hard to find item", automatically take the price you have in mind and cut it in half. What collectible really means is "this item needs a very specific buyer". The average buyer is not going to be willing to pay more for what you are selling. If the item is truly a one-of-a-kind collective and it is worth it to you to take the time to get the price you'd like to see, look to eBay or more specialized markets to sell.
Posting Time Matters
If you are selling on places like Facebook sale groups, your posting time matters. Similar to garage sales, people shop on Saturdays, after they get off work for the day, and on holidays. If you post on a Monday morning, your post likely won't get as much visibility.
The exception to this is baby and kid items when you are targeting stay at home moms, but even then you'll often still get a better response during peak times. Each group is a little bit different. Experiment a bit with different posting times and see what is the most effective for your local area.
Clean your Item thoroughly
It is tempting to sell your item as is. You are getting rid of it because you no longer need it and you probably don't want to give the item any more of your time. You'll often get 25-50% more for an item that is cleaned thoroughly and in good repair though, so it is worth the time to prepare you things before you list them for sale.
Be sure and clean beyond the surface. Used items always look dirtier to someone else than they do to their former owner so make sure to clean more than you think you need to. There's a lot you can do to improve the appearance of something if you just take a few minutes to clean it up.
Photos matter
A good photo can go a long way towards selling your item for you. Whenever possible, use natural lighting (and lots of it). Place your item by a large window so the light is going towards your item. If you need to, a large piece of white poster board can be used to bounce additional light to the sides of your item.
Pay attention the background. Avoid clutter as much as you can. People don't want to be distracted by other things in your picture. Arrange your items in a way that emphasizes the best features and makes the item look attractive.
Where to Sell Used Items
Now that your item is ready to sell, you are ready to list it. Here are a few of our favorite places to sell used items:
Facebook Sale Groups
There are probably many local Facebook yard sale groups you can join. I've found that items tend to sell faster on these sites than many others (provided you price things competitively) because you can reach people who are close to you geographically. To find groups in your area, search "YOUR CITY sale", "YOUR CITY garage sale", "YOUR CITY yard sale", etc.
You'll get a feel for which groups are most effective and are the most active. You can cross-list your item and promote it in several groups, just be sure to note that in the item description. Facebook is my go-to for things I want to get rid of quick. Anything I would throw in a garage sale, I'll list in a Facebook group. Most things, if I price them right, can be sold and picked up in the same day so it is a great way to get some quick cash and clear out clutter without spending a lot of time doing it.
For smaller items that are easy to ship and may be a bit harder for people to find, eBay is a great option. They do take a cut but you can sell just about anything here, for the right price. I've even sold a car on eBay after I had trouble selling it locally. This is the place to go for true collectibles, more expensive items that are easy to ship, and things that are in high demand.
For books and other media, you can sell through Half.com, which is owned by eBay. Your items may take a bit longer to sell this way but you'll likely get a higher profit than you would selling books over eBay.
You can still have good luck selling some items on Craigslist. I tend to go here first for things that need a more specialized buyer but aren't worth the time to list on eBay or are too bulky to ship. Things that take a bit longer to sell may do well on Craigslist too, since people can search for keywords whereas on Facebook posts tend to get pushed down and never seen again.
Have a garage sale
To be honest, this is typically my last resort. Garage sales take so much time and they require you to hold onto your unwanted stuff until you have enough for a larger sale. I prefer to get rid of things as I go so I can do a bit at a time. If you are moving or doing a large purge of your stuff, though, a garage sale can be the way to go.
You already know you can buy anything you want on Amazon but did you know you could sell stuff on Amazon too? If you have used books in good condition or other items that are new in the package, you can easily sell them through Amazon. Amazon offers a few options for selling your stuff. The easiest option is Amazon FBA. FBA stands for fulfilled by Amazon and it means all you have to do is pack your stuff in a box, ship it to Amazon, and let them sell it for you. You'll get paid when your stuff sells, minus a portion Amazon will keep for their services. There is a bit of a learning curve for this method since Amazon is very particular about how you package and label your things but it is a great option, especially if you are good at finding deals and want to turn a profit on a regular basis. We send off several boxes of stuff to Amazon every month and have built up a great side business doing this.
If you want to keep more of the money you earn, you can sell through the Amazon marketplace. This involves listing your item for sale on Amazon and then you will be responsible for shipping when your item sales.
Do you have electronics that you no longer need? Gazelle lets you turn them into cash. We shipped off a few old phones for cash not long ago and I was shocked at how easy it was. We had cash in our account within a few days and we got to clear out some of the electronic clutter that was floating around the house.
Gazelle will buy back everything from phones, to tablets, to computers. Find out what Gazelle will pay you for your electronics here.
Close5 is similar to Craigslist but they have an app that makes it really simple to list your stuff (and find things to buy locally). I haven't sold anything on here but it's on my list to try out next time I go through and declutter my house.
OfferUp is a popular app and they often have great listings in most local areas. The app makes it super easy to list your things and you can communicate with buyers directly through the app to keep things in one place. I have friends who swear by OfferUp to sell their things and tell me it is the first place they go to sell their stuff. Depending on your area, you may find higher quality items here, which means people are often willing to pay a bit more.
You'll need to evaluate what you are selling to decide what the best method is to sell it. You can make good money clearing out the clutter in your home though so it is a great way to get some cash, start your emergency fund, or pay for a special occasion.
Are you a work at home mom who need some support? Maybe you want to work from home but aren't sure where to start. Either way, our Busy Work at Home Moms Facebook group is for you.
- Blog Income Report: How I Made Over $10,700 Last Month Working from Home
- Best Resources for Work at home Moms
- How to Start a Blog When you Have No Free Time
- Where to Find Sponsored Posts
- Work at Home Jobs you Can do During Nap Time
- Where to Find a Work at Home Job
- 20 REAL Ways to Earn Money from Home
Pin it for Later


text:
From the earliest stages of contact with families, we endeavour to create opportunities for parents, children, staff and carers from previous settings to meet prior to children beginning their journeys at St. Michael's.
Nursery and Reception staff conduct home and setting visits, taking with them a laminated picture card identifying staff and areas around school, to leave with each child and their pre-school.
Parents are invited to maths and phonics workshops, alongside a 'Welcome to Foundation Stage' evening when they have opportunities to meet all of the staff and other parents, and gain an understanding of our ethos and practice. Children are invited to informal 'Stay and Play' sessions with either their parents or a key worker prior to then attending two familiarisation visits themselves.
We enjoy learning more about our children's lives outside of school, and therefore encourage parents to share special moments via 'WOW' forms and by helping children to record their memories in their 'Me, My Family and My World' books.
Our youngest children feel at home in our happy, bright and colourful Nursery, which is an integral part of the school and provides the best possible start for children as they enter school. Our well qualified, experienced and caring staff will quickly build a close relationship with you and your young child to ensure that he or she will soon feel special, secure and confident as they begin their educational journey in school.
Play underpins all development and learning for young children. Children learn happily through a carefully blended mixture of child initiated and teacher directed activities, both inside and outside the classroom, developing their knowledge and skills, building the foundations for their future learning. From a thorough knowledge of each child's understanding and progress, the Nursery teacher and two Nursery Nurses support the children to learn with enjoyment and challenge and guide the children to the next stage of experience or learning as and when they are ready to move on.
Specialist teaching in French, Music and Physical Education complement other learning activities providing an extra stimulus for the children's language, creative and physical development.
Children start Nursery in the September after their third birthday attending for a minimum of five mornings a week from 8:30am - 11:55am. However, once your child is ready he or she may attend for the whole day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (part-time) or every day (full-time). Children attending for the whole day finish at 3:00pm. Other individual options for afternoon sessions are available on request.
Nursery children enjoy being part of the main school and particularly welcome joining everyone in a whole school assembly each week. Older siblings take great pride in seeing their younger brothers and sisters join in the stories, songs and prayers.
By the time children leave Nursery, they are fully prepared to embark on the next phase of their learning journey in Reception with confidence and enthusiasm.
Reception class rooms are busy places at St. Michael's, each a hive of constant activity where the children are actively engaged in enthusiastic learning.
Building on all that they have learnt during their time in Nursery, children make excellent progress in Reception across all aspects of their learning and development and achieve well above the national average by the end of the year. Children who have not been through Nursery at St. Michael's may start in Reception in the September after their fourth birthday.
Classes are kept to a maximum of 20 children with a full time teacher and Nursery Nurse for each class. As in Nursery, a close working relationship between the children and the staff ensures that the children are able to discover and learn with confidence in a happy and attractive environment.
A large emphasis is placed on the development of phonic and number understanding. Daily activities reinforce letter and sound recognition which thoroughly prepare the children as they begin to read and write. Practical activities rooted in everyday life help to establish and reinforce language and mathematical understanding and encourage the development of problem solving skills at this young age.
In addition to class room based activities and specialist teaching for Music, French and PE good use is made of outdoor learning spaces within the school grounds to stimulate the children's imagination and to extend their learning experience.
All Reception children attend for the whole day from 8:30am - 3:15pm.


text:
idk why, but the pics are so small that I can barely see whats there.
INT is a roguelike Sci-Fi RPG with a heavy focus on exploration, dungeon crawling, character customization and story, brought to you by indie enthusiasts. The focus is on the character's journey through a war-torn world through randomized and pre-set levels with fast-paced combat against hordes of enemies. The player must accomplish quests like a traditional RPG, complete objectives, and meet crew members which will aid in survival. Throughout the game you can side and complete missions through criminal cartels, and the two major combatants, the UCE and ACP, of the Interstellar Civil War.
idk why, but the pics are so small that I can barely see whats there.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


text:
WTViewer acquires numeric, waveform, and harmonic data from the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600 /WT210 /WT230* Digital Power Analyzer via Ethernet, GP-IB or serial communications (RS-232) and USB. Data can be transferred into your personal computer via those communication interfaces. It lets you view waveforms on your computer, convert numeric or waveform data to a specified format, and store the data.
*Digital Power Analyzers WT1600 /WT210 /WT230 are discontinued products.
*Requires the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600's optional Ethernet function to utilize this function
WTViewer can simultaneously control up to four WT500s, four WT1800E /WT1800s, four WT1600s or four WT3000E /WT3000s for multi-channel measurement.
The FTP client function makes it possible to transfer data saved in the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600 internal memory to your PC.
PC Direct Connection
[GP-IB/serial (RS-232)/Ethernet, and USB]
* Ethernet connection requires two straight cables and a HUB.
*USB memory is required
* PC card or USB memory ( and /C5 option) is required.
* /C7 option is required.
*/C1 or /C2 and /C7 options are required.
*/C1 or /C2 option is required for WT210.
You can display the data measured with the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600 /WT210 /WT230 on your PC via Ethernet/GP-IB/RS-232 communication and USB.
You can capture various types of data measured with the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600 /WT210 /WT230 in your PC at fixed intervals.
In harmonic measurement, you can see harmonic data with bar chart. It shows three items at same time.
In harmonic measurement, you can have a vectorial view of the fundamental voltage, current and phase angle. This visual presentation of the interphase relationship in a three-phase power system shows the load condition intuitively.
With WTViewer, you can control the WT3000E /WT3000 /WT1800E /WT1800 /WT500 /WT1600 /WT210 /WT230 main unit from your PC, including setting the wiring method, range, filter, and scaling, and so on.
With WTViewer, you can save waveform and numeric data to your PC, while on the PC you can create *.wtd files that can be loaded in WTViewer, or *.csv files that can be imported into Excel spreadsheets. WTViewer also lets you save screen images of measured numeric and waveform data.
Enables acquisition of data from multiple units
Until now, measured data acquired offline and saved to the WT's memory media could be loaded and displayed on a PC, but required running a file reader program that was separate from WTViewer. With the new version upgrade, the file reader program has now been conveniently integrated with WTViewer.
WT1800 firmware version 2.01 or later for Ethernet/USB
WT3000 firmware version 2.01 or later for GP-IB/serial (RS-232)/Ethernet/USB
WT210* firmware version 1.06 or later for GP-IB/serial(RS-232)
WT230* firmware version 1.06 or later for GP-IB/serial(RS-232)
WT1600 firmware version 2.01 or later for GP-IB/serial(RS-232)/Ethernet
|Measuring Mode
|Power measurement, integration, and harmonic measurement
|Types of Files
|Waveform files (1002 points, peak to peak compression data),
computation files, harmonic files, and setup files
|Screen Viewer
|Numeric view, waveform view, trend view, vectorial view,
and bar-graph view
Data Acquisition Interval
|50 ms at max. speed (WT3000E/WT3000/WT1800E/WT1800),
100 ms at max.speed (WT500)
In Fast mode, using GP-IB
Depends on your PC's performance.
1ms with an External Synch signal, 5ms without any External Synch signal (WT1800, /HS option)
* When the data update rate is set to one second or
slower, captured and saved data can be synchronized.
|Personal Computer
|Pentium 4 1.5 GHz or higher (recommended)
|1 GB or more (recommended)
|Hard Disk
|500 MB or more of free space
|Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.
(All English versions)
Communications Port
|GP-IB: NI (National Instruments) AT-GPIB, PCI-GPIB, PCI-GPIB+, PCMCIA-GPIB, PCMCIA-GPIB+, or PCIe-GPIB with driver NI-488.2 version 1.60 or later (however, version 2.3 is not supported).
GPIB-USB-HS, Driver: NI-488.2 Ver.2.8.1
|RS-232: An available COM port on the PC
|Ethernet: 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX compatible Ethernet port
|USB: A USB Rev. 1.1 or later USB port
|Display, Printer and Mouse
|Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels or higher
Applicable Operating Systems: Must be compaible with the operating systems listed above.
Looking for more information on our people, technology and solutions?


text:
I've had this jean jacket since early college but I never ever wear it. I want it to feel like a loved pair of almost worn out jeans but it has that new hard jean feel. Like what I'd imagine just bought stiff work jeans to feel like. I've washed it quite a few times hoping to soften it up with no luck. Doesn't photography too bad though…
Blue Dress – Old Navy
Jean Jacket – Gap
Brown Heels – Charles David
Bag – Longchamp


text:
WarnerMedia: Coming Directly to You in 2019
Earlier today at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in Los Angeles, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey announced the company's plan to launch a new direct-to-consumer streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2019.
|WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey with Aaron Ross Sorkin at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit
The announcement of the service delivers on the promise of the AT&T/Time Warner merger, which was finalized in June.
One of the chief benefits of an ATT/Time Warner combination is the ability to create new consumer choices taking advantage of the unmatched options, value, quality and experience of the two companies. Only four months after the deal's close, WarnerMedia has the momentum to deliver on that vision.
"This new WarnerMedia offering will bring audiences a product that doesn't exist in the market today," said Stankey. "And no other company can offer these brands to consumers the way that we will."
The service will build on the success of products like HBO Now, Stankey told summit attendees, but WarnerMedia's existing distributor relationships remain vital.
Going direct-to-consumer offers an additional opportunity to reach audiences that aren't part of a traditional subscription service, Stankey said, but it will be a priority to work with partners to deliver a compelling and competitive product that complements the company's wholesale distribution, allowing WarnerMedia to reach the largest number of viewers.
Watch this space for more news about WarnerMedia's direct-to-consumer offering as it becomes available.


text:
They Came Together has pretty much everyone you'd want for a comedy cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Ed Helms, Michael Ian Black, Jason Mantzoukas, Cobie Smulders, Christopher Meloni, and more. Plus, the romantic comedy parody was scripted by Wet Hot American Summer co-writers David Wain and Michael Showalter (with Wain directing), so I think we're in for a treat. They Came Together follows the budding relationship between Joel (Rudd) and Molly (Poehler) that starts off rocky when "his big corporation is the one that threatens to shut down her quirky knick-knack store." The movie will satirize all the rom-com tropes, so of course Poehler will be stuck in a wedding dress at one point, as seen the first batch of set photos. And of course Michael Shannon will wield a sword!
Hit the jump to see the set photos featuring Poehler, Rudd, and Meloni. [Update: We have removed the unofficial images.]


text:
- Please assign a relevant location to your recording.
You must have a microphone connected to your computer to make a recording. Most laptops have an internal mic and desktops often come with an external mic or a webcam which contains a mic. Low-cost USB mics are also available and work very well.
Legal Agreement
By clicking "I Agree" below, I agree that any recordings I make using this website will become a part of the "Patient Translations" project and can be used by Halsey Burgund and Kelly Sherman for any related purpose in the public domain. I also agree that I am over the age of 18 years and if not that I have received the permission from my parents to record. Thanks and enjoy!I Agree
Make your recording.
Remaining Record Time
Saving your recording...
Playing back your recording...


text:
Raw Strength –
This is a proven program I have used on hundreds of combat athletes to help increase their strength to bodyweight ratio. The programming and methodology behind a program is what makes or breaks it. Anyone can throw some exercise together, but is it effective? As a grappler, your weight room time is limited. This program is the perfect solution for any grappler who wants a simple, concise, proven way to improve strength in between fight camps and competitions. – Mark Philippi
About the Program
It consist of two variations of three separate workouts. You will complete six unique workouts before starting the second rotation. It is not based on days of the week but rather incorporates a heavy/light sequence that allowing for more recovery time.
The initial week of the program is all work capacity. Weeks 2-7 consist of some type of "explosive speed" or "speed strength" movement, followed by a compound strength movements, and assistance work. The average intensity of the heavy days ranges from 80% to 90%. This program is great for an off season strength block that can prepare you for the Fight Camp Training Manual. This program contains 28 workouts that should be completed over a 7 week period. It comes with access to a video library that shows techniques for each exercise.
Strength for Injury Prevention
Strength training will never be a replacement for technique, but a grappler is foolish not to incorporate it in their arsenal. Injury is the number one reason that keeps grapplers off of the mat. The only way to get better at grappling is mat time and you can't train while you are injured. Decreasing the likelihood of an injury should be motivating enough to incorporate strength training several times a week. Strength training drastically decreases the chance of injury and will increase a grappler's longevity.
What this program will NOT do
- Make you bulky
- Make you slower
- Decrease your grappling technique
Equipment Required
- Bumper Plates for Olympic lifting
- A weight Rack for Squat, Bench, and Deadlift
- Dumbbells


text:
Associate Professor - Clinical
Director of Rehabilitation Science and Technology - Assistive Technology Center
406 Atwell Hall
453 W. 10th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Phone: (614) 293-7876
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Primary Professional Areas of Interest
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Assistive Technology
- Rehabilitation Technology
Research Focus
Carmen P. DiGiovine's research focus is on the application of science and technology to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. His most recent research activities include investigating the role of nutrition and wheelchair seating systems on the development of pressure ulcers, the effect of wheelchair rugby on the overall health of the shoulder, and the assessment of the assistive technology service delivery process through the use of outcome measures. Dr. DiGiovine is also interested in program development of assistive technology service delivery programs and the role of rehabilitation engineering in the field of assistive technology.
Recent Publications
Sawatzky B, DiGiovine CP, Berner TF, Roesler T, Katte L, The Need for Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for Preservation of Upper Extremities in Manual Wheelchair Users: A Position Paper, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol 94, No. 4, pp. 313-324, 2015.
Arledge S, Armstrong W, Babinec M, Dicianno B, DiGiovine CP, Dyson-Hudson TA et al. RESNA Wheelchair Service Provision Guide. Arlington, VA: RESNA; 2011.
DiGiovine C, Rosen L, Berner T, Betz K, Roesler T, and Schmeler M. RESNA Position on the Application of Ultralight Manual Wheelchairs. Arlington, VA: RESNA: 2012
Recent Presentations
Berner TF, Sawatzky B, DiGiovine CP, Roesler RL, The Clinician Scientist in the Seating and Mobility Clinic: A Foundation for Education, Research and Clinical Practice. International Seating Symposium: 2016 Conference, pp 225-228, March 2-4, 2014: Vancouver, BC, Canada.
DiGiovine CP, Metzler SA, Tufts II L.E, Whole Body Vibration Measurement System for Power Wheelchairs. International Seating Symposium: 2016 Conference, pp 152-156, March 2-4, 2014: Vancouver, BC, Canada.
DiGiovine CP, Donahue M, Bahr P, Bresler M, Klaesner J, and Pagadal R, Rehabilitation Engineers, Technologists, and Technicians: Vital Members of the Assistive Technology Team, Proceedings of the RESNA 2015 Annual Conference, June 11-14, 2015: Denver, CO.
Courses Taught
- Assistive Technology
- Rehabilitation Engineering Capstone Design
Major Awards
- June 2015 - Samuel McFarland Mentorship Award - Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), Arlington, VA
- May 2014 - Courage to Teach, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University
- 2001: PhD, Bioengineering - University of Pittsburgh
- 2000: M.S., Bioengineering - University of Pittsburgh
- 2000: Certificate in Rehabilitation Engineering - University of Pittsburgh
- 1995: B.S., General Engineering, Option in Bioengineering - University of Illinois


text:
The U.S. Mint's authorized purchasers (AP's) bought 115,000 2016 American Eagle silver bullion coins last week, down from 175,000 pieces sold during the previous period and marking a weekly low for 2016.
One-ounce Silver Eagles have sold 27,735,500 pieces so far this year. For the first time in 2016, sales of these issues are no longer on pace to break 2015's annual record. We are currently 60.5% of the way through the year and sales for these issues have reached 59% of last year's total of 47 million ounces.
The Mint launched its 2016 American Eagle one-ounce platinum bullion coins two weeks ago, but no sales have been added over the last seven days; the issues remain at their first-week total of 19,000 units sold. Platinum gained in value by $2 per ounce since last Monday, bringing its current price to $1,152.
Gold's value dipped by $12.85 an ounce after seeing an increase during the previous period. Gold is now appraised at $1,336.80 according to the London Bullion Market Association. The value of an ounce of silver has also decreased by 85 cents to $19.66.
2016 American Eagle gold bullion coins have sold a total of 552,000 ounces across 1-ounce, 1/2-ounce, 1/4-ounce, and 1/10-ounce options. Last week saw 12,500 ounces of bullion Gold Eagles sold, up from 10,500 the previous week. 2016 American Buffalo 1-ounce gold bullion coins have sold 122,500 pieces; no new sales were recorded during this period. In 2015, the Mint sold 801,500 ounces of Gold Eagles and 220,500 Gold Buffalo bullion coins.
The Mint did not sell any Harpers Ferry 5 oz. silver bullion coins to its authorized purchasers last week, and the total for that issue remains at 34,200 coins sold. Combined sales for 2016's three 5 oz. bullion coins have hit 214,200 units for a total of 1,071,000 ounces of silver. Combined production of 2016's issues has officially surpassed the total for all of 2015, which wrapped up at 212,000 units. 2016 now has the second-largest annual mintage ever for 5 oz. America the Beautiful bullion coins behind 2011, which had the extremely high total of 465,100.
Bullion issues are sold by the U.S. Mint to a network of authorized buyers, who then make the coins available to the public. This year marks the 30th anniversary of American Eagle bullion coins, which were introduced in 1986.


text:
Harrop Fold has a broad and balanced curriculum tailored to ensure that the individual needs of all our students are met. The curriculum provides students with an appropriate range of subjects and topics that ensures that they enjoy school. This contributes well to their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Our curriculum has been designed to help our students achieve the highest of standards and is underpinned by our belief in the limitless potential of our students. We aim to make our curriculum challenging. We believe in ensuring a curriculum experience that gives every young person the best possible opportunities for a successful future. All our students will experience lessons and activities that are exciting, relevant and, at times, deliberately difficult. We teach our students to be resilient and offer them a balanced and rich experience which will equip them to succeed in the rapidly changing world. We also ensure a high quality PSHE programme, provide relevant careers guidance and offer curriculum enrichment opportunities outside of normal lesson time.
Curriculum Structure
Curriculum Structure
Students receive 25 hours of teaching contact time per week organised into 30 lessons. In addition, there is a morning form time period and year group assemblies are scheduled once a week. In Years 7 and 8, students study a wide variety of subjects. Some students are given additional support where necessary through our COGS (Creating Opportunities; Growing Students) curriculum. At Harrop Fold we are passionate about helping to develop a growth mindset as we are aware of the significant impact this has on helping young people achieve success.
From Year 9, students pursue an individualised curriculum pathway based around their options choices. Guidance is given to both students and parents/carers in order to ensure the most appropriate choices are made and, more importantly than headline measures, our philosophy is always to do what is right for our students. Students are offered the opportunity to study the EBacc, however, this is optional. We also offer Triple Science to allow for further stretch and challenge. We review our curriculum on an annual basis as a joint leadership team and take regular steps to ensure it is meeting the needs of all our students. We have recently introduced Study Skills to support certain students in years 9 and 10 and are currently looking to further extend our vocational offer.
We have a larger than average proportion of in year admissions of vulnerable students including LAC, SEN and PEX. This is due in part to our reputation within the Local Authority for providing the most vulnerable students with the opportunity to access Mainstream Education. This inevitably affects the school's P8 scores as these students do not necessarily fill a 'best 8' curriculum. This is an area of exemplary practice.


text:
Comic books browse by: Shop category:
Artist Srdjan Nikolic PekaAvailable series in store category "Comic books"
Srdjan Nikolic Peka in the COMICLOPEDIA
" Srdjan Nikolić Peka is a Serbian (press) illustrator and comic artist. He was born in Mrves, but resides in Leskovac. He majored in graphic design from the School of Arts in Nis. Peka edited the comics magazine Arsenal, and published his work in a variety of local magazines...." [ Read more ]


text:
Link Last Checked: November 14, 2018
Consumer Resources Links
♦ Charity ♦
Website of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (combines the National Charities Information Bureau and the Philanthropical Advisory Service of the Better Business Bureau Foundation). Features summaries of 166 national charitable organizations evaluated using 23 accountability standards, as well as tips and a guide to wise giving. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability were developed to assist donors in making sound giving decisions and to foster public confidence in charitable organizations. The standards seek to encourage fair and honest solicitation practices, to promote ethical conduct by charitable organizations and to advance support of philanthropy.
Visit: Give.org
Quick Menu
Support Consumer Action
Join Our Email List
MoneyWise Modules
- Banking Basics
- Good Credit
- ID Theft and Account Fraud
- Keys to Homeownership
- Rebuilding Good Credit
- Saving to Build Wealth
- Successful Homeownership
- Teens and Money
- Tracking Your Money
Managing Money Topics
Help Desk
- Help Desk
- Submit Your Complaints
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Links to Consumer Resources
- Consumer Services Guide (CSG)
- Alerts


text:
Greetings from Galactic Heart….
How are we all coping with the Light energies flooding our planet? This past week was a doozie for me and Shel. We found that we had to lay down to sleep many times during the day….even if only for 15 minutes. If we didn't and tried to force ourselves to stay up "doing" something, we found ourselves so dizzy and disoriented that we had no choice but to go horizontal.
I asked Ms Supa (our Arcturian Light Body specialist~GF med team) if there was anything we could do to help us cope with the acceleration of frequencies. She reminded us to supplement our electrolytes (lemon water or sea salt in water are good for this). After all, we are electromagnetic Beings and integrating the influx of vibrational patterns uses up our electrolytes. Here are Ms Supa's recommendations:
Drink plenty of water (remember to put Loving words on your water bottle)
Increase electrolytes
Spend time in nature (more important than one may think)
Eat bananas
Listen to your Spiritual and Galactic guides
Increase vitamin Bs because the increase in frequencies stresses your nervous systems
Meditate daily…..even short meditations are helpful
The more we know about how our bodies are transforming into 5th dimensional Beings of Light, the more graceful the ride. Check out Sheldan's webinar download for detailed information: Battling Dimensional Fatigue. The more you know, the better you do!
Selamat Ja!


text:
Location 5466
Apartment in Grade I* listed detached Georgian manor house in Clapton Hackney. The flat centres around a large living/dining room, with Parisian oak long board chevron parquet floor, cast iron radiators, carrara marble fireplaces, 3.8m ceilings, original cornicing and a large curved triple-bay with floor length windows, iron lattice work and original shutters. It is furnished with modernist furniture, collected by the owner, a dealer in 20th century antiques. The exterior features a pale blue austere frontage, duck pond, large trees and garden to rear, and a cream and gold entrance hall. Located in Hackney, East London E5 *Please note furniture is subject to regular change.
Local train stations, hotels, restaurants and parking.
Tags relating to this listing


text:
Reefer Trends is a UK-based publication.
email@example.com information
You can always contact us about any information you need from us about the tools and services on this website or feedback about the website in general at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Use email@example.com to contact us about the Reporting services on this website.
firstname.lastname@example.com problems?
Use firstname.lastname@example.com to contact us about your subscription. Please mention your username for a speedy response and issue resolution.
firstname.lastname@example.com issues
Use email@example.com to contact us about any website issues you might have. Please mention your username for a speedy response and issue resolution.
Phone & fax
For urgent enquires, please call + 44 (0) 1494 875550 or fax: + 44 (0) 870 132 8875


text:
August 11, 2015
SimplyFixIt on Glasgow's Bath Street
Edinburgh-based IT experts SimplyFixIt are set to open their first store in Glasgow thanks to the help of IME.
The firm, which already has 7 outlets across the Capital, will open at 11 Bath Street in August after IME successfully negotiated a new 15 year lease on the property from the landlord, The Claire Gillen SIPP.
IME's managing director, Iain Mercer, commented: "This is the first foray into Glasgow for both ourselves and SimplyFixIt so we are delighted to have secured this property for them.
"It is an exciting retail pitch close to Buchanan Galleries with strong levels of footfall which attracted our client to the opportunity in the first place," he added.
Smith Cole Wright acted for the landlord in the transaction.


text:
Incoming mobility
LMA provides the following institutional support measures for teachers/students mobility:
1) Courses in English offered for incoming students in accordance with the previously signed Learning Agreement for studies;
2) Accommodation in the LMA hostel or students' dormitory;
3) Assistance in visa obtaining process, if necessary, and any other necessary support for incoming students and teachers;
4) LMA curricula conform to the Bologna system and the national credit points are transferred into the ECTS credit system.
Since 2006 the LMA campus is located in outskirts of Riga – approximately a 30 minutes drive from the city centre. The campus comprises several buildings including the LMA headquarters, a study centre with a library, a research and development centre, mechanical and welding workshops, a dormitory and a hostel for guests and the LMA staff.
Application deadlines for incoming students:
1 June for the autumn/fall semester and 1 November for the spring semester
Necessary documents (for EU students):
- Application form
- Learning agreement
- Transcript of records
Necessary documents (for non-EU students):
- Application form (see the above form)
- Learning agreement (see the above form)
- Transcript of records
- Multiple entry (D-type) visa to be obtained in the student's home country
Documents required for a visa application:
- a request for an entry visa submitted by the LMA prior to the student's application for a visa
- a valid travel document;
- a visa application form filled out and signed;
- a photograph;
- a valid travel medical insurance policy;
- the student's Learning Agreement duly signed;
- a document certifying the place of residence in Latvia;
- documents indicating that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence (14 EUR per day).
More information about visas and invitations is available on the websites of the Immigration Office http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/home/services/visas-and-invitations/#1 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/consular-information


text:
Arcam AVR850 AV Amplifier
|Manufacturer Link
|Arcam AVR850
|Free warranty
|5 years
|Delivery Charge
|Delivery Time
|1 - 5 Working Days
|Card Surcharge
Arcam AVR850 AV Amplifier
Further enhancing the performance of the new AVR550 and AVR850, Arcam has also included the very latest room correcting technology from Dirac Research. Dirac Live® for Arcam gives the dealer the ability to tune the acoustic performance of the system to any room situation giving the listener the best possible experience in their own home.
Together with Arcam's legendary amplifier technology, Dolby Atmos delivers captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, to bring entertainment alive all around the audience. Whether you are listening to music, movies, television shows or playing your favourite video games, Dolby Atmos delivers the full impact of the entertainment experience. Note: for a 7.1.4 system, an additional 4-channel amplifier (or two 2-channel power amplifiers) is required.
Both video and audio stages are designed to embrace both current and upcoming technologies. HDMI2.0a with HDCP2.2 4K "Ultra HD" and 3D video capability are built in.
An internal tuner provides a fully integrated FM / DAB / DAB+ (in appropriate markets) radio solution. Worldwide access to internet radio stations is provided through the network connection, which also interfaces to UPnP audio servers. The USB port supports memory devices.
Control is possible via Ethernet, enabling it to be fully integrated with whole house control systems, or via the iOS MusicLife UPnP/control app. RS232, 12V triggers and standard IR control are also included.
The AVR550 & AVR850 are designed in the UK.
Delivers moving audio that fills the room with breathtaking detail & control!
Charlie Brennan - CEO, Arcam
Technical Specifications
Continuous power output, per channel, 8Ω/4Ω (AVR850)
2 channels driven, 20Hz - 20kHz, <0.02% THD - 120W/200W
2 channels driven, 1kHz, 0.2% THD - 130W/210W
7 channels driven, 1kHz, 0.2% THD - 100W/180W
Residual noise & hum (A-wtd) - <0.15mV
Audio Performance (Stereo line inputs)
Signal/noise ratio (A-wtd, stereo direct) - 110dB
Frequency response - 20Hz—20kHz ± 0.1dB
Video Inputs
HDMI - x7, 1 MHL compatible
Video Outputs
HDMI - Z1 x2 (ARC Compatible), Z2 x1
Audio Inputs
HDMI - x7, Coax SPDIF - x4, Toslink - x2, RCA Phono - x6,
3.5mm aux, USB input, Ethernet Client, Internet Radio, ARC (from display)
Audio Outputs
7.1.4 Pre-amp output - 12x RCA Phono
Zone 2 output - RCA Phono
Radio Tuner
FM / DAB / DAB+ (in appropriate markets)
Supported Surround Modes Include
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround
DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete, DTS-ES 6.1 Matrix, DTS 5.1
12V Trigger x2
IR in x2
6V rSeries PSU x1
Power consumption (max) - 1.5kW (approx. 5200 BTU/hour)
Power consumption (standby) - <0.5W
Dimensions & Weights (AVR850)
W x D (inc. speaker terminals) x H (inc. feet) - 433 x 425 x 171mm
Weight (net) - 16.7kg
Weight (packed) - 20.0kg
EAN/UPC code (AV850)
5 060133 602521
Arcam AVR850 AV Amplifier


text:
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons (Find out more or buy through Amazon…) This is officially my new favorite picture book, hands down, no question. There are a number of things I like about it, but I think my favorite part is that Edison WANTS to read it on his own. With some coaxing, he will read other books, but he wont even let me hold this one. Aside from that, I like Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy buttons because: It has a great voice, rhythm, and meter It reenforces basic match concepts It has content…
Category: Preschool Stuff We Love
How To Get Your Child to Sleep In…This Works!
If you have a young child that gets up way too early, you have to try this awesome way to get your child to sleep in in the morning.
Best Books for 4 Year-Old Boys
Well, since I already have posts for Best Books for 2 Year-Olds and Best Books for 3 Year-Old Boys, I figured it was high time for me to put together new list, now that my son is a 4 year-old. You may notice just a couple of repeats, but just because my son is a year older, doesn't mean he no longer likes books from when he was "little". 🙂 The Day the Babies Crawled Away (Find out more or buy through Amazon…) Right now, this is one of my top 3 favorite books. It's rhythm and rhyme make…
Best Books for 3 Year-Old Boys
Check out the books that my 3 year-old son has made us read more than 3 times this week.
How I Choose the Best Books for My 3 Year-Old
I love finding books for my 3 year-old. But, with new authors and writing styles constantly entering the scene, it can be hard to sift through the fluff and find the treasures. Below are some of the things I look at when I search for books for my 3 year-old. Commercial Books Should Offer More Than Just Marketing I try to stay away from commercial books. That doesn't mean that I won't pick up an early-reader book featuring the cast of Cars 2. It just means that the book has to offer more than just an opportunity for Disney or whomever…
Galway to Graceland, Ukulele Style
So, I know this post doesn't look like it involves activities for preschoolers, but I swear it does. The ukulele is the perfect starter instrument for a 3 year-old. It is the right size, teaches music appreciation, fine motor skills, and you name it. Edison is already starting to get the hang of strumming, and I just got it today. My friend, River, turned me on to the baritone ukulele which has 4 strings that are tuned just like the highest strings on the guitar. So, if Little Man can get the hang of the ukulele, guitar would be a natural transition.…
The Best Toys for 3 Year-Old Boys
View a picky mom's choices for the best toys for 3 year-old boys.
My Preschooler's Favorite Early Reader Books
Preschool early reader books are fantastic for teaching sight words and building reading confidence. Check out my preschooler's favorite early reader books.


text:
This month has been a grand old mix of just about everything, and I can hardly believe that we're almost to the end of the year. I had high hopes of knocking out another novella, but that hasn't panned out quite so well. All good. I turned 32, had an amazing birthday, Christmas was wonderful and my garden got a massive clean out. So as a whole, it has been a good month. Just not so much for writing.
At the beginning of 2012 I posted that this year was going to be all about exploration. I knew it was going to be a 'big' year, but had no idea in what way that would manifest. Quite frankly, I had no idea what was in store for me. This has been a hell of a year, and while the growth that's occurred has been great and life is on track to improve, in some ways I wish it never happened. It has been hard. Really hard.
I started back at university, which was really something. I LOVED the paper I took. I learned so much and have been able to apply a lot of the things I've learned to life in general, as well as using new skills to help friends through some stuff. It really confirmed for me that counselling is going to play a role in my life – whether as a career, or just as something I have in my arsenal of skills*. That said, I did drop out from the Lifeline training as I had this overwhelming sense that it just wasn't something I could follow through on (the weekly time commitment etc).
This was just as well, because not long after that school started back up for Ivy and things deteriorated pretty quickly. She'd already been on a downward spiral, having major difficulties with her temper, her moods and life in general, but the added stress of school just seemed to tip her over the edge. It wasn't long before she started talking about killing herself, and making plans for how she would do this. Naturally, I was beyond concerned and we went to see child mental health.
Since the beginning of April this year she's been in therapy weekly, had a mass of testing done and been declared to have either ADHD, Aspergers, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Depression, Bi-polar or a combination of these things. They can't really pin-point which is it, and have said she is 'unique' and 'baffling'. She is also highly intelligent, but we already knew that. They got us to trial some medication for ADHD but it was like she was on speed, so we opted to discontinue that within a week of starting and haven't looked back.
This lead to us making the decision to homeschool. School seemed to be a major source of her depression and it had got to the point where she could eat nothing at school, she had almost constant tummy aches, chronic anxiety about what might happen at school, and would begin crying or screaming at me within moments of walking out the classroom door (which would pretty much continue until bedtime).
Needless to say, none of our wee family were thriving, and it was killing all of us living in a warzone with one incredibly unhappy little girl. No child should have to feel the way she was feeling.
It was August before she got her exemption, but since then she's been doing really well. Her desire to learn has come back, she is creative and imaginative now, and while she's still very difficult to keep focused, at least she has a lust for knowledge. She can eat again, she has no tummy aches, and she hasn't spoken a word about wanting to kill herself for months now.
Total win.
She's still very explosive though and gets exhausted easily, just behaving herself on an ordinary day is tiring for her. What other kids normally cope with is very taxing for her, and I've learned to make allowances. If we have a busy day, an overly stimulating day, we stay home the next and she can meltdown as much as she needs to in the comfort of her own home. She's generally very well behaved in public, which is a blessing. It's not an ideal situation, but it's the best we can do right now. I'm so pleased we can do this for her, and even her psychologist has said that the main factor in her getting 'better' even this much has been home school, not therapy.
All of this has meant more stress in our collective life, but in mine mostly. I've gone from having two kids home full time, to having three and adding teacher to my already comprehensive list of 'stuff I do'. I've got to admit I do enjoy it (thank goodness!!) but it has meant we're still working on routines and I'm still learning to take time out for myself (I'm not very good at that yet). We'll get there eventually. It's clear to everyone who knows her that this was absolutely the best thing we could have done for her.
To make all of my daughters difficulties even harder to deal with, I got my cycle back finally (after years without!) only to find that I have PMDD. This is pretty nasty and meant that initially I was all but useless for about 10 days a month. I thought I had lost it, and then realized it was incredibly cyclical. The doctor confirmed it, and I've since tried a few things to help. I'm still working on sorting it out permanently, but after 8 or so months now, I am finally learning to go a little easier on myself in those down days, and make the most of the rest of the month. It's a work on progress.
As for my writing, well I didn't get a single thing published this year. I spent most of my time working on longer pieces – I finished the first draft of Sun-Touched, and I wrote, edited and submitted Burn (at least I thought I did. Turns out I actually submitted a portion of my final assignment for my uni paper… moral of the story is: don't hand in a bunch of things at the same time, you might get confused), and started a second novella as well, currently titled Shell and Bone. I feel good about the lessons I learned regarding writing, which will hopefully pay off next year. I'm trying not to be too bothered about the fact there were no sales.
The bright spot of my writing life has been my writing friends, who are so wonderful, and so great to work along side, and the discovery that no matter how long a break I take between projects, I can slip right back into writing with ease. Beautiful.
EDITED TO ADD. OH AND I CO-WON AN AWARD. I had totally forgotten, but Anna reminded me. That was also an amazing thing that happened in my writer life. A Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collected Works. Epic.
So yeah. Rough year. Big year. And that's without all the tragedies and sadness that has happened to those I care about. If you'd asked me what I thought life would look like at the beginning of 2012, I could never have predicted that this would be it. I think we're all still adjusting, but that's probably just what we'll have to call 'normal' for… well, perhaps forever. Who knows.
For right now I am looking ahead. I can't see how 2013 could be any more challenging (knock on wood!!), so I am certainly hoping for more light spots than dark, more obvious progress, and more positive change within our family unit.
I'll be studying two papers – one per semester – and as my writing group as dubbed it, 2013 is going to be the year of the novel. Sun-Touched is going to be my primary writing project and I can't wait to knock it into submission quality.
I truly hope that your 2012 was a little easier than mine. And if it wasn't, I'm really sorry it was so rough. Enjoy the last days of it, though, you survived and that's something to be proud of. That said, I'll be raising a glass on the 31st and saying thank god it's over!
Here's to 2013. Catch you next year 😉
*I managed to swing a B+ on my counselling theory paper (which I'm over the moon about. I know it's not an A, but all things considered, it's quite an achievement). As well as to complete the Mauri Ora course through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
This month has been a grand old mix of just about everything, and I can hardly believe that we're almost to the end of the year. I had high hopes of knocking out another novella, but that hasn't panned out quite so well. All good. I turned 32, had an amazing birthday, Christmas was wonderful and my garden got a massive clean out. So as a whole, it has been a good month. Just not so much for writing.


text:
It's no surprise that nutrition and health experts recommend cutting back on sugar as a key to healthy eating. Sugars added to foods and beverages are "empty" calories, and diets higher in added sugars are associated with negative health effects, including an increased risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
And there's a good chance that you're eating more sugar than you should. Take this quick quiz to test your sugar smarts in observance of National Nutrition Month!
The main source of added sugars in our diets is table sugar.
False. The two main sources of added sugars in our diets are sugar-sweetened beverages (soft drinks; sports, energy and fruit drinks) and snacks and sweets (cakes, cookies, ice cream, candy and other desserts). These sources account for about 70 percent of the added sugars in U.S. diets.
All sugars are added sugars.
False. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit or milk, are not added sugars. There are many foods that we eat every day that are naturally sweet, which means they contain carbohydrates (sugars) as part of their chemical design. You can find a variety of added sugar ingredients listed on food labels including cane sugar, brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, agave syrup, trehalose, and turbinado sugar ("sugar in the raw"), to name a few.
Most of us eat too much added sugar.
True. In fact, most Americans exceed the recommendations for added sugars, consuming about 270 calories—nearly 17 teaspoons—of added sugars daily.
There is room to include limited amounts of added sugars in your diet.
True. Healthy eating patterns limit added sugars, not eliminate them. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 recommend consuming less than 10 percent of total calories per day from added sugars—a limit of no more than about 12 teaspoons (50 grams) of sugar for a 2,000 calorie diet. And the American Heart Association recommends women limit added sugars to no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons of sugar) and men, no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons of sugar). While you may be thinking, "I never eat that much sugar", keep in mind that the average 12 ounce soda contains about 10 teaspoons of added sugar.
Ready to turn your awareness into action? Here are a few tips.
- Take inventory. Do you know how much sugar you're eating? As a first step, identify any obvious sources of added sugars in your diet—like soda, candy, cookies, flavored coffee drinks, "sports drinks and bars" and dessert—and swap them for healthier, sugar-free or lower-sugar options. Choose diet beverages, water/zero-calorie flavored water, and fruit as a naturally sweet treat.
- Cut back. Read labels to compare the amounts of added sugars in foods, and choose less sweetened, lower-sugar versions. Try to find labels on foods that say "no added sugars". For instance you will see this health notice on canned fruits, juice and many breakfast cereals. Limit sweet treats and reduce portion sizes; try cutting the amount of sugar in recipes by half.
- Create a sugar budget. Decide how you want to "spend" your daily added sugar allowance. Making smart food and beverage choices that help you manage your sugar intake today is a good long-term investment for a healthier future!
Share in the comments section below how you plan to reduce sugar in your daily diet.
March is National Nutrition Month®, a nutrition education campaign hosted every year by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. This year's theme, "Put Your Best Fork Forward," is a reminder that each of us has the power to make better food and beverage choices that add up to a healthier diet—one forkful at a time.
While you've probably heard a lot about what you should eat, the message of "eating one forkful at time" also highlights the importance of the amount of food we eat. In fact, how much we eat is one of the most important parts of building a healthy diet, and can affect your weight and risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Here are some simple portion control strategies you can put into practice at your next meal to make every bite count, whether you're eating out or at home.
Let your plate be your guide: Visualize your plate in portions to help manage serving sizes as well as nutritional balance. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with a protein food (meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, soy products, nuts and seeds) and the remaining one quarter with a grain-based food (bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal), preferably whole grains, and add a serving size of dairy (one cup of milk or yogurt, or 1.5 ounces of natural cheese) to complete your meal. Tip: for more information about food groups, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.
Give yourself a hand: Instead of weighing food on a kitchen scale, use your hand as a simple measurement of food portions. A serving of chicken, fish or beef is about the size and width of your palm. A serving of starchy carbohydrates like pasta, potatoes, cereal and rice is about the size of a clenched fist (about 1 cup). A serving of butter is half a thumb; for salad dressing or oil, a whole thumb (about 1 tablespoon); and peanut butter, 2 thumbs' worth (about 2 tablespoons). A serving (one cup) of fruit or vegetables is about the size of a clenched fist. Tip: for personalized nutrition advice and meal planning, consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
Downsize at the diner: If you're dining out, eating the right portion size can be tricky, as most entrées can serve 2-3 people. Plan to split an entrée with a friend, or cut your meal in half when it arrives and put one half in a to-go box before you start eating. If menu items are available in a variety of sizes, order the small size instead of a medium or large. Tip: choose a healthy appetizer or salad rather than an entrée.
Read the label: Many packaged foods actually contain multiple servings. For example, a 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 2.5 servings, and a 3-ounce bag of chips, 3 servings. To manage the amount of calories and nutrients from foods and beverages you eat each day, check the Nutrition Facts label for the number of servings in the container. Tip: purchase single-serving sizes of snack foods or pre-portion healthy snacks like nuts, fruits and veggies into single-serving bags for a sensible grab-and-go option.
To learn more about healthy eating every day of the year, visit Sodexo's Mindful site.
Not only is Valentine's Day around the corner, but February is also American Heart Month. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S.. What better way to show how much you love your heart than by making heart-healthy food choices? Here's a simple checklist to help you eat for a healthier heart. (more…)