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Ramadan Journal: Day 16: What are you reading?
If you are here for the first time, kindly read this post on Journal your Ramadan to understand this series better. Jazakumullah khair.
I've been reading / reciting the Holy Quran. During Ramadan, we try and finish reciting the Holy Quran atleast once. Let me tell you a bit about our holy book.
- The Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (saw) through angel Jibrael (as).
- It took approximately twenty three years for the Holy Quran to be revealed.
- It was compiled into a book form after the death of Holy Prophet (saw) by his successors Hadrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hadrat Umar (ra).
- The Holy Quran consists of 114 chapters and is divided into 30 parts. Each day of Ramadan we try to recite one part so that we can finish the whole Quran by end of Ramadan.
- You might know this already - language of the Holy Quran is Arabic. Translations are available in many languages.
|Made Aleesa for the first time. I will share the recipe after making few more batches. :)
|New stock for my store. Sad that I can't use any of them. But happy to see them anyway. ;)
|Project Life came home. Weeeeee!! Will tell you more about it later. :)
|My sister dropped by to give me some foodie love - chicken puff pastry cups! They were YUMMM!!!
10 comments
Hi Neelu,ReplyDelete
I totally agree about today's topic about the Quran ...the teachings that were sent 1400 years ago hold true even today and i find they are so relevant to our day to day issues!!and going on to a completely different topic the Aleesa and those chicken cups look sooo yummm!!! and so do the paper pads and dies:)
It's nice to see another little nugget of information about Islam :-). You're right about the Quran, what amazes me is the extensive details in it, touching just about every part of life. Ideally, we should all teach our kids to understand the Quran as well as read it, though I admit it isn't easy. Can't wait for your Aleesa recipe!!ReplyDeleteReplies
True that!Delete
Will post recipe soon.. I'am trying not to make this journal only about food :D
i had seen an aleesa recipe in laksmi nair's book.. but something stopped me from trying it.. dont remember what?? will ahv eto go back and check!!!:)ReplyDeleteReplies
ayyo Renu! Don't try Laksmi's recipe for Aleesa. She has her own twists in her recipes. Aleesa tastes better the traditional way. I will send you my recipe soon.Delete
Thanks for sharing some more on Islam and The Holy Quran...and I too believe that times change but human beings don't.awaiting the recipe of Aleesa...I may sound ignorant...but have no clue what it is....The crafty stuff looks yummy too.Once I have a better internet connection...will stop by to have a better look at your shop.You are lucky( Inshallah)to have your loved ones around you to pamper you with yummy things as well as love.ReplyDelete
have a blesed day.Replies
Thank you Snehal.Delete
Aleesa is basically a soup with wheat and meat (chicken or lamb). It's very easy to make and very very healthy too. :)
Neelu, Thank you for the good read about Holy Quran..Haved a blessed day.ReplyDeleteReplies
welcome Nima. Glad to see you here again. :))Delete


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Bayern / Germany / Europe
In this workshop, our team of analog photographers will teach you all the steps from developing negatives to enlarging your first pictures on faber base paper.
Using an analog camera
- Loading and unloading film
- Different kind of film
- Exposure/aperture/shutter speed/film speed
- Metering light
- Steps of Negative development and explanation of different chemicals.
- How to develop film yourself (and we help you of course).
- Explanation of how to influence contrast and density of the negative during development.
- Explanation of "Push" development.
- How to take care of Negatives.
- Steps of Positive development (explanation of the different chemicals and an overview of different developers).
- Explanation different photo papers.
- How to develop a faber base photo properly
At the end of the workshop you will have developed your own film and photos. You will also have the understanding on how to set up your own darkroom at home.
This workshop is limited to 4 people at a time and it will run several times a year. We also offer it as a one-on-one workshop. If you are interested in this, please let us know.
Prize: 90.00 €
Dates: May4th, 2019
Location: "White Rabbit", Nuremberg, Germany
To bring: Your analog camera with b&w film
Language: English, German
Accommodation and meals not included. We can help you finding reasonable accommodation.
Further information: http://www.janschlegel.photography/shopmain/1-day-basics-in-analog-photography-workshop
Hi I'm Kim!
Sometimes I'm in front of the camera, sometimes behind it. I love working with people together who want to create something and have a vision. I work a lot together with Jan Schlegel, he has become a good friend of mine. I'm his assistant in planning and organizing workshops in collaboration with the White Rabbit in Nürnberg, Germany. The White Rabbit is an artist collective focused on empowering and supporting artists. Through community and creative workspace, we aspire to give artists the platform they need to impact society locally, regionally, and globally.
I fell in love with analog photography. The calmness and the slowing down in our buzzling lifes catches me.
"Die Kraft eines Portraits, liegt in dem Bruchteil der Sekunde,
in dem man etwas vom Leben der fotografierten Person versteht.
Ein Portrait nimmt man nicht alleine auf. Der Andere schenkt es einem."
― Sebastião Salgado

subset: commoncrawl


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Download 3 Essentials to Crush any Job Interview
Dear Graduates, Job Seekers and the Career Ambitious,
Are you finding difficulty in turning job interviews into offers? Do you find yourself feeling nervous, being unsure of what to expect and struggling to tackle the tough and tricky interview questions?
If that's you, you're in good hands! The 3 Essentials to Crush any Job Interview is here to help.
I've spent the last 4 years travelling the world speaking and coaching thousands of graduates, job seekers and working professionals and interviewed some of the top employers on what they look for in a candidate. I've also placed more than 550 students into internships and work placements. The end result? I've painstakingly compiled the best and most practical advice, carefully organized and jam-packed them into one guide.
This guide is put together so that you will have what you need to crush your next interview.
Whether you are fresh out of university seeking work, have been struggling with unemployment for a while or are looking to level up your career, this one's for you. You will learn:
- How to stand out when answering that one question which 99.9% of interviewers will ask
- Some of the toughest interview questions used and how to approach them
- The one thing 90% of interview candidates forget to do which can cost them the job
When you finish the guide, you'll be confident in approaching your next interview and be able to better handle the curve balls which interviewers might throw at you.
This guide is great for passionate and motivated individuals seeking a successful career (e.g. sales, HR, marketing, finance, consulting, operations, accounting, etc). It's handy for anyone seeking a job, currently in a job, or even international students and job seekers working towards a career in Australia.


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LSAT June 2007 - Logic Game 2 Part 3
This video is the third in a six-part series that goes through the second logic game on the June 2007 LSAT. It explains how to do the second question in the game (the seventh in the section). You can download the June 2007 LSAT at http://www.lsac.org/pdfs/SamplePTJune.pdf and it will be helpful to have a printed copy in order to follow along.This video series was created by Economists Do It With Models, and more information can be found at http://www.economistsdoitwithmodels.com/LSAT
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Southwood is a residential community in the southwest quadrant in of Calgary, conveniently located along Macleod Trail and the LRT line it affords direct access to the downtown.
The boundaries of the community are the alley north of Springwood Drive and Southland Crescent and Southland Drive to the north, Macleod Trail to the east, Anderson Road to the south and 14 Street to the west.
Southwood community association
Southcentre Mall
Southwood Library
Anderson LRT Station
Harold Panabaker School
Ethel M. Johnson School
St. Stephen School
Calgary Board of Education (CBE)
Calgary Catholic Board of Education (CSSD)
Calgary French Immersion (CBE)
School zones may be adjusted by both the public and or catholic school boards, visit the links above to confirm the most current information
Click here for a breakdown of social statistics for this culturally diverse community, including such details as income, age, marital status and population diversity.


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Test the carpet to be cleaned for Color Fastness and Color Stability by applying FOLEX on a hidden area of the carpet, such as in the corner of a closet. Only use FOLEX on colorfast, and color stable carpets.If you are using a machine with a direct draw tube: put the tube directly into your bottle of full strength FOLEX.
If you are using a machine with a mixing tank: mix 1 part FOLEX with 4 to 6 parts warm water. The softer your water is, the better your results will be.
Do not use hot water when cleaning your carpet, as excessive heat can set stains.
You should pre-treat heavily soiled areas with full strength FOLEX, agitating the FOLEX into stained areas, just prior to using the machine.
FOLEX is not a soap, so
you do not need to add a defoamer.
FOLEX will not leave a sticky residue, so you do not have to rinse.
FOLEX is not a solvent, so your carpet backing will not be damaged.
FOLEX is "Non-Ionic", so it will not attract dirt back to the cleaned area.
FOLEX is "Non-Toxic", so your newly cleaned
carpet is safe for your children and pets.
|Home | Folex Facts | Carpet Stains | Upholstery Stains | Clothing Stains | Machine Cleaning
FAQ | USA Msds | Folex Retailers | Contact Folex | Links
Copyright 2013, Folex Company. All rights reserved. Site administrator B.P. Lash


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Sunday, 23rd December 2019 from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
Due to scheduled system maintenance the AEB data center will be temporarily unavailable. You will find the ticket number for the fallback procedure (applies to Germany only) a few days prior to the maintenance date on the AEB Status page (https://service.aeb.de/en/nocache/status/).
We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Best regards,
AEB Support Team


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Summary – Situation where mistakes must not happen.
It's just not easy to becoming a doctor. I once heard (doctors.. please correct me if I'm wrong) that in any test while pursuing medicine, the marking method is completely different from the rest of us. For us, if we answer the question wrongly, they will be no mark for that question. But for the soon-to-be doctors, if they answered the question wrong, their marks will be deducted accordingly. Doctors must train themselves to only be sure when answering, if not.. it is always better to leave the question alone.
They just can't afford to make any mistake, especially when lives are at stake.
An engineer is expected to make mistake, since this is the only way we can learn and get a more accurate result. Any damage done to the machine, is never an issue, we just simply replace it. But doctors can't do that. Otherwise, unfortunate cases like the cutting of wrong arm of a baby will be more common. Once the trust is gone… I guess we will have to take up medicine and be the family doctor ourselves.
What I'm trying to say is.. that in life there are two different situation. One, in which mistake is actually allowed and needed to gain experience. And Another where mistakes is never an option. NEVER… not only to doctors, but to us all.
Examples are like when we were going to blame someone. We must be sure that he is the culprit. No mistakes. If not sure, it is better to leave him alone. There is a saying in law if I am not mistaken, that "It is always better to free 10 guilty criminal than to imprison one innocent person"
In Islam also, the phrase "Cerai" is not a words can be joked around. If a husband say "Saya Ceraikan Awak" to the wife, irregardless of intention. The divorce had already occured.
Maybe you know any other situation that mistakes is not allowable?
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Travelling abroad this summer? Are you familiar with the local laws and customs of your destination?
According to research from the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office), Britons travelling abroad are risking arrest, prosecution or even prison by not researching the local laws and customs of the country they are travelling to before they go.
The FCO study found that nearly half of all women that sunbathe topless do so without first checking if it is against the law. And one in ten men also confessed to mooning or streaking on holiday, risking arrest and a fine.*
* Source – ITIJ August 09
Jess Prasad, the FCO's Know Before You Go campaign manager, said: "Different countries have different laws and customs, and what's acceptable in Spain may not be acceptable in Greece and Turkey."
What can seem like a bit of harmless fun on holiday, can turn out to be a serious offence in some countries with potential consequences. With more people choosing to travel outside the eurozone this summer, it is more important that holiday makers familiarise themselves with the local laws and customs before they go.
In July 2008 alone, Dubai police arrested 79 people, the majority of whom were tourists, for topless sunbathing, nudity and other acts that were deemed indecent by the authorities.*
* Source – ITIJ August 09
Even stricter laws apply in Abu Dhabi where kissing in public is considered an offence, yet over half of Britons travelling abroad have done so, possibly risking prosecution and a fine.*
* Source – routesonline.com August 09
Remember, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office will help you if you do find yourself in a spot of bother abroad but only to a certain extent.
24/7 travel insurance top tips:
- Read up on local cultures and learn a few words of the local language before you go.
- Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places – if in doubt ask for advice or don't visit.
- Always take note of the British Embassy or local British Consulate whereabouts and contact details at your destination so you know who to call if necessary.
For all kinds of useful travel advice including country-specific information, visit www.gov.uk/browse/abroad.
Don't forget to pack travel insurance!Carry your travel insurance documentation with you on holiday and keep the 24 hour emergency assistance number on you at all times along with your policy number. Contact us today for an instant 24/7 travel insurance quote, for just £5.91* 24/7 travel insurance will cover you for a 3-day trip to Europe!
*Premium £5.91 includes Insurance Premium Tax; based on an individual traveller aged under 55 taking out a Standard single-trip policy for 3 days in Europe including personal possessions cover and purchased within 14 days of departure date. Cover details and prices are correct at time of going to press (August 2009) and are subject to change.


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Zaaz High Chair By Nuna
Ships in 7 Days
Zaaz High Chair Product Description:
Perfect Fit
Is it a designer chair, or one destined for daily juice-box battles? The Nuna ZAAZ masters both, beautifully.
Built from the ground up with clever and practical design, our innovative high chair grows with your baby for years of chic yet sturdy mealtimes. The ZAAZ is exceedingly safety tested, comfortable, customizes to any size and matches your pre-baby lifestyle.
Who knew mealtime could be so delicious?
- grows with child
- evolves with baby to big-kid size
- removable tray
- removable arm bar
- gliding lift mechanism
Smart Design
- customize the ZAAZ to any size, height or amount of wiggles
- hidden lift mechanism adjusts height easily and lets baby join in at the table
- unique air foam cushion fits each chair and pads both small and bigger bottoms
- no-crevice design outwits crumbs and cleans up like a dream
- removable plastic components are dishwasher safe
- made of high quality materials and is bpa, pvc and dehp free
- three or five point anti-loop harness, featuring quick click release button
Product Specifications
- recommended use: when child can sit up unaided
- product: h 34.3 x w 18.9 x l 24.5 in
- product weight: 23 lbs
Product Dimensions (inches)
34.3″ l x 24.5″ w x 18.9″ h


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When was the last time you invested seriously in you?
Leaders get to their roles because they are motivated, have a clear idea of where they are going in life. Once you've achieved this what next?
Business Owners get into business because of their talents and interests and use this to set up their businesses. Once you've done that they realise that they have to sell, market and promote your business – and this requires a set of skills you may not have. To grow businesses and organisations you need to be in a good place with the skills you need.
Develop your leadership through coaching
With my experience in strategic management of organisations and my personal development expertise I am extraordinarily well placed to support the development of your leadership skills either for your self or for your organisation or your business.
Others can only tell or show you what to do – I teach you how to do it as well.
Real results – fast outcomes – lasting change.
Executive coaching for outstanding leaders
With so much attention focussed on organisational change and development – who is looking after you? Too often the person at the top has to fend for themselves. You are only as effective as you are because of your motivation, values, beliefs, and how well these fit with your career and lifestyle. Let these get out of balance and you are less effective, less motivated, more stressed with the resulting impact on every part of your life.
Coaching starts with you and your values. Deals with any barriers to your success. Identifies your key priorities in Relationships, Wealth, Career, and Health.
Every organisation or business has barriers to achieving success. When these barriers are people or interactions between people then that is when the skills of a coach will help you overcome these barriers and improve your effectiveness.
Ten Steps to organisational excellence
How and where a coach can contribute to success.
What are your own values – how well to they align to the values of your organisation or business? We take values as a given but rarely consider them with any depth. They tend to become set within us at particular points in our lives but they have such a profound impact on everything we do that it is difficult to estimate the way they shape our daily lives. Now apply that thought to your business or organisation. What are its values? How did they evolve? Who shaped them? do they still meet the needs of the organisation or business? If your values are not aligned and shared then your relationships, culture, ethos will not be supporting the aims of the whole system. When did you last consider your own values in the light of your wider needs?
Have a well formed outcome
What are you aiming for? How will you know when you've got there?
When you start up a business or take on leadership of an organisation what was your aim? Just not to work for someone else? What did you want to achieve in going into that role? Well the danger is that the outcome you worked for was not that well formed, or focussed on one particular narrow objective. The better you have developed your outcome and overall plan going three or five years from now the more likely you are to achieve your goals.
If you and everyone in your business / organisation knows what the precise aims everyone is working towards achieving then the more effective you will be.
Years ago I took my car to a local garage. The service I got was outstanding, it was and is a very ordinary looking place – nothing flash, in-fact they sold a lot of second hand parts (The original reason for going there!) What impressed me most was the attitude of everyone in the company. Everyone acted as if it was their own business and looked after me and other clients equally well. In fact it was several years as a customer before I eventually found out which two of the staff were in fact the owners. This was because the values and outcomes of all the staff were shared to an unusual degree. Needless to day I'm still a customer over a decade later.
When your own outcomes and values align to those of your business or organisation then your and it will thrive. If your own values are not aligned then you will literally be pulled in several directions at once.
Ecology Check
Its all too easy plan for success without checking how these plans affect everyone else involved – In this sense 'ecology' is the study of all consequences. Whatever we decide to to it will effect ourselves and other people. It is important to check the ecology of plans and actions to ensure that they will not create further problems. When the ecology of plan or decision is considered then it is far more likely to be successful.
Adopt a physiology of excellence
Are you walking the talk? Do your actions match your words? When we adopt the physiology of excellence either personally or across a business or organisation if words match actions then change happens. If you want to achieve excellence then adopt that physiology, stance, body language, attitudes, standards, relationships of excellence. You already know what excellence looks like – adopt it and you will know what it feels like from the inside.
Feedback not failure
When things go fine we tend to ignore what we are doing and just assume we've done everything right. When things go wrong we take it personally and feel a sense of failure. Perhaps neither of these attitudes is right or helpful. If we treat every response we get – in relationships, business, – the whole of life as feedback then we put ourselves in a much better position to succeed. When we turn failure into feedback we can learn from it without the stress, or blame that comes with failure. When we learn from it we no longer get discouraged but we become objective and give ourselves many more options for success.
You already have the resources you need
What? I already have all the resources I need to be successful? How can this be? This is about two things – one is the impact that limiting beliefs – ourselves saying that there are things we cannot do which prevent us from being successful. well they are just beliefs. The other part of this is that we often feel that there are things which we would want to plan to achieve but we think are beyond us. Well if we go ahead and plan as if we had those resources then very often new and better solutions will develop for us. I used to work in a school which needed a new sports centre – we were only a Million Pounds short of the project – but we decided that if we didn't plan for it it would never happen, even though it was way beyond the budget of the school or the town council. Nevertheless we went ahead – deployed resources to the project – within two years it was opened by the minister of sport. We did not realise that it was something we could achieve but we did!
You cannot not communicate
Whatever we do communicates something to someone. What we say and how we say it is as important as what we don't say. It is vital that what we say and how we say it are perceived in a way that support your overall goals. Working hard, going to meetings and hard marketing might feel tough but look like taking it easy to others who will act accordingly. The meaning of your communication is in the response you get. You need to ensure that your message gets across the way you want it to.
Model successful performance
Everyone has a role model – usually many. When we are young we learn from the people that are important to us by modelling them – we unconsciously adopt the speech, physiology attitudes and values of those around us. On a larger scale you can adopt elements of other successful people and businesses. As soon as you adopt the model of a successful model you begin to adopt aspects of their performance which you have made your own.
Take action
If you always do what you've always done – you'll always get what you've always got!
If you plan for success and do nothing then nothing happens.
When you need to start something but don't know how or what to do – merely taking any action will change things and start them happening.


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Quick links Around My Site
Find patterns, kits, quilts and more in my store.
Free Patterns
This is where you can find all of my current free patterns
My BLog
See what I am working on and find fun stuff related to quilting
I am glad you came!
Enjoy exploring the world of quilting with me.
My life with quilts began at a very young age as I was tucked in each night under one of my grandmother's quilts. I still have her precious works of art. Growing up my own interests led me to drawing and painting, crochet, cross-stitch, and photography. I took many art classes throughout high school and college and so exposed myself to all sorts of arts and crafts. My own quilting adventures started while we were awaiting the arrival of our firstborn when I combined some cross-stitch designs with a simple quilt. We then moved to Michigan where I discovered an Amish quilting community and picked up a book to teach myself how to quilt. There were no rotary cutters in those days and the fabric choices were somewhat limited. But I was soon hooked by the limitless variety quilt making presented to me. The rest as they say is history. I have been quilting now for almost 30 years! My how the time flies. You would think I would have a house full of quilts, but most of my work has been given to others. I do have visions of a home adorned with my quilts someday.


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What is CSR?
Corporate Social Responsibility is a way for companies to develop their professional goals while delivering a reliable contribution to the society. Aware of its position in the local community, Nava has gone beyond its daily business operations in order to make a valuable impact on other levels. Whether in engineering or in strategic management, we will always seek to add a fair share of a social good to whatever communities of people we live with. People and their needs have always been at the very center of our attention, and will continue to be so in the future.
The Gdansk Hospice Foundation
We're supporting The Gdansk Hospice Foundation for years. It has been a registered charity since 2004 to promoting the idea of hospice care in the community – both in Pomerania and throughout Poland.
The Foundation's undertakings are diverse in nature, but one of its key assumptions is the material and substantive assistance for Polish hospices, patients and their families as well as the promotion of voluntary work. The immediate reason for the organisation's foundation was a need to support the Father E. Dutkiewicz (SAC) Hospice in Gdansk; the first hospice and palliative care centre in Pomerania.
The Hunt for Orzeł
The Orzeł (Eagle) was lost without trace with 54 crew aboard somewhere in the North Sea in the early summer of 1940. She had been taking part in a wartime patrol for the Royal Navy, and disappeared only months after completing one of the most daring and extraordinary maritime escapes on record.
Nava is official partner and sponsor of expeditions attempting to find the Orzeł's wreck, still lying somewhere at the bottom of the North Sea.
Back to school!
Nava helps to create a relaxation zone in Power Engineering School Complex in Gdańsk. For now we have provided a set of six fancy, colourful pouffes. More to come after the summer break.
Senioralia 2018
Senioralia 2018 in Nowy Dwór Gdański was an event prepared by seniors for kids from local community. Lots of visitors, performances, escape rooms, various workshops and many more – it was a huge success and we're happy that we were part of this day by providing gifts for children.
Bathrooms renovated for kids
It was such a pleasure! We were responsible for a complete restoration of bathrooms in an orphanage in a small town near Gdańsk. Our interior designer created an amazing project – colorful and full of energy. We provided all the necessary materials and, of course, the renovation team. The final effect looks fantastic! When the redecoration had been completed, we came up with visits and small gifts. The kids were happy, and so were we.
GDM Basket Jam 2017
GDM Basket Jam 2017 was a streetball tournament during Gdańsk Dźwiga Muzę festival. NAVA was one of main sponsors of this event.
A picnic for Gdansk Hospice Foundation
Volunteers from NAVA were present at a family picnic organized by the Gdansk Hospice Foundation. Cosplay, rope walking training, face painting, dance workshops, barbecue and many more activities brought smiles onto kids' faces. It was a great day!
New gear for Sosnowiec Basketball Team
JAS FBG Sosnowiec is a women basketball team from southern Poland. We have delivered outfits (tracksuits, sweatshirts, polo shirts etc.) and shoes for the U-18 girls team. We have always loved sport, haven't we?


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Thousands of cars and trucks travel Cumberland County's Carlisle Pike every day, and a great many line up to move through the gates of Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg. The inland Navy base established in 1942 is tucked away behind the pike's strip malls and fast-food restaurants in Hampden Township.
Regional position
"There would be a significant impact if the kind of work we do here in Mechanicsburg were transferred to another region of the country," said William Livage, director of the Navy human resources office at the base.
Livage is NSA Mechanicsburg's top civilian official and oversees the base's government employees under the Navy and Defense departments. Most of the workers live within a 40-mile radius of the base and primarily in the greater Harrisburg metro area, including Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York counties, he said.
Supplying the Navy takes a lot of people — 4,476 — and has a total direct economic impact of more than $465 million in contracts and local payroll. Include indirect payroll and spending: the impact is at least $800 million in a six-county region.
That makes the base one of the largest economic forces in Central Pennsylvania and beyond, particularly when you consider that purchasing done by commands at the base reaches into the billions of dollars. The numbers place the base at the top of the Central Penn Business Journal's list of distribution centers in a five-county region and make it one of the largest employers in the midstate.
If the base is counted separately from the U.S. government, it is No. 12 on the Business Journal's list of largest employers, about 100 workers more than Switzerland-based electronics manufacturer TE Connectivity Ltd. — formerly known as Tyco Electronics — which has U.S. engineering and administrative offices in Dauphin County; and the facility has about 600 fewer people than Harrisburg-based hospital owner Pinnacle Health System.
People and payroll
The largest contributing factor to NSA Mechanicsburg's impact on the local economy and business is the people who work there, including the 3,448 civilian government employees.
If one adds in 157 civilian employees and interns at self-sustaining operations on the base such as the travel agency, and 719 private contractors, that makes nonmilitary workers at the base 97 percent of total employment.
"We're a quality employer for this region," said Capt. James W. Smart, the installation's commanding officer. "And we're a preferred employer because of all the amenities that we have."
In fiscal year 2009, the most recent year for which the base had statistics, NSA Mechanicsburg's payroll was $328 million, Smart said.
The payroll alone has a large influence on the economy, considering the number of people who spend that money on homes, vehicles, appliances, groceries, medicine and all the other things people need or want to buy.
Some of the most widely used ways to gauge that money's reach are regional impact models, or RIMs, which calculate that every dollar in earnings generates about 66 percent more earnings in the community, said William Bellinger, an economics professor at Dickinson College in Carlisle.
A similar 2004 study of the U.S. War College in Carlisle found that direct earnings from the school that educates select civilian and military leaders amounted to $96 million across a six-county region, Bellinger said. Secondary earnings in the community were $62 million, for a total of $158 million.
If you apply the same model to NSA Mechanicsburg, the base's payroll generates more than $216 million in payroll at grocery stores, pharmacies, auto mechanics, restaurants and other retail and service businesses in the midstate. The total payroll impact would be
$544 million.
"(More than) 4,300 people buying $100 of groceries just once a week is a lot of money," said Ed Messner, former president of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce. "It's really a stabilizing factor in the local economy."
Messner, who retired from the chamber in 2009, was part of community efforts over the past two decades to keep the base from being closed as part of changes to military organization through the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, or BRAC.
Business of payroll
NSA Mechanicsburg payroll not only helps individuals working there and retail operations that sell to the public, it also supports businesses, starts new ones and finances others. Members 1st Federal Credit Union, which has a base branch, is a good example of how that happens.
Members 1st was started on the base as NSD Mechanicsburg Federal Credit Union, President and CEO Bob Marquette said. In May 1950, nine base workers each contributed $5 to start the credit union to lend money to other workers at the base, he said.
Over time, more workers and retirees from the base, and their family members, opened accounts with the credit union. In 1982, the National Credit Union Administration began allowing credit unions to serve employees of more than one company. Members 1st followed suit.
"The Navy depot was a large employer and a stable employer, which helped us fuel our success and growth," Marquette said.
Today, current and former base employees and their families represent 12.4 percent of the credit union's total 186,415 members, he said. Base-associated members account for $429 million in deposits with the company, or 24 percent of its total deposit sheet, he said. Loans to those members are 11.5 percent of the credit union's total worth more than $1.4 billion, he said.
If there's any doubt that the base's trickle-down effect helps the business community, consider that a quarter of all Members 1st loans — about $350 million — are business loans to local companies that use them to expand, add equipment, buy materials and maintain facilities, Marquette said.
"Our credit union helps consumers with their financial and purchasing needs," he said, "but it also helps businesses add jobs."
Contractual obligations
The base also spent $137 million on contracts last year, Smart said.
Companies in the midstate and beyond are the direct and indirect beneficiaries of that money and of doing business with the Navy through the base.
However, finding the money spent locally can require an exhaustive search of records because a lot of the contracting is handled by the 35 individual commands on the base, said Michael Randazzo, a spokesman for the base and his counterparts at the individual commands. At times, contracting is handled by the headquarters of those commands elsewhere in the Department of Defense.
The four largest commands on the base representing most of the workforce and contracts are:
- Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the base's public works department.
- Naval Supply Systems Command, which buys many of the Navy's supplies.
- Navy Supply Information Systems Activity, which purchases and manages information technology, computers, servers and other tech equipment.
- Naval Inventory Control Point, which is responsible for the warehousing and logistics operations on the base.
Naval Inventory Control Point has a $1.35 billion budget to purchase supplies for the Navy, said Debra Dortch, a command spokeswoman. Whether from local companies or others around the country, that's money that will bolster business, she said.
The command's largest Pennsylvania contract is worth more than $10.3 million, with Chester County-based Alloy Surfaces Co., Dortch said. The company makes air and naval countermeasures, such as flares, that help military vehicles escape enemy weapons.
Some of the midstate's largest companies, such as electronics manufacturer TE Connectivity, sell to the Navy directly or through contractors building military vehicles and equipment, spokesman Michael Ratcliff said.
It's likely NSA Mechanicsburg stores and distributes TE Connectivity repair parts for naval electronics, he said, but he could not confirm that. The company does not release financial data below the segment level.
TE Connectivity had net sales to the aerospace, defense and marine segment of $619.6 million, or about 40 percent of the company's $1.5 billion specialty products sales, according to its year-end filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
There's another local business perspective from Naval Facilities command.
"Physically, we don't have a huge footprint on the base, but we touch everything on the base," said Thomas A. Kreidel, the command's public affairs officer.
It spent $38.7 million just maintaining the base in fiscal year 2010, he said. Forty-four percent of those contracts, or $17 million, was awarded to companies within 100 miles of the base. Of the rest of the contracts, an estimated $10 million goes to local subcontractors, he said.
Spending from a base has a similar economic multiplier as that for payroll, Dickinson College's Bellinger said. With the War College study, secondary spending was about 87 percent of primary spending, he said.
If you apply that to Naval Facilities contracts, its secondary spending — or the money companies spend on supplies, materials and other necessities — in the midstate is about $23.5 million for total spending of $62.2 million.
Do the same math for base contracts and total spending jumps to more than $256 million. Even if it's indirect spending, local companies benefit.
Allan Bender, regional manager for Bentley World Packaging Ltd. in Shippensburg, said his company relies on the military for about 90 percent of its Pennsylvania work. The Milwaukee-based company does about 60 percent of its national packaging, crating and palette work with the military, he said.
With locations in Chambersburg and Shippensburg, the company is clearly a beneficiary of its proximity — only 48 miles and 36 miles, respectively — to the midstate's bases. Most of the company's work goes to the Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna in Fairview Township, York County, but the company also ships to NSA Mechanicsburg, Bender said.
"That's a piece that our customers look at: what's our proximity to (the bases)," he said. "If they can ship it here for packaging, then they can save on shipping costs to the bases."
The company's Chambersburg and Shippensburg locations employ 35 people on a regular basis, but for large contracts it increases payroll to 60 people, Bender said. In 2010, the midstate operations had sales of $4 million, he said. That involves receiving parts shipped in bulk for the military and repackaging them before shipping to the bases.
Lean warehousing
NSA Mechanicsburg today has a smaller workforce than at one time due to BRAC cuts over the past two decades, said Livage, who's worked at the base since 1983. That year about 8,000 people worked there, he said.
The base's employment was halved through BRAC rounds from 1988 to 1995. Congress and President Bill Clinton cut the military dramatically in the 1990s as part of balancing the federal budget. In 2005, the commission recommended to President George W. Bush that NSA Mechanicsburg's civilian workforce be reduced by 11 people, according to BRAC documents.
The commission recommended the next round of cuts should begin in 2015 following the Defense Department's 2013 operations review, according to BRAC documents.
The NSA Mechanicsburg workforce reductions have partly been due to the reduced size of the Navy fleet, Livage said. But an even more significant development over the last 20 years is the speed and efficiency of technology, he said. It just doesn't take as many people to procure, track, move and store products anymore.
"The work that used to be done by hand at a dumb terminal is now done using the Internet," he said.
Central Pennsylvania companies help make those processes more efficient.
Momentum Inc., a Cumberland County-based business and technology consulting firm, is involved with technical support for IT development and logistical operations at NSA Mechanicsburg, Vice President Bryan Kefer said. The company does a lot of bookends for IT development, such as determining project requirements, testing and training users on new software, he said.
Work with the base is about 25 percent of Momentum's business, he said. He declined to release financial information.
"Momentum got into that area several years ago," Kefer said, "which has provided new opportunities in addition to our work with the state and commercial sectors."
There are many IT and technology companies that work with the military bases because it's such a large part of its operations, said Tom Johnstin, general manager of Computer Aid Inc.'s federal systems division. The Allentown company has an office in Dauphin County. It works on applications support, development, network planning and consulting at NSA Mechanicsburg.
Computer Aid's Harrisburg region is the company's largest because of the state, federal, military and commercial work available here, he said.
While NSA Mechanicsburg is important to the company's bottom line, the underlying importance of the work goes beyond one company or region, he said.
"I like to look at it as it's all in support of the war fighter," Johnstin said.


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CLOSED - Fat City
- Where
- 314 11th Street, San Francisco , CA
- Call
- +1
- Web
- CLOSED - Fat City Website
- Tags
- Music, Live Music Clubs, Rock
You might remember some of us from The Cat Club, The Pound SF, The Make-Out Room, Latin American Club, and the legndary Nightbreak. But this here place called FAT CITY is a new project. It will not remind you of any of those other places. It is a diverse live music club that hosts a varied roster of artists, DJ's and performances. WE hope you will have as much fun as we are having and will continue to keep coming back!!! AND BY THE WAY WE ARE A.....21+......VENUE No Exceptions. (for now...stay tuned kids!).


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Some think that At&t and T-Mobile may be overcharging for pre-paid voice minutes that consumers are using. It is common to think that the length of a call would span from how long the call was recorded on your device, or rather how long the actual call lasted during its time of being in progress. The reality is that this is not actually the case, and that carriers treat the call length like people would most services where a charge is based off of time. The time that At&t and T-Mobile are recording begins when a person hits send or call, once they have chosen who their designated recipient will be for that call, and ends when the person finishes the call and hangs up by pressing the End Call button. This makes sense because the action of calling begins when the cell towers receive the signal from a designated device, and stops when the person making said call ends the transmission. Now, i'm not saying that this is how the carriers should be doing things, just that this is how they are done.
As reported by the Washington Post, some customers are experiencing what they think to be an overcharge when they use up their per minute voice calls. As an example, customers who have reported starting and ending a call before the timer on their phone read 1 minute, were getting charged for two minutes of usage time. Contrary to belief, this does not mean that customers are getting overcharged. The call length begins when the transmission starts, and ends when the transmission ends. Since the start time begins once a tower receives the signal, which is likely near immediately after one would press the send button, it sounds more like customers aren't accounting for the time it takes for the call to actually reach the tower and the bounce to the recipient.
As stated by At&t to support this theory, they were quoted saying to the post that time displayed on the phone does not necessarily reflect the start and end times that are recorded by the carrier and then charged to the customer. Surprised? You shouldn't be, because the cell tower is already working even though your call hasn't shown up on the screen as started yet. At&t further elaborates on their statement to the post by saying that call times begin when the send button is pressed, and ends when the end button is pressed. T-Mobile was recorded saying something similar in regards to the complaints being made by their customers. This may seem like a totally crappy way of doing things from a customers point of view, because they aren't actually getting any use out of that time being taken away from their bucket of voice minutes. Perhaps they're right. Maybe the idea of charging for when the call timer starts on a person's phone and when it ends is a better way to go about it. There are things that might need to be taken into account though if this were to happen. What if the call timer doesn't start at the same time for one person as it does the other? What if location that affects signal strength has an adverse affect on when a call is recorded by the carrier for one person but not another? Until carriers decide that per minute calls should be recorded from the moment the timer starts on a person phone instead of when they press to call, people are getting charged the correct amount. You might not like it, but that's the way it is.


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SFU Search
The goals of this paper are:
(1) to provide a statistical analysis approach that is appropriate for data from an interlaboratory study where responses are measured in discrete percentages and are subject to multiple sources of random variability, and (2) to apply this model to data on wood-failure percentages from block-shear tests on structural wood adhesives.
We treat percentage responses measured in 5-point intervals as having arisen from observing 20 independent binary responses on different parts of the observed wood blocks. The overdispersion that is likely to result from the practical inadequacy of this assumption is overcome empirically by the inclusion of a random effect for blocks. We propose an analysis based on a parametric bootstrap to provide sampling distributions for statistics that regulators might wish to use in setting standards for acceptance of wood adhesives. Similar computational methods are developed to assess the fit of the model. This model is shown to provide a reasonably good fit or actual data in many of the cases to which it was applied.
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) refers to a marked decline in blood pressure when upright. OH has a high incidence and prevalence in older adults and represents a potential intrinsic risk factor for falls in these individuals. Previous studies have not included more recent definitions for blood pressure responses to orthostasis, including initial, delayed, and recovery blood pressure responses. Furthermore, there is little research examining the relationships between cerebrovascular functioning and falling risk. Therefore, we aimed to: (i) test the association between different blood pressure responses to orthostatic stress and retrospective falling history and; (ii) test the association between cerebrovascular responses to orthostatic stress and falling history.
We tested 59 elderly residents in long term care facilities who underwent a passive seated orthostatic stress test. Beat-to-beat blood pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) responses were assessed throughout testing. Risk factors for falls and falling history were collected from facility records. Cardiovascular responses to orthostasis were compared between retrospective fallers (≥1 fall in the previous year) and non-fallers.
Retrospective fallers had larger delayed declines in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) compared to non-fallers (p = 0.015). Fallers also showed poorer early (2 min) and late (15 min) recovery of SAP. Fallers had a greater decline in systolic CBFV.
Older adults with a positive falling history have impaired orthostatic control of blood pressure and CBFV. With better identification and understanding of orthostatic blood pressure impairments earlier intervention and management can be implemented, potentially reducing the associated risk of morbidity and mortality. Future studies should utilize the updated OH definitions using beat-to-beat technology, rather than conventional methods that may offer less accurate detection.
Most procedures that have been proposed to identify dispersion effects in unreplicated factorial designs assume that location effects have been identified correctly. Incorrect identi- fication of location effects may impair subsequent identification of dispersion effects. We develop a model for joint identification of location and dispersion effects that can reliably identify active effects of both types. The joint model is estimated using maximum likelihood, and hence effect selection is done using a specially derived information criterion. An exhaustive search through a limited version of the space of possible models is conducted. Both a single-model output and model averaging are considered. The method is shown to be capable of identifying sensible location-dispersion models that are missed by methods that rely on sequential estimation of location and dispersion effects.
Typically studies of the effects of aging on cognitive-motor performance emphasize changes in elderly populations. Although some research is directly concerned with when age-related decline actually begins, studies are often based on relatively simple reaction time tasks, making it impossible to gauge the impact of experience in compensating for this decline in a real world task. The present study investigates age-related changes in cognitive motor performance through adolescence and adulthood in a complex real world task, the real-time strategy video game StarCraft 2. In this paper we analyze the influence of age on performance using a dataset of 3,305 players, aged 16-44, collected by Thompson, Blair, Chen & Henrey [1]. Using a piecewise regression analysis, we find that age-related slowing of within-game, self-initiated response times begins at 24 years of age. We find no evidence for the common belief expertise should attenuate domain-specific cognitive decline. Domain-specific response time declines appear to persist regardless of skill level. A second analysis of dual-task performance finds no evidence of a corresponding age-related decline. Finally, an exploratory analyses of other age-related differences suggests that older participants may have been compensating for a loss in response speed through the use of game mechanics that reduce cognitive load.
Condors and vultures are distinct from most other terrestrial birds because they use extensive soaring flight for their daily movements. Therefore, assessing resource selection by these avian scavengers requires quantifying the availability of terrestrial-based habitats, as well as meteorological variables that influence atmospheric conditions necessary for soaring. In this study, we undertook the first quantitative assessment of habitat- and meteorological-based resource selection in the endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) within its California range and across the annual cycle. We found that condor use of terrestrial areas did not change markedly within the annual cycle, and that condor use was greatest for habitats where food resources and potential predators could be detected and where terrain was amenable for taking off from the ground in flight (e.g., sparse habitats, coastal areas). Condors originating from different release sites differed in their use of habitat, but this was likely due in part to variation in habitats surrounding release sites. Meteorological conditions were linked to condor use of ecological subregions, with thermal height, thermal velocity, and wind speed having both positive (selection) and negative (avoidance) effects on condor use in different areas. We found little evidence of systematic effects between individual characteristics (i.e., sex, age, breeding status) or components of the species management program (i.e., release site, rearing method) relative to meteorological conditions. Our findings indicate that habitat type and meteorological conditions can interact in complex ways to influence condor resource selection across landscapes, which is noteworthy given the extent of anthropogenic stressors that may impact condor populations (e.g., lead poisoning, wind energy development). Additional studies will be valuable to assess small-scale condor movements in light of these stressors to help minimize their risk to this critically endangered species.
During spring-summer 2009, several observational studies from Canada showed increased risk of medically-attended, laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 illness among prior recipients of 2008–09 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV). Explanatory hypotheses included direct and indirect vaccine effects. In a randomized placebo-controlled ferret study, we tested whether prior receipt of 2008–09 TIV may have directly influenced A(H1N1)pdm09 illness. Thirty-two ferrets (16/group) received 0.5 mL intra-muscular injections of the Canadian-manufactured, commercially-available, non-adjuvanted, split 2008–09 Fluviral or PBS placebo on days 0 and 28. On day 49 all animals were challenged (Ch0) with A(H1N1)pdm09. Four ferrets per group were randomly selected for sacrifice at day 5 post-challenge (Ch+5) and the rest followed until Ch+14. Sera were tested for antibody to vaccine antigens and A(H1N1)pdm09 by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), microneutralization (MN), nucleoprotein-based ELISA and HA1-based microarray assays. Clinical characteristics and nasal virus titers were recorded pre-challenge then post-challenge until sacrifice when lung virus titers, cytokines and inflammatory scores were determined. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups of influenza-naïve animals. Antibody rise to vaccine antigens was evident by ELISA and HA1-based microarray but not by HI or MN assays; virus challenge raised antibody to A(H1N1)pdm09 by all assays in both groups. Beginning at Ch+2, vaccinated animals experienced greater loss of appetite and weight than placebo animals, reaching the greatest between-group difference in weight loss relative to baseline at Ch+5 (7.4% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.01). At Ch+5 vaccinated animals had higher lung virus titers (log-mean 4.96 vs. 4.23pfu/mL, respectively; p = 0.01), lung inflammatory scores (5.8 vs. 2.1, respectively; p = 0.051) and cytokine levels (p>0.05). At Ch+14, both groups had recovered. Findings in influenza-naïve, systematically-infected ferrets may not replicate the human experience. While they cannot be considered conclusive to explain human observations, these ferret findings are consistent with direct, adverse effect of prior 2008–09 TIV receipt on A(H1N1)pdm09 illness. As such, they warrant further in-depth investigation and search for possible mechanistic explanations.
Conservation of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) is often controversial and the disagreement often is focused on the estimates of density used to calculate allowable kill. Many recent estimates of grizzly bear density are now available but field-based estimates will never be available for more than a small portion of hunted populations. Current methods of predicting density in areas of management interest are subjective and untested. Objective methods have been proposed, but these statistical models are so dependent on results from individual study areas that the models do not generalize well. We built regression models to relate grizzly bear density to ultimate measures of ecosystem productivity and mortality for interior and coastal ecosystems in North America. We used 90 measures of grizzly bear density in interior ecosystems, of which 14 were currently known to be unoccupied by grizzly bears. In coastal areas, we used 17 measures of density including 2 unoccupied areas. Our best model for coastal areas included a negative relationship with tree cover and positive relationships with the proportion of salmon in the diet and topographic ruggedness, which was correlated with precipitation. Our best interior model included 3 variables that indexed terrestrial productivity, 1 describing vegetation cover, 2 indices of human use of the landscape and, an index of topographic ruggedness. We used our models to predict current population sizes across Canada and present these as alternatives to current population estimates. Our models predict fewer grizzly bears in British Columbia but more bears in Canada than in the latest status review. These predictions can be used to assess population status, set limits for total human-caused mortality, and for conservation planning, but because our predictions are static, they cannot be used to assess population trend.
In population association studies, standard methods of statistical inference assume that study subjects are independent samples. In genetic association studies, it is therefore of interest to diagnose undocumented close relationships in nominally unrelated study samples.
We describe the R package CrypticIBDcheck to identify pairs of closely-related subjects based on genetic marker data from single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The package is able to accommodate SNPs in linkage disequibrium (LD), without the need to thin the markers so that they are approximately independent in the population. Sample pairs are identified by superposing their estimated identity-by-descent (IBD) coefficients on plots of IBD coefficients for pairs of simulated subjects from one of several common close relationships.
The methods implemented in CrypticIBDcheck are particularly relevant to candidate-gene association studies, in which dependent SNPs cluster in a relatively small number of genes spread throughout the genome. The accommodation of LD allows the use of all available genetic data, a desirable property when working with a modest number of dependent SNPs within candidate genes. CrypticIBDcheck is available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN).
Cortisol is frequently used as a marker of physiologic stress levels. Using cortisol for that purpose, however, requires a thorough understanding of its normal longitudinal variability. The current understanding of longitudinal variability of basal cortisol secretion in women is very limited. It is often assumed, for example, that basal cortisol profiles do not vary across the menstrual cycle. This is a critical assumption: if cortisol were to follow a time dependent pattern during the menstrual cycle, then ignoring this cyclic variation could lead to erroneous imputation of physiologic stress. Yet, the assumption that basal cortisol levels are stable across the menstrual cycle rests on partial and contradictory evidence. Here we conduct a thorough test of that assumption using data collected for up to a year from 25 women living in rural Guatemala.
We apply a linear mixed model to describe longitudinal first morning urinary cortisol profiles, accounting for differences in both mean and standard deviation of cortisol among women. To that aim we evaluate the fit of two alternative models. The first model assumes that cortisol does not vary with menstrual cycle day. The second assumes that cortisol mean varies across the menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycles are aligned on ovulation day (day 0). Follicular days are assigned negative numbers and luteal days positive numbers. When we compared Models 1 and 2 restricting our analysis to days between −14 (follicular) and day 14 (luteal) then day of the menstrual cycle did not emerge as a predictor of urinary cortisol levels (p-value >0.05). Yet, when we extended our analyses beyond that central 28-day-period then day of the menstrual cycle become a statistically significant predictor of cortisol levels.
The observed trend suggests that studies including cycling women should account for day dependent variation in cortisol in cycles with long follicular and luteal phases.
Pathogens are growing threats to wildlife. The rapid growth of marine salmon farms over the past two decades has increased host abundance for pathogenic sea lice in coastal waters, and wild juvenile salmon swimming past farms are frequently infected with lice. Here we report the first investigation of the potential role of salmon farms in transmitting sea lice to juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka).
Methodology/Principal Findings
We used genetic analyses to determine the origin of sockeye from Canada's two most important salmon rivers, the Fraser and Skeena; Fraser sockeye migrate through a region with salmon farms, and Skeena sockeye do not. We compared lice levels between Fraser and Skeena juvenile sockeye, and within the salmon farm region we compared lice levels on wild fish either before or after migration past farms. We matched the latter data on wild juveniles with sea lice data concurrently gathered on farms. Fraser River sockeye migrating through a region with salmon farms hosted an order of magnitude more sea lice than Skeena River populations, where there are no farms. Lice abundances on juvenile sockeye in the salmon farm region were substantially higher downstream of farms than upstream of farms for the two common species of lice: Caligus clemensi and Lepeophtheirus salmonis, and changes in their proportions between two years matched changes on the fish farms. Mixed-effects models show that position relative to salmon farms best explained C. clemensi abundance on sockeye, while migration year combined with position relative to salmon farms and temperature was one of two top models to explain L. salmonis abundance.
This is the first study to demonstrate a potential role of salmon farms in sea lice transmission to juvenile sockeye salmon during their critical early marine migration. Moreover, it demonstrates a major migration corridor past farms for sockeye that originated in the Fraser River, a complex of populations that are the subject of conservation concern.


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CZW Who's The Boss took place in Sewell, New Jersey. The event took place on August 11, 2001.
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Three Way Tag Team Match: The Softcore Connection (Nick Berk & Z-Barr) defeated Barr Camm & Jeff Rocker and Hurricane Kid & Towel Boy
- Tag Team Match: The Spanish Announce Team (Joel Maximo & Jose Maximo) defeated Boogalou & Mack Daddy Flexx (5:01)
- Singles Match: Ruckus defeated Reckless Youth by Count Out (4:08)
- Singles Match: The Amazing Red defeated Quiet Storm (5:23)
- Three Way Tag Team Match: VD (Eddie Valentine & Jon Dahmer) defeated The Briscoe Brothers (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) and The Rachies (Adam Flash & Danny Rose) (12:07)
- CZW Iron Man Title No Ropes Barbed Wire Match: Nick Gage (c) defeated Nick Mondo (19:33)
External links
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Game designer John Ruf was kind enough to send a review copy of his new card game Politics. He self-published it on TheGamecrafter.com but is looking to produce a much higher quality version by raising money on Kickstarter.
Now, I've just been too damn busy to get the game on the table in the last couple weeks but I plan to give it a try and post some thoughts by the end of the week. But you should go take a look at his page on the Kickstarter site as he's got 17 more days to raise the money. Go. GO!
Monday, August 29, 2011
A game of 'Politics'...
Posted by __ Eric Martin at 2:44 PM
Labels: Kickstarter, Politics
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If you fancy treating yourself to a steam bath in Stoke-on-Trent then these awesome vouchers are perfect for you! These wellness vouchers for a steam bath in Stoke-on-Trent will save a nice lump of cash, which you could use to receive a massage treatment and get some well-earned relaxation! These vouchers can be used at a spa or with an independent masseur in Stoke-on-Trent. A spa is a great place to visit; they usually have beautiful surroundings with swimming, pool, steam bath and a massage room! Just take along a voucher or a handful of vouchers for a steam bath in Stoke-on-Trent, as they will be happily accepted.


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2017-18 International SuperModel Committee announced today that Fashion Designer, Fashion Designer Cynna Z. will become Judge of the 10th Annual International Fashion SuperModel World Grand Finale.
2017-2018 International SuperModel Committee announced today that Cynna Z. was invited to attend the 3rd annual Golden Film Award and also will become Judge of the 2017 International SuperModel Competition. Hollywood actor Jack Topalian, Fashion Designer , Miss Universe & SuperModel Jin Ye, are among those said to have been invited, together with Co-Vice Chair […]More →
IFSM FashionTV.
IFSM FashionTV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. It was founded in 2008. IFSM FashionTV is an international Fashion Cultural TV network exclusively dedicated to fashion Supermodel News, fashion designers, entertainment news, beauty, glamor , trend and style.More →


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We will now be open every Saturday morning between 08.00am – 11.00am offering a mixture of pre-bookable and same day appointments.
We are pleased to welcome on board Dr Manotheethan Jegasothy who joined the team in February.
We also have a registrar joining us in February.
If you need to see a Doctor on the weekend when we are closed you can access the Extended Hours Primary Care Service which provides additional appointments for Kingston residents between the hours of 6.30pm - 20.00pm Monday to Friday plus 08.00am - 20.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Full details can be found under Opening Times - When we are closed
This easy to use patient questionnaire has been validated for use in Primary Care.
It is used by your doctor to monitor the severity of depression and response to treatment.
It can also be used to make a tentative diagnosis of depression.
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Sue Leong accepted the Multimedia History Award for Postcards from Port: an audiovisual retrospective of Port Melbourne, DVD.
Lucy Sussex received the History Publication Award for her book Blockbuster! Fergus Hume & the Mystery of a Hansom Cab.
Fiona Poulton and Katherine Sheedy accepted the Local History - Small Publication Award for Boroondara Remembers: stories of World War 1.
Alistair Thomson won the inaugural History Article (Peer Reviewed) Award for Anzac Memories Revisited: Trauma, Memory and Oral History. The article was published in the Oral History Review, Volume 42, Issue 1, Winter/Spring 2015, pp 1-29, Oxford University Press.
Apologies to the last three winning entries which avoided my camera lens, but warmest congratulations to them and all the winners. It has been a big day at the Victorian Community History awards, so the next tranche of photos of those who received Commendations, will have to wait until the morrow.
The quality of the photos is not especially good, but the higher quality professional photos will become available on the Public Records Office Victoria in due course. I will let everyone know when that happens.


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§ 3.4 p.m.
§ Lord Ashley of Stoke
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will extend the winter fuel payment to severely disabled people under 60 years of age.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)
My Lords, winter fuel payments are paid to older households as they are most at risk of fuel poverty. For younger disabled people, disability benefits are available in recognition of their extra costs.
§ Lord Ashley of Stoke
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the needs of severely disabled people under pensionable age are just as great as those of old age 305 pensioners, because severely disabled people also suffer from cold and immobility? Every time I raise that matter with Ministers, they say that disabled people get the disability living allowance. So they do, but the fact is that pensioners who qualify also receive an allowance whose tenets are similar to those of the disability living allowance; that is, attendance allowance. The Government's justification for discriminating against younger disabled people in that way is totally without foundation. Is it not time that my noble friend changed the tune a little?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, we are concerned with a targeted payment for older people who are at risk of fuel poverty. By "fuel poverty", we mean people who spend more than 10 per cent of their income on heating. Of those fuel poor, 50 per cent are pensioners. Despite what my noble friend said, only 4 per cent of them are severely disabled people.
§ Lord Addington
My Lords, does the Minister agree that people who are so severely disabled that they are unable to move around their home to generate heat through exercise should be considered in this context? She will be aware that my party fully supports that idea.
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, yes. However, the noble Lord will know that severely disabled people are likely to enjoy both the higher rate disability living allowance for care and the mobility component, which from April represents almost a further £94 a week, from which they can meet their heating costs. That is one reason for the existence of the DLA.
§ Baroness Gardner of Parkes
My Lords, will the Minister clarify the amounts concerned? I am not clear whether the winter fuel payment is simply the £20 that everyone gets or whether we are talking about a much larger payment.
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, the winter fuel payment, as reinforced by the Chancellor in the Budget, is £200 for a household or £100 for individuals in a household; for example, a single pensioner would get £200 and a couple would get £200. A couple and an elderly brother or sister in a household would get a lump sum of £300.
§ Lord Morris of Manchester
My Lords, while naturally I welcome the Budget's new help for many disabled people, has my noble friend seen the very disturbing findings of a recent survey by the newspaper Disability Now, showing that severely disabled people under 60 in fuel-poor households have had to sleep downstairs, to skimp on food and to stuff windows with newspapers to keep warm during the winter months? How do we answer the 48 year-old polio survivor, who is painfully affected by poor circulation in her affected limbs, when she asks why payments cannot be based on need and not on age?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, fuel poverty relates to the cost of heating, income and the size of 306 property. We targeted it at pensioners because we know that 25 per cent of pensioners are in the bottom 20 per cent of income, whereas only 6 per cent of severely disabled people are in that category. So pensioners are much poorer than disabled people and, compared with disabled people, are much more likely to be living in older, poorly insulated and under-repaired housing. I hope that the person in the examples that my noble friend gave would be claming the maximum disability living allowance and taking advantage of the New Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, and the grant of up to £1,000 for insulation. I also hope that that person will be taking advantage of the help available from local authorities, which have been allocated £2.5 billion to renovate homes. No severely disabled person should live in a home in which he or she has to put paper in the windows.
§ Lord Higgins
My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that she is mistaken in believing that the Chancellor confirmed yesterday the position regarding winter fuel payments? The Pre-Budget Report suggests that the figure may go down from £200 to something less. Paragraph 541 in the Red Book suggests that the level of future payments will be set by the Secretary of State for Social Security later in the year. When the Chancellor makes promises of largesse that extend to 2003, why cannot we be told what the current position is?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, all of the statements that the Chancellor made in yesterday's Budget are confirmed in terms of the small print and the additional statements that are made by the relevant Secretaries of State. It is no different in this case.
§ Earl Russell
My Lords, I observe that the Minister did not challenge the assertion of the noble Lord, Lord Ashley of Stoke, who said that vulnerability to cold can result from limited mobility, which may be a consequence of age or disability. If she is to dispute the proposal in the Question, does she agree that she must either challenge that assertion or concede that the spending figure for people with disability to which she referred is the result of unmet need? That was discussed by the noble Lord, Lord Morris of Manchester.
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, we are talking about fuel poverty. I have tried to suggest to the House that pensioners are poorer than severely disabled people. The degree to which they are in fuel poverty is significantly higher. Half of those who are fuel poor are pensioners. Only 4 per cent of severely disabled people are fuel poor. Pensioners are more likely to be living in houses which are hard to heat.
Perhaps I may respond to the noble Earl by giving him information on which he has pressed me on previous occasions. The extreme consequence of fuel poverty is demonstrated by hypothermia; that is, the number of people who die additionally between the months of December and April compared with the months of August to November. He will know that, 307 unfortunately, the national figure for last year was something like 50,000. That is roughly three times higher than the figure for Scandinavia, France and Germany. Of those 50,000, 45,000 were people over 60. Only 4,000 of those excess deaths were in the age range of nought to 60, which includes, of course, small babies. That suggests that severely disabled people do not suffer at the acute end of winter cold, as the noble Earl suggested.
Lord Renton
My Lords, I declare a family interest as I have a very severely disabled daughter who cannot walk. She is in her 40s. She suffers from cold far more than most people over 60; indeed, far more than some people over 90.
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, I hope that the noble Lord's daughter is taking full advantage of all the disability living allowances to which she is entitled. Equally, if the noble Lord's daughter were in permanent residential care, she would be in the same position as elderly folk over the age of 60 in permanent residential care who are not eligible for the winter fuel payment in any event because that is already being met through their supported accommodation.
§ Lord Ezra
My Lords, the noble Baroness has demonstrated that the bulk of people in fuel poverty are aged over 60; nevertheless, there are quite a number below that age and who are severely disabled. As that number can be identified, is it possible for her department to make absolutely sure that those people are specially assisted to receive such benefits as are available?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, yes. We have taken active steps to ensure that people know of their entitlement to the full range of disability benefits. As I am sure the noble Lord will know, the Chancellor has again announced the new figures for the disability income guarantee which will ensure that disabled people will have, in my view, an adequate and decent income on which to live their lives. It is important that those severely disabled people who live in houses which are draughty, cold and poorly insulated know about and take up the grants which are available because fuel poverty results not only from how much healing is needed and how low your income is but also from the state of your housing. The noble Lord's point is relevant and I shall make sure that disabled people are fully aware of those grants and opportunities.
§ Lord Pearson of Rannoch
My Lords, will the Minister give the House the total extra cost to the Exchequer of the extension of the winter fuel payment to severely disabled people under the age of 60 as requested by her noble friend Lord Ashley? How much money are we talking about?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, it is between £200 million and £250 million per year.
§ Lord Ashley of Stoke
My Lords, in the narrow gap between us winning the general election and the 308 Chancellor bringing forward a new Budget, and if the noble Baroness is promoted because of her many talents, will she come with me to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and ask him to provide winter fuel payments for the severely disabled, which request is supported on all sides of this House?
§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
Um, my Lords! I am always willing to go anywhere with my noble friend.


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UNSUPPORTED TYPE: placement
As part of a fashion-obsessed community, we're always interested in finding out what people are wearing around the country ― from Birmingham, Alabama, to Provo, Utah, to everywhere in-between.
Keniece Walker is a 22-year-old creative director, stylist and hostess who has lived in Memphis, Tennessee, for the past five years. She told HuffPost her style is "not really like those that are from Memphis."
Still, she explains what gives the ladies in this West Tennessee town their look, and shares the spots where she feeds her own killer aesthetic.
Find out some of her favorite trends, what her style says about her and more.
What are some trends that are popular right now in your city?
The style in Memphis is about fads, or whatever is hot. People here basically wear whatever the hottest celebrity is wearing, or whatever the trend is right now. In Memphis, the new Fenty Puma slides are definitely in, I see more and more girls wear them every day. Lace-up bodysuits have also been very popular in Memphis, as well as the Fashion Nova sweatsuits.
What are some of your favorite personal trends?
I have so many, but one of my favorited personal trends is the baggy jean look paired with a minimal bodysuit. This look can be done in so many ways, it's ridiculous. You can dress it up and wear heels for a chic look, or dress it down with some kicks for a sporty look. With fall approaching, layering is another personal favorite of mine, whether it be with plaid, denim, or whatever. And I have to mention my go to shoe, Vans. Vans are always a personal favorite of mine, because they literally can go with anything.
What are some trends in your city that you hate?
I do not like the fad dressing here. It really stifles people and their creative expression when everyone is just trying to look like everyone else. A new Jordan shoe will drop, and legit everybody in the city gets that one shoe, just so they can say they got the shoe. The trend of just wearing things to look cool or because everyone else has it bugs me so much. I wish people in Memphis would dress how they wanted to dress, maybe even go outside of the box, get a little creative.
What does your style say about you?
I would say my style is a mixture between tomboy, chic, and hippie. I rarely wear super tight or revealing clothes, and I rarely wear super girly clothes, which reflects my personality perfectly. I am a tomboy at heart and I will always choose being comfortable over looking good. My style also shows that I am a free spirit. Many times you will catch me in a crop top or loose clothes that allow me to move freely. My style is unapologetic.
What are your favorite places to shop? Both local and online?
I rarely shop in actual stores, but when I do its always Forever 21 or a thrift store. I find the majority of my clothes in thrift stores. I do the most of my shopping online, because they usually have a wider variety of clothes and its less of a hassle. Some of my favorites are EgoOfficial, Fashionnova, Matte Brand, and Forever 21. I love clothes, but I don't really like to be in the mall all day shopping.
Do you feel pressure to be stylish in your city?
I feel a little pressure to be stylish when I am going to a big event, because... people know me for my style. I have this mindset of never wanting to disappoint. Other than that, I feel no pressure to be stylish. In fact most days I don't really try to get dressed unless I am going to an actual event. You can easily catch me outside in sweats or shorts and a tank top.
What's the best thing about the style in your city?
To be completely honest, Memphis fashion isn't really my type of style, I prefer more original and creative fits. However, I have gotten really acquainted with the thrift stores in Memphis and they are on point. Thrifting has definitely become a hobby that started in Memphis and is one of the best things that has happened to me, literally.
Do you think it costs a lot of money to be stylish in your city?
Memphis is one of the most affordable markets in America, and the shopping reflects that. It is very inexpensive to be stylish in Memphis, however, finding stylish stores can be more of an issue. In Memphis, there are only 2 Forever 21′s and like, one H&M ― and those are the most stylish stores here.


text:
By Deausha Kristal
Egypt and her family
continue to struggle through the Zombie Apocalypse not knowing how it
all started. With new alliances to be made, they are trying to figure
out who they can trust and how to survive when resources begin to
doesn't take long for Egypt and her family to realize that zombies
aren't the worst of the evils lurking. A new, more disturbing force
takes them by surprise. When one of them gets taken, the others must
band together and fight to save the bonds of family and friendship.
the world continues crumbling down at her feet, Egypt goes through what
no woman should ever have to. Will their tactics help them make it out
alive, or will evil win in the end?
Weaponry and faith can only get them so far. What will it take for them to rise up and prevail through this new chaos?
BlogSpot: http://deaushakristal.


text:
Fake medicines increasingly put patients and the general public at risk across the world. In response to this challenge, ten global health organisations, including ICN, have joined forces to raise awareness about the dangers of fake medicines. The Fight the Fakes (www.fightfakes.org) campaign will create a global movement of organisations and individuals that will speak up and help spread the word about this under-reported, yet growing crime.
- Press release: International Council of Nurses joins global health organisations in Fight the Fakes Campaign - Worldwide campaign to protect patients from fake medicines (26 November 2013)
- Opinion piece by David Benton on the Fight the Fakes Campaign


text:
As a show of solidarity and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians, a Muslim Iraqi businessman decided to build a 30-meter/ 85-foot tall Christmas tree, to celebrate the holidays in a country torn apart by war.
The businessman, Yassi Saad, said he did so in order to join "our Christian brothers in their holiday celebrations," and help "Iraqis forget their anguish, especially the war in Mosul."
The tree was erected in the center of an amusement park in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and the cost was estimated at around $24,000. Moreover, its construction was also undertaken by soldiers from the Iraqi Army who volunteered for the duty.
Baghdad's Zeytoon St. was also decorated as part of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, along with other parts of the city.
Iraq's Christians have been heavily persecuted by ISIS, and their population began dwindling since the U.S occupation of Iraq in 2003, as takfiri militants targeted them on several occasions. Thousands of them fled Mosul when ISIS gained large amounts of land in its sweeping offensive in the summer of 2014.
It should be noted that the Iraqi Army, back in October, also liberated a number of Christian towns as it was clearing Mosul's entrances from ISIS fighters. Iraqi soldiers were then seen hard at work in the village of Karamless trying to erect a cross back on top of the town church after ISIS had destroyed it.