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When we accept the Lord Jesus into our life, we have God's favor. That is because at the cross Jesus took all our sins, faults, failings, everything that displeased God upon Himself. How big and great a factor our Lord Jesus is in our lives, when we let Him! I am convinced that one of the battles of faith in our lives is to see the greatness of our God and Lord Jesus, to see and know that God surpasses anything and everything that we face in life. That we need to see Jesus and His greatness and not the problem! Because of Jesus all the blessings of Heaven are raining upon us and blessings are chasing us down (Deuteronomy 28:2). The key is our faith in this, our belief in this. Remember, because of Jesus, we are no longer ourselves but have Christ's identity. We are now a new creation. God's favor gives us an advantage. With God's favor the impossible things will become possible. We read in Matthew 19:26, "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"." The key ingredient to unlock the favor of God in our life is faith and belief in Christ. Simply look to Jesus because He is the answer and the end of your struggles. God has a place and a plan for each of us. It doesn't matter how difficult a situation or how bleak it looks, just look to Jesus and know that He has the answer and that all things are under His feet! God has a beautiful future for each one of us. We can even find comfort in Job. He did not have Jesus to look to, but put his trust in God. In this manner, whatever we are facing, let us put our trust and our hope in the finished work of Jesus!
The book of Job runs 42 chapters. We do not know how long Job's suffering lasted, but we know that it was more than a week (Job 2:13), and possibly months (Job 7:3). There is no question that Job went through great suffering. Before his suffering, the bible says that he was the greatest of all the people of the East (Job 1:3). What did he lose, what happened to him?
- His oxen and donkeys were stolen by the Sabeans and his servants killed (Job 1:13-14)
- Fire from heaven came down and burned up his sheep and servants (Job 1:16)
- The Chaldeans took his camels and killed more of his servants (Job 1:17)
- The house where Job's children were was blown down, and all his children and the people who were with them died except one. (Job 1:18-19)
- Job got boils from head to toe (Job 2:7) and he turned black with fever (Job 30:30)
What was Job's wife's reaction to this? "Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die"!" (Job 2:9). Did Job get negative, did he get down, and did he curse or blame God? No, his faith and trust remained with God! It says in Job 10:12, "You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit." Job remained faithful to God in the middle of the storm, in the middle of difficulty. At this point I am sure that Job didn't see an end to his troubles; he didn't know what God's plan was for him, yet he remained in faith. Job wasn't restored until the 42nd chapter. He was restored because he remained faithful to God. "11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful (James 5:11)." What was the restoration of Job?
Job 42:10-13
10 And the Lord restored Job's losses[a] when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. 12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters.
Let us not fear, worry, or fall apart. Let's remain and abide with God. Let's carry ourselves with confidence, not because of what we do or have but because of who we have, Jesus! Let's always remember and declare in our prayer life and our whole life, the favor of God, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done. God's vision and plan for us will be accomplished.


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Episode 53 (7016) Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Bill and Katie are planning to get married. Katie asks Brooke to be her matron of honour. Brooke and Eric agree that what is best for Rick and Maya may not be what is best for Nicole.
Episode 54 (7017) Wednesday, 02 March 2016
Because of his history with Brooke, and their previously tumultuous relationship, Donna questions Katie's certainty about marrying Bill. Ridge has concerns about attending Bill and Katie's wedding while making a first public appearance with Caroline as a couple. Brooke quenches herself mentally and emotionally as she prepares for her sister and ex-fiancé's nuptials. Caroline and Ridge's relationship is the hot topic among the guests at the wedding.
Episode 55 (7018) Thursday, 03 March 2016
One particular guest appears to be out of sorts as Bill and Katie walk down the aisle to be joined as husband and wife. Deacon can't catch a break with Quinn as she drills him about his association with Brooke. Quinn voices her frustration and lack of empathy regarding Brooke and asks Deacon why he continues to be a part of Brooke's life.
Episode 56 (7019) Friday, 04 March 2016
Rick is concerned about Eric's return, fearing his father's reaction when he learns of all that has happened in the office and at home. Meanwhile, Ridge is looking forward to Eric finding out about Rick's misdeeds, hoping that his father will reconsider the position of CEO. Ivy assures Liam that she is secure enough in their relationship for him to be working with Steffy. Having called Liam for a meeting, Steffy has other items on her agenda besides discussing their plan to take over Forrester Creations.
Episode 57 (7020) Monday, 07 March 2016
Ivy reveals to Wyatt that she knows about the Spencer's scheme to takeover Forrester Creations and force Rick out of power. Wyatt warns Ivy about Steffy's aggressive ways of getting what she wants, and tells her that what Steffy has always wanted is Liam. Eric makes a controversial decision about which of his sons he plans to lend his support to. Liam is put in a difficult predicament when Steffy presents him with a stipulation to her participating in his plan.
Episode 58 (7021) Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Eric stands his ground in his support of Rick and his position as CEO despite opposition from Ridge and the rest of the employees at Forrester Creations. Having been warned that Ridge is gathering witnesses to speak out against him to Eric, Rick takes action to thwart his brother's attempt to get their father to change his mind. Ivy watches unseen as Steffy makes an aggressive attempt to get Liam to agree to her terms for assisting him with his plan against Rick.
Episode 59 (7022) Wednesday, 09 March 2016
When Ivy issues her a stern warning about the blatant move that she made on Liam, Steffy refuses to back down. Ridge is torn between his disdain for Rick and his loyalty to Eric when Liam approaches him about joining in on the plan for the Spencer's acquiring Forrester Creations. Nicole makes an unannounced and unwelcomed visit to Maya at the Forrester mansion looking for a place to live.
Episode 60 (7023) Thursday, 10 March 2016
Maya gets her hopes up thinking that she will soon become a member of the Forrester family when Rick presents her with token of his love. Ridge and Steffy contemplate assisting Liam's attempt to overthrow Rick while discussing the ramifications of the Spencer's taking over the company. Despite Rick's recent bad behavior, Eric and Brooke confer about the confidence they have in their son's ability to successfully run Forrester Creations. Ivy confesses to Liam about her earlier confrontation and her unwillingness to allow Steffy to come between them.
Episode 61 (7024) Friday, 11 March 2016
Bill and Katie bask in their reunited love as they enjoy the peace and quiet of Aspen during their honeymoon. Feeling as though they are starting a new chapter of their lives together, Katie assists Bill in closing a significant one from his past. When Eric graciously rejects her idea of continuing their conversation about Rick over drinks, Brooke takes her party of one to Il Giardino. A chance encounter puts Brooke and Deacon in the same location for two very different reasons. Deacon is torn when he must choose between Brooke's invitation to stay with her and his commitment at home with Quinn.
Episode 62 (7025) Monday, 14 March 2016
Quinn attempts to deal with her feelings after her son expresses his concern about Deacon's intentions. Deacon attempts to fight his feelings for Brooke.
Episode 63 (7026) Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Making her point in the most convincing way she knows how, Quinn issues a threat to Brooke to stay away from Deacon. Ivy questions Liam about the temptation that he has been dealing with ever since Steffy has been back in town. Ridge and Steffy go back and forth about whether they want to deal with Rick for another year as CEO, or join the Spencer's in their attempt to takeover Forrester Creations. Being protective of his mother, Wyatt grills Deacon about his association with Brooke.
Episode 64 (7027) Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Steffy makes her intentions crystal clear to Ivy about what she expects from Liam if she goes along with his plan to acquire Forrester Creations. Actions speak louder than words when Maya questions Rick about the sincerity of his apologies to the others in the office. Wyatt gives Ivy a cause for concern when he explains to her the great lengths Steffy will take to get what she wants. Steffy pleads her case to Liam about why she wants him back in her life as a partner in business and in life.
Episode 65 (7028) Thursday, 17 March 2016
Fresh from her conversation with Liam, Steffy pays a visit to Ridge to inform him about what she has planned for her future. Quinn regretfully confesses to Wyatt about the unfortunate run-in that she had with Brooke. Wyatt suggests that Quinn tell Deacon about the encounter before Brooke does. While Brooke and Deacon differ over who kissed whom, she informs him about the side of Quinn that he is not familiar with. Liam has disappointing news for Ivy.
*Friday, 18 March 2016 – The Bold and the Beautiful will fall away due to cricket
Episode 66 (7029) Monday, 21 March 2016
In disbelief at what Deacon is asking of her, Quinn makes her best attempt to get him to change his mind about her. Out of concern for his mother, Wyatt questions Brooke about Deacon, his past, and his feelings for her. Brooke warns Wyatt that he will need to be there to support Quinn emotionally when Deacon walks out on her. Ridge updates Caroline about the latest details regarding her family's plan to overtake Forrester Creations. Caroline and Ridge collaborate on another work of art.
Episode 67 (7030) Tuesday, 22 March 2016
Wyatt becomes even more concerned about his mother's wellbeing when she tells him the news about her and Deacon. Brooke is in complete disbelief when Deacon blindsides her with what he has planned for his near future. Tired about the way they've been treated, Ivy and Aly agree to stand up to Rick in order to gain his respect. Nicole arrives unannounced at the Forrester Mansion looking for Maya, and a place to live. When Quinn overhears Brooke speaking poorly of her to Deacon, threats are hurled between both ladies.
Episode 68 (7031) Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Deacon grows extremely concerned when Wyatt informs him that Quinn is at Brooke's house sharing the news about their engagement. An adamant Quinn refuses to cower down to Brooke's refusal to allow her and Deacon to get married. Nicole moving into the Forrester Mansion isn't well-received by the current occupants, especially Aly, who is forced to move out of her room. Maya catches onto the reason why Nicole has resurfaced into her life.
Episode 69 (7032) Thursday, 24 March 2016
While settling into her new residence, Nicole presses Ivy and Aly for information about Maya and Rick's relationship. When Quinn questions his continued association with Brooke, Deacon asks her to be more understanding about their affiliation. Wyatt updates Brooke on the current state of his and Hope's marriage. Brooke is blunt with her opinion to Wyatt regarding her feelings towards Quinn and Deacon getting married. Maya questions Rick about their future together.
*Friday, 25 March 2016 – The Bold and the Beautiful will fall away due to cricket
*Monday, 28 March 2016 – The Bold and the Beautiful will fall away due to cricket
Episode 70 (7033) Tuesday, 29 March 2016
Having regrets about her recent behavior, Brooke takes a good look at herself and questions if this is the way she wants to proceed in her life. Rick confides in Maya the reason for his authoritative behavior at Forrester Creations. Seeing how she is being treated worse than the rest of them, Aly is encouraged to stand up to Rick. When Aly backs down, Ivy steps up and takes it upon herself to confront Rick about treating his family and employees disrespectfully.
*Wed, 30 March 2016 – The Bold and the Beautiful will fall away due to cricket
*Thursday, 31 March 2016 – The Bold and the Beautiful will fall away due to cricket

subset: commoncrawl


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Powerful worm gears from NORD Drivesystems are employed by Solarpark Rodenäs GmbH of Germany to drive their tracking systems for solar panels.
Intelligent tracking technology from Solarpark Rodenäs GmbH increases the efficiency of photovoltaic plants, while requiring robust geared motors to position and securely hold solar modules against strong winds.
Solarpark Rodenäs GmbH specialises in fastening systems for solar panels. As solar cells are most efficient when the sunlight falls onto them vertically, precise tracking of the sun considerably increases their efficiency.
In addition to tracking systems with a fixed mounting, the company develops manually controlled as well as fully automatic systems for tracking the sun.
But commonly available drive units use conventional brakes and require heaters to prevent them from freezing. These cost and maintenance-intensive components also increase the energy consumption of the drive unit.
Solarpark Rodenäs required a solution that offered weather-resistance, precision, energy efficiency and economy.
The company decided to use compact, powerful geared motors from NORD Drivesystems at the Rodenäs Solar Park to drive their tracking systems.
The tracking control is calculated on a daily basis from the data for sunrise and sunset. At sunrise, the solar panels turn to the east in order to track the sun over the course of the day.
Every 15 minutes, NORD geared motors are activated by an impulse from the central control unit to track the sun for four degrees and then switch off again. The gear-driven tracking enables the solar collectors to achieve 25-30% greater efficiency in comparison with fixed collectors.
Each solar panel has a surface area of 16m², offering a large area of resistance to the winds from the North Sea. The gear units from the modular Universal series, which combine two worm gear sets, hold the panels in position without additional brakes, positioning the panels precisely and firmly against winds, which often exceed force 10 gales.
Over 700 geared motors are doubly protected from the harsh North Sea climate by the corrosion resistant one-piece aluminium housing and a special paint. A high quality synthetic lubricant ensures reliability even at sub-zero temperatures and also minimises maintenance.
In addition to functional and dynamic advantages over drives requiring mechanical intervention, operators also profit from the low maintenance costs of the drive solution from NORD Drivesystems.


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The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is getting creative in how they address public health issues amongst teens: they're turning to hip-hop. Although African-Americans consume less tobacco than our racial counterparts, tobacco-related diseases are still the leading cause of death in our community.
The Fresh Empire campaign, which initially aired during the 2015 BET Hip-Hop Awards, uses hip-hop style, music and slang to appeal to and normalize tobacco use-prevention conversations amongst teens. Through their short video clips (an average of 30 seconds each) featuring aspiring spoken word artists, break dancers, rappers, and DJ's, all whom have strong community ties, Fresh Empire promotes their message: "Keep it Fresh. Live Tobacco Free."
In addition to the campaign's interactive and lively official website, they're social media's lit too. Fresh Empire's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube platforms are full of contest announcements, live-event photos, calls for tobacco fact retweets, and supporter shout outs.
The campaign recently teamed up with the Russell Simmons' founded brand Global Grind and and America's Best Dance Crew contestants Kinjaz to promote their Fresh Moves Dance Challenge where teens can submit home-made dance videos sharing why they're living tobacco free and enter to win an all expense paid trip to Los Angeles for a meet-and-greet with the group, Fresh Empire gear or free tickets to a local concert of their choice.
If there's anyway to encourage our young people to talk about public health issues, this campaign is definitely ahead in the game.


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An infographic that breaks down what happens in your body after you drink one Coke has gone viral, but health experts say some information in the graphic is exaggerated. In addition, while soda is certainly not a healthy food choice, drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage once in a while wouldn't necessarily make a person unhealthy, the experts said. "If you're drinking one soda on occasion … that doesn't equate to it being necessarily unhealthy," said Heather Mangieri, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of the nutrition consulting company Nutrition Checkup in Pittsburgh. "The overall diet quality is what's important." The infographic details seven changes that happen to the body during the first hour after drinking a Coke, including the effects of ingesting 39 grams of sugar.
On the whole, the science presented in the infographic is fairly accurate, said Dana Hunnes, senior dietitian at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. However, some of the wording is exaggerated, Mangieri said. For example, the infographic says that in the first 20 minutes of drinking a soda, "your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat." But the effects of drinking this amount of sugar can vary depending on whether a person is active or inactive at the time, and whether they've eaten or not, Mangieri said.
"What happens after you consume a beverage like this relies heavily on whether the body is in need of energy, and what you do after consumption," Mangieri said. If you are active after drinking a soda, "the chances of some of these things happening are significantly less," she said. Whenever you consume large amounts of sugar, your pancreas responds by secreting insulin, a hormone that helps sugar get into cells. The insulin will signal the liver, muscle and fat cells in the body to take up sugar from the blood, in order to lower blood-sugar levels. But if you don't need energy when you drink the soda, the liver and muscles will store glucose in the form of glycogen. It's only once this storage is "full" that the body stores the glucose as fat, Mangieri said.
"Saying that [sugar] just automatically turns to fat is an over-exaggeration for sure," Mangieri said. "If you're well-fed, and the calories are all extra, your body doesn't need it, then yes, your body can store that as fat. But if your body can use those calories as energy, then you're not necessarily going to immediately store that as fat," she said. In addition, the infographic says that after 45 minutes, "Your body ups your dopamine production, stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works." But Mangieri said that dopamine is also released in response to other rewards that are generally viewed more positively, such as listening to classical music or having sex.
The infographic also describes the negative effects of caffeine, but these are not unique to soda. "Any food/beverage with caffeine or other stimulant will dilate the pupils, raise blood pressure and increase the amount of glucose that is temporarily in the bloodstream," said Julie Kennel, a registered dietitian and clinical assistant professor at The Ohio State University. "This is the typical 'fight or flight' response." What's more, a single can of Coca-Cola contains about 39 milligrams of caffeine, less than the 100 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup of coffee. The infographic says that phosphoric acid in soda promotes the loss, through urination, of nutrients, including calcium, which is important for teeth and bones.
Mangieri said that there is a link between high soda intake and an increased risk of fractures, but this could be because people who drink a lot of soda may also drink less milk. Phosphoric acid is also found naturally in other foods, like meat and dairy products, she noted. Still, there are many reasons to avoid drinking a lot of soda. These beverages have no nutritional value, don't do a good job of keeping you full, and can replace other healthy foods and beverages such as milk, Mangieri said. "There are a lot better ways to get your calories" than by consuming 39 grams of sugar in one beverage, she said.
Tip of the Day
Looking for a little excitement? Keep things interesting by picking out new foods you've never tried before, like mangoes, quinoa, or kale. You may find a new favorite!
Daily Inspiration


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Friday, December 19, 2014
Fond of Rondo? Well, he's gone-do
I wasn't a Rajon Rondo fan. I wasn't a Rajon Rondo hater. He was a polarizing figure in Boston sports, you either loved him and wanted him in green and white forever, or you hated him and wanted to pay his airfare to get him out of town. I was perhaps the only person in Greater Boston who stood in the middle. So I have some objectivity here, both in evaluating his place in Celtics history, and also appraising the deal that sent him to Dallas.
Everything you say about Rondo, good or bad, comes with a "but." He was a necessary part of a championship winning team. But he was the 4th most necessary part. He had tons of assists. But he couldn't shoot free throws. He played great in big games. But he was a goofball and sometimes a jerk off the court.
Just like Rondo was a necessary part of the 2008 team, but far from the most important part, this deal was a necessary deal, but not a very important one. Not yet, at least. The Celtics acquired chips they can repackage and exchange at the deadline. Which is why the deal was done now. Players need to be on the roster for 60 days to be traded at the deadline, which is 2 months away.
This deal has an emotional effect on Celtics fans because of the way people either loved or hated Rondo. But for the Celtics, the deal doesn't mean much. Rondo was likely gone at the end of the season anyway. And the players the Celtics got will probably be used as part of a trade at some point. It's up to Danny Ainge and the Celtics to make more good deals to rebuild this team. Good luck (luck is more necessary to building a contender than a good GM).
This trade might assist the Celtics in rebuilding, which would make this deal the biggest assist of Rondo's career. Then again, this is the NBA. Top tier talent finds its way to cities with nice weather, franchises owned by rappers, and teams where there are already great players. The weather here sucks, the team is owned by a group of rich white investors, and there are no are no great players here.
Rondo and the Celtics weren't going to win together. He needed better players around him to be great, but he didn't have the gravity to draw them here.
He was not good enough to be the most important part of a championship contending team. Few players are. At best he was good enough to be the 3rd most important part of a contending team. I think that's a reasonable assessment. He's not a guy who can carry a team. He's also not a guy who needs to be carried. He pulls his own weight, and he also makes very good players even better. That's why contending teams want him.
Rondo is a guy who can complete a team, not a guy to start one with.
His assists nicely sum up his Celtics career. He has loads of them, and that's a good thing. Rondo supporters, both fans and in the media, will ceaselessly remind you of his assists. But at times he also went out of his way to accumulate them. He somehow turned helpers into a selfish stat. That's Rajon Rondo in a nutshell.
Rondo's gone. It's an end of an era for the Celtics. An era of some good teams, not great ones. Rondo haters need to remember how good some of those teams were, and how Rondo helped the PGA (Pierce, Garnett, Allen) era end with at least one championship. But before Rondo lovers demand that the #9 be raised to the rafters, they need to remember that with Rondo at the helm, this team was good at best. And it was never going to be great.
Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
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Welcome back for day #5 of the Steamed! Author Invasion. We hope you're having a good time with all the great Halloween posts and prizes. Keep coming back every day through Halloween for more great stuff.
October 28 — Young Adult Author Simone Elkeles
October 29 — Paranormal Romance Author Maggie Shayne
October 30 — Young Adult Author Ednah Walters
October 31 — Urban Fantasy Author Jeanne Stein
Today we welcome YA Author Simone Elkeles, who's written seven books for teens including How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, Leaving Paradise, and Perfect Chemistry. She'll be giving away a copy of one of her books to one lucky poster–your choice!
Simone Elkeles is the NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of over seven teen romance novels. She has won various awards and recognition for her books, including the coveted RITA award from the Romance Writers of America for her book Perfect Chemistry and being named Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. Simone writes about teens because she was a teen in the 80's (when spiked hair and blue eye shadow were "rad") and she loves writing about those exciting teen relationships and romances.
The Scary House
by Simone Elkeles
Halloween is fun for kids, but do you remember "the scary house?" You know, the one you and your friends were afraid to go ring the doorbell because they might actually make you close your eyes and reach into a bowl of "eyeballs" in order to get your "treat?"
We had one of those houses in my neighborhood where I grew up. I can't say I ever had the nerve to actually ring the doorbell. I just stood by the sidewalk all bug-eyed hearing the nervous chatter and fear coming from the kids who were brave enough to venture to the door and say "trick or treat" without knowing what was to come next.
I like my candy to come easy. Go to door, say, "Trick or treat!", reach inside a huge bowl and pick my favorite choice. Then say, "Thank you!" and I'm on to the next house. It's the no-hassle, no-fear Halloween for me.
Now that I'm a mom myself, I take my kids trick-or-treating in my neighborhood every year. Lo and behold, we have "the scary house" in my neighborhood, too. (it's even dubbed "the scary house" all year long by every kid in school). But my neighbors (who I don't know personally) have taken scary to the next level. The adults recruit their friends and they all dress up in scary costumes. They stand or lay down scattered on the lawn…one is laying inside an open casket (you don't know he's alive until you get close and he suddenly reaches out for you and freaks you out)…one is dressed as the Grim Reaper with a very real-looking weapon…one with fake blood dripping down his face with a real chainsaw buzzing.
I laugh when the young kids clutch their parents on the sidewalk. Most trick-or-treaters actually cross the street to avoid "the scary house". Then you get "the brave trick-or treaters" – the older kids who puff up their chest and mock these dressed-up adults. They say these parents can't scare them with a ten foot pole no matter how scary they look…well, until The Grim Reaper and Chainsaw Guy slowly start following them to the next house, and the next…those "fearless" kids run like heck away, screaming and laughing because they truly are scared…and they know next year they'll try again.
If you're brave enough to reach the front door (after passing yet another "corpse" who reaches out at you or witch who says you're the perfect specimen for her next stew – they do have a big black pot of boiling water with smoke coming out of it), they have a plethora of great candy in a bowl to choose from since few people actually reach the front door.
I never went up to the scary house in my neighborhood when I was a kid. Now I'm older and know better. Nobody is going to hurt me. Nobody is going to hurt my kids. I laugh at the other scared trick-or-treaters…of course I do it at a very safe distance on the other side of the street.
Do you have "the scary house" in your neighborhood? Are you living in "the scary house?" Got any pictures to share?
~Simone Elkeles
One lucky commenter will win their choice of one of Simone's books!


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Make oval shape yo-yo's in a snap with our Large Oval Shape Yo-Yo template. By placing fabric in between the templates and stitching along the holes, you can have a perfectly shaped oval yo-yo that adds texture and dimension to quilts, garments, accessories and craft projects.
Finished Size Approx. 1-3/4" x 3" /45 x 75 mm
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The Department of Justice today took the unusual step of suing a sitting U.S. sheriff. Joe Arpaio, the infamous sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., is charged with years of systematically discriminating against Latinos and using the power of his office to retaliate against critics.
This paragraph seems as good a place as any to note that Arpaio is alleged to have retaliated against media critics Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin -- executives with the Village Voice Media chain that owns this here paper you're reading. Both were arrested in the middle of the night in 2007 by Arpaio's deputies, which in part spurred an ongoing First Amendment lawsuit.
The Feds' suit, filed today in Phoenix, calls for a federal judge to curtail the alleged anti-Latino discriminatory practices revealed in the course of a three-year Justice Department investigation of Arpaio's department. The suit comes on the heels of Arpaio's steadfast refusal to allow Justice Department monitors within his department following the Feds' claim that Maricopa County sheriffs engaged in widespread racial profiling and discrimination.
The charges come as little surprise to San Francisco district attorney and former police chief George Gascón. As police chief in Mesa, Ariz., Gascón confronted the powerful and popular sheriff. When Arpaio targeted Gascón by sending deputies into Mesa to round up illegal immigrants, Gascón countered by having 132 of his officers monitor the sweep -- leaving the blustering sheriff to appear foolish in the resultant crush of media coverage.
Today Gascón issued a statement on the federal suit:
"When I was Police Chief of Mesa, Arizona, I witnessed blatant acts of
racism and racial profiling committed by the Maricopa County Sheriff's
Office. During my time there, I raised my concerns with the Justice
Department and Congress about the systematic discrimination against Latinos
and Sheriff Arpaio's basic disregard for constitutional rights. The
Department of Justice's decision to file a lawsuit against Sheriff Arpaio affirms what many
of us knew were illegal tactics designed to demonize and intimidate the
Latino community. The indictment is a victory not only for the Latino
community in Arizona but for all of us in this country who continue to
fight for civil rights."


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Before you can add custom filters in a gallery collection, you must make them available in Studio Settings.
Steps to make custom fields available in Gallery:
- Navigate to Studio from the global navigation menu.
- Navigate to Custom Fields tab under Settings on the side navigation bar.
- Select the option to Display in Studio Preview and Gallery for all desired custom fields.
- Click Save Changes anywhere on the page.
Note: This will also make the custom fields viewable in Studio Preview if applicable to the content asset you are previewing.
Click here to learn how to add the Custom Filter to a Gallery Collection.


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Yesterday, for my birthday, I got myself a downtown photo session.
Baby Baker was very stubborn about positioning. Refused to turn around so we could get a good facial profile — just kept staring at my spine, butt in the air. (And trust me, the doctor tried — I thought I'd have a bruised belly after all of the poking and prodding and awkward body positions!) The picture above is the best one we could get, and it doesn't really have any facial features. He was able to eventually find the lip and chin, from each side, and determine that there was no cleft. Ryan thinks the doctor saw both eyes, too, but I was thinking he only got a clear look at one.
The thing about that particular baby position is that, while you don't get to see the face, you get a very clear shot of everything else that is important. For example:
(Sorry about the glare; I need a scanner or something.)
I get dreadfully disoriented with ultrasounds. Ordinarily I'm very good at three-dimensional space. I think it might be because I'm looking at it from a strange angle; if I were sitting up, looking at it straight on instead of lying down and straining to see, I think I'd do better. That being said, even looking at the still photograph I'm not entirely sure whether the pelvis is to the right (my suspicion) or the left in this picture. Is that a leg off to the right?
I admit a certain amount of confusion regarding how the ultrasound can see through the skull. I also don't really recognize anything in this cross-section of the brain, but the doctor was rattling off brain-bits that I'd heard of before, and said that everything was healthy and exactly the way it ought to be.
Although he didn't print a picture of it, we also got a great view of the heart (four chambers, all pumping) and the bladder. Doctor also got a good look at the back of the neck, which can show indicators for Down's Syndrome; Baby Baker's is perfect.
That's a hand with five fingers on it. You know how you know that you picked the right doctor? When he tells you that there are five fingers, and then says that this is a good thing unless you were counting on raising a six-fingered swordsman.
The next picture is my favorite:
I am an absolute sucker for baby feet. I have never felt the urge to touch a pregnant woman's belly, or grab at someone's baby — but it takes every bit of willpower that I have not to touch a baby's foot if it presents itself. I'm nuts over baby shoes and socks and little baby tootsies curled up instead footie pajamas. I have really lucked out here; my baby will be coming complete with not one but TWO perfect little baby feet!
Anyway, to cut to the chase… it is an excellent thing that Ryan and I were not hoping for a surprise, gender-wise. Remember how I told you that the baby was positioned? Well, the first thing that the ultrasound revealed was a picture looking up (or down, I guess, since baby was upside-down) at the baby's bottom.
This particular shot is nowhere NEAR as clear as the one Ryan and I saw, immediately. I guess Ryan (who, after all, took care of a little baby boy for several months) knew instantly what he was looking at; I was pretty darned sure but wasn't sure to trust myself because of that disorientation. (I wasn't sure what end of the kid we were looking at!) Anyway, I guess neither one of us said anything because we weren't sure if the other person had seen it yet. Then the doctor pointed it out…
So, yeah. Looks like we're going to be having a little boy!
I would be lying if I said this didn't scare me a little bit, but I'm not quite sure if it's the fact that we're having a boy instead of a girl, or if it's the fact that this hypothetical genderless Possibility has abruptly turned into a pronouned Reality. In one fell swoop, I've gone from "I'm going to be a mom!" to "I'm going to be the mother of a son who will grow up to become a man." And that's a frightening prospect and a big responsibility! I don't know the first thing about little boys, but then again, I don't really know the first thing about babies in general. And everyone I know who has boys assures me that they're great. (Then again, would anyone really post on Facebook, "I have boys and wish desperately that I didn't"? LOL.)
I am excited. When I think about this baby growing up into a teenager, I remember that I really "do better" with my male students. I'm happy as a clam with my classes of ITE students (almost all male, entirely nerdy) and am pretty okay with just about anything teenage boys throw at me — but my "lose my cool" kryptonite is bratty teenage girls who roll their eyes. I always had more male friends than female. My favorite storybook characters are men and boys; my favorite toys are stereotypically male offerings. (Which, before the Mommy Warriors come after me, would have been a major presence in the household with a baby girl, too. Duh. Why would I have loved blocks and dinosaurs and ray guns if I hadn't had them growing up in my all-girl household?) And I've always thought it must be a nice thing to have a big brother.
It took me about 18 hours, but I think I've found my footing again. Now that this has become a Reality — a HE — I suddenly feel inspired to work on getting things ready for him. (Man, it's nice to have a pronoun!) Right now isn't the right time to go shopping; December is never the right time for big-ticket purchases like nursery furniture. But I'm ready to start really looking, and clearing out the room, and getting irritated that I can't paint it. 🙂


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17 November 2002 Sunday
x.evil link; upbeat self-portrayal
my "friend" sent me this yesterday: http://126.96.36.199:56789/images/SajjadAli.swf. i… it hurt my tummy. nothing does that… except food on the inside… and maybe if things are thrown at it with some velocity.. this site hurt my tummy. :-( check it out if you dare. it occurs to me that my xanga site seems quite happy. i've always wondered how to feel about… about coming across all upbeat and happy and stuff…. i guess it's good… it just doesn't feel so… me. i'm not a downbeat person by nature…. but i dunno about the portrayal of constant fun-moodedness and such… and i'm annoyed that i'm trying to explain this even to begin with, since my whole point is pretty much that friends will recognize me as not really the happy zany person by character… tho there's zanyness in plenty at times, i concede… pffft to all this. i'm going to go search for some chocolate chip cookies or something reasonable, rather than try to explain nonsenseness with ehness.


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Transcript Your-Rotation
Your Rotation Syllabus: A Workshop PCSP Preceptor Conference December 15, 2011 Kate Gerrald, PharmD, BCPS ([email protected]) Tiffaney Threatt, PharmD ([email protected]) Objectives • Review a standard course syllabus and identify essential components. • Describe strategies to plan, implement and evaluate students during introductory pharmacy practice experiences. • Develop a tailored syllabus incorporating rotation specific objectives, practice opportunities, and assessments. If You Build It…… • As a team, use your LEGOS to create an original structure. • Create a set of instructions for building your structure. • Ask the facilitator to take a photo of your structure. • When finished with your instructions, trade instructions and LEGOS with another team. (Be sure to disassemble and put blocks back into bag before giving to other team.) Trade and Build • Assemble the other team's LEGO kit using their instructions. Think about the following questions while you assemble the kit: • Are any of the instructions particularly helpful in assembling the model? If so, what are they? • How easy or difficult was the model to assemble? What features of the model do you think made it easy or difficult to assemble? When your team is finished, compare your structure with the other team's picture of the model. • Were you able to assemble it correctly? • What features of the instructions made them particularly easy to use? • What features were not particularly helpful? • How could the kit's instructions be improved? What is a Syllabus? ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ A tool for communicating the rotation. Introduction to a course of study. Summary outline of important factors. Indicator for what students can expect and what will be expected of them. The Typical Syllabus Includes: 1. Preceptor Information 2. Pre-rotation requirements for student a) Intern license to display b) Portfolio for review by preceptor 3. Schedule 4. Dress code/logistics 5. Required/recommended preparation The Typical Rotation Syllabus (Continued) 6. Expectations 7. Rotation Goals and Objectives 8. Assignments/Projects/Activities 9. Rotation Calendar 10.Grading and Evaluation Guidelines Ability Based Education • Outcomes ▫ Also referred to as objectives • Practice ▫ Active learning activities to meet objectives • Criteria ▫ Rubrics or expectations of practice opportunities • Feedback ▫ Assessment and constructive criticism Objectives • Description of knowledge, skills or behaviors you want your student to exhibit at the end of your rotation and/or activity ▫ Written with action verbs describe, calculate, demonstrate • Provides guidance in planning activities • Provides students with expectations • Provides guidance in assessing student progress Objectives Qualities of well written objectives Qualities of poorly written objectives • What the learner will be able to do • Description of what instructor will accomplish • Measurable • Not measurable • Specific & clear • Lacking clear expectations • Result of instruction • Outline of instruction Example of objectives • Know drug therapy for key disease states • Select and recommend drug therapy for cardiovascular diseases • Be familiar with why a specific drug therapy is selected • Explain rationale for drug therapy choices • Understand prescription processing • Describe the steps of prescription processing Cognitive thinking domains & objective verbs Recall (Knowledge/ Comprehension) • • • • • • • • Choose Define Label Locate Select Classify Describe Identify Interpretation (Application/ Analysis) • • • • • • • • Apply Develop Relate Analyze Compare Contrast Differentiate Solve Problem-solving (synthesis/ evaluation) • • • • • • • • • • Arrange Critique Justify Recommend Organize Formulate Generate Compose Prove Prioritize • Work in small groups according to your practice sites to brainstorm 2-3 overall course objectives for your rotation (15 min) • Later you will develop an activity that will feed directly into the course objective. Objectives from group • Collect patient data and input accurately • Apply HIPAA laws/requirements to practice and explain how to carry out HIPAA requirements • Describe what group of medications you will be monitoring in the pharmacokinetics program and describe the process for monitoring. • Develop a good communication base…. • Select a patient and conduct a medication reconciliation Assignments and Projects • Active Learning ▫ Requires learner to formulate answers to questions based upon knowledge ▫ Encourages learner to ask new questions and continue to search for new knowledge to provide better, more complete answers ▫ Develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills. ▫ Promotes achievement of the rotation's goals and objectives ACPE Guideline 11.2 Rotation Activities Exercise • Work in small groups according to your practice site to create an "activities" sheet for your site that will meet your objective(s): (5-10 minutes) • Discussion: 5 minutes Sample Rotation Activities • Privately enter pt info into profile and counsel patients in private • Entering different types of prescriptions for processing • Access lab values in computer and document appropriate information • In IV room, observe tech preparation of TPN and demonstrate sterile technique • Teach/counsel patient according to socioeconomic status • Answer phone calls and appropriately respond to drug information after checking with pharmacist Calendar of Activities Calendar of Activities • • • • • Snapshot of the "game plan" for the rotation Provides structure and organization List of Activities Time Line Due Dates Assessing Student Learning • Summative assessment ▫ End of rotation evaluation ▫ Grading accountability ▫ End of the learning process • Formative assessment ▫ Guides improvement in learning ▫ Part of the learning process Formative Assessment • Criteria based ▫ Describe knowledge, skills, and attitudes you want demonstrated ▫ Should be able to be used by another instructor/pharmacist/peer/student • Evidence based ▫ What went right ▫ What when wrong ▫ How to get better Example-Patient Case Presentation Objectives: • Assess a patient case and identify medical and drug-related problems. • Determine goals of therapy for each identified problem in the patient case. • Develop a pharmacy care plan for a particular patient case that includes monitoring parameters. • Orally communicate patient case and care plan in a concise, complete, and organized presentation. Total Possible Points: 40 points (20% final grade) • • • • • • Each student is expected to develop a pharmacy care plan for his or her case that will be the basis for the patient case presentation. The pharmacy care plan should include all references used and should be cited completely. References should include, but are not limited to, clinical practice guidelines as well as primary literature. Please refer to pages 57-59 in BOH's Pharmacy Practice Manual, 3rd edition, for proper procedures to cite references. References used should be included in the care plan. For instance, Patient's A1C goal is <x% per the abc guidelines/group/study. It may be beneficial to include a separate page, or at the end of the care plan, of all references used as you would in a paper. Presentations are expected to be no more than 8 minutes long, with approximately 2 minutes for questions. Power points will not be used to conduct presentations, but rather an oral report will be given regarding the patient case. Presentations will be graded on assessment of the case, prioritization of the patient's problems, the plan for the patient's problems, and communication style. Criteria Speaking style 2 points 1 point 0 points Score Spoke clearly; easy to hear and Difficult to hear or understand SOME Difficult to hear or understand understand; speed of speech things; speed of speech too fast or MOST things spoken; speed of effective throughout too slow in parts speech too fast or slow throughout Distracters OR Uses NO distracters such as 'um' Uses FEW distracters and/or Distracters and/or distracting distracting and NO distracting mannerisms distracting mannerisms; OR uses mannerisms used throughout x2 mannerisms them infrequently during presentation presentation Eye contact Maintains contact with audience Occasionally looked at audience Did not look at audience OR read throughout presentation directly from care plan Questions Repeats ALL questions before Repeats MOST questions before Does not repeat questions before answering; answers questions answering; answers MOST answering; answers NO confidently questions confidently questions confidently Patient caseAccurately and completely reports Accurately and completely reports Did not accurately and overview ALL relevant information relating MOST relevant information relating completely report relevant x2 to patient case to patient case information relating to patient case Patient caseAppropriately identifies each Appropriately identifies MOST Does not identify problems AND assessment problem and correctly prioritizes problems OR prioritizes MOST does not prioritize problem list x2.5 problem list problem correctly Patient case—plan Discusses appropriate therapy to Discusses therapy to treat each Discusses therapy to treat treat each patient problem AND problem that may be inappropriate problems that may be x5 includes ALL appropriate OR fails to include ALL appropriate inappropriate AND fails to include monitoring parameters and a monitoring parameters and a followALL appropriate monitoring follow-up plan up plan parameters and a follow-up plan Defense of Student provides therapeutic Student provides therapeutic Student provides no therapeutic recommendations rationale for treatment that is rationale for MOST problems that is rationale for treatment that is x2.5 evidence-based evidence-based evidence-based ***Faculty only ***Total Overall Score ***CARE PLAN 2 points 0 points SCORE Timeliness Turned in 24 hours prior to presentation Turned in <24 hours prior to presentation x2 References References used are appropriate References used are not appropriate Student-oriented Feedback • Sandwich method ▫ Strengths ▫ Areas to improve ▫ Strengths, with motivating comments • Multiple perspectives ▫ Should include self assessment ▫ Consider peer assessment • Work in small groups according to your practice sites to brainstorm how you will assess your activity(10-15 min) • Be sure to match the assessment to your objectives Resources • Preceptor "Toolbox" ▫ See PCSP Preceptor website (http://pharmacy.presby.edu/experiential-education/preceptors/) • Pharmacist's Letter Preceptor Training & Resource Network • Contact us at: ▫ [email protected] ▫ [email protected]


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Companies are starting to announce more alliances and ventures based on the premise that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) will be making big changes in the U.S. health insurance market.
Many companies have been talking about "private heath insurance exchange" programs — efforts to capitalize on the attention given to the new PPACA Web-based health insurance supermarkets by offering employers commercial systems that can give workers access to a menu of coverage options.
Many of the private exchange system companies have been talking about marketing the systems to large, self-funded employers. Some of the better-known systems are aimed primarily at big employers that are trying to get out of offering employer-paid retiree health benefits.
Now companies may be making more of an effort to offer commercial PPACA-exchange alternatives to small employers.
InsureX Solutions, for example, reported today that that more small businesses in its area — the region around Chicago — are thinking about using private exchanges.
Working with a private exchange might be a practical way for a small employer to give workers a fixed amount of benefits money and have the workers buy their own individual and family coverage, InsureX suggested.
In Colorado, organizers of the Colorado Health Insurance Cooperative – one of the new PPACA CO-OP plans — has hired SeeChange Health to help get the plan to market quickly by administering the plan.
PPACA drafters included the CO-OP program in the law to encourage people to set up nonprofit, member-owned health insurers. Some skeptics have questioned whether would-be CO-OP organizers will be able to get the plans to market by Oct. 1, when the PPACA exchanges are supposed to open, and Congress recently eliminated new CO-OP startup funding for organizers that have not yet received CO-OP startup funding commitments from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
SeeChange is a benefit plan administrator that has been emphasizing the use of "value-based" plan designs — benefit plan designs that try to encourage enrollees to spend freely on important, health-improving, money-saving care and avoid unnecessary and unnecessarily expensive care.
SeeChange now runs or helps run health plans with about 1.1 million enrollees.
The Colorado CO-OP hopes to sell the SeeChange-administered plans both through the Colorado PPACA exchange and through traditional health insurance brokers.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee said it is joining with MissionPoint Health Partners, a health care provider organization, to offer accountable care organization (ACO) plans to self-funded employer groups.
An ACO is supposed to put a team of health care providers in charge of managing and coordinating a patient's care and providing the kind of oversight that a good insurer-based wellness or condition management program might provide.
The providers in the ACO are supposed to share some of their reimbursement and get payments based in part on how efficiently they provide care and the quality of the care they provide.
PPACA encouraged Medicare managers to set up ACO test programs for traditional Medicare program enrollees.
Tennessee Blue will use a four-year ACO agreement with MissionPoint as the basis for offering employers access to a program with the potential to improve the patient experience while reducing health care costs, the carrier said.
MissionPoint now has about 50,000 ACO enrollees, Tennessee Blue said.
See also:


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TissuePatchDural™ is a surgical sealant film, specifically designed to reinforce closure of the Dura Mater to achieve a watertight seal.
It is a self-adhesive film comprising synthetic polymers that are encountered in everyday surgery. It contains no human, bovine or porcine material,
It is multi-layered, incorporating structural and adhesive absorbable components.
The active component within TissuePatchDural™ is Tissuemed's proprietary TissueBond™ bioadhesive technology. This bonds the film to proteins on the tissue surface within a minute, providing immediate support and an effective watertight closure during the natural healing process.
TissuePatchDural™ requires no advance preparation and can be applied straight from the pack.
TissuePatchDural™ is transparent, allowing post-application wound visualisation.
It is available in a range of sizes and shapes and can be cut to shape to suit clinical requirements.
Note: TissuePatchDural is not indicated for use as a dural substitute or replacement, but can be used in combination with such materials to achieve watertight closure.
TissuePatchDural™ is indicated to seal and reinforce against Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leakage during surgical repair of the Dura Mater in Cranial, Spinal and Transnasal closure.
By helping surgeons to achieve a watertight closure the product helps in the avoidance of post-operative complications associated with CSF leaks. This means it can contribute to shorter patient stays and reduced healthcare costs.
The photographs illustrate the typical use of TissuePatchDural™ to reinforce a sutured Dura – sealing gaps and suture holes.
Simply Open and Apply
Three simple steps to achieving a watertight result
Step 1: Open and dispense
Carefully peel apart inner pouch in sterile field. Gently remove the patch with forceps, remembering that it is at its most fragile in its pre-application state. No preparation is necessary and the patch is now ready to use. Ensure the logo is facing upwards and is readable throughout placement.
Step 2: Place
Target tissue should be gently swabbed, but does not need to be absolutely dry. Place the patch gently on the tissue. Aim for a minimum 1cm margin from suture line to the edge of the patch. If required, limited patch repositioning is possible if performed immediately at this stage.
Step 3: Adhere to Target Tissue
Hold a damp swab over the patch, "encouraging contact" with tissue surface for 60 seconds. If reassurance is needed, repeat the exercise but do not reposition or move the same patch. Overlapping patch edges to achieve coverage is possible. Note however that patch-over-patch adhesion is less strong than patch over tissue.
Hints and Tips
1. Can it be cut to shape or size?
Yes. To minimise handling, it is suggested that patch be cut in the sleeve first before removing.
2. Does it need to be wet before application?
No. Wetting prior to use is not strictly required. However, hydration is not contraindicated and can enhance handling characteristics.
3. Should adherence be tested before closure?
Usually patch adherence is visually apparent, but if confirmation is required do not use sharp instruments as these may risk "puncturing" the patch.
Size Guide/Ordering
|5 x (25 x 50 mm)
|5 x (50 x 50 mm)
|5 x (50 x 100 mm)
|5 x (100 x 100 mm)


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Ness and Jess are two incredible ladies. After moving to New Zealand, they decided to begin their new life in a strange country by building a Tiny House on wheels. With minimal building experience but lots of passion, this dynamic duo have designed and constructed a true tiny masterpiece.
There's no doubt about it, this tiny house is packed full of great features and industrial design influence. Much of that character is testament to the couples resourcefulness, repurposing skill and eye for a good bargain.
Elements such as the exposed structural steel beams that have been interwoven with LED rope lights help the home to not only build a bold impression but also somehow warms the raw nature of the materials and makes the cold steel feel like a cosy character piece for the home.
As far as tiny houses in New Zealand go, this one is quite large. At almost 8 meters (25ft) long, 2.5 meters (8ft) wide, and 4 meters (13ft) high, this little house on wheels carries a feeling of spaciousness all through it.
Quirky features such as the climbing wall help to bring even more uniqueness into the home, but also serve a very practical function. This particular walls provides access to the spare loft space (which the girls had intended for extra clothes storage) while also taking up minimal space when not in use.
In the kitchen, the couples passion for repurposing and up-cycling becomes evident. An old dresser (whose twin lives in the lounge area) serves as the main cabinetry, while two old crates provide additional storage above for herbs and jars. The bench top was made from simple sheets of plywood (excess material from the mezzanine floor) covered with a sheet of steel.
The bathroom is simple, classy and surprisingly large for a tiny house, even providing enough space for a full bathtub (one of the couples best deals and purchased for only $1 on the trading website TradeMe). A wash basin and simple composting toilet complete the room.
Desiring space and in an effort to keep the design of the house open and light, the couple opted for a simple library ladder style set-up for access to the sleeping loft.
A simple old painters ladder has been repurposed for this task, and looks completely at home amongst the tiny houses many urban-loft-style features. Speckles of paint adorn the ladder and paint a wonderful picture of it's past life.
Upstairs, the sleeping loft is very simple yet has a wonderful open feeling thanks to the many windows surrounding the bed. Despite building a tiny house, Ness is usually no fan of small spaces, therefore extra care has been taken to ensure that the home never feels confined.
From the sleeping loft, there is an expansive view of the rest of the house giving the whole mezzanine an incredibly open feel, and allowing people to have private space when needed, but also not be totally disconnected from the rest of the house.
Underneath the sleeping loft we find the lounge. Again filled with decor reminiscent of a construction site, including the wonderfully up-cycled crates that Jess was able to find on her fathers work-site, and which Ness modified into a wonderful couch, packed with storage and comfortable cushions made from left over polyester insulation.
Everywhere you look, this tiny home is completely filled with the spirit of the girls. Art and tiny projects everywhere show off the creativity and talents of the two builders.
Outside, the home is modern and sleek. Many weight-saving features have been incorporated in this home, one being the clever use of a steel exterior cladding.
Jess and Ness are truly an inspirational couple. With no background in building they set about learning everything they needed to be able to build their own home. The couple are quick to thank YouTube for the abundance of resources and information which allowed them to learn the required skills. Their whole journey has been well documented on their blog, Tiny Housewives.
5 Responses to The Tiny Housewives Tiny House
Rob Morgan
And look how amazingly tidy the place is too! It just goes to show what you can do, with limited space.
Hi Bryce, I have read about Ness and Jess I also would love something like this. Is it possible to buy a small home already made?
Leo Murray
Great video Bryce!
Those exposed beams came out real nice eh!
Hi Bryce, my name is Matt, I also have a passion for small space design, permaculture, and downsized, eco-friendly living. My dream would be to one day build my own tiny home or even buy one that is ready made. I would love to find some land to live on or even some land with a tiny house community, and grow my own organic food using permaculture methods. I would love to get more info about tiny homes and would love to know if they can be bought ready made?.. I'm based on Waiheke for a few years until I gain residency with work then I'm thinking of going back to the coromandel as I love it there.


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Let's take a quick trip down memory lane to high school biology class (or was it middle school?), where we learned that cells are the fundamental unit of life and the foundation for all organisms that inhabit Earth. The growth and development of these cells, achieved through the cell cycle, is essential for our survival (remember seeing that video of one cell dividing and becoming two?). Without getting too "science-y", we humans, and all of the other living creatures (other animals, as well as plants and various organisms), are made up of millions upon millions of cells.
Cells make us who we are. They determine our hair color, eye color, height and our general body shape. They also help to determine our basic personality traits and how we act and feel on a daily basis. The cells within our bodies are constantly interacting with each other, communicating on a molecular level. At the same time, they also communicate with the outside world. One of the main ways our cells interact and are impacted by the outside world is through what we eat. They transport the nutrients we get from our food to the various parts of our body that need them to function.
Hence the old adage, "You are what you eat."
Food energetics is the concept that all foods have a specific molecular personality and character, which influence the cells in our body in a specific way when they are absorbed and transported throughout our body during digestion. In essence, we take on the energetic nature of a particular food when we eat it. This may seem a little "woo-woo" for you, but it makes sense to me if you remember the science that I described above.
Why wouldn't our food impact our bodies on a molecular level? I personally think it does. This thought is the foundation of my belief of the power of using food as medicine. There are properties within certain foods that make us sick and cause disease (such as artificial sugar, trans fat, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, etc.), and there are certain foods and herbs that can help to heal us (such as those containing disease-fighting antioxidants). Ever wonder why your mom's chicken soup always helped to make you feel better when you had the flu or a bad cold? At its core, food energetics is using foods to prevent and treat disease.
The theory of food energetics includes the concept of eating foods to impose different effects on the body based on the four basic temperaments of food – hot, cold, cool and warm. In the summertime or when we visit a hot climate, we are drawn to foods that cool our bodies such as fruit, smoothies and raw veggies. In the winter we are drawn to warming foods that help to heat us up and sustain us through the rough weather such as soups, stews, porridge and whiskey (I had to throw that one in there 😉 ).
Food energetics states that cooking foods in a specific way can also influence our cells. When we cook food, the molecular structure of the food is permanently changed. Some harmful cells may die off (such as salmonella or other harmful bacteria in uncooked chicken) and some cells may be broken down so our bodies can more easily assimilate them (as is the case with grain being transformed into bread). For example, a vegetable fried in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (i.e. french fries at many fast food chains) has a dramatically different impact on our bodies than a potato roasted in olive oil in your oven.
The chart below outlines various energetic qualities foods that are assimilated into our bodies when we eat a particular food.
Do any of these seem to make logical sense to you? For me personally, sugar definitely makes me tense. Consuming large quantities of it causes me to become negative, short-tempered and anxious. I also feel much more positive and healthy when I focus on eating natural foods and balance food temperaments (i.e., when I'm cold I eat something that is warming and vice versa). It also explains why I love raw salads in the summer and my favorite beef chili in the winter.
Perhaps the concept of food energetics is a bit too out there for you. That's okay. It took me a while to get where I am. But even just understanding how and why certain foods impact you the way they do is an important step towards finding the right foods for you. Which leads to Harmony, Happiness and Health.
Peace, Love and Energy,
The Yogi~Foodie


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Brother MFC-8510DN. Print technology: Laser, Printing: Mono printing. Maximum resolution: 1200 x 1200 DPI. Copying: Mono copying. Maximum copy resolution: 1200 x 600 DPI. Scanning: Colour scanning. Optical scanning resolution: 1200 x 1200 DPI. Faxing: Mono faxing, Duplex functions: Print. Maximum ISO A-series paper size: A4. Standard input capacity: 250 sheets, Standard output capacity: 150 sheets. Direct printing
Delivering a range of enhanced workflow solutions the MFC-8510DN is a high speed All-In-One combining print, scan, copy and fax in one versatile device.Brother's MFC8510DN offers features to optimise your workflow,including- High speed output at up to 36ppm print & copy.- Fax with 33,600bps (Super G3) modem.- First page out in less than 8.5 seconds.- Up to 8,000 page high yield toner cartridges.- Intuitive control panel with 5 Line LCD.- Standard paper capacity of 300 sheets.- 1,200 x 1,200dpi resolution.- Automatic 2-sided print, with excellent paper handling capabilities with stadnard 250 sheet tray ad 50 sheet MP Tray.The printer is also compatible with a range of mobile device solutions, allowing to easily use roam print features including AirPrint,Google Cloud Print and Wi-Fi Direct.


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Burgess Excel Adult Rabbit Food 2kg
A delicious, complementary food for adult rabbits that's high in fibre and rich in nutrients. Excel Tasty Nuggets prevent selective feeding where the rabbit picks out the sweet high sugar elements of the diet and leaves the nutritious and fibre rich elements. Naturally high in Beneficial Fibre (39%)
Prevents selective feeding
Contains a natural prebiotic for digestive health
Fortified with vitamins and minerals for healthy eyes, skin and coat
With mint for extra tastiness
Natural antioxidants to support the immune system
Suitable for: All adult rabbits (from 4 months – 5 years old)
Important for: Maintaining good digestive health, preventing selective feeding
Nutritional Information +
Analytical Constituents
Beneficial Fibre 39% • Crude Protein 13% • Crude Oils and Fats 4% • Crude Fibre 19% • Crude Ash 6.5% • Sodium 0.18% • Calcium 0.75% • Phosphorous 0.5%.
Grass • Wheat • Oat Feed • Soya Bean Hulls* • Peas • Yeast • Mint (1.25%) • Soya Oil* • Dicalcium Phosphate • Salt • Short Chain Fructo-oligosaccharides (0.25%) • Limestone • Minerals.
Nutritional Additives
Vitamin A (retinyl acetate) (E672) 25,000 iu/kg • Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) (E671) 2,000 iu/kg • Vitamin E (dl Alpha tocopherol acetate) (3a700) 155mg/kg • Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid monophosphate) 70mg/kg • Copper (Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate) (E4) 28mg/kg • Iodine (Calcium Iodate Anhydrous) (E2) 2.34mg/kg • Selenium (Sodium Selenite) (E8) 0.55mg/kg • Iron (Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate) (E1) 133mg/kg • Manganese (Manganous Oxide) (E5) 16.1mg/kg • Zinc Oxide (E6) 139mg/kg • DL methionine 140mg/kg.
Technological Additives
Tocopherol Rich Extracts of Natural Origin (E306) 100mg/kg. *May Contain GM Materials
With our Delivery Partners GLS, we are delighted to be able to offer delivery throughout Europe. Delivery Times to Countries to Vary.
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We offer very Competitive Shipping Prices as well!
Ireland and Northern Ireland
- Spend Up to €29.99: €6.00 €30 and over: Free
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For Switzerland and Norway there is also a Customs Charge of €25.00 per order
Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Spain, Portugal
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USAAF 41-35631 Martin B-26C-35-MO Marauder
USAAF serial number S/N: 41-35631 Martin B-26C-35-MO Marauder
1941035631, 41-35631 Martin B-26C-35-MO Marauder, Fate: Transferred Fate: Remarks: USN - delivered on Oct 1943, Disposal:
USAAF Military History Section
|USAAF Chronology and War Diaries
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F-LANE is a six-week acceleration programme for 5 high-potential digital impact ventures focusing on female empowerment. After six weeks of intensive coaching and mentoring, the second class will successfully graduate in November 2017.
Join us on the 16th of November for the Final Pitch of our F-LANE ventures. You will get the opportunity to know cutting-edge technology ventures that make a change. The Final Pitch will be part of the "Junge Elite Gipfel 2017" of CAPITAL with this year's title: "Generation Macron: Time for Responsibility".
5.00 pm – Doors open
5:30 pm – Keynote by Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO Vodafone Germany & Member of the Executive Committee Vodafone Group
5:45 pm – F-LANE Final Pitch
7:10 pm – Closing Remarks by Horst von Buttlar, Editor in Chief, CAPITAL
Final Pitches of our second F-LANE class: Good on You, Mowoza, Sou Sou, KaaroHealth and Gapsquare.
7:00 pm – Reception


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What is today, what makes it special and why am I writing on this day?
It's not New Year's, is it? You know, when everybody starts new stuff and is all excited for the freshness of it all. Out with the old. In with the new. Nope.
Is it November 1st when people usually start their "things I'm grateful for" lists? Lemme check. Nope.
Is it my birthday? Nada. Already passed.
So what's today?
Nothing special. Except it's EVERYTHING.
Today is all I have. And all I will ever have.
You will never feel ready for that thing you want to do. And one thing I want to do… is write. More.
I love the feeling of writing, of having a voice. It's important for women to understand no matter how you've been belittled in life or told you shouldn't argue back or felt like you had to keep quiet to keep the peace…
Bah humbug on that.
Speak out. You have just as much right as anyone.
You have a voice. Use it for what you will.
Start a blog if you want. Start a twitter account. Write a book. Start a journal. Learn new things. Listen to others' stories. Be inspired. Take a walk. Soak up life.
You might say some things you later regret. Good. Learn from it.
People might disagree with you. Good. Listen and learn.. or ignore. It depends on the person and what was said.
But you'll also say some really awesome things. You'll grow. You'll learn. You'll gain confidence. You'll see things about yourself you might have passed over before. You'll gain clarity on certain issues. It'll help you heal.
Try it.
That is all for today.
I'll be back tomorrow with more tidbits.


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Today I'm reviewing another fun blend from Zoomdweebie's 52 Teas line — chai-napple gunpowder. They've mixed traditional gunpowder green tea with chai spaces (cinnamon, ginger, caramon) and freeze dried pineapple.
As a hot tea, this didn't really float my boat. But once it cooled down to room temperature, those spices really came out and it was quite enjoyable with the sweetness of the pineapple. I can imagine this would be really tasty iced! Give it a try!
Purchase Zoomdweebie's Chai-napple Gunpowder


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Severn Valley Railway Locomotive Display & Visitor Centre, Highley
This ramp and expansion plate was designed to enable wheelchair and walk in access to the locomotive and tender unit. This gives a great opportunity for everyone to be able to view and learn about the workings of a great part of engineering history. The expansion plate was designed to be adjustable so that it could be used with the other locomotives that are at different heights.


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The story: A slowing economy and continuing gold price hikes have prompted Nationwide Jewellers to release version three of its Repair Price Book at the JAA Australian Jewellery Fair in September. The price book includes recommended retail on most jewellery and watch repair services.
"With the slowing economy, there will be a surge in demand for repairs of all types of goods, including jewellery and watches," managing director Colin Pocklington said. "So, jewellers need to ensure that their prices reflect current cost factors."
The story: Representatives from the jewellery trade are currently working with Standards Australia (SA) to compile new precious metal and plating standards for the industry. Drafts of these standards are now complete.
The committee has already attended four meetings to devise two separate standards, according to committee member Peter Beck, CEO of supplier Peter W Beck and representative of the Australian Jewellery and Gemstones Council. The new standards – Australian Standard – Requirements for rolled gold and plated jewellery; Australian Standard – Jewellery-fineness of precious metal alloys – will cover all precious metals and their alloys, as well as rolled gold, plating thicknesses and so forth.
The story: Questions from Jeweller about the DCLA-controlled website that purports "to help the diamond consumer locate reputable Australian diamond jewellers dedicated to the fair, ethical, and honest sale of diamonds and diamond jewellery" have not been answered by DCLA directors.
After Jeweller published a story in its March issue about www.independentlycertifieddiamonds.com, (ICD) DCLA directors wrote to the magazine complaining about the accuracy of the story and also lodged a formal complaint with the Australian Press Council. Just prior to the story being published, the ICD website underwent a massive redesign. Jeweller wrote to DCLA director Roy Cohen but Cohen declined to answer.
The story: Small businesses will soon enjoy what has been dubbed the greatest protection in 30 years against predatory pricing and misuse of market power as the result of proposed changes to the Trade Practices Act.
Speaking at the National Small Business Summit in Sydney, Australian ACCC chairman, Graeme Samuel said the government was now preparing to remove blockages in the law that would allow the regulator to take more action on behalf of small businesses.
According to an ACCC release, the regulator has been actively working to assist small business on a number of fronts from protecting them from cartels, bullying conduct, misleading conduct and scams (false business opportunities).
Samuel said the ACCC took a holistic approach that recognised that small businesses are also consumers. "Protecting their welfare means dealing with a number of issues, from scams to cartels, to bullying by other businesses," he said.


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Spike TV today released the viewing figures for this past Wednesday's double-bill which featured UFC Fight Night 21 followed by the season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 11.
The results show UFN 21 drew 1.6 million viewers, peaking at 2 million for the main attraction between Kenny Florian and Takanori Gomi. The event claimed the No.1 spot in it's time-slot for male viewers aged between 18-34 and 18-49.
Those figures are roughly in line with what you would expect from a Fight Night card on Spike, with a peak of 2 million also being recorded for UFN 20's headline bout between Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard back in January.
Meanwhile TUF 11's season premiere pulled in 1.9 million viewers – again around about what you'd expect from the show these days. Of course last season saw unprecedented ratings, with 4.1 million tuning into the opening episode to see Kimbo Slice, but it was always understood that those kind of figures were a one-off for the show.


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This limited edition Canvas Print, designed by Eric Ton, comes with a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity. Ready to hang, this image is printed onto a 450gsm white finish, 100% cotton canvas and stretched over 1.5" deep wood stretcher bars (3/4" for XS). Each print comes with wall hanging hardware.
This digital painting is based on one of my beach photos.
United States


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LONDON, May 7 (UPI) -- Canadian actress Ellen Page has been cast as the heroine in the latest big-screen adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic British romance "Jane Eyre."
Variety.com said the producers plan to start shooting the BBC Films project this fall.
"Jane Eyre" is about a 19th-century nanny who falls in love with her employer, a wealthy, moody man hiding a terrible secret.
Page earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in "Juno." She has also starred in the films "Hard Candy" and "Smart People."


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Nowhere near as exciting as 2005 but not a bad series, what do you think?
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Nowhere near as exciting as 2005 but not a bad series, what do you think?
I've enjoyed it. It's been missing a real thriller of a game, a match that either side can win at any point. But it's been unpredictable and interesting to watch. A 6.5/10 series I'd say.
Good series, had its moments but the quality of cricket was pretty poor all round. Didn't help being compared every two moments to 2005 but whilst we are doing comparisons it's nowhere near Aus vs SA in Aus this year either and I hear the Pak SL series was pretty good.
I know a lot of people have criticised it, but it's still been a good series IMO. Much more competitive than I was expecting. There hasn't been as many big individual performances or close matches as '05 obviously, but it's still one of the better Ashes series I've watched.
Probably the second best series Australia has been involved in since '05, behind the home series against South Africa recently which had some excellent cricket. The home series against India was pretty good too but all the bull**** overshadowed the cricket.
Two evenly matched mediocre sides battling it out. The test rankings will reflect the "quality" of these teams.
The least bad team won.
It'll always be compared to 2005, which it was never going to match, but I've loved the series. Helped by an England win obviously, but it's been competitive, unpredictable and we've seen some excellent performances from players on either side. I'd give it an 8/10.
I'd rate it about 6/6.5 out of 10 too. Not a great series as far as quality of play goes, but there have been some decent matches to watch. England outplayed us in 3 of the tests to our two and deserve to win. The teams took turns playing mediocre cricket at times
I found it slightly above average. Nothing special, but was carried by the nature of the rivalry.
6/10 probably.
Both South African series were better IMO, as was Aust vs. India in Australia 07/08.
Weirdest series i've seen since South Africa's tour to England in 2008. Jus tlike then ENG were the less superior team. But opposition inconsistencies & England ceasing KEY moments at crucial times was enough to do the job.
A trinsquillion out of 10.
The quality wasn't great, but it was thrilling because of the evenness and the importance of the rivalry. Reminded me more of the series in the 80s, lot's of poor cricket interspersed with bit's of brilliance.
Nowhere close to 2005, but what is?


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ending words and world: our universal responsibility!
Back home, in France for few days now til the 31 of august, when i will take a plane to montreal
was walking in main bazar, and some hours later, nicely spent with nice neighboors in plane and a transit via colombo, i was in paris! incredible how our world can be fantastic, so diverse, so rich!
i realized how much i love our planet, and its inhabitants, like my home, i will give heart and soul to protect it from now on.
Sitting on the steps of a train, wind in hairs while door open, i was watching the countryside, and those amazing old fruit trees, roots seam to pump the center of earth, people were always sitting under, they provided a refreshing place to rest, they were cementing the floor, harmonising elements, were home for so many beings, giving fruits to feed them and supply the crops and livestock, recycling air and supplying new one, they balance the temperature.. they are the beauty of our planet, continuously replenishes its surrounding, without trees, where would be this majesty?
Shakyamuni Buddha, prince Siddharta was born, reached enlightenment, and passed away under a tree
we can understand easily how important it it to plant and nurtur trees are virtuous acts.
I realize how important it is that the whole society need to take interest in planting various kind of trees and flowers around schools, hospitals, factories, restaurants, hotels, in their gardens....
And suddently i had an idea! why not buying all kind of fruit trees seeds, with sponsors for each one of them, and offering them to people, families, etablishments around france first to see if its working well, and then going abroad to expand this movements? planting a tree would be really symbolic, when giving a seed, i should arouse people, kids about importance of environment and how to take care of it, as they will take care of this future tree, making them understand the interdependante nature of the world and its inhabitants. i realized it when i saw people defecating everywhere, throwing garbage in rivers and outside home, spitting everywhere, without imagining that its hazard to health and hygiene, and they are poiling landscapes.
i could take a picture of people who received seeds, they would write few words for the sponsor of their seed behind, and exchange adress, which could increase the connections between different culture and ways of living.
wether we like it or not we are born just as part of a great family on this earth: rich, poor, educated or not, belonging to one nation, ideology or another, we are jus human beings like everyone else. Today every crisis become global, s speaking about my nation, my family, my continent, my traditions is out of date! If we concern this new interdependance, considering interests of others is clearly the best form of self interest!
All phenomenas, from the plaet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us arise in dependance upon subtle patterns of energy, without they just dissolve... we need to appreciate this fact of nature even more than in the past!
the rapidchanges in our attitude toward environment is a great source of hope! every individual has the responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction: large human movements spring from individual initiatives!
im very happy to have heard and red after that such kinds of initiative, promoting fruit tree seeds plantation and care, had already been launched by different people and charities: as the dalai lama, who use his nobel price money to buy seeds, or moitessier, great sailor, or this french movement kokopelli and many others!
im really willing to work in that direction in the years to come, volunteering here or here, involving in or creating sustainable development projects, working a bit abroad if trips cannot be sustainable with working-holidays permits, the next years could be in asia and in australia for me!
i will graduate, and then try to leave about one year in nepal, sikkim or south inda to volunteer in micro finance, then woofing for a while in india, or laos yet to see, then leaving australia and new zealand with permits, keep studying my seed project, finding sponsors eventually... and i have so many other ideas, but as you know, opportunities create on the way and plans break out. then i prefer in the next years to live according to my values, without loosing one second any longer, procrastinating expecting or postponing anything.
I dont know whats gonna happen to me, where this willingness to act for the planet and inhabitants will lead, what my motivation, heart and soul can create and change, but they are here. Im here for my planet, may all attractiv forest expand in all thousands directions , may all sentient creatures be freed from untimely death and live happy lives!
thank you very much!


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Conservation and legislation are tried and true ways to protect animal species. But there's another method that many environmentalists often forget about: hunting.
A recent paper in Conservation Biology concludes that strictly regulated trophy hunting in Africa could help endangered species' populations rebound. According to an article on National Geographic.com:
"As demand for land increases with swelling human populations, some conservationists are arguing that they can garner more effective results by working with hunters and taking a hand in regulating the industry."
The argument goes that if a game animal's value is quantifiable, then the amount of space that it occupies is justified. Right now, 23 African countries allow game hunting and bring in an estimated $200 million to the private parks each year. These parks on the African continent account for 22 percent more land than currently conserved by the national parks. In theory, the private hunting grounds could help rhinos, elephants, and leopards thrive in the interest of mounted animal heads.
But hunting parks would have to abide by certain rules before they could be certified, writes Peter Lindsey, one of the authors of the study. The criteria would be that "hunting operations would have to prove their commitment to animal welfare, careful management of hunting quotas, wide-ranging conservation objectives, and the development of local communities."
Critics argue that hunting in the name of preservation is never a good thing and the bureaucracy of certifying game parks is unreasonable. Yet Lindsey and his team say that unregulated hunting has only gotten a bad rap in the past because people killed certain species nearly to extinction. But there is evidence that game parks helped species like the white rhino population flourish:
"The southern white rhinoceros grew from just 50 animals a century ago to over 11,000 wild individuals today, because hunts gave game ranchers a financial incentive to reintroduce the animal, the authors write."
Putting a value on wildlife and open spaces is something that conservationists struggle with, and that in and of itself makes this an interesting idea. But ensuring that game parks follow all the rules seems like a daunting task. Although a certification process was suggested in the past, the authors admit that it will probably take some convincing before conservationists, governments, and the public fully embrace the idea.
Story by Susan Cosier. This article originally appeared in Plenty in March 2007. This story was added to MNN.com in July 2009.


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The Architect's Newspaper Annual Best of Design Awards
the best of design awards is a unique project-based awards program that showcases great buildings and building elements. entrants are invited to submit completed works in 26 categories.
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Join our newsletter to get monthly newsletters of new design competitions, contests, awards, prizes and challanges delivered right into your mailbox without hassle. You keep designing, we keep you updated about the upcoming challenges. Click here to register.


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On August 13th, a flight is scheduled to leave Phoenix, Arizona carrying 145 loving, healthy pets from Southern states' overcrowded shelters – to shelters in the Northwest where they're likely to be quickly adopted! Most of these dogs and cats wouldn't survive if they don't make this flight.
Last month, Freekibble Flight to Freedom left Lafayette, Louisiana saving 150 pets.
In shelters across the country, highly adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized just because the shelters are overcrowded. In other areas, shelters have a shortage of adoptable pets. Freekibble and GreaterGood.org are working with Wings of Rescue to save homeless pets by flying them to shelters where they're likely to be quickly adopted! Wings of Rescue flew 10,000 pets to new homes last year alone!
Halo Pets will be donating 10,000 bowls of Halo kibble with WHOLE meat (and NO "meat meal" of ANY kind) to shelters receiving the animals — because WHOLE meat makes a whole lot of difference!
Don't forget to play Freekibble.com to help feed hungry pets and as always, Halo will donate a bowl to a shelter every time YOU buy. Thank you for helping #HaloFeeditForward.


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Funny how government always comes to the rescue last minute to correct the problems it helped create in the first place. Fortunately, Wall Street is only a stone's throw away to take the blame instead.
But how many of the same people who enjoy parroting the trendy, way left of center cliché that greedy CEO's and corporate America should hang will take the time to read about the government mandates that helped promote subprime mortgages to begin with? How many in the media will be reporting about the unintended, but predictable consequences behind the noble pursuit of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1992, which stems from Jimmy Carter's administration?
For anyone wondering why banks took on such risky loans from borrowers, how many will remember Franklin Delano Raines, the Clinton-appointed head of Fannie Mae who took an early retirement in 2004 after having made it his top priority for people with poor credit to get mortgages for minimal money down thanks to programs such as the CRA? Was it really about ensuring more people, particularly low-income families and minority groups could finally become homeowners? Or was it the million dollar bonuses Raines and others received for overstating Fannie Mae's earnings and bundling an inordinate amount of bad loans with good ones and convincing investment banks all over the world they were a safe risk since they were "government insured"? Will anyone other than the financial papers bother reporting about Raine's and Fannie Mae's shoddy accounting practices that involved overstating profits by $6.3 billion, making the infamous Ken Lay and Enron's $567 million overstatement look like a conceivable mistake? Where is the outrage in the mainstream media now?
As usual, it will be misplaced by journalists who find it much easier to report unfounded drivel. Such as the current chorus of "intellectuals" who don't understand actual, inevitable economic realities such as price elasticity and budget constraints but are quick to coin misleading, albeit catchy phrases such as "savage neoliberal capitalism". Terms sure to become a hit among the Che Guevara T-shirt crowd who keep a watchful eye on "the system" between sipping Chai Lattes and pondering the profundity of Noam Chomsky. Their flawed interpretation of events in turn will "trickle down" and churn the next conspiracy theory involving the rich spend every waking hour trying to keep the poor from achieving the American dream. God forbid the average taxpayer should ever hear another side to the argument such as the facts.


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A few folks have asked me about the murchidates program (women religious leaders) here in Morocco, so for SISTERS Magazine's June issue I spoke to a student (grandmother of seven, masha Allah!) of the program. By the time she told me that she "would be nothing" if she hadn't learnt to read through the program, R'kia and her interpreting son were both crying. I, of course, remained stoically professional. Below is the full article from SISTERS and you can also read about the production of and watch the documentary, "Class of 2006," about the murchidates program online at the PBS site.
Grandmother of seven, R'kia Irda, grew up in a rural valley of the
Atlas Mountains and never attended the mosque as child. Her
mother died when she was very young, and left her with no one
available to take her to the mosque or to school. She had never
learnt to read and only memorised a few of the shortest surahs to
recite in her prayers.
As a young teenaged mother, R'kia moved to a rapidly developing
neighbourhood in Casablanca. Like many young women emigrating
from the countryside, she seldom left her home – and never without
her husband – and she kept the tradition of staying away from the
R'kia was in her forties when her oldest teenage daughter began
her journey to the deen by attending the Friday prayer and a host
of lectures at the mosque. R'kia began to join her; first for the Friday
prayers and later attending the women's classes by herself. Every
Friday for over a decade, R'kia has regularly gone to the mosque for
her classes.
In 2007, Morocco commenced the free nationwide Mourchidate
programme to educate women; it included lessons on Islam as well
as a literacy campaign. R'kia heard about this programme at Jumu'ah
and was excited about the opportunity to learn to read.
When the programme was first announced the excitement
surrounding it was tinged with controversy. There was unease about
women teaching religion, about exactly what would be taught and
even disagreement about who should benefit from the programme.
With Morocco's illiteracy rates amongst women being about 60%
in 2007, some people who supported the program felt that "old
women should be sacrificed" and that the resources would be better
used directed at younger women and children.
R'kia heard about this problem – that some people wanted the old
women to be excluded – but she says that many women had long
been campaigning for a literacy program and by the time it was
formally announced at her masjid, they were assured that the classes
were going to include grown women.
Looking back, she says she "would be nothing" if she hadn't learnt
how to read. Through the Mourchidate classes she can now read in
Arabic, she has better learnt the surahs she previously only heard
and she is also learning many longer surahs. She has learnt the duas
for the different positions of prayer and she can now understand the
lectures she attends.
Recently the literacy program began testing its pupils to determine
the success of the program and its participants. Last week Grandma
R'kia anxiously prepared for her first exam ever. As of today she hasn't
received her results yet, but for her they are superfluous. For the
literacy programme at the mosque has enabled her to learn to read
and she can now continue to learn her religion and better herself.